CHAPTER XII.
"Let us be off at once," Dr. Wade said to his companion; "we can talk aswe go along. I have got two rifles with me; I can lend you one."
"I shall take no rifle," Bathurst said decidedly, "or rather I will takeone of the shikaris' guns for the sake of appearance, and for use I willborrow one of their spears."
"Very well; I will do the shooting, then," the Doctor agreed.
The two men then took their places on the elephants most used to thework, and told the mahouts of the others to follow in case the elephantsshould be required for driving the tiger out of the thick jungle, andthey then started side by side for the scene of action.
"This is awful news, Bathurst. I could not have believed it possiblethat these fellows who have eaten our salt for years, fought ourbattles, and have seemed the most docile and obedient of soldiers,should have done this. That they should have been goaded into mutinyby lies about their religion being in danger I could have imagined wellenough, but that they should go in for wholesale massacre, not only oftheir officers, but of women and children, seems well nigh incredible.You and I have always agreed that if they were once roused there wasno saying what they would do, but I don't think either of us dreamt ofanything as bad as this."
"I don't know," Bathurst said quietly; "one has watched this cloudgathering, and felt that if it did break it would be something terrible.No one can foresee now what it will be. The news that Delhi is in thehands of the mutineers, and that these have massacred all Europeans, andso placed themselves beyond all hope of pardon, will fly though Indialike a flash of lightning, and there is no guessing how far the matterwill spread. There is no use disguising it from ourselves, Doctor,before a week is over there may not be a white man left alive inIndia, save the garrisons of strong places like Agra, and perhaps thepresidential towns, where there is always a strong European force."
"I can't deny that it is possible, Bathurst. If this revolt spreadsthough the three Presidencies the work of conquering India will have tobe begun again, and worse than that, for we should have opposed to us avast army drilled and armed by ourselves, and led by the native officerswe have trained. It seems stupefying that an empire won piecemeal, andafter as hard fighting as the world has ever seen, should be lost in aweek."
The Doctor spoke as if the question was a purely impersonal one.
"Ugly, isn't it?" he went on; "and to think I have been doctoring upthese fellows for the last thirty years--saving their lives, sir, bywholesale. If I had known what had been coming I would have dosed themwith arsenic with as little remorse as I should feel in shooting atiger's whelp. Well, there is one satisfaction, the Major has alreadydone something towards turning the courthouse into a fortress, and Ifancy a good many of the scoundrels will go down before they take it,that is, if they don't fall on us unawares. I have been a noncombatantall my life, but if I can shoot a tiger on the spring I fancy I can hita Sepoy. By Jove, Bathurst, that juggler's picture you told me of islikely to come true after all!"
"I wish to Heaven it was!" Bathurst said gloomily; "I could look withoutdread at whatever is coming as far as I am concerned, if I could believeit possible that I should be fighting as I saw myself there."
"Pooh, nonsense, lad!" the Doctor said. "Knowing what I know of you, Ihave no doubt that, though you may feel nervous at first, you will getover it in time."
Bathurst shook his head. "I know myself too well, Doctor, to indulge inany such hopes. Now you see we are going out tiger hunting. At present,now, as far as I am concerned, I should feel much less nervous if I knewI was going to enter the jungle on foot with only this spear, than I doat the thought that you are going to fire that rifle a few paces fromme."
"You will scarcely notice it in the excitement," the Doctor said. "Incold blood I admit you might feel it, but I don't think you will whenyou see the tiger spring out from the jungle at us. But here we are.That is the nullah in which they say the tiger retires at night. Iexpect the beaters are lying all round in readiness, and as soon as wehave taken up our station at its mouth they will begin."
A shikari came up as they approached the spot.
"The tiger went out last night, sahib, and finished the cow; he cameback before daylight, and the beaters are all in readiness to begin."
The elephants were soon in position at the mouth of the ravine, whichwas some thirty yards across. At about the same distance in front ofthem the jungle of high, coarse grass and thick bush began.
