me of Thugs. He warned me to be very careful, if I
travelled with strangers, for that these men travel in all sorts of
disguises.

"So I think that, as far as that goes, we could boldly put on our
uniforms and badges again, and ride into Savandroog. The disadvantage
of doing so is, however, plain. The commander would remain with us all
the time. We should get no opportunity of speaking privately with any
of the soldiers, and, taking us to be in Tippoo's confidence, he
would, as before, shirk the question of prisoners. On the other hand,
if we can get in as traders we shall be able to move about
unwatched--to go to the soldiers' huts and offer goods to their wives,
and be able to find out, to a certainty, if there is a prisoner there,
and, if so, where he is kept. We may even see him; for while, if the
governor wished to keep his existence a secret, he would have shut him
up when he heard that two of Tippoo's officers were coming, he would
not trouble about it, one way or the other, in the case of a couple of
traders.

"The only objection to that course is that we were here but two or
three months since, and he and his servants, and that artillery
officer we went round with, would know us at once. If we go, we shall
have to alter our appearance completely. At any rate, we had better
provide means for disguise, and we can use them, or not, as we
please."

While they were at Tripataly, therefore, they had two false beards
made for themselves, and tried many experiments in the way of painting
their faces; and found that by tracing light lines on their foreheads,
and at the corners of their eyes, they were able, by the help of
beards, to counterfeit the appearance of old age, so well that it
could only be detected on close observation. Dick, too, had purchased
a pair of native spectacles, with large round glasses and broad
black-horn rims, that made him look, as he said, like an astonished
owl. It was agreed that Surajah should wear, under his dress, a very
thickly padded vest, which would give him the appearance of being fat,
as well as elderly.

They proceeded for seven or eight miles at a walking pace, and when
the heat of the day rendered it necessary for them to stop, turned
into a grove by the roadside, as they had no intention of going on to
Savandroog that day, intending to halt some miles short of it, and to
present themselves there the next afternoon. They therefore prepared
for a stay of some hours. The pac