In Times of Peril A Tale of India

r speed, but the sound of t

Ned said; "let us turn down there; we

they ran down

eard a body of cavalry-for that they were troops they knew by the jingling of their accouterments-pass at

e river," Ned said. "We will push the boat off, an

regained the road, they crossed

ly scattered; patches of jungle and wood occurred more frequently; and it was evident that they were getting into a less highly cultivated district. It was long before daybreak that Rose dec

s going to be ill. She keeps talking and moaning in her

ng sadly at her sh

she asked. "Oh, my hea

rap at t

again, and went on talkin

"and we must get her under

went to sleep," Ned said. "I will go and re

ard was standing at the door. Then he went in, and after a few minutes reappeared with a long staff in his hands, and went out into the fields. He did not, however, follow the direction which the

. The farmer started with surprise at se

e, and I tell you the truth. There are two English girls in the woo

ood for some t

time the country was red with blood, but all my life I have eaten my b

s still lying. The old man looked at her

, and my servants will not know that there is a stranger there. I believe that they would be faithful, but one who knows nothing can tell no tales. On the other side of the woo

kneeling by Rose, caught his hand and kissed it in her

ose? I don't think she

their host, prepared by him for what was coming, received them with many expressions of pity, and she was at once carried into the inner room. The farmer then placed before the boys two bowls of milk and some freshly made chupatties, and then gave them some food for the day. With an expression of fervent gratitude to him, and a kiss from Kate, who came

fodder from below to make a comfortable bed. Then, feeling secure from discovery, even if by chance some passer-by should

old man came to see the

looked pal

" was their f

s so this morning. I did not like to leave her for a moment. But this kind o

ny news?" N

get better, she may die. If she gets better it will be weeks before she can go through the hardships of the journey to Meerut. I think it better that you should go on alone; the white ladies will be as my daughters. I have told my servants that my daughter is ill, so that if they hear cries and voices at night they will think that it is she who is in pain. You can do no good here. If the woo

brother and sister, and said that he was very unwilling t

e expressed her warm

and killed. If dear papa has escaped he will be in a terrible state of anxiety about us, and you could relieve him if you can join him at Meerut, and tell him how kindly we are treated here. Alt

them, the boys saw that the course advised was the best to be pursued, and told their Hindoo fr

from the natives at work there, who would naturally suppose that they belonged to some village near at hand. "Englishmen could not do this," he said; "too much leg, too much arm, too much width of shoulders; but boys are thinner, and no one will notice the diff

hat they might never meet again. Still the course decided upon was

skin thus exposed they dyed the same color as the rest of the body. They then each put on a scanty loincloth, and wrapping a large piece of dark blue cotton stuff first round their waists and then over one shoulder, their costume was complete, with the exception of a pair of sandals and a white turban. The old Hindoo surveyed them gravely when their attire was completed, and expressed his belief that they would pass without exciting the slightest suspicion. Their pistols were

hey met a native, but either they passed him without speech, or Ned muttered a salutation in answer to that of the passer. All day they walked, and far into the night. They had no fear of missing their way, as the road on one hand and the river on the other both ran to Meerut; and althou

o much that I should have to answer, and then I should be found out dir

gone out to work in the fields. They then entered it boldly. It was empty. On hunting about they found some chupatties which had apparently been newly baked, a store of rice and of several other grains. They took the chupat

by a simultaneous cry of "Look out!" from Dick, and a sharp hiss; and looking up, saw, three or four feet ahead of him, a cobra, with its hood inflated,

you had stooped he would have bit you on the face. What w

ozen pistol cartridges, put the powder into and on the wound, and set it alight. I believe that that is what they do in some parts of Eastern Europe

at we had not to put the virtue o

ake, Dick? I believe that sna

d have got nothing else we might have tried the snake; but as it is, I had rather not. Two more days, Ned, and we shall be at Meerut. The

ought to get over a lot of ground. Listen! There is music!" Both held their breath. "Yes, there are the regular beats of a big drum. It is on the highroad, I

