!i. JM :r'V'^^'4^j^^m. DRAW SWORDS! WB, S^ £^kt Sund ay School U nion. SCHOLARS' SCRIPTURE i^^^ EXAMINATION ^^^)^ fT? I i I i vi DIVISION ...riivMf. Awarded to iW^^Jll 0:^^n^sal,U^ "^^^^R^ S UNDAY SCHOO L, ^^^' """•••'•■a ••••>■ ;/"'^B^S? J "^1 swM ilic lilailu of a tulwar fell (|iiivL'riiig on the iiiai-l^lo floor. f'-S- Page ;«3. DRAW SWORDS! IN THE HORSE ARTILLERY BY G. MANVILLE FENN AUTHOR OF 'nic revel,' 'vince the rebel,' 'the black tor,' ' roy royland,' 'the kajah of dah,' etc. WITH EIGHT ILLUSTRATIONS BY "W. H. C. GROOIVIK LONDON : 38 Solio Sqiiai'c, W. W. & R. CHAMBERS, T.i m ited EDINBURGH : 339 High Street Edinburgh : Printed by W, & R. Chambers, Limited. COl^TENTS. CHAPTER PAGE I. A FEATHER IN HIS CAP 1 II. FINE FEATHERS MAKE FINE BIRDS 9 III. CHUMS ! 15 IV. SUCH A BOY! 25 V. A TEST OF PLUCK 34 VI. PUTTING THROUGH THE FACES 43 VII. A BEAST OF A TEMPER 50 VIII. 'THAT YOUNG CHAP 'S ALL THERE!' GO IX. A BOY AT HOME 68 X. HIS MONKEY UP 74 XI. BLACK BOB 80 XII. wvatt's sermon 90 XIII. HANSON PLAYS THE FOOL 95 XIV. OUT OF HIS CAGE 102 XV. avyatt's old father 108 XVI. A SPECIAL PLEADER 116 XVII. ON SERVICE 131 XVril. A ROYAL DINNER-PARTY 147 XIX. IN ACTION 155 XX. PLAYING THE DOCTOR 172 XXI. SERGEANT STUBBS OPENS HIS EYES 181 XXII. HOW THE GUNS WORKED 192 XXIII. DIFFERKNCES of OPINION 198 XXIV. FRIENDS AND ENEMIES 210 XXV. SLEEPING WITH YOUR WINDOAV OPEN 222 XXVI. A SMELL OK OIL 235 XXVI I. A DISTURBED NIGHT 244 XXVHL TIIK WOUK OF THE ENEMY 253 VI CONTENTS. CHAPTER PAOE XXIX. 'HOT BOILKO UEANS ' 261 XXX. A DASTAUni.V ACT 271 XXXI. PROMPT ACTION 281 XXXII. MOTHER AND SON 289 XXXIII. WYATT SMOKES THE HUBBLE-BUBBLE 301 XXXIV. SERGEANT STUBBS IS CURIOUS 309 XXXV. IN THE LABYRINTH 320 XXXVI. ROBBERY 327 XXXVII. WHAT DICK SAW 332 XXXVril. THE SEARCH FOR THE JEWELS 339 XXXIX. DISMISSED 345 XL. THE WAZIR AT WORK 352 XLI. FRIENDS OR ENEMIES? 365 XLIL A CONFESSION 376 XLIIL ' PALMAM QUI ' 379 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. PAGE The blade of a tulwar fell quivering on the marble floor. Frontisjnece ' Will you let go of the young sahib's leg, oh first cousin of ten thousand demons?' shrieked the man 39 He reared up till it seemed as if he must go over backward 61 'I am glad to welcome you, sir,' said the Rajah 143 There was a yell of rage, and they tore on faster 196 •Are you hurt, Wyatt?' cried Dick, catching him by the arm... 256 ' A rrest those men, ' cried Wyatt to the two guards 279 ' But he ran the Wazir through first, and saved your life' 366 BOOKS BY G. MANVILLE FENN. TENTION ! A Story of Boy-life during the Peninsular War. With Eight UUistrHtiuiu by O. ftl. Sueldon fi/- SHOULDEE ARMSl AVith Eight Illustrations by W. H. C. Groome 5/- GLYN SEVKKX'S SCHOOL- DAYS. With Eight Illustrations by Chab. I^AKS 5/- STAN LYNN: A Boy's Adventures iu China. With Eight Illustrations by W. H. C. Grooms 6/* THE KOPJE GARRISON. With Eight Illustrations by W. Bohuhrr 6/- CHAKGE I A Story of Briton and Boer. With Eiglit Illustrations by W. H. C. Gkoomb 6/- FIX BAY'NETS ! or, The Regiment In the Hills. With Eight lUustrationa by W. H. C. Gkoome 6/- DRAW SWORDS 1 In the Horse Artillery. With Eight Illustrations by W. U. C. Geoome C/- VINCE TIIK REBEL; or. The Sanctuary in the Bog. With Eight lUu.'i- trations by W. H. C. Groome 5/- DIAMOND DYKE; or, The Lone Faiui on the Veldt. With Eight Illus- trations by W. Boucher 0/- REAL GOLD : A Story of Adventure. With Eight Illustrations by W. S. Stacey S/- TEAPPED BY MALAYS: A Talo of Bayonet and Kris. With Eight Illustrations by Stkvkn Spurrier 8/6 WALSH, THE WONDEE-WOEKEE. With Eight Iliustratious by W. H. C. Groome 3/6 THE BLACK TOR : A Tale of the Reign of James I. With Eight Illus- trations by W. S. Stacey 3/6 ROY ROYLAND; or. The Young Castellan. With Eight lllustiations by W. BuUCHEK 3/6 NIC REVEL: A White Slave's Adventures in Alligator Land. With Six Iliiwtrations by W. H. C. Groomk 3/6 THE RAJAH OF DAH. With Six Illustrations by W. S. Stacey S/6 THE DINGO BOYS ; or. The Squatters of Wallaby Range. With Six Illus- trations by W. S. Stacev 2/8 BEOUMBAGH : A Tale of the Indi.m Mutiny ; and other Stories, lllust. . .1/6 W. Sl R. Cuambeks, LiMiTKi), London and Eoinblroh. DRAW SWORDS! CHAPTER I. A FEATHER IN HIS CAP. |H, I say, what a jolly shame ! ' ' Get out ; it 's all gammon. Likely.' ' I believe it 's true. Dick Darrell 's a regular pet of Sir George Hemsworth.' ' Yes ; the old story — kissing goes by favour.' 'I shall cut the service. It 's rank favouritism.' ' I shall write home and tell my father to get the thing show^n up in the House of Commons.' ' Wh}'', he 's only been out here a year.' Richard Darrell, a w^ell-grown boy of seventeen, pretty well tanned by the sun of India, stood fluslied with annoyance, looking sharply from one speaker to another as ho stood in the broad veranda of the officers' quarters in the Roumwallah Cantonments in the northern portion of the Bengal Presidenc3^ the hcadiiuartt-i.s (jf the artillery belonging to the Honour- 2 A FEATHER IN HIS CAP. able the East India Company, commonly personiiied as ' John Company of Leadenhall Street.' It was over sixty years ago, in the days when, after a careful training at the Company's college near Croydon, young men, or, to be more correct, boys who had made their marks, received their commission, and were sent out to join the batteries of artillery, by whose means more than anything else the Company had by slow degrees conquered and held the greater part of the vast country now fully added to the empire and ruled over by the Queen. It was a common affair then for a lad who had been a schoolboy of sixteen, going on with his studies one day, to find himself the next, as it were, a commis- sioned officer, ready to start for the East, to take his position in a regiment and lead stalwart men, either in the artillery or one of the native regiments; though, of course, a great deal of the college training had been of a military stamp. This was Richard Darrell's position one fine autumn morning a year previous to the opening of this nar- rative. He had bidden farewell to father, mother, and Old England, promised to do his duty like a man, and sailed for Calcutta, joined his battery, served steadily in it for a j^ear, and now stood in his quiet artillery undress uniform in that veranda, looking like a strange dog being bayed at by an angry pack. The pack consisted of young officers of his own age and under. There was not a bit of whisker to be seen ; and as to moustache, not a lad could show half as much as Dick, while his wouldn't have made a respectable eyebrow for a little girl of four. Dick was flushed with pleasurable excitement, A FEATHER IN HIS CAP. 8 doubly flushed with auger ; but he kept his temper down, and let his companions bully and hector and fume till they were tired. Then he gave an important-looking blue letter he held a bit of a wave, and said, ' It 's no use to be jealous.' ' Pooh ! Who 's jealous — and of you ? ' said the smallest boy present, one who had very high heels to his boots. ' That 's too good.' ' For, as to being a favourite with the general, he has never taken the slightest notice of me since I joined.' ' There, that '11 do,' said one of the party ; ' a man can't help feeling disappointment. Every one is sure to feel so except the one who gets the stroke of luck. I say, " Hurrah for Dick Darrell ! " ' The others joined in congratulations now. *I say, old chap, though," said one, 'what a swell you '11 be!' ' Yes ; won't he ? We shall run against him capering about on his spirited Arab, while we poor fellows are trudging along in the hot sand behind the heavy guns.' * Don't cut us, Dick, old chap,' said another. * He won't ; he 's not that sort,' cried yet another. ' I say, we must give him a good send-off.' ' When are you going ? ' ' The despatch says as soon as possible.' ' But what troop are you to join ? ' ' The Sixth.' ' The Sixth ! 1 know ; at Vallumbagh. Why, that 's the crack battery, where the fellows polish the guns and never go any slower than a racing gallop. I say, you are in luck. Well, I am glad 1 ' 4 A FEATHER IN HIS CAP. The next minute every one present ^Yas ready to declare tlie same thing, and for the rest of that day the young officei- to whom the good stroke of fortune had come hardly knew whether he stood upon his head or heels. The next morning he was summoned to the general's quarters, the quiet, grave-looking officer telling him that, as an encouragement for his steady application to master his profession, he had been selected to fill a vacancy ; that the general hoped his progress in the horse brigade would be as marked as it had been hitherto; and advising him to see at once about his fresh uniform and accoutrements, which could follow him afterwards, for he was to be prepared to accom- pany the general on his march to Vallumbagh, which would be commenced the very next day. Dick was not profuse in thanks or promises, but listened quietly, and, when expected to speak, he merely said that he would do his best. 'That is all that is expected of you, Mr Darrell,' said the general, giving him a friendly nod. ' Then, as you have many preparations to make, and I have also, I will not detain you.' Dick saluted, and was leaving, when a sharp ' Stop ! ' arrested him. 'You will want a horse. I have been thinking about it, and you had better wait till you get to Vallumbagh, where, no doubt, the officers of the troop will help you to make a choice. They will do this, for they have had plenty of experience, and are careful to keep up the prestige of the troop for perfection of drill and speed.' 'No one would think he had been an old school- fellow of my father/ said Dick to himself as he went A FEATHER IN HIS CAP. 5 out; 'he takes no more notice of me than of any other fellow.' But the general was not a demonstrative man. The preparations were soon made, the most impor- tant to Richard Darrell beinoj his visit to the tailor who supplied most of the officers with their uniforms. The little amount of packing was soon done, and, after the farewell dinner had been given to those leaving the town, the time came when the young subaltern took his place in the general's train, to follow the detachment of foot artillery which had marched with their suns and bao[ofao[e-train for Vallumbacrh, where the general was taking charge, and preparations in the way of collecting troops were supposed to be going on. Travelling was slow and deliberate in those days before railways, and the conveniences and comforts, such as they were, had to be carried by the travellers themselves; but in this case the J^oung officer found his journey novel and pleasant. For it was the cool season ; the dust was not quite so horrible as it might have been, and the tent arrangements were carried out so that a little camp was formed every evening; and this was made the more pleasant for the general's staff by the fact that there were plenty of native servants, and one of the most important of these was the general's cook. But still the journey grew monotonous, over far- stretching plains, across sluggish rivers ; and it was with a feeling of thankfulness, after many days' journey, always north and west, that Richard Darrell learned that they would reach their destination the next morning before tlie heat of the day set in. That morning aliout ten o'clock they were met 6 A FEATHER IN HIS CAB. a few miles short of the town, which they could see through a haze of dust, with its temples and minarets, by a party of officers who had ridden out to welcome the general, and who announced that the detachment of artillery had marched in during the night with the heavy guns, elephants, and bullock-wagons. In the evening, after meeting the officers of his troop at the mess-table and not being very favourably impressed, Richard Darrell took possession of his quarters in the barracks overlooking the broad parade-ground, and, utterly tired out, lay down to sleep once more under a roof, feeling dreary, despondent, and utterly miserable. ' India 's a wretched, desolate place,' he thought as he lay listening to the hum of insects, and the night felt breathless and hot. He wished himself back among his old companions at Roumwallah, for everything now was depressing and strange. A couple of hours later he was wishing himself back at the old military college in England, and when midnight arrived without a wink of sleep he began to think of his old country home, and how different a soldier's life was, with its dreary routine, to the brilliant pictures he had conjured up as a boy ; for everything so far in his twelvemonth's career had been horribly uneventful and tame. At last, when he had arrived at the most despondent state possible to a lad of his years — when his skin felt hot and feverish, and his pillow and the one sheet which covered him seemed to be composed of some irritating material which grew hotter and hotter — a pleasant moisture broke out all over him, bringing with it a sudden sense of confusion from which he slipjiL'd into nothingness, and slept rcstfull}' till the A FEATHER IN HIS CAP. 7 morning bngle rang out, when he started from his bed wondering where he was. Then it all came back, and he was bathing and dressinor long- before he needed to leave his couch, but the desire for sleep was gone. He had to nerve himself to master as manfully as he could the horribly- depressing feeling of strangeness ; for the oflBcers he had for companions in the journey were with their own company, quite away from his quarters, and his new companions were men who would look down upon him for being such a boy ; and at last he found himself wishing that he had been able to keep as he was, for the honour and glory of belonging to the dashing troop of horse artillery seemed to be nothing better than an empty dream. The next three days were days of desolation to the lad, for he was left, as he expressed it, horribly alone. There was a good deal of business going on in the settling of the new-comers in the barracks, and his new brother-officers were away with the troop. He knew nobody ; nobody seemed to know him, or to want to know him. There was the native town to see, but it did not attract him ; and there were moments when he longed to go to the general, his father's friend, and besx that he miofht be sent back to his old company. But then there were moments when he came to his senses again and felt that this was folly; but he could not get rid of a strange longing to be back home once more. Then he grew better all at once ; the troop of horse artillery filed into the barrack -yard, and he hurried out to look at the men, horses, and guns, whose aspect chilled him, for they were in undress and covered with perspiration and dust. There was nothing attractive 8 A feathkr in his cap. or i;"loi'ioiis about, tlioin, and he went back to his quarters with liis heart sinking once more. Then it rose again with a jump, for his native servant mot him at the door, showing his white teeth in a broad smile, to inform the sahib that the cases had come ; and there tliey were, witli each bearing liis name branded thereon : ' Lieutenant Ricliard Darrell, Bengal Horse Artillery.' ' Hah ! ' It was a loud expiration of the breath, and the lad felt better already'-. Those cases had come from the regimental tailor's, a long journey across the plains, and looked very ordinary, and cumbered the room ; but then there were the contents — medicine to tlie disconsolate lad at a time like that — a tonic which completely carried the depression away. CHAPTER II. FINE FEATHERS MAKE FINE BIRDS. pICHARD DARRELL was not a vain or conceited lad, but the time had arrived when he could not help feeling like a young peacock. He had gone on for a long- time in his ordinary dowdy plumage, till one fine spring day the dull feathers began to drop out, and there was a flash here and a sfleam there — a bit of blue, a bit of gold, a bit of purple and violet, and golden green and ruddy bronze — and he was strutting along in the sunshine in tlie full panoply of his gorgeous feathers, from the tuft on his head to the grand argus-eyed train which slants from the back, and is carried so gingerly that the tips may not be sullied by the dirt ; all which makes him feel that he is a bird right glorious to behold. And the day had come when, in the secrecy of his own room, Dick was about to moult from the simple uniform of the foot and preparatory days into the splendid full dress of the Bengal Horse Artillery, a commission in which was a distinction, a feather in any young soldier's cap. Call it vanity, what you will ; but it was a glorious 10 FINE FEATHERS MAKE FINE BIRDS. sensation, that which caine over Dick, and he would have been a strangely unnatural lad if he had not felfc excited. No wonder that he shut himself up for the first full enjoyment of the sensation alone, though perhaps there was a feeling of dread that he might be laughed at by any one who saw him for the first time, since he was painfully conscious of being very young and slight and smooth-faced, although there was a sug- gestion of something coming up on the narrow space just beneath his nose. Those things did not come from the military tailor's in common brown-paper parcels, but in special japanned tin cases, with his naine in white letters and ' R.H.A.' How everything smelt of newness ! The boxes even had their odour. It was not a scent, nor was it un- pleasant — it was, as the classic term goes, sm generis ; and what a rustle there was in the silver tissue-paper which wrapped the garments ! But he did not turn to them first, for his natural instinct led him to open the long case containing his new sabre, which was taken out, glittering in its polish, and glorious with the golden knot so neatly arranged about the hilt. It felt heavy — too heavy, for it was a full-grown sabre ; and when he drew it glistening from its sheath, he felt that there was not muscle enough in his arm for its proper management. ' But that will come,' he said to himself as he drew it slowly till the point was nearly bare, and then slowly thrust it back, when, pulling himself together, he flashed it out with a rasping sound, to hold it up to attention. FINE FEATHERS MAKE FINE BIRDS. 11 Yes, it was heavy and long, but not too long for a mounted man, and the hilt well balanced its length. Nothing could have been better, and, after restoring it to its scabbard, he attached it to the slings of the handsome belt and laid it aside upon the bed. The cartouche-box and cross-belt followed, and were examined with the most intense interest. He had «een them before as worn by officers, but this one looked brighter, newer, and more beautiful, for it was his very own, and it went slowly and reluctantly to take its place beside the sword upon the bed. For there was the sabretache to examine and admire, with its ornate embossings and glittering embroidery, ' Pity it all costs so much,' said Dick to himself as he thouglit of his father, the quiet doctor, at home; ' but then one won't want anything of this kind new again for years to come, and aunt has paid for this.' But soon he forgot all about the cost ; there was no room in his mind for such a thing, with all that military panoply before his eyes. He had to buckle on the belt, too, and walk to and fro with the sabre- tache flapping against his leg, while he felt strange and awkward ; but that was of no consequence, for a side-peep in the looking-glass showed that it appeared magnificent. He was about to unbuckle the belt and take it oft', but hesitated, feeling that it would not be in his way. But the boy was strong-minded ; he had made up his mind to try everything separately, and he determined to keep to his plan. So the belt was taken off, sabretache and all, and the case opened to draw out that jacket. Yes, that jacket "with its gorgeous cross-braiding of gold forming quite a cuirass over the padded breast, 12 FIXE FEATHERS MAKE FINE BIRDS. and runnin-^ in cord« and lines and scrolls over the seams at the back and about the collar and cuffs. It was heavy, and was certain to be very hot to wear, especially in the tremendous heat of India and the violent effort of riding at a furious gallop. But what of that ? Who would mind heat in a uniform so brilliant ? The jacket was laid down with a sigh of satis- faction, and the breeches taken up. There is not much to be admired in a pair of breeches, be they ever so well cut ; but still they were satisfactory, for, in their perfect whiteness, they threw up the beauty of the jacket and made a most effective contrast with the high, black jack-boots — the uniform of the Bengal Horse Artillery-man of those days being a compromise between that of our own corps and a Life Guardsman. The temptation was strong to try the white gar- ments, and then draw on the high, black boots in their pristine glossiness ; but that was deferred till a more convenient season, for there was the capital of the human column to examine — that glistening, gorgeous helmet of gilded metal, with its i-)rotecting Roman pattern conib, surmounted by a plume of scarlet horsehair, to stream right back and wave and .spread over the burnished metal, to cool and shade from the torrid beams of the sun, while the front bore its decoration of leopard - skin, emblematic of the fierce swiftness of the animal's attack and the dash and power of the Flying Artillery, that arm of the service which had done so much in the subjugation of the warlike potentates of India and their savage armies. It was almost idol-worship, and Dick's cheeks wore a heightened colour as he examined his casque inside FIXE FEATHERS MAKE FINE BIRDS. 