fanatical mutineers, against whom resistance would be
vain.

"We must spike the gun, sahib," said Ahmed.

"Impossible! You would rush to your death," replied the doctor.

"Nay, sahib, it must be done; and there is no time to be lost. Give the
order, and we thy servants will obey."

The doctor turned, still hesitating, to one of the corporals and
explained what Ahmed had suggested: he felt that he could hardly order
so desperate an undertaking unless the men would volunteer.

"Spike the gun! Right you are, sir," said the corporal cheerfully. "Them
Pandies never can stand a charge. We'll do it, by Jehosopher we will.
Blowed if an Englishman is going to be licked by a blooming Pathan."

Ahmed had already seized a hammer and a heavy nail.

"Give them to me, you Pathan," cried the corporal.

"Let him alone," said the doctor. "Get all the men together: nine of you
follow the Guide: the rest man the loopholes. Make your rush when they
have fired the gun; quick! you haven't a moment to lose."

The whole garrison ran to the front door. Ahmed drew the bolts. The two
corporals and seven of the Sikhs stood ready; the rest went to the
loopholes. They had hardly taken their places when there was a
tremendous roar; the gate of the compound was shattered to splinters;
and through the gap and the smoke a crowd of yelling sepoys began to
pour into the enclosure. But the men at the loopholes had their muskets
ready: at a word from Ahmed they fired a volley, concentrating their aim
on the gateway. The foremost of the besiegers fell, and those behind,
taken aback by the sudden volley, paused. At that instant Ahmed flung
wide the door, and dashed straight for the gate at the head of nine
cheering men with fixed bayonets.

Pandy never waited for the touch of cold steel. There was a wild
stampede from the gateway. The sepoys tumbled over one another in their
panic. While the men behind were pushing on, those in front were pushing
back. The crowd fell apart as the cheering band drove through them, and
made a path through which Ahmed and the two corporals headed the rest
towards the gun. The gunners stood as if paralyzed; before they could
flee the bayonets had done their fell work.

Ahmed was on the point of spiking the gun when a sudden inspiration
seized him. The gun had been partly prepared for the next charge. Round
shot and grape lay ready. The mutineers up the street, charged by the
Sikhs, were huddled together like a flock o