"Hurrah! my lads," Mr. Gubbins said cheerily; "six guns spiked, our
garrison freed from that troublesome battery, a lesson given to the enemy,
and I expect a few hundred of them blown up, and all at the cost of four
wounded."

"Well done, indeed," a voice said; and General Inglis, with two or three
of his officers, stepped forward. "Gallantly done; but how was it that the
guns were silent? you could hardly have caught them asleep."

"No, sir," Mr. Gubbins said; "the gentlemen who brought in the message
from General Havelock, two days ago, went out on their own account, and
silenced the guns by wetting the priming."

A suppressed cheer broke from the whole party; for until now only Mr.
Johnson and those on guard with him knew what had happened, and the
silence of the guns had been a mystery to all.

"Step forward, young gentlemen, will you?" General Inglis said. "You have
done a most gallant action," he went on, shaking them by the hand, "a most
gallant action; and the whole garrison are greatly indebted to you. I
shall have great pleasure in reporting your gallant conduct to the
commander-in-chief, when the time comes for doing so. I will not mar the
pleasure which all feel at your deed by blaming you for acting on your own
inspiration, but I must do so to-morrow. Good fortune has attended your
enterprise, but the lives of brave men are too valuable to allow them to
undertake such risks as this on their own account. And now that I have
said what I was obliged to say, I ask you all to give three cheers for our
gallant young friends."