CHAPTER XVI.
The next four days made a great alteration in the position of thedefenders in the fortified house.
The upper story was now riddled by balls, the parapet round the terracehad been knocked away in several places, the gate was in splinters; butas the earth from the tunnel had been all emptied against the sandbags,it had grown to such a thickness that the defense was still good here.But in the wall, against which one of the new batteries had steadilydirected its fire, there was a yawning gap, which was hourly increasingin size, and would ere long be practicable for assault. Many of theshots passing through this had struck the house itself. Some of thesehad penetrated, and the room in the line of fire could no longer beused.
There had been several casualties. The young civilian Herbert hadbeen killed by a shot that struck the parapet just where he was lying.Captain Rintoul had been seriously wounded, two of the natives had beenkilled by the first shot which penetrated the lower room. Mr. Hunterwas prostrate with fever, the result of exposure to the sun, and severalothers had received wounds more or less severe from fragments of stone;but the fire of the defenders was as steady as at first, and the loss ofthe natives working the guns was severe, and they no longer ventured tofire from the gardens and shrubberies round the walls.
Fatigue, watching, still more the heat on the terrace, was tellingheavily upon the strength of the garrison. The ladies went abouttheir work quietly and almost silently. The constant anxiety and theconfinement in the darkened rooms were telling upon them too. Several ofthe children were ill; and when not employed in other things, therewere fresh sandbags to be made by the women, to take the place of thosedamaged by the enemy's shot.
When, of an evening, a portion of the defenders came off duty, there wasmore talk and conversation, as all endeavored to keep up a good face andassume a confidence they were far from feeling. The Doctor was perhapsthe most cheery of the party. During the daytime he was always on theroof, and his rifle seldom cracked in vain. In the evening he attendedto his patients, talked cheerily to the ladies, and laughed and jokedover the events of the day.
None among the ladies showed greater calmness and courage than Mrs.Rintoul, and not a word was ever heard from the time the siege beganof her ailments or inconveniences. She was Mrs. Hunter's best assistantwith the sick children. Even after her husband was wounded, and herattention night and day was given to him, she still kept on patientlyand firmly.
"I don't know how to admire Mrs. Rintoul enough," Mrs. Hunter said toIsobel Hannay one day; "formerly I had no patience with her, she wasalways querulous and grumbling; now she has turned out a really noblewoman. One never knows people, my dear, till one sees them in trouble."
"Everyone is nice," Isobel said. "I have hardly heard a word ofcomplaint about anything since we came here, and everyone seems to helpothers and do little kindnesses."
The enemy's fire had been very heavy all that day, and the breach inthe wall had been widened, and the garrison felt certain that the enemywould attack on the following morning.
"You and Farquharson, Doctor, must stop on the roof," the Major said."In the first place, it is possible they may try to attack by ladders atsome other point, and we shall want two good shots up there to keep themback; and in the second, if they do force the breach, we shall want youto cover our retreat into the house. I will get a dozen rifles for eachof you loaded and in readiness. Isobel and Mary Hunter, who have bothvolunteered over and over again, shall go up to load; they have bothpracticed, and can load quickly. Of course if you see that the enemyare not attacking at any other point, you will help us at the breachby keeping up a steady fire on them, but always keep six guns each inreserve. I shall blow my whistle as a signal for us to retire to thehouse if I find we can hold the breach no longer, so when you hear thatblaze away at them as fast as you can. Your twelve shots will check themlong enough to give us time to get in and fasten the door. We shallbe round the corner of the house before they can get fairly over thebreastwork. We will set to work to raise that as soon as it gets dark."
A breastwork of sandbags had already been erected behind the breach, incase the enemy should make a sudden rush, and a couple of hours' labortransformed this into a strong work; for the bags were already filled,and only needed placing in position. When completed, it extended in ahorseshoe shape, some fifteen feet across, behind the gap in the wall.For nine feet from the ground it was composed of sandbags three deep,and a single line was then laid along the edge to serve as a parapet.
"I don't think they will get over that," the Major said, when the workwas finished. "I doubt if they will be disposed even to try when theyreach the breach."
