But now, when we were about coming to a spot where the road lay very low between two high banks, there come to our ears on a sudden a noise from that on the right hand, as of a struggle and a fall, and then the firing of a pistol. Looking immediately to our arms, we halted for to await the foe, and ’twas well indeed we did so, for with a most dreadful noise there come about our ears a whole hail of matchlock-bullets, and before we might even determine whence these were, men began rushing upon us from both banks with divers weapons. It so happened that I had under my Moorish cassock my own hanger and pistols girt about my waist, beside the dagger that the Moors carry, and these stood me in good stead, for the robbers all come at me, and for a time I was in the midst of a whole rabblement of ’em, they trying to drag me from off my horse or to disable me, but not anxious, so far as I could see, to kill me. So desperate was their attempt, that for a time I thought myself lost; but succeeding in maintaining my ground against their assaults, I did withstand them until Loll Duss came to my help, my two other servants and the hired Moors being engaged upon the outskirts of the crowd, and the viscount and his skirmishers in a brisk battle on the banks above, where some of the ambushment had stayed for to resist ’em. So close was we all packed in the narrow road, that there was no room for any battle-array nor show of military skill, for each man must needs fight hand-to-hand for his own life. And this we did without much result for some time, the _cooleys_ baulking us grievously in our movements, and raising lamentable cries to their false gods to save ’em; but at length the viscount, having vanquished his foes upon the heights, brought his men down to our assistance, who fell upon the enemy with such hearty goodwill that such of them as was able quickly made shift to flee away by the road which we were come. And we, dreading their return with greater numbers, did only collect our own wounded to carry with us, making no attempt to secure any prisoners, and so went on again. But when we were started, up come to me and my friend my servant, Loll Duss. “Master,” says he, “these men that we have conquered an’t Rashpoots. They are Moors, the emperor’s men, and they were sent to carry your honours back to Agra, alive or dead.” “How do you know this, Loll Duss?” says I, in a grievous trouble of mind, for (thought I), if the news of the viscount’s evasion be gone before, sure the whole country will be raised against us. “I have questioned one on ’em who is wounded,” said he, and returned to his place. “What think you of this turn, sir?” says I to my friend. “That ’tis a move of our adversary that will need some calculation for the defeating on’t,” says he, smiling, and taking his figures from the game of chess; “with your permission, sir, we will meditate our counter-move.”