perfect calmness--

"You might have ascertained the fact before deserting me; but now you
see that I have escaped, we will go back and punish the rebels. The
brave sepoys have undoubtedly been destroyed to a man; but that should
make us still more eager to avenge their death. And what are you worth,
if you cannot do so with your carbines and sharp tulwars? Come on,
then, at once! We may take the foe by surprise while engaged in
plundering the dead."

The rajah's address seemed to be producing some effect. Those who had
not joined the traitor khans flourished their swords aloft, and swore
that they would follow the rajah to death or victory; while the
mutineers, unwilling to venture through the defiles alone, saw that
their wisest course was to assume a willingness to obey, and wait for
another opportunity of escaping. The horses of all the party were,
however, too much fatigued to attempt moving without some rest and food,
while they themselves were also in want of refreshment. A stream near
at hand enabled them to obtain water, while each trooper carried
provisions for himself and horse. They accordingly dismounted, and
having watered their horses at the stream, sat down on the ground to
discuss their rice and ghee,--the rajah and his chief officers partaking
of the same simple fare as the men. They were thus employed--some lying
at their length on the sward, others sitting cross-legged, others
warming their food over numerous little fires which they had kindled
from the dried branches cut from the brushwood around, the horses
picketed on the spots where grass was most abundant--when Reginald, who
was endeavouring to swallow the unpalatable mess presented to him by the
rajah, caught sight of a figure on one of the neighbouring heights. It
was but for a moment, as the man again concealed himself behind a rock.
He mentioned the circumstance to the rajah, but that personage seemed to
think he must have been mistaken.

"I strongly advise, however, that the men should be ordered to mount
forthwith," said Reginald. "Should the mountaineers have followed our
track, they may be in our midst before the men have time to stand to
their arms or reach their horses; and we may be cut to pieces as the
infantry have been."

But the rajah was still unconvinced. "Let the men finish their meal,"
he said; "and then, if the rebels come on, we will treat them as they
have treated our foot-soldiers."

A few minutes more pas