Historical novel set in India in the 18th century. The Preface begins: "
In the following pages I have endeavoured to give a vivid picture of
the wonderful events of the ten years, which at their commencement saw
Madras in the hands of the French--Calcutta at the mercy of the Nabob
of Bengal--and English influence apparently at the point of extinction
in India--and which ended in the final triumph of the English, both in
Bengal and Madras. There were yet great battles to be fought, great
efforts to be made, before the vast Empire of India fell altogether
into British hands; but these were but the sequel of the events I have
described." According to Wikipedia: "George Alfred Henty (8 December 1832 - 16 November 1902), referred to as G. A. Henty, was a prolific English novelist, special correspondent, and Imperialist born in Trumpington, Cambridgeshire, England. He is best known for his historical adventure stories that were popular in the late 19th century. His works include Out on the Pampas (1871), The Young Buglers (1880), With Clive in India (1884) and Wulf the Saxon (1895)."