suspected all that you have told me. Are you alone and why do you come
to me?"

"I fled with my wife and two other families, Turner and Wharton, from
the outskirts of Meerut as soon as there seemed a chance for us. We
made our way to the river, found a boat and paddled to this place, for
we had no sail and there was scarcely any wind."

"Where are your friends?"

"I left them by the edge of the river in the boat, promising to rejoin
them in a few minutes."

"Have you no companions, but those you named?"

"None; my wife and I buried two children last Summer; Mr. Turner has
none, and Mr. Wharton and his young wife were but recently married."

"You have not told me why you come to me?"

"Chiefly to warn you of your peril and to beseech you to fly before it
is too late."

"I thank you very much for your solicitude; it was kind on the part of
you and your friends, but it strikes me that one place is about as safe
as another."

"We are so far from the large cities and the coast that it is useless
to attempt to reach any of them. Our first aim was to get as far from
Meerut as possible; then as we found ourselves approaching your home,