Mrs. Holland undertook to write the letter to Annie's father, and did
so at very much greater length than Dick would have done, giving him
the story of the girl's life at Seringapatam, the circumstances of her
meeting Dick, and the story of her escape. She assured him that his
daughter was all that he could wish her to be.
"She is of a very affectionate disposition. She is frank, outspoken,
and natural--qualities that are wonderful, considering the years she
has passed as a slave in the harem. Now that she has been with us for
a fortnight, and has recovered from the fatigue of her flight, and is
beginning to feel at home, she has regained her natural spirits, after
their long repression.
"Personally, she is of about the average height, and of a more
graceful figure than is usual with girls of her age. The stain has now
worn off her face, and I should say she will, as she grows up, be
pretty. She is fair rather than dark, has expressive eyes, and a nice
mouth. Altogether, had I a daughter, I should be well content if she
resembled your Annie. I shall, I can assure you, do my best to supply
the place of a mother to her, until I receive a letter from you, and
shall part from her with regret. She is, of course, at present
entirely uneducated, but she has already begun to learn with me, and
as she is quick and intelligent I hope that, before I resign my
charge, her deficiencies will be so far repaired that she will be able
to pass muster, in all ordinary matters."
"You will be back before I go, won't you, Dick?" Annie said, as she
sat by his side on a seat in the garden, on the evening before he was
to start.
"I think so," he said. "We can calculate on your being here ten
months, anyhow. I have been talking it over with my mother. If it had
not been for those jewels, I should have given up the search for my
father after another six months, because it would have been high time
for me to get to work in some profession. I had, indeed, made up my
mind to enter the Company's service, for Lord Cornwallis promised me a
commission, and my uncle received a letter some time ago, from the
governor of Madras, saying that, on the very strong recommendation of
Lord Cornwallis, and his report of my services, he was authorised to
grant me one. It was to be dated back to the time I joined Lord
Cornwallis, more than two years ago. However, now that I am really
made independent of a profession, I shall probably continue my search
for a somewhat longer time. But at any rate, I will promise to come
back, at the end of ten months from the present time, so as to say
goodbye to you, before you start."
The girl's face brightened.
"Thank you, Dick. I don't think I should go, anyhow, until I saw you
again--not even if I got a letter saying that I was to sail by the
next ship."
"My uncle would take you down bodily, and put you on board," Dick
laughed. "Mind, Annie, when I come back, at the end of ten months, I
shall expect to find you quite an educated young lady. I shall think
of all sorts of hard questions, in geography and history, to put to
you."
"I will try hard, Dick, really hard, to please you. I have had three
lessons, and I have learnt all the letters quite well."
"That is a good beginning, Annie. It took me a lot longer than that, I
know."
The next morning, Dick and Surajah started. They were to ride up the
ghauts, to the frontier line at Amboor, two troopers accompanying them
to bring back their horses. There they were to disguise themselves as
traders, and make their way direct to Bangalore. Dick said goodbye to
his mother, up in her own room.
"You must not be down-hearted, Mother," he said, as she tried in vain
to keep back her tears. "You see, I have come back to you twice,
safely, and after passing unsuspected in Tippoo's palace, there is no
fear of my being detected elsewhere. Besides, of course, every month I
am there I become better acquainted with the people, and can pass as a
native more easily."
"I am not really afraid, my boy. You have got on so well that, it
seems to me, God will surely protect you and bring you back safely.
And I can't help thinking that this time your search may be
successful. You know why I feel convinced that your father is still
alive, and, in spite of past disappointments, I still cling to the
belief."
"Well, Mother, if he is to be found I will find him. There are still
many hill forts where he may be living, and his very existence
forgotten, and until I have visited every one of them, I don't mean to
give up the search. Anyhow, I shall come back at the end of ten
months, whether I have heard of him or not. I have promised Annie that
I will be back before she sails. It is not a very long journey down
here, and I shall drop in for a fortnight's stay with you, as I have
done this time."
"She is in the next room, crying her eyes out, Dick. You had better
look in there, and say goodbye to her. She is not fit to go down to
the door."
