“Nothing very remarkable, I take it, that a man is stopping at his own house,” said Se well, testily. “No--no fish. Get me some mutton,” added he to the mess-waiter. “You have heard that we 've got our orders,” said a captain opposite him. “Yes; Cave told me.” “I rather like it,--that is, if it means India,” said a very young-looking ensign. Sewell put up his eye-glass and looked at the speaker, and then, letting it drop, went on with his dinner without a word. “There 's no man can tell you more about Bengal than Colonel Sewell there,” said Cave, to some one near him. “He served on the staff there, and knows every corner of it.” “I wish I did n't, with all my heart. It's a sort of knowledge that costs a man pretty dearly.” “I 've always been told India was a capital place,” said a gay, frank-looking young lieutenant, “and that if a man did n't drink, or take to high play, he could get on admirably.” “Nor entangle himself with a pretty woman,” added another. “Nor raise a smashing loan from the Agra Bank,” cried a third. “You are the very wisest young gentlemen it has ever been my privilege to sit down with,” said Sewell, with a grin. “Whence could you have gleaned all these prudent maxims?” “I got mine,” said the Lieutenant, “from a cousin. Such a good fellow as he was! He always tipped me when I was at Sandhurst, but he's past tipping any one now.” “Dead?” “No; I believe it would be better he were; but he was ruined in India,--'let in' on a race, and lost everything, even to his commission.” “Was his name Stanley?” “No, Stapyleton,--Frank Stapyleton,--he was in the Grays.” “Sewell, what are you drinking?” cried Cave, with a loudness that overbore the talk around him. “I can't see you down there. You 've got amongst the youngsters.” “I am in the midst of all that is agreeable and entertaining,” said Sewell, with a smile of most malicious meaning. “Talk of youngsters, indeed! I'd like to hear where you could match them for knowledge of life and mankind.” There was certainly nothing in his look or manner as he spoke these words that suggested distrust or suspicion to those around him, for they seemed overjoyed at his praise, and delighted to hear themselves called men of the world. The grim old Major at the opposite side of the table shook his head thoughtfully, and muttered some words to himself. “They 're a shady lot, I take it,” said a young captain to his neighbor, “those fellows who remain in India, and never come home; either they have done something they can't meet in England, or they want to do things in India they couldn't do here.” “There's great truth in that remark,” said Sewell. “Captain Neeves, let us have a glass of wine together. I have myself seen a great deal to bear out your observation.”