Part 39 (1/2)

”Oh, yes, I've heared.”

”I'm going to take to that way of thinking, for it seems to me that young d.i.c.k Dare-all must have been an old fighting-general come to life again.”

And his comrade said, ”Yah!”

But d.i.c.k, of course, heard nothing of this, or he would have called himself, in his straightforward, honest way, a jackdaw in borrowed plumes.

It might have meant nothing, but the sentry on duty at the closed gates noticed that the street in front was twice over filled with armed men, who hung about for some time; but he attributed it to the changing position of some of the Rajah's forces, and when guard was relieved he had nothing to report. Neither was his successor disturbed till about nine o'clock, when there was the jingle of accoutrements, trampling of horses, and the soft, shuffling sound of an elephant's feet.

Wyatt had returned, and upon finding the gates closed he dismounted outside, and was admitted as his escort rode away.

”Why, d.i.c.k,” he said when they met, ”have you been besieged?”

Explanations followed.

”Quite right. Old Stubbs is a fine, sterling fellow--a man to be trusted. I'm glad it was done, for things are very bad here--worse than I should have imagined; and if something pretty firm is not done the Rajah will lose his throne, and then, if we're not cut up first, we shall have to fight our way back to cantonments.”

”What ought to be done?”

”The safest thing would be to take off the heads of the princ.i.p.al conspirators; only that is impossible.”

”Why?”

”Because one is the Rajah's mother, and the other the chief Brahmin.

But I'm too tired to talk. Let's visit the posts and then try and get a sleep.”

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO.

HOW THE GUNS WORKED.

The next day there was a repet.i.tion of the evolutions, the enemy having drawn off, but only to make another attack during the afternoon and receive further punishment from Wyatt's troop, which was forced, by the desperate efforts to destroy it, into a series of retreating tactics which took them miles away over the open ground, upon which they could turn and fire over and over again.

The punishment inflicted by the well-served guns was terrible, and the enemy's cavalry was never allowed to get within touch, the horse artillery galloping away to take up position as often as could be on high ground, till well on in the day, when, enough having been done without loss, it was Wyatt's intention to make for the city gates and take refuge there.

But the enemy's swordsmen were not beaten. They kept on following up with desperate pertinacity, their leaders seeing that until the Rajah's new allies were destroyed there was no chance of winning the day. Hence it was that, towards sunset, Wyatt found himself quite unsupported half-a-dozen miles from the city, and with a strong body of cavalry between him and safety.

”There are two ways open, d.i.c.k,” said Wyatt as they waited, breathing their horses at the top of a slope, the enemy a thousand yards away awaiting their coming, and so posted that, if the troop advanced upon the main body, a wing thrown out on either side would close in and take them as in a trap.

Wyatt stood with his arm through his bridle, talking with d.i.c.k as he watched the enemy's movements through his gla.s.s.

”Well,” said d.i.c.k, after waiting some moments for his companion to speak, ”what do you say?”

”Charge through them or retreat.”

”Go right away?”

”Yes; we have our rations, and can make them last.”

”Camp out, and risk attacks during the night?” said d.i.c.k.