tion they saw a regiment in s

ineers, Dick,

d of the regiment; perfect order was to be observed in its marching;

t a trot for a couple of miles we can get round into some trees near the road, where we can s

s at the edge of a clump of trees, not fifty yards from the road, they awaited the passage of the r

ou think that they would keep up such dis

eft in India; but when the news gets to England there will be such a cry throughout the land that, if it needed a million men to win back the coun

ere they are, marching in the middle of that column; they are officers; and oh! Ned! I do think that the middle one's father." A

uiet. Yes! It is father

e said, in de

hem, Ned; we may as

m down again; "you will destroy their chance a

Ned,

ch. Come on, Dick; we must get out of this. When they have once pitched their tents they will scatter about, and, as likely as not, some will co

er side of the road, and facing the wood. The ground being marked out, the men were told off to their quarters, and the poles o

ll square tent was erected; and into this the three officers, who were handcuffed, were

; let us get further away, and t

ssible scheme could be hit upon. The sentry at the back of the tent must be the one to be disposed of, and this must be done so noiselessly as not to alarm the man in front. Each marched backward and forward some eight paces to the right, and as much to the l

chance of our being a

think of killing a

ficers, and all the men, women, and children at the station. I would not kill the man unless it could be helped, but our father's life depends upon it; and to save him I would, if there were no other way, c

t. However, as he would kill me if he had a chance, he mustn't grumble if I do the same

food with lighter hearts than they had done since they left Sandynugghur, for the knowledge that their father had escaped death had lifted a heavy burden

As patiently as might be, they waited until they guessed that it must be about ten o'clock. The night was, for the country, cold-a favorable circumstance, as the natives, who are very

s be moving. May God help

where they rightly judged that the Sepoys, having no fear whatev

ausing to reconnoiter; "that sounde

te distinct, across the air came the sound

I suppose they are not particular," Ned said; "we calculated it was not more than twenty-five miles off, and we sho

ng the white tents. Then they

ton canvas, lined with red or blue cotton. In the daytime they open right along one side, the wall of the tent being propped outward, with two slight poles, so as to form a sort of veranda, and

anket, looking like so many mummies. Their uniforms were folded, and placed between their heads and the wall of the tent. Six of these, with the same number of caps, and six ammunition pouches and belts, and a uniform cloak, taken carefully off one of the sleepers, Dick collected and passed out through the door of the tent to N

hought nothing of the matter. He continued to pace his beat, turning back each time when within a yard or two of the sufferer. The third time he did so the figure dropped off his blanket, and, with a sudden bound, threw himself on the sentry's back; at the same moment a Sepoy in uniform darted out from the tent. One hand of the assailant-in which was a damp cloth-was pressed tightly over the mouth and nostrils of the sentry; the other grasped the lock of his musket, so that it could not be discharged. Thrown backward off his balance, taken utte

ously and quietly he cut a slit in the canvas and entered. Then he knelt down by the side of one of the sleepers, and kissed him. He mo

I-Richard; hush

rstood what was said, his son fell on his

the recognition was over, "Ned an

us steal off. Take off your boots; the men's tents are only ten yards behind; once there, you are safe. I will let Ned know when

out of the tent. As Ned passed he exchanged a silent embrace with his father. The next time the sentry in front was passing before the tent, a heavy stone, hurled by Ned, crashed into a bus

inutes the Sepoy supposed that the noise must have been ca

ng?" he asked Ned, a

answered, conti

to see if the prisoners were safe. In a quarter of an hour he knew that the fugitives would have gained the trees, and would have time to put on the Sepoy

t, and in light running order, darted through the tents. He calculated that he should have at least a couple of minutes start before his absence was discovered, another minute or two before the sentry was sufficiently sure of it to hail the q

ot, a drum beat the alarm, and a babel of sounds rang on the still air. But by this time Ned was halfway to the clump of trees, and three minutes later he was in his father's arms. There was no time to talk then. Another coat was hurried on to him, an ammunition belt and pouch t