ground wrapped in their great-coats, the rain pouring
heavily on them. But wet, weary and hungry as they were, a great shout
of joy rent the air when Outram announced that he had just received news
that Delhi had been recaptured by the English.

* * * * *

The next day the sun was shining, and as the baggage waggons came up the
men changed the soaking clothes, and slept and rested while the generals
anxiously discussed the best plan for getting into Lucknow. There were
three ways to choose from, all full of danger and difficulty, but in the
end it was decided to force the passage of the Charbagh bridge over the
canal.

This the enemy had evidently expected, for they had erected across it a
barrier seven feet in height, with six guns, one a 24-pounder. Beyond
the bridge, along the canal, were tall houses, and from every window and
loophole a deadly fire would pour. And even supposing that the bridge
was carried, the troops would have to pass through narrow streets and
gardens and palaces, under showers of bullets at every step.

Yet this seemed the only way to Lucknow.

As for the sick and wounded, they were left with the stores and a guard
of three hundred men at the Alumbagh.

* * * * *

Breakfast was over by half-past eight on the morning of September 25,
when the order was given to advance. The first opposition met with by
the leading column, headed by Outram, was near the Yellow House, which
lay along the road to the bridge. Here Maude, one of the best officers
in the army, who was to win his V.C. that day, charged the two guns
whose fire was so deadly, and silenced them, and the troops went on till
they were close to the canal. Then Outram took the 5th Fusiliers and
bore away to the right in order to clear the gardens of the sepoys
hidden in them, and to draw off the attention of the enemy; lieutenant
Arnold, with a company of the Madras Fusiliers, took his station on the
left of the bridge with orders to fire at the houses across the canal,
and right out in the open facing the bridge was Maude, with two light
guns straight in front of the battery. In a bend of the road on one side
some of the Madras Fusiliers supported him, and on the other side, a
little way off, stood Neill and his detachment, waiting for the
diversion to be made by Outram's movement.

To Neill's surprise, not a trace of Outram was to be seen, and Maude
stood shelterless, hi