Part 16 (2/2)
What more could Reginald wish?
”I trust, dearest, that our wishes may be accomplished, and that it may be the will of Heaven that we shall return in safety to Old England,” he replied.
The thought of poor Faithful came into Reginald's mind. That unfortunate animal, confined in her den, must have perished miserably in the flames. He truly grieved less for the loss of all his treasures than he did for his strange pet--so gentle with him in spite of her savage nature, so attached, and who had rendered him such essential service. ”Her sad fate will go wellnigh to break honest d.i.c.k's tender heart, when he hears of it,” he said to himself. ”I wish, too, that I had d.i.c.k back. I fear, however, that he will find great difficulty in getting up the country; and I almost hope that he will not make the attempt.”
Captain Hawkesford after this became still more overbearing, and almost insulting in his conduct, yet he so far kept within bounds that Reginald could not, even had he wished it, under the circ.u.mstances in which they were placed, have found a valid reason for quarrelling with him.
Though Reginald, of necessity, a.s.sumed the character of a chief among the natives, he did duty with the English officers,--visiting the outposts and sentries whenever his turn came. The strictest watch was kept, for their position was well known at Allahapoor, and it was more than probable that an expedition from that city would set out to attack them.
Reginald was one night going his rounds, the moon s.h.i.+ning brightly, when he approached one of the English sentries at an outpost. He stopped for a moment to observe the soldierlike appearance of the man, who stood, musket in hand, silent and rigid as a statue. He was about to speak, when his eye fell on a crouching form stealing along amid the tall gra.s.s, which completely concealed it from the soldier. It was a tiger; and the creature seemed about to spring on the sentinel. Reginald drew a pistol from his belt, and was on the point of c.o.c.king it, at the same time shouting out to the sentry to be on his guard,--when the animal, instead of springing at the man, came bounding towards himself, uttering a purring sound very unlike the usual roar of a tiger. The next instant he recognised Faithful, who had only just then discovered him. He had just time to shout to the sentry--who was bringing his piece to his shoulder--to stop him from firing, or in another instant Faithful would probably have been shot through the body. She purred and fawned on her master, and took every means of showing her delight at having again met him, though he could not help suspecting that she had approached the sentry with no very peaceful intentions. As he stroked her head and neck, his hand came in contact with a thin chain, and, to his surprise and infinite satisfaction, he found secured to it the casket he had given up as lost.
Having finished his rounds, accompanied by Faithful, he returned to the fort to examine his prize, and to ascertain that all was safe within.
By the light of a lamp which burned in his hut he now perceived that poor Faithful looked very thin and wretched; and knowing that, pressed by hunger, she might prove dangerous to some of his companions, he immediately despatched a native to bring in a portion of a sheep to satisfy her craving appet.i.te. In the meantime he eagerly opened the casket, the key of which he had about his person. The papers were safe; and he found another doc.u.ment secured to the bottom of the case. It was in Hindostanee, and charged any one who found it to carry the casket to Reginald, with the promise of a handsome reward for doing so.
Besides this, there was a long account of the way in which the casket had been rescued by the writer at the burning of the palace. He expressed an evident regard for him, and a.s.sured him that there were many who entertained the same feeling; warning him, at the same time, that it would be dangerous for him to return to the city. Though the paper was not signed, Reginald at once knew that it must have come from his Christian friend, Dhunna Singh. In smaller characters--so as, if possible, to escape the observation of an ordinary reader--was a further piece of intelligence. The writer had also rescued Faithful from the palace, and had kept her, he said, at his house, till it was important to send her off. He had great difficulty, however, in feeding her; notwithstanding which she had remained as gentle as usual, apparently understanding the object he had in view. ”And now the time has arrived,” he added. ”It is well known where you are; and an expedition, consisting of horse and foot, with several guns, is about to set out to attack you. Knowing the bravery of your companions, however, I do not despair of your being able to defend yourselves; and if I can hear of any of your friends in the neighbourhood, I will send them word of your situation, and urge them to come to your relief.”
Although Reginald would have waited till the next morning to announce to Colonel Ross his extraordinary recovery of the casket, the warning he had received of the intended attack he considered to be too important to be neglected for a moment. Leaving the casket in the hut, therefore, under the charge of Faithful, being very sure that no one would enter to carry it off,--he hastened to Colonel Ross's quarters. In a few words he narrated what had occurred, and gave the important information he had received. The colonel having congratulated him warmly on the recovery of his papers, next turned to the consideration of the best mode of receiving the expected attack.
”Did we but possess an ample supply of powder, we might hold out as long as the enemy are likely to besiege the fort: and, depend on it, if they meet with a stout resistance, they will soon lose patience, and move off to attack some other less well defended place. But if they persevere for any length of time, our want of ammunition may prove fatal to us.
