“I don’t know, sahib. They may come up here, and there is nowhere to hide.”
“Shall we go back into the garden, and try some other way.”
“There is no other way,” he replied. “The river shuts off all one side, sahib, and the other is full of Ny Deen’s soldiers.”
“Tell me,” I whispered. “What about the fighting? Our people were not beaten?”
“I don’t know, sahib. I can’t understand. The rajah drove all before him, and they retreated far away.”
That was piteous news, and I drew a long breath as I felt how hopeless my condition was growing. It had seemed so easy to escape when once I was out of the palace, but on putting it to the test, the difficulties had increased with every step.
“Let’s look down into that great court again, Dost,” I said softly. “There may be a part that is not watched.”
We looked over, and Dost drew back shaking his head.
“No, sahib,” he said; “we have done that twice. Once I hung down over the guards’ heads. We must not try again. It might mean death.”
He was quite right, and I remained silent for a few moments. He spoke at last.