Page:The Phantom 'Rickshaw - Kipling (1890).djvu/102

 Jail; there's hundreds that I could lay my hand on if I was in India. The Viceroy shall do it for me. Ill send a man through to India in the spring to ask for those men, and I'll write for a dispensation from the Grand Lodge for what I've done as Grand Master. That and all the Sniders that'll be thrown out when the native troops in India take up the Martini. They'll be wore smooth, but they'll do for fighting in these hills. Twelve English, a hundred thousand Sniders run through the Amir's country in driblets—I'd be content with twenty thousand in one year and we'd be an Empire. When everything was shipshape, I'd hand over the crown—this very crown I'm wearing now—to Queen Victoria on my knees, and she'd say: 'Rise up, Sir Daniel Dravot'. Oh, it's big! It's big I tell you! But's there's so much to be done in every place—Bashkai, Khawak, Shu, and everywhere else.'

What is it?' I says. 'There are no more men coming in to be drilled this autumn. Look at those fat, black clouds. They're bringing the snow.'

It isn't that,' says Daniel putting his hand very hard on my shoulder; 'and I don't wish to say anything that's against you, for no other living man would have followed me and made me what I am as you have done. You're a first-class Commander-in-Chief, and the people know you; but—it's a big country, and somehow you can't help me, Peachey, the way I want to be helped.'

Go to your blasted priests, then!' I said, and I was sorry when I made that remark, but it did hurt me sore to find Daniel talking so superior when I drilled all the men, and done all he told me.

Don't let's quarrel, Peachey,' says Daniel without cursing. 'You're a King too, and the half o' this Kingdom is yours; but can't you see, Peachey, we want cleverer men than us now—three or four of 'em, that we can scatter about for our deputies. It's a hugeous great state, and I can't always tell the right thing to do, and I haven't time for all I want to do, and here's the winter coming on and all.' He put half