out in honour of any visitor who might
arrive; to say nothing of an escort, of half a dozen men, when I ride
through the country. Of course, all can be called out whenever I want
them, as, for example, when I rode to Madras to meet you. The men
think themselves well off upon the pay of three rupees a month, as
they are practically only on duty two months each year, and have the
rest of the time to cultivate their fields. Therefore, with the pay of
the officers, my troop only costs me about four hundred rupees a
month, which is, you know, equivalent to forty English pounds; so that
you cannot call it an expensive army, even if it is kept for show
rather than use."

"No, indeed, Uncle! It seems ridiculous that a troop of a hundred men
can be kept up, for five hundred pounds a year."

"Of course, the men have some little privileges, Dick. They pay no
rent or taxes for their lands. This is a great thing for them, and
really costs me nothing, as there is so much land lying uncultivated.
Then, when too old for service, they have a pension of two rupees a
month for life, and on that, and what little land they can cultivate,
they are comparatively comfortable."

"Well, it does not seem to me, Uncle, that soldiering is a good trade
in this country."

"I don't know that it is a good trade, in the money way, anywhere.
After all, the pay out here is quite as high, in comparison with the
ordinary rate of earning of a peasant, as it is in England. It is
never the pay that tempts soldiers. Among young men there are always
great numbers who prefer the life to that of a peasant, working
steadily from daylight to dark, and I don't know that I altogether
blame them."

"Then you think, Uncle, there is no doubt whatever that there will be
war?"

"Not a shadow of doubt, Dick--indeed, it may be said to have begun
already; and, like the last, it is largely due to the incapacity of
the government of Madras."

"I have just received a message from Arcot," the Rajah said, two
months later, "and I must go over and see the Nabob."

"I thought," Mrs. Holland said, "that Tripataly was no longer subject
to him. I understood that our father was made independent of Arcot?"

"No, Margaret, not exactly that. The Nabob had involved himself in
very heavy debts, during the great struggle. The Company had done
something to help him, but were unable to take all his debts on their
shoulders; and indeed, there was no reason why they should have done