13 and out, gave it a wave in the air to make the plume swish, tapped it with his knuckles, and held it at arm's-length as proudly as any young knight of old donning his helmet for the first time. At last he put it on, adjusted the scaled chin-strap, gave his head a shake to see if it fitted on tightly, and then turned to the glass and wished, ' Oh, if they could only see me now ! ' But tliey were far away in the little Devon town, where Dr Darrell went quietly on with his daily tasks as a general practitioner, and JMrs Dan-ell sighed as she performed her domestic duties and counted the days that must elapse before the next mail came in, wondering whether it would bring a letter from her boy in far-away Bengal, and feeling many a motherly shiver of dread about fevers and cholera and wounds, and accidents with horses, or cannons which might go off when her boy was in front. And the boy made all this fuss about a suit of clothes and the accoutrements just brought to his quarters from the military tailor's. Does any lad who reads this mentally exclaim, with an accompanying look of contempt, ' What a vain, weak, conceited ass Dick Darrell must have been ! Why, if under such circumstances I had received the uniform I should have behaved very differently, and treated it all as a mere matter of course.' At seventeen? Hum ! ha ! perhaps so. It would be rude for me, the writer, to say, ' I don't believe you, my lad,' but one cannot help thinking something of the kind, for wo all have a touch of vanity in our composition ; and ns for the uniform of the Bengal Horse Artillery, there was not a man who did not wear it with a feeling of pride. 14 FINE FEATHERS MAKE FINE BIRDS. Dick tell proud (Mioii^h iis he gazed in the glass k> see a good-looking, sun-browned i'ace surmounted by that magnificent helmet; but the lad's head was screwed on the right way, and he was not one of those mIio were turned out when fools were being made. For, as he gazed at himself and admired his noble helmet and plume, his proud delight was dashed with disappointment. *I 've got such a little face,' he said to himself, ' and it's so smooth and boyish. I seem so young and thin. I wish I hadn't tried so hard to get appointed to the horse brigade. I shall look ridiculous beside all those great, finely-built men. I wonder whether they '11 laugh. Well, it 's too late now. I wish I could go back home for two years to do nothing but grow.' Dick had gone through everything, even to the gloves, and was having a fight with the desire to try everything on at once, when there was a sharp rap at his door, the handle was turned, and a manly voice shouted : ' May I come in ? ' CHAPTER III. chums! |EFOR.E an answer could be given the door was thrown open, and a brother-officer strode into the room in the shape of Lieutenant Wyatt, a tall, broad-chested fellow of seven or eight and twenty, a man whom nature had endowed with a tremendous moustache, all that was allowed to grow of a prolific beard. Dick turned scarlet as he faced his visitor, who looked sharply round and burst into a hearty fit of laughter. ' Hullo, shrimp ! ' he cried. ' What ! have I caught you?' ' I don't know what you mean,' said Dick sulkily. ' Of course you don't. Get out, you wicked young fibster. You have not been inspecting your new plumage — not you ! Trying on, and having a good look in the glass, have you ?' ' Well, if I have, what then ? ' said Dick fiercely. ' Cock-a-doodle-doo ! ' cried the visitor, after giving a very fair imitation of the challenge of a game-fowl. ' Hark at him ! Oh, the fierceness of the ncwly-fle manoeuvre ? ' ' Yes, yes, dear boy,' cried Wyatt enthusiasticall3^ ' ISplendid ! Magnificent ! Miles of galloping-ground. ON SERVICE. 141 Ready to begin now if the enemy would come in sight.' 'There you are, then,' cried Dick, i-ising in his stirrups ; ' look yonder.' He pointed right away, and his companions shaded their eyes, and made out in the distance the glint of arms in the sunshine ; and, as the order was given to halt, the officers made out that a large body of horse was coming in their direction. Satisfied of this, the captain gave the order for the troop to advance, the baggage-train being halted where they were, with the few men appointed for their o;uard. ' Now then, Dick,' said Wyatt as they trotted on, ' this is rirdit. Hulton wants to get us more out in the open. Yes, that 's right ; he 's making for that low mound, from which we could sweep the plain in all directions. That 's soldierly. See ? ' ' Yes, I see,' replied Dick ; ' but these may be friends corning to meet us.' 'Of course they may, and we shall be none the worse for being prepared. But, by the same rule, they may be enemies, and we shall be all the better for being ready to receive them.' In less than an hour all doubts were solved by the advance of a little detachment of well-mounted men, who announced that the Rajah was coming himself to meet his friends with all his horse; and soon after the glittering array in attendance on the groat chief, mounted in a silver howdah upon a huge elephant, nearly covered with cloth of gold, and with tusks painted and banded with the precious metal, rode up. It was a sight which riveted all eyes — the Rajah's 142 ON SERVICE. officers olittoiiui;- with jewels and splendidly aviayed, while the Rajah himself, a handsome, dark -eyed man, was in simple, snow-white muslin and white puggree, his sole ornament being a diamond clasp over his forehead, from which rose a delicate white eoret plume. It was like a procession of hundreds of years before, many of the mounted men wearing small steel caps with spiked top and face-guard, while from all round the back depended a protective curtain of the finest chain-armour. Many of them, too, wore shirts of mail, fitting tight to the body, and without excep- tion they carried light, curved tulwars and round shields. In undress uniform, covered and begrimed with sweat and dust, it seemed to Dick that their troop cut a sorry figure beside the Rajah's force ; and he looked sharply from one to the other of the haughty- looking chiefs on their handsome but undersized horses, fully expecting to see an air of sneering- contempt upon their faces as they looked down upon the little auxiliary force which had come to join them. But he soon saw that he was wrong. The Rajah and his party were men of war, and their eyes glittered with satisfaction as they roamed over the splendidly mounted, stalwart, picked men who rode with the guns, knowing, as they did from hearsay, what a tremendous power these light six-pounders were in the hands of the highly-drilled troop. They knew that the troop meant work, and possibly the saving of their country from a dangerous foe ; and there was no mistaking the spontaneous, wild burst of welcome given in long-continued acclamations. l>. «. 1 ' r am glad to wulcoiiie you, cir,' !-ailans for being in alliance witli the English — a task, as yet, far from being accomplished. The old palace, under W^'att's eye, Imd become a strong little fort, well provided with ammunition and 212 FRIENDS AND ENEMIES. provisions, so that they were well prepared in case of a siege, either from within or without the walls, though there were no signs of a fresh attack on the part of the Singh people, while the attitude of the natives within the city had ceased to be menacing. The result was that the orders respecting the men's going about liad ceased to be stringent. Dick took advantage of this in his natural desire to see all he possibly could of the place and of the people, a ramble being more pleasant now that it could be taken without seeing scowling looks, and hearing knife-armed men cursino- aloud at the dog of an infidel who dared to profane the streets with his presence. On the raornino; that the above short conversation took place, he rose from the table to take his puggree- covered cap from where it hung. ' Where are you going, my son ? ' said Wyatt, with an Eastern metaphoric style which he sometimes put on. ' Just to say a word or two to Hulton, and then I 'm going to have a look at the big temple.' ' What for ? ' 'To see it. One of the men told me it was very curious inside.' ' Who told you ? ' ' Hanson.* ' Humph ! That letting-off and his wounds seem to have done that ruffian good. I didn't know that he was the sort of fellow to visit temples. What's to be seen ? ' ' I hardly know ; only that it 's a wonderful place inside, with a gigantic bronze figure of that fat Indian god with the elephant's head.' ' You '11 wear your side-arms ? ' ' Of course.' FRIENDS AND ENEMIES. 213 'Don't let the priests do anything to you for pro- faning their place. If they kill 3^011, I promise yon, though, that I '11 blow the temple up, if that 's any comfort to you.' ' Oh, thank you ; that is good of you ! ' cried Dick, laughing. ' Now, I call that friendly.' ' Don't chaff. You mind what you are about, and take care of yourself. If you are not back in three hours from now, I shall call out half the troop and come in search of you.' * Mounted ? ' said Dick mockingly. 'Bah!' ' And with a couple of guns ? ' ' Be off at once before it gets hotter. I want to go and see Hulton m3^self.' As the call on the captain was more to keep him from feeling dull tlian anything else, Dick buckled on his sword, crossed the court, acknowledged the sentry's salute, and passed out, to go vip and down several crooked streets, at the end of one of which, as he was crossing from the sunny to the shady side of the way, he noticed something which made him stop short and turn as soon as he had passed round a corner, when he met Hanson, now quite convalescent, face to face. The man looked staggered at the unexpected meet- ing, but drew himself up and saluted. 'There you are again, then, Hanson,' said Dick sharply. 'Yes, sir. Tlie doctor said I was not to return to duty for a few days longer, and I have a pass.' ' So I suppose, or you would not be out,' said Diclc. 'But now, look here, Han.son ; no nonsense — I want, tlie truth. For the past week whenever 1 've gone out fur a stroll yuu 've followed me.' 214 FRIENDS AND ENKMIES. ' I had leave to be out, sir,' said tlie man evasively. ' I know that ; but you 've been following niu.' ' I am quite strange to the place, sir.' ' That's gammon,' said Dick, who in his fit of annoy- ance did not carefully select his words. The man was silent. ' What 's that you 'vc got buttoned up under your fatigue -jacket ? ' ' Pistol, sir.' * Yes ; I could see it was. Loaded ? ' ' Yes, sir.' ' And what 's that stuck doAvn inside your overalls on the left side ? ' ' Bayonet, sir.' ' Sharp ? ' ' Yes, sir — very.' ' Well, look here, my good fellow, I 'm not a baby.' 'No, sir.' ' And I don't like to be treated as if I were one. Who sent you ? ' No answer. ' Look here ; I will knoAV the truth. Captain W'yatt told you to arm yourself and always keep me in rsight ? ' ' No, sir.' ' Is that the truth ? ' ' Yes, sir.' ' Then who did turn j^ou into my bodyguard ? ' Still no answer. ' Will you speak, sir, or am I to go back and investigate the mattr-r ? ' ' I'll speak, .sir.' ' Very well, then, who sent j'ou ? Mr Stubbs ?' ' No, sir. Onl}^ Private Hanson.' Dick frowned and stared. FRIENDS AND ENEMIES. 215 ' What ! ' he said at last. ' Did you do this out of your own head ? ' ' Yes, sir, I beg pardon, but I am having a good deal of liberty just now as a convalescent.' 'And you abuse it by taking an unwarrantable liberty with one of your officers ! ' cried Dick hotly. ' I hope not, sir,' said Hanson, with a faint smile. ' I don't think you know how dangerous it is for you to be out as j'ou are, alone.' ' Pish ! I have my sword.' ' A sword is of no use for parrying a cowardly stab in the back.' ' Of course not ; but there is no danger now the people have become friendly.' ' Only on the surface, sir. The fire has been smothered down for a while, but it is smouldering, and ready to burst out the moment it is fanned.' Dick looked at him curiously. ' So you don't want me to get a knife in my back ? ' ' I 'd sooner have it in my own, sir,' cried the man earnestly. ' It really is very dangerous, sir. Don't be angry with me, even if it is a liberty for a private to take with his officer. — Mr Darrell.' ' Well ? ' ' You asked me to do something once.' ' I did, Hanson ; and so far you have done it well.' ' Then, do this now for me, sir. I couldn't bear the tliought of you going about as you do, and I couldn't sleep for the horrible thought al\va3\s with me.' ' What horrible thoughts ' I seemed to see you being carried back into quarters dead — murdered ; and I felt that I might stop your gallant young career from being cut short — at any rate, that I might try.' 216 FRIENDS AND ENT.MIES. ' Even to receiving the imaginary blow yourself, eh?' ' Well, yes, sir,' said the man, smiling sadly. ' I think I could be better spared than you.' There was so much sincerity in the man's tones, so much earnestness in his way of speaking, that Dick felt moved, and his manner changed. ' You 've been ill, Hanson, and you are still weak.' ' Oh, no, sir ; I could take my place with the gun at any time now.' ' I 'm glad of it. But you fancy things.' Hanson shook his head. ' There is no such danger now.' Hanson smiled meaningly. ' What do you mean ? ' ' Only this, sir,' said the man, taking a step nearer, and laying a linger on his shoulder. ' What of that — a tear in the flannel, sewn up ? ' ' Not a tear, sir — a cut from a sharp knife that was stuck in there from behind.' ' When ? ' ' The night before last, sir.' ' What ! were you wounded ? ' ' Only scratched, sir. The aim was bad, and I started when I seemed to feel something coming, so that the blade went down along by my arm.' ' Good heavens ! ' cried Dick, ' we never heard of this.' * No, sir ; I didn't want to be in the doctor's hands again, and my leave stopped. Besides, a bit of sticking-plaster was enough, for it was only the skin divided. I shouldn't have told anybody now, only I was obliged.' ' This is serious, Hanson,' said Dick thoughtfully. FRIENDS AND ENEMIES. 217 'Very, sir; and it shows the need for care. I will not be obtrusive, only follow you pretty close.' * But it makes me seem like a coward.' ' There is nothing cowardly in taking precautions to preserve one's life, sir.' ' Well, no,' said Dick thoughtfullJ^ ' Then I may come, sir ? ' 'Yes, for I will not alter my plans,' replied Dick. ' You astound me, though.' ' I am glad you feel the truth, sir. Quite half the people like us, and are for the king ; but the rest are — well, sir, it 's like having the ground mined under our feet, I 'm sure.' Dick nodded, looked full in the man's eyes for a moment or two, turned, and went on without a word. The next minute he was at the entrance of a large, highly ornate, and wonderfully-carved Hindu temple, into which he passed unquestioned as one of the conquerors of the place ; but, glancing round, he saw several white-robed men of the priestly caste advance to stop liis follower. ' My attendant,' he said sharply in Hindustani, and the priests fell buck, while from out of the gloom in front, where the outlines of a huge, elephant-headed monster towered up from floor to ceiling, a white- robed per.sonage slowly approached, followed at a short distance by a train of a couple of dozen priests, to meet the visitor, who was taken round the build- ing, the leader of the party speaking eagerly, and evidently striving to make himself agreeable to the young ofliccr, who had more than once encountered liim at the Kajah's, and knew him for tho chief leader of the Brahniinical religion in Soojeepur. 218 FRIENDS AND ENEMIES. At first he confined himself to pointing out and cxplaininiif the various objects of interest to the visitor — tlie many heathen gods, their names and attributes — in a frank, easy way tliat made his nar- rative highly interesting. Then he showed and de- scribed and spoke of the value of tl)e various precious stones which adorned the great figures, all offerings from the pious for the benefit of the temple, which was extremely rich in treasures. But by degrees, as the objects undescribed grew less, the old Brahmin's remarks became more friendly and confidential, and he began to make allusions to their first meeting at the Rajah's palace. ' Ah,' he said, ' it is not long ago, but in a short time one learns so much. I looked upon you then — you and your brother-officers and people — as being terrible enemies of our reliijion. We had been told that you would come and ruin and destroy and take awaj'' all the treasures of the temple here. And then I hated you, and felt that it would be a good and pious thing to destroy all your lives, while now we have all lived to find that the treasures of the temple have been respected and remain untouched, and that the Rajah was right — that the English really are our friends.' Dick listened and made suitable replies, and went on conversing with the smooth-tongued old Brahmin, but all the time he recalled Wyatt's doubts and the terrible words he had heard that morning from Hanson ; while, as they passed on and on through the semi-darkness, he could not help feeling how easily a blow from one of tlie keen Indian knives would lay In" 111 low, and how easily his body might be disposed of among the dark, labyrinthine ways of the huge FRIENDS AND ENEMIES, 219 temple. These thoughts, at times when they were p.assing through some of the most gloomy parts, were appalling ; but, so sure as they came to the worst, they died out again, for he had but to glance round, and there, following him like his shadow, was the tall fio'ure of Robert Hanson — well armed, active, and determined — ready, if the need arose, to fitiht for him to the death. Perhaps he felt the horror of his position the most when they were traversing a gallery sixt}^ or seventy feet above the floor, one which led past the huge head and neck of the monstrous idol, and a door at the back of the figure. For here the young officer could not help feeling how easily he might be hurled o^•er, to fall and be dashed to pieces on the floor far below, or thrust through some one of the several openings which, for some purpose, yawned around. But, as before, there was always Robert Hanson, calm and silent, following like his shadow, and ready to give good account of any one who might venture to attack. No one could have been more courteous than the dark-eyed, smooth, swarthy man at his side, nor more open and free in his way of speaking about the huge image and the attendant id(*ls upon which they looked down. He seemed to wish to impress his young English companion with the idea that the temple, with its weird gloom and assumption of mystery, was merely intended to overawe the common people, and that he was too much a man of the world to expect an Englishman from his land of enlighten- ment to look upon all he saw as serious. But somehow he impressed Dick in a way In- ilid not intend, for, as they went along the silent, echoing 220 FIUKXns AND ENEMIES. ^mlleiy, the young officer felt more and more that his guide was treacherous and untrustworthy to tlie hist degree — a man wlio, in spite of his sacred office, would proceed to any extremity to get rid of people who stood in his way. So that it was with a feeling of relief tliat he descended once more to the floor of the great temple, and upon being ushered into one of the rooms used by the Brahmin priesthood, who dwelt in a part of the building, he did not at all enjoy the sweetmeats and fruit provided for liis refection, nor fancy a sweetish kind of wine given him in a quaint Indian cup. At last he was conducted to the temple gates, Hanson still following close behind, the Brahmin begging him to come again, as it was his wish now that the English officers should look upon him and his brethren as their friends. ' I M-ish you M'ould teach the people to feel towards us in the same way,' said Dick, smiling and trying, now they were once more in the bright sunshine, to look upon the ideas which had coursed through his brain as fancies. ' We are trying,' said the Brahmin ; ' but the people are very weak and ignorant, and you must see that, after being taught for so long to look upon the English as infidels and enemies, it must take time.' They parted apparently the best of friends, and Dick was walking back towards his quarters, when, in turning a corner, he looked sharply round and saw that Hanson was watching him intently ; and, if he had been a.sked, he Avould have found it impossible \o have explained why he asked his follower the fullowing question, but ask it he did : FRTEXDS AXD ENEMIES. 