o bring guns to bear against it. This gate stood
open and, passing through it and behind the bastion, they came at
once upon the low, stone-built huts where the majority of the
garrison lived, in time of peace.

Several torches were burning here, and round each of these were
groups of men, talking excitedly. Leaving Harry behind one of the
huts, Abdool strolled up for a few minutes, to listen to the
conversation, and then rejoined his master.

"What are they saying, Abdool?"

"They are saying, sir, that it was wrong of Holkar to attack the
city, before he had defeated the English. It has cost many lives.
But when the English are defeated he will be able, without doubt,
to capture the city; which probably would open its gates to him,
seeing that no assistance could come to them."

"No one doubts, then, that Holkar will defeat us?"

"Not in the least," Abdool replied. "They say that he has two
hundred cannon. These will mow down the English. Then the cavalry
will charge, and there will be an end of the matter."

"They seem to have forgotten all about Laswaree," Harry said. "But
we had better be going. Where is the way up to the wall?"

"Close by, sahib."

They ascended the steps. As far as could be seen the wall was
entirely deserted, and they made their way cautiously until close
to the gate. Harry then stopped, and Abdool went on with noiseless
tread. He soon returned.

"It is as I thought: no sentries are yet posted."

"But that tower over the gate, Abdool, is a great deal too high for
us to descend by that rope that you have got."

"Yes, sahib. We go out by an entrance on to a bastion, flanking the
gate. The rope will be long enough there or, at any rate, there
will be but a very short drop."

They entered the tower through the door communicating with the
wall. Abdool led the way.

"Keep close to me, sahib. I went down here this morning, and can
find my way in the dark. I did not think that there was much chance
of our coming this way, but it was better to find out all about
it."

Moving slowly and cautiously, they came to a flight of steps. They
descended some twenty feet, and found themselves at an open portal,
leading on to the flanking bastion. The rope was soon fixed.

"I will go first, sahib, and will let you know how far you will
have to drop; for the wall looks, to me, higher than it was at the
point where I intended to descend."

[Illustration: Abdool at once slipped down.]

It was tie