"If you were going to shoot, Bathurst, we would take post one each side,but as you are not going to I will place myself nearly in the center,and if you are between me and the rocks the tiger is pretty certain togo on the other side, as it will seem the most open to him. Now we areready," he said to the shikari.
The latter waved a white rag on the top of a long stick, and at thesignal a tremendous hubbub of gongs and tom toms, mingled with theshouts of numbers of the men, arose. The Doctor looked across athis companion. His face was white and set, his muscles twitchedconvulsively; he was looking straight in front of him, his teeth sethard.
"An interesting case," the Doctor muttered to himself, "if it had beenanyone else than Bathurst. I expect the tiger will be some little timebefore it is down. Bathurst," he said, in a quiet voice. Three timeshe repeated the observation, each time raising his voice higher, beforeBathurst heard him.
"The sooner it comes the better," Bathurst said, between his teeth. "Iwould rather face a hundred tigers than this infernal din."
A quarter of an hour passed, and the Doctor, rifle in hand, was watchingthe bushes in front when he saw a slight movement among the leaves onhis right, the side on which Bathurst was stationed.
"That's him, Bathurst; he has headed back; he caught sight of eitheryour elephant or mine; he will make a bolt in another minute now unlesshe turns back on the beaters."
A minute later there was a gleam of tawny yellow among the long grass,and quick as thought the Doctor fired. With a sharp snarl the tigerleaped out, and with two short bounds sprang onto the head of theelephant ridden by Bathurst. The mahout gave a cry of pain, for thetalons of one of the forepaws were fixed in his leg. Bathurst leanedforward and thrust the spear he held deep into the animal's neck. Atthe same moment the Doctor fired again, and the tiger, shot through thehead, fell dead, while, with a start, Bathurst lost his balance and fellover the elephant's head onto the body of the tiger.
It was fortunate indeed for him that the ball had passed through thetiger's skull from ear to ear, and that life was extinct before ittouched the ground. Bathurst sprang to his feet, shaken and bewildered,but otherwise unhurt.
"He is as dead as a door nail!" the Doctor shouted, "and lucky for youhe was so; if he had had a kick left in him you would have been badlytorn."
"I should never have fallen off," Bathurst said angrily, "if you had notfired. I could have finished him with the spear."
"You might or you might not; I could not wait to think about that; thetiger had struck its claws into the mahout's leg, and would have had himoff the elephant in another moment. That is a first rate animal you wereriding on, or he would have turned and bolted; if he had done so you andthe mahout would have both been off to a certainty."
By this time the shouts of some natives, who had taken their posts intrees near at hand, told the beaters that the shots they had heard hadbeen successful, and with shouts of satisfaction they came rushingdown. The Doctor at once dispatched one of them to bring up his trap andBathurst's horse, and then examined the tiger.
It was a very large one, and the skin was in good condition, whichshowed that he had not taken to man eating long. The Doctor bound up thewound on the mahout's leg, and then superintended the skinning of theanimal while waiting for the arrival of the trap.
When it came up he said, "You might as well take a seat by my side,Bathurst; the syce will sit behind and lead your horse."
Having distributed money among the beaters, the Doctor took his placein his trap, the tiger skin was rolled up and plac
ed under the seat,Bathurst mounted beside him, and they started.
"There, you see, Doctor," Bathurst, who had not opened his lips from thetime he had remonstrated with the Doctor for firing, said; "you see itis of no use. I was not afraid of the tiger, for I knew that you werenot likely to miss, and that in any case it could not reach me on theelephant. I can declare that I had not a shadow of fear of the beast,and yet, directly that row began, my nerves gave way altogether. It washideous, and yet, the moment the tiger charged, I felt perfectly coolagain, for the row ceased as you fired your first shot. I struck it fullin the chest, and was about to thrust the spear right down, and should,I believe, have killed it, if you had not fired again and startled me sothat I fell from the elephant."