Before beginning their work they had cleared away all the fallenbrickwork from behind the breach, and a number of bricks were laid onthe top of the sandbags to be used as missiles.
"A brick is as good as a musket ball at this distance," the Major said;"and when our guns are empty we can take to them; there are enough sparerifles for us to have five each, and, with those and our revolvers andthe bricks, we ought to be able to account for an army. There are someof the servants and syces who can be trusted to load. They can standdown behind us, and we can pass our guns down to them as we empty them."
Each man had his place on the work assigned to him. Bathurst, who hadbefore told the Major that when the time came for an assault to bedelivered he was determined to take his place in the breach, was placedat one end of the horseshoe where it touched the wall.
"I don't promise to be of much use, Major," he said quietly. "I knowmyself too well; but at least I can run my chance of being killed."
The Major had put Wilson next to him.
"I don't think there is much chance of their storming the work, Wilson;but if they do, you catch hold of Bathurst's arm, and drag him awaywhen you hear me whistle; the chances are a hundred to one against hishearing it, or remembering what it means if he does hear it."
"All right, Major, I will look to him."
Four men remained on guard at the breach all night, and at the firstgleam of daylight the garrison took up their posts.
"Now mind, my dears," the Doctor said, as he and Farquharson went up onthe terrace with Isobel and Mary Hunter; "you must do exactly as you aretold, or you will be doing more harm than good, for Farquharson and Iwould not be able to pay attention to our shooting. You must lie downand remain perfectly quiet till we begin to fire, then keep behind usjust so far that you can reach the guns as we hand them back to youafter firing; and you must load them either kneeling or sitting down,so that you don't expose your heads above the thickest part of thebreastwork. When you have loaded, push the guns back well to the rightof us, but so that we can reach them. Then, if one of them goes off,there won't be any chance of our being hit. The garrison can't afford tothrow away a life at present. You will, of course, only half cock them;still, it is as well to provide against accidents."
Both the girls were pale, but they were quiet and steady. The Doctor sawthey were not likely to break down.
"That is a rum looking weapon you have got there, Bathurst," Wilsonsaid, as, after carrying down the spare guns and placing them ready forfiring, they lay down in their positions on the sandbags. The weaponwas a native one, and was a short mace, composed of a bar of iron aboutfifteen inches long, with a knob of the same metal, studded with spikes.The bar was covered with leather to break the jar, and had a loop to putthe hand through at the end.
"Yes," Bathurst said quietly; "I picked it up at one of the native shopsin Cawnpore the last time I was there. I had no idea then that I mightever have to use it, and bought it rather as a curiosity; but I havekept it within reach of my bedside since these troubles began, and Idon't think one could want a better weapon at close quarters."
"No, it is a tremendous thing; and after the way I have seen you usingthat pick I should not like to be within reach of your arm with thatmace in it. I don't think there is much chance of your wanting that. Ihave no fear of the natives getting over here this time."
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"I have no fear of the natives at all," Bathurst said.
"I am only afraid of myself. At present I am just as cool as if therewas not a native within a thousand miles, and I am sure that my pulse isnot going a beat faster than usual. I can think of the whole thing andcalculate the chances as calmly as if it were an affair in which I wasin no way concerned. It is not danger that I fear in the slightest, itis that horrible noise. I know well enough that the moment the firingbegins I shall be paralyzed. My only hope is that at the last moment, ifit comes to hand to hand fighting, I shall get my nerve."
"I have no doubt you will," Wilson said warmly; "and when you do I wouldback you at long odds against any of us. Ah, they are beginning."
As he spoke there was a salvo of all the guns on the three Sepoybatteries. Then a roar of musketry broke out round the house, and aboveit could be heard loud shouts.
"They are coming, Major," the Doctor shouted down from the roof; "theSepoys are leading, and there is a crowd of natives behind them."
Those lying in the middle of the curve of the horseshoe soon caughtsight of the enemy advancing tumultuously towards the breach. The Majorhad ordered that not a shot was to be fired until they reached it, andit was evident that the silence of the besieged awed the assailants witha sense of unknown danger, for their pace slackened, and when they gotto within fifty yards of the breach they paused and opened fire. Then,urged forward by their officers and encouraged by their own noise, theyagain rushed forward. Two of their officers led the way; and as thesemounted the little heap of rubbish at the foot of the breach, two riflescracked out from the terrace, and both fell dead.
