And to it we set again, as we had now recovered our breath: victory for a long time hovered between us, now inclining to the one and now to the other; we had both lost our footing once or twice, and the spectators would have had us leave off; but excited as we were, it was impossible--we stopped not for their exclamations. I was put to my last shifts to avoid the well-directed blows of the Rajpoot; he had better wind than I, and this obliged me to alter my mode of play: hitherto I had attacked him, I now only warded off his cuts, but watched my opportunity. In his eagerness, thinking by a succession of blows he could beat down my guard, he exposed his side, and my stick descended on his ribs with a sound which was heard by all, and with a force which fairly took away his breath; had my weapon been a sword, I think I should have cut him in two. "Fairly won!" cried Cheetoo; "fairly and bravely won! Ramdeen Singh, thou hast lost, but it is no disgrace to thee. Come to me by-and-by and I will reward thee." The Rajpoot laughed, and I was glad he bore the defeat so good-humouredly, for I had expected the contrary; he allowed that he had been vanquished, and cried out to all that it had been a fair encounter, and that he had used the utmost of his skill: "So beware," he continued, "how any of you engage the Meer Sahib; you all know what I am, and I have been fairly beaten." I was delighted with the noble fellow, and addressed Cheetoo himself. "I crave a boon, Khodawund, and if I may hope to have it granted, I will speak." "Say on," he replied; "I will grant it readily." "Then," said I, "let this brave fellow be placed under me. By your favour, a stranger has been entrusted with the command of part of the Harawul (advance-guard), and I would have both these Rajpoots with me, and be allowed to entrust fifty men to the one and twenty-five to the other." "Good," said Cheetoo, "let it be so; and do you, Ghuffoor Khan, look to it that it is done; these are the men who will serve us in the time of need." A few days more and I was fairly installed into my new charge. Fortune had favoured me far above my expectations, and I saw nought before me but a career of distinction under my new master. True, I was no longer a leader on my own responsibility, but the rank I held was honourable, and perhaps far above my deserts. I seized an opportunity which presented itself, and wrote a full account of the whole to my father and Azima, for I knew that they would rejoice at tidings so new and unexpected.