"It showed the Sepoys how little
we thought of them, and how a single white officer was ready to
match himself against a squadron. It will render them a good deal
more careful in their attack than they otherwise would have been.
It brought them under our fire, too, and they suffered pretty
heavily; and I am sure the infantry must have lost a good many men
from our fire just now. I hope they will come to the conclusion
that the wisest thing they can do is to march away to Delhi and
leave us severely alone. Now what are your orders, Major, for after
breakfast?"
"I think the best thing is for everyone to lie down for a few
hours," the Major said. "No one had a wink of sleep last night,
and most of us have not slept much for some nights past. We must
always keep two men on the roof, to be relieved every two hours.
I will draw up a regular rota for duty; but except those two, the
rest had better take a good sleep. We may be all called upon to be
under arms at night."
"I will go on the first relief, Major," the Doctor said. "I feel
particularly wide awake. It is nothing new to me to be up all
night. Put Bathurst down with me," he said, in a low tone, as the
Major rose from the table. "He knows that I understand him, and it
will be less painful for him to be with me than with anyone else.
I will go up at once, and send young Harper down to his breakfast.
There will be no occasion to have Bathurst up this time. The Sepoys
are not likely to be trying any pranks at present.
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