ne
present but believed that the next assault would be successful, but
the cost of the previous attacks had been so great that it was
believed the city would not be taken, unless with great slaughter.
The unhealthiness of the country had told upon their spirits, even
more than the repulses; and the news that they would soon be able
to march away created the deepest satisfaction.

"And now, for your own adventures, Lindsay."

"My adventures began and ended in a swamp. It was four o'clock
before the convoy left Agra, and I then rode on fast till it was
night, when I was still five or six miles from the camp. It was
pitch dark, and we lost our way and, presently, found ourselves in
a deep swamp, and could discover no way of getting out of it."

Then he told them of the attack; how they had been obliged to
surrender and had been guided out of the morass.

"When we reached the rajah's palace, all our troubles were ended. A
handsome chamber was placed at my disposal, and the havildar of my
escort was allowed to be with me. I was treated rather as an
honoured guest than as a prisoner. I lived on the fat of the land,
and was permitted to wander about the palace, and spent most of my
time in the gallery round the highest tower, where I could see all
that was going on. The rajah himself was most kind to me, and
enquired daily if my wants were supplied to my satisfaction. He
would often come up to the gallery and chat with me, sometimes for
an hour. The troopers, also, were all well treated."

"You have received a great deal of misplaced commiseration," one of
the officers said. "We have all thought of you as having been
tortured to death, either by Holkar or Ameer Khan; and now we find
you have been better housed and better fed than we have.

"And you are going back again, I suppose, with the chief's answer?"

"Yes; I must not tell you the conditions, but I think I can say it
is certain that the rajah will not hesitate a moment in accepting
them."

"Well, he deserves to be let off leniently, if only for his
treatment of you and your men. It is a contrast, indeed, to what
has generally happened to officers who have fallen into the hands
of any of these native princes."

There was a general talk until an aide-de-camp came in, and asked
Harry to accompany him to the general's tent.

"There is the draft of the treaty," the latter said. "I hope that
there will be no delay in returning a prompt answer. I want either
yes o