them, and
supplied them from their store.

"Some of the boys, drummer boys, or ship's boys, or little ship's
officers, were kept in the Palace and trained as singers and dancers
for Tippoo's amusement. Very many of the white prisoners were handed
over to Tippoo by Admiral Sufferin. Though how a Christian could have
brought himself to hand over Christians to this tiger, I cannot
imagine.

"Others were captured in forays, and there were, till lately, many
survivors of the force that surrendered in Hyder's time. There are
certainly some in other towns, for it was the policy of Hyder, as it
is of Tippoo, always to break up parties of prisoners. Many were sent
to Bangalore, some to Burrampore, and very many to the fort of
Chillembroom; but I heard that nearly all these died of famine and
disease very quickly.

"While Tippoo at times considers himself strong enough to fight the
English, and is said to aim at the conquest of all southern India, he
has yet a fear of Englishmen, and he thus separates his captives,
lest, if they were together, they should plot against him and bring
about a rising. He knows that all the old Hindoo population are
against him, and that even among the Mohammedans he is very unpopular.
The Chelah battalions, who numbered twelve or fourteen thousand, made
up entirely of those he has dragged from their homes in districts
devastated by him, would assuredly have joined against him, were there
a prospect of success, just as they seized the opportunity to desert
six months ago, when the English attacked the camp across the river.

"Now, if you will tell me in what way I can best serve you, I will do
so. In the first place, sturdy young peasants are wanted for the army,
and assuredly you will not be here many days before you will find
yourselves in the ranks, whether you like it or not; for Tippoo is in
no way particular how he gets recruits."

Chapter 11: A Useful Friend.

"I agree with you that it would be a disadvantage to go as a soldier,"
Dick said, after a pause; "but what disguise would you recommend us to
choose?"

"That I must think over. You both look too straight and active to be
employed as the assistants of a trader, or I could have got some of my
friends to take you in that capacity. The best disguise will be a
gayer attire, such as would be worn by the retainers of some of the
chiefs; and were it not that, if questioned, you could not say who was
your employer, that is what I s