There was a yell of fury from the Sepoys, and then they poured inthrough the breach. Those in front tried to stop as they saw the trapinto which they were entering, but pressed on by those behind they wereforced forward.
And now a crackling fire of musketry broke out from the riflesprojecting between the sandbags into the crowded mass. Every shot told.Wild shrieks, yells, and curses rose from the assailants. Some triedmadly to climb up the sandbags, some to force their way back throughthe crowd behind; some threw themselves down; others discharged theirmuskets at their invisible foe. From the roof the Doctor and hiscompanion kept up a rapid fire upon the crowd struggling to enter thebreach. As fast as the defenders' muskets were discharged they handedthem down to the servants behind to be reloaded, and when each had firedhis spare muskets he betook himself to his revolver.
Wilson, while discharging his rifle, kept his eyes upon Bathurst. Thelatter had not fired a shot, but lay rigid and still, save for a sort ofconvulsive shuddering. Presently there was a little lull in the firingas the weapons were emptied, and the defenders seizing the bricks hurledthem down into the mass.
"Look out!" the Major shouted; "keep your heads low--I am going to throwthe canisters."
A number of these had been prepared, filled to the mouth with powder andbullets, and with a short fuse attached, ropes being fastened round themto enable them to be slung some distance. The Major half rose to throwone of these missiles when his attention was called by a shout fromWilson.
The latter was so occupied that he had not noticed Bathurst, who hadsuddenly risen to his feet, and just as Wilson was about to grasp himand pull him down, leaped over the sandbag in front of him down amongthe mutineers. The Major gave a swing to the canister, of which the fusewas already lighted, and hurled it through the breach among the crowd,who, ignorant of what was going on inside, were still struggling toenter.
"Look out," he shouted to the others; "mind how you throw. Bathurst isdown in the middle of them. Hand up all the muskets you have loaded," hecried to the servants.
As he spoke he swung another canister through the breach, and almostimmediately two heavy explosions followed, one close upon the other.
"Give them a volley at the breach," he shouted; "never mind thosebelow."
The muskets were fired as soon as received.
"Now to your feet," the Major cried, "and give them the brickbats," andas he stood up he hurled two more canisters among the crowd behind thebreach. The others sprang up with a cheer. The inclosure below them wasshallower now from the number that had fallen, and was filled with aconfused mass of struggling men. In their midst was Bathurst fightingdesperately with his short weapon, and bringing down a man at everyblow, the mutineers being too crowded together to use their unfixedbayonets against him. In a moment Captain Forster leaped down, sword inhand, and joined Bathurst in the fight.
"Stand steady," the Major shouted; "don't let another man move."
But the missiles still rained down with an occasional shot, as therifles were handed up by the natives, while the Doctor and Farquharsonkept up an almost continuous fire from the terrace. Then the two lastcanisters thrown by the Major exploded. The first two had carried havocamong the crowd behind the breach, these completed their confusion, andthey turned and fled; while those in the retrenchment, relieved of thepressure from behind, at once turned, and flying through the breach,followed their companions.
A loud cheer broke from the garrison, and the Major looking round sawthe Doctor standing by the parapet waving his hat, while Isobel stoodbeside him looking down at the scene of conflict.
"Lie down, Isobel," he shouted; "they will be opening fire againdirectly."
The girl disappeared, and almost at the same moment the batteries spokeout again, and a crackle of the musketry began from the gardens. TheMajor turned round. Bathurst was leaning against the wall breathingheavily after his exertions, Forster was coolly wiping his sword on thetunic of one of the fallen Sepoys.
"Are either of you hurt?" he asked.
"I am not hurt to speak of," Forster said; "I got a rip with a bayonetas I jumped down, but I don't think it is of any consequence."
"How are you, Bathurst?" the Major repeated. "What on earth possessedyou to jump down like that?"
"I don't know, Major; I had to do something, and when you stopped firingI felt it was time for me to do my share."
"You have done more than your share, I should say," the Major said; "forthey went down like ninepins before you. Now, Wilson, you take one ofhis hands, and I will take the other, and help him up."
