"Why, it is not exactly in Agpur territory, but merely ready to enter it, in case Colonel Antony does not receive every day satisfactory reports from my friend here and myself." "Does Antni Sahib not trust me, that he thus blackens the face of his most faithful slave?" cried Sher Singh. "Ah, you should not have left Darwan without replying to my messages, you know," said Charteris. Sher Singh's self-assertion collapsed. "I have acted foolishly," he said. "For doing wrong I am rightly punished. The gracious rebuke of Antni Sahib I lay upon my forehead and my eyes, and submit." "Such wisdom is only what was expected from you, Prince." "And the heaven-born messenger of Antni Sahib"--pursued Sher Singh feverishly--"him I receive with honour, and place his foot upon my head, but to the man Jirad I have nothing to say, nor will I hear a word from his mouth." "Now you are foolish again," said Charteris gravely. "If Lieutenant Gerrard is good enough to entrust his commands to me, I will convey them to you, but that is a matter in which he decides and you obey. I see you are making a short halt here, and I may be able to wait upon you with instructions before long." Sher Singh moved aside, with a distinctly unamiable expression of countenance, and Charteris turned back to Gerrard. "Why, Hal, what's the matter, old boy? Didn't I maintain your authority strongly enough to please you?" "You seem to have worked a miracle," said Gerrard feebly, "but I'm a bit done up--couldn't see how you did it." "A rest and something cool to drink is what you want," said Charteris, half helping, half pulling him off his horse. "Lie down here and take this. I give you fair warning, Master Gerrard, you ain't going to die on my hands and leave me to settle with this hornet's nest you have stirred up here--not if I know it." Gerrard obeyed meekly, and lay still until the trees and Charteris and the horses and the troopers had ceased whirling and wavering before his eyes. Then he sat up. "Bob, what was it you told Sher Singh? How can it have happened?" "Bounce, all bounce!" said Charteris sadly. "At least, my Darwanis are certainly behind me, but a jolly good way behind; and as to Antony, if he is on the move, it's solely in response to my urgent entreaties, which he is highly unlikely to regard with favour." "Anyhow, you seem to have got me out of a very nasty fix." "Such was my intention. But you wish it hadn't fallen to me to get you out? Never mind, old boy; I wish it hadn't been you to be got out." "Oh, nonsense! You know I'm uncommon obliged to you, my dear fellow. But did you fly here? It can't possibly be my message this morning that brought you."