Our only resource then will be to make a desperate sally, and to capture their guns and tumbrils.”
At any moment the fort might be attacked, for as the paper brought by Faithful was not dated, it was difficult to say how long it had been on its journey. From the tigress' starved appearance, Reginald thought it likely that she might have been delayed; and that, to a certainty, she must have come by the cantonments, where, after escaping from the city, she would search for him. It was therefore settled that a strong force should at once be stationed on the lines, and the advance-guard pushed still more forward.
The necessary orders having been given, and Reginald being relieved, he returned to his hut to sleep, with a lighter heart than he had possessed for many a day.
CHAPTER ELEVEN.
DESPERATE STATE OF AFFAIRS--THE FORT ATTACKED--NEWS OF BURNETT--THE SORTIE--CAPTAIN HAWKESFORD'S TREACHERY--FAITHFUL DEFENDS HER MASTER-- BURNETT AND HIS TROOPERS COME TO THE RESCUE--GUNS CAPTURED--THE FOE PUT TO FLIGHT--FATE OF CAPTAIN HAWKESFORD--A LULL--BETTER NEWS--THE FORT AGAIN ATTACKED--AWFUL SUSPENSE--ENEMY TAKE TO FLIGHT--FORT EVACUATED-- THE MARCH--PURSUED--A FIERCE ENGAGEMENT--REGINALD LEFT WOUNDED ON THE BATTLE-FIELD--RELIEVING FORCE APPEARS--FAITHFUL AGAIN PROTECTS HER MASTER--d.i.c.k DISCOVERS HER--BRITISH VICTORIOUS--REGINALD RECOVERED-- RETURN TO CALCUTTA--DEATH OF FAITHFUL--VOYAGE HOME--CONCLUSION.
The colonel's bungalow, though rudely constructed, had been made as comfortable as circ.u.mstances would allow. Reginald, as may be supposed, proceeded to it at an early hour, and was welcomed by Violet in the breakfast-room. Her father had not told her of what had occurred, and Reginald was thus the first to give her the satisfactory intelligence.
”I am indeed thankful, for your sake,” she answered, as she took his hand; ”and the recovery of the casket will encourage us to trust that we may yet be carried through all the dangers and difficulties which surround us. I have never despaired, and have placed full confidence in the love and mercy of G.o.d. Whatever he orders is for the best, I know, though I cannot tell why he has allowed so many of our unfortunate countrymen and countrywomen to perish miserably. It may be that he intends to give an important lesson to the survivors, and to remind us that our Government has not ruled this country as a Christian people ought to have done, or taken effectual means to spread his Word among the benighted inhabitants.”
”That idea has occurred to me more than once,” said Reginald. ”I have been ready enough to support and trust to the Christians, but I have done nothing to spread the gospel among them; but if I ever again have the power, I will try to do so.”
”We may have the power some day,” exclaimed Violet. ”If we cannot do so in person, we may afford support to the missionaries who are ready to venture their lives among the heathen for the sake of carrying to them the blessed gospel. I am sure that we shall be bound to do our utmost with the means which may be placed at our disposal.”
Neither Reginald nor Violet forgot this conversation.
Day after day went by without any news of the approach of the rebels.
At length many in the fort began to hope that the enemy would not appear. Some even proposed that they should abandon the fort, and, making their way to the Ganges, descend the river to the nearest post occupied by the British. To this, however, Colonel Ross was strongly opposed. From the information he received, he knew that the whole country swarmed with rebels; and these would certainly attack them in the open country, even if they were not followed by the insurgents in boats from the city. The idea, therefore, was abandoned, and every effort was made to strengthen the fortifications.
Captain Hawkesford still exhibited his ill-feeling towards Reginald.
Whether or not he knew anything of the recovery of the casket, it was impossible to say; but, unabashed by Violet's indifference, if not disgust, he continued to pay her attention whenever he got an opportunity, as if he still entertained some hope of displacing Reginald in her affections. She could not feel otherwise than offended; but she knew it was important, at that time, not to create any ill-feeling among the few officers who surrounded her father, and she therefore did not complain to him, as she might otherwise have done.
At length, one day one of the scouts, who had gone out in disguise in the direction of the city, came hurrying in with the intelligence that a large force was marching northward, probably with the intention of attacking the fort. They might be expected to appear before noon on the following day. The loyal natives, who had by this time been organised and well drilled, were therefore summoned in, with their wives and children, as were also all the people whose dwellings were situated in exposed situations, and were likely to be destroyed by the enemy. An ample supply of provisions had been stored for such an emergency, so that there was no fear of starvation. The scarcity of ammunition was their chief cause of anxiety, and orders were issued not to throw a shot away.
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