the dusty, treeless road to Amritsar.

[5] _Subadar_, a native commissioned officer commanding a company
of infantry.

Marching all that day, and the greater part of the following night,
Rasul Khan arrived in the vicinity of the fort just as day was breaking.
His orders were to reconnoitre and find out in what state of
preparedness the garrison stood, what was its strength in men and guns,
the best means of attack, and the most vulnerable quarter. To gain all
this useful information the most obviously complete method was to get
inside the fort itself, and this the resourceful subadar determined to
do.

It must be remembered that at this time the second Sikh war was in full
swing, and that various bands of troops who had espoused the Sikh cause
were roaming the country. The British forces, on the other hand,
consisted chiefly of drilled and organised regiments, armed, equipped,
and clothed on a regular basis, and recognisable as such. The Guides,
however, newly raised, and living a rough and ready adventurous life in
their ragged and war-worn khaki, bore little resemblance to these, and
might to a casual observer come from anywhere, and belong to either
side.

Rasul Khan was quick to perceive this point in his favour, and take full
advantage of it; for during the long and weary night march, he had
thought out his plan. Taking three of his own men, stripping off what
uniform they had, and concealing their arms, he had them securely bound
and placed under a heavy guard of their own comrades. As soon as it was
broad daylight, closely guarding his prisoners, Rasul Khan marched