After parting with his mother, Dick went in to see Annie.
"You must not cry so, child," he said, as she rose from the divan,
with her face swollen with crying. "I am sure that you will be very
happy here, until I come back."
"I know, Dick; but it won't be at all the same, without you."
"Oh, you will have plenty to do, and you will soon fall into regular
ways. Besides, you know, you have got to comfort my mother, and keep
up her spirits, and I quite rely upon you to do that."
"I will try, Dick," she said earnestly.
"Now, goodbye, Annie."
He held out his hand, but she threw her arms round his neck, and
kissed him.
"You have never kissed me, not once," she said reproachfully, "and you
were going away without it, now. Your mother kisses me, and the
English girls in the harem always used to do so."
"But that is different, Annie. Girls and women do kiss each other, but
boys and girls do not kiss, unless they are brothers and sisters, or
are relations, or something of that sort."
"But you are not a boy. You are a great big man, Dick."
"I am not much more than a boy yet, Annie. However, there is no harm
in kissing, when one is saying goodbye, so there.
"Now be a good girl, and don't fret;" and he ran downstairs to the
door, where his uncle and the two boys were standing.
"Take care of yourself, lad," the Rajah said, as, after bidding them
goodbye, Dick sprang upon his horse. "Whenever you get a chance, send
down a letter as we arranged last night, to the care of Azol Afool,
trader, Tripataly. That will seem natural enough, whoever you send it
by, while a letter directed to me might excite suspicion.
"Goodbye."
"Goodbye, Uncle;" and, with a wave of his hand, Dick rode off and
joined Surajah, who was waiting for him a short distance off. And
then, followed by Ibrahim--who had begged so earnestly to be allowed
to accompany them that Dick had consented to take him, feeling indeed
that his services would be most useful to them--and the two troopers,
they rode off at a sharp pace.
At Amboor they assumed their disguises. Dick purchased a pack pony,
and some goods suitable to their appearance as pedlers, and then they
started up the pass on foot. They passed the frontier line without any
interruption, stopped and chatted for a few minutes with the guard,
and then passed on up the valley.
"There is the house where we had our fight, Surajah," Dick said, as
they reached the ruined village. "Though there is peace now, I fancy
we should not get much farther than that fort ahead, if they guessed
that we were the fellows who gave them such trouble, two years and a
half ago."
"There is no fear of our being recognised," Surajah said. "The guard
has probably been changed, long ago. Besides, they never once caught
sight of our faces."
"Oh, no; we are safe enough," Dick agreed. "If I had not been sure of
that, we would have gone up one of the passes to the south, that has
been ceded to us, though it would have been a great deal longer round
to Bangalore--unless, indeed, we had gone by Kistnagherry, and that
would have been too dangerous to attempt, for the officers on the
frontier would probably have recognised us."
It was late in the afternoon before they arrived at the gate. It stood
open, and there was no sentry on duty. A few soldiers could be seen,
loitering about in the street; but it was evident that, now the war
was over and everything finally settled, it was considered that all
occasion for vigilance was at an end.
Upon making inquiries, they soon found a house where they could put up
for the night. They had, as is the custom in India, brought their
provisions with them, and after leaving their goods in the house, and
seeing that the horse was fed, Ibrahim set to work to cook a meal;
while the others opened one of the packs, and went round the village,
where they disposed of a few small articles.
They arrived, without any adventure, at Bangalore. There, as soon as
they had established themselves at one of the caravansaries for
travellers, Dick and Surajah went to the house of the trader to whom
Pertaub had promised to consign their goods.
"We have come for some packs, that have been sent by friends of ours
at Seringapatam to your care," Dick said, making as he spoke the sign
that Pertaub had taught him, as enabling those who were Hindoos to
recognise each other, at once. "We were to use the word 'Madras' as a
sign that we were the parties to whom they were consigned."
"The goods arrived a week ago," the trader said, "and are lying for
you at my warehouse. I will hand them over to you, tomorrow morning."
"Thank you. We may not come early, for we have to purchase two pack
horses to carry them, and three tats for ourselves and our man. This
may take us some time, and it will be, perhaps, better for us to come
to you early the next morning, and we can then start away direct."
