y, while the garrison was
waiting for the arrival of sir Colin Campbell, commander-in-chief in
India, with an army of nearly five thousand men, a mere handful in
numbers compared with the enemy, but yet enough to compass what is known
in history as 'the second relief of Lucknow.' By November 9 news came
that the British troops had reached the Alumbagh, but it was absolutely
necessary that the commander-in-chief should know Outram's plans for the
defence of the city, and tell him the manner in which he himself
intended to attack.

How was this to be done? The country lying between the two generals was
covered with small detachments of sepoys carefully entrenched, and it
seemed impossible for any man to pass through them. Yet without some
knowledge of the sort and of the state of affairs in the residency the
relief expedition could not advance without frightful loss, and might
perhaps end in failure.

Then there entered the room where Outram and Havelock were gloomily
talking over the matter a man, Henry Cavanagh by name, who said that he
would undertake to get through the pickets of sepoys and carry any
message to the English camp. Outram was amazed. Brave though they all
were, not one soldier had volunteered for this forlorn hope, not because
they were afraid, but because if our maps and plans fell into the
enemy's hands, the destruction of our army would certainly follow; and
if a soldier could not do it, with all his experience of war, how could
this man, who knew nothing of soldiering, except what he had learned
during the siege? But when the general looked at Cavanagh's face his
doubts vanished.

Disguised as a native and speaking the language like one, Cavanagh made
his way slowly through the lines till the open plain was reached. Here
he breathed more freely, for, though many dangers awaited him, the worst
risks were over. Often he had seen suspicion in the eyes of the sepoys,
and felt that a terrible death was very near, but he had kept his head
and got through somehow. At length he was within the Alumbagh and could
speak with sir Colin face to face.

[Illustration: Often ... he had felt that a terrible death was very
near.]

The return journey still lay before him, but now he knew better what he
was about, and reached the residency without accident. On November 14
the relieving force was to begin its advance on the town, and on the
15th the general signalled that the attack would begin next day.

This la