risk of being attacked
unawares." Thoughts of various sorts pressed on his mind, and before he
fell asleep he saw Faithful get up several times and walk slowly round
the room, sniffing in all the corners.

CHAPTER THREE.

A MIDNIGHT INTRUDER--A HUNTING PARTY--CHEETAHS AND TRAINED DEER--A
WARLIKE EXPEDITION--THE MARCH--THE WOMEN LEFT ENCAMPED--SURPRISED BY THE
MOUNTAINEERS--ATTACK ON THE MOUNTAIN FORT--FAITHFUL SAVES THE RAJAH'S
LIFE--THE CAVALRY TAKE TO FLIGHT--SURROUNDED BY FOES--RESCUED BY
BURNETT.

Reginald had thrown himself on his couch without undressing, no
bedclothes having been provided; his baggage, not very extensive, was
placed in one corner of the room. His portmanteau contained some
important documents, which he wished no eye but his own to scan till the
time for producing them had arrived. Faithful lay down before him much
like a dog, with her eyes half open. He had been for some time asleep
when he was awakened by a low growl, and on looking up he saw Faithful
on the point of rising, her eyes glaring towards the further end of the
room. A curtain which served instead of a door was drawn aside, and by
the faint light of a lamp, almost burned out, he observed a person steal
into the room with a dagger in his hand. The intruder crept along close
to the wall, apparently not observing the tigress; when she rose to her
feet, and would in another instant have sprung upon him, had not he, on
seeing her, bounded back through the doorway far more quickly than he
had entered.

Reginald, unwilling to create a disturbance, called Faithful back. She
obeyed instantly, and again lay down by his side. The intention of the
midnight intruder was apparently either to murder him or to pilfer his
baggage, though the dagger looked very suspicious.

"Good Faithful, you behaved admirably," said Reginald, patting his
favourite's head. "I feel very sure that you will watch over me, so I
will once more try to sleep."

Saying this, he again lay down, confident that, whatever had been the
stranger's intention, he was not likely to repeat the attempt.

Captain Burnett, to whom he narrated the next morning what had occurred,
declared that no one had entered his room. They agreed, however, to
keep watch the next night, in order to try and catch the intruder.

"If we can catch the fellow, whoever he is, we must carry him before the
rajah," observed Burnett. "And I must warn you also, Reginald, that we
must be ca