William Gordon Stables

“ The wild wolf-foxes were in force, and the yelping and howling outside was terrible to listen to.
He fired his rifle several times right into the centre of the pack, killing many and wounding more. This only made matters worse. The fierce and hungry beasts dashed themselves at the gate and tried to tear it in pieces.
Stones were hurled at them, but all in vain. Poor Briton was as anxious to get out as they were to get in, and had to be kept back by force.
"Go, quick, Frank," shouted Tom, "and stir up the fire; heap more peats and wood on, and bring lighted torches as soon as you can. ”

“ Tom had to take Pansy in his arms to soothe her, for she shook and trembled like a little bird. But in two hours it was all over, and the stars were shining as bright and large and near as before.
Sometimes the moon shone with a stronger light than it ever does in this country. It seemed so close to them, too, that Pansy used to say it was only just resting on the snowy hill-top.
On moonlit days the children were always abroad in the forest or by the lake-side watching Flossy catching fish. She dived and swam far more quickly than an eel. ”

“ He was, in a manner of speaking, too brave or too fool- hardy; and I for one never saw an officer more cool under fire than he, nor more cool either in the thick of a bayonet charge, when pistols rang or cracked, when cold steel met cold steel, and men clutched men in the throes of death ! "
"Hear! hear!"
"But what makes you think, sergeant," said Willie, " that we will never see him more ? "
" Because," said the sergeant, " there is a limit to even the life of a lucky soldier. I knew Sir Colin more intimately in the Crimea than did a good many men. ”

“ Is it any wonder that they look back with horror to the days they spent in the murder-tainted air of Luck- now, or that they converse in whispers of the dread and awful massacres of Delhi and Cawnpore? Not a soul there surely that morn, noon, and night, does not rise in thankfulness to the God who saw fit to shield them from danger and death, and restore them to peace and to safety. ”

“ And strange birds often emit more terrible ear-splitting sounds by night in jungle or forest than all the wild beasts that dwell therein.
The sudden, uncanny yell, for instance, close in the bush beside you, is not the war-whoop of painted savages, but the voice of a bird. So too is that wild, unearthly laugh that ever and anon rises swelling on the night air. The silence of a few minutes may be suddenly broken by screams and shrieks from some dark thicket, as of a poor mortal in pain or agony shrieks loud, prolonged, and dying away in mournful cadence. ”

“ Could there be any truth, Willie began to think, in the words the seer had uttered ?
If there was, then he was fated to be a soldier. Why should he not be ? True, he could not enter the army as an officer and gentleman, as many of his forbears had done, winning both honour and distinction; but he could carry a gun and bayonet for the Queen, and a man might be a gentleman, even though serving in the ranks.
Was there really going to be war? Willie would not care to be an idle soldier. ”

“ But let us follow Willie to The Firs. The Firs is a new house entirely, and prettily do its grey gables look, peeping up through the greenery of the woods on the brae yonder on this beautiful day in early summer.
Jack himself meets Willie at the gate. The same blue-eyed, brown-faced Jack we knew before, only he seems altered just a trifle. He is rounder in the face, and has lost the weary, haggard glare he had in Lucknow.
" Come in, Willie. Come in. We were expecting you. Of course you'll stop to dinner. Yes, we are all at home my wife, and Teddie, Jessie, and all." ”

“ The story of the boat that amidst the rain of bullets, the massacre and general confusion, pushed off into the stream and went floating down the Ganges, is to me as sad as any connected with the siege and massacre of Cawnpore.
These poor wretches became the target of Sepoys that ran along the banks, firing at them long after they had floated out and away beyond reach of the guns. They had neither oars nor sails nor rudder, and no food. ”

“ Older people might have felt very weary, but none of our Crusoes lost heart.
I have not told you yet of the Aurora Borealis, which was best seen on dark, starry nights. It was not in the north only, but all around them, great bright fringes of coloured lights—chiefly green, crimson, or pink. How they danced and flickered, to be sure! Such dazzling beauty no pen could describe, and I will not attempt it.
Well, Christmas-day came at last, and how glad they all were to be still spared alive and in comfort!
Tom meant to make the most of it. But, of course, there was no turkey or goose to roast. ”

