And as they discussed things, but before they had time to decide on any plan, the Brigadier commanding the Irregulars got wind of them.
He was a man who did not worry about the feelings of senile heads of red-tape-bound departments; nor was he particularly hidebound by respect for the laws of evidence.

When he knew a thing, he knew it; then he either acted or did not act, as the circumstances might dictate.

And when the deed was done or left undone, and was quite beyond the reach of criticism, he would send in a verbose, voluminous report, written out in several colored inks, on all the special forms he could get hold of.

The heads of departments would be too busy for the next twelvemonth trying to get the form of the report straightened out to be able to give any attention to the details of it; and then it would be too late.

But he was a brigadier, and what he could do with impunity and quiet amusement would have brought down the whole Anglo-Indian Government in awful wrath on the head of a subordinate.
He heard of the tribesmen under Khumel Khan one evening.