the amount of his share, upon the treasury there. This was agreed
to, unanimously, and Charlie then turned his attention to the other
forts.

The guns of Guzarow were turned against these, and a bombardment
commenced. Suzarow, which extended partly down the slope, was much
exposed to the fire from Guzarow; and although no damage could be done
to the walls at so great a distance, the garrison, suffering from the
fire, and intimidated by the fall of Guzarow, lost heart. Large
numbers deserted, and the governor, in the course of two days, thought
it prudent to obey the orders which the rajah had, upon being made
captive, sent to him to surrender. The next day the governor of Mortz
Azur followed his example; and Vellore, and its three strong forts,
were thus in the possession of the English.

At Vellore, Charlie nearly lost one of his faithful followers. Early
in the morning, Hossein came into Charlie's room.

"Sahib," he said, "something is the matter with Tim."

"What is the matter?" Charlie said, sitting up in his bed.

"I do not know, sahib. When I went to him, he did not move. He was
wide awake, and his eyes are staring. When I went beside him, he shook
his head a little, and said, 'S-s-s-h.' He seems quite rigid, and is
as pale as death."

Charlie leaped out, and hurried to Tim. The latter was lying on the
ground, in the next room. He had carried off three or four cushions,
from the rajah's divan, and had thrown these down, and had spread a
rug over him. He lay on his back, exactly as Hossein had described.

As Charlie hurried up, Tim again gave vent to the warning "S-s-s-h."

"What is the matter, Tim? What is the matter, my poor fellow?"

Tim made a slight motion, with his head, for his master to bend
towards him. Charlie leant over him, and he whispered:

"There is a sarpent in bed with me."

"Are you quite sure, Tim?"

"He woke me with his cold touch," Tim whispered. "I felt him crawling
against my foot, and now he is laying against my leg."

Charlie drew back for a minute, and consulted with Hossein.

"Lie quite still, Tim," he said, "and don't be afraid. We will try to
kill him, without his touching you; but even if he should bite you,
with help ready at hand, there will be no danger."

Charlie now procured two knives; the one a sharp surgical knife, from
a case which he had brought; the other he placed in a charcoal fire,
which one of the men speedily fanned, until the blade had attained a
whi