[12] The Honourable East India Company, also called "Koompanie Bahadur", or "The Great Lord Company".
"The Punjab," said the leader of the Guide Corps, "is paying back India all she has cost her, by sending troops stout and firm to her aid."
While still more than a hundred miles from Delhi, the Guides were required to quell a disturbance in a neighbouring district. Captain Daly, impatient at the delay, desired to forward despatches to General Anson, whose army lay some miles to the north of the great city. He consulted Captain Russell.
"Your brother is a plucky youngster," he remarked, "but what is his friend like? He hasn't much to say for himself, but I think he's to be trusted."
"Paterson seems one of the quiet sort you can depend on," Jim replied. "If you are thinking of sending them on to the commander-in-chief, I think they'd enjoy the job and would carry it through. I suppose you would give them an escort?"
Daly beckoned the two ensigns, and handing the papers to Paterson, he explained the mission, and advised them to ride as much as possible at night.
"You shall have half a dozen troopers as escort," he concluded. "The country will be quiet until you get near Delhi. No monkey tricks, mind, youngsters, and don't stop to blow up any arsenals on the road!"
The boys and their six Pathan troopers hastily provisioned themselves, and, pricking their steeds, dashed joyously away. A ride of a hundred miles with no one to give them orders! They commanded the party, and the general himself was not half so proud of his command as our ensigns of foot were of their half-dozen huge, wild, black-bearded troopers. For a day and two nights they rode without incident, but on the morning of the third, as they drew near to Alipore, and saw the towers and minarets of Delhi glittering in the sun a dozen miles to the south-east, they heard the sound of firing. Proceeding cautiously, they presently perceived a number of rebel horsemen flying before a body of English dragoons, as the eight topped the crest of the slight incline which had hidden them from view. The Carabineers had already given up the pursuit, and were sending a few shots after the galloping rebels, who, seeing the dark-faced, turbaned horsemen, took them for men of the mutinous irregular cavalry, and raised a cheer.
