e slow-stepping
elephants could move. The native troops were in the van, the few
horsemen on either flank, while the British brought up the rear. They
were thus prepared, as well as circumstances would allow, for any attack
which might be made upon them. They were not, however, unobserved. The
officers, through their field-glasses, made out in the far distance a
number of armed men on foot, evidently watching their movements; and
directly afterwards these were joined by a body of horse, which advanced
much nearer. Colonel Ross on this immediately called a halt, and
ordered the guns to be prepared for action; while Reginald, drawing up
his small body of cavalry, made ready to charge directly the guns had
delivered their fire. The bold front thus shown by the little party
awed the mutineers, however, who wheeled round and galloped off to a
safe distance. So again the party advanced, and made such progress that
before evening the hills they hoped to reach appeared in sight.

Buxsoo now dashed forward to prepare the natives for the arrival of the
young rajah. He went with every hope of success, but Reginald had his
doubts on the subject; indeed, he had seldom before felt so cast down.
He had contemplated giving up his government with becoming dignity, amid
the tears and regrets of a faithful people; but now he found himself
suddenly discarded by those he was so anxious to serve. He recollected
too that he had left the precious documents which, after so much labour,
he had succeeded in obtaining in the rebel city. Should the palace be
burned, as was but too likely to be the case, they would be
irretrievably lost. All his bright hopes might thus vanish; for
although Colonel Ross would be convinced that they had existed, and
would not suppose that he had deceived him, yet, after all, he might be
unable without them to prove his claim to his title and estates, and
would be reduced again to the position of a needy adventurer. Thus the
colonel might be unwilling to trust his daughter's happiness to his
keeping. Inclined to look at everything from a gloomy point of view,
then, he was prepared for a cold, if not for a hostile, reception from
the villagers.

He was anxious too, though certainly in a much less degree, about
Faithful. He had left the tigress shut up in her usual abode in the
palace, under charge of her keeper; but the man might be killed, or he
might neglect her, and she would be starved to death; or sh