apital."

"That will do excellently, Pertaub. It was a fortunate moment, indeed,
that brought us to your door."

"I have done nothing as yet, Sahib; but I hope that, in time, I may be
able to be of use to you. It was fortunate for me as well as for you,
perhaps, that you stopped at my door. Of late I have had nothing to
think of, save my own grief and troubles, but now I have something to
give an interest to my life, and already I feel that I need not merely
drag it on, until I am relieved of its burden.

"And now, Sahibs, I am sure that rest must be needful for you, and
would recommend that you seek your beds at once."

On the following morning, Pertaub brought up the garments that he had
bought for them. Nothing could be more irregular than the dress of the
armed retainers of an Indian rajah. All attire themselves according to
their fancy. Some carry spears and shields, others matchlocks. Some
wear turbans, others iron caps. The cut and colour of their garments
are also varied in the extreme.

Dick's dress consisted of a steel cap, with a drooping plume of red
horsehair, and a red tunic with a blue sash. Over it was worn a skirt
of linked mail which, with leggings fitting tightly, completed the
costume. Surajah had a red turban, a jerkin of quilted leather, with
iron scales fastened on to protect the shoulders and chest. A scarlet
kilt hung to his knees, and his legs were enclosed in putties, or
swathes, of coarse cloth, wound round and round them. He wore a blue
and gold girdle.

Dick laughed as he surveyed the appearance of himself and Surajah.

"We are a rum-looking couple," he said, "but I have seen plenty of
men, just as gaudy, in the train of some of the rajahs who visited the
camp when we were up here. I think that it is a much better disguise
than the one we wore yesterday. I sha'n't be afraid that the first
officer we meet will ask us to what regiment we belong. There were
scores of fellows lounging about in the streets last night, dressed as
we are."

Sticking their swords and pistols into their girdles, they sallied
out, and were pleased to find that no one paid the slightest attention
to them. They remained in the town until some battalions of recruits
poured out from the fort, to drill on the grounds between it and the
town. The first four that passed were, as Dick learnt from the remarks
of some of the bystanders, composed entirely of boys--some of them
Christians, thirty thousand of whom had b