d their beards and the patches of
hair.

"You ought both to have shaved before you put those things on,"
Captain Holland said, as they muttered exclamations of pain. "You see,
cobbler's wax, or whatever it is, sticks to what little down there is
on your cheeks and chin, and I don't wonder that it hurts horribly,
pulling it off. If you had shaved first, you would not have felt any
of that."

"I will remember that, Father, if I ever have to disguise myself
again," Dick said. "I feel as if I were pulling the whole skin off my
face."

The painful task was at last finished.

"I shall be glad to have a look at you in the morning, Dick," his
father said, "so as to see what you are really like; of which I have
not the least idea, at present. You must feel a deal more comfortable,
now that you have got rid of the rope."

"I am, indeed. I am sure Surajah must be quite as much pleased at
leaving his padding behind."

They stopped half a mile from the town, which was a place of
considerable size. Dick took, from the saddlebag of the horse Ibrahim
was leading, the bottle of liquid with which he was in the habit of
renewing his staining every few days, and darkened his father's face
and hands. Then they took off their costumes as merchants, and put on
their peasants' attire. Dick directed Ibrahim to make a detour, so as
to avoid the town and come down on the road half a mile beyond it, and
there wait until they rejoined them--for his father was to accompany
Ibrahim.

It was growing light as Dick and Surajah entered the town, and in half
an hour the streets became alive with people. After some search, they
found a man who had several horses to sell, and, after the proper
amount of bargaining, they purchased three fairly good animals.
Another half hour was occupied in procuring saddles and bridles, and,
after riding through quiet streets to avoid questioning, they left the
town, and soon rejoined their companions.

"Now, Surajah," Dick said, "we will be colonels again for a bit."

The saddlebags were again opened, and in a few minutes they were
transformed.

"Why, where on earth did you get those uniforms?" Captain Holland
asked, in surprise. "Those sashes are the signs that their wearers are
officers of the Palace, for I have seen them more than once at
Kistnagherry; and the badges are those of colonels. There is nothing
like impudence, Dick, but it seems to me it would have been safer if
you had been contented with sub