the siege of Delhi, and the arrival of reinforcements from China and
England. With daybreak, the cannon, which had tired at intervals through
the night, began to roar incessantly, and shot and shell crashed into the
Residency.

"Is this sort of thing always going on?" Dick asked in astonishment.

"Always," was the answer, "by day, and four nights out of five. We have
not had so quiet a time as last night for a week. Now I will go and ask
the chief to which garrison you and your brother are to be assigned."




CHAPTER XIV.

THE BESIEGED RESIDENCY.


The Warrener's were taken to Gubbins' house, or garrison, as each of these
fortified dwellings was now called; and the distance, short as it was, was
so crowded with dangers and disagreeables that they were astonished how
human beings could have supported them for a month, as the garrison of
Lucknow had done. From all points of the surrounding circle shot and shell
howled overhead, or crashed into walls and roofs. Many of the enemy's
batteries were not above a hundred yards from the defenses, and the
whistling of musket-balls was incessant.

Here and there, as they ran along, great swarms of flies, millions in
number, rose from some spot where a bullock, killed by an enemy's shot,