ures of inaction were added the lively
reproaches of the force. Lying down to be a target for artillery fire
was not an exercise that commended itself to the native mind, and
Charteris became the unwilling centre of a group of protesting Granthis
and Darwanis, who had each of them his special plan for making the day
more interesting, and plucked at the European's sleeve when they were
tired of shrieking into his ears. It was with a certain grim pleasure
that he received the remonstrances of the Granthis, whose plans must
all have been disarranged by his unexpected immobility. Chand Singh's
cannon-balls fell as impartially among them as among their fellows,
perhaps as a gentle hint that if they were going to change sides they
might as well do it at once, but the distance that separated the armies
was sufficient to account for a good many of them if they were exposed
to Charteris's fire. Yes, the Granthis deserved all they got, but his
heart bled for his Darwanis. Less fitted, both by nature and training,
for passive endurance, they could not understand his inertness.
"Sahib, can you expect us to endure this?" they cried reproachfully, as
the round-shot crashed among them. "We are here to die, but let us die
fighting, not crouching on the ground!"

Not until four o'clock was he able to seem to listen to their appeals,
and this was only because Chand Singh, apparently emboldened by the
passivity of his foe, deliberately advanced four guns to a spot little
beyond the reach of their musketry, and began to try the range.
Charteris detected at once the bait which was to draw him from his
position and give the Granthis their long-sought opportunity, and set
his teeth hard. The line should not advance. Turning his back on
Bishen Ram, whose protests were very nearly becoming threats, he called
up the heads of two Darwani clans, of late the fiercest and most
troublesome of his robber-vassals.

"You are willing to ride to death, brothers?"

A great shout answered him. "Into hell itself, sahib!"

"I knew it. But are you willing to turn back half-way, and return?"

"Never, sahib; never!"

"Then you are not the men for me." He turned away with ostentatious
disappointment, only to feel his sleeves gripped on either side by
eager hands.

"We will do it, sahib, though it be more bitter than death."

"I thought I could count on you. Listen then, brothers. I want those
four guns dismounted, and rolled into the marsh n