Standing a short distance back from the end window, he looked out between the crossbeams. "Hurrah!" he shouted. "There they go up the road. They are a quarter of a mile away. They are not more than half as strong as they were when they came down. They are carrying eight or ten figures on their shoulders, on litters, or doors." "I don't see the cavalry," Surajah said, as he joined him. "No. It is likely enough that they may be in hiding among the huts opposite, and are waiting, in hopes that we may be foolish enough to take it for granted that they are all gone, and pull down the bars of the door. I expect they will stay until they see our troop coming up the valley." They continued to look out from the window, from which they had now removed the bars. Half an hour later, Dick exclaimed: "There they go, up that side of the valley. I have no doubt they see our troop, and that in a few minutes we shall hear them coming." It was not long before they heard a trampling of horses, and a moment later the Rajah's voice exclaimed: "Why, what is this? Here are a dozen dead bodies. They are Mysoreans, by their dress." "All right, Uncle," Dick shouted, "we will be out as soon as we get these bars down. We have been standing a siege." It did not take long to remove the bars. The Rajah and his men had dismounted, as soon as some of the latter had gone round the hut, and had brought back the report that there were five more dead on that side. As Dick and his companion stepped out, the Rajah exclaimed: "What, are you alone?" "Yes; there is no one with us, Uncle." "Do you mean to say that you two have defended this place alone, and killed sixteen of the enemy, besides some I see lying farther up the road?" "Yes, Uncle. You see, it was a pretty strong position, and we had time to block up the doors and windows, and to make loopholes to fire through." "What think you of that, Anwar?" the Rajah exclaimed to the captain of the troop. "My nephew and Rajbullub's son have shown themselves brave fighters, have they not?" "It is wonderful," the captain said; and exclamations of admiration broke from the men standing round. "Tell us all about it, Dick," the Rajah went on. "It is a long story, Uncle; but the real news is that Tippoo, with his army, has left the head of the western passes, and has gone to Seringapatam. He is going to march down one of the passes, this side, at once. Provisions have been collected for his army to consume on the march. No one knows yet which pass he will come down by; but it will not be far from here, for they are buying up cattle in the villages at the top of the ghauts." "That is important, indeed, Dick, and we must ride off without delay; but first, I must have a look at this fortress of yours." He entered the hut, the soldiers crowding in after him, and examined the defences at the windows, and the loopholes; while Dick explained how the bars had been arranged to defend the door.