oor.

"We've found the major," I whispered, "desperately wounded, but alive."

"Oh!" came in one burst from the men.

"Go and tell Mr Haynes."

"Best news I've heard to-day, sir," whispered the sergeant, who turned
and went off at the double while I stepped outside, and closed the door
to satisfy myself that the light could not be seen.

"No, sir," said one of the men, "we couldn't see a speck of it."

I hurried back to report in a whisper that all was safe, and for the
next quarter of an hour I looked on till the doctor had finished his
task.

"There," he said, rising, "he's as bad as can be, but I may bring him
round if we can get him to a place of safety."

"Dost can help us, perhaps," I whispered.

"Try and manage it with him, Danby," said Brace, "while I go and see if
the horses are safe. Dost, I ask your pardon for my unjust suspicions.
Forgive me!"

"The captain sahib did not know my heart," was the reply; and before
leaving, I caught and pressed the Hindu's hand.

Outside in the black night, where the hot wind was sighing, and the
great stars blinking down, we left one man on guard at the mess-room
door, and hurried round to the stables, where, to our great delight, we
were saluted by a low whinnying from the horses, my two and Brace's
being safe and eagerly waiting for their supply of food. Leaving the
men to feed them, we hurried to the next stables, where the major's
horses should have been, in company with the doctor's, but the place was
empty; and on continuing our quest, Barton's and Haynes's were all
missing, while the men's troopers were gone, and a glance at the sheds
showed that not a gun or limber was left.

"Back to the mess-room," said Brace, after we had come upon several of
our dead men, but had seen no trace of either of the women attached to
the corps. "Heard anything?" he whispered to the sentry.

"Woman scream, sir."

"No, no."

"Yes, sir; I swear to it. Heard it twice quite plain."

"Jackals on the prowl, man," said Brace.

"Must have been a female jackal, then," I heard the man mutter, as I
passed in and found the doctor and my Hindu servant by the couch.

"How is he?" whispered Brace.

"Well, he's alive, and that's all," replied the doctor. "Dost here says
that if we have him carried to a house in the town about a quarter of a
mile away, he knows people who will nurse him. Will you give orders.
There are plenty of light dhoolies."

"Will he be safe?" said Bra