This was arranged, and on the following day, two strong animals were
bought for the packs; and three tats, or ponies, for their own riding.
Dick had disposed of the horse he had ridden down to Tripataly for a
good price, and had also been supplied with funds by his mother,
although, as he said, the contents of their packs ought to suffice to
pay all their expenses, for a long time.
Then they purchased some provisions for the journey. The pack horse
they had brought with them was laden with these, and the goods brought
up from Amboor. The new pack horses were taken round to the trader's,
and the goods sent from Seringapatam packed on them. Then they mounted
and rode off at a walk, the pack animals following Ibrahim's horse,
tied one behind the other.
They had already debated upon the course to pursue, and finally
decided that they would, in the first place, again visit Savandroog;
for the conviction Dick had entertained, that there was at least one
white captive there, had increased rather than diminished.
"I can't give any good reason for it, Surajah," he had admitted, when
they talked it over before starting, "but it is just because I have no
good reason to give, that I want to go there again. Why should I have
such a strong conviction without a good cause? One has heard of a
presentiment of evil--I can't help feeling that this is a presentiment
of good. The question is, how can we best go there again? I don't
think it is in the least likely that the governor will have heard of
our flight, as this would be the last direction anyone would think of
our taking, for had we done so, we might have met the Sultan on his
way back from Bangalore. It will naturally be supposed that we have
made for the frontier, and have descended the Western or Southern
Ghauts. The affair will, of course, seem a mystery to them altogether;
for why should two young fellows, so recently promoted, and in such
high favour, desert Tippoo's service? If they do not associate Annie's
disappearance with our flight--and there is no reason on earth why
they should do so, as no one ever saw us speaking to her--they will
most likely think that we have fallen into the hands of the Dacoits,
or Thugs, and have been murdered. Numbers of people do disappear every
year, and are, as everyone supposes, victims of that detestable sect.
My uncle has told me of Thugs. He warned me to be very careful, if I
travelled with strangers, for that these men travel in all sorts of
disguises.
"So I think that, as far as that goes, we could boldly put on our
uniforms and badges again, and ride into Savandroog. The disadvantage
of doing so is, however, plain. The commander would remain with us all
the time. We should get no opportunity of speaking privately with any
of the soldiers, and, taking us to be in Tippoo's confidence, he
would, as before, shirk the question of prisoners. On the other hand,
if we can get in as traders we shall be able to move about
unwatched--to go to the soldiers' huts and offer goods to their wives,
and be able to find out, to a certainty, if there is a prisoner there,
and, if so, where he is kept. We may even see him; for while, if the
governor wished to keep his existence a secret, he would have shut him
up when he heard that two of Tippoo's officers were coming, he would
not trouble about it, one way or the other, in the case of a couple of
traders.
"The only objection to that course is that we were here but two or
three months since, and he and his servants, and that artillery
officer we went round with, would know us at once. If we go, we shall
have to alter our appearance completely. At any rate, we had better
provide means for disguise, and we can use them, or not, as we
please."
While they were at Tripataly, therefore, they had two false beards
made for themselves, and tried many experiments in the way of painting
their faces; and found that by tracing light lines on their foreheads,
and at the corners of their eyes, they were able, by the help of
beards, to counterfeit the appearance of old age, so well that it
could only be detected on close observation. Dick, too, had purchased
a pair of native spectacles, with large round glasses and broad
black-horn rims, that made him look, as he said, like an astonished
owl. It was agreed that Surajah should wear, under his dress, a very
thickly padded vest, which would give him the appearance of being fat,
as well as elderly.
They proceeded for seven or eight miles at a walking pace, and when
the heat of the day rendered it necessary for them to stop, turned
into a grove by the roadside, as they had no intention of going on to
Savandroog that day, intending to halt some miles short of it, and to
present themselves there the next afternoon. They therefore prepared
for a stay of some hours. The pack horses were unloaded, and the
saddles taken off the other animals.
Half an hour later a party of twelve men, travelling in the same
direction as themselves, also halted and turned in among the trees.
