“To appear near the firing-line, for one thing, with somebody who looks like Colonel Lawrence, and somebody else who looks enough like Feisul in one of Feisul’s cars, and give the French a run for it in one direction while Feisul escapes in the other.”

“Wallahi!  But what if Feisul won’t go?”

“He’ll get helped!  Did you ever hear what they did to Napoleon at Waterloo?  Seized his bridle and galloped away with him.”

“You mean I’m to act Lawrence again?” asked Mabel, looking deathly white.

Grim nodded.

“Who’s cast for Feisul?” Jeremy inquired.

“You are.  You’re the only trained stage-actor in the bunch.  You’re his height—­not unlike his figure—­”

“I resemble him as much as a kangaroo looks like an ostrich!” laughed Jeremy.  “You’re talking wild, Jim.  What have you had to drink?”

“How about you, Ramsden?  Will you see this through?”

Jeremy shook his head at me.  I believe he thought for the moment that Grim had gone mad.  He hadn’t the experience of Grim that I had, and consequently not the same confidence in Grim’s ability to dream, catch the essence of the dream, pin it down and make a fact of it.

“I’ll go the limit,” said I.

“Well, I’ll be damned” laughed Jeremy.  “All right; same here.  I stake a gold-mine and Rammy raises me.  Fetch your crown and sceptre and I’ll play king to Jim’s ace in a royal straight flush.  Mabel’s queen.  Hadad’s a knave.  He looks it!  Keep smiling, Hadad, old top, and I’ll let you forgive me.  Rammy’s the ten-spot—­tentative—­tenacious—­ten aces up his sleeve—­and packs a ten-ton wallop when you get him going.  What’s Narayan Singh?  The deuce?”

“The joker,” answered Grim.  “Are you in on this?”

“Sahib, there was no need to ask.  What your honor finds good enough—­ your honor’s order—­”

“Orders have nothing to do with it.  We’re not in British territory.  This in unofficial.  I’ve no right to give you orders,” said Grim.  “You’re free to refuse.  I’m likely to lose my job over this and so are you if you take part in it.”

Narayan Singh grinned hugely.

“Hah!  A sepoy’s position is a smaller stake than a major’s commission or a gold-mine, but I likewise have a life to lose, and I play too!”

Grim nodded curtly.  It was no time for returning compliments.

“How about you, Mabel?  We can manage this without you, and you’ve a husband to think of—­”

“If he were here he’d hate it, but he’d give permission.”

“All right.  Now, Hadad.  What about it?”

“Am I to obey you absolutely, not knowing what the—­”

Grim interrupted him: 

“The proposal’s fair.  Either you withdraw now and hold your tongue, or come in with us.  If you’re in I’ll tell the details; if not, there’s no need.”

“Wallahi!  What a sword-blade you are, Jimgrim!  If I say ‘yes,’ I risk my future on your backgammon board; if I say ‘no,’ my life is worth a millieme, for you will tell that Sikh you call the ‘joker’ to attend to me!”