"That’s all very well, though you wouldn’t have hurt an old campaigner like me. You ought to have told me at once, and then we might have caught the rascal. I’m afraid there’s trouble ahead, and I’ve a shrewd suspicion who’s at the bottom of it. You didn’t recognize the man in the gallery?" "No; his back was towards me." "What’s it mean, Uncle?" asked Lawrence, returning. "It means that some one--Nurla Bai, I fancy--suspects that I’ve found silver, or at any rate something better than copper. You remember how he’d been trespassing on the night you came. But how did he get across? You saw all the men off the premises at bugle call, Bob?" "Yes." "Then he’s either in league with the sentry, or caught him napping, though I don’t understand how Gur Buksh and his men could have slept through the groaning and creaking of the drawbridge." "Perhaps it wasn’t Nurla at all, but some one on this side," suggested Lawrence. "I don’t believe it for a moment. The Sikhs are perfectly trustworthy; the servants too; and the Babu, though as inquisitive as a monkey, is quite honest and knows nothing about ores--though I daresay he wouldn’t own it. Look here! we must say nothing whatever about this matter. To refer to it publicly would only stir up unrest among the workmen, and might lead to disturbances between the Pathans and the Kalmucks. Each set would accuse the other. We must keep quiet for a day or two, and watch. You had better not show up to-morrow, Bob. To see you with your head bandaged would set every one talking." "I shall be all right in the morning," said Bob. "I hope so. By the way, you were struck from behind, you say?" "Yes: there are evidently two men in it." "So much the better. There’ll be two quaking in their shoes, and we may be able to spot signs of guilt in their manner. Keep your eye on Nurla and Black Jack, who follows him like a shadow. You made the darwan understand he’s not to talk, Lawrence?" "He won’t say a word, I’m sure." "Then get to bed. I see you’ve bandaged Bob’s head in a workmanlike way. Where did you learn that?" "Ambulance work in the school cadet corps, Uncle." "Ah! They manage things better than when I was young. Good-night, boys." Bob found himself much better in the morning, and declined his uncle’s suggestion that he should remain in bed. But his wound was too painful to allow of his wearing a hat, and his appearance bareheaded, and with a strip of sticking plaster on his neck just behind his ear, caused many curious eyes to be turned towards him. Only the Babu made any reference to it. Inquisitiveness was his failing, and he could never keep his tongue still. "I perceive, sir," he said, "that you are not in your usual salubrity. Your countenance is pale, and I opine from patch upon your neck that all is not O.K. Pardon me, have you abraded the cuticle?" Bob looked at him.