Fortunately there were several horses in Major Renaud's camp, which had
been taken from men of the enemy's cavalry who had been surprised in the
upward march, and two of them had been assigned to the boys, so that they
were able to feel once more as soldiers.

On arriving at Khaga, an insignificant village, General Havelock said to
the lads:

"Thank you very much for your information. You have behaved with great
coolness and courage, and Major Warrener, your father, has every reason to
be proud of you. I am short of aids-de-camp, and shall be glad if you will
act as my gallopers"--an honor which, it need hardly be said, the boys
joyfully accepted.

The following was the total force under General Havelock's command when he
commenced the series of battles which were finally to lead him to Lucknow:
Seventy-six men of the Royal Artillery, three hundred and seventy-six of
the Madras Fusiliers, four hundred and thirty-five of the Sixty-fourth
Regiment, two hundred and eighty-four of the Seventy-eighth Highlanders
one hundred and ninety men of the Eighty-fourth Regiment, twenty-two men
of the Bengal Artillery. Total of British regular troops, thirteen hundred
and eighty-three, with eight guns. Besides these he had Warrener's Horse.
Of natives he had the Ferozepore Regiment (Sikhs), four hundred and forty-
eight strong, ninety-five men of the native irregular cavalry, who were
worse than useless, and eighteen mounted native police.

The order for a halt was welcome indeed to the troops. Havelock's column
had marched twenty-four miles without resting or eating, and fires were
speedily lighted, and preparation made for breakfast. Major Tytler,