“I’ve been thinking of what you said,” he began, “and I have come to enlist, and as many of my band as you care to take.”

“That’s right,” said Lumsden, with great affability.  “I thought you were a sensible fellow, as well as a brave one.  I’ll take you on.”

“I have, however, one condition to make,” solemnly continued the outlaw.

“Well, what’s that?” asked Lumsden, thinking that he was going to drive some desperate bargain.

“I’ll enlist on one condition,” replied Dilawur, “and that is, I must be let off doing the goose-step.  I really can’t stand about on one leg, a laughing-stock amongst a lot of recruits.”

“Oh, nonsense,” laughed Lumsden; “you’ll have to begin at the beginning, like everyone else.  The goose-step is one of the foundations of the British Empire.  If a king came into the army he’d have to do it.  Why, I had to do goose-step myself!  Of course you’ll have to do it.”

So with much good-humoured laughing and chaffing Dilawur Khan enlisted; and for weeks after one of the sights of Yusafzai, which notable chiefs rode many a mile to see, was the dreaded Dilawur, the terror of the Border, peacefully balancing himself on one leg, under the careful tuition of a drill-sergeant of the Guides.

Long years afterwards, when he had reached the highest rank open to him, in one of his friendly talks with Lumsden, he said:  “Yes, Sahib, when I enlisted I thought you were one of the most unsophisticated persons I had ever come across.  All I took on for was to learn your tricks and strategy, and how British troops were trained, and how they made their bandobust[8] for war.  Directly I had learnt these things I had intended walking off whence I came, to use my knowledge against my enemies.  But by the kindness of God I soon learnt what clean and straight people the sahibs are, dealing fairly by all, and devoid of intrigue and underhand dealing.  So I stopped on, and here I am, my beard growing white in the service of the Queen of England.”

  [8] Bandobust, lit., a tying or binding; any system or mode of
  regulation discipline; arrangements.

His early religious education had given Dilawur more than the average insight into the intricacies of Mahomedan doctrine, and being possessed of ready wit, and considerable ability in debate, he was ever anxious to enter into doctrinarian discussions with the mullahs.  Their superstitions especially came in for his lively ridicule, and a good story is told by old native officers illustrating his views.  One day, Dilawur with a crowd of other passengers was crossing the Indus, which there was very deep and rapid, in the ferry-boat.  Being over-heavily loaded, the boat, when it felt the strong current, appeared in great danger of filling and sinking.  Then the Mahomedans on board with one accord set up loud lamentations, and began to call upon their saints to succour them.  “Oh Ali!  Oh Hosein!  Oh Kaka Sahib! save us,”