hat Mysore, itself, was threatened with
invasion, he hastily broke up his camp, and marched at full speed for
the ghauts; and, reaching the table land, hurried to oppose the
British army, as it endeavoured to ascend the pass going from Vellore
through Amboor, by which he made sure he would come.

Lord Cornwallis encouraged him in the idea, by sending a battalion a
considerable distance up the pass; while he started north and entered
the easy pass of Mooglee, leading west from Chittoor to Moolwagle. He
pushed rapidly up the pass, and gained the summit before Tippoo could
reach the spot and oppose him. It took four days longer for the
battering train, baggage, and provisions to reach the top of the pass.
After a delay of a day or two, to rest the animals, which included
sixty-seven elephants which had been brought from Bengal, the army set
out for Bangalore, the second largest town in Mysore.

The Rajah's troops had been busily employed, from the time the army
moved from Vellout. The men, on their tireless little horses, carried
his messages to the various divisions and brigades, brought up news of
the progress of the train, or rode on ahead with the officers of the
quartermaster's department, whose duty it was to precede the army, to
decide on the camping ground, and to mark off the spots to be occupied
by the various corps. In this way, they saved the regular cavalry from
much fatiguing duty.

Surajah and Dick were generally with the party that went on with the
quartermasters, and, as soon as the camping ground was fixed upon,
aided them in the purchase of forage and food from the natives, as it
was most desirable that the forty days' provisions the army carried
with it should remain intact, until the army had passed up the ghauts.
Beyond that, it was expected that it would be harassed by the Mysore
horse, who would render it impossible for the cavalry to go out to
collect forage, or provisions, from the country through which it
marched.

So well did the Rajah's troop perform its duties, that Lord Cornwallis
ordered it to be taken on the strength of the army, and to receive the
pay and rations of native cavalry in the service. On the day after
leaving Vellore, the general sent an orderly to request the Rajah and
his nephew to ride with him.

"I have not had an opportunity of hearing of your scouting
expedition," he said to Dick, "and shall be glad if you will give me
full details of it."

Dick related the advent