"Take a dozen of your troopers, Nand Chund, and skirmish up the hill; a company of infantry shall follow you. If you find only a handful of men there, drive them off; if they are in force, get near enough to draw their fire and find out their strength, and then fall back again upon the supporting company. We shall not be far behind. But it is hardly likely that you will be pressed, they will not be able to gather to offer any serious opposition until we get some miles further."
The little party of cavalry rode on, a company of infantry following close behind them. Colonel Groves waited until he saw the rest of the force cross the ford, and then set forward again. He had handed his glasses to Percy, who sat watching the advanced party as it ascended the hill. The horsemen had scattered along the hillside, and were several hundred yards ahead of the infantry.
"They are firing, uncle," he exclaimed presently. "I don't see the smoke, but I heard the sound of shots. There! I saw a puff of smoke just now."
"How many guns did you hear, Percy?"
"Five or six; I should say that is about all there are. I saw three standing up, and there may have been two or three more engaged in making the fire."
"It is hardly likely that they would have more than five or six men on watch. Even if they knew yesterday that we had come to the village, they would hardly keep more than a lookout here."
This was evidently the case, as the horsemen were seen to pass over the crest, and one of them soon reappeared and galloped down the hill.
"Nand Chund reports, Colonel," he said when he arrived at the head of the column, "there were but four men, they fired a few shots at us. When we reached the top of the hill they were half-way down the other side. There is a good deal of bush and some wood down there. Nand Chund says that he will not advance further till the company in support joins him, as there might be a force hidden there."
"Quite right. Tell him that at any rate he is not to mount the next hill until we come up."
When the force arrived at the crest they saw Nand Chund and the footmen drawn up beyond the bush in the hollow.