"I saw that the shouting and noise unnerved you, Bathurst, but I saw toothat you were perfectly cool and steady when you planted your spearinto him. If it had not got hold of the mahout's leg I should not havefired."
"Is there nothing to be done, Doctor? You know now what it is likely weshall have to face with the Sepoys and what it will be with me if theyrise. Is there nothing you can do for me?"
The Doctor shook his head. "I don't believe in Dutch courage in anycase, Bathurst; certainly not in yours. There is no saying what theeffect of spirits might be. I should not recommend them, lad. Of course,I can understand your feelings, but I still believe that, even if you dobadly to begin with, you will pull round in the end. I have no doubt youwill get a chance to show that it is only nerve and not courage in whichyou are deficient."
Bathurst was silent, and scarce another word was spoken during the driveback to Deennugghur.
The place had its accustomed appearance when they drove up. The Doctor,as he drew up before his bungalow, said, "Thank God, they have not begunyet! I was half afraid we might have found they had taken advantage ofmost of us being away, and have broken out before we got back."
"So was I," Bathurst said. "I have been thinking of nothing else sincewe started."
"Well, I will go to the Major at once and see what arrangements havebeen made, and whether there is any further news."
"I shall go off on my rounds," Bathurst said. "I had arranged yesterdayto be at Nilpore this morning, and there will be time for me to getthere now. It is only eleven o'clock yet. I shall go about my work asusual until matters come to a head."
The Doctor found that the Major was over at the tent which served as theorderly office, and at once followed him there.
"Nothing fresh, Major?"
"No; we found everything going on as usual. It has been decided to putthe courthouse as far as we can in a state of defense. I shall have thespare ammunition quietly taken over there, with stores of provisions.The ladies have undertaken to sew up sacking and make gunny bags forholding earth, and, of course, we shall get a store of water there.Everything will be done quietly at present, and things will be sent inthere after dark by such servants as we can thoroughly rely upon. At thefirst signs of trouble the residents will make straight for that point.Of course we must be guided by circumstances. If the trouble begins inthe daytime--that is, if it does begin, for the native officers assureus that we can trust implicitly in the loyalty of the men--there willprobably be time for everyone to gain the courthouse; if it is at night,and without warning, as it was at Meerut, I can only say, Doctor, mayGod help us all, for I fear that few, if any, of us would get therealive. Certainly not enough to make any efficient defense."
"I do not see that there is anything else to do, Major. I trust withyou that the men will prove faithful; if not, it is a black lookoutwhichever way we take it."
"Did you kill the tiger, Doctor?"
"Yes; at least Bathurst and I did it between us. I wounded him first. Itthen sprang upon Bathurst's elephant, and he speared it, and I finishedit with a shot through the head."
"Speared it!" the Major repeated; "why didn't he shoot it. What was hedoing with his spear?"
"He was born, Major, with a constitutional horror of firearms, inheritedfrom his mother. I will tell you about it some day. In fact, he cannotstand noise of any sort. It has been a source of great trouble to theyoung fellow, who in all other respects has more than a fair share ofcourage. However, we will talk about that when we have more time on ourhands. There is no special duty you can give me at present?"
"Yes, there is. You are in some respects the most disengaged man inthe station, and can come and go without attracting any attention. Ipropose, therefore, that you shall take charge of the arrangement ofmatters in the courthouse. I think that it will be an advantage if youmove from your tent in there at once. There is plenty of room for usall: No one can say at what time there may be trouble with the Sepoys,and it would be a great advantage to have someone in the courthousewho could take the lead if the women, with the servants and so on, comeflocking in while we were still absent on the parade ground. Besides,with your rifle, you could drive any small party off who attempted toseize it by surprise. If you were there we would call it the hospital,which would be an excuse for sending in stores, bedding, and so on.