It needed considerable exertion to get him up, for the reaction had nowcome, and he was scarce able to stand.
"You had better go up to the house and get a glass of wine," the Majorsaid. "Now, is anyone else hurt?"
"I am hit, Major," Richards said quietly; "a ball came in between thesandbags just as I fired my first shot, and smashed my right shoulder. Ithink I have not been much good since, though I have been firing from myleft as well as I could. I think I will go up and get the Doctor to lookat it."
But almost as he spoke the young fellow tottered, and would have fallen,had not the Major caught him.
"Lend me a hand, Doolan," the latter said; "we will carry him in; I amafraid he is very hard hit."
The ladies gathered round the Major and Captain Doolan as they enteredwith their burden. Mary Hunter had already run down and told them thatthe attack had been repulsed and the enemy had retreated.
"Nobody else is hit," the Major said, as he entered; "at least, notseriously. The enemy have been handsomely beaten with such loss thatthey won't be in a hurry to try again. Will one of you run up and bringthe Doctor down?"
Richards was carried into the hospital room, where he was left to thecare of the Doctor, Mrs. Hunter, and Mrs. Rintoul. The Major returned tothe general room.
"Boy, bring half a dozen bottles of champagne and open them as quicklyas you can," he said; "we have got enough to last us for weeks, and thisis an occasion to celebrate, and I think we have all earned it."
The others were by this time coming in, for there was no chance of theenemy renewing the attack at present. Farquharson was on the roof on thelookout. Quiet greetings were exchanged between wives and husbands.
"It didn't last long," Wilson said; "not above five minutes, I shouldsay, from the time when we opened fire."
"It seemed to us an age," Amy Hunter replied; "it was dreadful not to beable to see what was going on; it seemed to me everyone must be killedwith all that firing."
"It was sharp while it lasted," the Major said; "but we were all snugenough except against a stray bullet, such as that which hit poor youngRichards. He behaved very gallantly, and none of us knew he was hit tillit was all over."
"But how did Captain Forster get his bayonet wound?" Mrs. Doolan asked."I saw him go in just now into the surgery; it seemed to me he had avery serious wound, for his jacket was cut from the breast up to theshoulder, and he was bleeding terribly, though he made light of it."
"He jumped down into the middle of them," the Major said. "Bathurstjumped down first, and was fighting like a madman with a mace he hasgot. We could do nothing, for we were afraid of hitting him, and Forsterjumped down to help him, and, as he did so, got that rip with thebayonet; it is a nasty cut, no doubt, but it is only a flesh wound."
"Where is Mr. Bathurst?" Mrs. Doolan asked; "is he hurt, too? Why did hejump down? I should not have thought," and she stopped.
"I fancy a sort of fury seized him," the Major said; "but whatever itwas, he fought like a giant. He is a powerful man, and that iron mace isjust the thing for such work. The natives went down like ninepins beforehim. No, I don't think he is hurt."
"I will go out and see," Mrs. Doolan said; and taking a mug half full ofchampagne from the table, she went out.
Bathurst was sitting on the ground leaning against the wall of thehouse.
"You are not hurt, Mr. Bathurst, I hope," Mrs. Doolan said, as she cameup. "No, don't try to get up, drink a little of this; we are celebratingour victory by opening a case of champagne. The Major tells us you havebeen distinguishing yourself greatly."
Bathurst drank some of the wine before he replied.
"In a way, Mrs. Doolan, I scarcely know what I did do. I wanted to dosomething, even if it was only to get killed."
"You must not talk like that," she said kindly; "your life is asvaluable as any here, and you know that we all like and esteem you; and,at any rate, you have shown today that you have plenty of courage."
"The courage of a Malay running amuck, Mrs. Doolan; that is not courage,it is madness. You cannot tell--no one can tell--what I have sufferedsince the siege began. The humiliation of knowing that I alone of themen here am unable to take my part in the defense, and that while othersare fighting I am useful only to work as a miner."
