be governed by a man who is but a servant of the Feringhees. What they
will do I don't know, but the place is all in an uproar, and I greatly
fear there will be trouble. Now that we know you are going to remain
here, we shall no longer be anxious. The Ghoorkas and the guns can
defend the place if the Sikh cavalry go over, and at any rate we will
have Sheik and our own horses saddled and in readiness either for
fighting or flight."
The next morning, as soon as Mr. Agnew was up, Percy went to him and
told him what he had learned from Bhop Lal. The officer, however, made
light of it. "All that was, of course, to be expected, Mr. Groves.
Soldiers may grumble when a leader who has paid and fed them well is
removed; but one must not take their grumbling in earnest. As soon as
they learn that they will not be disbanded, but that their new dewan
will take them all into his service and will treat them well and
liberally, they will soon be contented enough. As to the rabble of the
town, no doubt they would be ready enough for any mischief, providing
the troops were with them; but as soon as they learn that the fort has
been handed over and that the troops have accepted Khan Singh as their
dewan, they will know better than to give trouble. Moolraj is going
with us to the fort, and his influence will easily bring the troops to a
better frame of mind."
Percy had so much confidence in Bhop Lal, and the latter was so
evidently convinced there was danger of serious trouble, that he by no
means shared Mr. Agnew's sanguine anticipation that all would pass off
well. He felt, however, that it would be altogether out of place for
him, a newly-joined assistant, to urge his opinion against that of Mr.
Agnew, and he therefore merely bowed and said:
"Very well, sir, I hope that it will all go off well, and that your
anticipations as to the troops accepting Khan Singh will be realized."
An hour later Moolraj, with a number of officers, rode up to the Eedgah.
Mr. Agnew, Lieutenant Anderson, and Khan Singh mounted, and started with
the two companies of Ghoorkas who were to be placed in possession of the
fort. Still feeling extremely uneasy, Percy first looked to the priming
of his pistols, placed them and his sword in readiness near the table at
which he was sitting, and then proceeded to interview the natives who
came in offering to furnish supplies of grain, forage, and other
provisions. An hour and half elapsed, and then Akram Chunder came in.
"Is anything the matter, Akram?"
"I don't know, sahib. I have been on the roof of the house looking
towards the fort, and it seemed to me half an hour since that there was
a sudden confusion at the bridge over the ditch. There were a number of
men gathered round there, and directly afterwards I saw a group of
horsemen, I think Moolraj and his officers, gallop away towards the
city. Then presently I saw an elephant with a few footmen coming this
way, but no signs of the white sahibs. The elephant is coming hither,
and I can see by the trappings that it belongs to a person of
importance. Will you call the troops under arms, sahib?"
"No; I can't do that until I know something definite. As likely as not
they will refuse to take orders from me. Besides, there can be no
danger from this elephant and a handful of footmen, and if all is well
Mr. Agnew would naturally be very indignant at my interference."
Putting his pistols in his coat pockets and taking his sword in his
hand, Percy went to the door. The elephant was now but two or three
hundred yards distant, but a native who had run on ahead was close at
hand.
"My master, Rung Ram, brother of the Dewan Moolraj, sends his greeting.
The white officer is badly hurt, and he is bringing him hither; he and
Khan Singh have themselves bound up his wounds as they brought him along
in the _howdah_."
Percy at once called the servants to the door and then hurried forward
to meet the coming party, anxious to discover which officer it was that
had been wounded. When he came up with them he saw Mr. Agnew supported
in his seat by Rung Ram and Khan Singh. He was conscious, and leaning
forward said to Percy:
"Order the troops under arms at once, Mr. Groves."
Percy hurried away to the camp, and in two minutes the trumpets were
calling to arms and the men hurrying out from their tents, surprised at
this sudden summons. As soon as he saw that the troops were falling in,
Percy returned to the house. Mr. Agnew had been carried into his room
and laid on the couch.
"You were right, Mr. Groves, and I regret that I did not treat the
warning you gave me as one of importance. Sit down, please, and take
pen and paper. I must send off a despatch at once to Sir Frederick
Currie. I am too weak to talk much, and you will learn what has
happened from the despatch I dictate to you."
Percy was about to begin when Bhop Lal entered.
