hopes of promotion raised, and thrice doomed to
disappointment.

Still he murmured not. "I have only two wishes," he would say. "I
pray that in life and death I may glorify God, and that my wife and
children may be provided for."

Heavy trials befel him. Death laid its hand on his little boy Ettrick,
and another child was so burnt in a fire that happened at their
bungalow that he died also, whilst his beloved wife narrowly escaped
the same fate. Yet he bore all this with patience.

Stern commander though he was, his men loved him so much that they
wanted to give him a month of their pay to assist him in the loss of
means occasioned by the fire.

Though their offer was refused, yet Havelock could not but be thankful
for the kind feeling which prompted it.

At length, after over twenty years' service, he became a captain.

In the Afghan war Havelock was with General Sale at Jellalabad at the
time that Dr. Brydon brought the news of the massacre of our men by
the Afghans; and during the anxious time that followed he was able to
render good service in the field and at the council table.

He fought in the battles of Moodkee, Ferozeshah, and Sobraon. At
the first-named he had two horses shot under him; and in all he
distinguished himself by coolness and bravery.

When the terrible mutiny broke out in India in the year 1857, the
hour of dire emergency had come, and with it had come the man. "Your
excellency," said Sir Patrick Grant, presenting Havelock to Lord
Canning, "I have brought the man."

That was on 17th June, 1857.

Two days later Havelock was appointed to the command of the little
army. His instructions were that, "after quelling all disturbances
at Allahabad, he should not lose a moment in supporting Sir Henry
Lawrence at Lucknow, and Sir Hugh Wheeler at Cawnpore; and that he
should take prompt measures for dispersing and utterly destroying all
mutineers and insurgents".

A large order that to tell a commander with 2000 men, to take a dozen
fortified places defended by ten times the number of his own force!

Not a moment was to be lost, for both cities were in deadly peril.

Alas! Early on the 1st July came news of the terrible massacre of
the Cawnpore garrison,--men, women and children slain in one wanton,
heartless slaughter, which still makes the blood run cold to read
about.

Out of the 2000 men under Havelock's command 1400 only were British
soldiers. But in that force every man was a hero. N