ess was over, and it has given a real
pleasure to my life to have been able to aid you. You will let me
know, Sahib, if ever you find your father?"

"Certainly, Pertaub. I will, in any case, send word to you, either
that I have found him, or that I have given up all hope and have
abandoned my efforts."

The next morning a lad brought Dick a message, from Pertaub, that he
had fulfilled all his commissions; and on the following morning, Annie
Mansfield again came to Dick's room.

"Everything is going on well, Annie," Dick said, as he shook hands
with her. "The horses have been bought. There is your disguise in that
corner, and we can start any moment, at a quarter of an hour's notice.

"Now, I want you to tell me how you came to be brought up here."

"I have not much to tell," she said. "You see, I was only six years
old. I can remember there was a great deal of firing of guns, and that
lasted for a long time. Then the firing stopped. I suppose the place
surrendered."

"Do you know what place it was, Annie?"

She shook her head.

"I do not know at all. I suppose I did know, then, but I do not
remember ever to have heard the name. I remember quite well that there
were soldiers, and Father and Mother, and servants, and many other
people, and everyone was very miserable, and we all went together out
of a gate, and on each side there were a great many natives with guns
and swords, some on horse and some on foot; and there were elephants.
I don't think I had ever seen one before, for I noticed them
particularly. We went on and on, and I know one of the soldiers
carried me.

"At night we stopped somewhere. I think it was in a wood, and there
were fires, and we lay down to sleep on the ground. Then I woke up
suddenly, and there was a great noise and firing of guns, and someone
caught me up and threw something over my head, and I don't remember
anything more, for a long time. I know that presently I was on
horseback, before a fierce-looking man. There were a good many of
them, and when I cried for my father and mother, they said they would
cut off my head if I were not quiet.

"I do not know how long we were travelling, but after the first day
there was only the man who carried me, and another. I was brought
here, and there were many people, and I was very much frightened. Then
I found myself only among women, and they took off my clothes and
dressed me in their fashion. I think I was very happy, when I once got
acc