For fear of desecration it was decided to send back the
dead for burial to Jellalabad and beyond, and a litter was sent for
Wigram Battye's mortal remains. But the rough warriors whose soldierly
hearts he had won would allow of no such _cortege_. "Ambulance-bearers
may be right and proper for anyone else," they said; "but our Sahib
shall be carried by us soldiers, and by no one else." And so reverently
they lifted the body of their dead comrade, and through the hot spring
night carried it on the first stage towards the sweet spot in Mardan
where the brothers Battye lie at rest.
But the silver lining to this dark cloud of loss was the prowess of the
young subaltern and the squadron that had fallen to his charge. "Take
'em on, Walter, my boy," were his leader's last words; and right
manfully did he obey them.
The plain over which they were advancing was somewhat undulating,
covered with loose stones, and intersected here and there by more or
less formidable nullahs. Across this not very promising cavalry country,
Hamilton made good way, and was now close enough to the enemy to give
the orders, "Gallop, Charge!" With the wild yell which so often, before
and since, has struck chill to the heart of an enemy, the Guides dashed
forward, the ground scouts checking back for the squadron to come up to
them; but just as contact was imminent, a warning signal came from one
of these that there was impassable ground in front.
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