"There are a party of Ghoorkas carrying a litter approaching, sahib."
"Go out at once, Mr. Groves, and see if it is Anderson they are bringing
in. I did not know what had become of him, and am most anxious
concerning his fate."
"Your horse is ready, sahib," Bhop Lal said as Percy hurried out.
"Bring it round at once, and mount your own and ride with me."
The party were still but half-way between the fort and the Eedgah when
Percy started, and dashing forward at full gallop he was soon alongside.
Lieutenant Anderson was lying motionless on the litter.
[Illustration: "IS HE DEAD?" PERCY ASKED AS HE REINED UP HIS HORSE]
"Is he dead?" Percy asked as he reined up his horse.
"No, sahib; he is insensible from loss of blood, but his heart beats."
"How did it happen?" Percy asked the native officer in command of the
party.
"I had just placed the sentries at the gate when, as the two officers
rode over the bridge, one of Moolraj's soldiers who was standing on it
rushed at the Sahib Agnew, knocked him off his horse with a spear, and
then struck him twice with a sword. Then a trooper of the escort who
was riding behind him spurred his horse forward against the sahib's
assailant, and knocked him into the ditch. Lieutenant Anderson raised
the Sahib Agnew. Moolraj, who was riding by him, pushed on across the
bridge, and forcing his horse through the crowd rode away. A sirdar on
an elephant then came forward, and the sahib was lifted into the
_howdah_. Khan Singh got off his horse, and also mounted with the
sirdar and Mr. Agnew. It seemed to me that all was over. Our men, who
had piled their arms, had run to them when I cried out; but directly
afterwards some of Moolraj's own party rushed at Lieutenant Anderson as
he was remounting his horse and cut him down. They then rode off and the
crowd dispersed, fearing no doubt that our men, who now crowded the
wall, would fire on them; but this we did not do; we had no one to give
orders, and feared that if we fired it might make matters worse. So
when the place was clear I went out with this party, and finding that
the white officer still lived, thought it best to bring him here at
once."
While the native officer had been telling the story the party with the
_dhooly_ had continued their way, and Percy rode forward at full speed
to acquaint Mr. Agnew with what had happened.
"Order that everything possible shall be done for him," Mr. Agnew said
when he had made his report, "and go on with the despatch. Every moment
is of importance. I will tell you what happened first; and you can then
tell the rest as you have heard it, for I myself know nothing about it."
Mr. Agnew then dictated the first part of the despatch, saying that he
had entered the fort with Moolraj and Khan Singh. The former had handed
over the keys to him, the Ghoorkas had taken possession and had replaced
the Mooltan sentries. Seeing that Moolraj's soldiers looked sullen and
discontented Mr. Agnew addressed them, telling them that they would not
lose by the change of governors, but that their services would be
retained on the same terms as before. Then, thinking by their manner
that he had allayed their discontent, he had ridden out of the fort. He
was conscious of receiving a heavy blow that knocked him from his seat,
and remembered nothing more until he found himself in a _howdah_ on an
elephant, with Rung Ram, who had been introduced to him as Moolraj's
brother-in-law, bandaging up his wounds.
When Percy had written the native officer's report of the affair, Mr.
Agnew dictated an earnest appeal to the Resident to send forward troops
with all possible speed, as it was likely they would be besieged in the
building, which certainly could not hold out for many days against the
whole force at Mooltan.
This letter was at once sent off, and another was then dictated to
Lieutenant Edwardes, a young political officer who had with him a Sikh
force of twelve companies of infantry, three hundred and fifty troopers,
two cannon, and two camel guns. He was on the other side of the Indus,
and was occupied in settling the country and collecting revenue.
Lieutenant Edwardes was urged to advance immediately with all speed to
his assistance.
This letter also despatched, Mr. Agnew dictated a letter to Moolraj
calling upon him to prove that he was innocent of all complicity in the
attacks by at once arresting the criminals and coming in in person to
the Eedgah. At the time that Moolraj received this letter he was
presiding over a council, while the garrison, which was composed of
Afghans, Hindus, and Sikhs, were taking the oath of allegiance to him.
He briefly replied to Mr. Agnew's letter, saying that he could not
comply with his request, for the garrison of the fort were all in
rebellion, and the British officers had better look to their own safety.
