“But listen to one thing,” he urged at last.  “Can you not see how you pain me by this self-sacrifice?  If I knew that you had attained a higher grade, and wore your epaulettes in this service, can you not fancy I should feel pleasure then (as I feel regret, even remorse, now) that I brought you to Africa through my own follies and misfortunes?”

“Do you sir?  There ain’t the least cause for it, then,” returned Rake sturdily.  “Lord bless you, sir; why this life’s made a-purpose for me!  If ever a round peg went trim and neat into a round hole, it was when I came into this here Army.  I never was so happy in all my days before.  They’re right on good fellows, and will back you to the death if so be as you’ve allays been share-and-share-alike with ’em, as a zig should.  As a private, sir, I’m happy and I’m safe; as a officer, I should be kicking over the traces and blundering everlastingly.  However, there ain’t no need to say a word more about it.  I’ve sworn, and you’ve heerd me swear, sir, and you know as how I shall keep my oath if ever I’m provoked to it by being took notice of.  I stuck that Spahi just now just by way of a lark, and only ’cause he come where he’d no business to poke his turbaned old pate; ’taint likely as I should stop at giving the Hawk two inches of steel if he comes such a insult over us both as to offer a blackguard like me the epaulettes as you ought to be a-wearing!”

And Cecil knew that it was hopeless either to persuade him to his own advantage or to convince him of his disobedience in speaking thus of his supreme, before his con-commissioned, officer.  He was himself, moreover, deeply moved by the man’s fidelity.

He stretched his hand out.

“I wish there were more blackguards with hearts like yours.  I cannot repay your love, Rake, but I can value it.”

Rake put his own hands behind his back.

“God bless you, sir; you’ve repaid it ten dozen times over.  But you shan’t do that, sir.  I told you long ago, I’m too much of a scamp!  Some day, perhaps, as I said, when I’ve settled scores with myself, and wiped off all the bad ’uns with a clear sweep, tolerably clean.  Not afore, sir!”

And Rake was too sturdily obstinate not to always carry his point.

The love that he bore to Cecil was very much such a wild, chivalric, romantic fidelity as the Cavaliers or the Gentlemen of the North bore to their Stuart idols.  That his benefactor had become a soldier of Africa in no way lessened the reverent love of his loyalty, any more than theirs was lessened by the adversities of their royal masters.  Like theirs, also, it had beauty in its blindness—­the beauty that lies in every pure unselfishness.

Meanwhile, Picpon’s news was correct.

The regiments were ordered out on the march.  There was fresh war in the interior; and wherever there was the hottest slaughter, there the Black Hawk always flew down with his falcon-flock.  When Cecil left his incorrigible zig, the trumpets were sounding an assembly; there were noise, tumult, eagerness, excitement, delighted zest on every side; a general order was read to the enraptured squadrons; they were to leave the town at the first streak of dawn.