To the great satisfaction of all, everything was going well. The troop had found themselves received in silence at the gate by the Rajah’s troops, and had ridden through the streets to the old palace, with the people in crowds watching their entrance; but no enthusiasm was displayed, and Wyatt said grimly:

“They look as if they were sorry that we have come back safely.”

“Or as if some of them wanted to give us a warmer welcome, only they feel afraid.”

“That’s about what it is,” said Wyatt. “They are afraid. I hope nothing has gone wrong in barracks.”

His hope was satisfied, for the gates were close shut, and the guard ready to challenge them before admittance was given, Sergeant Stubbs, left in command, having nothing more to report than the fact that a large body of armed men had been hanging about the place.

“Just as if they were waiting to hear how things were going, gentlemen. And, between ourselves, I can’t help thinking that if you had been worsted they would have attacked us. Not that they would have had much satisfaction out of that.”

“What do you mean, Stubbs!” asked Wyatt.

The man shook his head.

“They’d have been too much for us, of course, sir,” he said; “and we should have been done. But I’d got a plan ready for them in the shape of the ammunition.”

“What were you going to do?” asked Dick.

“Only going to put a lighted linstock to the end of a train leading to a big powder-bag in the ammunition-wagon, sir. Pity, I thought, to let our friends have that. They don’t understand our cartridges, and might have burned their fingers.”

Sergeant Stubbs said this with a grim look, but it was sober, earnest determination not to die un-revenged, for there was powder enough to destroy the place and all that were in it.

Dick was warm enough with his hot ride and all he had gone through, but as soon as he had flung his rein to his syce and patted Burnouse, he hurried to the room where the wounded men lay, finding Hulton looking deadly pale, but calm and free from fever; while the doctor, in spite of his weakness, was able to make inquiries about how the day had gone.

Dick told him in as few words as he could, and soon found that every one was listening.

All at once there was a deep groan, and Dick sprang to the bed of one of the men, to find that the sufferer was Hanson.

“Arm you in pain?” he said anxiously.

“Pretty well for that, sir. Why do you ask?”

“You groaned as if in agony.”

“That was not me, sir, but Jones there.”

“Your wound hurt you much?” said Dick to the man in sympathetic tones.

“No, sir; but it’s hard, that’s what it is—hard.”

“To be wounded?”

“To have to lie here and all that fun going on. Beg pardon, sir; you just dress me up again to-morrow, and then give me a stiffykit of being fit to go on duty again. I should get right quicker along with the men than lying here alongside Bob Hanson.”

“I have not made a sound,” said Hanson.

“No, my lad, but you’ve looked as if you were going to.”

“There, lie still,” said Dick. “I’ll come and look to your bandages as soon as I’ve got these hot things off; and I’m not fit to come now.”

Dick kept his word, and this time he had the doctor’s advice to help him to ease the poor fellows lying in misery.

“We shall be better in the morning, sir,” said Hanson so meaningly that Dick asked why he said that.

“We can lie and think about the troop having won.”

Dick had barely finished when there was a summons to meet the Rajah, who had come to obtain first-hand an account of the fight, to which he listened with an intense display of interest, expressing his satisfaction again and again.

“How have you got on here, sir, while we’ve been away?” asked Wyatt.

“They made some attacks upon the gates,” said the Rajah, “but there is nothing to fear from them. We are strongest there. It is in their mounted men that they are powerful and get the better of us, but after to-day I think I can laugh at them. Scouts came galloping in to say that you had won; but later on other men came in to say that you had all been cut off, and I was afraid.”

“We were cut off,” said Dick, smiling; “but Mr—Captain Wyatt—”

“Steady there!” growled that officer.

“Captain Wyatt,” said Dick, with a little more emphasis, “cut a way for us back again.”

The Rajah was for taking both away with him to the palace, but they excused themselves on the plea of being completely worn out; and he left them, to send servants with fruit and choice refreshments from his own table—a present which made Dick’s eyes brighten with satisfaction as he thought of his patients lying feverish and weary in the extempore hospital ward.

“Oh, this is glorious,” said Dick to himself as he threw himself on his bed at last, the night, for a wonder, being fairly cool; and, as he had a good sprawl, the refreshing sensation of the absence of muscular effort mingled with the mental feeling of a day’s work well done, and he was just dropping into the weary body’s insensibility, when he started into wakefulness as suddenly as if some wriggling abomination had crept into his bed and stung him.

But it was only a thought.

Still, it was strong enough to make him half dress himself, open his door, and nearly fall headlong over something soft lying outside.

“Does the sahib want something?” said the plaintive voice of his servant.

“Want something? Yes!” cried Dick angrily—“you get out of my way. Do you mean to break my neck?”

The man sighed and wisely said nothing, but thought to himself: “These English sahibs are so fierce, even when very young. He has been killing people all day—he may kill me.”

