A new obstacle had, however, arisen. With the morning a dense fog had
set in, rendering it impossible for the troops to see even a few yards
in advance of them. Still they pushed on and, unopposed, reached a
point opposite Omichund's garden, but divided from it by the Mahratta
Ditch.

Presently they heard the thunder of a great body of approaching
cavalry. They waited quietly until the unseen horse had approached
within a few yards of them, and then poured a mighty volley into the
fog. The noise ceased abruptly, and was followed by that of the
enemy's cavalry in retreat.

The fog was now so dense that it was impossible even to judge of the
directions in which the troops were moving. Clive knew, however, that
the Mahratta Ditch was on his right and, moving a portion of his
troops till they touched this, he again advanced, his object being to
gain a causeway which, raised several feet above the country, led from
Calcutta, across the Mahratta Ditch, into the country beyond. Towards
this Clive now advanced, his troops firing, as they marched, into the
fog ahead of them, and the guns firing from the flanks, obliquely, to
the right and left.

Without experiencing any opposition Clive reached the causeway, and
the Sepoys, turning to their right, advanced along this towards the
ditch. As they crossed this, however, they came in the line of fire of
their own guns, the officer commanding them being ignorant of what was
taking place in front, and unable to see a foot before him. Charlie,
closely accompanied always by Tim, was at the head of his troops when
the iron hail of the English guns struck the head of the column,
mowing down numbers of men. A panic ensued, and the Sepoys, terror
stricken at this discharge, from a direction in which they considered
themselves secure, leaped from the causeway into the dry ditch and
sheltered themselves there. Charlie and his companion were saved by
the fact that they were a few paces ahead of the column.

"Run back, Tim," Charlie said. "Find Colonel Clive, and tell him that
we are being mowed down by our own artillery. If you can't find him,
hurry back to the guns, and tell the officer what he is doing."

Charlie then leaped down into the ditch, and endeavoured to rally the
Sepoys. A few minutes later Clive himself arrived, and the Sepoys were
induced to leave the ditch, and to form again by the side of the
causeway, along which the British troops were now marching.

Suddenly, however