156 RIFLE AND ROMANCE 



As we moved about, nibbling a frond of fern-like gram 

 here and there, a distant rumbling arose, and a thin curtain 

 of dust among the trees ; then the cheerful jingling of 

 chains and harness as a battery of artillery came along at 

 a smart trot opposite us. In obedience to a long-drawn- 

 out word of command, they slowed to a walk and passed 

 along the smooth road, the early sun glancing from steel 

 and chain. Further on a short halt was made, and, seizing 

 something from a syce, a figure left the road and came 

 towards us. As we stared at the novel sight on the road, 

 little puffs of smoke arose among the men and a hum of 

 voices. The khaki-clad figure was getting near. I alone had 

 heard of the dreaded sahib, and was well into my stride 

 before the first bullet buzzed angrily over our heads off a 

 stone. Then there came a second, and behind me a dull 

 " plop " ; and one of our number pitched on his head and 

 lay kicking feebly. 



None of us waited to see any more after that ! 



Nightfall found us again in the neighbourhood of the 

 road, which, like the villages of the plain, possesses a strong 

 attraction for us when Night has cast her cold dark mantle 

 over the land. 



Perhaps it would be the tinkle of bullock-carts, or the 

 flicker of a roadside fire, lit by belated villagers returning 

 from a distant market, or the steady rub-a-dub-dub of a 

 village tom-tom rising on the still air. It is comforting, 

 when the night comes down, to gather nearer the goings 

 of man ; and few of us lie far afield during the hours of 

 dark. 



I had picked up some useful wrinkles while a youngster 

 with the herd, and now every day brought its experience. 

 We learnt what to shun, and what was harmless. Bullock- 

 carts laden with chattering natives might pass and repass 

 us closely; but let one inch of a suspicious or skulking 

 body show itself for an instant, and we were off. 



One afternoon a fine buck joined us youngsters, which 