But Dick was not in a killing humour; his thoughts were upon a different track—the very reverse.

“Have I hurt you?” he said more gently.

“The sahib’s servant’s ribs are a little sore where he was kicked, but they will get better.”

“I forgot you always slept across my door. Here, show me where Sergeant Stubbs sleeps.”

The man led the way with alacrity to the non-commissioned officers’ quarters, for Stubbs had kept to his old place at night, and his gruff voice responded at once to the smart rap at his door:

“All right; rouse up the trumpeter.”

“No, no, Stubbs; it is I. Don’t make a noise.”

“You, Mr Darrell, sir! In a moment,” replied the sergeant; and the next moment he presented himself, drawing on his overalls. “What is it—a night attack?”

“No, no. I just remembered as I was going to sleep. What about that train to the bag of powder?”

“Yes, sir. What about it?”

“It must not be left like that. Some one might be going there with a lantern and blowing up the whole place.”

“No fear, sir,” said the sergeant grimly. “I swept that all away hours ago.”

“Did you? Oh, that’s right. I was afraid you might have left it there.”

“No, sir; I know too well what powder will do.”

“Then I’ve woke you up with a false alarm.”

“And yourself too,” said the sergeant quietly. “There was no need, but there’s nothing like making sure.”

“No, there’s nothing like making sure. Good-night, Sergeant.”

“Good-night, sir.”

Dick felt foolish, but decidedly more comfortable, as he went down into the courtyard, closely followed by his white-coated servant. But, being there, he thought he might as well go along close to the wall, and come suddenly upon the two men on sentry at the gate, to make sure that they were well on the alert.

He had proof of it directly, for before he had gone many steps he was challenged, and the sharp click of a carbine lock, followed apparently by the echo, brought him to a stand, to give the word and pass on to his quarters and bed.

Then the night passed peacefully enough, and after many hours the lad rose, and began wondering, after his cold splash, to find himself fresh and free from weariness in spite of the previous day’s exertions. His first visit was to his patients, where his time was well taken up till he was summoned to the morning meal, when he met Wyatt.

“What time do we parade?” was his first question.

“Don’t parade,” said Wyatt bluntly. “Rajah’s scouts have brought in word that the enemy has withdrawn, but it’s too good to be true.”

“Then it is because we gave them such a flogging yesterday.”

“Looks like it,” said Wyatt, “but I can’t believe it. I only hope it is, for I am sick of slaughtering men and horses as we did yesterday.”

“We were doing our duty,” said Dick.

“Yes; but it’s such a horribly unpleasant duty.”

“Better than for them to be slaughtering us.”

“Well, yes; we think so, of course,” said Wyatt. “But how is Hulton?”

“Better, certainly; Dr Robson says so.”

“I hope he is; but I don’t like to see him so white and with those dark marks under his eyes.”

“Robson says it is only weakness.”

“Then you must set to and make him strong.”

Another message from the Rajah arrived soon after, with the news that the enemy were retiring; and before half-an-hour had elapsed Dick was summoned from Hulton’s bedside to meet one of the ruler’s chief officers, who had come to request that the two English captains, as he called them, would come on and see the Rajah at once.

“We must go, I suppose,” said Wyatt aside to his young companion; “only I don’t like being bothered like this.” Then to the officer:

“Tell his highness we will have our horses saddled and come on soon.”

“An elephant is waiting at the gate,” said the officer respectfully, “and the escort with it.”

Wyatt nodded, and, after summoning the acting-lieutenant and giving him his instructions, the pair mounted, and the escort led and followed.

“We may as well take the honours conferred upon us,” said Wyatt, “but I would rather walk.”

“Yes; I want to see some of the place.”

“Never mind; we must be too grand for that. It makes the common people and the soldiery look up to us, and keeps up our prestige as much as the fighting.”

Upon reaching the front of the palace, it was to find the wide court full of mounted men and scores of brilliantly accoutred officers waiting about, all of whom saluted the fresh-comers with every show of respect. Way was made for them when they dismounted from the howdah, and they were led at once into the Rajah’s council chamber, where he was seated in state, but only to rise, shake hands with his visitors, and motion them to seats placed ready.

Dick grasped at once that a council of war was being held; and the Rajah hastened to tell them that, as the enemy had evidently become disheartened by the disastrous defeat of the previous day, and was retiring to his own district, it was considered that now was the time for following him up and dealing another severe blow.

Wyatt spoke out plainly that if another such blow could be delivered it would, without doubt, be a fine thing, but his men had worked very hard on the previous day, the horses had been a good deal distressed, and it would be far better to let the enemy retreat unmolested.

“No,” said the Wazir, a tall, fierce-looking man, frowning; “it is bad counsel. The enemy should be pursued at once.”

