Taking three of his own men, stripping off what
uniform they had, and concealing their arms, he had them securely bound
and placed under a heavy guard of their own comrades. As soon as it was
broad daylight, closely guarding his prisoners, Rasul Khan marched
boldly up to the main gate of the fort, and was hailed by the Sikh
sentry: "Halt there! who are you and what is your business?"
"After an exceedingly arduous pursuit, as you may judge from our dusty
and exhausted condition," replied Rasul Khan, "we have managed to
capture three most important prisoners, on whose heads a high price has
been placed by the Sikh Durbar. They are the most desperate ruffians,
full of the wiles of Satan, and we greatly fear lest they should escape
us. I and my troops are weary, and to guard them in the open requires
so many men. Of your kindness ask your Commandant if, in the Maharaja's
name, I may place them in your guard-room cells until we march on
again."
The Sikh sentry called the _havildar_[6] of the guard, who in turn
called the Commandant, and after much palavering and cross questioning,
the drawbridge was let down and the party admitted. The remainder of the
Guides bivouacked here and there under the shade of the fort walls,
cooked their food, and lay about at seeming rest, but all the while as
alert and wide-awake as their extremely hazardous position required.
[6] _Havildar_, a native non-commissioned officer of infantry,
corresponding to a sergeant.
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