In my horror, as I saw the knife flash, and as my senses became under my
control, I was about to cry aloud for help, but grasping this, the
hideous-looking being clapped his hand over my mouth, pressing it down
tightly, while he quickly bent down his head till he could place his
lips close to my ear, and whisper in English--
"Not a word, sahib! Don't you know me! I am Dost."
I uttered a low sigh, and then gazed at him, sick and dizzy, but with my
heart beginning to beat wildly with a strange delight.
For at last help had come, and my task now was first to warn my faithful
follower of the peril he had incurred, as I lay in mute admiration of
the skill with which he had played his part, and, after struggling in
vain to reach my well-watched tent, had by his ruse contrived to have
himself brought to my side by my guards. The rest he had managed by
himself.
I could not speak for some minutes. I dared not even try, lest he
should hear how my voice trembled. At last, though, after lying quite
still, holding my faithful follower's hand, I whispered--
"How did you get here?"
"Cut the bottom of the tent, sahib," he said in the same hard tone,
"with this knife, and scrambled through."
"But they will see the opening, and you will be taken."
"Yes; they will see it," he replied, "but you must make the hole larger,
and fasten it open. They will think you have cut the tent to make it
cool. You are the master here, and can do as you please."
"Yes; but tell me--Captain Brace?"
"Quite well, sahib."
"Then he was not beaten and driven away?"
"No, sahib; but the fight went against him and the white colonel. They
were obliged to draw back. Their enemies were too many. As fast as
they killed, others came to take their place."
"And Lieutenant Haynes, the doctor, and Sergeant Craig?"
"All well when I left them, sahib. I came away many days ago, and
reached here, finding you, after a long, long search. Then I gave you a
letter, telling you to be hopeful, for your friends were near, and went
away again to tell the captain sahib, and ask him what I should do, for
he was waiting to find out whether you were alive, and how we could help
you."
"Yes; and what did he say?" I asked.
"Nothing, sahib."
"Nothing?"
"I could not find him. I had been away so long that he must have
supposed that I was killed, and he had gone."
"But where?"
"How can I tell, sahib? He was gone, and, as I could not find him, I
said I would come back and help you to escape without, but I could not
get near you. There were men watching everywhere at night, and all day
there were evil-minded budmashes of sowars for miles round. Oh, sahib,
they take great care that you shall not escape."
"Yes; I am watched in every direction."
"Yes, sahib, and I was in despair till a few days ago I was in a village
where a tiger sprang on a man, and mauled him, and then let him go, and
hunted him again till he got away at last. And then I said I would be
that man, and come here as soon as the tiger let me go."
"What! you ran that risk on purpose?" I said excitedly.
"Hush! not a word, sahib," said the man laughing. "I meant a sham tiger
to fly at me and claw me. They would not know that it was not a real
one."
"But the wounds--the clawings?"
"I made those, sahib, with a hook fastened in a tree."
"Dost!"
"Oh, it hurt a little, sahib; but there was no other way to come. And
even then, when I was ready to tear and wound, I stopped, for I said to
myself, `If I run there for help and refuge, they will not let me stay,
and I was ready to pull my hair and bewail myself.' But that would not
help me, and I sat down and thought all one day and all the next night,
and no help came, till it was gaining light, when I jumped up and
shouted, for I could see the way."
"To disguise yourself as a fakir?"
"Yes, sahib, for I said that no one would dare to say no to a holy man.
And you see I am here, and can stay, and--"
"Hist!" I said; and in a few moments he was lying beside my couch with
the light coverlid and two of the cushions tossed over him, effectually
hiding him as he lay on the side of the tent farthest from the lamp.
It was only just in time, for the tent door opened, and Salaman came in
softly, peering in my direction as I lay pretending to be asleep, but I
jumped up on the instant.
"Yes? What is it?" I cried. "Ah, Salaman, is it morning?"
"No, my lord. Thy servant came to see if he could bring anything."
"No," I said with a yawn; "nothing. But call me quite early, as soon as
it is light. I shall walk while it is cool."
Salaman bowed and drew back softly, whilst, after waiting till he had
been gone some time, I turned to Dost, and was about to speak, but his
hand was laid upon my lips by way of warning.
For at that moment, unheard by me at first, there was a light step
outside, followed by one that was heavier, and I knew, though I could
not see, that some one was making the rounds of the little camp, and
anything I might have said would have been heard.
There was no time to lose when the rounds had been made, and after
listening patiently for some minutes, I urged Dost to go, though I would
gladly have kept him.
"There is no need for haste," he replied. "If I can get out of the
tent, it will not matter much if I am met. They would not stop me, and
they will never think that we are friends."
"But I could not bear for you to be found out," I said. "It would be
like depriving me of all hope."
"Leave it to me, sahib," he replied. "You shall not be deprived of
hope. I have no plan ready yet, but very soon I shall have made one,
and you and I will return to the troop and gladden the captain sahib's
heart."
"Then you must make haste, Dost," I said, "for the rajah will soon be
taking me away to his town."
"Ah!" he said, "I am glad you told me that. But you have been wounded.
Are you strong enough to walk or run with me many days?"