I urged my horse down the bank, and was with him in an instant. Kumal Khan put his head out of the curtains, and asked if we had assembled our men. "Yes," said I, "they are all before us, except my cousin, myself, and a few of our attendants, who will stay round you."
"That is right," said he; "I shall sleep, if this vile jolting will let me. Oh that I were on my horse, instead of being cooped up in this cart!"
"Patience," said Bhudrinath; "I dare say you will soon be out of it again."
"That I shall, my friend," said he, "when I dare show myself," and so saying he shut the curtains.
Bhudrinath and I rode on some time in silence: at last we reached a rising ground, which apparently led down to the bed of a river, for I thought I saw the water glistening in the moon's rays. The jungle was thicker than before, and I involuntarily turned to Bhudrinath. "Surely this is the spot," cried I; "we must wait for the cart," for we had preceded it a long way.
"We had better do so," he replied; "it will soon be up."
We had just heard the rumbling sound of the wheels, when the man I had sent on with it came up to us. "What news?" I asked; "is all prepared?"
"By this time it is," said the man; "when I met the first scout I returned to tell you: they have fixed on a beautiful spot, and I doubt not that the band are waiting for you, having done their share of the night's adventure."
"Well," said I, "we don't want you here, so go on again." But he begged hard to remain, and I allowed him. As Kumal Khan passed us, Bhudrinath gave the driver the signal; he nodded his head in compliance: and telling the men who were to hold our horses to be near and in readiness, we got behind the cart, and followed it down the descent. About half-way down, the bank of the road sloped into it, and rose into a small eminence. I marked the place, and saw that the driver had done the same: the cart gradually diverged from the track; one wheel went up the bank; it leaned fearfully over, and at last came down with a terrible crash.