And how have you been, eh ?" "We have been very busy for one thing," said I."I suppose you have heard nothing of the great shipwreck ?" "Not a word," the general answered listlessly.
"I thought the noise of the wind would prevent you hearing the signal guns.

She came ashore in the bay the night before last--a great barque from India." "From India!" ejaculated the general.
"Yes.

Her crew were saved, fortunately, and have all been sent on to Glasgow." "All sent on!" cried the general, with a face as bloodless as a corpse.
"All except three rather strange characters who claim to be Buddhist priests.

They have decided to remain for a few days upon the coast." The words were hardly out of my mouth when the general dropped upon his knees with his long, thin arms extended to Heaven.
"Thy will be done!" he cried in a cracking voice.

"Thy blessed will be done!" I could see through the crack that Corporal Rufus Smith's face had turned to a sickly yellow shade, and that he was wiping the perspiration from his brow.
"It's like my luck!" he said.