I could not do anything, even if you could."

"No, I quite see that, and I am not thinking of trying; but it would
have been a first-rate plan."

"You are very good at sword play," Surajah suggested, although
somewhat doubtfully.

Dick laughed.

"The first really good swordsman that came along would make an
exhibition of me. No; one would have to do something really well."

The subject was renewed, after they had seated themselves with
Pertaub.

"It would be an excellent disguise," he agreed. "A good juggler could
gain admission to the Palace, and might even enter forts where no
others could set foot; for life there is dull, indeed, and anyone who
could amuse the soldiers would be certain of a welcome, and even a
governor might be willing to see his feats."

"Could one bribe a conjurer to let one pass as his assistant?"

"That would be impossible," the Hindoo said, "for an assistant would
have opportunities for learning the tricks, and no money would induce
a really good juggler to divulge his secrets, which have been passed
down from father to son for centuries."

"If one had thought of it," Dick said, "one could have bought, in
London, very many things which would have seemed almost magical to the
people here. I am afraid that we must go on, on our old line. It is a
pity, for the other would have been first rate."

"I have obtained for you, this evening, two suits of clothes such as
we spoke of. In them you can pass as followers of some petty rajah,
and are not likely to attract attention. I have inquired among some of
my friends, and hear that the Rajah of Bohr left here today with his
following. He is but a petty chief, and Bohr lies up north, close to
the Nizam's frontier. Thus, if you should be asked in whose service
you are, you will have a name to give, and there will be no fear of
your being contradicted.

"If you are still further questioned by anyone with a right to ask,
you can say that you were told to remain here, in order to see how
fast the drilling of the troops went on, and to send the Rajah a
report when it is time for him to return here to accompany Tippoo on
his march. You will, of course, account for your dialect by keeping to
your present story, that you came from a village on the ghauts, in
order to enter the service of one of our rajahs; and that your father
having, years ago, been a soldier in the pay of the Rajah of Bohr, you
made your way there direct, instead of coming to the c