g a convoy that was
about to be sent off from there. He was accompanied by Abdool and
ten troopers. At that time Ameer Khan had not appeared upon the
scene, and it was not considered that there was any danger of the
communications with Agra being interfered with.

Harry reached the city in the afternoon, and waited there until
four o'clock next day; seeing that the preparations for the convoy,
which was a very large one, were completed. It started at that
hour, and was to get as far as possible by nightfall; so that it
would be able to reach the camp by the following evening. After
seeing it in motion, Harry started with his escort for the ride
back. He was some ten miles away from the convoy when night fell.
Bhurtpoor, like Deeg, stood on a plain, surrounded by swamps and
morasses; the situation having been chosen from the difficulties
these offered to the advance of an enemy.

After proceeding for five miles farther, Abdool, who was riding
with Harry, said:

"I do not know, sahib, but it seems to me, by the sound of the
horses' hoofs, that we have left the track."

Harry called a halt; and Abdool dismounted, and found that his
suspicion was correct, and that they had certainly left the road.

"This is awkward," Harry said, "for we do not know how long it is
since we left it, or whether it is to the right hand or left."

The night was indeed a very dark one, a mist almost covered the
sky, and it was only occasionally that a star could be seen.

"We must go carefully, or we shall fall in one of these morasses."

Two troopers were sent off, one to the right, the other to the
left. One of them, when he had gone about a quarter of a mile, was
heard to shout that he was fast in the morass. Abdool and four of
the men rode to his assistance, and presently returned with him,
having with the greatest difficulty extricated his horse. Nothing
had been heard of the other trooper. Again and again Harry shouted,
but no reply came back. They waited half an hour, and then
concluded that either the man, on his return, had missed his way
altogether; or that he had fallen into a swamp, when they were too
far off to hear his voice, and had perished there.

Harry again gave the word for them to move on, this time at a walk.
Abdool preceded them on foot. Presently he said:

"The ground is getting softer, sahib. I think that we are
approaching a swamp."

"We had better all dismount," Harry said, setting the example.

"Now, le