"When Ishar Das brought the news that another rebel regiment had marched into Aurungpore," began the quondam bandit, gratified by the opportunity thus afforded of displaying his triumph, "assuredly we knew not what to do. Russell Sahib called a halt, and there we consulted together. Truly brothers, for a moment even I thought we must give up the attempt. But what is impossible to the true believer? and the idea came into my mind, placed there doubtless by the Prophet. Thereupon I advised our officer to call the men together, that we might instruct them secretly to prepare for mutiny. Then with many oaths we slew Russell Sahib and threw his body into the ditch"--(here the Pathan chieftain chuckled gleefully and his comrades laughed out loudly)--"then we dressed him up as a sepoy, and darkened his face, whilst I robbed him of his watch and his sword and took the command, and we marched along swiftly in great disorder, proclaiming that Bahadur Shah was king in Delhi, and that not a Feringhi should escape our swords. Truly, my brothers, we were fiercer and more bloodthirsty than any of the real rebels. The mutinous dogs, as they heard of our approach, sent out men to meet us, and we rejoiced with them, though we should have greatly loved to slay them. As we entered the courtyard at Aurungpore they greeted us with cheers and great praise, and I spoke scornfully of their methods of fighting. Yea, I laughed in the face of their commandant, for he had no authority, and told him, so that all might hear, that he would never exterminate the infidels. Therefore they placed me in command, as I intended they should, and because I treated them as little better than curs, they became my dogs, and allowed me--the fools!--to place my men, with Sultan Jan and Dayal Singh the Sikh in command, in charge of the guns. "They watched over them all night, and when morning came--ho! ho!--I made the madmen--surely the Prophet had smitten them all with madness--I made them, I say, empty all their firearms in the air, pretending that we must trust in the bayonet as soon as the cannon had done their work. "'Aye,' said I, 'if your muskets are still loaded ye will lie down and fire as they escape. Ye must surround them with a ring of steel,' I said. So the madmen delivered themselves into my hands! Then I gave the order, and Sultan Jan of Kohat and Dayal Singh the Sikh cried out, and we let fly into their midst, first destroying the Sikhs, for they are true soldiers, though unbelieving dogs, and the others were but children. Yea, by the beard of the Prophet we destroyed them! Aye, we swept them away, mown down like the yellow corn in the Tirah before the strokes of the sickle. "So they ran, and we followed; through the streets they ran screaming and throwing down their weapons, and we slew them by scores and by hundreds. But 'twas I, Bahram Khan, who saved Aurungpore. By the Prophet's beard, 'twas I!"