nd signed. Your escort has been
ordered. Is there anything else you can think of?"

"We should like to take our Palace attendant with us," Surajah said.
"He is a good man and, starting so suddenly, we should have a
difficulty in hiring servants we could rely on."

"I have thought of that," the chamberlain replied, "and have ordered a
horse to be got in readiness for him, together with a spare animal to
carry food and necessaries for your journey. You will need them on
your marches, and may even be glad of them in some of the smaller
forts, where the fare will be very rough."

When they returned to their room, they found Ibrahim awaiting them. He
was evidently delighted at the prospect of accompanying them.

"My lords," he said, "I have the pack horse saddled in the stable,
with two great sacks and ropes. Is it your pleasure that I should go
down, at once, to the market and buy flour and rice, spices, and other
things necessary?"

"Certainly, Ibrahim. But it will not be necessary to buy much meat. It
will not keep, and we ought always to be able to buy a sheep or a fowl
from villagers. Get some thick, wadded sleeping rugs, some cooking
pots, and whatever you think is necessary. Do not waste any time, for
we shall start immediately after our meal."

As soon as the man had left, Dick said to Surajah:

"I will hurry down to the town and see Pertaub. You had best remain
here, in case Tippoo should send for us to give us final instructions.
You can say, should he ask, that I have gone down to the town to get a
supply of powder and ball for our pistols, writing materials, and
other things that we may require; which will be true enough. It is
most lucky that we buried our jewels in the forest, ten days ago, for
we should not have had time to do it, now."

Dick returned in time for the meal, which was brought up by another
servant.

"Pertaub was delighted to hear of our good fortune," he said, on his
return. "He will keep our disguises by him, and if we have occasion
for them, will either bring them himself with the merchandise, or will
send them by a trusty messenger, to any place we may mention, directly
he hears from us. I do not think there is any chance of our wanting
them, but it is as well to prepare for any contingency that may
occur."

Half an hour later they started, at the head of an escort of twenty
troopers; Ibrahim riding in the rear, leading the pack horse, which
carried a change of clothes, and thick