"You might mention in the orderly room that it is getting so hot nowthat you think it would be as well to have a room or two fitted up undera roof, instead of having the sick in tents, in case there should be anoutbreak of cholera or anything of that sort this year. I will say thatI think the idea is a very good one, and that as the courthouse isvery little used, you had better establish yourself there. The nativeofficers who hear what we say will spread the news. I don't say it willbe believed, but at least it will serve as an explanation."
"Yes, I think that that will be a very good plan, Major. Two of the menwho act as hospital orderlies I can certainly depend upon, and they willhelp to receive the things sent in from the bungalows, and will holdtheir tongues as to what is being done; I shall leave my tent standing,and use it occasionally as before, but will make the courthouse myheadquarters. How are we off for arms?"
"There are five cases of muskets and a considerable stock of ammunitionin that small magazine in the lines; one of the first things will be toget them removed to the courthouse. We have already arranged to do thattonight; it will give us four or five muskets apiece."
"Good, Major; I will load them all myself and keep them locked up ina room upstairs facing the gateway, and should there be any trouble Ifancy I could give a good account of any small body of men who mightattempt to make an entrance. I am very well content with my position asCommandant of the Hospital, as we may call it; the house has not beenmuch good to us hitherto, but I suppose when it was bought it wasintended to make this a more important station; it is fortunate they didbuy it now, for we can certainly turn it into a small fortress. Still,of course, I cannot disguise from myself that though we might get onsuccessfully for a time against your Sepoys, there is no hope of holdingit long if the whole country rises."
"I quite see that, Doctor," the Major said gravely; "but I have reallyno fear of that. With the assistance of the Rajah of Bithoor, Cawnporeis safe. His example is almost certain to be followed by almost all theother great landowners. No; it is quite bad enough that we have to facea Sepoy mutiny; I cannot believe that we are likely to have a generalrising on our hands. If we do--" and he stopped.
"If we do it is all up with us, Major; there is no disguising that.However, we need not look at the worst side of things. Well, I will gowith you to the orderly room, and will talk with you about the hospitalscheme, mention that there is a rumor of cholera, and so on, and askif I can't have a part of the courthouse; then we can walk across theretogether, and see what arrangement had best be made."
The following day brought another dispatch from the Colonel, saying thatthe rumors as to Delhi were confirmed. The regiments there had joinedthe Meerut mutineers, had shot down their officers, and murderedevery European they could lay hands on; that three officers and sixnoncommissioned officers, who were in charge of the arsenal, haddefended it desperately, and had finally blown up the magazine withhundreds of its assailants. Three of the defen
ders had reached Meerutwith the news.
Day by day the gloom thickened. The native regiments in the Punjaub roseas soon as the news from Meerut and Delhi reached them, but there werewhite troops there, and they were used energetically and promptly. Insome places the mutineers were disarmed before they broke out into openviolence; in other cases mutinous regiments were promptly attacked andscattered. Several of the leading chiefs had hastened to assure theGovernment of their fidelity, and had placed their troops and resourcesat its disposal.
But in the Punjaub alone the lookout appeared favorable. In the Daoba mutiny had taken place at four of the stations, and the Sepoys hadmarched away to Delhi, but without injuring the Europeans.
After this for a week there was quiet, and then at places widelyapart--at Hansid and Hissar, to the northwest of Delhi; at Nusserabad,in the center of Rajpootana, at Bareilly, and other stations inRohilcund--the Sepoys rose, and in most places massacre was addedto mutiny. Then three regiments of the Gwalior contingent at Neemuchrevolted. Then two regiments broke out at Jhansi, and the whole ofthe Europeans, after desperately defending themselves for four days,surrendered on promise of their lives, but were instantly murdered.
But before the news of the Jhansi massacre reached Deennugghur theyheard of other risings nearer to them. On the 30th of May the threenative regiments at Lucknow rose, but were sharply repulsed by the 300European troops under Sir Henry Lawrence. At Seetapoor the Sepoys roseon the 3d of June and massacred all the Europeans. On the 4th the Sepoysat Mohundee imitated the example of those at Seetapoor, while on the8th two regiments rose at Fyzabad, in the southeastern division of theprovince, and massacred all the Europeans.
