they had heard
of that force out there, and are about to start to attack it."

Three regiments of cavalry set out. As they were getting ready, two
horsemen could be seen to ride off, at a gallop, from a group of
trees half a mile from the camp. As soon as they approached the
mass of horsemen in the distance, they turned and rode off at full
speed.

"They have evidently no idea of fighting, today, whoever they are.
We may as well go down again, Abdool. This is a grand lookout; and
we shall, at any rate, get a general idea of the direction in which
the attack will be made."

Two days later they were able, from their lookout, to see that
bodies of men came and went between the camp and a group of trees,
halfway between it and the town.

"I expect that they are establishing a battery among those trees,"
Harry said, "and it will not be long before the affair begins."

The next morning, six eighteen-pounders opened fire from the wood
and, in the afternoon, another battery of eight mortars began
throwing shells into the town. The guns on the walls answered, and
a brisk fire was kept up, for the next ten days. During this time
several breaches had been effected in the wall, near the southeast
angle, but the defenders had fixed strong wooden stockades in the
debris every night, so that no attack could be made. In order to
prevent this being done with the last-made breach, it was
determined to assault at once.

The two prisoners had not had the lookout gallery to themselves.
Some of the rajah's officers were constantly there, and any
movement of troops was at once reported by them. The rajah himself
had, twice or thrice, come up for a short time to watch the
operations; and had, on each occasion, talked for some minutes with
Harry.

"Your people will be mad, if they try to attack us through that
small hole in the wall," he said, on the afternoon of the 14th.
"Were they to level a quarter of a mile of the wall, they might
have some chance, though I doubt whether they would ever get a
footing at the top; but with all my soldiers ready to defend that
small opening, and with thirty or forty guns to fire at your people
as they advance, it is as ridiculous as if ten men should attempt
to take this palace. What do you think?"

"I cannot say, Rajah. From here I am unable to see what is taking
place at the walls, nor how wide is the breach you speak of, nor
how deep the ditch beyond; therefore I can give no opinion."

"The