"Let's take him first," cried my father. "Now, my lads, forward! He must be somewhere in the place." "Three cheers for the colonel's boy!" cried the Irishman. "Your hanner should have been here a bit sooner to see him foight. Hi, Sam Raggett, get up and show the colonel your ear. You're not half killed yet." "Forward!" cried the colonel. Then to the officer with him. "Smith, take charge of my son. A sergeant's guard, Gil," he cried from the door. "Take off some of those things. You look like a sepoy chief. It is not safe with the lads like this." He hurried after his men, and the young officer held out his hand. "Tell me," I said quickly; "Captain Brace--my troop?" "Yonder, not a hundred yards away," he said. "Didn't you hear him speak?" "Yes," I cried. "Thank Heaven, then, it was he." "Let's get out of here," said my new friend; "but hadn't you better change your clothes?" "He cannot, sahib," said a voice behind me. "He has none here." "Hallo! who are you?" cried the officer. "My servant," I cried, as I laid my hand on his arm. "Dost, you saved my life." "And he'll have to save it again," cried my new friend, "if we stay here. Come along, and let's get among our men, for this palace swarms with the enemy yet." Even as he spoke, a couple of shots rang out, and as they were aimed at us, we rapidly beat a retreat. CHAPTER FORTY NINE. My appearance excited plenty of surprise as we reached the front of the palace, where a portion of my father's regiment had now fallen in, the enemy having taken flight, and a couple of squadrons of lancers were in full pursuit. But in a very short time it was whispered through the regiment that I was the colonel's son, and I was saluted with a cheer. Just then there was the clattering of hoofs, and an officer galloped up, "Where's Colonel Vincent?" he cried; and I looked at him wildly. "Scouring the palace with a couple of companies of men." "But the people are pouring out of the town, and only those lancers after them." "He's trying to catch the rajah." "Got away safe," cried the officer. "I want orders to pursue; I can't stay here. Whom have you got there--the rajah's son?" "Brace, don't you know me?" I cried, in a choking voice. "Gil!" he shouted, and he swung himself off his horse, and rushed at me. "I thought I should never see you again. A prisoner?" "Yes, yes," I cried. "But--" He loosened my hands. "You haven't--? Oh, Gil, my lad!" That seemed the unkindest cut of all--to be suspected after what I had gone through; and I half turned away. Brace saw it as a confession that I had turned renegade, and his face was growing very dark as my father strode up. "Pursuit, Captain Brace," he said; "the rascal has escaped." Brace sprang into his saddle, and galloped away, while, in spite of my father being at hand, my heart sank, and I felt more miserable than I had been for days. CHAPTER FIFTY.