_]
It was late that night when we met in the "dodger's" bedroom, and we
made complete tracings and finished drawings, each of us taking his
own copy for his own headquarters. A day or two later we took steamer
together for Malta, where we were to part on our respective homeward
journeys--he on his way back to Italy.
As we both had a day or two to wait at Malta, I acted as host to him
during his stay. As we entered the harbour I pointed out to him the
big 110-ton guns which at that time protected the entrance, and were
visible to anybody with two eyes in his head. I pointed out various
other interesting batteries to him which were equally obvious, but
I omitted to mention other parts which would have been of greater
interest to him.
He came away from Malta, however, with the idea that, on the whole, he
had done a good stroke of business for his Government by going there,
and convinced of his luck in getting hold of a fairly simple thing in
the shape of myself to show him around.
It was my good fortune to meet him a few years later, when perhaps
unwittingly he returned the compliment which I had done him in Malta.
He was then in charge of a large arsenal in one of the colonies of his
country. This was situated in a citadel perched on a high ridge with a
rapid river flowing around the base.
My orders at that time were to try and ascertain whether any
organisation existed in this colony for mobilising the natives as
a reserve, should the regular troops be called away for action
elsewhere.
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