"You are too late with your news, you black-hearted scoundrels!" cried Brace, loudly, though his words would be heard only by us; and just then my Arab burst out with a loud challenge, followed by one from Brace's horse, and it was loudly answered by first one and then another of their old friends in the troop, several of which became uneasy and excited. "Well done, brave lads; neigh again," cried Brace, excitedly, as we were now not two hundred yards from the row of black faces, while at the end, and twenty yards away, sat the rajah, with a couple more gallantly-dressed officers who had ridden out to him. "They are waiting for our message, Gil," cried Brace, wildly. "They shall have it directly. Ready, my lad--steady, horses. Right for the centre; never mind the rajah. Let him wait. Forward!" We rode right for the centre of the troop drawn up there in the brilliant sunshine, and there it all is now vividly before my eyes as I write, and see myself riding on Brace's left, and Dobbs the trumpeter just behind him on his right, ever growing nearer at our steady trot, with the opal of the Hindus' eyes plainer each moment and a wondering expression clearly seen now upon their faces, as if they were asking what it meant. There were the sepoys, too, on our right, running fast and shouting, but we reached the centre long before they, and the mob following, could attain to the end of the line nearest to them; and just then, as I glanced to my left, I saw the rajah clap spurs to his horse, as if to ride up, but he reined instantly, and his two companions followed his example; dignity forbade this. We must go to him. But we did not. As we reached the centre at our steady trot, but with our horses bearing hard on the bit, Brace shouted-- "Halt!" Without a touch, our horses stopped short, and there was an uneasy movement of those facing us, the beautiful animals tossing their heads, snorting, and seemed to know what was coming. Then in another instant Brace said to us softly-- "Right about face!" and we turned, and sat to the wonder of the sowars the rajah was training, while I felt how easily they might rush out and cut us down from behind. But there was not time, for Brace thundered out-- "Draw--swords!" and then, "The troop will advance at a walk." There was a flash in the sunlight as our sabres leapt from their scabbards, and another as Dobbs raised his trumpet to his lips and his note rang out. In an instant the whole line was in motion, advancing slowly, with the heavy dull trampling of the horses, loudly heard by me above the tumultuous beating of my heart.