you weren't
my suparior officer, corporal, I'd tach ye better manners."

Fortunately, at this moment Charlie's voice was heard, shouting for
his servant; and Tim was therefore saved from the breach of the peace,
which his indignation showed that he meditated.

December passed quietly; and then, in January, 1752, an insurrection
planned by Dupleix broke out. The governor of Pondicherry had been
suffering keenly from disappointments; which, as time went on, and his
entreaties and commands to Law to attack Trichinopoli were answered
only by excuses and reasons for delay, grew to despair; and he
resolved upon making another effort to occupy the attention of the man
in whom he already recognized a great rival, and to prevent his taking
steps for the relief of Trichinopoli. Law had over and over again
assured him that, in the course of a very few weeks, that place would
be driven by famine to surrender; and, as soon as Clive arrived at
Fort Saint David, Dupleix set about taking steps which would again
necessitate his return to the north, and so give to Law the time which
he asked for.

Supplies of money were sent to Riza Sahib, together with four hundred
French soldiers. These marched suddenly upon Punemalli and captured
it, seized again the fortified temple of Conjeveram, and from this
point threatened both Madras and Arcot.

Had this force possessed an active and determined commander, it could
undoubtedly have carried out Dupleix's instructions, captured Madras,
and inflicted a terrible blow upon the English. Fortunately, it had no
such head. It marched indeed against Madras, plundered and burnt the
factories, levied contributions, and obtained possession of everything
but the fort; where the civilians, and the few men who constituted the
garrison, daily expected to be attacked, in which case the place must
have fallen. This, however, the enemy never even attempted, contenting
themselves with ravaging the place outside the walls of the fort.

The little garrison of Arcot, two hundred men in all, were astonished
at the news; that the province, which they had thought completely
conquered, was again in flames; that the road to Madras was cut, by
the occupation of Conjeveram by the French; and that Madras itself
was, save the fort, in the hands of the enemy. The fort itself, they
knew, might easily be taken, as they were aware that it was defended
by only eighty men.

The change in the position was at once manifest, in t