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They took new heart from my words, all except Gooja Singh, who wept noisily, and the German officer was pleased with what he mistook for the effect of his speech. "Tell them they shall be excellently treated," said he, seizing my elbow. "When we shall have won this war the British will no longer be able to force natives of India to fight their battles for them."
"Nay," said I. "I counsel nothing." "You are a coward!" said he. "You are afraid to give opinion!" "I am one among many!" I answered him. They left me alone again and talked in groups, Gooja Singh passing from one group to another like a man collecting tickets.
So Gooja Singh slunk back to his place behind the men and I judged him more likely than ever to be dangerous, although for the moment overcome. But Ranjoor Singh had not finished yet. "Then, on one point we are agreed," he said. "We will make the most of that.
So I arranged with Ranjoor Singh to have them transferred to Gooja Singh's troop, making this excuse and that and telling everything except the truth about it. If I had told him the truth, Ranjoor Singh would have laughed and my precaution would have been wasted, but having lied I was able to ride on with easier mind such sometimes being the case.
Leaving the Turkish officer his own horse, but taking the saddle for himself, he gave Tugendheim one, me another, the third to Gooja Singh he being next non-commissioned officer to me in order of seniority, and having had punishment enough and the fourth horse, that was much the best one, he himself took.
He drummed on his teeth with his fingernails. "Very well!" said he. "Tell him we will either spend our money or let blood! Let us see what he says to that!" "Shall I say," said I, "that Gooja Singh says so?" "Nay, nay!" said he, growing anxious. "Let that be the regiment's answer. Name no names!"
Then, when it was growing dusk, they gathered once more about me and Gooja Singh went through the play of letting them persuade him to be spokesman. "If we decide to follow Ranjoor Singh," said he, "will you be one with us?" "If that is the decision of you all," I answered, "then yes. But if it is Gooja Singh's decision with the rest consenting, then no. Is that the decision of you all?"
"Who gave thee leave to yelp?" said he, and Gooja Singh faced about like a man struck. By order of the Germans he and I stood in the place of captains on parade, he on the left and I on the right. "To your place!" said Ranjoor Singh. Gooja Singh stepped back into line with me, but Ranjoor Singh was not satisfied. "To your place in the rear!" he ordered.
They thought on that for a while, and then surrounded me again, Gooja Singh being spokesman for them all. "Then you counsel us," said he, "to choose the hard labor in the coal mines?" "Nay," said I. "I counsel nothing." "But what other course is there?" said he. "There is Ranjoor Singh," said I. "But he desired to lead us against the British," said he. "Nay," said I. "Who said so?"
We were there to help. We who had carried coal could shovel mud, and as time went on we grumbled less. But time hung heavy, and curiosity regarding Ranjoor Singh led from one conjecture to another. At last Gooja Singh asked Captain Fellowes, and he said that Ranjoor Singh had stayed behind to expose a German plot that having done so, he had hurried after us.
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