Harry said.

"That accounts for it."

The minister touched his horse's flanks with his heel and rode on,
with a thoughtful look on his face. Harry at once joined Wasil.

"Quick, Wasil! There is no time to be lost. Throw the saddle on to
the pony, and make your way out of the camp, at once. Pitch all the
other things into the tent, and close it. If you leave them here,
it will seem strange. Balloba has seen me at Poona, and it is
likely enough that, as he thinks it over, he will remember that it
was in a dress altogether different from this. Go at once to
Sufder. If you get there before me, tell him to mount at once, and
ride fast to meet me."

Two minutes later, everything was prepared; and Wasil, mounting the
pony, rode off, while Harry moved away among the tents. In a quiet
spot, behind one of these, he threw off his upper garments and
stood in the ordinary undress of a Hindoo peasant, having nothing
on but a scanty loincloth. He had scarcely accomplished this when
he heard the trampling of horses; and saw, past the tent, four
troopers ride up to the spot he had just left.

"Where is the trader who keeps this tent?" one of them shouted. "He
is a spy, and we have orders to arrest him."

Harry waited to hear no more, but walked in the opposite direction;
taking care to maintain a leisurely stride, and to avoid all
appearance of haste. Then, going down to the road by the side of
which the bazaar was encamped, he mingled with the crowd there.
Presently, one of the troopers dashed up.

"Has anyone seen a man in the dress of a trader?" and he roughly
described the attire of which Harry had rid himself.

There was a general chorus of denial, from those standing round,
and the trooper again galloped on.

Harry continued his walk at a leisurely pace, stopping occasionally
to look at articles exposed for sale, until he reached the end of
the bazaar. Then he made across the country. Trumpets were blowing
now in the camp, and he had no doubt that Balloba had ordered a
thorough search to be made for him. He did not quicken his pace,
however, until well out of sight; but then he broke into a swinging
trot, for he guessed that, when he was not found in the camp,
parties of cavalry would start to scour the country. He had gone
some four miles when, looking behind him, he saw about twenty
horsemen, far back along the road.

The country here was flat and open, with fields irrigated by canals
running from the Moola, and