"Yes, sahib; but it is the great Maharajah. He came and worked as a syce all that time, so that he might learn all about the drilling and training of the guns. It was a plot--a cunning plot, sahib, and he was waiting his time." "Hah!" ejaculated Brace. "Yes. Too clever for us; but we may have our day yet. Yes; they are drilling," he continued, as the troop wheeled again, and began advancing toward the forest at whose edge we crouched in hiding; but when they were about half-way toward us from the spot where they had turned, there was another order, the troop wheeled into line, and the men sprang down, unlimbered, the guns were trained, and we saw slowly, but with fair regularity, the pieces brought into action, the white-robed gunners going through the loading and firing drill, ramming, sponging, firing, till about ten rounds had been discharged in blank, when the order rang out again, and the guns were limbered up, and retired three or four hundred yards before halt was again called, the same performance gone through and repeated then in the advance, as if they were sheltering the village, each halt being at the end of some three hundred yards. In this way they passed us, not two hundred yards distant, and we had to lie close for fear of being seen. Then a fresh movement was gone through, the troop was formed into column again, and as we watched, the men were halted just in front of the village, where they were dismissed, and the horses were trotted off to various parts where there were sheds beneath the trees, the guns being left in line, in front of the principal house of the place. "They stay here for the night, Gil," said Brace excitedly. "Yes, sahib, and they slept here last night." "Ah," cried Brace; "you know?" "Yes, sahib, I have been right through the village where the people are staying. No one took me for a spy; it was there I learned that Ny Deen was the Rajah of Ahdenpore. He is going to stay here--it is one of his villages--and drill the men till they can gallop and fire quickly, then he is going to join Shah Rogan's army, fifty miles to the north, and they are to sweep all the white sahibs out of our land." "_L'homme propose, et Dieu dispose_, Gil," said Brace, quietly. "So we have run the rajah to earth, eh? Then the next best thing is to keep our men out of sight, Gil, eh?" he continued cheerily. "Dost, you will be faithful to us, I know. Perhaps we shall not all be swept out of the country. Now then, cautiously," he said. "Hah, yes, they have sentries placed. Rajah Syce is no fool. It was a clever, well-contrived scheme, but he will have to work hard to keep those guns, Gil. Now, three hours for rest and food; we must get strength, if we are to succeed." "Have you a plan yet?" I said as we walked on in the shade of the trees. "None as yet. The only thing I have been planning is to make sure those sepoy prisoners do not betray us. The rest will come."