The excitement was still high, as we all sat in our places about a couple of hundred yards from the forest, and then Brace cried-- "Attention!" Save the champing of bits by the horses, there was not a sound. "There, my lads," he cried, "I feel now as if I can look you all once more in the face, for the dear old troop is itself again." "God bless you, sir!" shouted the oldest corporal we had. "The bravest act ever done in the British army." "Silence!" cried Brace, but not angrily. "You must not thank me, my lads, but Mr Vincent and Sergeant Craig." I wanted to say, "Yes, Craig; let me fetch him;" but discipline forbade, and I knew that Brace would do him justice. "Then three cheers for Sergeant Craig, if I lose my stripes for it," shouted the corporal again, who was as intoxicated with excitement as if he had partaken of drink--the vile arrack that ruins so many of our men. But Brace was lenient then. "Yes," he cried, "three cheers for Sergeant Craig," and they were given with a will. Then, to my great delight, he gave orders; four men reined back, and sprang from their horses, with the corporal, and went off at the double toward the wood, from where they soon reappeared, bearing the litter with poor Craig. Brace rode forward to meet him, and leaned over the litter to shake hands, when a low murmur of satisfaction rose from the line, but I did not hear what he said, though I longed to ride up and thank him too. To my great delight, though, they brought him close up to me, and we exchanged a nod and smile. "I thought that would do it, sir," he said feebly. "What do you say, doctor? Do you think we could safely take him on the ammunition-waggon?" "So long as you don't blow it up," said the doctor, shortly. "You think you could sit up now?" "I will sit up, sir," said Craig, firmly. "But the jolting and shaking, my man?" Craig laughed. "Why, sir, I'm used to all that; I've ridden so many times on the limbers of gun-carriages, that being knocked about's natural to me." "Let him try," said Brace, sharply. "Watch him, doctor, and he must take to the dhooly again if he cannot bear it. Quick! I must advance at once." I looked at him wonderingly, having been under the impression that now we had succeeded in the object we had in view we should retire. Brace's words quite overset that notion. It was evident that he meant to give the rajah a severe lesson, for the troop was in motion directly after, and as we advanced, we could see that the town was in a state of the most intense excitement, people running here and there. But before we had gone far, Brace halted, the guns were unlimbered, loaded, and then as we stood ready for action, scouts were sent out to right and left; the former soon returning, while a minute later, those sent off to the left came galloping in to announce that the rajah and his men were in rapid retreat along the bank of the river.