No More Learning

George shared his meal with Dick and went off to the mule-lines. His
charge sat alone in a shed with his face in his hands. Before his
tight-shut eyes danced the face of Maisie, laughing, with parted lips.
There was a great bustle and clamour about him. He grew afraid and
almost called for George.

"I say, have you got your mules ready? " It was the voice of the
subaltern over his shoulder.

"My man's looking after them. The--the fact is I've a touch of
ophthalmia and can't see very well.

"By Jove! that's bad. You ought to lie up in hospital for a while. I've
had a turn of it myself. It's as bad as being blind. "

"So I find it.
When does this armoured train go? "

"At six o'clock. It takes an hour to cover the seven miles. "

"Are the Fuzzies on the rampage--eh? "

"About three nights a week. Fact is I'm in acting command of the
night-train. It generally runs back empty to Tanai for the night. "

"Big camp at Tanai, I suppose? "

"Pretty big. It has to feed our desert-column somehow. "

"Is that far off? "

"Between thirty and forty miles--in an infernal thirsty country. "

"Is the country quiet between Tanai and our men? "

"More or less. I shouldn't care to cross it alone, or with a subaltern's
command for the matter of that, but the scouts get through it in some
extraordinary fashion. "

"They always did.