uld not all
have been on one side. I am glad, indeed, that Abdool also came
safely out of it; as I should have missed him, fearfully.

"The interpreter showed himself a good man, and I hope that Lord
Mornington will, when I report his conduct, make him a handsome
present. If he had not got away with me, it is hardly likely I
should ever have found my way to Johore and, if I had done so, I
could not have explained to the rajah that he was going to be
attacked, or have got him to erect the stockade that was the main
cause of our success. In fact, he would probably, in his anger at
the slaughter of his escort, have ordered me to be executed on the
spot. As it was, he did not take either that, or the loss of his
presents, greatly to heart."

"You saved his kingdom for him, there is no doubt. It is not likely
that he would ever have ventured to defend himself, had it not been
for the confidence that he felt in you, and in the steps you took."

"No; he told me, himself, that he would have taken flight at once
and, in that case, his kingdom would have been lost; and he
himself, sooner or later, hunted down."

"And now, I suppose we can start as soon as we like?"

"Certainly; the sooner the better. I shall be very glad to be back
again, for there is no saying what is going on there. Assuredly,
the friendship of the Mahrattas cannot be relied upon. I know that
we are not likely to make any fresh move, except in self defence,
until Mysore is completely pacified, and a firm government
established. Still, there is never any saying what will happen.
Having been in the thick of the Mahratta business, all along, I
should not like to be out of it, now."

"Well, we will get up anchor at daybreak, tomorrow."

All on board were glad, when the news that they were to sail for
Calcutta, the next morning, was circulated through the ship. To the
crew, the voyage had been a monotonous one; the weather having been
uniformly fine, since they started; and they had had no adventures,
such as they had hoped for, with hostile natives.

Nothing was talked of that night, between decks, but Harry's story;
which had been told by Lieutenant Hardy to the midshipmen, who had
retailed it to the petty officers, and it had rapidly spread.
Abdool and the interpreter were made as much of as was possible,
considering that neither could understand English; and deep were
the expressions of regret that none of the sailors had taken part
in so tough a figh