They will have to make up their
cartridges in future, and cast their bullets, unless they can get
a supply from some of the other mutineers."
"Well, you will send for us in four hours, Major?"
"You need not be afraid of my forgetting."
Dawn was just breaking when the relief were called up; the firing
had died away, and all was quiet.
"You will take command here, Rintoul," the Major said. "I should
keep Farquharson up here, if I were you, and leave the Doctor
and Bathurst to look after things in general. I think, Doctor, it
would be as well if we appointed Bathurst in charge of the general
arrangements of the house. We have a good amount of stores, but
the servants will waste them if they are not looked after. I should
put them on rations, Bathurst; and there might be regular rations
of things served out for us too; then it would fall in your province
to see that the syces water and feed the horses. You will examine
the well regularly, and note whether there is any change in the
look of the water. I think you will find plenty to do."
"Thank you, Major," Bathurst said. "I appreciate your kindness,
and for the present, at any rate, will gladly undertake the work
of looking after the stores and servants; but there is one thing
I have been thinking of, and which I should like to speak to you
about at once, if you could spare a minute or two before you turn
in."
"What is that, Bathurst?"
"I think that we are agreed, Major, that though we may hold this
place for a time, sooner or later we must either surrender or the
place be carried by storm.
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