actually arrive. The question is as to the others. Now that we
know the worst, or believe we know it, ought we to send the women and
children away?"

"That is the question, sir. But where can they be sent? Lucknow is
besieged; the whites at Cawnpore must have been surrounded by this time;
the bands of mutineers are ranging the whole country, and at the news
that Nana Sahib has joined the rebels it is probable that all will
rise. I should say that it was a matter in which Mr. Hunter and other
civilians had better be consulted."

"Yes, we will hold a council," the Major said.

"I think, Major, it should be done quietly. It is probable that many of
the servants may know of the intentions of the Sepoys, and if they see
that anything like a council of the Europeans was being held they
may take the news to the Sepoys, and the latter, thinking that their
intention is known, may rise at once."

"That is quite true. Yes, we must do nothing to arouse suspicion. What
do you propose, Mr. Bathurst?"

"I will go and have a talk with the Doctor; he can go round to the other
officers one by one. I will tell Mr. Hunter, and he will tell the other
residents, so that when they meet here in the evening no explanations
will be needed, and a very few words as we sit out on the veranda will
be sufficient."

"That will be a very good plan. We will sit down to dinner as if nothing
had happened; if they are watching at all, they will be keeping their
eyes on us then."

"Very well; I will be in by nine o'clock, Major;" and with a slight bow
to Isobel, Bathurst stepped out through the open window, and made his
way to the Doctor's.

CHAPTER XIII.

The Doctor had just sat down to dinner when Bathurst came in. The two
subalterns were dining with him.

"That's good, Bathurst," the Doctor said, as he entered. "Boy, put a
chair for Mr. Bathurst. I had begun to think that you had deserted me as
well as everybody else."

"I was not thinking of dining," Bathurst said, as he sat down, "but I
will do so with pleasure, though I told my man I should be back in half
an hour;" and as the servant left the room he added, "I have much to
say, Doctor; get through dinner as quickly as you can, and get the
servants out of the tent."

The conversation was at once turned by the Doctor upon shooting and
hunting, and no allusion was made to passing events until coffee was put
on the table and the servant retired. The talk, which had been lively
duri