do with all my
might."

"I know that, old fellow; but I want some suggestion. You, Vincent, can
you propose anything?"

"Only for us to steal up to their quarters, cast loose the horses, and
then carry them off some night--to-night, if you like. The guns would
be of no use to them without horses, and, once mounted, we could cut
them up."

"Good!" said Brace, patting me on the shoulder. "But how are we to get
at the horses without being discovered?"

"By the help of Dost and his spying."

"Yes, it must be somehow in that way; but I cannot see the scheme yet in
a successful form. Well, we shall do nothing to-night. Let's rest,
those of us who can. But about rations; how long can we hold out?"

"Till to-morrow night," said Haynes.

"By that time, sahib, I shall be able to get a donkey load or two of
food. I know this country, and to-morrow I can go to the villages away
to the east, and buy rice and cakes."

"About water?"

"There is a good spring a hundred yards away," said the doctor quickly;
and at rest on this point, careful watch was set, silence enjoined, and
soon after the little camp was asleep.

I was so utterly wearied out, that I believe I was one of the first to
drop off, and the next thing I remember is lying on my back gazing up at
the bright golden shafts of sunlight which penetrated the dense leafage
overhead.

It was morning once more, and I immediately began to think about our
guns.

CHAPTER TWENTY.

That day passed slowly away, with the heat increasing till the
afternoon, and then slowly declining again towards evening. The
greatest care was taken of the sepoy prisoners, and the men had the most
stringent orders not to go anywhere near the edge of the wood, lest they
should be seen by any of the natives at the rajah's camp, and nothing
could have been better than their conduct--all, to a man, busying
themselves in polishing up their accoutrements and waiting patiently
until their services were wanted, for the discipline of our troop was
perfection.

Quite early in the day I went to Sergeant Craig, but the doctor was by
him.

"A little irritable this morning," said the latter. "Wounds going on
all right; but they pain him, and I've given him something to make him
sleep. Don't disturb him, poor fellow."

"Is he worse?" I whispered.

"Worse? No; better. I'm making a splendid job of him. He'll be about
again before long."

I had to come away disappointed, but I soo