Up to this time the news from Cawnpore had still been good. The Rajah ofBithoor had offered Sir Hugh Wheeler a reinforcement of two guns and300 men, and it was believed that, seeing this powerful and influentialchief had thrown his weight into the scale on the side of the British,the four regiments of native troops would remain quiet.
Sir Hugh had but a handful of Europeans with him, but had just receiveda reinforcement of fifty men of the 32d regiment from Lucknow, and hehad formed an intrenchment within which the Europeans of the station,and the fugitives who had come in from the districts around, could takerefuge.
Several communications passed between Sir Hugh Wheeler and Major Hannay.The latter had been offered the choice of moving into Cawnpore with hiswing of the regiment, or remaining at Deennugghur. He had chosen thelatter alternative, pointing out that he still believed in the fidelityof the troops with him; but that if they went to Cawnpore they woulddoubtless be carried away with other regiments, and would only swell theforce of mutineers there. He was assured, at any rate, they would notrise unless their comrades at Cawnpore did so, but that it was best tomanifest confidence in them, as not improbably, did they hear that theywere ordered back to Cawnpore, they might take it as a slur on theirfidelity, and mutiny at once.
The month had been one of intense anxiety. Gradually stores ofprovisions had been conveyed into the hospital, as it was now called;the well inside the yard had been put into working order, and theresidents had sent in stores of bedding and such portable valuables ascould be removed.
In but few cases had the outbreaks taken place at night, the mutineersalmost always breaking out either upon being ordered to parade or uponactually falling in; still, it was by no means certain when a crisismight come, and the Europeans all lay down to rest in their clothes,one person in each house remaining up all night on watch, so that at thefirst alarm all might hurry to the shelter of the hospital.
Its position was a strong one--a lofty wall inclosing a courtyard andgarden surrounding it. This completely sheltered the lower floor fromfire; the windows of the upper floor were above the level of the wall,and commanded a view over the country, while round the flat terracedroof ran a parapet some two feet high.
During the day the ladies of the station generally gathered at Mr.Hunter's, which was the bungalow nearest to the hospital. Here theyworked at the bags intended to hold earth, and kept up each other'sspirits as well as they could. Although all looked pale and wornfrom anxiety and watching, there were, after the first few days, nomanifestations of fear. Occasionally a tear would drop over their work,especially in the case of two of the wives of civilians, whose childrenwere in England; but as a whole their conversation was cheerful, eachtrying her best to keep up the spirits of the others. Generally, as soonas the meeting was complete, Mrs. Hunter read aloud one of the psalmssuited to their position and the prayers for those in danger, then thework was got out and the needles applied briskly. Even Mrs. Rintoulshowed a fortitude and courage that would not have been expected fromher.
"One never knows people," Mrs. Doolan said to Isobel, as they walkedback from one of these meetings, "as long as one only sees them underordinary circumstances. I have never had any patience with Mrs. Rintoul,with her constant complaining and imaginary ailments. Now that there isreally something to complain about, she is positively one of the calmestand most cheerful among us. It is curious, is it not, how our talkalways turns upon home? India is hardly ever mentioned. We might be aparty of intimate friends, sitting in some quiet country place, talkingof our girlhood. Why, we have learnt more of each other and each other'shistory in the last fortnight than we should have done if we had livedhere together for twenty years under ordinary circumstances. Except asto your little brother, I think you are the only one, Isobel, who hasnot talked much of home."
"I suppose it is because my home was not a very happy one," Isobel said.
