"But they will see the opening, and you will be taken." "Yes; they will see it," he replied, "but you must make the hole larger, and fasten it open. They will think you have cut the tent to make it cool. You are the master here, and can do as you please." "Yes; but tell me--Captain Brace?" "Quite well, sahib." "Then he was not beaten and driven away?" "No, sahib; but the fight went against him and the white colonel. They were obliged to draw back. Their enemies were too many. As fast as they killed, others came to take their place." "And Lieutenant Haynes, the doctor, and Sergeant Craig?" "All well when I left them, sahib. I came away many days ago, and reached here, finding you, after a long, long search. Then I gave you a letter, telling you to be hopeful, for your friends were near, and went away again to tell the captain sahib, and ask him what I should do, for he was waiting to find out whether you were alive, and how we could help you." "Yes; and what did he say?" I asked. "Nothing, sahib." "Nothing?" "I could not find him. I had been away so long that he must have supposed that I was killed, and he had gone." "But where?" "How can I tell, sahib? He was gone, and, as I could not find him, I said I would come back and help you to escape without, but I could not get near you. There were men watching everywhere at night, and all day there were evil-minded budmashes of sowars for miles round. Oh, sahib, they take great care that you shall not escape." "Yes; I am watched in every direction." "Yes, sahib, and I was in despair till a few days ago I was in a village where a tiger sprang on a man, and mauled him, and then let him go, and hunted him again till he got away at last. And then I said I would be that man, and come here as soon as the tiger let me go." "What! you ran that risk on purpose?" I said excitedly. "Hush! not a word, sahib," said the man laughing. "I meant a sham tiger to fly at me and claw me. They would not know that it was not a real one." "But the wounds--the clawings?" "I made those, sahib, with a hook fastened in a tree." "Dost!" "Oh, it hurt a little, sahib; but there was no other way to come. And even then, when I was ready to tear and wound, I stopped, for I said to myself, `If I run there for help and refuge, they will not let me stay, and I was ready to pull my hair and bewail myself.' But that would not help me, and I sat down and thought all one day and all the next night, and no help came, till it was gaining light, when I jumped up and shouted, for I could see the way." "To disguise yourself as a fakir?" "Yes, sahib, for I said that no one would dare to say no to a holy man. And you see I am here, and can stay, and--" "Hist!" I said; and in a few moments he was lying beside my couch with the light coverlid and two of the cushions tossed over him, effectually hiding him as he lay on the side of the tent farthest from the lamp.