The man who was apparently the leader of the party came across to
where they were sitting.
"We do not disturb you, I hope, brothers?" he said. "The grove is
large enough for us all. I see that you are traders, like myself."
"By no means," Surajah replied. "The wood is open to all, and even
were it not, we should be discourteous, indeed, did we refuse to share
our shade with others. Sit down by us, I beg of you, while your people
are unloading your animals."
"I marked you as you left Bangalore," the trader said, as he seated
himself beside them, "and when I saw that you were taking the same
route that we should follow, I wondered how far our roads might lie
together."
"We are travelling west," Surajah replied. "It may be that we shall
stop at Magree, and there, or at Outradroog, stop for a day or two to
trade. Thence we may go north."
"Then as far as Outradroog our paths will lie together," the merchant
said. "There we shall strike the river, and turn south to
Seringapatam. I am sorry that you will not be going farther in our
direction, for the roads are far from safe. Since the war with the
Feringhees ended, there are many disbanded soldiers who have taken to
dacoity, and it is always better to travel with a strong band. I
wonder that you venture with three loaded animals, and only one man
beside yourselves."
Surajah was about to speak, but a quick glance from Dick stopped him.
"We think there is less danger in travelling in a small body than
there is with a large one," the latter said. "There is less to tempt
anyone to interfere with us. Moreover, we could not travel with a
caravan, because the greater part of our goods are such as would tempt
the peasantry only. We therefore stop at small villages to trade,
leaving the towns to those who travel with more valuable merchandise."
After chatting for some minutes, the traveller got up and joined his
party.
"I don't much like that fellow's looks," Dick said, when they were
alone.
"Why? He looks a very respectable man."
"Oh, yes, he looks respectable enough, but for all that I don't fancy
him. It may be that he regards us as rivals, and was only trying to
find out where we intended to stop, and whether we were likely to
spoil his trade. That was why I said what I did, so that he might
perceive that we were not likely to interfere with him.
"Then again, Surajah, I remembered my uncle's warning against joining
other travellers, as these Thugs, who, they say, commit so many
murders, generally travel in bands, disguised sometimes as traders,
sometimes as men seeking work, sometimes as disbanded soldiers.
Anyhow, it is as well to be careful. We have each got a brace of
double-barrelled pistols in our girdles, in addition to these old
single-barrelled Indian ones that we carry for show, and our swords
are leaning against the tree behind us, so we can get hold of them in
a moment. I know, of course, that the betting is all in favour of
these people being peaceful traders, but I don't want to leave
anything to chance, and there is nothing like being prepared for
whatever may happen."
Presently Dick got up and sauntered across to Ibrahim, who was engaged
in cooking.
"Ibrahim," he said, "don't look round while I speak to you, but go on
with your cooking. I don't like the look of the leader of this party.
He may be a respectable trader, he may be a Dacoit or a Thug. I want
you to keep a sharp lookout, without seeming to do so. See that your
pistols will come out of your girdle easily. Keep your sword handy for
use. If you see anything suspicious, come over and tell me, and if
there is not time for that, shout."
"I will watch, Sahib," Ibrahim said. "But they seem to me peaceable
men like ourselves. Of course they carry weapons. No one would travel
about, with merchandise, without doing so."
"They may be all right, Ibrahim, but I have a sort of feeling that
they are not, and at any rate, it is best to be cautious."
The other party did not light a fire, but sat down and ate some
provisions they carried with them. When Surajah and Dick had finished
their meal, the leader again strolled over to them. He asked whether
they intended to sleep, and on hearing that they did not, he again sat
down with them. He proceeded to discuss trading matters, to describe
the goods he carried, the places where he had purchased them, and the
prices he had given.
As he talked, Dick noticed that three or four of the others came
across. They did not sit down, but stood round listening to the
conversation, and sometimes joining in. Dick's feeling of uneasiness
increased, and thrusting one hand carelessly into his girdle, he
grasped the butt of one of his hidden pistols.
