had first been sheltered. The gates were opened at his summons by some
trembling retainers, who hastened to assure them that the ranee, their
mistress, was friendly to the English.

"Will you tell her that there is no cause for alarm, but that we desire an
interview with her?" the major said, dismounting.

In a minute the servant returned, and begged the major to follow him,
which he did, accompanied by his sons. They were shown into a grand
reception room, where the ranee, thickly veiled, was sitting on a couch,
surrounded by her attendants, Ahrab standing beside her.

The ranee gave a little cry of pleasure on recognizing the boys, and Ahrab
instantly signed to the other attendants to retire. Then the ranee
unveiled, and the major, who had remained near the entrance until the
attendants had left, came forward, the boys kissing the hands that the
ranee held out to them.

"I have mourned for you as dead," she said. "When the news of that
horrible treachery came, and I thought that I had let you go to death, my
heart turned to water."

"This is our father, dear lady," Ned said; "he has come to thank you
himself for having saved and sheltered us."

The interview lasted for half an hour; refreshment being served, Ned
recounted the particulars of their escape. Major Warrener, on leaving,
handed the ranee a protection order signed by the general, to show to any
British troops who might be passing, and told her that her name would be
sent in with the list of those who had acted kindly to British fugitives,