George Manville Fenn

“ Then the whole of the northern sky was lit up by a pale, lambent sheet of lightning, and there beneath him was the courtyard, clearly seen, with the guns, limbers, and wagons; while, before the distant muttering of the thunder could reach his ears, the regular tramp of the sentry by the gate rose to where he stood.
“I don’t wonder at little children being afraid to be in the dark,” mused Dick. “How cowardly it does make one seem! It must be the peculiar feeling brought on by the coming storm. ”

“ As Dick passed through the door into the long, gloomy place, he was just in time to see his horse rear up as high as his halter would let him and rise on his hindlegs, striking out with his fore-hoofs, and snorting angrily at Dondy Lal, who, armed with a pitchfork, was standing just out of reach, teasing the animal, and striking it with the handle of the fork on head, neck, or leg, whenever he could get a chance—sharp, cruel blows, all dexterously given, and with just sufficient force to cause pain without leaving traces for his master to see. ”

“ Then his face turned grave, and he laid his hand upon the lad’s arm.
“Don’t do that, Dick,” he said.
“Don’t do what?” cried the boy flushing guiltily.
“Don’t be a sham. It will make a bad impression on the men.”
Dick stopped short, and looked half angrily at his brother-officer.
“I’m speaking seriously, lad,” said Wyatt, “to my brother-officer. You see, Dick, you are only a boy yet, and there’s nothing to be ashamed of in that. Be proud of being a boy till nature turns you into a man, and then be a man.”
“I don’t quite understand you, sir,” said Dick. ”

“ For another, you will never feel safe. The more I see of these people, the more I feel that it is like living on the slope of a volcano. Everything is very beautiful, but at any moment the eruption may come, and with it death and destruction.”
“Hear the words of the wise man, Robson, my son,” said Wyatt in a stilted, ponderous, mock-tragic way. “Some day, in spite of the Rajah’s wishes, we shall be recalled, and then what am I to do with you left behind, or Dick Darrell here when he has been overeating himself, or made himself ill with one or another of his boyish follies?” ”

“ When he had reached as far as this his brain became more active, and in imagination he ran on down the steps, and on amongst the great dwarf pillars by the cell-like places, with their sliding doors of stone slabs; and then, after pausing for a time, shuddering at the horrors of a man being shut up in such a tomb-like place, possibly to be left to starve and die, he diverted his line of thought, and crossed to the great square doorway where the six-armed idol sat on guard over what must be the Rajah’s treasure. ”

“ Whenever a lad gets that it’s because he has been making a monkey of himself by trying to imitate what he is not.”
“Well, but I was not just now.”
“What!” cried Wyatt.
“Well, I suppose I was—a little,” said Dick, turning more red in the face.
“A little? Awfully, old fellow. Drop it. I wouldn’t have taken you through the men’s quarters like that for your own sake. Believe me, my lad, when I tell you that I’m going to take you through our troop of picked men—men we’re all proud of. They’re keen, clever fellows, who can read one like a book. ”

“ You’ll see enough some day if you wait patiently,” continued Wyatt; “and after you’ve seen a rajah sitting like a figure of Buddha, dressed up in muslins and cloth of gold, and flashing with diamonds, in his howdah, you’ll think what a stupid old woman he looks, and be ready to bless your stars that you weren’t born a rajah or nawab or gaikwar out here, but an English gentleman, which, after all, is the finest title under the sun.”
“Oh, I don’t know,” said Dick slowly; “there’s something very attractive in show.”
“Can’t be very comfortable to be going about dressed like a woman.” ”

“ Hist! he is not asleep.”
“No,” said the Rajah firmly as he turned his drawn face towards the group; “I have heard all you said. I shall get better now.”
“If you are very quiet, sir,” said the doctor; “but you must sleep and leave everything to others.”
“Yes.—You will stay here, of course, Captain Wyatt?—And you, Mr Darrell? Come to me when I have slept.”
“I will, sir,” said Dick quietly.
“Doctor,” said the Rajah then, “the pain is less. I shall not die.”
“Not now,” said the doctor quietly; “the strength of the poison is passing off fast. But you must be silent, and rest.” ”

