‘All right, my boy, all right,’ said the General, choking. He turned to the crony, who was smiling gravely. ‘Wonderful boy,’ he said, _sotto voce_, ‘make fine soldier--splendid touch--considers feelings of his men.’ ‘Rather a curious way of doing so,’ said the crony, glancing with a twinkle in his eye at the door through which the waiter had disappeared. ‘All same--good intention,’ said the General. But Tally Ho had entirely forgotten waiter, lunch, and hosts, in the contemplation of a new problem connected with the giant fireplace, which was crammed with plants. ‘It’s all tommy lot,’ he said abruptly to himself, climbing down from his chair and walking straight up to the fireplace. ‘Kotah Lal said dere was allerways fires in Ingeliland, but dere isn’t, and dere never wasn’t, ’cos dese would be burntled.’ ‘Gawd bless me!’ said the General, ‘wonderful!--splendid soldier he’ll make--good reasonin’ power--fine forcible vocabulary.’ ‘I should apply for a commission for him to-morrow if I were you,’ said the crony, drily. ‘So I will,’ said the General, ‘hum--well--not quite yet--but keep my eye on him.’ Tally Ho came back to the table, and stood waiting at attention. The two men rose. ‘Has ’oo finished?’ said Tally Ho, ’tum along, my wantles my’s cigar.’ ‘It seems that your protégé has his vices as well,’ said the crony, as they went downstairs. In the hall the commissionaire handed him an address. He looked at it triumphantly. ‘Major Blount’s London reference,’ he said. ‘Capital,’ said the General, ‘I’ll send round at once--sure to know all about him there.’ He did so, then ordered coffee and cigars, and settled himself and his guest in armchairs. Tally Ho’s feet, when he sat back, just reached the edge of the chair. ‘My’s daddy,’ he said, ‘dives my one puffle of his cigars--Kotah Lal, my’s _sais_, ’mokes, but my doesn’t takle puffles from a _sais_,’ he added, proudly. The General twinkled all over his war-worn face, took his cigar from his mouth and handed it to Tally Ho. The latter grasped it gingerly between his small brown finger and thumb, and applied it to his mouth, which it completely filled. Holding it firmly, and sitting well back, with his chair tilted up, he took one long diligent draw, then with his cheeks puffed out he gave it solemnly back to the General. Slowly and rapturously he let the smoke escape, and watched it curl up to the ceiling in little puffs and rings. When it was all expended, he snuggled his small fair head back amongst the cushions.