me horses which would break loose,--
creating a hubbub and confusion during which an enemy would have had a
fine opportunity of surprising the camp before the fighting-men could
fall in to repel him.

At length the mountains appeared in sight, and the rajah, following
Captain Burnett's advice, pitched his camp, which was surrounded by a
stockade. Here the women and children, and most of the camp-followers,
were left, with a small body of troops to guard them. The fighting
forces, marshalled in somewhat better order than before, now advanced
among the hills. The mountaineers, probably having notice of their
approach, kept out of the way, and not an enemy was to be seen. A few
villages, scattered here and there on the heights, were apparently
deserted. Those which could be easily reached were burned, but no
prisoners were taken.

Burnett again warned the old rajah that he was very likely to be led
into an ambush, and urged him to send out scouts on either flank to
examine the country. They went, but did not return, and it was doubtful
whether they had deserted or had been cut to pieces by the mountaineers;
the latter being most probably the case.

The army encamped at night in the most open spot they could find, where
they were less likely to be surprised than in the valleys, several of
which they had passed through. At length, as day was declining, and
just as the van of the army was passing over an extremely rocky country,
with rugged hills and masses of brushwood growing on them, suddenly the
bare spots on every height around were seen covered with warriors armed
with bows, javelins, and spears.

The next instant showers of arrows came flying into the midst of the
troops, and javelins were darted by the enemy at those nearest them.
Calling a halt, the Khan Mukund Bhim, who had been galloping on in
advance, turned back, and ordered his men to open fire on their
assailants. But no sooner did the nimble-footed enemy find the bullets
reaching them than they vanished behind cover, and in another minute the
whole valley in which the contest was lately raging appeared open to the
advance of the invading forces.

The rajah, however, by the advice of Captain Burnett, halted his army in
the valley they now occupied. Retreat was not to be thought of; while
to advance, with an active enemy on either side, was dangerous in the
extreme. A vigilant watch was therefore kept during the night, and the
mountaineers, findi