He did not return to the room, but, accompanied by the Doctor,
made his way to the tree he had spoken of.

"By the way, you have taken no arms," the Doctor said suddenly.

"They would be useless, Doctor; if I am recognized I shall be killed; if
I am not discovered, and the chances are very slight of my being so, I
shall get back safely. By the way, we will tie some knots on that rope
before I let myself down. I used to be able to climb a rope without
them, but I doubt whether I could do so now."

"Well, God bless you, lad, and bring you back safely! You may make as
light of it as you will, but it is a dangerous expedition. However, I
am glad you have undertaken it, come what may, for it has given you the
opportunity of showing you are not afraid of danger when it takes any
other form than that of firearms. There are plenty of men who would
stand up bravely enough in a fight, who would not like to undertake
this task of going out alone in the dark into the middle of these
bloodthirsty scoundrels. How long do you think you will be?"

"A couple of hours at the outside."

"Well, at the end of an hour I shall be back here again. Don't be longer
than you can help, lad, for I shall be very anxious until you return."

When the Doctor re-entered the house there was a chorus of questions:

"Has Mr. Bathurst started?"

"Why did you not bring him in here before he left? We should all have
liked to have said goodby to him."

"Yes, he has gone. I have seen him over the wall; and it was much better
that he should go without any fuss. He went off just as quietly and
unconcernedly as if he had been going out for an ordinary evening's
walk. Now I am going up onto the roof. I don't say we should hear any
hubbub down at the lines if he were discovered there, but we should
certainly hear a shout if he came across any of the sentries round the
house."

"Has he taken any arms, Doctor?" the Major asked.

"None whatever, Major. I asked him if he would not take pistols, but he
refused."

"Well, I don't understand that," Captain Forster remarked. "If I had
gone on such a business I would have taken a couple of revolvers. I am
quite ready to take my chance of being killed fighting, but I should not
like to be seized and hacked to pieces in cold blood. My theory is a man
should sell his life as dearly as he can."

"That is the animal instinct, Forster," the Doctor said sharply; "though
I don't say that I should not feel the same myse