said, "I
shall make you a present, in addition to what has been agreed upon.
You will notice the rajah's manner, when he reads the letter; and
tell me, when you return, whether he appeared to be pleased or not,
whether he hesitates as to giving me a guarantee, and whether, in
your opinion, he means to observe it. I shall rely much upon your
report."

Three days passed, and then a boat brought the messengers off to
the ship.

"So you have made your journey safely?" Harry said, through the
interpreter.

"We met with no trouble by the way. This is the answer that the
rajah has sent."

The letter was a satisfactory one. The rajah expressed willingness
to receive the officer whom the English lord had sent to him, and
to guarantee his safety while at his town; but said that, owing to
the troubled state of the country, he could not guarantee his
safety on the road, but would send down an escort of twenty men to
guard him on his way up, and the same on his return to the coast.

"And now," Harry said, when the interpreter had read the document,
"tell me what passed."

"When we said that we were messengers from an English lord, on
board a ship with great guns, we were taken to the rajah's house.
He took the letter from us, and read it. Then he asked some of
those with him what they thought of the matter. They answered that
they could see no harm in it, and perhaps you might bring presents.
He then asked us how many would come up with you; and we told him
four soldiers, as escort, and an interpreter. He nodded, and then
talked in a low voice to those around him, and told us to come
again, that afternoon, when a letter would be given us to take to
you."

"Do you think that he means treachery?" Harry asked.

"That we cannot say, my lord. We have talked as we came down. It
seems to us that he could have nothing to gain by hindering you;
but that perhaps he might detain you, in order to obtain a ransom
for you from the lord of India."

Harry had already enquired, from the chief of the town, as to the
character of the rajah.

"He is feared, but not liked," the chief said. "He knows that there
are those who would prefer that the old family should reign again,
and he has put many to death whom he has suspected as being
favourable to this. This is the reason why the tumangong, and other
chiefs, have revolted against him. The loss of so much territory
has not improved him and, in his fits of passion, he spares none."

"W