their time sitting quietly in their verandahs. But I came to
understand that it was to this love of theirs, for outdoor
exercise, that they owed their strength and the firmness of their
courage. None can say that the Mahrattas are not brave but,
although they will charge gallantly, they soon disperse if the day
goes against them.

"So also with the soldiers of Tippoo. They overran Arcot and
threatened Madras; Tanjore and the Carnatic were all in their
hands; and yet the English never lost their firmness and, little by
little, drove Tippoo's troops from the lands they had conquered;
and it may be that, ere long, Tippoo will be a fugitive, and his
dominions divided among those whom he has provoked.

"Is it not wonderful that, while not very many years ago the Whites
were merely a handful, living on sufferance in Calcutta, Madras,
and Bombay, they are now masters of southern India and half of
Bengal; and even venture to engage a great empire like that of the
Mahrattas, stretching from the sea on the west to Delhi, and
holding the mastery over all central India? There must be something
extraordinary about these men. Why, you would scarce believe it,
but I have seen often, and wondered always; when they have an
entertainment, instead of sitting quietly 'and having dancing girls
to posture for their amusement, they dance themselves with their
women--not a mere movement of the body and hands, such as you see
among our dancers, but violent dancing, exhausting themselves till
the perspiration streams from their faces--and this both men and
women regard as amusement; so, Puntojee, if you are to take your
place among your countrymen again, you must accustom yourself to
fatigues, and strengthen your body in every way; or you will be
regarded with contempt as one who, although of their blood, has
grown degenerate and unworthy of them."

"I will do so," the boy said. "You shall not complain of me, again.
Hitherto I have played for amusement, and because I liked to
exercise my limbs, and to show the others that I could run faster
and was stronger than they were; but in future I shall have a
motive in doing so, and will strive to be worthy of my father."

From that time, Harry Lindsay devoted himself to exercises. He
learnt from Sufder, when he visited his native town, and from old
soldiers, when he was away, to use a sword and dagger, to hurl a
light spear accurately, to shoot straight with a musket, that
Sufder had picked up o