idiot!).  Then forty miles back again, loading six carts on the way, and distributing all Sunday.  Then in the evening he pitches in a twenty-page demi-official to me, saying that the people where he is might be “advantageously employed on relief-work,” and suggesting that he put ’em to work on some broken-down old reservoir he’s discovered, so as to have a good water-supply when the Rains come.  He thinks he can caulk the dam in a fortnight.  Look at his marginal sketches—­aren’t they clear and good?  I knew he was pukka, but I didn’t know he was as pukka as this!’

‘I must show these to William,’ said Mrs. Jim.  ’The child’s wearing herself out among the babies.’

’Not more than you are, dear.  Well, another two months ought to see us out of the wood.  I’m sorry it’s not in my power to recommend you for a V.C.’

William sat late in her tent that night, reading through page after page of the square handwriting, patting the sketches of proposed repairs to the reservoir, and wrinkling her eyebrows over the columns of figures of estimated water-supply.

‘And he finds time to do all this,’ she cried to herself, ‘and ... well, I also was present.  I’ve saved one or two babies.’

She dreamed for the twentieth time of the god in the golden dust, and woke refreshed to feed loathsome black children, scores of them, wastrels picked up by the wayside, their bones almost breaking their skin, terrible and covered with sores.

Scott was not allowed to leave his cart work, but his letter was duly forwarded to the Government, and he had the consolation, not rare in India, of knowing that another man was reaping where he had sown.  That also was discipline profitable to the soul.

‘He’s much too good to waste on canals,’ said Jimmy.  ’Any one can oversee coolies.  You needn’t be angry, William:  he can—­but I need my pearl among bullock-drivers, and I’ve transferred him to the Khanda district, where he’ll have it all to do over again.  He should be marching now.’

‘He’s not a coolie,’ said William furiously.  ’He ought to be doing his regulation work.’

’He’s the best man in his service, and that’s saying a good deal; but if you must use razors to cut grindstones, why, I prefer the best cutlery.’

‘Isn’t it almost time we saw him again?’ said Mrs. Jim.  ’I’m sure the poor boy hasn’t had a respectable meal for a month.  He probably sits on a cart and eats sardines with his fingers.’

’All in good time, dear.  Duty before decency—­wasn’t it Mr. Chucks said that?’

‘No; it was Midshipman Easy,’ William laughed.  ’I sometimes wonder how it will feel to dance or listen to a band again, or sit under a roof.  I can’t believe that I ever wore a ball-frock in my life.’

‘One minute,’ said Mrs. Jim, who was thinking.  ’If he goes to Khanda, he passes within five miles of us.  Of course he’ll ride in.’