"I notice that all the talk is about happy scenes, nothing is ever saidabout disagreeables. I suppose, my dear, it is just as I have heard,that starving people talk about the feasts they have eaten, so we talkof the pleasant times we have had. It is the contrast that makes themdearer. It is funny, too, if anything can be funny in these days, howdifferent we are in the evening, when we have the men with us, to whatwe are when we are together alone in the day. Another curious thing isthat our trouble seems to make us more like each other. Of course we arenot more like, but we all somehow take the same tone, and seem to havegiven up our own particular ways and fancies.
"Now the men don't seem like that. Mr. Hunter, for example, whom I usedto think an even tempered and easygoing sort of man, has become fidgetyand querulous. The Major is even more genial and kind than usual. TheDoctor snaps and snarls at everyone and everything. Anyone listeningto my husband would say that he was in the wildest spirits. Rintoul isquieter than usual, and the two lads have grown older and nicer; I don'tsay they are less full of fun than they were, especially Wilson, butthey are less boyish in their fun, and they are nice with everyone,instead of devoting themselves to two or three of us, you principally.Perhaps Richards is the most changed; he thinks less of his collars andties and the polish of his boots than he used to do, and one seesthat he has some ideas in his head besides those about horses. CaptainForster is, perhaps, least changed, but of that you can judge betterthan I can, for you see more of him. As to Mr. Bathurst, I can saynothing, for we never see him now. I think he is the only man in thestation who goes about his work as usual; he starts away the first thingin the morning, and comes back late in the evening, and I suppose spendsthe night in writing reports, though what is the use of writing reportsat the present time I don't know. Mr. Hunter was saying last night itwas very foolish of him. What with disbanded soldiers, and what withparties of mutineers, it is most dangerous for any European to stiroutside the station."
"Uncle was saying the same," Isobel said quietly.
"Well, here we separate. Of course you will be in as usual thisevening?" for the Major's house was the general rendezvous after dinner.
Isobel had her private troubles, although, as she often said angrilyto herself, when she thought of them, what did it matter now? She wasdiscontented with herself for having spoken as strongly as she did asto the man's cowardice. She was very discontented with the Doctorfor having repeated it. She was angry with Bathurst for st
aying awayaltogether, although willing to admit that, after he knew what she hadsaid, it was impossible that he should meet her as before. Most of all,perhaps, she was angry because, at a time when their lives were all indeadly peril, she should allow the matter to dwell in her mind a singlemoment.
Late one afternoon Bathurst walked into the Major's bungalow just as hewas about to sit down to dinner.
"Major, I want to speak to you for a moment," he said.
"Sit down and have some dinner, Bathurst. You have become altogether astranger."
"Thank you, Major, but I have a great deal to do. Can you spare me fiveminutes now? It is of importance."
Isobel rose to leave the room.
"There is no reason you should not hear, Miss Hannay, but it would bebetter that none of the servants should be present. That is why I wishto speak before your uncle goes in to dinner."
Isobel sat down with an air of indifference.
"For the last week, Major, I have ridden every day five and twenty tothirty miles in the direction of Cawnpore; my official work has beenpractically at an end since we heard the news from Meerut. I could be ofno use here, and thought that I could do no better service than tryingto obtain the earliest news from Cawnpore; I am sorry to say that thisafternoon I distinctly heard firing in that direction. What the resultis, of course, I do not know, but I feel that there is little doubt thattroubles have begun there. But this is not all. On my return home,ten minutes ago, I found this letter on my dressing table. It had nodirection and is, as you see, in Hindustanee," and he handed it to theMajor, who read:
"To the Sahib Bathurst,--Rising at Cawnpore today. Nana Sahib andhis troops will join the Sepoys. Whites will be destroyed. Rising atDeennugghur at daylight tomorrow. Troops, after killing whites, willjoin those at Cawnpore. Be warned in time--this tiger is not to bebeaten off with a whip."
"Good Heavens!" the Major exclaimed; "can this be true? Can it bepossible that the Rajah of Bithoor is going to join the mutineers? It isimpossible; he could never be such a scoundrel."