221 ' Could 3'ou hear what the Bralnnin said to me as I took leave ? ' ' Every word, sir.' ' What did you think of it ? ' ' That I 'd trust him as far as I would a tiger.' 'Then it was not all fancy on my part/ thought Dick as he went on. ' I was right in my impressions, and I '11 trust him as far as I would one of the great savage cats ; but I must be civil, T suppose.' CHAPTER XXV. SLEEPING WITH YOUR WINDOW OPEN. soon as the Rajah was satisfied that his invading neighbour had quite with- drawn, he consulted with Wyatt, and expressed a wish that no further troops should be sent to Soojeepur until he made the demand. ' You and your men Avill be sufBcient,' he said ; and after a short consultation with Hulton — very short, for the latter said that his brother-officer was to act as lie thouglit best — arrangements were made with rhe Rajah for runners to bear a despatch to the nearest town on the frontier, where the reojular com- munications for postal purposes could be reached. In this despatch Wyatt gave a full account of all that had taken place, with reports of the state of the wounded and their needs, giving his opinion that the Rajah seemed to expect the troop to remain at Soojeepur permanently, and concluding wdth a request for a further .supply of annnunition for the guns, the large use made of that which they had brought sug- gesting that, if the little foi'ce should remain where it was for a long period, the store might run short. The reply to this despatch was long in coming, and SLEEPING WITH YOUR WINDOW OPEN. 223 in the interim matters went on with fresh displays of friendly trust on the part of the Rajah, who was daily in communication with the old palace, and constantly consulting the English ofEcers as to improvements in his little arm}- ; but every now and then insignificant straws showed which way the wind blew, and the strangers felt that their position was, like that of the Rajah, insecure. For, though the party opposed to the friendly feeling towards the English was deferential and, to all appearance, quite in accordance with their ruler now, and the officers among them made much of the visitors, neither Wyatt nor Dick allowed themselves to be lulled into a state of security which, they felt sure, did not exist. Hence it was that the horse artillery corps occupied its quarters in the old palace just as if it were a tiny army of occupation. It had its parades and marches out, joined in militaiy evolutions with the Rajah's regiments of horse and foot, to the decided improvement of the latter, the officers and men being impressed by the perfection to which discipline and training had brought them, and beginning to imitate them in every way they could, to the Rajah's great and liberally expressed satisfaction. The return despatch came at last from Sir George Hcmsworth, announcing his satisfaction with all that had been done, his hope that Captain Hulton was sufficiently recovered to resume his command, and quite agreeing that there w^ould be no need for the reinforcement, which had been already on the way, but was now recalled. For the general considered that there must be plenty of material amongst the Rajah's troops for drilling into shape, especially amon;; the irregular horsemen, who ought, without 221 sr.EEPixi; with vorii window open. much effort, soon to be turned into serviceable cavalry. Finally, the general announced that the amnninition asked for was on the way, with an escort ot" twelve liorse artillery-men, ten privates, and two drill-ser- <;eants, who would strengthen the little force, and allow of the two non-commissioned officers being devoted to the training of the Rajah's horse. This despatch, directed to the officer in command, was read aloud by Wyatt to Hulton and the doctor in the former's room. ' No,' said Hulton querulously, ' I 'm not fit to take over the command, and I shall not be for long enough — shall I, Doctor ? ' ' Well, hardly yet, my dear boy,' was the reply ; ' and there is no need. I was obliged to get back to my work, in spite of Darrell proving such a formid- able rival, but you can wait.' ' "Well, read the rest,' said Hulton in an irritaljle tone. 'The rest?' said Wyatt, with assumed innocenc3^ ' Yes ; no nonsense,' said Hulton bitterly ; ' you arc keeping something back.' Wyatt hesitated for a moment or two, and then tossed the paper to Dick. ' You finish it, lad,' he said. Dick glanced from one to the other with his face flushing and eyes lighting up, for, like Hulton, he had expected something more. ' Yes,' he cried eagerly, ' of course Wyatt is pro- moted to captain.' Hul ton's brow wrinkled, and his pale, thin face looked more sunken as he winced as if from a stino- of pain, but for some moments he did not speak. SLEEPING WITH YOUR WINDOW OPEN. 225 Then a faint smile began to appear on his face, and he said sadly : 'I couldn't help feeling a bit upset, but I am not envious, Wyatt ; only a weak, sick man. Shake hands, old fellow. I congratulate j^ou. It was very bravely earned.' Wyatt eagerly gripped the extended hand. 'I can't help it, old chap,' he said huskily. 'I'd rather they had given you your majority — but it's bound to come.' ' If I live,' said Hulton sadly. 'I'll answer for that,' said the doctor. 'Only it must take time. Ten men out of twelve would have sunk under such injuries as yours, so no grumbling. You 've done and you 're doing wonders. Wait a bit, and we '11 congratulate you in turn as we do Captain Wyatt. Darrell, you ought to go and announce this to the Rajah.' ' No, no. Nonsense ! ' cried Wyatt excitedly. ' I '11 tell him myself next time we meet.' 'You will not,' said Hulton, 'for I shall send him w^ord myself. He ought to know. Write to him, Darrell, for me, and I '11 sign the letter.' Wyatt made a bit of a protest, and then was silent, the letter being written and despatched by an orderly, who brought back a message that the Ilajali would come and see Captain Wyatt. The latter gentleman's countenance was so absurdly comical that, as soon as the orderly had gone back to the stables, Dick burst into a roar of laughter, whereupon Wyatt turned to him fiercely. 'Look here, young fellow,' he cried, 'do you want to fjuarrel ? ' * Of course not.' o 220 sLEEPixo wrni your window open. ' Then don't you langli at mc. It 's no joke, I can tell you.' • Why, what is there to mind in the Rajah's coming ? ' 'Everything. It means having him come smiling here to make me look like a fool.' ' Nonsense ! ' said Dick, laughing again. ' Be quiet ! ' roared Wyatt. ' I won't stand it. Do I look the sort of man to stand and be smirked round and buttered with Eastern compliments ? I hate 'em, and I won't see him when he comes.' 'You must; said Dick. 'We can't be rude to our friends.' ' Then let them keep away and let me alone. I 'd sooner go into the thick of a fight any day.' Wyatt looked stormy for some time before the clouds began to disappear from his countenance. Half-an-hour later, as he was sitting with Dick talking about their invalids, who were out in the shady side of the court, and remarking that they might return to duty, he seemed reconciled. ' I shall have to go through it, Dick,' he said. ' The Rajah means w^jII.' ' Of course he does. He '11 only say a few civil things, and then go.' An hour after there was a challenge at the gate, and the visitor arrived, dismounted, and was shown into the room which the officers had devoted to receptions. There he entered, followed by an atten- dant bearing something wrapped in a shawl. This the man laid upon the table at a sign from the chief, salaamed low, and retired ; while, as soon as they were alone, the Rajah shook hands warmly, and, in as English a manner as he could affect, congratu- lated Wyatt. SLEEPING WITH YOUR WINDOW OPEN. 227 ' I am very glad, Captain Wyatt,' he said in conclu- sion, ' and I want yon to accept the little present I have brouoht in honour of the occasion.' 'Oh, there was no need for that, sir,' said Wyatt roughly. ' But I think there is, and I hope you will not refuse it. — Mr Darrell, will you unroll it and give it to your friend for me ? ' ' Of course, sir,' replied the lad ; and his heart beat with something like envy as he unrolled a beautiful Lahore shawl and took out a magnificent, carved tulwar, whose hilt was of silver inlaid with delicate traceries of gold, while the scabbard was deadened silver, ringed with gold and ornamented with emeralds. ' Oh ! ' cried Wyatt, ' this is far too rich an ornament for me, sir. I beg you will not press me to keep it.' ' But I do press it,' said the Rajah warmly. * It is no ornament. Take it and draw the blade.' Wyatt obeyed, and as he looked down he saw that indeed it was no ornament, but a deadly weapon, with a magnificent damascened blade, and keen as a razor. ' It is light in the hand, and a stroke from that would lay one of my enemies dead at your feet. Keep it for my sake. I may want you to defend me &>y secret ones, and do not know wliat to do.' ' Not yet,' said Wyatt ; ' but we mean to do one thing — eh, Darrell ( ' 266 'HOT BOILED BEANS.' ' What ? ' said Dick, look in ^j at tlie speaker inquir- ingly. ' Win,' said W3'att shortly. ' But come up again with me, Dick. I want to see if I can find that secret way.' The search proved to be in vain, and the occupants of the old palace, as they talked the matter over, felt more and more the awkAvardness of their position, troubled, as they were, constantly by the knowledge that the place they had looked upon as a stronghold was weak to a degree in its most vital part, since their enemies could evidently elude their watchfulness and strike at them whenever they pleased. ' I don't know what 's to be done,' said Dick. 'I felt sure that I had hit upon the way in which it was all manacred.' ' So you have,' said Wj'^att ; ' only you have not got quite enough. But there, I '11 tell you what to do.' ' What ? ' cried Dick eagerly. ' Nothing.' ' Nothing ? ' ' Yes. I 'm pretty good over my work as an officer, Dick, old fellow, but I 'm only a big, stupid boy in other things.' ' You ! What nonsense ! ' ' It 's a fact, Dicky, and I know it and have come to be a bit of a philosopher.' 'I don't know what you're talking about,' said Dick. 'Then I'll tell you, old fellow. When I find a thing 's too big for me to think out I let it go, and I find it often comes afterwards. We can't tackle this, so let 's leave it and do the best we can. By-and- by perhaps we shall find it out. Drop it now.' 'HOT BOILED BEANS.* 267 So it was dropped, and the days wore on without any more alarms. The two injured men improved fast, and Hulton seemed stronger, but quite unfit still for duty. ' Never mind,' he said, with a smile full of resigna- tion ; ' it doesn't matter. The troop couldn't be better managed, and I shall get well sooner up here in the hills than I should down in the plains.' One thing troubled the party in the old palace, though, and that was the apparent change on the part of the Rajah, who kept quite aloof from them now ; while the people, after a period of comparative friendliness, began to grow aggressive. ' Seems to me,' said Wyatt, ' that we might as well be back at cantonments. The Rajah cuts us; nobody wants us here ; there 's no fighting to do, unless we set to and drive the fighting part of the population out and take possession of Soojeepur in the name of the Company. I want exercise, and I should just like that job. We could do it, too, with a bit of scheming. What do you say to a try, Dick, and being made Rajah pro tern ? ' ' Nothing,' said Dick. The very next day a larger present than usual of the produce of the country was brought for the use of the troop by the Rajah's orders, but there was no friendly advance. ' Doesn't seem as if he was tired of us yet,' said Wyatt. 'Look here; we shall liave to send out a party to meet our reinforcements with the ammuni- tion, for I don't like their not coming, li looks as if they hnd had a check somewhere.' 'Doyoii think the Rajah of Singh could have sent a force round and captured them ? ' 268 'HOT BOILED BEANS.' ' No, I don't,' replied Wyatt. * If he had been on the move, onr cliief here must have heard of it. Peril aps it 's all right, though, and the}'- '11 be here soon.' He was right, for the next morning a conplc of horse artillery-men rode up to the gate, causing intense excitement among the Rajah's troops, who, as Dick found out later, had seemed disposed to refuse them entrance ; but the news was brought in by one of the native servants, and Dick had orders to turn out with twenty men to meet the party. In accordance, then, with his orders, he rode down to the gate, met the advance-guard, and rode off with them back along the road to bring in the little party with their heavy, slow train of ammunition-wagons and stores. Stubbs was with the young leader, and as they were escorting the party back in a way which accounted for the length of time they had been on the road, an unpleasant thought occurred to Dick. It was so troublous that he could not keep it to himself, and ho rode up alongside of Stubbs. ' I 've been thinking,' he said, ' that we should be awkwardly placed if the Rajah's enemies took ad- vantage of our being outside to refuse us entrance.' ' That 's rum, sir,' said Stubbs. ' Rum ? I don't see the droll side of it, Stubbs, because it would mean taking advantage of the troop being weakened to attack them.' 'I meant it was rum that you should think just the same as I did. It has been bothering me ever since I found that they stoppeil our two men at the gate.* 'HOT BOILED BEANS.' 269 • I 'm afraid I ouolit to have halted and sent word back to Captain W3^att.' ' Would have been better, sir ; but it 's too late now. We must get in somehow. Bounce may do it.' ' Yes ; we must make a dash in if they seem to be turning queer.' ' Can't turn much queerer than they have lately, sir. I 've been expecting a fresh attempt to blow us up every night ; and j'ou see if they don't begin again, now that they find we have got in our fresh ammunition. There 11 be no peace in Soojeepur till some there have had tlieir bodies shortened.' ' Think not ? ' 'That's what I think, sir. It's that party of priests at the big temple and the queen's people. They hate us, and the Ilajah don't like to go against them because of his mother. But I suppose if we live lonfj enough we shall see.' Mountains seemed to rise in front of Richard Darrcll as he rode on, but they grew smaller when he con- fronted the difficulties. The heavily-laden wagons were slowly brought up to the bridge, and by that time Dick had come to the conclusion that his course would be to ride straight in, no matter what opposi- tion was offered, and, if the gates were closed against them, to try the effect of a bag of powder, whose explosion would drive in the gates and bring Wj-att to tlieir help, for he felt that there must be no hesitation. Such a party as his, encumbered with a wagon-train, would be almost helpless outside if attacked. He rode at the head of his dofachment with his lips tightened and fingers itching to draw his sword, seeing that the fortiiications over and about the sides 270 'ITOT nOTLED REANS.' of the gateway were crowded witli tl>e Rajali'.s men ; but tlic advance-guard passed in unchallenged, and a few minutes later he drew a deep breath, for the train passed in, and all rode through tlie crowd- lined streets, and in and out till the gate of the old palace was reached and the task was successfully accomplished. CHAPTER XXX. A DASTARDLY ACT. VYATT set it down to the Rajah's hearing of their larofe accession of stores which accompanied the Httle reinforcement, for I^^^^^^J^ the very next day there came an invita- "^"■"^' tion from the palace for the officers to spend an evening there. ' What 's to be done ? ' asked Dick. ' Mustn't display doubt or hesitation,' replied Wyatt, 'though I trust his lordship less than ever. He's going to be civil now because we are stronger, and he feels that it is his best policy. What do you say, Hulton ? ' ' I quite agree with you, I 'd let him see that we feel more independent, too.' ' How ? ' asked Wyatt. ' Do not accept the offer of an elephant and party. Ride there with an escort of our own men in full review or. A DASTARDLY ACT. 279 his dark eyes flashed as he glared at the two men who had risen. ' It was like fire — it means death. Ah ! ' he cried, turning upon the Ranee with a look of agony and grief, ' this from you — from my mother ! ' ' No, no,' shrieked the Ranee wildly, ' it is not true, my son. By j'our dead father, I swear ! ' ' Ah ! ' he cried, with a sigh of relief, and he turned to glare at the two old ministers, who stood clutching the table without daring to move, and as if waiting for the end. Wyatt and the doctor had in turn sprung from their seats, Dick following their example ; and as the Ranee's hand dropped, the Rajah clutched at Dick's arm in turn, beckoning to Wyatt with the hand at liberty. ' It is an enemy's blow ! ' he gasped. ' You, both of you, stop the coward stroke. Bring your soldiers here to save me, and seize the temple there. If I ara to die, your people shall hold the place.' Wyatt sprang to the window, and at a word the sergeant rode close up. ' An orderly at once to Captain Hulton,' he cried. ' Every man to turn out and gallop here with the guns.' That was enough. As he turned back, it was to see the doctor bending over the Rajah and the two ministers making for the door. ' Arrest those men,' cried Wyatt to the two guards. ' They will not obey,' tliouglit Dick ; but, to his surprise, they faced round, drawn sword in hand, and placed tlieiiiselvcs before the two officials, whose dark countenances looked wild and strange. Meanwhile the doctor had passed round behind the 280 A DASTARDLY ACT. Rajah's chair, taken up and raised Dick's untonchcd glass to his lips, tasted, and spat out the wine. Then, tilling a glass with water, he half forced the Rajah to drink again and again, in spite of the agony ho seemed to be in. AVj'att, returning from the other end of the room where the prisoners were, gave the doctor a question- ing look, which he answered aloud : ' One of their cursed vegetable poisons, I believe,' he said ; and Wyatt turned upon the Ranee. ' This must be your doing, madam,' he said sternly. ' No, no,' she cried wildly ; ' he is my son — my son ! ' ' Prove it, then, by your help,' said Wyatt. * Yes, yes ; tell me what. Oh, my son, my son ! ' She fell upon her knees by the Rajah's chair and caught his hand in hers, looking up at him wildly. Then, standing up, she looked at the doctor in- quiringly. ' He must be taken to his room,' said the doctor ; and the servants came at the Ranee's sisrn to bear their Rajah away. * You will not want us, Doctor ? ' said Wyatt hastily. ' No ; you have your work to do, I see.' The Rajah made a sign to Dick as he was being carried out, and the lad darted to him, to have his hand seized by one that was wet with agony and like ice. ' My guards are true,' whispered the Rajah ; ' they will obey you. Protect the Ranee ' He could say no more, the doctor interposing, and, followed closely by the Ranee, the suiferer was borne out. CHAPTER XXXI. PROMPT ACTION. ICK'S first act was to test the Rajah's words about the faithfulness of the guards, and he crossed to the two stand- ing by the prisoners. ' Swords for myself and friends,' he said sharply. The man addressed called to one of the servants standing trembling and helpless by the door, gave him an order, and the man hurried out, to return in a few minutes with three jewelled weapons with their belts from the Rajah's armoury. ' Hah ! ' cried Wyatt, seizing one of them, while Dick buckled the other on, just as the heavy tramp of half the escort in their boots and spurs rang on the marble steps outside. ' I ordered half of them to come up,' said Wyatt, and then, as loud shouts and cries arose, he signed to his companion to draw ; but Dick rushed through the door, to find some twenty of the Rajah's guard ready to oppose the artillery-men, who were a])Out to rush up, sabre in hand. 