ahs and begums are going to
call the land their own once more."

Dost laughed silently.

"Yes; they may call the land their own once more, but it never will be
again."

"You believe that, Dost?" I said.

"Yes, I believe that, sahib, for the rajahs will never hold together,
and fight as one man. The English will. The budmashes have won some
fights where they were many against few, but the English will come again
and drive them back, as you know. No; the rajahs will never hold the
land again. Now I must go."

"But when will you come again?"

"Soon, sahib, but when I cannot tell. We must wait and see. I shall be
near you even when you do not know it, and sooner or later I shall set
my master free."

"But let it be soon, Dost," I said, "for the rajah is trying to make me
promise to enter his service, and drill his men."

"But you are not strong and well yet."

"No, but he is trying to make me give my word, and he promises me great
rewards."

"But the young sahib does not want his great rewards?"

"No, of course not; but I expect him directly to ask me again."

"Well, you must promise him, sahib, to gain time."

"What?" I cried indignantly.

He made no reply, and I repeated my question, but still he was silent.

"Do you think an English gentleman would make such a false promise,
knowing that he could not keep it?"

He was silent.

"Do you hear me, Dost?" I said indignantly.

He still made no reply, and feeling that he was repentant for having
made so base a proposal, I went on whispering.

"It is impossible, Dost," I said. "You are a good, brave fellow, but
you do not understand these things as an English officer would. If I
gave my word to the rajah, I should be obliged to keep it, and it would
be a disgrace. I might have a grand position in the rajah's army, but I
should be degraded from my own, and be a traitor in training men to
fight against our flag. No; I cannot promise the rajah, and I shall
have to refuse him again. The next thing will be that he is fiercely
angry, and I shall be imprisoned--if he spares my life," I said sadly.
"You will have a harder task to set me at liberty then. Better wait
till my horse comes, and then we can both make a rush for liberty, and
try and find out the captain. If the horse comes to-morrow, shall we
try and escape at night?"

He did not answer.

"Dost! Shall we try and escape to-morrow night?"

There was no answer, and I stretched out my