r. Bathurst; it was
almost too good to hope for. However, we are all glad that you are back.
Are we not, Isobel?"

"We are indeed, Mr. Bathurst, though as yet I can hardly persuade myself
that it is you in that get up."

"I think there is no doubt of my identity. Can you tell me where you
uncle is, Miss Hannay? I have to make my report to him."

"He is on the roof. There is a sort of general gathering of our
defenders there."

Two lamps had been placed in the center of the terrace, and round these
the little garrison were grouped, some sitting on boxes, others lying on
mats, almost all smoking. Bathurst was greeted heartily by the Major and
Wilson as soon as he was recognized.

"I am awfully glad to see you back," Wilson said, shaking him warmly by
the hand. "I wish I could have gone with you. Two together does not seem
so bad, but I should not like to start out by myself as you did."

There was a hearty cordiality in the young fellow's voice that was very
pleasant to Bathurst.

"We have all our gifts, as Hawkeye used to say, as I have no doubt you
remember, Wilson. Such gifts as I have lay in the way of solitary work,
I fancy."

"Now, light a cheroot, Bathurst," the Major said, "and drink off this
tumbler of brandy and soda, and then let us hear your story."

"The story is simple enough, Major. I got through without difficulty.
The sentries are some distance apart round the garden wall. As soon as I
discovered by the sound of their footsteps where they were, it was easy
enough to get through them. Then I made a longish detour, and came down
on the lines from the other side. There was no occasion for concealment
then. Numbers of the country people had come in, and were gathered round
the Sepoys' fires, and I was able to move about amongst them, and listen
to the conversation without the smallest hindrance.

"The Sepoys were loudly expressing their dissatisfaction at their
officers leading them against the house today, when they had no means
of either battering down the walls or scaling them. Then there was a
general opinion that treachery was at work; for how else should the
Europeans have known they were going to rise that morning, and so moved
during the night into the house? There was much angry recrimination
and quarreling, and many expressed their regret they had not marched
straight to Cawnpore after burning the bungalows.

"All this was satisfactory; but I learned that Por Sing and several
other Zem