'Halt!' shouted Dick, and then turning to the 282 PROMPT ACTION. guard, who faced fiercely round, he said in Hindu- stani : ' Your Rajah says you will be faithful to him. Join with our men in defending the palace against his enemies and ours.' The men looked in doubt, but Wyatt spoke out now. ' The Rajah has been poisoned,' he said. * Six of you go to his door, and let no one but the doctor and servants pass. The rest of you guard tlie palace gates. Where is your officer ? ' Their leader stepped out, tulwar in hand. 'Call out the rest of the men,' he said. 'You must help us to defend the palace against all who come. But these two must be kept safely ; ' and he pointed to the two ministers within the room. A minute or two before, the place was all passing into a state of wild confusion, but the short, prompt words of the two officers sufficed ; and when Dick, after a word or two with Wyatt, gave a fresh order, it was plain to the guard that they were working with friends, and in a very few minutes every gate was closed and held. Dick's orders were that four of the Rajah's men should guard the Ranee. This done, leaving Wyatt impatiently waiting for some sign of the coming troop, Dick made his M'ay to the Rajah's room, into which he was allowed to pass at once. 'Well? 'he asked. ' I can tell you nothing yet,' replied the doctor. ' The poor fellow is in fearful agony, but I was able to act so quickly that I have hope. It 's a terrible position, though ; you see, I am in total ignorance of the poison used.' PROMPT ACTION. 283 Almost as they spoke, the trampling of horses and the lumbering of the gun-wheels was heard in the distance. Dick uttered a sigh of relief. ' Thank goodness,' he said. ' But we sha'n't be many now, and it does seem such a piece of impu- dence for us, a mere handful of Englishmen, to take so much upon ourselves as we do.' * Knowledge is power, my dear Darrell,' said the doctor. ' It must always have been so since the world began, that the man who knew most took the lead. You soldiers, with your discipline and weapons, can attack and thrash twenty times j^our number.' *I suppose so,' said Dick, smiling; 'and you as a surgeon can laugh at twent}' of the native doctors.' ' Well, I don't want to brag, Darrell,' replied the doctor, ' but I think I could save twenty men's lives while they saved one. Yes, knowledge is power. I don't suppose they would own openly to my being the better man, but they 'd rather trust me than one of their fellows. They can't help looking up to us. But I 'm glad the troop has come, for I 've felt during the last half-hour that mj' throat was not safe.' ' Why ? ' said Dick. ' You 're a non-combatant.' ' Pooh ! What do they care about non-combatants ? Some mad enthusiast or another might have accused me of poisoning the Rajah after seeing me give the poor fellow a dose of antidote.' 'Darrell liereT said Wyatt, coming to the door hurricflly. 'Yes, I'll come,' whispered Dick; but as he took a step forward he glanced towards the Rajah's couch, and he saw the victim's hand raised in a sign to him to approach. 284 rROMPT ACTION. The poor fellow's face was livid and drawn with pain as Dick bent over him and took the hand offered, feeling a pang of reproach the while at his doubts of the prince. For, in spite of the pain the sufterer was in, he smiled in Dick's face and pressed his hand. ' I heard your men come,' he said. ' Keep the palace and the temple. If you hold these bravely half my people will side with you, and you can set the rest at defiance.' ' Captain Wyatt will fight to the last,' said Dick. 'Yes, I know he will. You will too — for your friend ? ' ' I will,' said Dick earnestly, and there was remorse in his breast as he pressed the sufferer's hand. ' One word more,' whispered the Rajah faintly. ' It is an enemy who did this — to poison you and your friends — but it could not be my mother. Where are the others ? ' ' Prisoners,' said Dick, frowning. ' I ask that they may not be killed. Tell Captain Wyatt that. Now go — I cannot talk, Darrell,' he whispered. ' I am only a little older than you are — and I want to live; there is so much to do. Tell Doctor Robson not to let me die.' A hand was laid on Dick's shoulder, and Wyatt bent forward and pressed the Rajah's arm. 'I am very, very sorry for this, sir,' he said in a low tone. ' But we must uo now. It is uro-ent.' ' Yes, go,' said the Rajah, clutching at Wyatt's hand as he looked wistfully in his eyes. ' Fight for me and save me. I am j'our friend.' The doctor had come to the other side of the couch, and laid his hand upon the Rajah's forehead, with the PROMPT ACTION. 285 result that the poor fellow sank back with a sigh and closed his eyes. ' Come, Dick, lad,' said Wyatt. ' Our work is cut out ; ' and they were hurrying to the door, M'hen, to their surprise, they were confronted by the Ranee, who looked twenty years older in her horror and despair. ' Will he die ? ' she whispered to Wyatt. ' I hope not, madam, but we mean to live,' said the captain, giving her a peculiar look of disgust which made her shrink back ; while a flash of resent- ment swept over her handsome face, and she drew herself up as she said quickl}^ : ' It is not true, I swear. I have always hated you and yours, but I am a queen, and I would not have done this horrible, treacherous thing. Once more, I swear I did not know^ of this.' * But 5''ou took pity, and warned me not to drink,' said Dick sharply. 'I swear to you I did not know,' said the Ranee once more. ' Now, tell me what you are going to do.' ' Slay all the Rajah's enemies who come and attack us,' said Wyatt firmly. ' And if my son — dies ? ' she groaned. ' Hold Soojeepur till others decide what is best. Go to your son, madam, and help the doctor to save his life.' ' Yes : but those two ? You have not slain them ? ' ' The Rajah's orders are that you sliould be pro- tected, madam, and that tlicir lives should be spared,' said Dick frankly, and tlie Ranee uttered a sigh of relief as she turned away. ' We 're lo.sing time,' said Wyatt impatiently as he 28(i rnoMPT action. hurried out. ' Dick, lad, our work 's cut out to-night, and you must help me all you can. Hark ! you can hear them hrre. The news is spreading through the place, and the people are crowding up. The enemy will have set up the report that we have poisoned the Rajah and seized the place. Heaven only knows how matters will turn out, but we are going to hold the palace and the great temple to the death, and if wo have to use the guns — well, it is no fault of ours.' Dick said nothing ; he merely gave his companion a firm pressure of the hand, and walked down with him into the beautiful vestibule, which was now filled with the Rajah's guards, two of whose leaders approached to meet them, looking as if in doubt whether to treat them as enemies or friends. Wyatt stepped forward and oft'ered his hand to both, while the fierce-looking picked men all stood blocking the way, their fiashing tulwars in their hands, while both the English officers' were sheathed. There was a momentary hesitation on the others' part, and then they passed their swords into their left hands and accepted the salutation of friendship. ' We have just left the Rajah's side,' said Wyatt. * Is he dead ? " ' No. He has given us his instructions what to do,' replied Wyatt. ' What are they ? ' 'To call upon all his brave followers to help him a^^ainst his enemies.' ' The English are his enemies,' cried a voice from the back angrily. ' It is false ! ' cried Wyatt fiercely. ' Your Rajah knows what is right and best for his country, and trusts U3.' PRO^IPT ACTION. 287 * Who poisoned him ? ' cried the same voice. ' Those who meant the poison for us/ said Wyatt firmly — ' his enemies as well as ours. — You two are his higluiess's captains,' he continued, turning to the two oflicers whose hands he had grasped. ' Go up, and ask him to give you orders what to do.' ' There is no need,' said one of them loudly, as he turned so that all present might hear, ' I was present when his highness sent despatches asking for help from the English against his foes. They came, and have worked for us bravely ever since.' There was a murmur of assent, and the chief went on. 'lam captain of the Rajah's guard,' he cried. 'I am for the Rajah, mj master, and for Soojeepur.' There was a loud shout and the clashing of weapons, but as soon as the sounds died out the chief cried : ' Now, then, who is for the Ranee and the priests ? ' There was not a sound within, but from outside came a strange, increasing, muttering roar, as of gather- ing hosts hurrying through the streets and coming towards where they stood. ' It is enough, gentlemen,' said Wyatt, striding for- ward to stand confronting the guard ; and Dick's lieart throbbed with admiration and pride — and per- haps sliglitly, too, with envy — as the big, manly, broad- chested Englishman drew himself up and spoke in his deep, sonorous tones. 'The Rajah's orders are that the queen, the Wazir, and the chief Brahmin shall be protected, and the palace and the great temple with its treasures held against all comers. You, gentlemen, will do this duty, and pass into the court licrc all whom you can trust to strengthen our force.' 'And what will j'ou do?' said the chief who had spoken, looking at him curiously. 288 PROMPT ACTION. 'I sliall guaril the approach to the palace with our guns,' yaid Wj'att. ' I could sweep the streets clear, but I do not wish to lire a shot ; it would mean slaying friends as well as foes. But the palace courts must be kept free, or the Ranee's followers will get the upper hand.' ' Yes, that is right/ said the chief. ' Then get all your men in hand,' said Wyatt, ' and, as we driv^e the crowd back, station guards to hold the different entries, at the temple as well as here.' The chief swung his flashing tulwar on high, and his followers imitated his action as they uttered a wild and warlike cry, all following Wyatt and Dick down into the court, where, by the light of the many lamps, the troop of artillery sat drawn up ; and they cheered again in their way as the two ofRcers sprang into their saddles. CHAPTER XXXII. MOTHER AND SON. ^^HE court in front of the palace was ^f' already filling -witli a menacing cro^Yd of armed men ; but as they gathered they held back from the troop and seemed to ^ be awaiting leaders, not knowing what it would be best to do. But there was no indecision on the part of Wyatt. He rode at once to where Hulton was seated, in uniform once more, consulted with him for a few moments, and then, in answer to an order, the six guns were unlimbered and run into position so that their muzzles were ready to pour forth a radiating dis- charge, and the effect was to make the gathering crowd fall back. This done, a detachment about thirty strong was f(jrmed up, opened out, and rode slowly forward, press- ing back the crowd ; and as the great space was cleared, the Rajah's guards took up position to keep the people from rotuniiiig. Wyatt was right ; tliey had their work cut out that night, and, through the apparently interminable long watches, it seemed as if again and again the moment of encounter had come. S 290 MOTHER AND SON. But it did not. For it was as Wyait said : ' It 's like this, Dick, lad — we began by being ready ; they were all unready. Friends and enemies were all mixed up into a confused mass, and no one trusted his neighbour. Then tlicy seemed to have no leaders at iirst, or else all their leaders were in the wrong places. We've got ahead of them so far without bringing the guns to bear, but how much longer we can get on by making evolutions no one can tell. But we must keep it up.' And they did, hour after hour, thoroughly master- ing the great mob which eddied and seethed round the precincts of the palace, always on the point of making a rush, but invariably driven back helter- skelter by the charges made by the horse artillery- men and their allies. For they soon began to be strengthened through the efforts of the chiefs of the Rajah's guard, who ■were indefatigable. As they caught sight of friends of the cavalry they called to them, had them in past the vedettes and sentries, and then a few words suflBced to send them away again to give the word to others ; and in a short time there was a constant accession of mounted men coming in from far enough away through the crowd in twos and threes and half- dozens, well mounted and armed, and ready in the Rajah's defence to take up their positions alongside of the artillery-men, till towards morning fully a thousand troopers were in the open space before the palace, setting the mounted artillery-men free to join their comrades at the guns, and making the position more secure. Time after time inquiries were made as to the Rajah's state, but the news Doctor Robson sent was always bad, and hope seemed to be dying out. MOTHER AND RON. 291 At last the sun rose upon the position, and by that time somethino" Hke cohesion and order were assertinc: themselves, the two parties having gradually separ- ated, with the supporters of the Rajah close up to the east end of the palace, those of the Ranee on the west ; and the new day had come with the prospect of a pitched battle on the point as to which side was to have the supremacy — the Rajah's followers with their English allies, or the Ranee's backed up by the priests. It had been their intention to make a bold stroke to get rid of the English invited by the Rajah — a mad and reckless blow, for retribution would have been certain to fall — but the accident to their plans had upset everything, and, just at the time appointed for their rising, they were confronted with the news that the R.ajah was stricken down, and the Ranee and their chief conspirators were prisoners ; while, though they had been in readiness to take advantacfe of the confu- sion that must ensue when it was found that the chief officers of the artillery were dead, their advance was completely frustrated by Wyatt's prompt action and the confusion into which they were thrown by the rush made for the palace by the Rajah's admirers, and their bold front. The latter readily consulted with Wyatt as to what should be done, and at once accepted his counsel. ' Keep on the defensive,' he said, ' and in every way possible draw in all who are faithful to the Rajah. If tliey attack, let them find us ready ; for, whatever misfortune comes in regard to the Rajah, we must hold the place. To let liis enemies get the upper hand means massacre for us all.' Richard Darrell watched the faces of the cluster of 292 MOTHER AND SON. officers as Wyatt spoke out clearly in their tongue, and saw them liohten up, while glances passed between them full of good omen ; and as soon as his brother-officer had done speaking, they pressed round him to signify their determination to die sooner than give up, declaring that they had perfect faith in the Englisli, and that they wouki carry out their gallant young Rajah's wishes to the end. So intent were they upon the little council of war which they were holding in front of the guns, that they had noted nothing of what was going on else- where, and they turned as one man and stared in wonder as a hoarse shout was uttered, and even Dick imagined that a horse had suddenly turned restive on seeing Stubbs come tearing at them, sword in hand, shoutino-, and wavino- the steel. But the next moment they saw that he was point- ing, and wheeled round to defend themselves, for, from the enemies' side, a body of about fifty horsemen were charging at full gallop, in a bold dash to cut down or take prisoners the leaders of the Rajah's force. It was so sudden that scarcely anything was done. The matchlock men were unprepared, the irregular cavalry were away behind, and the artillery, fully ready as they were, with men at the trail and others standing linstock in hand, could not fire for fear of sweeping their own officers and their friends away. It was a wild dash, and the first help likely to come was from the little knot of horse artillery-men mounted by the guns, who spurred forward at a word from Hulton. The enemy came upon the group of officers like a MOTHER AND SON. 293 whirlwind, taking them at a terrible disadvantage; and, for the first time in his life, Richard Darrell found himself in the midst of a fierce melee where discipline went for naught, and all depended upon the strength of a man's arms and his skill in the use of the sword he bore. Wyatt shouted to him, but in the wild rush and concussion his words were inaudible. Whether it was to follow him or save himself he did not know, and he wanted no orders then, for he was nearly- unseated by the shock, one of the friendly ofiicers having his horse driven against Burnouse, making him plunge violently, bound three or four yards, and then rear up, saving his master from a savage cut delivered from the left, which passed within a few inches of his neck as a horseman swept by. Still, it was from Scylla into Charybdis. Dick kept his seat, but received a blow from a man on his right, who rose in his stirrups and struck downward at the lad's head. There was a sharp, ringing clang as the blow fell upon the young officer's helmet, glanced off, and the man fell forward over his saddle-bow. 'Well cut, sir!' yelled a hoarse voice a short dis- tance away ; but Dick's blood was up, and he hardly realised the fact that the M'ords were meant for him. He had the Rajah's keen tulwar in his hand, and he had long tried hard to become a master in the use of the sword, so that it was almost instinctively tliat he cut with all his miglit from his left shoulder, his blade flashing in the morning sunshine, with terrible effect upon the back of his enemy's neck, his horse bearing liim on to meet anotlior attack. Fur another horseman rode at him, i'olluwiiig liis 294) MOTHER AND SON. fellow's tactics of rising in his stirrups to deliver a cut at his young enemy's head. It was a fierce blow, but Dick's guard was ready, his hilt close up to his right ear, blade perpendicular, and edge outward — that thin, keen edge which seemed so slight a defence from a cut which might have meant death by an active swordsman — instant de- capitation. There was a loud, jarring ring as Dick received the blow on the forte of his sword, w^hose back struck against the side of his helmet with a sharp rap, and the next moment the man was by, giving the young officer's sword-arm a slight jerk before he sank back- ward with his arms extended, sword and reins falling from his nerveless hands. For, like lightning, after receiving the jarring cut on his guard, Dick's keen blade dropped to the hori- zontal and he delivered a fierce thrust. Another was at him as Burnouse bounded forward, and he, too, rose to cut at the English lad, who was bringing forward his blade to the recovery in a long, sweeping stroke which had, with the strength of the wielder's arm, the swift bound of his horse to give it impetus, so that the swarthy horseman received the blow full on his sword-arm, and passed on helpless. A cut at the lad's bridle-arm missed, and the man who delivered it escaped with a sharp prick in the ribs in retaliation ; and the next moment Dick was borne clear of the fierce struggle, but only to turn and gallop forward to join half-a-dozen of his own men, Avho were together forcing double their number back as they laid about them with their long sabres, used with the full strength of their muscular arms. Half-blind with excitement now, Dick was riding MOTHER AND SON. 295 at a dark, turbaned horseman when the trumpet rang out, and his charger followed the example of those in a line with him. The next moment there was the dull roar of a gun, so close that the horses of the enemy were thrown into a state of confusion, while the artillery-men's stood passive from the familiarity which breeds contempt. For the opportunity had come at last, and a second gun sent forth its white puff of smoke, the sequence to the charge of grape which tore a lane through the enemy's body of horse, now coming on at a gallop to follow up the daring attack made by the first body, which had caused such dire confusion. This second gun checked the advance, and created havoc amongst a crowd of matchlock-men coming up behind the horse ; while a third discharge seemed to be the signal for a retreat to commence. There was a pause before the fourth gun could be fired with effect. Then it and the fifth and sixth were fired in rapid succession, while the Rajah's horsemen now saw their opportunity, and dashed after the scattering enemy in a disorderly but brilliant charge, whose effect was to drive the enemy fleeing for their lives into the narrow streets of the city ; and the rout was continued till fully half had poured over the bridge to make for the open country, while the rest sought shelter in the bazaars and lanes. The little battle was only a matter of a few minutes, and as nothing more was to he done there, the artillery had limbered up ready to pursue; but Hulton saw that before he could get out into the ojxni the enemy would be beyond his reach, and he halted his men where they stood, leaving the Kajah's liorsomen to complete the rout. 296 MOTHER AND SON, 'I couldn't get to you, sir — I couldn't get to you, cried a fierce voice full of reproach, and Sergeant Stubbs rode up to Dick's side. ' Don't say you 're hurt, sir — don't say you 're hurt ! ' ' No, Stubbs, I won't,' replied Dick. ' Yes, I am,' he added hastily. ' My head.' He let his sword fall to the extent of the knot, and took off his helmet. * Quiet, Burnouse ! ' he cried, as the horse snorted and tore up the ground with his off forefoot. ' My head 's all jarred and aching. My word ! That 's saved me from an awful cut.' The sergeant leaned forward to take the bright helmet from the lad's hand, looking down at a deep, dinted bruise, and then at its owner. 