erson; and I will confer with you about other things, as well as
the chase. You will, of course, have an apartment assigned to you.

"You will arrange about the emoluments, Nana."

"You had better go to my house, and wait for me there," Nana said;
and Harry, bowing deeply to the prince and his minister, left the
palace.

He did not deceive himself as to the reason for which Nana had thus
placed him in a position in which he was likely to be frequently in
the company of the young prince. He intended him to act as a spy.
This he was firmly determined not to do, in any matter save in
thwarting any designs Scindia might have. That was a public duty.

By this time, he had learnt much of the events that were passing.
Ramdass and the other ryots of his acquaintance regarded Nana
Furnuwees as the guardian of the country. For many years, it was
his wisdom and firmness alone that had thwarted the designs of
Scindia, whose advent to supreme authority would have been regarded
as a grave misfortune, by all the cultivators of the Deccan.
Scindia's expenses in keeping up so great an army were enormous,
and the exactions of his tax gatherers ground to the dust the
cultivators and peasantry of his own wide dominions; and Harry was
therefore ready to give Nana a faithful support in all public
matters. He knew that the minister had many enemies, even among the
rajahs in the Peishwa's dominion, and in those round it; for they
regarded him, with reason, as a curb upon their private ambitions
and, for years, intrigues had been going on for his overthrow.

On the other hand, Harry was much pleased with Mahdoo Rao, who was
a most amiable and kindly young man. While determined, then, to do
all that he could in support of Nana; he decided that he would, on
no account, give him any report that would be unfavourable to the
Peishwa. His interview with the minister, on the return of the
latter, was a short one.

"Here," the latter said, "is a purse of five hundred rupees, with
which to obtain garments suitable for one in attendance on the
Peishwa. Your emolument will be two hundred rupees a month. I shall
issue orders to the men employed in the forests and preserves to
report to you; and have requested the chamberlain to allot an
apartment to you in the palace, and to tell off two servants to be
in attendance on you.

"You understand that your mission, as far as I am concerned, is to
give me early warning, if any of those favourable to Scin