dusty plain left by the rajah's
force was quitted, Mr Brooke leading us off at an angle, and making for
higher ground with patches of forest trees.

Among these he made his way till, at the densest part, he pointed south,
and announced that we were passing the city, which lay in a hollow about
a mile away.

But as he spoke, there was a sudden burst of firing, and, thrilled by
this, we increased our pace as fast as the bad ground would allow, till
we reached the edge of the open, park-like ground, where a halt was
called, and the officers advanced cautiously to an eminence, where we
dismounted and peered down to where, in a bowl-like depression a mile
away, lay, with its beautiful white marble mosque and dome-shaped tombs
of former kings, the city of Nussoor. Wall, gates, minarets, gardens
with their trees both inside and outside the walls, all were before us
as on a map; while, half a mile before us, a white, dusty-looking road
wound across the plain toward a great gate.

We were now on the opposite side to that by which Ny Deen would have
entered with his troops; and as the smoke hung more heavily over the
side of the town nearest to us, and the firing grew louder, we did not
need Mr Brooke's words to tell us that a fierce attack was going on
against the brave handful of Europeans who were making a desperate
endeavour to hold their own, in the hope that help might come; if not,
to die fighting, and not trust to the cruel mercies of the mutineers.

"We are still in time," said Mr Brooke, hoarsely. "See, I can lead you
round there by those trees, so that you can reach the road half a mile
from the gate. Then a score of your swiftest men could dash up to the
gate and hold it till the rest come up, but the place looks so utterly
unoccupied that I feel sure the attention of all is upon the fight going
on in the European quarter, and a bold dash will take you in."

"Yes," said Brace, decisively; "we'll try it."

"If I go down," said Brooke, "for I shall go with the first men--take
the broad road off to the left the moment you are through the gate. It
is clear and good, and there will be nothing but an earthwork, with some
guns planted by the enemy to play upon the houses. That is so low, that
it will not stop you. If it is too high, you can pass it by going into
the gardens to the right."

"You hear, Captain," said Brace; "and you will select twenty men for the
first advance."

"Yes," he replied.

The order