'That saved your life, sir,' said Stubbs rather huskily. ' Hurt anywhere else ? ' 'Right shoulder feels a bit dragged,' replied Dick. 'But where 's Captain Wyatt ?' As he spoke the captain came into sight, riding back with about a dozen of the Rajah's horsemen, who came up flushed with triumph, cheering after their fashion and crowding round Dick, all eager to shake hands. The lad wanted to cry off, for his shoulder ached violently, but he bore all without a grimace, and drew a deep breath full of relief when he was at last alone with Wyatt, walking their horses towards where Captain Hulton was seated with the guns. ' I couldn't get at you, of course, my lad,' said Wyatt, ' but I did my best. I 'm afraid two or three poor fellows "will never fight again. It was every man for himself, eh ? We had no business, though, to be sur- prised like that.' ' No,' said Dick. ' How was it ? ' MOTHER AND SON. 297 'Want of proper vedettes, my lad. These people know uothing about war. But they can fight.' ' But I mean, how was it you rode away and left the troop ? ' ' Because I couldn't help myself, my dear boy. By the time I had whipped out my sword about twenty of the beggars were round, cutting at me and giving me all my work to guard myself ; but I managed to get in a few points,' ' Are you wounded ? ' ' It would have gone hard with me if some of our friends, seeing what a mess I was in, had not made a dash to help me.' ' But are you wounded, Wyatt ? ' ' The}'^ charged splendidly, and took off some of the black-looking rascals' attentions, and this gave me a chance to make a few more points, for I dared not attempt to cut.' ' But I asked you if you were wounded ? ' said Dick anxiously. ' Then there we were at it in a regular running fight, in which I was carried right away, growling savagely at being cut off from my friends. I'd have given anything to liave had you and old Stubbs there with his long reach. You were better out of it.' ' Are you going on like this to annoy me, or to keep something back ( ' ' Neither,' said Wyatt sharply. ' It seemed such a position for the captain in command of the troop to be carried right away like that, leaving his men to take their chance, but it was impossi])le to cut my way out till tliat firing began. Did you give the order? ' ' No,' .said Dick shortly. ' Once more — and 1 won't ask you again — are you wounded ? ' 298 MOTHER AND SON. ' Don't think I am, old fellow ; but I got two heavy cracks on the helmet, and my uniform is horribly cut in several places.' ' Oh, never mind your uniform,' said Dick. ' But I do. It 's my best. I didn't know we were coming in for such a scrimmage as this. If I had I 'd have put on my worst things.' ' But you are not hurt, Wyatt ? ' ' But I am, my lad. I must be bruised terribly, and my right arm feels quite numbed.' ' Never mind ; we 've won the battle,' said Dick earnestly. ' Fight or skirmish, my lad ; the one out yonder was more of a battle. Well, I suppose we have got it pretty well our own way. Our friends did wonders. They 'd make splendid light cavalry if they were only trained. Here 's Hulton. — How are you, old fellow ? ' ' Glad to see you back safely,' said Hulton, shaking hands warmly. ' I could do nothing to help you till just now.' ' And then you did wonders. But how many of our lads are hurt ? ' ' Three have slight cuts. But about yourself ? ' ' Skin not broken anywhere, thank goodness. Now, what about the Rajah ? ' ' I have had no news for some time. Go in, both of you, and see. You will be admitted sooner than I should.' ' Come, then, Darrell,' said Wyatt, signing to one of the men ; and they rode up to the entrance, dismounted, handed their reins to the man, and the guards saluted them, utterinji a low murmur as their officer came to them open-handed, smiling as if proud of their prowess. MOTHER AND SOX. 299 * A brave fight,' he said ; 'and we had to stay and do nothing.' ' Yes,' said Wyatt, smiling back ; * but some of ns are obliged to look on. How is the Rajah ? ' ' The Eajah ? Ah, yes ; I do not know. We Avere watching the fight.' ' We will go up to him, then,' said Wyatt ; and they ascended to the sufferer's room, where the first person they encountered was the Ranee, who looked at them wildly, her lips parting to ask a question. But she did not speak. She could read the endorse- ment of the defeat of her followers in the young officers' faces. ' How is he ? ' whispered Wyatt as the doctor joined them. 'He has just dropped asleej^,' was the reply. 'We could pretty well tell that you drove off the enemy by the firing. Everything has gone well, has it not ? ' ' Yes, they are thoroughly routed. Hist ! he is not asleep.' ' No,' said the Rajah firmly as he turned his drawn face towards the group ; ' I have heard all you said. I shall get better now.' ' If you are very quiet, sir,' said the doctor ; ' but you must sleep and leave everything to others.' ' Yes. — You will stay here, of course. Captain Wyatt ? — And you, Mr Darrell ? Come to me when I have slept.' ' I will, sir,' said Dick quietly. 'Doctor,' .said the Rajah then, 'the pain is less. I shall not die.' ' Not now,' said the doctor quietly ; ' the strength of the poison is passing off fast. But you must be silent and rest.' 300 MOTHER AND SON. ' Yes ; but you will watch over me ? ' ' Rest assured of that,' said the doctor gravely. 'Nothing shall be given to you that I have not examined. Try and rest in the full conlidence that you are safe.' The Rajah shuddered, and just then he saw the Ranee approaching, and he closed his eyes. She paused for a moment, but came on to his side to kneel down and whisper, the officers drawing back. ' Have I not sworn to you that this was not my doing ? ' she said reproachfully. ' Yes,' he said in the same low tone ; ' you, my mother, could not have been guilty of such a horror. But I know — I cannot be deceived — it was the M'ork of your friends, and it was meant for mine.' CHAPTER XXXIII. WYATT SMOKES THE HUBBLE-BUBBLE, HAT have j^ou got there, Doctor Robson ? ' said Dick one morning about a month later, when the troubles of the past seemed to have given way to perfect peace, the defeat of the revolutionary party on the morning after the poisoning having resulted in the flight of most of the leaders, and the settling down of the people to the Rajah's wishes. For during his illness, when he had more than once been at the point of death, the English troops had remained in the new palace ; and, in spite of their seeming to be so much out of place there, a detachment of the horse artillery-men had their quarters in and held the huge temple, to the disgust of the chief Brahmin and liis large following of priests. Then, as under the constant care of the army doctor the Rajah began to mend, he expressed his wish that those who had saved liis little kingdom for liim should remain, with the result that, while the old palace was retained for tlie stabling and stores, the main portion of the troop, with the guns, occupied one side of the pahice in conjunction with the Rajali's bodyguard, of which they now seemed to form a portion ; while, to 302 WYATT SMOKES THE HUBBLE-BUBBLE. the great annoyance of the native doctors, the army surgeon completely took their place. As the Rajah recovered his strength the time passed pleasantly enough for the English officers, for he proved to be a most grateful host, contriving plenty of expeditions for thorn to the mountain slopes north of Soojecpur, in a wild district swarming with game, his elcphauts being always at their service, with ample trains of servants and shikarees familiar with the lairs of tiger and wild boar. At first there was a good deal of hesitation on the part of Hulton and Wyatt to engage in these pursuits, but everything had settled down so thoroughly, and peace seemed to be so well assured, that the officers of the tiny army of occupation felt themselves justified in taking a little relaxation ; and many exciting hunts were the result, in all of which the Rajah and Hulton to some extent took part. Despatches came from headquarters in answer to Wyatt's reports, and the orders received were always to the effect that the troop was to remain in occupation at Soojeepur for the present, certainly till it could be proved for certain that there was no fear of the Rajah of Singh making any further attacks upon the country. The Rajah laughed when Hulton read portions of his despatches, and turning to Dick, who was present, said merrily : ' You may give up all hope of going south again, for you will have to sta3^' ' How long ? ' asked Dick. ' Who can say ? ' replied the Rajah. ' Judge for your- selves. The two regiments of cavalry are a magnificent addition to my troops, and will be of more value yet when I have arranged for British officers to lead them, WYATT SMOKES THE HUBBLE-BUBBLE. 803 but even they will excite no dread amongst Singh's people — they are only natives like ourselves. Your troop is of more value to me than five thousand such men, and I know as well as can be that j'our leaving Soojeepur would be the signal for Singli to collect together a strong force and invade my territories. You are here, and here you will have to stay.' This was unanswerable, and, truth to tell, both officers and men were quite contented with their quarters, for the attention they all received now was everything that could be desired. On the morning that the question which begins this chapter was asked by Dick after breakfast in the beautiful mess-room in the palace, the doctor had taken from his pocket a couple of magnificent rings, the one a perfect pearl of large size, the other a mag- nificent emerald. ' What have you there ? ' Dick asked. ' Fees, Darrell,' replied the doctor, handing him the two rings. ' Pass them round. The emerald is from the Rajah, and the Ranee gave me the pearl, with a mother's thanks. Sounds quite pretty and English, doesn't it ? ' The officers exchanged glances. * As for the Rajali,' continued the doctor, ' he sent for me last night and asked me to make up my mind to stay with him always as his mother's and his special attendant.' 'Terms?' said Wyatt bluntly. ' Whatever I liked to ask,' replied the doctor. ' Going to close with the offer ? ' said Wyatt. ' No ; don't,' replied Hulton. ' For one thing, Doctor, we can't spare you, and some day or other we shall have to go. For another, you will ihmt feel safe. 304 WYATT SMOKES THE IIURRLE-BUBBLE. The more I see of these people, the more I feel that it is like living on the slope of a volcano. Everything is very beautiful, but at any moment the eruption may come, and with it death and destruction.' ' Hear the words of the wise man, Kobson, my son,' said Wyatt in a stilted, ponderous, mock-tragic way. ' Some day, in spite of the Rajah's wishes, we shall be recalled, and then what am I to do with you left behind, or Dick Darrell here when he has been overeating himself, or made himself ill with one or another of his boyish follies ? ' ' My boyish follies, indeed ! ' cried Dick hotly. ' Yes,' said Wyatt. — ' Look here, Ph^^sic ; Hulton is right. Everything is going on delightfully smoothly now. The queen worships us ; the Wazir always seems as if he wanted to lick our boots ; and as for the old Brahmin, I 'm sure he oils his tongue as well as the rest of his body, so as to be smoother and smoother, but it is only because he is scheming to get rid of the men of the temple guard.' 'And he will not,' said Hulton, 'for the Rajah is firmer about our holding everything than ever.' ' They 're a shifty, treacherous lot, doctor,' continued Wyatt. ' Hulton is quite right, and I 'm always looking — metaphorically, of course — at the edge and point of my sword and the primings of my pistols. Some day or other the Ranee will go into a tantrum, and we shall be having a wholesale poisoning, or something worse.' ' Shame ! ' cried Dick indignantly. ' It is an insult to a noble lady. Every one must exonerate her from that piece of treachery.' ' Well done. Pepper-castor ! ' said Wyatt, laughing. ' Hark at the chivalrous young paladin.' WYATT SMOKES THE HUBBLE-BUBBLE. 305 ' I should be ashamed to harbour such thoughts,' said Dick indignantly. ' Good boy ! ' said Wyatt. ' But you are no judge. The pet of the Rajah and special favourite of the Ranee is one-sided in his ideas.' ' Don't shout, Wyatt,' said Hulton. ' Walls have ears, they say.' ' All right ; I take the hint,' replied Wyatt. ' It would have been better if you had never spoken as you did, Wyatt,' said Dick. ' Her highness has always been most kind to you.' 'Yes, my son, she has; but it has always seemed to me like the affection of a tigress. I keep on my guard for the moment when she may bite or scratch.' 'As she has just bitten and scratched the doctor,' said Dick bitterly ; ' and me,' he added, as he took out a beautiful diamond locket he wore hanging by a chain. 'That's all right, Dicky,' said Wyatt; 'but that poisoning business was never cleared up.' ' It was not her doing,' said Dick hotl}'. ' She never meant to poison her son, of course.' ' She never had hand in it,' cried Dick fiercely. 'Don't boil over, Darrell,' said Hulton. 'She may have been innocent, but it was done by her party — we cannot say by whom ; and she has not only remained friends with the Wazir and the old Brahmin, but prevailed upon her son to let things slide.' ' She asked the Rajah to give a general what-you- may-call-it to everybody after the fight, and there has been peace and contentment ever since,' said Dick. ' That 'a very nicely spoken, oh, brave and gallant young rider of the fiery Burnouse !' said Wyatt. 'Oh, noble .sticker of the unclean pig, and true-eyed slayer T 30 G WYATT SMOKES THE HUBBLE-BUBBLE. of the sleek and striped tail-lashing slinker of the reedy nullah ! ' ' I wish you were only of my age and rank, Wyatt,' said Dick in a low voice. * Why, my son ? ' ' Because if you were I 'd punch your head.' ' And so you should, brave boy ; but, as I was saying, all that was beautifully spoken about the Rajah and the peace. What I object to is that a young brave seated at our council-table should mar a majjuificent speech by bungling as he did for want of a proper flow of words.' ' Who did ? ' cried Dick. 'You did, my son, I appeal to the company assembled.' ' What do you mean ? ' cried Dick wonderingly. ' You said the Ranee asked her son to give a general what-you-may-call-it to everybody after the fight.' ' Of course I did,' cried Dick. ' What of that ? ' ' A general what-you-may-call-it ! ' said Wyatt mock- ingly. ' A pretty expression for the Rajah's favourite to use when he means an amnesty ! ' ' Pooh ! ' cried Dick ; ' I can't talk fine. You 're in one of your teasing fits. — He wants some antacid medicine. Doctor.' ' I '11 give him a dose that will suit his complaint,' said the doctor, nodding; and clapping his hands, a servant appeared. ' The Sahib Wyatt's hookah,' he said, and the man went off without a sound. ' What a wonderful gift the doctor has ! ' said Wyatt, smiling. ' That is exactly what I wanted to make me as amiable as ever. Dick, my son, forgive me if I have been too hard.' WYATT SMOKES THE nUBBLE-BUBBLE. 307 ' Oh, I know you by heart,' said Dick ; ' but it hurts me to hear the Ranee abused.' 'Then Ave will not hurt you, my son,' said Wyatt. ' Ah, here is the hubble-bubble ; now I shall be at rest.' The next minute he was leaning back placidly smoking invisible vapour through the long, snake-like tube, and as the attendant disappeared, he watclied the doctor putting back the rings he had handed round for inspection. * No, Doctor,' he said ; ' you must not be coaxed away. I agree with Hnlton ; the Eajali's offer is tempting, and the Ranee is grateful, but we are aliens, and tlie people here are not to be trusted. The time mifjht come when thinos went wrong, and I for one should feel troubled to think that we had left here a good, true man surrounded by enemies.' ' But he surrounds himself with friends,' said Dick. 'Tries to,' said Hulton gravely; 'but to hundreds nothinjir can balance the fact that he is an Englishman and an infidel. Then, too, he is a doctor, whose ideas are in direct opposition to those of the native medical men.' ' Let me brinij the debate to a close,' said the doctor quietly. ' I am very comfortable here, and thoroughly enjoy my present life, and so long as matters go smoothly I should bo sorry to give it up.' ' Sybarite ! ' said Wyatt. 'Oh, no; I'm ready for any amount of work, my dear sir. I don't want my brain nor my instruments to get rusty, but — no flattery intended — my happiness here depends on the presence of my friends. No I am not going to be tempted away on any terms, and 1 have told the Rajah so.' ' Bravo ! ' cried Wyatt. 308 WYATT SMOKES THE HUBBLE-BUBBLE. <'r Then the llajah will never let us f^o,' said Ilulton. ' Very well,' said Wyatt, ' I accept my fate. I only say, don't let us all be too trusting. — I 'm speaking seriously now, Darrell, my dear boy. Things have happened very pleasantly for you, and the Rajah is a very good fellow, and means to be a faithful friend.' ' What more could I want ? ' said Dick warmly. ' Nothing, my dear boy ; I only say, don't trust too much. He means well, but he is not of our race, and he is still surrounded by people who wear a mask. He is very English now in all his ideas, but you know the old saying, "Constant dropping will wear a stone." ' CHAPTER XXXIV. SERGEANT STUBBS IS CURIOUS. T was Dick's duty at times to visit posts and when going round the old palace, where a corporal's guard was always on duty and the gates kept shut, he often thought of their adventures in the place, and frequently took a walk round the ramparts, wondering how their nocturnal visitor had contrived to make his way into the well-guarded place and lay the train. But he made no progress. He visited, too, the great temple, where Sergeant Stubbs had liis quarters, with a small detachment of men acting as custodians of the place in the Rajah's interest. The latter had more than once talked with Dick of the treasure there, in addition to the valuables connected with the various idols and priestly ceremony, saying that it was Ijetter that the English troops should have the custody. ' We are at peace now,' he said, ' and I feel more secure than ever on my tlirone, but there is no know- ing what may liappen.' There were no black looks now on the part of the Brahmin and tlu; attendant priests, and it seemed as if the officers and men were welcome, for the treatment 310 SERGEANT STUBBS IS CURIOUS. tliey received and the deference paid were of a marked character ; wliile, on the other lumd, the disciphne kept up by the sergeant was stringent, and the temple people saw that every object in the vast, gloomy place was treated with the greatest respect. Oddly enough, Stiibbs selected Black Bob, as he was still called, to be his right-hand man there, and once only upon one of his visits Dick made a remark about it to the sergeant. * Well, yes, sir, it does seem comic. There was a time when I 'd rather have had any other man in the troop, and I don't think I like him a bit better than then, but I 'd trust him to do anything, or with anything. He don't like me either, but you know he respects me as a soldier, and I respect him. He 's a gentleman still, and as a soldier — well, there, you know what he can do.' ' You 're not afraid of his helping himself to any of the idols' jewels, then, Stubbs ? ' ' No, nor to any of the gold and silver down in the vaults here, sir. Not he. It 's a wonderfully rich place, sir. I don't wonder at the Rajah liking to have us here. You get him to show you what there is here some day.' ' Not I,' said Dick contemptuousl}^ ; ' it would look too small. Let's have a walk round.' ' Yes, sir. You can do it now without meeting one of the priests in every dark corner. It's a wonder- ful place, sir; full of rum passages and dark holes. Regular dungeons, some of them. I expect they used them to put prisoners in, and there they are now, ready for any number.' ' What prisoners are they likely to have in a temple ? ' ' I don't know, sir ; but there they are, with rings in SERGEANT STUBBS IS CURIOUS. 