Page:Chandrashekhar (1905).djvu/72

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62
CHANDRASHEKHAR.



CHAPTER VII.
GALSTAUN AND JOHNSON.

WHEN Ramcharan had gone away with Shaibalini, and Protap had left the boat, the Telinga sepoy who was sitting on the roof with his arm disabled by Protap’s blow, slowly got up on the bank. He took the way of Shaibalini’s palanquin, and keeping at a safe distance, marked and followed it. He belonged to the Mahomedan persuasion; Bakaullah Khan was his name. The Indian troops that accompanied Clive in his first expedition to Bengal had come from Madras (Telingana), hence all the Indian soldiers belonging to the British army in Bengal at that time were called Telingas. Many up—country Hindus and Mussalmans had enlisted in the British army since then. Bakaullah’s home was near about Gazipur.

Bakaullah followed the palanquin unperceived to Protap’s lodging, and saw it enter the house. He then bent his steps to Amyatt’s quarters. He found a great excitement there.

Amyatt had heard all about the barge incident. Bakaullah was told that Amyatt had promised a reward of thousand rupees to any one who would bring him information about the offenders. Bakaullah then went to Amyatt, and gave him the whole history, adding, “I can point out the house of the bandit.” Amyatt’s face brightened up, the pucker of his eyebrows relaxed, and he ordered four sepoys and a sergeant to accompany Bakaullah, enjoining on them to bring the miscreants arrested to him. "In that case,” suggested Bakaullah, “send two Englishmen with us. Protap Roy is the very devil