ced directly.

The fire was gaining ground, and there was a possibility of its reaching
the palace.

My father, who had thrown himself upon the cushions to snatch a few
minutes' rest, sprang up.

"Come, Gil," he said, "you had better keep by me now, till your troop
comes back. But have you no other clothes?"

"None," I said, "and I look like a enemy."

"No, no. A friendly native," said my father, laughing, as he hurried
out to where a number of buildings were blazing furiously, and a company
of the regiment were busily engaged in trying to extinguish the flames.

A few short, sharp orders were given, the men ceased their hopeless
toil, and a sapper sergeant and a dozen men set to work to finish the
task.

This they did by making a way amongst the people who had not fled. A
quantity of powder was obtained from the rajah's magazine, and in less
than half an hour, bags were planted here and there, several houses
blown up, and all chance of the fire spreading was at an end.

As the night wore on, with every one but the pickets snatching some
rest, there were different little incidents full of excitement, officer
after officer coming in to make his report to my father. First there
was the lancer officer who had not succeeded in capturing Ny Deen, who,
with a very strong body of men, had entered a forest many miles away,
and so evaded further pursuit.

Next came Brace, to announce that he had been too late to do any good in
the darkness; but he had the news to impart that Ny Deen and his flying
men had formed a conjunction with the little army which had been in
pursuit of our men when the sham flight had been carried out.

Toward morning, this information was endorsed by the arrival of the foot
regiment with the half of our horse artillery troop, and the lancers,
who had all performed their duty with very little loss.

"Lie down and sleep, Gil," said my father. "We shall have hard work
to-morrow."

"But suppose the rajah comes back to-night to try and surprise us?"

"He will not," said my father quietly. "He would, but he will not get
his men up to the work. Hallo! what's this?"

For at that moment a white figure entered the room, looking perfectly
clean and neat.

"Dost!" I exclaimed.

"Who is Dost?" said my father.

"My servant."

He had come to announce that a supper was spread in the outer room, and
upon our going, there stood Salaman and three of his assistants, all of
whom Dost had hunted