"Those are my two men, sir," Percy said to the officer.
"I suppose it is all right, Fullarton, for me to let them go?"
"Certainly, I can answer for them myself, for I recognize them as having been with Groves when he first joined, and I know they rode behind him in all the battles on the Sutlej. They are thoroughly good and trustworthy fellows; and indeed their presence here shows that they must have run considerable risks from our men as well as the Sikhs, in obeying his instructions to meet him here. However, I will give you a written receipt for them, and that will take all responsibility off your shoulders. The others scarcely look like fighting men."
"No, I should say they are only camp-followers, who lingered behind in the hopes of picking up anything the Sikhs might have left behind them when they went off so suddenly."
"I will speak about them, and will see that their cases are inquired into at once."
"I shall be very much obliged if you would. The men have got plenty of work without looking after these fellows; and if we got orders to go forward there would be all sorts of bother in getting rid of them, and in handing them over to someone else."
"I will see about it at once; as they are not fighting men there can be no object in keeping them."
"Thank you. You will make over these two men to this gentleman, sergeant; they are released from custody."
"We have their horses in our lines, sir, and their arms; they were handed over with them; are they to take them?"
"Certainly. They are Mr. Groves' servants, and fought on our side at Sobraon. They were only awaiting their master's return when they were captured."