Gil the Gunner Part 10

"Then I shall look out for a charger for you?"

"Please no; not till I have spoken to Captain Brace."

"What for? Oh, he'll be glad to be saved the trouble. That will be all right. You stick to me, and I'll see you through."

I left my brother-officer's quarters soon afterwards, feeling very glad to get away, and certainly under the impression that he thought me very stupid and boyish.

"I suppose I've been keeping him in," I thought, for outside I found the syces still waiting with the horses I had noticed on entering, and there, too, was the man who had been punished by the lieutenant; but my handkerchief was not tied round his head now, his wound having been bathed and covered with a sc.r.a.p of plaister. I observed, too, that he must have changed the slight white garments he wore, for the ugly stains were gone.

He salaamed as I pa.s.sed and went back to my own quarters, thinking that I should have to alter a good deal if I used the native servants as I had seen the man treated that day.

CHAPTER SEVEN.

I felt bound to tell Captain Brace of Lieutenant Barton's proposal respecting my horses, and he looked at me sharply. "Do you wish him to manage that for you?" he said.

"Certainly not," I replied quickly; "he is quite a stranger, and I have known you from leaving England."

"He has not a very high opinion of my knowledge of horses, I know; but I think I can save your father some money in the transaction; and I promise you that you shall be well-mounted. And, by the way, Vincent, I don't want to worry you with advice, but I must tell you one thing. The climate here is very trying to an English const.i.tution, and if a man--"

I looked up sharply, and I saw a faint smile on his lip as he went on--

"--wishes to keep in health, he must be careful, and very abstemious as to what he drinks. Do you understand?"

I said I did, and thought of the table in Lieutenant Barton's quarters; feeling sure it was meant as a hint to me not to follow my brother-officer's example.

I was so busy during those early days drilling, and learning my various duties, that the time went very fast. I had my servants engaged, and felt rather ashamed to have so many; but the captain said that they were absolutely necessary, and the lieutenant that there were not half enough. He found terrible fault, too, with my horse the first day I was mounted, and on parade; and this, too, after I had tried the handsome dark arched-necked creature several times, and found that it carried me delightfully, being one of those elastic short-stepping animals, whose pace suited so well with the military style of riding.

"Well," said Barton, sourly, "I gave you my advice, and offered to help you. Don't blame me if you get ridden over one of these days."

I was nervous enough before he spoke that morning, and naturally felt a good deal more so afterwards; and during the evolutions in which I took part for the first time, with a stern-looking sergeant close by me to help me through, it seemed to me as if my brother-officer's words were about to be fulfilled. For in my confusion during a gallop I managed to get where I had no business to be, and turned sharply round to see that the men with the gun were pretty close to me before they reined in. To complete my misery, the major in charge of the battery rode up, and delivered a few pretty sharp adjurations to me and to the sergeant.

I did not feel very comfortable that morning as I rode up to the quarters, dismounted, covered with perspiration and dust, and saw my horse led away; neither did I feel much better after my bath and change, as I hesitated whether I should go over to Captain Brace's rooms, he having invited me to breakfast.

"I shall never manage it," I thought. Every one was laughing at me, and it was dreadful to be rowed like that by the major.

I threw myself despondently in my chair, and had quite given up going, when Captain Brace's servant came round to say that his master was waiting breakfast.

There was nothing else for it but to go, and I followed the man to the bright-looking, cool room where Brace was seated.

"Come, my lad," he cried, "I should have thought you would be ravenous.

Hallo! What's wrong?"

I looked at him with my face all in wrinkles, and sank down despondently in the seat to which he pointed.

"Tired out?" he said.

I shook my head.

"Then, pray, what's the matter?"

"Matter?" I cried bitterly. "You saw what a fool I made of myself this morning."

His face wore a peculiar look as he shook his head.

"No," he said; "I was not there that time. What did you do?"

"Not there! Why, you saw me get all wrong, and the men nearly ride me down, as Barton said they would, with that horse."

"I thought so," said Brace drily. "How curious it is that a prophecy of evil always makes more impression than one of good."

"I don't understand you," I said.

"My words were simple, my lad. Barton ran that horse down because he did not buy it for you. Now, naturally enough, I kept my eye upon you all through the drill, so as to see how you would get on. Your horse behaved admirably; and I should be ready to give you a couple of hundred rupees more for it than it cost; while, for a beginner, I thought you did remarkably well. Here: have some coffee."

"Well!" I cried, excitedly, "when I was nearly ridden over!"

"You were not nearly ridden over; nothing of the kind."

"But you heard what the major said."

"Yes. He shouts pretty sharply sometimes. You were out of your place, of course."

"Oh yes; I was out of my place, of course," I said bitterly. "I feel completely disgraced."

"Go on with your breakfast, boy," cried Brace, with a good-humoured laugh. "Disgraced! You, a mere calf in just learning your drill. If you had been in the troop for four or five years, and made such a blunder, why, it would have been rather disgraceful; but for you! Why, we are quite proud of the rapid way you are picking up the evolutions."

"No: you are saying that to comfort me," I cried bitterly.

"I have a good many faults, Vincent," he said quietly; "but I don't think insincerity is one of them. If I say a thing to you, my lad, pleasant or unpleasant, you may take it for granted that I believe it to be honest and true."

"But the major? What he said to me before all the men was dreadful."

"Not at all. He was bound to say it. He might have spoken less harshly; but--wonderful!--here he is."

For just then I nearly jumped out of my chair on hearing the major's voice asking for Captain Brace, and the next moment he had stridden into the room.

"How nice and cool you are here," he said. "Ah, Vincent, my lad, feel a bit sore after our gallop?"

"Yes, sir," I replied, gloomily, as the major seated himself at the table, helped himself to coffee and curry, and began to eat.

"You'll soon get over that. It's rough work at first; but use is second nature. I say, that's a very pretty little nag of yours; rather slight, but quite up to your weight. She gallops splendidly. Here, I'm regularly breakfasting. I wanted to have a few words with you, so I came over, as my wife was not down."

"Shall I go, sir?" I said, rising.

"No, no, my dear boy; sit still."

I stared. Not an hour before he was bullying me fiercely before the whole troop.