Just then came the squealing and trampling of the horses again, and I had to run back and help poor Dobbs, whose face was scarlet.

"I can hardly hold them, sir. The flies are beginning to worry them, too."

"Only a little longer, Dobbs," I said. "Pray--pray try and keep them quiet."

I tried hard to soothe my restive charger, which whinnied after me impatiently as I went away again, just as if the poor brute felt disappointed because I had not mounted and ridden him off.

But they were pretty quiet when I left them, and I rejoined Brace, who was trembling with excitement.

"It must be nearly an hour now," he said to me appealingly.

"Yes, it must be," I replied.

"And Haynes ought to be ready. It will take a few minutes, too, which will all be in their favour. But the scoundrels don't come out; and, though I can see the rajah's Arab, I can't see him. Take the gla.s.s and try yourself."

I caught the gla.s.s from his hand, and swept the ground, to see that the six guns were all out in front, the long line of horses ready with their riders, and the drivers already seated, waiting for the limbering up, each team of glossy creatures breaking up the regularity of the line.

"No," I said, returning the gla.s.s. "I can't see him."

"But you could make out his horse?"

"Yes, plainly."

"Gil," said Brace, after a pause, "our hour must be up; and we could act at once if they came out. But there is something wrong."

"I hope not."

"And I; but I'm afraid. Is your pistol charged?"

"No," I said.

"Then load, man, load. Heaven knows I don't want to destroy life; but we are fighting for our queen and country, and for the thousands of women and children who may soon be at the mercy of these men."

I hastily dragged my cartouche-box round, and charged my pistol, and when this was done, looked at Brace, as if asking for further commands.

"Is your sword sharp?"

"Yes, very," I replied.

"Good. Recollect, lad, that you may have to use it; and then you must strike or give point--do so with vigour. Your life or mine may depend upon it."

"I'll try, and do my best," I said huskily.

"I know you will, Gil; and may G.o.d help us!"

There was another long period of watching before he spoke again.

"It is of no use, lad," he said. "My fault; and I have upset as splendid a plan as was ever conceived, by letting those prisoners escape. They must have reached the place, and are giving the rajah the information of danger to him and his being so near. It's all over; they will not drill to-day."

"But we can follow them up, and get another chance," I said soothingly.

"No, lad," he replied, "never again. Knowing that he is pursued, he will be too watchful. Our chance is gone."

"Look there," I said, steadying my eyes with my hand; "isn't that the rajah mounting? I can't see, but I saw something flashing in the sun."

"Yes," cried Brace, in a trembling voice. "It is--it is; and he is riding out to the front. Look, there is the order. The men have limbered up, and mounted. There, again. Hurrah! they are in motion.

Do you see? they are coming out into the plain. Gil, lad, your hand.

He cannot have got the warning, or they would follow the road. Now, may Heaven help our good cause, bring us safely through to-day's peril, and help us to acquit ourselves like British soldiers and like men."

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO.

My heart beat faster than ever at his words, and as the troop advanced at a walk, wheeled, and then came along towards us, I felt that the time had nearly come, and offered up a short prayer for help, strength, and protection; for never before had the world seemed to me so beautiful, or life so sweet. For the moment, I felt as if I should certainly be killed in the encounter so near; and in a desperate mood I told myself that it did not matter, so long as the honour of our troop was redeemed by the rescue of the guns from the mutineers. Then, with the quickness of thought, I dwelt on my father getting the news, and quietly breaking it to my mother and sister, who would bitterly weep for me; and I thought of their wearing mourning, and I hoped that my father would feel proud of what I had done, and have a marble tablet put up to my memory in the old Devon church, near which I was born. In fact, so vividly picturesque were those thoughts which flashed through me, that I could see in imagination the bent, mourning figures of my mother and sister standing before the marble tablet.

I was just building up some more sentimental nonsense about myself--for I'm afraid that just at that period I was very romantic, and fond of thinking too much of Gil Vincent--when I was brought back to the present by Brace.

"Look at them," he cried. "They are going through that movement remarkably well. Be careful, and don't show yourself."

I shrank back a little among the trees, and for a few minutes we watched the troop go through some of the regular evolutions, pa.s.sing us on their way down the plain, at a distance of about two hundred yards, and I trembled lest our horses should select that moment for whinnying or trying to break away. But they were quiet, and the cavalcade went slowly on at a walk towards where our men ought to be in ambush.

Then I turned to look at Brace, whose left hand was fidgeting with the hilt of his sword, lifting it nervously, and dropping it again as he watched the guns; and I could see the veins in his temples throbbing heavily.

"Why does he not act?" I said to myself. "We shall lose our chance."

And on went the troop till they were nearly half a mile to our left, and I was in despair.

"If all has gone right, they will soon be abreast of our men," said Brace, as if thinking to himself. "I hope they are all well hidden."

"And so do I," I thought. "But why have you let the chance go by?"

"Look at them, Gil, lad," he said, more loudly. "Doesn't it make your heart beat to hear the rattle of the wheels and the snorting of the horses? Bah! it seems an insult to the poor brutes to have them mounted by that cowardly mutinous crew."

Just then we heard an order given, and could we see the rajah seated alone with his sword flashing as he held it high in air; and I was obliged to own myself that he looked a n.o.ble specimen of a barbaric chief, sitting his horse as he did to perfection.

Then, as we watched, the troop wheeled to the right, went forward for a hundred yards, and then wheeled again, and advanced at a trot, their course taking them back in a line parallel to that they had followed in pa.s.sing us at first.

The trotting fell far short of the walk past; and, as they were abreast, on their way back toward the town, Brace muttered, but so that I could hear--

"If they would only leave the horses alone, they would keep the line far better!"

I looked at him in astonishment, for his conduct seemed in dead opposition to our plans, and still he made no sign; and at last, flushed, excited, and angry with him for losing what I looked upon as splendid opportunities, I said aloud--

"Isn't it time to act?"

"Eh?" he exclaimed, with a start. "No; not yet. Wait! They'll wheel again directly, and form a line in front of the houses. Yes; there they go. That will be our time. Yes; there goes the order."

He was right; the troop was wheeled, and in another minute or two they were half across the plain, with the third gun about level with the centre of the village, when the rajah rode out into the front, raised his sword in the air, and the troop halted. Then, faintly heard, came another order, and men and guns came to the front, ready for a second advance down the plain and past us, probably at a trot.