ture to advance further. In this they were right, for as they
returned they saw them in rapid flight, the soldiers still firing after
them.

"You have saved our lives, I believe, sir," said Roy, addressing the
officer, who had advanced to meet him. "What can have become of our
companions?"

"I am afraid that the Tae-pings must have overtaken them, and too
probably, immediately have cut them down, for they certainly were not
with the party we got under our fire. My men tell me that they saw no
English uniforms."

"If they were killed, they must be lying on the road," said Desmond, his
heart sinking within him as he spoke. "We must go and look for them."

To this the officer made no objection, and sent forward five men with a
sergeant. They proceeded even beyond where Tom and Billy had last been
seen. Although they came on the dead bodies of several Tae-pings, who
had been shot by the soldiers, they could discover no trace of their
friends.

"Then they must have been carried off prisoners," observed Desmond.
"However, that is better than had they been killed, as we may possibly
recover them."

Any further search was useless; indeed, the officer was anxious to send
back to the town to give notice that the Tae-pings were in the
neighbourhood, and that a cavalry force had advanced so far without
infantry to support them. The whole party accordingly returned to the
house where the outpost was stationed. Gerald and Archie were so much
cut up at the thought of Tom's loss--though, if the truth was known,
they did not care so much about poor Billy,--that they felt scarcely
able to ride back, and were glad to accept the lieutenant's offer of
refreshment before they returned to the city.

"They'll be after cutting off the poor fellows' heads," cried Gerald.
"How did we come to miss them? I would not have gone on if I hadn't
thought they were close at our heels."

"Nor would I," said Archie; "it's some blundering of that fellow Billy
Blueblazes. He must have tumbled off his horse, and Tom wouldn't leave
him."

The lieutenant could give them very little consolation. The Tae-pings,
from the reports received, committed the most horrible cruelties in the
places they had taken, and when they captured Pow-shun they put to death
indiscriminately men, women, and children; the defeated Imperialist
troops having joined them and assisted in plundering the place.

"Our horses must be rested; it is time for us to be going