The subject of the discussion made his appearance at the far end of the square at that moment, and they watched him. First he walked slowly towards the Houssa sentry, who shouldered his arms in salute. Bones halted before the soldier and stared at him. Somehow, the watchers on the stoep knew that he was staring--there was something so fixed, so tense in his attitude. Then, without warning, the sentry's hand passed across his body, and the rifle came down to the "present." "What on earth is he doing?" demanded the outraged Hamilton, for sentries do not present arms to subaltern officers. Bones passed on. He stopped before one of the huts in the married lines, and stared at the wife of Sergeant Abiboo. He stared long and earnestly, and the woman, giggling uncomfortably, stared back. Then she began to dance. "For Heaven's sake----" gasped Sanders, as Bones passed on. "Bones!" roared Hamilton. Bones turned first his head, then his body towards the Residency, and made his slow way towards the group. "What is happening?" asked Hamilton. The face of Bones was flushed; there was triumph in his eye--triumph which his pose of nonchalance could not wholly conceal. "What is happening, dear old officer?" he asked innocently, and stared. "What the dickens are you goggling at?" demanded Hamilton irritably. "And please explain why you told the sentry to present arms to you." "I didn't tell him, dear old sir and superior captain," said Bones. His eyes never left Hamilton's; he stared with a fierceness and with an intensity that was little short of ferocious. "Confound you, what are you staring at? Aren't you well?" demanded Hamilton wrathfully. Bones blinked. "Quite well, sir and comrade," he said gravely. "Pardon the question--did you feel a curious and unaccountable inclination to raise your right hand and salute me?" "Did I--what?" demanded his dumbfounded superior. "A sort of itching of the right arm--an almost overpowerin' inclination to touch your hat to poor old Bones?" Hamilton drew a long breath. "I felt an almost overpowering desire to lift my foot," he said significantly. "Look at me again," said Bones calmly. "Fix your eyes on mine an' think of nothin'. Now shut your eyes. Now you can't open 'em." "Of course I can open them," said Hamilton. "Have you been drinking, Bones?" A burst of delighted laughter from the girl checked Bones's indignant denial. "I know!" she cried, clapping her hands. "Bones is trying to mesmerize you!" "What?" The scarlet face of Bones betrayed him. "Power of the human eye, dear old sir," he said hurriedly. "Some people have it--it's a gift. I discovered it the other day after readin' an article in _The Scientific Healer_." "Phew!" Hamilton whistled. "So," he said, with dangerous calm, "all this staring and gaping of yours means that, does it? I remember now. When I was examining you for promotion the other day, you stared. Trying to mesmerize me?"