"See, we have all come in a body to take you back," added Mrs. Lacy, with a careful kiss. "You have stolen a march," proclaimed the General; "these are comfortable free quarters—a good billet. Better than the Imperial!" "Yes; the Gascoignes have been most pressing," said Lola; "so kind. They were greatly averse to my staying at an hotel." She paused. The couple were coming out on the verandah, to find her and the table thus surrounded. After a few minutes' greetings and talk, General Bothwell said: "So I hear you are off, Gascoigne. I met Hawkins at the gate, and he told me." "Yes; I've had a wire, and I leave to-morrow for Garhwal." "About this lake scare—most unnecessary fuss, don't you think so, eh?" "No; I'm on the other tack—better be sure than sorry." "Please do explain all about it," said Mrs. Lacy; "I am so interested." "The explanation is, that an enormous landslip has dammed up a large valley, and a mountain river, and turned it into a lake, five miles long and four hundred feet deep." "That's big enough for canoeing," remarked Sir Capel. "It's filling at the rate of three feet a day, and as soon as the water reaches the top of the dam—say in a month or six weeks—the dam will burst and flood a hundred and fifty miles of country." "What a sight it will be! I'd give a lot to see it," said Sir Capel. "Niagara broke loose in India." "It will certainly be an unprecedented sight." "And what measures are you engineer chaps taking?" inquired General Bothwell, with his mouth full of bread and butter. "Merely precautions. We cannot let the water off under control; all we can do is to ensure that it escapes down the river bed—without loss of life." "Can't be many lives to lose up there," he argued. "Yes; besides the villagers, there are thousands of pilgrims who pass down to Hurdwar in May and June, and we are bound to know to a day—in fact, to an hour—when the flood is due." "What can you do?" "We have established a temporary telegraph line from the lake to ten stations where pilgrims halt, and at good points, from which to control the traffic. Pillars are erected every half-mile to show the safe limits out of reach of the flood, and all the principal bridges are being dismantled. As soon as the water reaches the crest of the dam, the official in charge will send a warning telegram, for the flood will travel fast." "I suppose the natives are terrified out of their senses?" asked Mrs. Lacy. "No, not in the least; they think it will pass quietly over the river bed, and this is the view of the pilgrims, who are furious because their ordinary route is forbidden."