, Hossein pointed to a large grove, at some little
distance from the road.

"Go in there," he said, "and stay till nightfall. Do you then come
out, and follow me. I shall go into the next village, and remain there
till after dark. I shall then start, and wait for you half a mile
beyond the village."

An hour after the waggon had disappeared from sight, the party in the
grove saw ten or twelve horsemen galloping rapidly along the road. An
hour passed, and the same party returned, at an equal speed. They saw
no more of them and, after it became dark, they continued their way;
passed through the village, which was three miles ahead; and found
Hossein waiting, a short distance beyond. Ada climbed into the cart,
and they again went forward.

"Did you put the rajah's men on the wrong track, Hossein? We guessed
that you had done so, when we saw them going back."

"Yes," Hossein said. "I had unyoked the bullocks, and had lain down in
the caravanserai, when they arrived. They came in, and their leader
asked who I was. I said that I was taking down a load of grain, for
the use of the army at Calcutta. He asked where were the two men and
the woman who were with me. I replied that I knew nothing of them. I
had overtaken them on the road, and they had asked leave for the woman
to ride in the cart. They said they were going to visit their mother,
who was sick.

"He asked if I was sure they were natives, and I counterfeited
surprise, and said that certainly they were; for which lie Allah will,
I trust, be merciful, since it was told to an enemy. I said that they
had left me, just when we had passed the last village; and had turned
off by the road to the right, saying they had many miles to go.

"They talked together and decided that, as you were the only people
who had been seen along the road, they must follow and find you; and
so started at once, and I daresay they're searching for you now, miles
away."

Their journey continued without any adventure, until within a few
miles of Calcutta. Hossein then advised them to take up their abode in
a ruined mud hut, at a distance from the road. He had bought, at the
last village, a supply of provisions, sufficient to last them for some
days.

"I shall now," he said, "go into the town, sell my grain, bullocks,
and cart, and find out where the soldiers are."

As soon as the news of the nabob's advance against Calcutta reached
Madras, Mr. Pigot, who was now governor there, despatched