311 the walls, and chains, and strong doors. You might shut a man up in some of them, and he might holloa as long as he liked, and nobody would ever hear him, unless it was one of the stone gods. They might, perhaps.' 'You've been havino- a reg-ular rummajre, then?' Oct O ' said Dick. ' I just have, sir. You see, I have a lot of time on my hands, and, having the care of the place, I like to know what I 've got to take care of, and where to go in case of emergencies. It 's the sort of place where a man might easily lose himself, and that would be awkward if one was in a hurry and wanted to get out. Regular hot out of doors to-day, sir, isn't it ? ' ' Yes ; scorching.' ' Well, up above and down below too, sir, it 's as cool as cool. Just the day for a peep round, sir. Like to come ? ' ' Yes, if it is not likely to set the people here thinking why I 've come.' ' You may take my word for it, sir, that we sha'n't meet a soul. Besides, they talk to me here about you being such a favourite with the Rajah.' ' Who does ? ' ' Every one, sir, from the old chief Brahmin down to the lowest priest. They think a deal here of Sahib Dah Rell, as they call you.' ' Very well. I should like to see where the treasures are,' said Dick. 'Then come along, sir; I'm a reguhir guide now.' ' Only don't lose the way, Stubbs,' said Dick, smiling ; * I 've an appointment to meet the Rajah this afternoon.' ' Tlint 's all right, sir. You trust me.' It was a change from the rather monotonous ruuud 312 SERGEANT STUBRS IS CURIOUS. of barrack duties, and, after a visit to the sergeant's room, Dick followed him across the temple into the half-darkness of the great building behind the mon- strous elephant-headed figure, in and out among a perfect labyrinth of grotesque carvings — illustrating, apparentl}^ passages in the Hindu mythology — till all at once Stubbs paused opposite a flat pillar, and turned as if to speak to his companion. ' You get a good view backward from here, sir,' he said in his ordinary tone of voice ; and Dick looked back, to see how the pale light struck in from one side at the bottom of an irregular vista while they stood almost in darkness. ' See that stone figure squatting down ? ' ' I can just make out the shape, but it is not worth seeing,' said Dick. ' No, sir,' replied Stubbs ; ' makes a good seat, though. Only grim darkness and mystery as these priests keep up to frighten the niggers. There isn't one of 'em as would dare to come along here among these hundreds of ugly idols after the tales the priests tell them. But it 's all right ; I don't want for us to be followed. Now then, give me your hand ; it 's a bit of a squeeze through a narrow crack, and then you have to go down twenty steps, but if you hold on to me I '11 guide you.' Dick grasped the sergeant's hand, and felt himself drawn through a narrow opening just behind the flat pillar ; then they turned at right angles to the left and went on a dozen feet or so, when they again turned at right angles and went sideways some forty or fifty feet between stone walls, the opening being barely sufficient to allow the sergeant to get along, while the darkness was now profound. SERGEANT STUBBS IS CURIOUS. 313 . ' Rather a tight fit for me, sir,' said Stubbs ; ' easy- enough for you. Now wait a bit while I get a light.' He passed in front of Dick, and, taking out the materials, he struck a light, blew up the match, and applied it to the wick of a curiously-shaped lamp standing upon a ledge above their heads, till the lamp burned with a clear, white flame. ' They keep it there on purpose,' said the sergeant, ' just at the head of some steps. They 're a bit wider, but they don't give you much room to get down.' ' But how in the world did you find this out ? ' ' Just by accident, like, sir. I was wandering about here in the dark one day, in and out among the figures, wondering where the Rajah's treasures that we were set to guard could be stored. But I didn't find any- thing out, for I couldn't bring a lantern and look. So I came again and again, playing at hide-and-seek, like, for it seemed so stupid to be taking care of some- thinrr and not to know where it was. And so I went on for days, not making any show, like, till one day, after a bit of a hunt, I sat down in the lap of one of the small idols, to think that I must be quite on the wrong scent. And it being very quiet, and me being a bit tired, and the idol's lap making a nice, cool, comf 'table arm-chair, I goes off to sleep in the darkness; and I don't know how long I was asleep, of course, but I was woke up by something, and sat listening and wondering where I was, till it came again — a queer sort of sneeze — and then I knew. " Why, it 's the old Brahmin," I said to myself. " What 's he doing here ? " Then I felt that I knew, and tliat he must be looking after me. But he wasn't, for he went by me and on for a few yards, mo hearing his loo.sc petticoats rustling quite loudly for a bit and then leaving ofli", like, all at once. The next 314 SERGEANT STUBBS IS CURIOUS. moment lie sneezed again, but it sounded smothered and stifled like, as if he was behind a door ; and I just rubbed my hands together softly, for I felt sure that there must be a doorway. So, " Success to snuff ! " I says.' ' What for ? ' said Dick, laughing, and his mirth sounded weird and strange as it seemed to go whispering away. ' Because the old chap had opened his snufF-box and let out the cat, sir.' ' Then you felt that he had gone into the place you wanted to find ? ' ' That 's it, sir ; and I sat there and waited a good two hours before I heard the roosh, roosh of his clothes again, just like a woman's, and he passed me and went away. Of course I did nothing then ; but a few days ifterwards I came with a tinder-box and a bit of candle in case they were wanted, and, my word ! what a while I did have to hunt for the way in here ! It was all so simple that it humbugged me, sir. I got trying to lift idols and turn 'em round or lay 'em down, and to find trap-doors, till at last I stood leaning against that flat pillar wondering how it could be, and then I smelt it.' ' Smelt it ? ' 'That's it, sir; I smelt it — a curious, stuffy, damp smell that seemed to come out of a cellar ; and next minute I had squeezed myself through that crack, and crept cautiously a little way into the darkness before striking a light. Then I saw I had got it, and crept along, holding up my candle, which I neerln't have brought, for there was the lamp on the ledge, and just before me these steps. — Come on down, sir. I '11 go fii-st' SERGEANT STUBBS IS CURIOUS. 315 Dick followed down a steep flight of stone stairs, whose edges were as sharp as if newly cut, and the next minute, as the sergeant held up the lamp, Dick could see that they were in a huge, far-stretching vault, all dwarf pillars and arches. ' Rum place, sir, isn't it ? ' said the sergeant, holding up the light. ' Something like the crypt of a cathedral,' replied Dick. ' Is it, though, sir ? Never saw one. Have they got sort of cells to put people in ? ' ' Yes,' said Dick meaningly. ' Same here, sir ; reg'lar prison, like, all down one side ; ' and he led the way to a series of stone doors at the head of a low, square passage. ' Is this where you think the Rajah's treasures are ? ' ' Oh, no, sir. I think they 're on the other side, through a big, square doorway with an idol sitting in front. — Look here ; this place is open and ready for a prisoner — stone bed, stone stool, and a place to chain him up to. There 'd be no getting out of here.' Dick shuddered as he followed the sergeant into the gloomy place, and then they examined the door — a huge slab of stone which ran in a groove, with a long stone to fall down behind it when it was closed. ' Queer place, sir,' said the sergeant. ' That 's where they shut the wicked Brahmins up to make 'em good. Like to sec where I think the treasure is put away ? ' ' Yes ; I may as well see as I am here.' The sergeant held his lamp higher so that they might be aware of the presence of stumbling-blocks, and led the way to the far side of the vast, vaulted place, where just before them sat a little, six-armed iiginx', armed with 8word3, clubs, and twining serpents. 316 SERGEANT STUBIBS IS CURIOUS. ' It 's a she, sir ; and slie has six weapons to keep off thieves. I believe the people think that if they attempted to move the stone which closes that door- way the idol would come to life and attack them.' ' Then j'oii think that 's the treasure-house, Stubbs ? ' said Dick. ' That 's it for certain, sir,' ' Well, the people believe in all these things, and it makes the treasure safe. There, we won't try to make the image come to life and show fight, for we don't want to meddle.' ' Not we, sir,' replied Stubbs. ' Which way shall we go back ? ' ' Round by the other side.' ' Then we '11 keep a sharp lookout, sir, for I haven't been there. We don't want to tumble down any wells or flights of stairs. It 's rather awkward going along a place you don't know.' Stubbs led the way with the light, once more crossing diagonally from side to side, and then leading the way along a black wall completely covered with grotesque carvings from floor to ceiling. ' Hullo ! ' he said, suddenly stopping. ' What is it ? ' ' Another opening, sir. I never saw this before.' ' What does it look like ? ' ' Long passage, sir.' ' Well, let 's go down it and see where it leads to.' The sergeant turned down the dark opening, and led the way along it with his gleaming light for a good ten minutes, and then he stopped. ' Well,' said Dick, ' why don't you go on ? ' ' Don't seem to lead anywhere, sir, as I see.' ' It must lead somewhere or come to an end. Go on.' SERGEANT STUBBS IS CURIOUS. 31 7 Stubbs trimmed his lamp a little and went on once more, very cautiously, for fear of pitfalls ; but at the end of another ten minutes the passage was precisely the same. ' Go on, sir ? ' ' Yes, so on. We must come to the end soon.' Stubbs sighed and examined the candle. 'Rather awk'ard, sir, if the light went out,' he grumbled. ' Yes, that would be unpleasant,' replied Dick. ' Could 3'ou find out your way if it did ? ' ' No, sir, I 'm sure I could not,' replied the man ; ' and there 's no end of places we haven't looked at yet. We mustn't be lost.' ' Oh, we should find our way again,' said Dick con- fidently. ' Ah, look here ; the path slopes upward. What does this mean ? ' ' Slopes up, sir, quite sudden,' said Stubbs. ' Look at the snakes.' ' Where ? ' cried Dick, shrinking. ' Not live uns, sir— carved stone ones, all tAvisted together.' ' This is very strange, Stubbs,' said Dick ; ' the way slopes right up as if we should get out somewhere here.' ' Then we ought to be out now, sir,' replied the man, 'for it ends quite sudden-like, and we ought to be well out of the place by now.' ' It 's just like the top of a well,' said Dick. ' Just, sir ; but I can't see how it goes next. Shall I try if I can feel the top ? ' ' Yfs, of course." ' No trying wanted ; here it is, sir,' said the sergeant. ' Can't stand up in it. I can't understand the place at all. Can you ? ' 318 SERGEANT STU13BS TS CURIOUS. ' No,' said Dick ; and after a brief examination Stubbs turned sharply. ' Better look sharp, sir, or the lamp will give out.' ' Back at once, then ; ' and they set oft' along the passage as fast as they could, the oil lasting exactly till they reached the ledge, when, in the jar that the sergeant gave in setting it in its old place, the wick dropped down. ' Some one '11 catch it for not having +rimmed that lamp,' said, Stubbs with a chuckle. ' Whoever takes hold of it will be puzzled at finding it burnt out, for i don't mean to tell them I have had it out of its place.' Stubbs whispered to his companion not to speak now, and led the way cautiously to the entrance, and then slowly out into the gloomy back of the temple, where, as they made their way towards the entrance, Dick kept on glancing back through the gloom, where it seemed as if dark figures were followunsf them, and creeping softly from pillar to pillar, and in and out among the many idols, startling him more than once into speaking in a whisper to his companion. ' Oh, no, sir, there 's no one following us. I was scared once in the same way by seeing people, as I thought, after me ; but it 's only the images in the queer light.' ' I 'm not so sure of that,' said Dick. ' I could be certain that I saw some one dart behind one of the big figures.' * Yes, sir ; but it 's all imaginary and fancy. I tell you I 've often thought some one was watching me when I 've been creeping about here, and gone back to find that it was only one of the idols. My sight 's more used to the place than yours is.' Dick looked at his companion doubtingly, but he SERGEANT STUBBS IS CURIOUS. 319 said no more, and contented himself with another glance round. Soon after he left the sergeant to himself, with the understanding that he was to go again and help to investigate that passage, for the young officer had an idea that he had hit upon a discovery which would make clear something that had caused him many an hour's vain thought. CHAPTER XXXV. IN THE LABYRINTH. IJHE weird, strange labyrintlis of the old temple impressed Dick deeply, and before many days he paid another visit to the place, choosing the hottest part of the day ; but, to his great disappointment. Sergeant Stubbs was away. ' Do you know where he has gone ? ' he asked the sentry on duty by the temple gate. ' No, sir ; he went out not long ago ; but if you go to the guardroom, I dare say they can tell you there. Gone to the bazaar, I think.' The distance was short from his quarters at the Rajah's palace, but the heat was intense. In fact, Dick would not have come but for the knowledge that the walk through the old temple would be beautifully cool, and, in all probability, all the people in the place taking their siesta, so that they v/ould be free from interruption. ' It 's all my fault,' he muttered, ' for not making an appointment. Phew ! it 's too hot to go back.' He went into the temple, and made his way to the part of the conventual building which had been set apart for the guards, who were idling about in the IN THE LABYRINTH. 321 coolest form of costume which they could adopt ; but those of them connected with the guard of the day- sprang to their feet on seemg their 3'oung officer, and stood at attention. But no one knew where the sergeant was, save that he had gone out an hour before and had not said when he would be back. Dick turned away disappointed, and left the men's quarters, the weapons and uniforms thereof looking strangely out of place in connection with such a building. ' I may as well stop about till Stubbs comes back,' he thought ; and, turning in through one of the big doorwa5's, he strolled slowly into the great building, drawing a breath of relief, for the air within was comparatively cool, and it was like escaping from a furnace to enter the shadowy gloom. There was not a soul visible, for, as he had rightly conjectured, the priests and attendants were fast asleep till the heat of the day was past, and for some little time the young officer stood gazing at the bright, clear- cut silhouette the sentry formed against the dazzling light outside ; but after some minutes had passed he began to grow tired of waiting, and slowly strolled farther into the darkness, in and out among the numberless figures, and round by the back of the huge ligure towering up towards the ceiling. Then, as it looked cooler and darker above, he went to the steps, und slowly ascended them to the great gallery which went round behind the fiirure. From there he leaned ai^ainst the carved stone balus- trade, cut into grotesfjue monkeys. Brahmin bulls, and elepliants, thinking of the enormous time and labour that must liave been bestowed upon the place, and what U 322 IN THE LARYRINTIT. wealth nnist liavc been gathered together by the Brahmin priesthood for the purpose. But lie could tell that hundreds upon hundreds of years must have elapsed since the place was first commenced, and the priesthood would always have been able to command the services of the people in their cause. But still Stubbs did not come ; and, knowing that his heavy military stride would echo over the pavement when he did return, Dick sauntered along behind the idol, noticed the strange openings therein, and, wonder- ing to what purposes they were put, he went dreamily on to the other side and descended by another stone staircase, which brought him down in the darkest part behind the huge figure, with its heavy ears and twining trunk, and not far from the flat pillar, nearly hidden by the crowd of smaller images. His nearness to the opening leading down to the lower regions set him thinking, but it was too hot to think standing up, and he sought for a convenient spot where he could sit down. However, there seemed to be nothing suitable but the floor, and that was not tempting. All at once he remembered the seat made use of by the sergeant, and after a little search he found it, and sat down in the lap of the stone figure. It was cool and restful there, and he sat listening for the sergeant's step ; but it did not come, and as he rested there, musing over what he had seen during his last visit, he asked himself why he should wait — why, as he was there, he should not go down by himself — for he felt sure that he could find his way in and out to where the lamp stood upon the stone ledge. When he had reached as far as this his brain became IN THE LABYRIXTPI, 323 more active, and in imagination ho ran on down the steps, and on amongst the great dwarf pillars by the cell-like places, with their sliding doors of stone slabs ; and then, after pausing for a time, shuddering at the horrors of a man being shut up in such a tomb-like place, possibly to be left to starve and die, he diverted his line of thought, and crossed to the great square doorway where the six-armed idol sat on guard over what must be the Rajah's treasure. *I should like to see what he has there,' thought Dick, ' but it would be horribly mean to try and get in. I don't mind finding out where the treasure is kept, for there is common-sense in what Stubbs says about our knowing where the things are that we have to f'uard. Precious-stones of all kinds, I '11 be bound,' he said to himself ; ' and I know what I '11 do — I '11 ask him to show me. He '11 do anything I want. No, 1 'm not going to peep about like that, and I shouldn't care to be hanging about the great doorway — it would look so spy-like — but I must find out the meaning of that passage, and I feel sure it is as I suspect. Hang that sergeant ! Why can't he be here when he 's wanted ? ' He sat for quite another half-hour waiting and tliinking, and then his mind was made up. The long, strange labyrinth below was black as pitch, and weird, strange, and echoing ; but he was not going to be afraid of the dark, however weird and strange it was. Pooh ! a soldier, and shrink from going down alone into a place like that! It was absurd, and tlic thouglit put him on his mettle. He would go, and surprise Stubljs afterwards. The sergeant ought to have been there, and, as he was not, Dick determined to go by himself, and rose at once to coml)at a slight sensation of nervousness that began to attack him. 324 IN THE LAr.YJlTNTIT. 