"But you are as useful in that way as you would be in the other," shesaid. "I don't feel humiliated because I can only help in nursing thesick while the others are fighting for us. We have all of us our gifts.Few men have more than you. You have courage and coolness in other ways,and you are wrong to care nothing for your life because of the failing,for which you are not accountable, of your nerves to stand the sound offirearms.. I can understand your feelings and sympathize with you, butit is of no use to exaggerate the importance of such a matter. You mightlive a thousand lives without being again in a position when such afailing would be of the slightest importance, one way or the other. Nowcome in with me. Certainly this is not the moment for you to give wayabout it; for whatever your feelings may have been, or whatever may haveimpelled you to the act, you have on this occasion fought nobly."
"Not nobly, Mrs. Doolan," he said, rising to his feet; "desperately, ormadly, if you like."
At this moment Wilson came out. "Halloa, Bathurst, what are doing here?Breakfast is just ready, and everyone is asking for you. I am sureyou must want something after your exertions. You should have seen himlaying about him with that iron mace, Mrs. Doolan.. I have seen himusing the pick, and knew how strong he was, but I was astonished, Ican tell you. It was a sort of Coeur de Lion business. He used to use amace, you know, and once rode through the Saracens and smashed them up,till at last, when he had done, he couldn't open his hand. Bring him in,Mrs. Doolan. If he won't come, I will go in and send the Doctor outto him. Bad business, poor Richards being hurt, isn't it? Awfully goodfellow, Richards. Can't think why he was the one to be hit."
So keeping up a string of talk, the young subaltern led Bathurst intothe house.
After breakfast a white flag was waved from the roof, and in a shorttime two Sepoy officers came up with a similar flag. The Major andCaptain Doolan went out to meet them, and it was agreed that hostilitiesshould be suspended until noon, in order that the wounded and dead mightbe carried off.
While this was being done the garrison remained under arms behind theirwork at the breach lest any treacherous attempt should be made. Themutineers, however, who were evidently much depressed by thefailure, carried the bodies off quietly, and at twelve o'clock firingrecommenced.
That evening, after it was dark, the men gathered on the terrace.
"Well, gentlemen," the Major said, "we have beaten them off today, andwe may do it again, but there is no doubt how it must all end. You see,this afternoon their guns have all been firing at a fresh place in thewall; and if they make another breach or two, and attack at them alltogether, it will be hopeless to try to defend them. You see, now thatwe have several sick and wounded, the notion of making our escape isalmost knocked on the head. At the last moment each may try to save hislife, but there must be no desertion of the sick and wounded as long asthere is a cartridge to be fired. Our best hope is in getting assistancefrom somewhere, but we know nothing of what is going on outside. I thinkthe best plan will be for one of our number to try to make his way out,and go either to Lucknow, Agra, or Allahabad, and try and get help.If they could spare a troop of cavalry it might be sufficient; themutineers have suffered very heavily; there were over a hundred andfifty bodies carried out today, and if attacked suddenly I don't thinkthey would make any great resistance. We may hold out for a week or tendays, but I think that is the outside; and if rescue does not arrive bythat time we must either surrender or try to escape by that passage."
There was a general assent.
"Bathurst would be the man to do it," the Doctor said. "Once throughtheir lines he could pass without exciting the slightest suspicion;he could buy a horse then, and could be at any of the stations in twodays."
"Yes, there is no doubt that he is the man to do it," the Major said."Where is he now?"
"At work as usual, Major; shall I go and speak to him? But I tell youfairly I don't think he will undertake it."
"Why not, Doctor? It is a dangerous mission, but no more dangerous thanremaining here."
"Well, we shall see," the Doctor said, as he left the group.
Nothing was said for a few minutes, the men sitting or lying aboutsmoking. Presently the Doctor returned.
"Bathurst refuses absolutely," he said. "He admits that he does notthink there would be much difficulty for him to get through, but he isconvinced that the mission would be a useless one, and that could helphave been spared it would have come to us before now."
"But in that case he would have made his escape," the Major said.
"That is just why he won't go, Major; he says that come what will he willshare the fate of the rest, and that he will not live to be pointed toas the one man who made his escape of the garrison of Deennugghur."
"Whom can we send?" the Major said. "You are the only other man whospeaks the language well enough to pass as a native, Doctor."
