In1857,IndiantroopsinBritishserviceroseagainstBritishrule.ThemutinyspreadthroughoutnorthIndia,andtheBritishgarrisonatLucknowwasbesieged.Itwasvitalthatthedefendersmaintainedabsolutevigilanceduringtheseigeforfearofbeingoverrunshouldtheyrelax.
OneBritishsoldier,Metcalfe,foundtheReverendHarris'slittledognamedBustleveryuseful.BustlewouldaccompanyMetcalfeonhiswatch,andifheshouldbecomedrowsythedogbithistrousersandshookthemvigorouslyuntilheawoke.BothBustleandMetcalfesurvivedthesiege.MetcalfestayedinIndiafortwomoreyearsbeforereturningtoAldershot,wherehesawonedayalittledogrunningtowardshim.ItwasBustle,whohadrecognisedMetcalfeimmediately.
一八五七年，英軍印度部隊叛變，反抗英國統治。叛亂蔓延整個印度北部，勒克瑙的英國駐軍被圍攻。攻城期間，守軍必須非常警覺，否則會被攻陷。
一個英兵叫梅特卡夫，發覺哈利斯牧師養的小狗巴斯爾很有用。巴斯爾常陪伴梅特卡夫值崗，見到梅特卡夫睏乏欲睡，就會咬住他的褲子猛搖，把他搖醒。巴斯爾和梅特卡夫終於都安然度過這場圍城戰。梅特卡夫在印度繼續逗留了兩年，然後回到英國奧爾德肖特。有一天，他看見一隻小狗向他跑來，原來是巴斯爾：這隻小狗一眼就認出了梅特卡夫。
【附注】這場印度兵變英文叫IndianMutiny，直接起因是英國印度部隊認為分發他們的子彈是塗了動物脂肪，觸犯印度教大忌。勒克瑙被困五個月之後才解圍。