“No. I will not see you go straight to your death like that; neither will I give my life by supplying you with my hathees. It would be death to me and mine.”
“Stand back, sir.”
“Speak to him, Vincent,” said the rajah. “Tell him I must order my people to stop you. It is madness—death; you against all my people.”
Brace stopped short.
“You will order your men to fight,” he said; “in other words, you join in the revolt against your Queen.”
The rajah smiled, and, with true Eastern cunning, paid—
“I shall order my men to protect their chiefs property. Those are my hathees. They shall not go and show the men who have risen that I have helped you. Come, be wise. Stop here, and I will give you refuge. Where can you flee better?”
“To where men are faithful to their Queen.”
“It is of no use, Brace,” said the doctor. “Make a virtue of necessity, man.” Then, turning to the rajah, “You will give us safe conduct down to your place?”
“Yes,” said the rajah, quickly; “and if there is danger, my people shall hide my old friends. It is war now, not against men we know, but against the Koompanni.”