hich rose three round towers, surmounted by
domes. The highest of these had a gallery running round it, a few
feet below the dome.

The attendant led the way to this and, on reaching the gallery,
they found that it commanded a very wide view over the flat
country. The town itself covered a considerable space, the walls
being eight miles in circumference. At the eastern end the fort, a
square and solid edifice, was built on ground somewhat higher than
the town. It had bastions and flanking towers and, as had been
learned from prisoners taken at Deeg, it had a moat much wider and
deeper than that which ran round the town walls. It was built
within these, one side of the square looking across the country,
while the other three were inside. Although the houses were for the
most part scattered, the town had a picturesque appearance, from
the number of trees growing within it.

Towards the northeast the fort of Deeg could be clearly seen and,
to the southwest, the mosques and fort of Agra were faintly visible
in the clear air. At a distance of a mile and a half from the city
was the British camp, with its white tents; and an irregular black
mass marked the low shelters of the camp followers and the enormous
concourse of draught animals.

It certainly seemed a hazardous enterprise for so small a number of
troops to attack such a large and populous town, strongly
fortified, and held by a brave people. Harry remarked on this to
Abdool, but the latter said, confidently:

"They cannot stand against the English, sahib. General Lake has
always been victorious."

"He has so, Abdool, and that is one of the reasons why I do not
feel so certain of his success as I did. He has never yet
undertaken a siege, and his impetuosity and confidence in his
troops may lead him to make an attack with insufficient numbers,
and before it is really practicable. I do not think that this town
is to be taken by storm, and I doubt whether Lord Lake will be
content to wait for regular siege operations, before he tries an
assault.

"Look over there, towards Agra. If I am not mistaken, there is a
large body of cavalry out there. They are certainly not our men,
they are too much mixed up for that. Possibly the rajah may have
obtained the aid of a band of Pindarees, or of some other irregular
troops; at any rate, it will give trouble to the convoy we left
yesterday."

He looked at the camp again.

"There is a stir in the valley, and it looks as if