ent on the left,
and the Punjaub Infantry on the right, were heard, sounding the recall,
as an officer of Hodgson's Horse came up at a hard gallop from the
front.

"Bad news from Cawnpore!" he shouted. "Wyndham's hard pressed; all his
outposts driven in, and hardly able to hold his entrenchments!"

"Steady, men, steady!" called Hughes, as a thrill of excitement ran
through the corps.

"Orders for the 150th to press to the front!" shouted another orderly
officer, as he galloped past.

"One Hundred and Fiftieth, attention! Shoulder arms! Slope arms! By
your right! Quick, march! Steady, men! Officers commanding companies,
look to your distance!" were the words of command, as the whole force
moved on leaving Onao after a couple of hours' halt, and still following
the Cawnpore road.

Sir Hope Grant now rode with the advance, and the cavalry videttes on
the flanks had an idle time of it, for not the trace of an enemy was to
be seen, while every hour caused the heavy cannonade in front to be
heard louder and louder.

The morning of the 28th dawned, and Sir Colin Campbell's force encamped
on the banks of the Ganges, with the city of Cawnpore in its front. A
bridge of boats had been thrown across the river, as it afterwards
appeared, and this bridge had, by some unaccountable oversight, been
overlooked by the mutineers.

"Where are Major Hughes's quarters?" asked a mounted dragoon of
Hodgson's Horse, before daylight, on the morning of the 29th, making the
inquiry of an out-picket of the corps.

"Yonder," replies the man, pointing to a tent, whose single pole was
surmounted with a small fluttering flag.

The man rode on. Before the tent door lay several servants fast asleep.
The one nearest the trooper, as he checked his horse near the tent
pegs, was lying on his face. The dragoon, leaning from his saddle,
pricked the sleeper gently in the bareback with the point of his sword,
intending to rouse him; but, thus rudely woke from deep sleep, the man
thought at once that a snake had bitten him, commencing a series of
howlings, which at once effectually roused the occupants of the tent.

"What on earth is the matter?" asked Hughes and the adjutant of the
regiment, who had both thrown themselves down on the ground to sleep,
dressed as they were.

"Just stop that fellow's bellowing, Reynolds, will you?" said Hughes, as
he advanced to the mounted orderly, who, saluting, handed him a written
note.

"Brigadier Ho