'It will be easy enoufjli,' he said, ' I have a rioht to be here ; the Rajah considers the place as much in my charge as Wyatt's, and I will go now.' Crossing the intervening space at once, he paused for a moment or two to look back and listen, but nothing was visible from there but a faint dawn of light, and there was not a sound to be heard. Then slipping in behind the square pillar, he made his way along the narrow passage in the darkness, feeling the side and guessing the distance, growing more and more cautious as he proceeded, lest he should step too far and go headlong down the stairs. Ah, there was the lamp in its place ; but suppose it had not been trimmed since ! He raised it and shook it, to feel that it was ready and full of oil ; but he set it down in dismay, for it suddenly occurred to him that his adventure was nipped in the bud — he had no tlint, steel, match, or tinder. ' How absurd ! ' he muttered at his folly ; and he stood for a moment, thinkino- that there was nothing left for him to do now but to go back to see if the sergeant had returned, and if he had not, to give up the project for the day. The thought had hardly passed across his brain when he heard steps outside — not the martial tread of the man he awaited, but a hurried pace of one wearing the native shoes. Whoever it was must be coming there, and if he stayed where he was, Dick knew that he would be discovered. There was no time for consideration ; he must either face the fresh -comer or retreat. To face the fresh-comer in tlie dark meant startling IN THE LABYRINTH. 325 one who might reply with a knife-stroke, and, wnthout hesitation now, Dick felt for the top of the steps with one foot, and then descended silently to the place below, w^here, guarding his face with outstretched hands, he cautiously advanced till his fingers came in contact with one of the great, squat pillars which supported the temple floor, and now stood ready to afford him shelter and concealment. He did not get behind it at once, but stood resting one hand against it, as he turned back to peer through the darkness and listen for his interrupter. He was not left long in suspense. At first there was a dead silence, and he was be- ginning to hope that he had been mistaken, but not for long. All at once there was the rattle of the metal lamp on the stone ledge, showing that the fresh-comer was perfectly acquainted with the place ; and then the clicking of a Hint and steel was heard, evidently being used in vain, for the user uttered hasty ejaculations, full of annoyance, again and again before he succeeded in getting a spark to alight upon the tinder, and began to blow till the match was applied and a faint, fluttering sound was heard, followed by the appearance of a pale, bluish lii{ht, and then this brightened into the flame of a burning splint of wood. This flaslied out (piite (juickly, and Dick started, fully expecting that he must have been seen, for the face and dress of the visitor stood out quite clear in the darkness, and the young officer's hand flew to lii.s sword as he waited for the man's angry ejaculation. But, to the lad's intense relief, there was a fresh rustling Houml as the lamp was taken down from tlie ledge, and tlic visitor stood in profile to his watcher, witli his clearly-cut aquiline feature;^ standing out as he lit the 326 IN THE LABYRINTH. lamp, extinguished the laaich, and then turned to descend. As he put his foot upon tlie first step witli the con- fidence of one evidently accustomed to descend, Dick now silently glided behind the pillar, kept it between him and the light, and softly stepped farther into the interior, making for the next pillar, so as to place that between him and the new-comer, whose presence made liim hold his scabbard raised in his left hand, prepared to bring the hilt of his sword ready for his right. By this time the man had reached the floor of the great crypt, and, as if startled by some sound, he stopped short, and, raising the lamp high above his head, leaned forward, gazing straight in Dick's direc- tion, the lad as he peered round seeing the figure's hand, in the faint light cast by the lamp, steal slowly towards his knife. ' He has seen me and means mischief,' said Dick to himself. ' Well, let him come on ; I have my sword.' CHAPTER XXXVI. ROBBERY. ES, what is it ? ' said Hulton as an orderly tapped at the door when he was in earnest conversation with Wyatt and the doctor, evidently upon some question of great moment to them all. ' His highness the Rajah has sent a messenger, sir. He wants to see Captain Wyatt directly.' ' That will do,' said Hulton, and the man saluted and left. ' Now,' continued Hulton, ' what does this mean ? ' ' I don't know,' said Wyatt grimly. ' The plot is beginning to unfold. I believe there is some trap.' ' No, no,' cried Hulton. ' I begin to feel that the Rajah is sincere.' Wyatt shook his head. ' Well,' he said, ' what shall I do ? Go and see him?' ' Alone ? ' ' Why not ? ' said Wyatt. ' If he is sincere there is nothing to mind.' Hulton hesitated. 'I hardly like you to go alone, Wyatt,' he .said. ' We will go with you.' 328 RORBERY. ' And yive tlicm the opportunity to trap \is all togctlior if he means anything wrong. No ; you stay hero and quietly be getting everything ready. If I am not back in half-an-hour, come for me ; and if things have gone -wrong, seize him and the Ranee. It is our only chance.' ' And you '11 go alone ? ' * Yes,' said Wyatt, drawing himself up and frowning, ' I '11 go alone ; and if I feel satisfied that he has done this, I '11 cut him down even if I die for it the next minute.' Captain Hulton's lips parted to speak, but Wyatt strode out without turning, walked across the hall, and went straight to where a group of the Rajah's guards stood on duty outside the room he occupied. One of the officers went in, and returned directly, to make way for him to enter. He had expected to find the Rajah seated there alone, but, to his surprise, he found him surrounded by his people, principal among whom were the Wazir and the chief Brahmin ; and in place of the usual smiling faces, he found himself meeting frowns and scowls. There was a dead silence as Wyatt entered, and after a glance round he spoke. ' Your highness wished to see me ? ' ' Yes, Captain Wyatt,' said the Rajah sternly. ' You are Mr Darrell's friend ? ' ' Yes, sir, and brother-officer.' * I have sent for him four times tliis mornino-. I wish to speak to him on a matter vital to his honour, and I keep receiving the reply that he is not in his room.' 'That was the true reason why he did not come, sir,' said Wyatt sternly ; ' he is not in his room.' ROBBERY. 329 ' Then why is he not in his room ? Where is he ? ' 'That is what I want to know, sir,' said Wyatt sternly. 'He left his quarters about midday yester- day.' There was a keen exchange of glances between the Rajah and his officers, which Wyatt noted as he went on : ' And he has not returned since.' There was another quick look exchanged. ' Perhaps your people can give some explanation of why this is, sir ? ' ' I or my people ? No,' said the Rajah. ' Can you ? ' ' Only this, sir — that he must have been waylaid and carried oft" if he has not been assassinated by some of your people.' There was a loud exclamation at this, and several of the officers, with indignant looks, clapped their hands to their swords ; but the Rajah made a sign and there was silence. ' This is an insult to us. Captain Wyatt,' he said ; ' and if you are sincere in your declaration that you do not know where he is, you will agree to this.' ' Will you explain what you mean, sir ? ' said Wyatt haughtily. ' Yes. The matter concerns your young officer, whom I have trusted, and to whom I have shown the greatest favour ; but as the matter concerns your brother-officers as well as yourself, and the lionour of all is concerned, T must ask you to send for Captain Ilulton and Doctor Robson to come liere.' Wyatt's cyos dilated with the suspicion lie felt, and his face looked harder and sterner than ever as he replied : 'Captain Ilulton is still an invalid, sir, and Doctor 330 ROBRERY. Rolison lias nothing wliatever to do witli the conduct of our troop. I am in command, and the matter con- cerns me, and the honour generally of the troop. INFr Darrell, our young officer, has suddenly disappeared ; I ask you and yours for some explanation, and I am told that it is a matter concerning our honour ; have the goodness to tell me what you mean.' There was again a low murmur and fierce gesticula- tions amongst the officers, who resented Wyatt's tone, for he was speaking to the Rajah as if he were the offender being called upon to explain. The Rajah sat troubled and stern for a few minutes as if irresolute, while the Wazir and other officers whispered together in a way which made Wyatt feel that his life was hanging, as it were, upon a thread. 'It is most painful, and a sorrow to me,' said the Rajah at last, ' for I have behaved to this Mr Darrell as if he were my friend.' Wyatt nodded shortly. ' He has come and gone here as he pleased, and my mother has during the past month treated him as if he were a son.' Wyatt nodded again. ' He has been as free to go to and from her apart- ments as I have, and in opposition to the custom of our people, for she has often laughingly said he was but a boy.' ' Well, sir,' said Wyatt sternly, ' what has this to do with the disappearance of my brother-officer ? ' ' This,' said the Rajah fiercely, and with his face full of the anger and disgust he felt : ' my mother came to me quite early this morning to make her complaint of the treatment she had received.' Wyatt was watching him searchingly. ROBBEKY. 331 * She has found that her ivory cabinet has been opened, and the whole of her diamonds, emeralds, pearls, and nibies are gone. You know the beautiful jewels she had.' ' Yes,' said Wyatt, ' I know. They were magnificent, queenly. Well, sir ? ' ' Well,' said the Rajah, looking at him wonderingly, ' my mother, the Ranee, tells me that Mr Darrell was seen to go to her rooms yesterday, and now he has fled.' 'Oh, I see,' cried Wyatt scornfully; 'you mean that my brother-officer, a gentleman — an English gentleman — enjoying your hospitality, trusted by you in every way, has behaved like one of the vilest budmashes of the bazaar.' ' What else can I believe after my mother's words ? ' cried the Rajah angrily. ' Bah ! ' raged out Wyatt ; ' I 'd answer for him with my life. Rajah, shame on you ! How can you be such a child ? ' There was a roar at tliis, but the Rajah held up his hand, and turned to Wyatt. ' Then where is he ? ' he cried. ' Why is he not here to answer to this charge ? ' * You have been sendinjT for me, sir ? ' said a familiar voice, and Dick Darrell, who had entered in the confusion unobserved, let fall the heavy curtain he had drawn aside, and stepped forward to his brother-officer's side. CHAPTER XXXVII. WHAT DICK SAW. AH ! Dick, lad,' whispered Wyatt, grasp- ing his hand, ' never more welcome than now. Not hurt ? ' ' Oh, no.' ' Where have you been ? ' * Out. I '11 tell you soon, but his highness wants me.' ' Yes,' cried Wyatt fiercely, ' and I '11 tell you why. Throuo-h her hiirhness the Ranee's announcement to him, the Rajah, who does not know what an English gentleman is, charges you with sweeping off as loot the whole of her valuable gems. Now, then, speak out : tell his highness what you have to say to that.' * Very little,' said Dick coolly ; ' but I am not surprised.' ' What ! not surprised that his highness should say that ? ' ' Of course he would be indignant.' ' Hah ! ' ejaculated the Wazir. * Well,' cried Wyatt, ' why do you not tell him it is an insult ? ' ' Because it would be too childish,' said Dick con- temptuously. ' I take them ? Ke cannot believe it.' WHAT DICK SAW. 333 'I do not want to believe it,' cried the Kajali excitedly, ' but it is made so clear to uie that it was you.' ' Absurd ! ' cried Dick proudly, and he laughed in the Rajah's face. ' The precious stones were taken by some one in the palace.' ' Yes,' cried Wyatt, ' and as an excuse to shift the blame on to us.' ' Looks like it,' said Dick sharply. There was a roar of anger at this, and the Wazir and half the officers present drew their swords. ' It is an insult to us all, gentlemen,' cried the Wazir fiercely. ' It is no insult to the gentlemen present, brave officers of the Rajah,' cried Dick excitedly, 'but to one man only — the man who would stand by and hear the blame laid upon another — the coward, the thief ! ' ' Ah ! ' cried the Wazir, frantic with rage. ' Then who was it ? Let the Christian dog speak ' — sliding forward threateningly^ sword in hand. ' Christian ? — yes,' cried Dick excitedly. ' Dog your- self, and thief ! ' ' Hah ! ' yelled the Wazir, and (^uiek as thought he made a tremendous downward cut at the young officer. But Wj-att was even quicker. He was pre- pared, for, as the Wazir raised his sword, his own flashed out from its sheath as he stood on Dick's right, and in the swift upward cut it met tlic Wazir's. There was a loud clang and a musical jangle as the blade of a tulwar fell quivering on the marble floor, and the Wazir stood holding the hilt only of his weapon in his hand, while Wyatt drew back his o34 WHAT DICK SAW. weapon to his Hlioulder a.s if about to thrust, and Dick drew and stood ready at his side. ' Stand back,' cried W3\att in a deep, hoarse voice. ' I don't strike at unarmed men.' ' I appeal to your highness,' cried the Wazir. ' I appeal to all who love me. An insult, an outrage ! ' he snai-led, as his eyes seemed to blaze with the deadly hatred he felt towards the two Englishmen. The Rajah looked at him with his own eyes flash- ing now, and held up his hand to (piell the storm, while the chief Brahmin crept shivering to the door, to stand half behind the Rajah's guards and cling to the curtains of rich stuff' hanging from the arch. ' Let no man dare to raise a sword again in my presence,' cried the Rajah with dignity, and his officer drew back and imitated the action of Dick and Wyatt, who thrust their swords back into the scabbards with a clang. ' Mr Darrell, you and your friends came here at my invitation, and I will defend you to the last. But you have made a terrible charge against one of the greatest noblemen of my court, the Ranee's old and trusted friend.' ' No more terrible charge than has been made against me, sir — an English officer, who could not have committed such a paltry theft.' ' Neither could this noble officer, my mother's trusted friend.' ' Indeed ? ' said Dick calmly, as Wyatt stood watch- ing his face. 'I tell you, then, sir, that yesterday afternoon I saw him come down the steps beneath the great temple floor, lamp in one hand, bag in the other.' ' Wliat ! ' cried the Rajah wonderingl}^ ' And as he stepped hurriedly forward he caught his foot on something, slipped, and let fall the bag he WHAT DICK SAW. 335 carried. It fell with a peculiar sound, and the jerk he made in trying to save it put out the lamp.' The Wazir uttered a scornful laugh and looked round, half of those present joining in the laugh, half looking grave. ' This was beneath the temple floor ? ' said the Rajah. ' Yes, sir ; and we were in total darkness.' ' Yes,' said the Rajah excitedly, ' go on. But stop ! What were you doing there ? ' ' I had gone to see the officer on guard there.' * Yes,' cried the Rajah ; ' but how came you to know of the way down below ? ' ' The officer we have liad there by your instructions to guard the place found the way.' ' Then you were there to find the treasure-cell ? ' cried the Rajah excitedly. * We were there to guard the treasure-cell, sir, by your orders,' said Dick coldly. ' Send and see if your place is safe.' 'Yes,' said the Rajah, drawing a deep breath, 'I did send you tliere. Go on.' ' I was down there yesterday,' continued Dick, ' for I wished to carefully inspect the place for reasons of my own, wlien I was surprised by the coming of tlie Wazir.' 'Then you played spy upon him,' cried the Rajah. ' Why did you not speak openly to him, a gentleman you had often met here, and my friend ? ' Wyatt winced a little at the question, for Dick's acts seemed undci-liandcd. But he brightened up the next moment at his brotlier-officcr's words. ' Because, sir, the Wazir was not my friend. I looked upon him as my enemy, and I knew that if ho found Trie there I should have to tight for my life, perhaps against treachery.' 336 WHAT DICK SAW. 'Go on,' saitl the Rajali, ;uul the Wa/ir repeated his scornful hiugh. ' I waited in silence while I heard him no back in the darkness to the steps,' continued Dick, ' and then I heard him set down the lamp, and I could see him by the sparks he struck busj'infj himself trying to relight it. But it was long before he could ijet it to burn.' Dick faced the Rajah, watching his face as he spoke in his simple, straightforward way, which carried truth in every tone ; while Wyatt kept his eyes fixed upon the Wazir, whose eyelids were half- closed ; and at any moment the English officer was prepared for treachery. ' At last,' continued Dick, in the midst of the breathless interest of the listeners, ' the lamp burned out brightly again, and as he came back towards where I stood looking from behind one of the pillars, I for the first time knew what the bag contained, for two or three gems had escaped from the mouth or a hole broken through, and sparkled brilliantly upon the stone floor.' Dick paused for a moment, and a pent-up sigli escaped from several present. ' He caught sight of the escaped stones,' continued Dick, ' and as he picked up the bag he hurriedly thrust them back into their places, and rose up to go on, bag and lamp in hand.' * Yes,' said the Rajah, for Dick had halted again. ' There is very little more to tell, sir. He M^cnt on with the lamp towards the side of the great vault, and went up to one of the cells there that was lying open. I distinctly saw him go in and place the bag in a niche there, come out, and close the door.' WHAT DICK SAW. 837 ' How did he close the door ? ' said the Rajah sharply. ' By sliding a great slab of stone across the opening and letting fall a block behind it in the groove/ said Dick quietly. ' Hah ! ' ejaculated the Rajah with a long expiration of the breath. ' Then he went back hastily to the steps. I saw the lamp growing less till it disappeared, leaving only a pale glow from the top ; then it was extinguished, and I was in the intense darkness once more, as I crept softly after him and stood and listened till I heard a heavy, gliding noise and a dull concussion, and then all was still.' Again there was silence, and Dick drew out a hand- kerchief and wiped his streaming brow, looking hollow- cheeked and strange. ' I am hot and faint,' he said half-apologetically, as if speaking to the Rajah and Wyatt together ; ' I have been twenty-four hours without food, and I am ex- hausted with trying to find a way out of that place.' ' Hah ! ' cried the Rajah ; ' then you were shut in ? ' ' Yes, sir. When I had waited and then went to the top of the stairs, and then along the narrow passages, I could not find tlie opening out for a long time. Tlicn I found that the narrow doorway behind the pillar had been closed and made fast, and by degrees I grasped the fact that the whole of the pillar had been thrust back against the passage wall, and was now fastened there, probably Viy a block being lowered, or one of the stone figures being pushed into a groove to keep it shut.' ' Then you were a prisoner i ' said (lie Rajah. 