have been such a miserable hound."

I wanted to speak, but the words would not come for long enough. When
they did, I could only whisper huskily--

"May I go to my guns?"

He nodded, for he could not speak either for a time.

"Like this?" I said, making a sign towards my uniform.

"Anyhow, as long as it is the lad I believed in from the first," he half
whispered; and then, in quite his old tone, "but we must ride and fire
as we never rode and fired before. Now then, come and have a few words
with the men."

I went with him, and he spoke three words, the men answering with a
cheer, and I saw Dick Dobbs raise the trumpet, and Sergeant Craig take a
run toward his horse, while Denny seemed to try and catch my eye.

Then Haynes and Danby came up, and both shook hands, or, rather, asked
me to shake hands with them, in a deprecating way, and soon after, as if
it were once more a dream, I was in the saddle by the guns, listening to
my father's advice to Brace. He was to try and hold the rajah's people
engaged with the help of the cavalry, harassing them till the infantry
could come up, but he was not to risk losing the guns.

Just then, still in the costume of an ordinary budmash, but with his
face washed clear of his black disguise, Mr Brooke rode up, and asked
leave to join the advance.

"Why?" said my father, abruptly.

"I know every inch of the country for miles round, and I can land them
close up to the Residency by the forest gate at the back," said Mr
Brooke, earnestly. "Besides, I should like to make a dash in and tell
the poor shivering creatures I have brought them help."

"Go," said my father, abruptly; and a minute later the dust was rising,
the lance-points glittering, and the wheels of the guns and limbers were
giving forth their peculiar dull, clattering rattle as we advanced at a
trot across the burning plain.

This pace was soon reduced to a walk, of necessity, so as to have the
horses as fresh as possible when we went into action, and after a time
the lancer captain reined back and joined Brace and Haynes, who were
riding close by me, and Mr Brooke rode to us at a sign from Brace.

"Now, gentlemen," said the latter, "the question is, how our attack is
to be made. Of course we can say nothing decisive till we find out
whether the rajah's troops are inside or outside the town."

"May I speak?" said Brooke.

"Of course. You know the place," replied Brace.

"I am not a soldier, but I have