a, who will
probably come along here with their whole force, in a day or two."

Late that evening, when the others had retired to bed, Soyera and
Harry had a long talk together.

"Have you thought, Harry," she asked, after speaking for some time
about his doings and position at court, "of joining your people
again? There is peace between the Peishwa's court and the English.
There is a British Resident at Poona and, as you have now gained a
certain rank there, you could go to him with a much better face
than if you had come direct from here, as a peasant. Then it would
probably have been supposed that you were an impostor. That you
were English, of course could be seen by your skin; but it might
have been thought that I had adopted some English child, and was
now trying to pass it off as the son of an officer."

"I think, mother, that I had best continue, for some time, as I am.
You see I have, at present, nothing in common with the English
except their blood. Were another war to break out between the
Mahrattas and Bombay, I would at once declare myself to the
Resident here, and go down to Bombay but, even then, my position
would be a doubtful one and, unless I were to enlist in their army,
I do not see how I should maintain myself.

"Moreover, you must remember that I have now a deep interest in
matters here. Nana Furnuwees has treated me with much kindness, and
placed his confidence in me. He has many enemies, as I have told
you. Scindia is about to advance against Poona, and it is probable
that he may succeed in driving Nana into exile, or imprisoning him
for life; and establishing Balloba, or some other person devoted to
his interest, as minister, in which case Scindia would be
absolutely supreme. Nothing would persuade me to desert Nana; who
has, for many years, alone withstood the ambition of Scindia's
party. I do not say, for a moment, that my aid would be of the
slightest use to him but, at any rate, he shall see that I am not
ungrateful for his kindness; and will be faithful to him in his
misfortunes, as he has been kind to me, when in power."

"That is right," Soyera said. "The cause of Nana is the cause of
all in this part of the Deccan; for we should be infinitely worse
off, were Scindia to lay hands on us. But there is an alternative,
by which you could at once remain faithful to Nana, and prepare
your way for joining the English, when you considered that the time
for doing so had arrived."

"What i