“I should, sir, if I could be of any use,” he said sadly.
To divert his attention, poor fellow, I told him of the scene we had witnessed, and he listened to it all eagerly, sometimes giving vent to an angry ejaculation, sometimes laughing, and then looking at me apologetically.
“I beg your pardon, sit,” he said; “but I couldn’t help laughing to hear of their blundering about like that.”
“But it’s no joke, Craig.”
“No, sir; but it all goes to show that this business has been a long time hatching, and it means more trouble than you gentlemen think for, sir.”
“You think so—that the mutiny is widespread?”
“I think, sir, and I’ve often thought so before, that if the native princes ever had a chance, they would make a fight for the country. I may be wrong, but I believe that they’ve been plotting all this for years, and now the fire has begun, it’s running all through the country, and unless the English look sharp, the land of India is gone for ever.”
“And we are so helpless here,” I said; “unable to do anything.”
“Don’t you talk like that, sir; you and Mr Brace are doing your best. The captain is following the enemy up to get back the guns and horses, of course?”
I nodded.