. Harry drew out his handkerchief, and waved it.

[Illustration: Harry drew out his handkerchief, and waved it.]

"We will not surrender, if they are Holkar's men," he said to
Abdool. "We should only be tortured, and then put to death. If they
are Bhurtpoor's men, we may have fair treatment."

Therefore, as soon as the enemy had stopped firing he shouted:

"Whose soldiers are you?"

"The Rajah of Bhurtpoor's," was shouted back.

"We will surrender, if you will swear to take us to Bhurtpoor and
hand us over to the rajah. If you will not do so, we will defend
ourselves to the last."

A native officer stood up.

"Assuredly we will take you to the rajah. I swear it on my faith."

"Very well then, send a man to guide us out of this place."

An order was given. One of the men went back and mounted his horse,
and rode along by the edge of the morass for nearly half a mile.
The others, more slowly, followed him.

"It is clear that this place in front of us is absolutely
impassable," Harry said, "or they would never all move away."

"It is lucky that you have not got your favourite horse today,
sir," Abdool said--for Harry had bought, from one of the cavalry, a
horse that had been captured from the Mahrattas, as one was
insufficient for the work he had to do.

"I should be very glad, indeed, Abdool, if I thought that I was
likely to return to camp soon. But in such peril as this, it is but
a small satisfaction to know that he is safe."

"What do you think of our chances, sahib?"

"I don't think the Rajah of Bhurtpoor will harm us. He must feel
that his situation is almost desperate, and it would put him beyond
the reach of pardon, if he were to massacre his prisoners."

The Jat had now dismounted, and could be seen making his way
towards them on foot; sometimes coming straight, but more often
making long bends and turns. It was evident, by the absence of any
hesitation in his movements, that he was well acquainted with the
morass.

"If that is the only way to us," Harry said, "it is marvellous,
indeed, that we made our way so far."

"I think, sahib, that it was the instinct of the horses. I felt
mine pull at the rein, as I was leading him, sometimes to the right
and sometimes to the left; and I always let him have his way,
knowing that horses can see and smell better than we can and, as we
were all in single file, you followed without noticing the turns."

In ten minutes the man arrived. He spoke to Harry