“Is that not too few?”

“In all swift and secret marches, sir, a few do better service than many — as you have taught your own people many a time.”

“That is quite true. But they never seem to learn the lesson. I am somewhat astonished that you have seemed to learn it, and lay it practically to heart.” He smiled, drummed on the table with a Faber pencil, then, knitting his brows, drew to him a sheet of paper and wrote on it slowly, pausing from time to time in troubled reflection. Once he glanced up at me coldly, and:

“Who is to lead this expedition?” he asked bluntly.

“Why, Lieutenant Boyd, sir,” said I, wondering.

“Oh! You have no ambitions then?”