All this time the figure was stealthily gliding past under the shadow of the riding-school. Quick as thought Willie dropped on one knee, by which he brought the outline of the figure between his sight and the sky. Bang went the carbine, and simultaneously a loud yell, succeeded by another and another, rang through the barracks with a strange unearthly sound at that hour of the night. "Number 2, corporal of the guard," sung out Willie from his post. (All the sentries are numbered, so that if Anything occurs on their post, as in this instance, it is known in which direction to send assistance, should any be required.) I happened to be in the guard-room at the time, waiting for my turn of duty on another post, and, with the rest of the guard-relief and the corporal, we proceeded in double-quick time to the scene of alarm. The yells and groans continued as we tramped across the barrack-yard. By the time we had reached the post we were joined by the orderly officer and sergeant of the guard. "Who comes there?" shouted Willie, in a loud defiant challenge, as we neared his sentry-box, where he stood at attention. "Rounds!" was the reply. "What rounds?" said Willie, according to custom. "Visiting rounds!" "Advance, visiting rounds. All's _not_ well," said Willie, and then briefly reported the cause of alarm. The victim of his vigilance had by this time staggered to the sentry-box. "Take me to the hospital. I am badly wounded. The scoundrel has shot me." "Halloo! sergeant-major. How is this?" inquired the orderly officer. "Pray let me be taken to hospital, sir, and then I will explain," said he; and thither he was escorted. The assistant-surgeon examined him, when it was found that the ball had passed through the fleshy part of his leg. He soon got round, however, but was tried by court-martial, and reduced to the ranks for leaving barracks at an unseasonable hour of the night by a forbidden way. Willie, of course, only did his duty. "Be the piper," said he, "I thought I had kilt him intirely by the roar he med." Not long after this occurrence, Willie volunteered with about twenty mere of ours for service in India, and joined the 9th Lancers in the spring of 1843, that regiment having embarked in the early part of 1842. At this period, the regiment was constantly being drained of many effective men, who volunteered for service in regiments under orders for or already in India; consequently, we had several recruiting parties out, among whom were a sergeant and a corporal at Liverpool; but they both deserted, and, it was supposed, sailed for America. About nine or ten months subsequent to this, I was on guard at the front gate--which is always closed at nine o'clock, and all who pass in or out after that time do so through a small wicket door. One of the men had just struck twelve o'clock on a gong that hung in front of the guard-room of the barracks where we were then stationed. Some one rapped gently at the wicket.