JIM DISPOSED OF 342 Illustrations Facing Page HE DROPPED THE LIGHTED CANDLE ON THE THIN TRAIL OF POWDER _Frontispiece_ BATTYE ROSE IN HIS STIRRUPS AND THUNDERED FORTH THE ORDER TO CHARGE 160 THE REBEL REELED AGAINST THE WALL 336 CHAPTER I Ted Disapproves Ted Russell, ensign of the 193rd Bengal Native Infantry, stationed at Aurungpore, in the Punjab, was disgusted and irritable on this first day of the never-to-be-forgotten year of 1857--a year destined to bring untold misery to thousands of homes and families, and to many a race and creed throughout Hindustan and the British Isles; a year that would henceforward lie as a dark stain across the page of history. But our young friend's ill-humour could be traced to a much simpler cause than a mere prophetic dread of the future. Ensign Russell had not been in India many months, and during the whole of that short period he had looked forward with lively and pleasant anticipation to a visit from his brother Jim, whom he had seen but twice in the past ten years, and who was quite a veteran warrior in Ted's admiring eyes. For Captain Russell had been engaged in the Sikh war as well as in several affrays with the border Pathans; he was the proud possessor of more than one medal, and had quite a prominent scar across his face--the mark of a Khyber knife. For the past twelve months he had held the rank of captain in the ten-year-old corps of Guides, stationed near Peshawur across the Indus, the town that guards the Khyber Pass--the gate of India. At length this hero-brother had obtained leave of absence to visit Aurungpore, and great was the delight of both. Now, here is what had disgusted the ensign. Before the stalwart captain, who had successfully held his own against Sikhs and Afghans, had been with Ted a couple of days, he had actually suffered defeat at the hands of a slip of a girl of twenty-one--a girl about five feet in height, the daughter of Ted's colonel! Jim, who of all men should have been proof against such silly nonsense--such idiocy!--had succumbed at first sight, and instead of spinning yarns about his campaigns and his defence of Chiras Fort, he was mooning about all day long in the wake of this Ethel Woodburn.