He had not been permitted to communicate with his friends on shore, but had been kept in close confinement, until he had been put in uniform and conveyed on board the Lizzie Anderson, half an hour before she sailed.
The Company's service was not a popular one.

There was no fighting in India, and neither honor, glory, nor promotion to be won.

The climate was unsuited to Europeans, and few, indeed, of those who sailed from England as soldiers in the Company's service ever returned.

The Company, then, were driven to all sorts of straits to keep up even the small force which they then maintained in India, and their recruiting agents were, by no means, particular as to the means they employed to make up the tale of recruits.
The vessels did not again communicate until they came to anchor in Madras roads, as the wind was fair and Captain Thompson anxious to arrive at his destination.

During these few days, Tim Kelly had followed Charlie about like a shadow.