On The Irrawaddy

Preface.
Chapter 1: A New Career.
Chapter 2: The Outbreak of War.
Chapter 3: A Prisoner.
Chapter 4: A Ruined Temple.
Chapter 5: With Brigands.
Chapter 6: Among Friends.
Chapter 7: On The Staff.
Chapter 8: The Pagoda.
Chapter 9: Victories.
Chapter 10: The Advance.
Chapter 11: Donabew.
Chapter 12: Harry Carried Off.
Chapter 13: Preparing A Rescue.
Chapter 14: In The Temple.
Chapter 15: The Attack.
Chapter 16: Rejoining.
Chapter 17: The Pride Of Burma Humbled.
Chapter 18: In Business Again.


Chapter 1: A New Career.


A party was assembled in a room of an hotel in Calcutta, at the end
of the year 1822. It consisted of a gentleman, a lady in deep
mourning, a boy of between fourteen and fifteen, and two girls of
thirteen and twelve.

"I think you had better accept my offer, Nellie," the gentleman was
saying. "You will find it hard work enough to make both ends meet,
with these two girls; and Stanley would be a heavy drain on you.
The girls cost nothing but their clothes; but he must go to a
decent school, and then there would be the trouble of thinking what
to do with him, afterwards. If I could have allowed you a couple of
hundred a year, it would have been altogether different; but you
see I am fighting an uphill fight, myself, and need every penny
that I can scrape together. I am getting on; and I can see well
enough that, unless something occurs to upset the whole thing, I
shall be doing a big trade, one of these days; but every half penny
of profit has to go into the business. So, as you know, I cannot
help you at present though, by the time the girls grow up, I hope I
shall be able to do so, and that to a good extent.