"If I go," I thought, "I shall be serving Brace, for the attack may be made in our absence, and, without their leader, the troops will give way. But if I go with him, knowing what I do, I shall be acting treacherously to the man who saved my life." It was a difficult point to decide, and I said hastily-- "I would rather not go." "Why?" he asked, with a quick, suspicious look. "Because I am not strong yet, and the sun is hot." "It will give you strength," he said quietly. "You have stayed in till you are fretful, and dislike going out. As soon as we are started, you will be glad." I felt that it was useless to oppose him, and said no more. In fact, I had no time, for he turned to me with a smile. "I meant it quite as a surprise for you," he said; "and I have given all the men a rest from duty to-day, so that I am free. There, get your puggaree; the elephants are waiting, and the guns are in the howdahs." I obeyed him with beating heart, and stood ready before him the next minute, wondering whether an attack would be made in our absence, and if there was, what Ny Deen would do. If he fled, I felt that he would take me with him, and that there would be another weary time before Dost could find me out. "But no," I said; "he will not go. He will hurry back to lead his people. He has too much at stake to flee." "Well," he said, "are you counting the tigers?" I started back into the present, and followed him out through chamber after chamber, and along passages till we descended into a court something like the one upon which I looked down, but larger; and here I found three elephants, a strong party of horsemen, and two little bullock-waggons, in which were a couple of hunting leopards, each carefully chained, and with its attendant. In spite of my excitement, I looked with some little curiosity on the two long-legged graceful-looking spotted creatures, each with a peculiar far-off look in its eyes, as if it were trying to pierce the walls and catch sight of the antelopes it was to chase. Ny Deen saw my look, and smiled. "The tiger may have gone," he said. "If he has, we'll hunt for the deer." He pointed to his elephant, and signed to me to mount the great kneeling creature, which was fitted with quite a plain howdah, open, and suitable for the purpose in hand. As I took my place, I found that there were two double rifles on either side, and as soon as the rajah had mounted, a quick-looking beater climbed up behind us, to kneel behind our seats. The other elephants were made to kneel as we moved onward a few paces, and four of the rajah's followers climbed into the howdahs. Then the word was given, six horsemen rode to the gate as advance-guard, and we were following toward the entrance, when the rajah turned to me with a grave smile. "You _are_ better," he said reproachfully. "Come, we will not even think of military matters to-day, but make it all pleasure."