On the following evening a strong body of Moolraj's cavalry swept down
and carried off the whole of the baggage animals of the force, the
troops offering no active opposition. As, with the loss of the baggage
animals, there was no possibility of the column retiring, the force was
called into the building and ordered to prepare to repel an attack. Mr.
Agnew was now so far recovered as to be able to get up and to issue the
necessary instructions to the native officers.
"Things look very bad, sahib," Bhop Lal said as he and his comrade came
into Percy's room when he went in with the intention of snatching a few
hours' sleep, as he had been up the whole night before with Lieutenant
Anderson.
"You think we shall not be able to defend ourselves until help comes?"
Percy asked.
"There will be no defence at all, sahib. There have been men all day in
camp moving about under pretence of selling things, but really as
messengers from Moolraj and his officers, calling upon the men not to
fire upon their brethren, but to join those who were resolved to fight
to the death against the Feringhees and the traitor Lahore government
who are their servants. All in Mooltan--Sikh, Mohammedan, and
Hindu--had united for the common cause. Moreover, resistance, it was
said, would be vain; no help could reach the Eedgah, and all who drew
sword in defence of the Feringhees would be slain."
"And were they successful, Bhop Lal?"
"You will see, sahib, that not a shot will be fired when Moolraj
advances against the place."
Percy went down again to Mr. Agnew, and told him what he had heard.
"I cannot doubt what you tell me, Mr. Groves; your man's information
proved right before. But in any case there is nothing to be done.
Anderson can scarcely stand. I am not fit to be out of bed. You and
your two men, with perhaps the _moonshis_, seem to be alone to be relied
on; and I need not say that resistance, even by two or three hundred
men, would be hopeless, and would but entail the death of all. Escape,
as far as Anderson and myself are concerned, is out of the question. We
could not sit our horses half a mile, and the motion would cause our
wounds to burst out bleeding again at once. It is not to be thought of.
Danger for us there can be none. Moolraj can have no object in
murdering two defenceless men, especially as he must know that such a
crime would never be forgiven, and would involve him in a desperate war
with England. At present he can assert that the attack upon us was the
work of fanatics, and that he regrets the matter greatly, as, although
determined to free himself from the dictation of Lahore, he had no
thought of any hostility towards the British. Our lives, therefore, are
perfectly safe. But I see no use in your waiting to share the captivity
that we may probably have to undergo for a time, and I should recommend
you to mount and ride off with your two men this evening."
"I can't do that, sir," Percy said bluntly. "I cannot desert you and
Mr. Anderson, wounded as you are. It is possible, too, that the troops
will, after all, prove faithful. But in any case it is impossible that
I should leave you. It would be a bad beginning indeed of my service in
the Company were I to run away and leave two of its wounded officers
behind me."
Mr. Agnew was silent for a minute. "I cannot press the point, Mr.
Groves," he said gravely, "for I feel that were I placed as you are I
might myself disobey instructions. Stay, therefore, if you will; but I
give you my stringent orders, and I will write them down and hand them
to you in the morning, that if the troops here mutiny and surrender the
place to Moolraj you are, if possible, to effect your escape and carry
the news at full speed to Lieutenant Edwardes. If he marches on alone,
ignorant of what has happened here, he will be met and overwhelmed by
the whole of Moolraj's forces, and it is even probable that his troops,
when they hear that those here have fraternized with the enemy, may also
go over in a body. But whether they do so or not, it is of the highest
importance that you should warn Lieutenant Edwardes of the treachery of
the troops here. I shall put that down in writing in the morning, and I
rely upon you to carry out the order. You can do no possible good to us
by staying, and would probably indeed do us harm, as it might excite the
passions of the Mooltan men when they enter to see one of us still
uninjured, and blood once shed we might all be killed."
"Very well, sir; if you give me the written order I shall, of course,
obey it, and, indeed, I acknowledge that your view of the matter seems
to me unanswerable. The destruction of Lieutenant Edwardes' force would
be a great misfortune, for it would immensely encourage the people here,
and would enable them to make all their preparations for war
undisturbed, as it would be a long while before the Lahore people could
get together an army capable of capturing Mooltan.
"I see that I cannot be of use to you, and I agree with you. Moolraj
will naturally protect you and treat you well, as he cannot wish to
bring down the vengeance of the government of India upon him."
