"It has stopped me, too, from having a 'hubble-bubble' to smoke. But never mind; we must chance it for one night."

"Or morning," said d.i.c.k.

"Eh? Yes, it must be getting late, and I want a sleep for an hour or two, even if it is with a bag of powder for a pillow. So now to business. You have some idea of how the attacks are made?"

"I have thought of one," replied d.i.c.k, "but it sounds so silly and romantic that I don't like to tell you."

"Your commanding officer orders you to speak, sir. 'Tention! Now, Mr Darrell, what are your ideas?"

Dirk coughed to get rid of a little nervous huskiness and then he said:

"This is a very old building,"--and then stopped.

"Thank you, Mr Darrell, it is," said Wyatt sarcastically; "and it is very strong."

"Thank you Mr Wyatt," said d.i.c.k, smiling, "but I have something else to say."

"Then say it, old lad, for I'm in a fever of expectation and nervous irritation. Hang it all! I never felt so disagreeable in my life."

"It was the old Rajah's palace."

"Yes, of course," cried Wyatt.

"And, foolishly or not, I have been thinking it possible that there may be a secret pa.s.sage somewhere which leads to the outside."

"Known only to one of the old king's followers?" cried Wyatt excitedly.

"Yes."

"And making our place only a trap in which we may be caught at any moment."

d.i.c.k nodded, and Wyatt seized and wrung his hand.

"My dear old boy," he cried, "you'll be a general long before I get to be colonel."

"Nonsense!"

"'Tisn't. That's it, my dear boy. It's the right nail, and you've hit it bang on the head. Thank ye. Now I can go and sleep till breakfast-time with a feeling of delicious serenity, knowing that we have got hold of the end of the clue."

"Not yet," said d.i.c.k. "Where is it?"

"Somewhere in the old building. It's going to be the old nursery game of 'hot boiled beans and very good b.u.t.ter,' and I believe we're burning now."

"Almost," said d.i.c.k; "and we dare not open a window."

"No, we must have no more of that, old fellow. And, I say, I'm very glad you were as great an offender as I was over that business. But, look here, if we find to-morrow morning that it is as you say--"

"And find the place," put in d.i.c.k.

"Of course--and find the place--I'm going to hoist that gentleman with his own petard."

"How?"

"Don't quite know yet, but something in this style: I shall lay a trap in such a way in the pa.s.sage, or whatever it is, so that he'll step on a small bag of powder and fire it off. He won't come again. Now, good-night."

"Good-night," said d.i.c.k. "But, I say, don't reckon too much upon my idea."

"I shall!" said Wyatt. "Once more, good-night; for, whatever time it is, it does not look like day."

"Good-night," said d.i.c.k; and ten minutes after, utterly worn out by their exertions, they were both of them fast asleep.

Stringent orders were given as soon as Wyatt woke that the last night's trouble should not be named outside; but the order was issued in vain.

The noise and excitement had been heard and seen, and the native servants were questioned, with the result that by degrees the news, greatly exaggerated, reached the Rajah's ears, after it had pa.s.sed through those of his people to the Ranee, who told him herself.

Both Wyatt and d.i.c.k were later than they had intended to be, and after a short morning parade they visited the wounded, found the men in a serious condition, but with the doctor hopeful, and then went and had a long consultation with Hulton.

"Go and search, by all means," he said, "but I would do it so as not to excite attention. It is hardly likely, to my mind. But be careful; we do not know who are friends and who are foes."

"If I had full command in the city," growled Wyatt, "I'd soon find out.

But look here, we are going to have a good hunt round. Will you come?

Strong enough?"

"Yes, I think so," replied Hulton; "and I'll try."

The trio quietly ascended to the roof, which was without guards in the daytime; and as if for Hulton's benefit, his companions in turn giving him an arm, the whole range of battlemented terrace was traversed again and again, till, in a hopeless way, the little party descended without a word.

"Doesn't look very cheerful, d.i.c.k," said Wyatt, "does it?"

"No," said d.i.c.k firmly; "it was all imagination."

He had hardly spoken when there was a challenge at the gate, the guard was called out, and the corporal on duty sent up word that the Rajah had arrived.

"Look here," said d.i.c.k eagerly, "he has heard of the upset last night.

Let's ask him."

"Very well," said Hulton. "He is, of course, our friend, and he ought to know."

Wyatt and d.i.c.k went down to meet their visitor as he descended from his elephant; and he returned with them to their room, ready to express his great concern about the attack, and a.s.suring them that if he could only find out who originated the affair, that man should die.

"Thank you, sir," said Wyatt quietly; "and he deserves to. But we don't know who it was, nor how he got in.--Now, Darrell, speak out and tell his highness your ideas."

These were given clearly enough, the Rajah hearing them to the end, but shaking his head.

"I never heard of anything of the kind," he said at last, "and I don't think any such pa.s.sage exists. There would be no harm, though, in searching again; and I will place a guard round the place every night."

"No, sir; please don't," said Wyatt bluntly. "Don't be offended at what I say, but I don't feel that we should be so safe here with your guards about us as we should be trusting to our own men."

The Rajah frowned angrily, but his brow cleared a few minutes later.