“ I just held out the gun, and off it went."
"Oh, but you were brave!" said Aralia; "and if you hadn't killed the awful monster, we should all be dead now.
"No, no," cried Tom, "it was only Flossy that the bear wanted! He just wanted a bit of seal for supper."
"Wowff!" barked Briton.
"Wiff!" barked Veevee, as much as to say: "No bear shall touch Flossy while we are alive."
But nobody thought of sleeping any more, and as they were all very hungry, Tom served out more snow. ”

“ I assure you," said Willie Saunders, " we will take all the care we can of our sergeant, Miss Ellen, and bring him safely back to his country and to you."
From the first moment of their entrance into this house, there had been no attempt on the part of this poor girl to conceal the affection she had for Fergus McKinnon. Her's was the sweet abandon of love, but the abandon of complete innocence. To her Fergus was the greatest of all heroes. Who could help loving such a man, so handsome, so dashing, so brave ? Why should she be ashamed of innocent, heartfelt love like this. ”

“ Veevee and Briton had already rushed off.
They found Tom at the lake-side, standing over a huge dead bear, with Flossy near him.
"That bear," said Tom, laughing, "was keeping poor Floss in the lake; but he won't do so again. Isn't he a fine one?"
"Yes," cried Frank; "he is indeed."
"And now, children," said Tom, when he was once more seated in front of the camp fire, "the question of lights is settled for good. Frank and I are going to make candles out of that bear's tallow."
"Yes, Pansy, we are. Oh, we shouldn't be half Crusoes if we couldn't make candles!" ”

“ CHAPTER I
"I'm sure of one thing," said Aralia to her little sister Pansy, as they sat together one lovely summer afternoon on the garden seat, and gazed away and away far over the North Sea. "I'm quite sure of one thing. Nobody ever could have so good an uncle as our uncle. Now, could anybody, Pansy?"
"Oh no!" answered Pansy, shaking her pretty head. Pansy was hardly eight years old, and always agreed with her older sister, who was nearly eleven.
"How I wish he were home again from his old ship," sighed Aralia, "and Tom with him!" ”

“ Now in spring-time the foxes and bears of the north, that have slept or starved for months, become bold and dangerous through hunger. Bears are always to be feared, but more so at this time of the year than any other.
One day the prisoners of Fairy Island had been gayer than usual, but at last, tired and happy, they had lain down to rest. It might have been about midnight when they were awakened by a warning growl from Briton. Then, with Veevee, he sprang up and rushed to the gate barking furiously.
Tom sprang to his feet, and snatched up his rifle. ”

“ Strong men leap overboard, only to be shot or cut down. Poor ladies, anxious only to save their children, crouch under the boats or flounder in the river insane for the time being, hardly knowing what they are doing or whither they are rushing while the Nana's fierce, relentless troops tear even the babies from their arms and rend them in pieces, and cut down the mothers with sabre or tulwar. ”

“ By nine o'clock to-night silence reigned throughout the Highlanders' camp, though it was broken, ever and anon, by the thunderous booming of the guns still plying their deadly rain upon the Eesidency. Among the trees and bushes the fire-flies danced, and great bats went wheeling hither and thither in the starlight. Many of the men were already asleep, others lay with their heads resting on their palms, thinking of their far-off British homes.
But one little group deserves special notice. Five in all they were, and Willie Saunders was the central figure. ”

“ And then he had Bruce. Ah ! there is a deal of comfort reader, to be obtained from the love of a faithful dog. His master is all the world to him. Others may hate you, may turn from you ; but your dog has always a welcome for you, always a soft tongue to lick your hand, always a fountain of unfathomable love for you, and you alone, dwelling deep down in his dark brown eyes. Surely this is something to be thankful for in a cold and selfish world like ours.
But at this moment Willie's thoughts reverted more to his mother than to anyone else. ”

“ The pathway is broad, but brown not green, as our woodland walks at home are wont to be. Perhaps we stop soon to wonder what lies yonder right in our path. It is as large and round as a small footstool, dark and glistening in the moon's rays. We have room to avoid it, and we do so, wisely, for its bite is deadly. It is the black snake, or water-snake, coiled up and asleep. By-and-by he will measure all his length on the ground, creep off to find a frog or lizard, and then back to his evil cave in some dark and damp recess. ”

