“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.

The guard-room cells were pointed out to Rasul Khan, the prisoners thrust into them, and the escort quietly but firmly invited to rejoin their comrades outside the walls; for in time of war, as the Commandant explained, it behoves every man, especially when the safety of a great fort is concerned, to walk warily, and treat the stranger with circumspection.  So far, beyond seeing the main entrance and the guard-room cells, Rasul Khan had not done much towards securing that full information about the fort, its garrison, and its defences, which it was of such vital importance to gain.  He had, however, secured a footing, and, while with apparent readiness he prepared to rejoin his men outside, he politely insisted that he must leave his own sentry to guard the prisoners; “for,” as he jocularly remarked to the Commandant, “if I don’t, you will be saying that you captured these villains, and, sending them off to Lahore, will secure the reward my men have earned!” The Commandant laughed heartily at this blunt pleasantry, and partly out of good nature, and partly to avoid all blame should the prisoners escape, agreed to the proposal of the diplomatic subadar.  During the course of the day the utmost cordiality was maintained, the Sikhs coming out and freely fraternising with the Guides, who, in their casual wanderings round, had at any rate got hold of a fairly shrewd notion of what the outside of the fort was like.  But this was not enough for Rasul Khan, and he laid his further plans accordingly.