"What is it, uncle?" Isobel asked, leaving her seat and coming up tohim.
The Major translated the letter.
"It must be a hoax," he went on; "I cannot believe it. What does thisstuff about beating a tiger with a whip mean?"
"I am sorry to say, Major Hannay, that part of the letter convinces methat the contents can be implicitly relied upon. The writer did not daresign his name, but those words are sufficient to show me, and were nodoubt intended to show me, who the warning comes from. It is from thatjuggler who performed here some six weeks ago. Traveling about as hedoes, and putting aside altogether those strange powers of his, hehas no doubt the means of knowing what is going on. As I told you thatnight, I had done him some slight service, and he promised at the timethat, if the occasion should ever arise, he would risk his life to savemine. The fact that he showed, I have no doubt, especially to please me,feats that few Europeans have seen before, is, to my mind, a proof ofhis goodwill and that he meant what he said."
"But how do you know that it is from him. Bathurst? You will excusemy pressing the question, but of course everything depends on my beingassured that this communication is trustworthy."
"This allusion to the tiger shows me that, Major. It alludes to anincident that I believe to be known only to him and his daughter and toDr. Wade, to whom alone I mentioned it."
As the Major still looked inquiringly, Bathurst went on reluctantly."It was a trifling affair, Major, the result of a passing impulse. I wasriding home from Narkeet, and while coming along the road through thejungle, which was at that time almost deserted by the natives on accountof the ravages of the man eater whom the Doctor afterwards shot, I hearda scream. Galloping forward, I came upon the brute, standing withone paw upon a prostrate girl, while a man, the juggler, was standingfrantically waving his arms. On the impulse of the moment I sprang frommy horse and lashed the tiger across the head with that heavy dog whip Icarry, and the brute was so astonished that it bolted in the jungle.
"That was the beginning and end of affairs, except that, althoughfortunately the girl was practically unhurt, she was so unnerved thatwe had to carry her to the next village, where she lay for some timeill from the shock and fright. After that they came round here andperformed, for my amusement, the feats I told you of. So you see I haveevery reason to believe in the good faith of the writer of this letter."
"By Jove, I should think you had!" the Major said. "Why, my dearBathurst, I had no idea that you could do such a thing!"
"We have all our strong points and our weak ones, Major. That was one ofmy strong ones, I suppose. And now what had best be done, sir? That isthe important question at present."
This was so evident, that Major Hannay at once dismissed all otherthoughts from his mind.
"Of course I and the other officers must remain at our posts until theSepoys actually arrive. The question is as to the others. Now that weknow the worst, or believe we know it, ought we to send the women andchildren away?"
"That is the question, sir. But where can they be sent? Lucknow isbesieged; the whites at Cawnpore must have been surrounded by this time;the bands of mutineers are ranging the whole country, and at the newsthat Nana Sahib has joined the rebels it is probable that all willrise. I should say that it was a matter in which Mr. Hunter and othercivilians had better be consulted."
"Yes, we will hold a council," the Major said.
"I think, Major, it should be done quietly. It is probable that many ofthe servants may know of the intentions of the Sepoys, and if they seethat anything like a council of the Europeans was being held theymay take the news to the Sepoys, and the latter, thinking that theirintention is known, may rise at once."
"That is quite true. Yes, we must do nothing to arouse suspicion. Whatdo you propose, Mr. Bathurst?"
"I will go and have a talk with the Doctor; he can go round to the otherofficers one by one. I will tell Mr. Hunter, and he will tell the otherresidents, so that when they meet here in the evening no explanationswill be needed, and a very few words as we sit out on the veranda willbe sufficient."
"That will be a very good plan. We will sit down to dinner as if nothinghad happened; if they are watching at all, they will be keeping theireyes on us then."
"Very well; I will be in by nine o'clock, Major;" and with a slight bowto Isobel, Bathurst stepped out through the open window, and made hisway to the Doctor's.