"I say, Russell," observed Ensign Collins of the 8th Foot, "you're a lucky beggar, you know. You've had your fair share of the fun."
"Fair share!" growled Claud Boldre. "Why, in his twelve months' service he's had more than most colonels can boast of in as many years. First he goes exploding magazines up and down the country, and instead of being blown up he gets the V.C. Then he's boxed up and besieged, and thrillingly rescued like a scene out of a melodrama; after that he's lucky enough to take part in the grandest march on record; and now he's on duty at Hindu Rao's picket, where all the fighting is. Fair share, indeed! It ought to have been divided amongst half a dozen of us."
"And it ain't that he's particularly handsome," laughed Alec.
Ted grinned. He was too decent a fellow to become conceited, and he admitted that he had had more than his share of the luck.
They were still joking when something happened that tended to confirm their belief in our ensign's luck. One of the general's aides came up and told Ted that Sir Archdale wished to speak to him at once.
"You'll come back a lieutenant at least, Ted," was Alec's unasked-for opinion.
"Lieutenant indeed!" laughed Collins. "I expect he's going to order Russell to blow up Delhi _à la_ Aurungpore."
"Or else resign the command in Russell's favour," was Boldre's suggestion.
Ted grinned back at them all, but his heart beat somewhat rapidly as he was ushered into the head-quarters tent, and it was to beat much more wildly before he left.
Sir Archdale looked up as the boy entered, and went on with his work for some moments, and Ted stood at attention and wondered what was going to happen. At length the general again glanced up from his papers. He was evidently very busy.
"Yes. I am sorry that my duty is much less pleasant than on the previous occasion, when I prematurely raised your hopes of the V.C."
"I hope it may still be all right," General Wilson continued, "but this morning I received notice from Colonel Munro that there is another claimant to the honour of having exploded the magazine at Aurungpore."
Ted was utterly bewildered. He could not find a word to say.
"It seems that another officer of yours--let me see," the general took up a letter that lay on the table, and referred thereto. "Ah, Ensign Tynan!--was taken prisoner by the sepoys, but rescued; and his story is that he was in command of the party holding the fort, and that it was he who fired the train. His account is confirmed by a native officer who saved his life, and who was present."