cing--rousing--awakening from lethargy.

"You think I ought to stay behind?" asked Cunningham, who had already
made his mind up but chose to consult Alwa.

"Surely, sahib. If for no other reason, then to make sure that that
priest of thine and his daughter make tracks for Howrah City! While he
is here he is a priest, and we Rangars have our own ideas on what they
are good for! When he is there he will be a man maneuvering to save his
own life and his daughter's reputation! See that he starts, sahib!"

He rode off then. But before Mahommed Gunga saw fit to follow him he
legged his charger close to Cunningham for a final word or two.

"Have no fear now, bahadur--no anxiety! Three days hence there will be
a finer regiment to lead than ever thundered in thy father's wake--a
regiment of men, sahib, for a man to lead and love!--a regiment that
will trust thee, sahib! See thou to the guarantees! Rung Ho, bahadur!"

"Rung Ho! See you again, Mahommed Gunga!"

CHAPTER XXX

Sabres and spurs and jingling bits--
(Ho! But the food to feed them!)
Sinews and eyes and ears and wits--
(Hey! But the troopers need them!)
Sahib, mount! Thy chargers fling
Foam to the night--thy trumpets sing--
Thy lance-butts on the stirrups ring--
Mount, sahib! Blood them! Lead them!

IT was arranged that the McCleans, with old Joanna, should start at dawn
for Howrah City, and they were, both of them, too overcome with mingled
dread and excitement to even try to sleep. Joanna, very much as usual,
snoozed comfortably, curled in a blanket in a corner.

They would run about a hundred different risks, not least of which was
the chance of falling in with a party of Howrah's men. In fact, if they
should encounter anybody before bringing up at Jaimihr's palace it was
likely that the whole plan would fizzle into nothing.

Cunningham, after fossicking for a long time in Aliva's armory--that
contained, besides weapons of the date, a motley assortment of the
tools of war that would have done great credit to a museum of
antiquities--produced two pistols. He handed, one to the missionary and
one to Miss McClean, advising her to hide hers underneath her clothing.
"You know what they're for?" he asked. "No. You'd gain nothing by
putting up a fight. They're loaded. All you've got to do is jerk the
hammer back and pull the trigger, and the best way not to miss is to
hold the muzzle underneat