too, Peachey—a nice, strappin’, plump girl
that’ll keep you warm in the winter. They’re
prettier than English girls, and we can take
the pick of ’em. Boil ’em once or twice in
hot water, and they’ll come as fair as chicken
and ham.’

“‘Don’t tempt me!’ I says. ‘I will not
have any dealings with a woman not till we
are a dam’ side more settled than we are now.
I’ve been doing the work o’ two men, and
you’ve been doing the work o’ three. Let’s
lie off a bit, and see if we can get some
better tobacco from Afghan country and run
in some good liquor; but no women.’

“‘Who’s talking o’ women?’ says Dravot.
‘I said wife—a Queen to breed a King’s son
for the King. A Queen out of the strongest
tribe, that’ll make them your blood-brothers,
and that’ll lie by your side and tell you all
the people thinks about you and their own
affairs. That’s what I want.’

“‘Do you remember that Bengali woman
I kept at Mogul Serai when I was plate-layer?’
says I. ‘A fat lot o’ good she was
to me. She taught me the lingo and one or
two other things; but what happened? She
ran away with the Station Master’s servant