"No, it is not a trifling matter; but it seems to be trifling with me to propose such a thing. You cannot be in earnest." "I am in earnest, and it is wise," he said sternly. "But it is an appointment for an old, experienced man, and I suppose that I am a mere boy." "The great Company thought you old enough to take charge of their guns," he said gravely. "Yes, but with older officers over me." "Well; I shall be over you; but you will have full charge of all my cannons. You understand them thoroughly." "Of course I know a little about them." "Little!" he cried. "It is magnificent. Have I not seen you often? Did I not see you carry them off after I had captured them, and was training my men? but slowly--oh, so slowly." "You forget that I was only a junior officer acting under my captain's orders. It is nonsense, and you are saying all this to make me vain, to flatter me." "I never stoop to flatter," he said coldly. "It is the truth. Yes, you are young, but you will soon grow older and more experienced, and train my men till they have all the speed of yours. Do you tell me that you could not drill and teach my soldiers?" "Oh no, I do not tell you that," I said frankly, "because I could." "Yes; of course you could, and it will be a proud position for you." "What! as a British officer in the service of a rajah?" "Yes; I could tell you of a dozen cases where an English soldier has drilled his master's forces as you will drill them, for I must have large troops of horse artillery like you had. You shall be in command." I looked hard at him, for even then I felt that he must be joking with me, the proposal seemed to be so out of all reason, and I had so small an estimate of my own powers, that there were moments when I felt ready to laugh, and felt sure that if Brace, serious as he was, had heard it, he would have burst into a hearty fit of mirth. But the rajah's face was grave and stern, and his words were full of the calm conviction that I was the very person to take the command of his men and train them as he wished. As he sat gazing at me, waiting for me to accept his proposal, I tried to treat it in all seriousness, as if quietly discussing the matter with him. "Do I understand you rightly?" I said; "that you wish me to be your chief artillery officer?" "Yes, that is it," he said, "to arrange everything, and above all to get up as quickly as possible three or four troops of horse artillery. You know exactly how it should be done, and could teach the men till they were as quick and dashing as your own." "It would require Englishmen then," I thought, for I could not see that it was possible with Indians. "Would it take very long?" he said. "You could start with men from the cavalry, and so only have to teach them gun-drill." "Yes, it would take very long," I said. "Never mind; they would get better every day. I should be satisfied, for I know what you can do."