There was not a sound, and satisfied that all was right so far, Dost whispered to me to sit up, when he rapidly twisted the rope round my breast, and turned in one end, while I looked about me, to try and make out the kind of place we were on. But it was too dark to see much, and I waited for my companion's next order, contenting myself to leave everything in his hands. "Now, sahib," he whispered, with his lips to my ear, "take my hand, keep in a stooping attitude, and walk with me." I should have liked to ask, "What are you going to do?" but he was commanding-officer for the moment, and all I had to do was to obey. I rose, and, bending down as I grasped his hand, walked softly to where we reached the end of that side of the court--the roof seeming perfectly flat--and then we turned off at right angles and walked along till we had reached the end of the building which formed another side. Here the process was repeated till we were about opposite to the spot where I had been drawn up. Here Dost stopped. "We must get down here!" he whispered. "Into the court?" "No; down into the gardens," he said. "The next side would be best, but there is a guard in the gateway, and sentries walking up and down." "Are there sentries in the gardens?" I whispered. "I think so. We'll look." Crossing softly to the side of the palace furthest from the court, we peered cautiously down into what looked intensely black, but dotted with points of soft light which I knew at once to be lanthorns carried by guards. "Can we get across?" I whispered. "We must, sahib. There is no other way. There are plenty of bushes to hide us. What's that?" I listened, and from a little distance off I could hear the trampling of horses, which suddenly ceased, apparently somewhere on the other side of the court. "Cavalry," I whispered, and then listened as Dost went on. "I shall lower you down here first," he whispered, "for I think there is a place to which I can hook on the rope, and draw it down afterward. Yes; here it is. I found it to-night." He had been on his knees feeling about, and, evidently satisfied, began to unwind the rope from my chest. "Did you make the end quite fast?" he whispered, just as I was wondering how he had found the window from up here on the roof. "Yes." "Don't stop to untie it," he said, "but slip it over your arms and head as soon as you are down. No; it is long enough; hold it fast till I join you. I'll pass it round this post and slide down the other end." "What's that?" I whispered, as a shout arose; and involuntarily we both crossed the roof again to look.