ode out from camp, followed by Abdool and the
four troopers.

He considered that there was but little danger in the journey as,
for the greater portion of the distance, he would ride through the
dominions of the young Nizam. He would, however, have to pass
through the territory of the Rajah of Berar; beyond this, he would
enter the country in which the British were already supreme. While
in the Nizam's dominions, he experienced no difficulties; the news
of the victory of Assaye had already spread, and the inhabitants
were relieved of the fears they had been entertaining of a great
raid, by Holkar. The passage, therefore, of a petty chief with four
followers was regarded with indifference; and indeed, he was
generally supposed to be one of the Nizam's irregular cavalry, on
his way with some message to Hyderabad.

Still less attention was paid to him in the villages of Berar. Many
bodies of the rajah's troops had already passed through, on their
way to Nagpore, and they were naturally taken to be some of the
fugitives.

They travelled as rapidly as possible. The horses were all inured
to long journeys, and they had made from fifty to sixty miles a
day. They halted at a village, twenty miles east of Nagpore.
Nothing unusual had happened, and Harry had just lain down to
sleep, when there was a sound as of people gathering in front of
his hut.

He was about to rise, to see what was going on; when the door was
opened, and a number of armed villagers at once poured into the
room, and he was seized before he had time to leap to his feet. He
made no attempt at resistance but, believing that some mistake had
been committed, he angrily demanded the reason of this assault.

He was dragged out into the street. As this happened he heard
pistol shots and, a moment later, the four troopers rode up.

One of them had remained at the door of the hut, while the others
had lain down. Seeing a number of people moving about, he had
roused his companions. They had got out of the window at the back
of the hut. Here their horses had been picketed and, mounting at
once, they rode out, just as a body of men made a rush at the door
of their hut. By the use of their pistols and swords they had
broken through these and, seeing the crowd in front of the hut that
Harry had occupied, they charged without hesitation.

The villagers, unprepared for such an attack, fell back; losing
their hold of Harry, and Abdool, whom they had also captured. Th