The two men were still waiting in Percy's room when he returned to it.
"Get the horses in readiness to mount at any moment," he said. "I have
Mr. Agnew's orders that if the troops here join Moolraj, I am to ride at
all speed to carry the news to Lieutenant Edwardes, who was ordered to
advance from Dera-Futteh-Khan and to cross the ferry at Leia, where I
shall probably find him. It is ninety miles away, but our horses will
carry us there."
"It would be better to start to-night, sahib. We shall be hotly pursued
if we go off in the daytime."
"I know that," Percy replied; "but it must be risked. Until it is
certain that the troops here intend to join Moolraj I cannot go."
"Very well, sahib, whatever are your orders we shall obey them. If we
get but a fair start there are not many horses in Mooltan that will be
able to overtake us."
"That is so, Bhop Lal; and any that do come up with us we shall probably
be able to give a good account of."
"We will watch by turns to-night, sahib; it is possible these rascals
may intend to surrender the place to Moolraj before morning."
*CHAPTER XV.*
*THE NEWS OF THE MASSACRE.*
The night of the 19th of April passed off quietly. In the morning the
guns of the fort opened fire against the Eedgah. A single shot only was
fired in reply by the battery of the garrison, and then the whole of the
artillerymen quitted their guns. The fort continued to fire for some
time, but the distance was too great for any damage to be done, and the
fire presently ceased. Mr. Agnew and Percy went to the gunners and
exhorted them to return to their duty, but the men listened in sullen
silence and gradually dispersed. In a short time they began to leave
the building in parties of twos and threes, and by mid-day half the
garrison had deserted.
"Here are your orders, Mr. Groves," Mr. Agnew said, placing a letter in
Percy's hands. "You can use your own judgment as to going now or
waiting until nightfall. My own opinion is, that it would be best for
you to start at once. I do not know why Moolraj delays, for he must
know that he will meet with no resistance. However, at night the place
may be surrounded, and you might have more difficulty in getting off.
In the next place, as you are ignorant of the country, you might miss
your way and lose much precious time. And lastly, every hour is of
consequence to Edwardes. Even now emissaries from Mooltan may be at
work among his troops. I have mentioned in my orders that as the troops
here have refused to fire and are deserting in great numbers, it is
evident that Moolraj can enter whenever he chooses; and as it is of
paramount importance to warn Lieutenant Edwardes to arrest his march, I
have ordered you to start immediately, as you have expressed your
willingness to undertake the service, although it is undoubtedly one of
great danger. I have said that your own wishes would have led you to
remain here with myself and Anderson and to share our fate whatever it
might be, but that you have yielded to my anxiety that Lieutenant
Edwardes should be warned. I have also inclosed a note to Edwardes,
saying that your services will be at his disposal until you receive
orders from the Resident."
"I will start at once, sir, as you think it best," Percy said, much
moved at the thoughtful kindness of the wounded officer; "and there is
little doubt I shall get through safely. I am splendidly mounted, and my
men have also very good horses. I trust, sir, that I shall ere long
meet you again."
"I hope so, confidently, Mr. Groves. It is evidently Moolraj's interest
to treat us well, even if he keeps us as hostages, and I cannot think
there is any danger. Good-bye, lad, and a safe ride to you!"
Percy then went in and said good-bye to Lieutenant Anderson, and with a
heavy heart went out to his men.
"I am ready to start," he said; "get the horses to the back entrance
without attracting more notice than you can help. These fellows might
oppose our leaving. I will follow you in a minute or two and join you
at the gate."
"There are many more of them about there, sahib, than there are at the
main entrance. They are slinking away by scores, and I do not think
that there is even a sentry on guard at this end. If we bring the
horses up here and you mount, Akram Chunder shall mount also and lead my
horse. I will run forward and unbar the gate, and if any of the fellows
standing about interfere with me the three of us will be able to
overpower them. We will have our pistols in readiness."
"Very well, perhaps that will be the best plan. I see there are very
few of them about here. Do you fetch up the horses at once; I will get
a couple of bottles of wine and some bread for our journey."
