ten days back, we have altogether about three hundred
and fifty men. What on earth could these do against all the force of
the nawab, the subadar, and three or four thousand French troops?"

The prospect certainly seemed gloomy in the extreme, and the young
writers retired to their beds, on this, the first night of their
arrival in India, with the conviction that circumstances were in a
desperate position.

The next day they set to work, and at its end agreed that they should
bear the loss of their situations, and their expulsion from the
country, with more than resignation. It was now August, the heat was
terrible, and as they sat in their shirtsleeves at their desks, bathed
in perspiration, at their work of copying invoices, they felt that any
possible change of circumstances would be for the better.

The next day, and the next, still further confirmed these ideas. The
nights were nearly as hot as the days. Tormented by mosquitoes, they
tossed restlessly in their beds for hours, dozing off towards morning
and awaking unrefreshed and worn out. When released from work at the
end of the third day, Charlie and Peters strolled down together to the
beach, and bewailed their hard fate.

"There are two ships coming from the south," Charlie said presently.
"I wonder whether they're from England, or Fort Saint David?"

"Which do you hope they will be?" Peters said.

"I hope they're from Saint David's," Charlie answered. "Even if they
made a quick voyage, they couldn't have left England many weeks after
us; and although I should be glad to get news from home, I am still
more anxious, just at present, for news from Saint David's. Between
ourselves, I long to hear of the fall of Trichinopoli. Everyone says
it is certain to take place before long, and the sooner it does, the
sooner we shall be out of this frightful place."

After dinner they again went down to the beach, and were joined by
Doctor Rae, who chatted with them as to the ships, which were now just
anchoring. These had already signalled that they were from Saint
David's, and that they had on board Mr. Saunders, the governor, and a
detachment of troops. Already the soldiers from the Lizzie Anderson,
aided by a number of natives, were at work pitching tents in the fort
for the reception of the newcomers, and conjecture was busy on shore,
among the civilians, as to the object of bringing troops from Saint
David's to Madras, that is, directly away from the scene of ac