registered shame; for never was mercury more stormy than shot up in the
artery of two men's wills when that song rose over the zeriba at Tofrik.
They were not fifty feet apart at the time, and at the lilt of that
chorus they swung towards each other like two horses to the bugle on
parade.

"A guinea to a brown but Janders goes large!" said Billy Bagshot under
his breath, his eye on the Subadar and repenting him of the song.

But Janders did not go large; for at that very moment there came the
bugle-call for the working parties to get into the zeriba, as from the
mimosa scrub came hundreds upon hundreds of "Osnum Digners" hard upon
the heels of the vedettes.

"The Hadendowas 'as the privilege," said Billy Bagshot, as the
Berkshires and the Sikhs swung round and made for the zeriba.

"What's that ye say?" cried Connor, as the men stood to their arms.

"Looked as if the bloomin' hontray was with the Subadar, but the
Hadendowas 'as the honour to hinvite sweet William!"

"Murther uv man--look--look, ye Berkshire boar! The Bengals is breakin'
line!"

"Oscillations 'as begun!" said Bagshot, as, disorganised by the vedettes
riding through their flank into the zeriba, the Bengalese wavered.

"'Tis your turn now--go an to y'r gruel!" said Connor, as Bagshot with
his company and others were ordered to move over to the Bengalese and
steady them.

"An' no bloomin' sugar either," Bagshot called back as he ran.

"Here's to ye thin!" shouted Connor, as the enemy poured down on their
zeriba on the west and the Bengalese retreated on them from the east,
the Billy Bagshot detachment of Berkshires rallying them and firing
steadily, the enemy swarming after and stampeding the mules and camels.
Over the low bush fence, over the unfinished sand-bag parapet at the
southwest salient, spread the shrieking enemy like ants, stabbing and
cutting. The Gardner guns, as Connor had said, were "fer the inimy," but
the Lushai dandies were for the men that managed them that day; for the
enemy came too soon--in shrieking masses to a hand-to-hand melee.

What India lost that hour by the Bengalese the Sikhs won back. Side by
side with them the Berkshires cursed and raged and had their way; and
when the Sikhs drew over and laid themselves along the English lines
a wild cheer went up from the Berkshires. Wounded men spluttered their
shouts from mouths filled with blood, and to the welcoming roars of
the Berkshires the Sikhs showed their teeth in gr