“I think it is good counsel,” said Wyatt quietly. “To have been effective the pursuit should have been made last night when he was disheartened; then the retreat could have been made a rout.”

“Yes,” said the Rajah, nodding; “that is right.”

“Is the English captain afraid?” said the Wazir, with a sneer.

“He is cautious, sir,” said Wyatt hotly, and he turned to the Rajah.

“What is the road like by which the enemy has gone?”

“An open plain for the first few miles,” said the Rajah; “after that a series of ravines and passes, had for horses.”

“Then that quite determines me, sir,” said Wyatt gravely. “In such a country as you describe, my troop would be at a terrible disadvantage. We want open country to manoeuvre.”

“The English captain is afraid,” said the Wazir scornfully, and he turned and smiled at some of the chiefs round about where he was standing, several of whom responded to the meaning smile, while the Rajah looked angrily upon them.

“I do not know that I need answer such an insulting remark as that,” said Wyatt sternly; while Dick felt hot, and rose from his seat as he saw the Wazir take a fierce stride forward at the word “insulting.”

But Wyatt turned from him to address the Rajah.

“It is quite true, sir,” he said; “I am—afraid—”

He paused for a few moments, and looked round haughtily at the assembled chiefs and officials before repeating the last word.

“Afraid to needlessly risk the lives of the men entrusted to my care. I am now answerable for them, and it is left to my discretion how they are used. It would be taking them to be slaughtered where they would have no means of getting at the enemy, who would be hiding in the sides of rocky ravines and gorges.”

“That is quite right,” said the Rajah. “Your advice is good, Captain Wyatt. We know what you and your brave men can do, and their lives shall not be wantonly thrown away.”

“Then your highness prefers to take the advice of strangers, of emissaries sent by the Koom Pahni, who will take away the kingdom left by your brave father, the Rajah?” said the Wazir insolently.

“I shall defend my territory or attack my enemies how and when I think good,” said the Rajah angrily. “I shall also listen to the advice of all my chiefs and officers, as I am doing now, and take so much of the advice as I think wise.”

“Then your highness means to throw over all your old friends and supporters, who have often risked their lives in your service?” said the Wazir haughtily.

“No,” cried the Rajah fiercely as he rose and looked round; “I will be as faithful to my friends as my father was before me, and as stern and severe to my enemies. Listen, all of you; I am quite aware that I have many enemies here present now.”

“There are two,” said the Wazir, pointing mockingly at the English officers.

“It is false, sir,” cried the Rajah sternly. “You are going too far. Cut for the fact that you were a good servant and adviser to my dead father, and that you are still the friend and counsellor of my mother, your head would answer for your insolent words to me to-day and your insults to these brave officers. Listen, all of you. The English are our friends, and you all know that but for them Rajah Singh would have swept the greater part of my fighting-men away.”

There was a low murmur of acquiescence from many of the officers present, but as many stood stern and frowning.

“I may seem weak in patiently bearing with much that has passed, for I wish to respect those who are my mother’s advisers; but I tell them here, in the presence of you all, that those who persist in supporting her unwise ideas, and aid her in bringing down upon me the attacks of Rajah Singh, are no longer my friends, but my foes.”

“Does your highness consider those your enemies who wish to go out to fight for you against this invader?”

“Yes,” said the Rajah sharply, “when they advise measures which must result in defeat.”

“Then I feel that the time has come,” said the Wazir, “when I must leave your highness’s service. Those who are my friends can do what they please. I retire from this hour.”

“You will give up your duties, sir, as one of my chiefs, and as the attendant upon my mother, when I tell you to do so. Till then, do your duty as my servant. That is enough. Till these people attack again there will be peace. The council is at an end.”

The Rajah turned to Wyatt and Dick.

“I am sorry for all this,” he said gravely. “It is in my power to silence all these unfriendly manifestations; but my visits to the seat of the government have taught me much. Still, I can be firm if it should become necessary. Gentlemen, I thank you for what you have done. You are my friends, and if any one dares to insult you again it will be at his peril. Captain Wyatt, you will come here to-morrow and give me your advice as to the best means of defending this place. From this day I make you one of the chief officers of my army.”

“But Captain Hulton is my chief, sir,” said Wyatt quietly.

“Captain Hulton is wounded and unable to help me. When he recovers we shall see. From now, sir, you will give what orders you think necessary for the defence or attack, and I will see that they are obeyed. Once more, the council is at an end.”

The two English officers bowed and left the room, the same officer who had brought them seeing them back to the old palace.

“How many enemies have we made to-day, Dick?” said Wyatt quietly.

“None,” said Dick. “Half those were our enemies before. I think we have made some friends.”

“It was yesterday over the fighting, I’m afraid,” said Wyatt; “but we shall see.”