The Subadar Major was then told to arrest the mutineer, but he took no notice whatever of the order.

This Native officer had been upwards of forty years in the regiment and was entitled to his full pension.

He had been a member of the Court-Martial which tried the pandit, and, though a Brahmin himself, had given his vote in favour of the prisoner being hanged; moreover he was a personal friend of all the officers.

Stewart, who had been for many years Adjutant, knew him intimately, and believed implicitly in his loyalty.

The man had constantly discussed the situation with Stewart and others, and had been mainly instrumental in disarming the sepoys who had passed through Aligarh; and yet when the hour of trial came he failed as completely as the last-joined recruit.
The British officers went amongst their men and tried to keep order, but the excitement rapidly spread; some of the young soldiers began to load, and the older ones warned the officers that it was time for them to be off.