Percy was at the door of the court-yard again before the men came up
with the horses. As they did so several of the soldiers standing about
moved forward with scowling faces. They were, however, unarmed, having
ostentatiously piled their muskets when the firing ceased. Percy drew
the pistols from his holster, slipped the bottles and bread into their
place, and leapt into the saddle.
"Stand back, men," he said authoritatively; "any one who interferes with
us will get a bullet in his head. Keep abreast of me, Akram," he went
on; "lead the other horse between us."
Bhop Lal ran forward ahead to the gate and began to undo the bars.
Several of the men loitering near ran to stop him, but as Percy and
Akram rode up they shrank back from the four levelled pistols. Bhop Lal
threw the gate open, and leaping on his horse they rode out together,
regardless of the angry shouts that pursued them.
"We will ride quietly for a while," Percy said, reining his horse into a
canter when they had gone a few hundred yards. "We shall be within sight
of the walls of Mooltan as we ride along between it and the river, and
if we are galloping hard they may suspect something. The great point is
to get to the ferry at Beelun before they are close to us. Once across
we can laugh at them."
When they had gone half a mile Akram Chunder looked back.
"They are after us, sahib. There are fifty horsemen at least just
coming out from behind the Eedgah, and," he added, "there are four men
away to our right galloping at the top of their speed towards Mooltan."
"Then we will quicken our pace," Percy said, touching his horse with his
heel. "We have six miles to ride to the ferry. We will gain another
quarter of a mile on them if we can."
The horses were now put to their full speed and went along at almost
racing pace. When abreast of the fort of Mooltan, which lay a mile away
on their right, they could perceive that they had sensibly increased
their lead. They had gone a quarter of a mile further when there was
the boom of a heavy cannon, and a ball ploughed up the field a short
distance behind them.
"I expected that," Percy said. "Those fellows from Eedgah have taken
them the news of our escape. They are only wasting their shot. The
betting is a thousand to one against their hitting us at this distance,
going the pace we are."
Six guns were fired, but none of the shots came as near them as the
first had done, and in twenty minutes they drew up their horses at the
ferry. The boat was not there but was coming across and was within a
couple of hundred yards of the shore.
"Do you dismount, sahib, and stand by your horse," Akram Chunder said;
"they will take us for natives. But if they see you they may refuse to
bring their boat up, for the sound of the cannon will have told them
that something is wrong."
Percy did as his follower suggested.
"How slowly they come!" he said impatiently.
"There is time, sahib; it would not do to shout to them to hurry. We
will dismount and lead our horses down to the water's edge; if you keep
close to their heels you will not be noticed."
Some twenty country people got out of the boat when it touched the
shore. Percy's men at once led their horses on board and he followed.
The four boatmen looked surprised at seeing an Englishman, but made no
remark.
"Push off at once," Bhop Lal said.
"We are going ashore to get our meal," one of the men replied; "we shall
not start till we have got a boat-load."
"You will go at once," Bhop Lal said, drawing a pistol. "I will pay you
as much as a whole boat-load would do, but I have no time to spare."
As the others also drew their pistols the men sullenly thrust their
poles into the water and pushed off. They had gone less than a hundred
yards when a body of horsemen rode furiously down to the water's edge
and shouted to them to return.
"Go on," Percy said authoritatively; "if one of you hesitates for a
moment, he is a dead man."
Seeing that the boat continued its way the sowars opened fire with their
pistols, but though the balls fell round the boat the distance was too
great for accurate shooting, and in two or three minutes they were
altogether beyond range, the men poling lustily now so as to place
themselves out of danger. The Indus is of great width at this point, but
the waters are comparatively shallow and the stream gentle, and in an
hour they gained the opposite shore. Percy had directed them to make
for a point half a mile below the town of Kote, instead of the ordinary
landing-place, where they might have encountered a number of people
waiting for the boat to return, as the traffic was considerable and they
had on their way across met two laden boats. As the water was shallow
they had to get the horses over the side fifty yards from shore, and
then, having well paid the boatmen, they rode to the bank. Cutting
across the fields they avoided the town altogether, and struck the road
a mile beyond it. Before leaving the river bank they saw that there
were seven or eight loaded boats half-way over, the troopers having
doubtless seized some of the country craft to convey them across.
"We shall be three or four miles on our way before they have all landed
and mounted." Akram Chunder said. "We shall see no more of them."