ise through Berar, sir, and of course the troopers
were also disguised. Except that I was attacked in one village--where
I was recognized by a peasant who had seen me, when I was staying as
the Governor General's envoy at Nagpore, before the capture of
Seringapatam--I got through without difficulty."

"Yes; I heard from the Marquis of Wellesley that the rajah had been
kept from declaring against us, by a young officer of great
ability, whom he had sent to Nagpore for the purpose, and who
narrowly escaped assassination there when the news of the fall of
Seringapatam was received. I think he said that you had a perfect
knowledge of Mahratti, and also of Hindustani; and that he had sent
you to accompany his brother, General Wellesley.

"Well, the news of Assaye is welcome, indeed, and Scindia will be
very chary of weakening his army in the Deccan by sending
reinforcements in this direction.

"I see, sir, that General Wellesley has begged me to temporarily
place you on my staff as, in the present troubled state of the
country, it would be dangerous to endeavour to make your way back
to him. Of course, I will gladly do so, for your knowledge of the
languages will be very useful to me, for none of my staff can speak
either of them well."

General Lake sent for the head of his staff, introduced Harry to
him, and informed him of the news that he had brought; and then
ordered a general salute to be fired, by all the available guns in
the fort and artillery batteries. It was not long before the roar
of cannon began, telling the army that a splendid victory had been
won in the west; and a short time later notices were affixed to the
gates of the forts, and other public places, relating how General
Wellesley, with but four thousand five hundred men, had routed the
army of Holkar and the Rajah of Berar--amounting in all to over
fifty thousand, of whom ten thousand five hundred were disciplined
troops, commanded by Frenchmen. The news excited the utmost
enthusiasm among the troops, as the disproportion of numbers was
far greater than it had been at the battle of Delhi.

Chapter 16: A Disastrous Retreat.

A few days later, the news was received that seven of Scindia's
regular battalions had just arrived, from the Deccan, under the
command of a French officer; and had been joined by five others,
the whole amounting to nine thousand well-trained infantry, with
five thousand cavalry and seventy-five guns. As it was understo