"I speak it fairly, but not well enough for that; besides, I am too oldto bear the fatigue of riding night and day; and, moreover, my servicesare wanted here both as a doctor and as a rifle shot."
"I will go, if you will send me, Major," Captain Forster said suddenly;"not in disguise, but in uniform, and on my horse's back. Of course Ishould run the gauntlet of their sentries. Once through, I doubt if theyhave a horse that could overtake mine."
There was a general silence of surprise. Forster's reckless courage wasnotorious, and he had been conspicuous for the manner in which he hadchosen the most dangerous points during the siege; and this offer toundertake what, although a dangerous enterprise in i
tself, still offereda far better chance of life than that of remaining behind, surprisedeveryone. It had been noticed that, since the rejection of his plan tosally out in a body and cut their way through the enemy, he had beenmoody and silent, except only when the fire was heavy and the dangerconsiderable; then he laughed and joked and seemed absolutely to enjoythe excitement; but he was the last man whom any of them would haveexpected to volunteer for a service that, dangerous as it might be, hadjust been refused by Bathurst on the ground that it offered a chance ofescape from the common lot.
The Major was the first to speak.
"Well, Captain Forster, as we have just agreed that our only chanceis to obtain aid from one of the stations, and as you are the onlyvolunteer for the service, I do not see that I can decline to acceptyour offer. At which station do you think you would be most likely tofind a force that could help us?"
"I should say Lucknow, Major. If help is to be obtained anywhere, Ishould say it was there."
"Yes, I think that is the most hopeful. You will start at once; Isuppose the sooner the better."
"As soon as they are fairly asleep; say twelve o'clock."
"Very well. I will go and write a dispatch for you to carry, giving anaccount of the fix we are in here. How will you sally out?"
"I should think the easiest plan would be to make a gap in the sandbagsin the breach, lead the horse till fairly outside, and then mount."
"I think you had better take a spare horse with you," the Doctor said;"it will make a difference if you are chased, if you can change from oneto the other. Bathurst told me to say whoever went could have his horse,which is a long way the best in the station. I should fancy as good asyour own."
"I don't know," Forster said; "led horses are a nuisance; still, as yousay, it might come in useful, if it is only to loose and turn down aside road, and so puzzle anyone who may be after you in the dark."
The Major and Forster left the roof together.
"Well, that is a rum go," Wilson said. "If it had been anyone butForster I should have said that he funked and was taking the opportunityto get out of it, but everyone knows that he has any amount of pluck;look how he charged those Sepoys single handed."
"There are two sorts of pluck, Wilson," the Doctor said dryly. "There isthe pluck that will carry a man through a desperate action and lead himto do deeds that are the talk of an army. Forster possesses that kind ofpluck in an unusual degree. He is almost an ideal cavalryman--dashing,reckless; riding with a smile on his lips into the thickest of the fray,absolutely careless of life when his blood is up.
"There is another sort of courage, that which supports men under longcontinued strain, and enables them, patiently and steadfastly, to facedeath when they see it approaching step by step. I doubt whether Forsterpossesses that passive sort of courage. He would ride up to a cannon'smouth, but would grow impatient in a. square of infantry condemned toremain inactive under a heavy artillery fire.
"No one has changed more since this siege began than he has. Except whenengaged under a heavy fire he has been either silent, or impatient andshort tempered, shirking conversation even with women when his turnof duty was over. Mind, I don't say for a moment that I suspect him ofbeing afraid of death; when the end came he would fight as bravelyas ever, and no one could fight more bravely. But he cannot stand thewaiting; he is always pulling his mustache moodily and muttering tohimself; he is good to do but not to suffer; he would make a shockinglybad patient in a long illness.
"Well, if any of you have letters you want to write to friends inEngland I should advise you to take the opportunity; mind, I don't thinkthey will ever get them. Forster may get through, but I consider thechances strongly against it. For a ride of ten miles through a countryswarming with foes I could choose no messenger I would rather trust, butfor a ride like this, that requires patience and caution and resource,he is not the man I should select. Bathurst would have succeeded almostcertainly if he had once got out. The two men are as different as lightto dark; one possesses just the points the other fails in. I have no oneat home I want to write to, so I will undertake the watch here."