McCandless knew Hakeswill, for Hakeswill had been imprisoned in the Tippoo Sultan’s dungeons at the same time as Sharpe and the Colonel, and what McCandless knew he did not like. The Scotsman scowled.
“Sergeant Hakeswill? You’re far from home.”
“As are we all, sir, doing our duties to King and country in an eat hen land, sir.” Hakeswill slowed to a march, keeping pace with the Scotsman’s horse.
“I’m ordered to see you, sir, by the General himself, sir. By Sir Arthur Wellesley, sir, God bless him, sir.”
“I know who the General is, Sergeant,” McCandless said coldly.
“Glad to hear it, sir. Got a paper for you, sir. Urgent paper, sir, what needs your urgent attention, sir.” Hakeswill gave a venomous glance at Sharpe, then held the warrant up to McCandless.
“This paper, sir, what I’ve been carrying in my pouch, sir, on Colonel Gore’s orders, sir.”
McCandless unfolded the warrant. Sevajee had hurried ahead, going to find somewhere to billet his men in the village and, while McCandless read the orders for Sharpe’s arrest, Hakeswill fell back so that he was walking beside Sharpe.
“We’ll have you off that horse in a quick minute, Sharpie,” he said.
“Go and boil your head, Obadiah.”
“You always did have ideas above your station, Sharpie. Won’t do!
Not in this army. We ain’t the Frogs. We don’t wear pretty long red boots like yours, we don’t, ‘cos we don’t have airs and graces, not in this army. Says so in the scriptures.”
Sharpe tugged on his rein so that his small horse swerved into Hakeswill’s path. The Sergeant skipped aside.
“Under arrest, you are, Sharpie!” Hakeswill crowed.
“Under arrest! Court-martial offence. Be a shooting job, I dare say.” Hakeswill grinned, showing his yellow teeth.
“Bang bang, you’re dead. Taken me a long time, Sharpie, but I’m going to be evens with you. All over for you, it is. Says so in the scriptures.”
“It says nothing of the sort, Sergeant!” McCandless snapped, turning in his saddle and glaring at the Sergeant.
“I’ve had occasion to speak to you before about the scriptures, and if I hear you cite their authority one more time I shall break you, Sergeant Hakeswill, I shall break you!”
“Sir!” Hakeswill acknowledged. He doubted that McCandless, a Company officer, could break anyone in the King’s army, at least not without a deal of effort, but he did not let his scepticism show for Obadiah Hakeswill believed in showing complete subservience to all officers.
“Never meant to upset you, sir,” he said, ‘apologize, sir. No offence meant, sir.”
McCandless read the warrant a third time. Something about the wording worried him, but he could not quite place his concern.
“It says here, Sharpe,” McCandless said, ‘that you struck an officer on August the fifth this year.”
“I did what, sir?” Sharpe asked, horrified.
“Assaulted Captain Morris. Here.” And McCandless thrust the warrant towards Sharpe.
“Take it, man. Read it.”
Sharpe took the paper and while he read Sergeant Hakeswill embellished the charge to Colonel McCandless.
“An assault, sir, with a jakes pot, sir. A full one, sir. Liquids and solids, sir, both. Right on the Captain’s head, sir.”
“And you were the only witness?” McCandless asked.
“Me and Captain Morris, sir.”
“I don’t believe a word of it,” McCandless growled.
“Up to a court to decide, sir, begging your pardon. Your job, sir, is to deliver the prisoner to my keeping.”
“You do not instruct me in my duties, Sergeant!” McCandless said angrily.
“I just knows you will do your duty, sir, like we all does. Except for some as I could mention.” Hakeswill smiled at Sharpe.
“Finding the long words difficult, are we, Sharpie?”
McCandless reached over and took the warrant back from Sharpe, who had, indeed, been finding some of the longer words difficult. The Colonel had expressed his disbelief in the charge, but that was more out of loyalty to Sharpe than from any conviction, though there was still something out of kilter in the warrant.
“Is it true, Sharpe?” McCandless now asked.
“No, sir!” Sharpe said indignantly.
“He was always a good liar, sir,” Hakeswill said helpfully.
“Lies like a rug, sir, he does. Famous for it.” The Sergeant was becoming breathless as he hurried to keep pace with the Scotsman’s horse.