“ Chapter IX. CAWNPORE IS AVENGED. IT was the evening before the battle, and our little army was encamped near the fort of Martiniere. No tents to-night ; they must sleep on the bare ground, arms by their sides, knapsacks for pillows. Nor did the Commander-in-Chief himself fare one whit better. For Sir Colin was a true soldier, and when on the war-path would drink his tea from a private's canteen, and be content with the humblest fare. ”

“ Well, I am not in a position to calculate the amount of evil that grief in its bitterest form namely, that of unrequited love might work upon a sturdy young frame like that of Willie's, but to look at him now as he stands in the moonlight, to study him physically, one would think Willie Saunders would take a deal of killing. Though not more than twenty-one, he is sturdy and strong. The tweed kilt suit he wears, and the plaid, surely never before were worn by a more handsome young Scot. ”

“ When he thrust his rifle between the willow bars to take a shot, the beasts bit and tore at it, as if they would have dragged it from his grasp.
Aralia was busy helping Frank, and presently both came running up with lighted fir-torches, which Tom at once flung over the gate, together with pieces of burning peat and wood. These did splendid work, and after a time the terrible pack drew off.
There was no more sleep that night, however, and towards morning the attack began again. The foxes had dragged off their dead and wounded and devoured them. ”

“ Delhi was even then a large and well-fortified city, high up on the banks of the Jumna, with its walls and ramparts, its gates and fosses, its king's palace, its public buildings, and its maze of bazaars and narrow streets.
It stands about forty miles from Meerut, but never-
Fighting and Massacre at Delhi. ”

“ It is not everyone who can say as Havelock said when dying in a dhooly under the shadow of the palms at Dakoosha Fort, "I have for forty years so ruled my life that when death came I might face it without fear." ”

“ Jack Morrison was not only a most resolute and daring young fellow, and just the sort of man one would have chosen to lead a forlorn hope, but he held the opinion that nothing was either menial or derogatory that bore the impress of duty. Hence we find him on many occasions during the siege fighting like a private soldier at the batteries, Enfield in hand, for he was a splendid shot ; we find him among the foremost men in that brave little bayonet charge with Inglis when the house was retaken from the enemy ”

“ Willie Saunders would not see any more of this. He rushed through the conservatory and out to the lawn.
The hum of the waterfall fell on his ear and calmed him, and the night air cooled his heated brows. He took a few turns up and down on the grass, then returned. He found Annie sitting alone in a corner, looking some- what sad ; but she made room for him on the sofa, and welcomed him with a smile.
Willie forgot everything now save her presence. He even postponed the fight with the student sine die. He would let the fellow live a little longer. ”

“ No, lad, all the honour and glory likely to come your direction during a campaign is precious small. You must just be content to imagine you have it, you must love your flag for your flag's sake, and the regiment because you are in it, and because its prestige has been handed down to you to maintain. Then, you know, there is always the old country to think about, and the friends at home. ”

“ This brave and clever general had even inaugurated a well-paid intelligence department. In other words, reader, a corps of native spies. With such a squad as this there is only one way of dealing. You must hold out towards them both hands. The right hand is filled with gold, the left grasps a greasy rope that may already have choked the life out of more than one foe. The gold is to be the reward of faithfulness, the rope the guerdon of treachery or deceit.
Havelock marched from Allahabad at last with his whole force. ”

“ Next moment the whole city is shaken to its very foundations by the roar and thunder of that terrible explosion, and amidst dust and dbris t and masses of timber and masonry, over a thousand mutineers are hurled high in the air arms, legs, and heads drop here and there a few moments afterwards in the most distant streets and bazaars, and scores are killed outside by the bursting of shells. ”

“ No wonder that after this great battle Havelock gathered his little army around him, and congratulated and thanked them heartily.
"Soldiers," Marshman makes him say, "your General is satisfied, and more than satisfied with you. He has never seen steadier or more devoted troops, but your labours are only beginning. Nevertheless between the 7th and 16th you have, under the Indian sun of July, marched a hundred and twenty-six miles and fought four actions. But your comrades in Lucknow are in peril, Agra is besieged, Delhi is still the focus of mutiny and rebellion. ”