d of from a prince who has become, in fact, a puppet in
their hands."

A few days later, the army set off on its march from Mysore, and the
same day the Rajah, after making his adieus to Lord Cornwallis,
started with his troop for Tripataly, making his way by long marches,
instead of following the slow progress of the army. After a couple of
days at Tripataly, they went down to Madras, and brought back the
Rajah's household.

The meeting between Dick and his mother was one of mixed feeling. It
was twenty months since the former had left with his uncle, and he was
now nearly eighteen. He had written whenever there was an opportunity
of sending any letters; and although his position as interpreter on
the staff of the general had relieved her from any great anxiety on
his account, she was glad, indeed, to see him again.

Upon the other hand, the fact that, as the war went on, and fortress
after fortress had been captured, no news came to her that her hopes
had been realised; and that the war had now come to a termination,
without the mystery that hung over her husband being in any way
cleared up, had profoundly depressed Mrs. Holland, and it was with
mingled tears of pleasure and sorrow that she fell on his neck on his
return to Madras.

"You must not give way, Mother," Dick said, as she sobbed out her
fears that all hope was at an end. "Remember that you have never
doubted he was alive, and that you have always said you would know if
any evil fate had befallen him; and I have always felt confident that
you were right. There is nothing changed. I certainly have not
succeeded in finding him, but we have found many prisoners in some of
the little out-of-the-way forts. Now, some of them have been captives
quite as long as he has; therefore there is no reason, whatever, why
he should not also be alive. I have no thought of giving up the search
as hopeless. I mean to carry out our old plans; and certainly I am
much better fitted to do so than I was when I first landed here. I
know a great deal about Mysore, and although I don't say I speak the
dialect like a native, I have learnt a good deal of it, and can speak
it quite as well as the natives of the ghauts and outlying provinces.
Surajah, who is a great friend of mine, has told me that if I go he
will go too, and that will be a tremendous help. Anyhow, as long as
you continue to believe firmly that Father is still alive, I mean to
continue the search for him."

"I do be