aised, composed of the
captives carried off from here and from the west coast. They are
drilled, in European fashion, by the English captives he still holds
in his hands."

"But why, Uncle, instead of giving time to Tippoo to come down here,
should we not march up the passes, and compel him to keep his army up
there to defend Seringapatam?"

"Because, Dick, in the first place, there is not an army strong enough
to do so; but even were there a force of fifty thousand men at Madras,
they could not take the offensive in time. An English army cannot move
without a great train to carry ammunition, stores and provisions; and
to get such a train together would be the work of months. As I have
been telling you, during the three years the last war lasted, the
Madras authorities were never able to collect such a train, and the
consequence was that their army was unable to go more than two or
three days' march from the city.

"On the other hand, Tippoo could, any day, order that three days'
supply of rice or grain should be served out to each soldier, and
could set out on his march the following morning; as, from the moment
he reached the plains, his cavalry would have the whole of the
resources of the country at their mercy."

"I see, Uncle. Then, if war broke out, you would at once go to Madras
again?"

"There would be nothing else to do, Dick. I should send everything of
value down there, as soon as I saw that war was inevitable. The
traders here have already begun to prepare. The shops are half empty,
for they have not replaced goods they have sold, and a very few hours
would suffice for everything worth taking to be cleared out of the
town. The country round here is comparatively uninhabited, and but a
small portion of it tilled, so great was the number carried off by
Hyder. Next time they will take to the hills at once, and I believe
that many have already stored up grain in hiding places there. This
time it may be hoped that a few weeks, or months at most, may see
Tippoo driven back, and for that time the peasants can manage to exist
in the hills. No doubt the richer sort, who have large flocks of
goats, and many cattle, will, as soon as danger threatens, drive them
down to Madras, where they are sure to fetch good prices for the use
of the army.

"I have already told all men who have bullock carts and teams, that
they can, if forced to leave home, earn a good living by taking
service in the English transport train