ah would be
very unwilling to enter on the subject, and he had therefore hesitated
to introduce it, till he felt more sure than he had hitherto done, of
the footing on which he stood with the old man.

For two days the party had ridden on, stopping only a sufficient time to
rest their steeds, and to recruit themselves by sleep and food. They
had taken a different route to that by which they had come, avoiding all
populous villages, in order that information of their approach might not
be carried to the city. One day's march only remained to be performed;
and the party bivouacked by the side of a wood, which concealed them and
the fires they lighted to cook their food from the high road, which ran
at some distance. The rajah was sitting on his carpet near the
campfire, with Reginald and Burnett by his side, Dick Thuddichum and
Faithful being close at hand, serving as efficient guards. The men lay
about, their horses feeding close to them; while scouts watched on the
outskirts of the camp, as if they were in an enemy's country--for it was
thought possible, should the rebels discover that the rajah was
approaching, that they would send out a strong force to attack him.
These measures were taken by the advice of Captain Burnett, who had also
recommended that they should take the unfrequented road they had
followed, so that they might have a good chance of surprising the
rebels.

The rajah showed himself sensible of the important aid he had received
from his English attendants, and on this evening he seemed more inclined
to open his heart to them than heretofore.

"Had it not been for you, my young friend, I should be even now a clod
of the earth, my body left to be devoured by the fowls of the air and
the wild beasts of the forest. You and your faithful tigress saved me
from the daggers of my traitorous officers. And your opportune arrival
prevented our being cut off by the mountaineers, as would otherwise have
been our fate," he added, turning to Burnett.

The two young men, in the usual Oriental phrases, expressed their
satisfaction at having rendered any service to his highness.

"And now tell me how I can reward you," exclaimed the rajah. "Only let
me know; though, alas! Should I lose my power, how can I fulfil any
promises?"

Reginald saw that now the favourable opportunity he had wished for, of
speaking to the rajah of himself, had arrived.

"Your highness can render me a greater service than you may s