ar with the Peishwa and the Rajah of Bhopal; but he is
willing to pay five lakhs of rupees, to cover the maintenance of
your troops while in the field."

The rajah flushed with anger.

"It is altogether insufficient," he said.

"I do not say that is the final offer, Rajah; that is the offer I
am authorized to make, in the first place. Possibly, if you are
willing to make concessions of a reasonable kind, I may be able to
meet you--and you must remember that the friendship of the Company
is of no slight advantage, and would assuredly be of infinite value
to you, were your territory invaded by Scindia and the Peishwa.
These may, at any moment, make up their differences. Purseram Bhow
may again become the commander of the Peishwa's army and, after the
manner in which your troops have, for the last two or three years,
raided his jagheer, he would be your bitterest enemy."

Harry saw that this consideration made a powerful impression upon
the rajah, and the latter said:

"I must think these matters over. The sum that you offer is
altogether insufficient, and cannot be entertained for a moment.
However, there is time for reflection."

During the next four weeks, Harry saw the rajah occasionally; but
the latter made no attempt to talk business. He was evidently
undecided, in his mind, as to the best course he should take. He
feared Tippoo more than he feared the English, and he still
believed that the latter would assuredly fail in capturing
Seringapatam. Tippoo's offers, too, had been considerably higher
than those of Calcutta, as he had promised him a large slice of the
Nizam's dominions for his assistance. He had therefore determined
to reject the English offer, and to march into the Nizam's country,
as soon as he heard that the besieging army had fallen back.

Harry's suspicions that this was the case were, to a certain
extent, confirmed by the fact that bodies of armed men began to
arrive, in considerable numbers. He felt that his own position was
beginning to be precarious, and the native officer commanding his
escort brought in almost hourly reports of what was passing in the
city. The population was a mixed one, and nearly divided between
Hindus and Mahommedans. The latter naturally sympathized altogether
with Tippoo, while the former were in favour of taking no part on
either side.

So matters continued until the 10th of May, when a horseman rode
into the town, with the news that Seringapatam had been captu