The Queens Cup | Page 5

these
massacres. Had it been a simple mutiny among the troops we should all
be well content to leave the matter in the hands of our soldiers; but it is
a personal matter to everyone; rich and poor are alike moved by a
burning desire to take part in the work of vengeance. I should doubt if
the country has ever been so stirred from its earliest history."
"Yes, I fancy we are all envying you, Mallett," one of the other
gentlemen said. "Partridge shooting is tame work in comparison with
that which is going on in India. It was lucky for you that that first
mutiny took place when it did, for had it been a week later you would
probably have been gazetted out before the news came."
"Yes, that was a piece of luck, certainly, Ashurst. I don't know how I
should be feeling if I had been out of it and the regiment on the point of
starting for India."
"I suppose you are likely to embark from Plymouth," said Sir John.
"I should think so, but there is no saying. I hardly fancy that we should
go through France, as some of the regiments have done; there would be
no very great gain of time, especially if we start as far west as
Plymouth. Besides, I have not heard of any transports being sent round
to Marseilles lately. Of course, in any case we shall have to land at
Alexandria and cross the desert to Suez. I should fancy, now that the
advantages of that route have been shown, that troops in future will
always be taken that way. You see, it is only five weeks to India instead
of five months. The situation is bad enough as it is, but it would have
been infinitely worse if no reinforcements could have got out from
England in less than five months."
"Is there anything that I can do for you while you are away, Mallett?"
Sir John Greendale asked, as they lingered for a moment after the other
gentlemen had gone off to join the ladies.

"Nothing that I know of, thank you. Norton will see that everything
goes on as usual. My father never interfered with him in the general
management of the estate, and had the greatest confidence in him. I
have known him since I was a child, and have always liked him, so I
can go away assured that things will go on as usual. If I go down, the
estate goes, as you know, to a distant cousin whom I have never seen.
"As to other matters, I have but little to arrange. I have made a will, so
that I shall have nothing to trouble me on that score. Tranton came over
with it this morning from Stroud, and I signed it."
"That is right, lad; we all hope most sincerely that there will be no
occasion for its provisions to be carried out, but it is always best that a
man should get these things off his mind. Are you going to say
goodbye to us tonight?"
"I shall do it as a precautionary measure, Sir John, but I expect that
when I get the summons I shall have time to drive over here. My horse
will do the distance in five and twenty minutes, and unless a telegram
comes within an hour of the night mail passing through Stroud, I shall
be able to manage it. I saw everything packed up before I left, and my
man will see that everything, except the portmanteau with the things I
shall want on the voyage, goes on with the regimental baggage."
A quarter of an hour later Captain Mallett mounted his dog cart and
drove home. The next morning he received a letter from the Adjutant,
saying that he expected the order some time during the next day.
"We are to embark at Plymouth, and I had a telegram this morning
saying that the transport had arrived and had taken her coal on board.
Of course they will get the news at the War Office today, and will
probably wire at once. I think we shall most likely leave here by a train
early the next morning. I shall, of course, telegraph as soon as the order
comes, but as I know that you have everything ready, you will be in
plenty of time if you come on by the night mail."
At eleven o'clock a mounted messenger from Stroud brought on the
telegram:

"We entrain at six tomorrow morning. Join immediately."
This was but a formal notification, and he resolved to go on by the
night mail. He spent the day in driving round the estate and saying
goodbye to his tenants. He lunched at the house of one of