an effect the exact reverse of
that which it would have done, had he appeared in his proper
character.

Deserters were, of all men, the most opposed to their countrymen, to
whom they had proved traitors. In battle they could be relied upon to
fight desperately, for they fought with ropes round their necks.
Therefore, while the appearance of an English officer, as instructor
of the forces of the rajah, would have drawn upon himself the instant
hostility of all opposed to the British; the circulation of a report
that his troops were being disciplined by some English and native
deserters, from the Company's forces, would excite no suspicion
whatever.

To avoid attracting attention, Charlie Marryat and his party set out
before daylight from Madras. Their appearance, indeed, would have
attracted no attention, when they once had passed beyond the
boundaries of the portion of the town occupied by the whites. In the
native quarter, the appearance of a small zemindar, or landowner,
attended by four or five armed followers on foot, was of such common
occurrence as to attract no attention whatever; and, indeed, numbers
of these come in to take service in the Sepoy regiments, the
profession of arms being always considered honorable, in India.

For a fortnight they travelled, by easy stages, without question or
suspicion being excited that they were not what they seemed. They were
now among the hills, and soon arrived at Ambur, the seat of the rajah.
The town was a small one, and above it rose the fortress, which stood
on a rock rising sheer from the bottom of the valley, and standing
boldly out from the hillside. The communication was effected by a
shoulder which, starting from a point halfway up the rock, joined the
hill behind it. Along this shoulder were walls and gateways. An enemy
attacking these would be exposed to the fire from the summit of the
rock. From the point where the shoulder joined the rock, a zigzag road
had been cut, with enormous labour, in the face of the rock, to the
summit.

"It is a strong place," Charlie said to Tim Kelly, who was walking by
his horse's head; "and should be able to hold out against anything but
starvation. That is to say, if properly defended."

"It's a powerful place, surely," Tim said; "and would puzzle the ould
boy himself to take. Even Captain Clive, who is afeard of nothing,
would be bothered by it."

As they rode up the valley, two horsemen were seen spurring towards
them, f