'Yes, sir, till about an hour ago.' ' When the door was opened,' criod Wyatt excitedly. ' Opened by the sergeant, who hud missed you.' V 338 WHAT DICK SAW. * The sergeant did not know I had gone down below into the great vault,' said Dick quietly ; ' and for aught I know, it may be fastened now.' ' Then how did you escape ? ' cried the Rajah. ' By devoting my attention, sir, to finding the other way out,' said Dick firmly now. ' What other way out ? ' cried the Rajah. ' There is no other way.' ' There is, sir,' said Dick quietly ; ' and but for the fact of my divining the way in which entrance was secured, I should have been there now, or till some one had come.' ' Another way out ? ' cried the Rajah. ' Yes, sir ; fastened in a similar fashion, as I found at last, by the drawing back of a square pillar, leaving just room for a man to squeeze through.' ' But where was this ? ' asked the Rajah excitedly. ' At the extreme end of a long stone passage, hun- dreds and hundreds of yards from the temple walls — a strange place rising upward above my head — a place where I tried for hours till my fingers and nails were worn like this and bleeding,' said the lad, holding out his hands. ' But when at last I discovered the right place to touch, it yielded with the greatest ease.' ' You astound me,' cried the Rajah, by whom the charge was for the moment forgotten in this strange development. ' And where did this other doorway bring you out ? ' ' In one of the rooms of the old palace, sir,' cried Dick firmly. ' The doorway was the one through which your highness's enemies and ours came to fire our magazine and assassinate all who came in their way.' CHAPTER XXXVIII. THE SEARCH FOR THE JEWELS. MEN you escaped by there back into your old quarters?' cried the Rajah as the murmur of astonishment died out. ' Yes, sir ; and after coming across to my room to wash and dress, I heard that your highness had been sending for me. I came on, to find you ready to accuse me of this contemptible theft. Are you satisfied now where the jewels are ? ' ' Yes,' said the Rajali firmly, ' quite. Now, Wazir, what have you to say ? ' 'Say!' cried the man contemptuously; 'I scorn to deny it. I, j^our mother's trusted friend and adviser — I steal her treasure of jewels, any one of which, if I had asked her, she would have given me at once ? ' ' You hear the way in which your charge rebounds on you ? ' ' I hear, but I scorn it all, your highness. It is a vile, cowardly invention, made to turn the light of your countenance from your faithful servants.' ' You heard what was said ? ' 'Yes, 1 have heard all, your highness ; but it is false. Let it be proved. If it be as the EngHsh boy says, it 340 THE SEARCH FOR THE JEWELS. is tnio. If the jewels are not found where lie says, it is false.' The Rajah bowed his head, and turned to Wyatt. ' That is fair, sir/ said the latter. ' Let the place be searched.' ' Yes,' said the Rajah ; and, clapping his hands, he gave the order, and then turned to his guards, sending an officer and a dozen men to guard at the temple to see that there was no foul play. He looked round him, to see that the chief priest was standing near the door, looking old and careworn, and he beckoned to him to draw near. ' Did you know of the long passage the young English officer has described ? ' ' Yes ; oh, yes,' he replied ; ' it is where those of our people who die in the temple are buried beneath the stones. They lie there from end to end.' 'Hah!' said the Rajah ;' but the way out into the old palace ? ' ' If I had known, should I have advised the Ranee and the Rajah, your father, to place their treasures there for their son ? Should I not sooner have built it up with the heaviest stones that could be found ? ' ' Yes,' said the Rajah, ' of course — for them if not for me.' Ho sat thinking for a few moments as if turning something over in his mind, and then turned to the two Englishmen. ' Captain Wyatt,' he said, ' I requested in a time of emergency that a guard of your men should be placed over my treasure in the great temple.' ' Yes, sir ; it was done, and has been faithfully carried out,' said Wyatt haughtily. THE SEARCH FOR THE JEWELS. 341 The Rajali bowed, and Lis face was inscrutable as he said : ' I now withdraw that request. You will give orders for your men to retire at once,' ' Then your higliness has ceased to confide in your Enojlish allies ? ' ' No,' said the Rajah ; ' but I must have this matter made clear. Send your order to your men.' ' This is hardly fair to us, your highness,' said Wyatt sternly. ' I stand at the head of all justice here, sir,' said the Rajah proudly, ' and I go now to see to what is right or wrong. You need not fear that I shall not be just.' ' As your highness pleases,' said Wyatt coldly. — ' Mr Darrell, you will send an orderly to Sergeant Stubbs, and bid him withdraw his men instantly, to march to the old palace, and take up quarters there till further orders.' Dick turned to go. * Stop ! ' cried the Rajah. ' Mr Darrell will stay with me.' ' As a prisoner, sir ? ' cried Wyatt fiercely. 'As my friend, sir,' replied the Rajah, 'until we have been to the temple. Have the goodness to summon your man anut tell me who 's hurt' 'The enemy — awfully.' 366 FRIENDS OR ENEMIES ? 'I mean, of our men.' ' Poor Bob Hanson. The Wazir cut liim down.' ' Oh ! ' cried Dick, rising- up again into a sitting position. ' Poor Bob Hanson ! But not dangerously / ' ' Robson is afraid so.' ' Where is he ? ' ' With half-a-dozen of the lads. Robson has them in one of the wagons, out of the sunshine.' ' I must go to him.' ' You can't now. If you can move you must help with the men.' ' I will directly ; but you said the Wazir cut Hanson down ? ' 'Yes — the last man he'll hurt. He had just struck you off" your horse when Hanson, who was serving a gun, went at him and got the cut meant to finish you ; but he ran the Wazir through first, and saved your life.' Dick got quite up on his feet now, and stood holding on by his friend, both mentally and bodily stunned. But by degrees he came round, and, when a few minutes later Hulton rode up, he was ready to mount once more, Wyatt having managed to drive out a great dint from his friend's helmet by thrusting with his knee and delivering a few blows with the pommel of his sword. ' A good headpiece, Dick,' he said. ' It has saved 3^our life twice over.' ' Well, Darrell,' said Hulton, who looked very white and faint, ' we 've scattered them, you see, and killed the arch-enemy, who made his final bite.' ' Yes,' said Dick faintly, * we 've won.' ' How is it with you, my lad ? Where 's it to be — IJ. ». ! 'liut lie ran tliu U a/.ir tlirougli lii^i. .mi.1 .-.ai d \<>ni life." I'AUK 'Miii. FRIENDS OR ENEMIES ? 367 one of the wagons with the wounded, or can you mount ? ' ' Mount,' said Dick shortly. ' I 'm getting clearer now.' ' Well, Wyatt, what now ? The enemy are between us and cantonments. What 's to be done ? It seems to me that the fighting has only just begun.' ' Yes ; and it seems madness to take the poor boys through those passes. I could see that they had foot there. You look. Try this "glass.' Hulton stood gazing through the glass for some minutes, ' Yes,' he said, ' hundreds ; but they are retreating.' ' To Avhere they can throw down stones upon the lads' heads. What 's to be done ? ' ' Beg pardon, gentlemen,' said Sergeant Stubbs, who had been threading his way through the resting horses and men. ' What is it, Sergeant ? ' asked Hulton. ' Well, sir, it 's a queer thing to say, but I 've got a man starving to death in my head,' The three officers stared at the powder-blackened sergeant, who stood looking strangely from one to the other, with a big pocket-handkerchief in his hand. ' Here, come along with me, Stubbs,' said Wyatt quickly ; ' the doctor will give j^ou something.' ' I ain't going mad, sir. I haven't got a touch of the sun, sir,' protested the sergeant. ' I know what I say. Look here, gentlemen ; I tied the bag up in this to bring it to you, but in the hurry and rush it got stutied aiiioDg my traps, and I 've just got it out of the wagon and brought it. I was afraid it would be found, and I .should be charired with lootinf;.' ' What is it ? ' .said Dick excitedly. 368 FRIENDS OR ENEMIES ? ' It 's a silk bag of dymonds and pearls and all sorts, sir, as I oot hold of.' ' The missing jewels — the Ranee's gems ! ' cried Dick. ' How did you get those ? ' ' Well, it was like this, sir,' said the sergeant : ' I was in the temple yonder, down by that doorway place I showed you, sir, when I hears a scuffling sort of noise, and I dropped back among the images, and out comes one of the big priests in an awful hurry with that bag in his hand. As soon as he was out of the dark hole he opens it, puts in his hand, and takes out something to look at, puts it back again, and then gives a peep round to see if any one was about, and then makes for the staircase. Then all in a minute it come to me. This bag was all precious stones, worth a lac of rupees, perhaps. " Part of the Rajah's treasure," I said to myself, " that we 're put here to guard." ' ' Oh ! ' gasped Dick. ' I followed him, of course, sir, for it was plain enough he was stealing, and I had to go gently, too, so as not to be heard. Where do you think he was going, sir ? ' ' How can I tell ? ' cried Dick, pressing a hand to his aching head. ' Up to the back of the big image, sir, where the hiding-places like cells are.' * Yes ; and then ? ' said Dick, ' Well, sir, I arrested him for looting, took away the bag, and shut him up in the big idol, a prisoner, spite of all he could say. And there he is now, and he may shout for help till all 's blue ; no one could hear him call. Now do you see w'hat I mean ? ' 'Yes; it's horrible,' cried Dick. 'The man will starve to death.' FRIENDS OR ENEMIES ? 360 ' He will, sir, as sure as I 'm here. And you know- it was the moment I got clown to the temple floor again that one of the guard came Avith the order for us to evacuate the place ; and from that minute, what with the hurry and confusion and one thing and another, I never remembered a word about it till just now, when the fighting and smoke seemed to clear my head.' ' Then we must go back at once,' cried Dick. ' Go back ! ' said Hulton. ' Yes ; we cannot let that poor wretch die so horrible a death. And besides, we can restore the jewels to the Ranee and show her that I am innocent.' ' It would be enough to show the Rajah,' said Hulton dryly. 'Well, why not?' cried Wyatt. 'The jewels are here, the enemy there where it would be madness to go ; the Wazir is dead, and you have the priest a prisoner ready to prove the conspiracy to his high- ness. Last of all, you have defeated his enemies and ours.' ' Yes,' cried Uick, ' we must go back.' ' Right,' cried Hulton, catching the suggestion from the others. ' We can ride back in triumph and com- pletely change the state of affairs. Sound, Wyatt ! and let 's ride back at once.' It was quite time to sound the trumpet for mounting once again, for the flashing of steel in the distance told of a fresh body of horse approaching fi'oni tho diiTction of Sooj(;c])ur. Tho buttle seemed about to be renewed. 'Yes,' said Wyatt sternly, 'with fresh men; and if tho Wa/ir's folk can .see them where they arc now, we shall be attacked again from front and rear.' 370 FRIENDS OR ENEMIES ? This appearance of a fresh body of the enemy seemed to completely overset the plans just made, for the prospect of reaching the city now that the way was blocked seemed small indeed. 'I don't like it — I don't like it, Dick,' growled Wyatt as he rode alongside of his brother-officer at a gentle pace, in full marching order now with all their wagons, of which, however, they were prepared to disembarrass themselves in time of need. ' Neither do I,' said Dick, ' for my head is dreadful.' ' Poor old lad ! I am sorry ; but you must grin and bear it. I say, though, what about the Wazir's sword ? We ought to have brought that.' ' I told one of the men to take it, sheath, belt, and all, and put it in the wagon with Bob Hanson. He ought to have it.' ' Humph ! ' growled Wyatt, and he was silent for a few moments as he rode on, watching the approaching enemy. ' How many are there of them ? ' said Dick. ' Seven or eight hundred, my lad. Plenty of work cut out. I say, I told you I was spoiling for a fight.' 'You did.' * Well, I 've had all I wanted for one day, and I 'm getting stiff, but we shall have to go through the rest of it. We 've only one chance.' ' What 's that ? ' ' To go at them and let them see the stuff we 're made of. We shall be all right again as soon as we get warm.' They rode steadily on a little farther, with the long column of horsemen coming on in excellent order, very FRIENDS OR ENEMIES? 371 different from those who had followed the Wazir and his chiefs, and Wyatt's face grew darker. ' I say, little one,' he said suddenly, ' if j'ou don't feel equal to this next scrimmage, you had better stop in the rear with the wagons when we go into action.' ' Thank you,' said Dick quietly. ' Will 3on stop and keep me company ? ' Wyatt laughed softly, and leaned over to grip his companion's arm. * Feel giddy now ? ' ' No ; getting clearer.' ' Well, sit fast, lad, and take care of youivself. I '11 tell old Stubbs to keep an eye on you. I can't stop near.' ' You let Stubbs see to his men. He has enough to do. Burnouse will take care of me. I wish I knew how Bob Hanson was getting on.' * No time now. Hah ! at last.' For the trumpet called a halt, the wagons were cast off again, and, with every man he could muster, Hulton gave the word and the troop went off at a canter, to reach a knoll a few hundred yards away, where the guns were unlimbered, loaded, and tlie horses rested while the enemy was awaited, the intention being to give them two or three rounds to throw them into confusion as they formed up, and then gallop away. Anxious glances were directed back at the ruggc*] elevations they had now left far behind, but not one of the Wazir's men could be seen. 'Not one, Dick,' said W^yatt, closing his glass, 'so I don't mind so much. We shall have time to devote ourselves to our fresh visitors,' he said grimly. 372 FRIENDS OR ENEMIES? ' They 're startled already,' replied Dick. ' They 're halting.' 'Smell powder, like the hlack crows they are,' growled Wyatt. ' Don't care for the look of the guns. Why, Dick, look at them ! They 're the two regiments that we liave drilled. See hoAv they are forming into squadrons. Bah ! it is horrible. They '11 beat us by manceuvrinfr.' 'The two regiments and the Rajah's bodyguard,' cried Dick. ' I know them by their white puggrees. Look, look ! A white flag.' ' Same as white feather,' said Wyatt as three horse- men, magnificently mounted, came sweeping across the plain, leaving the squadrons drawn up in position. One of them bore a small white flag at tlie end of a lance, and as the pair sat watching Hulton joined them. ' What does this mean ? ' he said. ' Treachery, as likely as not,' replied Wyatt, ' But we shall soon see.' ' It 's the captain of the guard leading,' cried Dick excitedly ; and a few minutes after their old acquaint- ance dashed right up to where they sat. ' I heard the guns,' he cried excitedly. ' What has happened ? ' ' If you ride on a mile, sir, you will see,' said Hulton coldly. ' Where are the Wazir's men ? ' ' Part dead, part scattered among the mountains, replied Hulton. ' Why are you here, sir ? What do you propose ? ' ' Then I have come too late,' said the officer, with a disappointed look. ' If you meant to join the Wazir — yes,' said Wyatt FRIENDS OR ENEMIES ? 373 sharply ; ' but we are ready for an engagement with you at once.' ' Engagement ? With me ? ' said the officer, starinf;. ' I came to help 3'ou. As soon as tlie Rajah heard that the Wazir had left with a strong body to cut you off, he was in a rage. He said it was treachery to him as well as to you, when he had given orders that you should depart unmolested ; and he bade me get together all the men I could trust, and ^y to your help.' ' And you have brought the two regiments we helped to raise.' ' And my own guards, sir. They can be trusted to a man. Then we must pursue the Wazir and bring him back.' The English officers looked searchingly at the speaker. ' The Wazir is dead,' said Hulton slowly. ' Dead ? ' cried the captain excitedly. ' Then there will be peace in Soojeepur at last. His head ? Where is his head ? ' Wyatt smiled grimly. 'We do not take our enemies' heads, Captain,' he said. ' No — no, I forgot,' cried the officer ; ' but it must be taken back to the city that the people may see. It means peace to our troubled country, and the end of his party now. Hah ! ' he cried, with a smile, ' it was my own licad that was not safe. I feel as if 1 live again, and now my master may, for if the Wazir had won this fight there would have been an end of the Rajah's rule. Gentlemen, you must come back with me; the Rajah is at heart your friend. Lf^t me escort j'ou in triuiiij)h now.' O' 374 FRIENDS OR ENEMIES ? 'We were on our way back,' said Hnlton, smiling for there was not a doubt of the officer's lioncsty of })iirpose ; and once more the teams cantered off to bring up tlie wagons, while Dick sent the sergeant to fetch the sword that had been taken to the hospital -wagon. Stubbs returned with the sheathed weapon, just as the captain of the guard had despatched his two followers back to where the three bodies of horse were drawn up, and he turned in wonder as Dick held out the beautifully jewelled tulwar. ' The dead Wazir's sword,' said Dick. ' Yes,' said the captain ; ' the Rajah's present. I know it well. But for this stroke of fate it would have been reddened with his master's blood.' ' Take it,' said Dick. ' No, no,' replied the officer. ' You won it on the field of battle, and it is yours.' He drew back with a smile, and once more the weapon was conveyed to the wagon. In a very short time the captain's messengers came galloping back at the head of fifty horsemen, who charged down nearly to the guns, and were halted almost as well as a troop of ordinary cavalry, and then sat up in line, smiling and proud of the hearty cheer with which they were received. It was directly after that their captain asked for a couple of artillery-men to guide his people to where the Wazir fell. ' Yes,' said Hulton after a few words with his brother-officers ; ' but I have a word to say, sir. Your men have been drilled by English officers, and they must Vjehave in war like Englishmen. We cannot stand by and see such a barbarous deed done as FRIENDS OR ENEMIES ? 375 you propose. The Wazir was an enemy, but he was a ijreat man and a brave soldier after all. I will send a gun-carriage and its team. Let the Wazir's body be brought back into the town with all respect.' The captain bowed and rode off without a word. CHAPTER XLII. A CONFESSION. T was drawing near to sundown when the head of the retiring troops filed on to the bridge and crossed the orange-tinted, flashing river. Swift messengers had preceded them at a gallop, bearing their captain's message to his master, the Rajah — the news of the safety of the artillery troop and the Wazir's defeat and death. Consequently the bridge and streets were lined with troops and people, through whom the English and their glittering escort rode, the gun-carriage, with its dead burden, and its guard of artillery-men with drawn sabres, riveting every eye. They were received in utter silence, not a mur- mur rising. Only the sound of trampling horse and rumbling gun and wagon wheels M'^as heard. The long line filed on right away to the front of the Rajah's palace, where the young prince stood waiting, surrounded by his people ; and when the gun-carriage with its ghastly burden was drawn up at the foot of the steps, the Rajah came slowly down and stood gazing for a few minutes at his great enemj^'s fnce, before turning and bowing coldly to the English ofhccrs, who had dismounted. A CONFESSION. 377 ' Gentlemen,' he said, ' it was not my will that you were attacked. I am glad that you are safe.' ' And we are glad, sir,' said Hulton, ' that we can show you how high the honour of the English stands.' The Rajah gave him a stern look. ' Mr Darrell,' continued Hulton, ' you have something to give back to his highness.' Dick stepped eagerlj^ forward -to place the silken bag, bursting with jewels, in the Rajah's hands. ' Hah ! ' he exclaimed excitedly. ' For the Ranee's sake I am glad you have brought them back. But it was a vile thing for an English gentleman to do,' he added scornfully. Dick smiled in his face. ' Hear all first, sir,' he said ; and in a few words he told him Sergeant Stubbs's tale. The Rajah's eyes flashed with eagerness. « Yes — yes,' he cried ; ' I know the priest is missing. Send — send at once. No, no ; we must go and see.' He waited for no elephant, but mounted the first horse that was offered, and rode with the officers and a large escort to the temple gates, from whence the chief Brahmin was about to set forth with the whole of his followers to meet the body of his dead friend, the Wazir. Tlic coming of tlie Rajah checked all this. He fiercely ordered the Brahmins to be watched, ' Wiicre is this missing priest ? ' he said to the old man sternly. 'Thy .servant does not know,' sai<;'.T g^jiggmgy^wr^j^j^ja UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY Los Angeles This book is DUE on the last date stamped below. m 4/987 FtBQg ^B <*