Ned, who possessed none of the impudence of his brother,
and who was moreover at the age when many boys become
bashful with women, contented himself with shaking
hands with Mrs. Righton and Edith, and would have
done the same with Nelly, but that young lady put up
her cheek with a laugh.
“I choose to be kissed, sir,” she said;
“it is not much kissing that we get here, goodness
knows.”
A SORTIE AND ITS CONSEQUENCES.
The night passed off without the expected attack from
Johannes’ house, the rebels being too much disconcerted
by the destruction of the battery, and the loss of
so many men, to attempt any offensive operations.
The destruction of the house behind the guns, and
of all those in its vicinity, deterred them from re-establishing
a battery in the same place, as there would be no
shelter for the infantry supporting the guns; and
after the result of the sortie it was evident to them
that a large force must be kept in readiness to repel
the attacks of the British.
For a few days life was more tolerable in Gubbins’
garrison; for although shot and shell frequently struck
the house, and batteries multiplied in the circle
around, none kept up so deadly and accurate a fire
as that which they had destroyed.
The Warreners took their fair share in all the heavy
fatigue work, and in the picket duty in the battery
or on the roof; but they enjoyed their intervals of
repose, which were now always spent with Mr. Hargreaves’
family.
Mr. Hargreaves was collector of a district near Lucknow,
and was high in the Civil Service. He was a fit
husband for his kindly wife; and as Mr. Righton was
of a cheerful and hopeful disposition, the boys found
themselves members of a charming family circle.
Often and often they wished that their father, sister,
and cousin could but join them; or rather, as Ned
said, they could join the party without, for no one
could wish that any they loved should be at Lucknow
at that time.
One evening late they were sitting together in a group
outside the house, the enemy’s fire being slack,
when Mr. Johnson came up from the battery to Mr. Gubbins,
who formed one of the party.
“I am afraid, sir, they are mining again; lying
on the ground, we think we can hear the sound of blows.”
“That is bad,” Mr. Gubbins said; “I
heard this afternoon that they believe that two mines
are being driven from Johannes’ house in the
direction of the Martiniere, and the brigade messhouse;
now we are to have our turn, eh? Well, we blew
in the last they tried, and must do it again; but it
is so much more hard work. Now, gentlemen, let
us see who has the best ears. Excuse us, Mrs.
Hargreaves, we shall not be long away.”
On entering the battery they found the men on guard
all lying down listening, and were soon at full length
with their ears to the ground. All could hear
the sound; it was very faint, as faint as the muffled
tick of a watch, sometimes beating at regular intervals
of a second or so, sometimes ceasing for a minute
or two.
