urs. No advantage had been gained, the
men were losing confidence, and the position grew more and more
desperate. Clive saw that there was but one chance of victory. The
grove could not be carried in the front, but it was just possible that
it might be open in the rear.

Choosing a sergeant who spoke the native language well, he bade him
leave the party in the watercourse, and make his way round to the rear
of the grove, and discover whether it was strongly guarded there or
not. In twenty minutes, the sergeant returned with the news that there
was no strong force there.

Clive at once took two hundred of his English infantry, the men who
had fought at Arcot, and quietly left the watercourse and made his way
round towards the rear of the grove. Before he had gone far the main
body in the watercourse, surprised at the sudden withdrawal of the
greater portion of the English force, and missing the presence of
Clive himself, began to lose heart. They no longer replied
energetically to the fire of the French infantry. A movement of
retreat began, the fire ceased, and in a minute or two they would have
broken in flight.

At this moment, Clive returned. As he moved forward, he had marked the
dying away of the English fire, and guessing what had happened, had
given over the command of the column to Lieutenant Keene, the senior
officer, and hurried back to the watercourse. He arrived there just as
the troops had commenced to run away.

Throwing himself among them, with shouts and exhortations, he
succeeded in arresting their flight; and, by assurances that the
battle was as good as won elsewhere, and that they had only to hold
their ground for a few minutes longer to ensure victory, he got them
to advance to their former position; and to reopen fire on the French,
who had, fortunately, remained inactive instead of advancing and
taking advantage of the cessation of the English fire.

In the meantime, Lieutenant Keene led his detachment, making a long
circuit, to a point three hundred yards immediately behind the grove.
He then sent forward one of his officers, Ensign Symmonds, who spoke
French perfectly, to reconnoitre the grove. Symmonds had proceeded but
a little way, when he came upon a large number of French Sepoys, who
were covering the rear of the grove; but who, as their services were
not required, were sheltering themselves there from the random bullets
which were flying about. They at once challenged; but Symmonds