k horses were unloaded, and the
saddles taken off the other animals.

Half an hour later a party of twelve men, travelling in the same
direction as themselves, also halted and turned in among the trees.
The man who was apparently the leader of the party came across to
where they were sitting.

"We do not disturb you, I hope, brothers?" he said. "The grove is
large enough for us all. I see that you are traders, like myself."

"By no means," Surajah replied. "The wood is open to all, and even
were it not, we should be discourteous, indeed, did we refuse to share
our shade with others. Sit down by us, I beg of you, while your people
are unloading your animals."

"I marked you as you left Bangalore," the trader said, as he seated
himself beside them, "and when I saw that you were taking the same
route that we should follow, I wondered how far our roads might lie
together."

"We are travelling west," Surajah replied. "It may be that we shall
stop at Magree, and there, or at Outradroog, stop for a day or two to
trade. Thence we may go north."

"Then as far as Outradroog our paths will lie together," the merchant
said. "There we shall strike the river, and turn south to
Seringapatam. I am sorry that you will not be going farther in our
direction, for the roads are far from safe. Since the war with the
Feringhees ended, there are many disbanded soldiers who have taken to
dacoity, and it is always better to travel with a strong band. I
wonder that you venture with three loaded animals, and only one man
beside yourselves."

Surajah was about to speak, but a quick glance from Dick stopped him.

"We think there is less danger in travelling in a small body than
there is with a large one," the latter said. "There is less to tempt
anyone to interfere with us. Moreover, we could not travel with a
caravan, because the greater part of our goods are such as would tempt
the peasantry only. We therefore stop at small villages to trade,
leaving the towns to those who travel with more valuable merchandise."

After chatting for some minutes, the traveller got up and joined his
party.

"I don't much like that fellow's looks," Dick said, when they were
alone.

"Why? He looks a very respectable man."

"Oh, yes, he looks respectable enough, but for all that I don't fancy
him. It may be that he regards us as rivals, and was only trying to
find out where we intended to stop, and whether we were likely to
spoil his trade. That was wh