Accompanying Herbert Edwardes was a detachment of the Guides, lent by
Lumsden, and before the war bent on learning their way about this
portion of the frontier, in accordance with the rôle assigned their
corps. This detachment not only joined with natural zest in the hard
fighting that fell to the share of all, but proved of great service to
the commander as scouts and intelligence men. So far did intrepidity and
love of adventure carry them, that four _sowars_,[4] under Duffadar
Khanan Khan, rode through the enemy's outposts, and with admirable
coolness picketed their horses, probably without excessive ostentation,
amidst the enemy's cavalry. They then separated, and went about to see
and remember that which might be useful to their own commander and their
own comrades in the war. It is perhaps needless to say that discovery
meant instant death, yet, with the happy insolence of the born
free-lance, superb indifference carried them through where the slightest
slip would have been fatal. Indeed, one of them, by name Mohaindin, with
nerves of steel, actually succeeded in being taken on as an orderly by
Diwan Mulraj himself, and while acting as such was severely wounded by a
round shot from one of our own guns at the battle of Sadusam.

[4] _Sowar_, a native trooper.

Meanwhile the headquarters of the Guides, under Lumsden, were hastening
down from Lahore to give Edwardes that invaluable support which, however
meagre in numbers, stout hearts, whose loyalty is above suspicion,
afford to a harassed commander. Joyfully were they welcomed, as one
sweltering day in June the Guides joined the little force which was
besieging an army of equal or perhaps greater strength lying behind the
growing ramparts of Mooltan.

Nor were the new arrivals long in showing their mettle. The camp was