ns. "I have been extremely well treated, but I cannot tell
you more now. I am here on a mission to the general."

Curious to ascertain the cause of the cheering, General Lake
appeared at the entrance of his tent, just as Harry rode up.

"Why, Major Lindsay," he exclaimed, "where did you spring from? We
had all given you up as dead, long ago!"

"I have been in Bhurtpoor, sir, and am now here in the character of
the rajah's ambassador."

"That is good news. But come in and tell me, first, about
yourself."

Harry briefly related how they had lost their way in a morass, and
had been attacked in the morning; and that, finding it impossible
to make a way out, he had surrendered. He spoke in the warmest
terms of the rajah's treatment of him and his followers.

"We were treated as guests, rather than prisoners, sir; and lived
in a handsome room, got excellent food, and had the run of the
palace. Scarce a day passed on which I did not have a talk with the
rajah, himself."

"It is an exceptional case, indeed," the general said. "Had you
fallen into Holkar's hands, or into those of Ameer Khan, very
different treatment would have awaited you. And now, what has the
rajah to say for himself?"

"His plea is, sir, that he believed Holkar's army would assuredly
sweep us away; and that, in that case, he would have been attacked
by him for having formed an alliance with us."

"His position was certainly an awkward one," the general said. "And
now, what does he propose?"

"He does not propose anything, sir. He places himself in your
hands. He admits his faults; and is, as he may well be, heartily
sorry for them. He believes that he might still defend his town for
some time but, his allies having been thrashed, he sees that, in
the end, he must be overpowered. He asks that you will formulate
your demands."

"Your news is very welcome, Major Lindsay; for indeed, I am as
anxious to be off as the rajah can be to see me go. Scindia is
giving trouble again, and has written a letter couched in such
arrogant terms that it is virtually a declaration of war. I could
not leave here until the town was captured; for it would have
seemed to all India that we had been defeated, and would have been
a terrible blow to our prestige. Therefore, at all costs, I must
have taken the place. It will, however, be another fortnight before
we shall be ready to recommence the siege.

"I do not wish to be hard on the rajah, and I know that the
author