hey waited until the sun set, and then walked on into the village.
They had scarcely entered, when two armed men stopped them, and
questioned them whence they came.

Surajah repeated the story they had agreed upon, and the men appeared
quite satisfied.

"You will be just in time," one said. "We have news that the sultan
has just moved, with his army, to Seringapatam. Officers came here,
only yesterday, to buy up cattle and grain. These are to be retained
here, until orders are received where they are to be sent, so I should
say that he is coming this way, and will be going down the passes, as
Hyder did.

"We shall be very glad, for I suppose we shall join, as he passes
along. It has been dull work here, and we are looking forward to
gaining our share of the loot. It would be just as well for you to
join us here now, as to go on to Seringapatam."

"It would save us a long tramp," Surajah agreed. "We will think it
over, and maybe we will have a talk with your officer, tomorrow
morning."

They sauntered along with the men, talking as they went, and so
escaped being questioned by other soldiers. Presently, they made the
excuse that they wanted, to buy some flour and ghee before the shops
were closed; and, with a friendly nod to the two soldiers, stopped
before the stall of a peasant who had, on a little stand in front of
him, a large jar of ghee. Having purchased some, they went a little
farther, and laid in a fresh supply of flour.

"Things are very dear," Surajah remarked.

"There is very little left in the village," the man said. "All the
flour was bought up yesterday, for the sultan's army, which, they say,
is coming in this direction; and I have only got what you see here. It
has been pounded, by my wife and some other women, since morning."

"That is good enough," Dick said, as they walked away. "Our work is
done, Surajah, and it is not likely that we should learn anything
more, if we were to stop here for a week. Let us turn down between
these houses, and make our way round behind. We might be questioned
again, by a fresh party of soldiers, if we were to go along the
street."

They kept along on the outskirts of the village, regained the road by
which they had come, and walked on until they reached the edge of the
jungle. Going a short distance among the trees, they collected some
sticks, lit a fire, and sat down to cook their meal.

At the last village or two, they had heard but little of tigers, and
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