Suddenly a loud cry came from Ibrahim. At the same moment something
passed before Dick's face. He threw himself backwards, drawing his
pistol as he did so, and fired into the body of the man behind him. A
second later he shot another, who was in the act of throwing a twisted
handkerchief round Surajah's neck. Then he leapt to his feet,
delivering, as he did so, a heavy blow, with the barrel of his pistol,
on the head of the trader who had been sitting between him and
Surajah.
It had all passed in a few seconds, and the other men started back, in
their surprise at this unexpected failure of their plan.
Surajah was on his feet almost as quickly as Dick. Even yet, he did
not understand what had happened. At this moment there was the crack
of another pistol, and then Ibrahim came running towards them, having
shot a man who had suddenly drawn his sword, and tried to cut him
down. At his heels came the six men who had, up to this point, been
standing in a group near their horses.
Without hesitation, Dick drew out one of his single-barrelled pistols
and shot the pretended trader, whose turban had saved him from the
effect of the blow, and who, shouting loudly to his companions, was
struggling to his feet. The remaining eight men had all drawn their
swords, and were rushing upon them.
"Fire, Surajah!" Dick shouted. "Are you asleep, man?"
Surajah was not asleep, but he was confused by the suddenness of the
fray, and was still doubtful whether Dick had not made an entirely
unprovoked attack upon the strangers. However, he perceived that it
was now too late to discuss that point, and was a question of fighting
for his life. Accordingly, he fired both barrels of one of his
pistols. One of the men dropped.
"Your sword, Surajah!" Dick exclaimed, as he grasped the scabbard of
his own weapon in his left hand, while in his right he held his other
double-barrelled pistol.
Their antagonists, with yells of fury, were now upon them. Dick shot
one, but the next man he aimed at darted suddenly aside when he fired.
Dick dropped his pistol, and grasped the hilt of his sword just in
time to ward off a blow aimed at his head. Blow after blow was
showered upon him, so quickly that he could do no more than ward them
off and wait his opportunity. He heard Surajah fire two more shots in
quick succession; then Ibrahim suddenly dashed forward and cut down
his opponent, and then furiously engaged another, who was on the point
of attacking him from behind. Dick drew his remaining pistol, and shot
the man through the head.
He had then time to look round.
Both Surajah's shots had told, and he was now defending himself
against the assaults of two others, who were pressing him hard, while
a third stood irresolute a short distance away. Dick rushed to
Surajah's assistance. As he did so, the third man fled.
"After him, Ibrahim!" Dick shouted. "Not one of them must get away."
The two Thugs defended themselves, with cries of fanatical fury, but
their opponents were far better swordsmen, and, fighting coolly, were
not long before they cut them both down.
"What on earth is it all about, Dick?" Surajah asked, as, panting with
his exertions, he looked round after cutting down his opponent.
"Thugs," Dick said briefly.
"Are you sure, Dick?" Surajah asked presently. "It may be a terrible
business for us, if there is any mistake."
For answer, Dick pointed to the bodies of the two men he had first
shot. One still grasped the roomal, or twisted silk sash, while a like
deadly implement lay by the side of the other.
"Thank Heaven!" Surajah ejaculated. "I was afraid there might have
been a mistake, Dick, but I see that you were right, and that it was a
party of Thugs. If it had not been that you were on the watch for
them, and had your pistol ready, we should have lost our lives."
"It was a close shave as it was, Surajah. One second later, and you
and I should both have been strangled. I had my hand on my pistol, and
felt so sure that an attack was intended that, the moment something
passed before my face, although I had no idea what it was, I threw
myself back and fired at the man behind me, with an instinctive
feeling that my life depended on my speed. But it was only when, on
looking at you, I saw a man in the act of throwing a noose round your
neck, that I knew exactly what I had escaped."
"It was fortunate that they had not pistols," Surajah said. "We should
have had no chance against them, if they had had firearms."
"No; they could have shot us the moment I first fired. But Uncle said,
when he was talking to me one day, that he had heard that the
Stranglers did not carry firearms, because the reports might attract
attention; and that it was a matter of religion, with them, to kill
their victims by strangling; but that if the Strangler failed, which
he very seldom did, the other men would then despatch the victims with
their swords and knives.
"Ah! here comes Ibrahim."
