ably well this year, and was building up the
foundations for a good business. No doubt, when this trouble is
over. I shall be able to take it up again; and it may be, if we
thrash the Burmese heartily, which we are sure to do in the long
run, it may even prove a benefit. Still, there is no doubt that it
is a very bad business for me. However as, just at present, there
is nothing whatever to be done, I propose, as soon as the goods are
all on board, to take a holiday, and go out and have a look at the
fighting."

"You will take me with you, uncle?" Stanley asked eagerly.

"Certainly, lad. We don't mean to do any fighting ourselves, but
only to look on; and it may be that, after it is over, you may be
able to make yourself useful, if they want to ask questions of any
Burmese prisoners."

"You think that there is no chance of their beating us?"

"I should think not, though of course there is no saying; still, I
don't think these fellows will be able to stand against our troops.
Of course, they have no idea, whatever, of our style of fighting,
and have never met any really formidable foes; so that I imagine we
shall make pretty short work of them. However, as we shall be
mounted--for I will hire a couple of horses, there have been plenty
of them driven into the town--we shall be able to make a bolt of
it, if necessary. Of course, we will take our rifles and pistols
with us."

The goods were not placed on board the dhow, but in what was called
the store boat; as the trader had determined to take up his abode
in his rowboat, which could move about much faster than the dhow;
and to allow the captain of that craft to make a good thing of it,
by taking down to Dacca as many of the fugitives as she would hold.

Finding that the Burmese division that had entered Jyntea was
intrenching itself, at a few miles' distance, Major Newton, the
officer commanding on the Sylhet frontier, concentrated his force
at Jatrapur, a village five miles beyond the Sylhet boundary. Tom
Pearson had introduced himself to Major Newton, and asked
permission to accompany his force; saying that his nephew would be
able, if necessary, to communicate with the Burmese either before
or after the action, and that both would willingly act as
aides-de-camp. The offer was accepted with thanks, and they rode
out with him, on the evening of the 16th of January, 1824, to
Jatrapur.

At one o'clock in the morning the troops were roused, and marched
an hour la