“ Tell Captain Wyatt that. Now go—I cannot talk, Darrell,” he whispered. “I am only a little older than you are—and I want to live; there is so much to do. Tell Doctor Robson not to let me die.”
A hand was laid on Dick’s shoulder, and Wyatt bent forward and pressed the Rajah’s arm.
“I am very, very sorry for this, sir,” he said in a low tone. “But we must go now. It is urgent.”
“Yes, go,” said the Rajah, clutching at Wyatt’s hand as he looked wistfully in his eyes. “Fight for me and save me. I am your friend.” ”

“ The horse artillery troop bore off a little to the right, thundering by this body of irregular cavalry—apparently about a thousand strong—swept round them into line, and, at the trumpet-sound, halted as perfectly as if on parade, when Captain Hulton cantered up to the Rajah’s side.
“How quick you have been!” said the latter involuntarily.
“Quick, sir?” replied Hulton; “and yet we were last.”
“Yes; but my people were out here before the messenger was sent to you. Listen now; the enemy is coming by the open road from the north. ”

“ Dick had barely finished when there was a summons to meet the Rajah, who had come to obtain first-hand an account of the fight, to which he listened with an intense display of interest, expressing his satisfaction again and again.
“How have you got on here, sir, while we’ve been away?” asked Wyatt.
“They made some attacks upon the gates,” said the Rajah, “but there is nothing to fear from them. We are strongest there. It is in their mounted men that they are powerful and get the better of us, but after to-day I think I can laugh at them. ”

“ You and I are going to get on together, you know.”
“I hope so,” said Dick; “only I’m precious young, Mr Wyatt.”
“Mr. Wyatt! Look here, young fellow, drop that; we’re brother-officers. You’re young, but you’ll soon get over that. A fellow who can ride as you do, and drop into your place in the troop, with the men looking as proud of you and as smiling whenever you come on parade as if you were the very fellow they’d ride after anywhere, needn’t talk about being young. Age has nothing to do with a man being a smart soldier. ”

“ It was a wild dash, and the first help likely to come was from the little knot of horse artillery-men mounted by the guns, who spurred forward at a word from Hulton.
The enemy came upon the group of officers like a whirlwind, taking them at a terrible disadvantage; and, for the first time in his life, Richard Darrell found himself in the midst of a fierce mêlée where discipline went for naught, and all depended upon the strength of a man’s arms and his skill in the use of the sword he bore. ”

“ Why, Dick, look at them! They’re the two regiments that we have drilled. See how they are forming into squadrons. Bah! it is horrible. They’ll beat us by manoeuvring.”
“The two regiments and the Rajah’s bodyguard,” cried Dick. “I know them by their white puggrees. Look, look! A white flag.”
“Same as white feather,” said Wyatt as three horsemen, magnificently mounted, came sweeping across the plain, leaving the squadrons drawn up in position. One of them bore a small white flag at the end of a lance, and as the pair sat watching Hulton joined them. ”

“ I want to learn.—Darrell, you will not turn against me?” he continued, holding out his hand.
“No, not I,” cried Dick frankly; “but it was precious hard, sir!”
“I know, I know,” cried the Rajah.—“Now, Captain Hulton, Captain Wyatt, and you, my dear wise old doctor friend, who saved my life at that awful time, let the past be forgotten.”
“Till there is another rising against us,” said Hulton bitterly.
“There will be no other rising against you,” cried the Rajah with energy. “The vile party that has fought against you is no more. ”

“ I have left all my footmen to hold the walls of the city, and I propose marching to meet these people and attack them at once. You can take the lead, or follow, whichever will be best.”
“Neither will be best, sir,” said Hulton gravely. “To be of most service I must be free. We can help you better by riding in advance on either flank where-ever it is open. But, tell me, are there any mountain-passes beyond the forest there?”
“No; open ground fit for cavalry. If we are forced to retire, make for the city at once. ”