Draw Swords! Part 42

"He is cautious, sir," said Wyatt hotly, and he turned to the Rajah.

"What is the road like by which the enemy has gone?"

"An open plain for the first few miles," said the Rajah; "after that a series of ravines and pa.s.ses, had for horses."

"Then that quite determines me, sir," said Wyatt gravely. "In such a country as you describe, my troop would be at a terrible disadvantage.

We want open country to manoeuvre."

"The English captain is afraid," said the Wazir scornfully, and he turned and smiled at some of the chiefs round about where he was standing, several of whom responded to the meaning smile, while the Rajah looked angrily upon them.

"I do not know that I need answer such an insulting remark as that,"

said Wyatt sternly; while d.i.c.k felt hot, and rose from his seat as he saw the Wazir take a fierce stride forward at the word "insulting."

But Wyatt turned from him to address the Rajah.

"It is quite true, sir," he said; "I am--afraid--"

He paused for a few moments, and looked round haughtily at the a.s.sembled chiefs and officials before repeating the last word.

"Afraid to needlessly risk the lives of the men entrusted to my care. I am now answerable for them, and it is left to my discretion how they are used. It would be taking them to be slaughtered where they would have no means of getting at the enemy, who would be hiding in the sides of rocky ravines and gorges."

"That is quite right," said the Rajah. "Your advice is good, Captain Wyatt. We know what you and your brave men can do, and their lives shall not be wantonly thrown away."

"Then your highness prefers to take the advice of strangers, of emissaries sent by the Koom Pahni, who will take away the kingdom left by your brave father, the Rajah?" said the Wazir insolently.

"I shall defend my territory or attack my enemies how and when I think good," said the Rajah angrily. "I shall also listen to the advice of all my chiefs and officers, as I am doing now, and take so much of the advice as I think wise."

"Then your highness means to throw over all your old friends and supporters, who have often risked their lives in your service?" said the Wazir haughtily.

"No," cried the Rajah fiercely as he rose and looked round; "I will be as faithful to my friends as my father was before me, and as stern and severe to my enemies. Listen, all of you; I am quite aware that I have many enemies here present now."

"There are two," said the Wazir, pointing mockingly at the English officers.

"It is false, sir," cried the Rajah sternly. "You are going too far.

Cut for the fact that you were a good servant and adviser to my dead father, and that you are still the friend and counsellor of my mother, your head would answer for your insolent words to me to-day and your insults to these brave officers. Listen, all of you. The English are our friends, and you all know that but for them Rajah Singh would have swept the greater part of my fighting-men away."

There was a low murmur of acquiescence from many of the officers present, but as many stood stern and frowning.

"I may seem weak in patiently bearing with much that has pa.s.sed, for I wish to respect those who are my mother's advisers; but I tell them here, in the presence of you all, that those who persist in supporting her unwise ideas, and aid her in bringing down upon me the attacks of Rajah Singh, are no longer my friends, but my foes."

"Does your highness consider those your enemies who wish to go out to fight for you against this invader?"

"Yes," said the Rajah sharply, "when they advise measures which must result in defeat."

"Then I feel that the time has come," said the Wazir, "when I must leave your highness's service. Those who are my friends can do what they please. I retire from this hour."

"You will give up your duties, sir, as one of my chiefs, and as the attendant upon my mother, when I tell you to do so. Till then, do your duty as my servant. That is enough. Till these people attack again there will be peace. The council is at an end."

The Rajah turned to Wyatt and d.i.c.k.

"I am sorry for all this," he said gravely. "It is in my power to silence all these unfriendly manifestations; but my visits to the seat of the government have taught me much. Still, I can be firm if it should become necessary. Gentlemen, I thank you for what you have done.

You are my friends, and if any one dares to insult you again it will be at his peril. Captain Wyatt, you will come here to-morrow and give me your advice as to the best means of defending this place. From this day I make you one of the chief officers of my army."

"But Captain Hulton is my chief, sir," said Wyatt quietly.

"Captain Hulton is wounded and unable to help me. When he recovers we shall see. From now, sir, you will give what orders you think necessary for the defence or attack, and I will see that they are obeyed. Once more, the council is at an end."

The two English officers bowed and left the room, the same officer who had brought them seeing them back to the old palace.

"How many enemies have we made to-day, d.i.c.k?" said Wyatt quietly.

"None," said d.i.c.k. "Half those were our enemies before. I think we have made some friends."

"It was yesterday over the fighting, I'm afraid," said Wyatt; "but we shall see."

CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR.

FRIENDS AND ENEMIES.

"All right, d.i.c.k, my boy; but I don't believe it."

"But I tell you the Wazir was as civil as could be, and went out of his way to explain to me that he felt now that he had been in the wrong; that he had heard such reports about our confiscating different territories that, as an old servant of the queen-mother, he felt bound to oppose our coming."

"Well," said Wyatt, "I'll give him credit for that; he did oppose us most thoroughly."

"But," continued d.i.c.k, "he says he sees clearly now how wrong he was in his judgment, and that he intends to do everything he can to a.s.sist the Rajah in his efforts to be friendly to the Company."

"Wise man," said Wyatt, laughing. "He began to feel that his head was getting shaky."

"Then you believe in him now?"

"Yes, to be a cunning old sham, d.i.c.k, whom I would not trust in the slightest degree. There's a nice--triumvirate don't you call it?--the queen, or begum, or whatever she calls herself; that old Brahmin high-priest fellow, Ganga Ree; and the Wazir. They hate us like poison, and if they can get the people to rise against us and kill us, you may depend upon it they will."

"I'm afraid some of this is prejudice," said d.i.c.k gravely, "for I can quite understand these people disliking us as strangers who, as they thought, meant to seize the country. But, as the Wazir says, they know better now."

"Perhaps it is, d.i.c.k, and perhaps they are all that is good and amiable, and I'm quite wrong. Let them prove it, and I'll go over to their side.

As it is, I think I'll believe in myself and the Rajah. When Hulton gets better and takes command he will judge for himself."

"Hulton will not get better and take the command for a long time," said d.i.c.k quietly.

"Who says so?"

"Doctor Robson. He told me so this morning. He says that Hulton must go back to England for a year before he does anything more."

"Poor old chap," said Wyatt earnestly. "I hoped better things. He certainly is mending."