"I caught him just outside the trees, Sahib. He will strangle no more
travellers."
"Well, what had we better do?" asked Surajah.
"I should say we had better make off, as fast as we can. Of course, if
we were really traders, able to prove who we are, we should go back to
the town and report the affair; but as we can't do that, we had better
be moving on at once, before any other party of travellers comes up.
That was why, when we had killed several of them, I was anxious that
none should get away, for they might have gone and accused us of
slaughtering their companions."
"That would be too unlikely a story to be believed. No one would
credit that three men would attack twelve."
"But there would be no one to prove that there were only three. The
fellows would naturally swear that there were a score of us, and that,
after murdering their companions, the rest made off with the booty.
"Ibrahim, load the pack animals, at once. We will saddle the horses.
"I think, Surajah, we had better leave everything just as it is. It is
now getting on for the afternoon. It is likely enough that no other
travellers will enter the grove today. By tomorrow, at the latest,
someone will come in, and will of course go and report at once, in
Bangalore, what he has found; and they will send out here to examine
into it. When they find that the men have all fallen, sword in hand,
that two of them are evidently Stranglers, and that their girdles have
not been searched, nor the packs on their horses opened, it will be
seen that it was not the work of robbers. I don't suppose they will
know what to make of it, but I should think they would most likely
conclude that these men have been attacked by some other party, and
that it is a matter of some feud or private revenge--though, even
then, the fact that the bodies have not been searched for valuables,
or the baggage or animals carried off, will beat them altogether."
By this time, the horses were ready for the start, and after looking
up and down the long, straight road, to see that no one was in sight,
they issued from the wood and continued their journey. Being anxious,
now, to get away as far as possible from the scene of the struggle,
instead of going on to Magree as they had intended, they turned off by
the first country road on the left-hand side, and made for Savandroog,
which they could see towering up above the plain. When within three
miles of it, they halted in a large wood. Here, as soon as the horses
had been unsaddled, and the fire lighted, their talk naturally turned
to the fight they had gone through.
"I cannot make out how you came to suspect them, Dick."
"I can hardly account for it myself, but, as I told you, I did not
like the look of that man, and I had an uneasy sort of feeling, which
I could not explain even to myself, that there was danger in the air."
"But what made you think of these Stranglers? I had heard some talk
about them, but never anything for certain."
"The Rajah told me, when he was warning me against joining parties of
travellers, that although very little was known about the
organisation, it was certain that there was a sect who strangled and
robbed travellers in great numbers. He said that he was aware that
complaints had been made, to princes all over India, of numbers of
persons being missing; and that it was certain that these murders were
not the work of ordinary dacoits, but of some secret association; and
that even powerful princes were afraid to take any steps against it,
as one or two, who had made efforts to investigate the affair, had
been found strangled in their beds. Therefore, no one cared to take
any steps to search into the matter. It was not known whether these
Stranglers, scattered as they were very widely, obeyed one common
chief, or whether they acted separately; but all were glad to leave
this mysterious organisation alone, especially as they preyed only on
travellers, and in no case meddled in any way with rajahs, or
officials, who did not interfere with them. Consequently, the idea
occurred to me, directly, that these men who seemed like traders might
be a party of these Stranglers; and when the others came up, while the
leader was sitting talking to us, I felt as if cold water was running
down my back, and that someone was whispering to me, 'Be on your
guard, be on your guard!' Therefore, the moment something passed
before my face, I threw myself back and fired at the man behind me,
without a moment's thought as to what it was."
"Well, certainly you saved our lives by doing so, Dick; for I suppose,
if that man behind me had once got his silk scarf round my neck, he
would have choked me before I had time to so much as lift my hand."
"I have not the least doubt that he would, and I feel thankful,
indeed, that I had such a strange feeling that these men were
dangerous. Do you know, Surajah, it seems to me that it was just the
same sort of feeling that my mother tells me she has, whenever my
father is in danger; and I shall be curious to know, when we get back,
whether she had the same feeling about me. Anyhow, I shall, in future,
have even more faith than I had before, in her confidence that she
would have certainly known if any evil had happened to my father."