Chapter I: Front Matter

THE DISPUTED V.C.

BLACKIE & SON LIMITED
50 Old Bailey, LONDON
17 Stanhope Street, GLASGOW

BLACKIE & SON (INDIA) LIMITED
Warwick House, Fort Street, BOMBAY

BLACKIE & SON (CANADA) LIMITED
1118 Bay Street, TORONTO

THE DISPUTED V.C.

A Tale of the Indian Mutiny

BY

FREDERICK P. GIBBON

_Illustrated by Stanley L. Wood_

BLACKIE & SON LIMITED

LONDON AND GLASGOW

Zenith Library

_BOYS_
=The Disputed V.C.= Frederick P. Gibbon.
=The First Mate.= Harry Collingwood.
=The Boy Castaways.= H. Taprell Dorling.
="Quills".= Walter C. Rhoades.

_GIRLS_
=The Youngest Sister.= Bessie Marchant.
=A Princess of Servia.= Bessie Marchant.
=A True Cornish Maid.= G. Norway.
=Meriel's Career.= Mary B. Whiting.

_Printed in Great Britain by Blackie & Son, Ltd., Glasgow_

CONTENTS

CHAP. Page
I. TED DISAPPROVES 9
II. AN EXCITING DAY 22
III. TED DOES NOT THINK MUCH OF THE GUIDES 29
IV. THE FANATICS 40
V. THE CAD OF THE REGIMENT 46
VI. THE OUTBREAK OF THE MUTINY 52
VII. WEIGHED IN THE BALANCE 60
VIII. THE FIGHT IN THE ARSENAL 69
IX. DEFENCE OF THE COMMISSIONER'S HOUSE 89
X. HOPE AND DESPAIR 104
XI. IN THE CLUTCHES OF PIR BAKSH 111
XII. THE TREACHERY OF THE GUIDES 122
XIII. TYNAN MAKES HIS CHOICE 134
XIV. THE MARCH OF THE GUIDE CORPS 145
XV. TED'S FIRST BATTLE 154
XVI. THE POST OF HONOUR 162
XVII. WITH THE GURKHA PICKET 173
XVIII. TED'S HOPES ARE RAISED AND DASHED TO THE GROUND 181
XIX. TED'S FRIENDS ARE BEWILDERED 201
XX. AN ADVENTURE ON THE RIDGE 214
XXI. WOMBWELL'S MENAGERIE 229
XXII. TED DISTINGUISHES HIMSELF 243
XXIII. TED EXTINGUISHES HIMSELF 255
XXIV. PIR BAKSH RENDERS TYNAN A SERVICE 266
XXV. TO THE RESCUE 282
XXVI. LUCKNOW RELIEVED 298
XXVII. AN ENCOUNTER WITH THE NANA SAHIB 312
XXVIII. THE FINAL SCENE AT LUCKNOW 330
XXIX. JIM DISPOSED OF 342

Illustrations

Facing Page
HE DROPPED THE LIGHTED CANDLE ON THE THIN TRAIL
OF POWDER _Frontispiece_

BATTYE ROSE IN HIS STIRRUPS AND THUNDERED FORTH
THE ORDER TO CHARGE 160

THE REBEL REELED AGAINST THE WALL 336