when the treacherous Sepoys burst from their hiding-place. "The
scoundrels!" burst from Ned indignantly; while Dick, seeing at a glance
the hopelessness of their position, grasped his brother's arm.

"We must swim for it, Ned, Take a long dive, and go under again the moment
you have got breath."

Without an instant's delay the brothers leaped into the water, as dozens
of others were doing; and although each time their heads came up for an
instant the bullets splashed around them, they kept on untouched until
they reached the center of the stream. They were still within musket
range, but the distance was sufficient to render them pretty safe except
against an accidental shot. They looked back and saw the Sepoys had many
of them entered the river up to their shoulders, to shoot the swimmers:
others on horseback had ridden far out, and were cutting down those who,
unable to swim far, made again toward shallow water; while cannon and
muskets still poured in their fire against the helpless crowds in the
boats.

"Look, Ned, it is of no use making for the other shore," Dick said; "there
is another body of the wretches there; we must simply float down the
stream in the middle. If we keep on our backs, and sink as low as we can,
so as to show only our noses and mouths above water, they may fire for a
week without hitting us. There, give me your hand, so that we may float
together; I will look up from time to time to see that we are floating
pretty fairly in the middle, I will do it quickly, so as not to be seen,
for if we lie still on our backs they won't watch us after a time, but
will take us for two drifting dead bodies. Now, old boy!" So saying, the
lads turned on their backs, and occasionally giving a quiet stroke with
their legs, or paddling with their hands, drifted down stream, showing so