tent. Ned did not reply.

"Dick, old boy," he said presently, as they walked along, "don't you think
if I go alone it would be better. It would be an awful blow to father to
lose both of us."

"No, Ned," Dick said warmly, "I hope he will not decide that. I know I
can't talk the lingo as you can, and that so I add to your danger; still
sometimes in danger two can help each other, and we have gone through so
much together--oh, Ned, don't propose that you should go alone."

Major Warrener--or Colonel Warrener as he should now be called, for
General Havelock had given him a step in rank, in recognition of the most
valuable service of his troop during the battles on the road to Cawnpore--
heard Ned in silence while he repeated, as nearly as possible word for
word, the words of the general. For some time he was silent, and sat with
his face in his hands.

"I don't like you both going, my boys," he said huskily.

"No, father," Dick said, "I feared that that was what you would say; but
although in some respects I should be a hindrance to Ned from not speaking
the language, in others I might help him. Two are always better than one
in a scrape, and if he got ill or wounded or anything I could nurse him;
and two people together keep up each other's spirits. You know, father, we
have got through some bad scrapes together all right, and I don't see why
we should not get through this. We shall be well disguised; and no end of
Sepoys, and people from Cawnpore, must be making their way to Lucknow, so
that very few questions are likely to be asked. It does not seem to me
anything like as dangerous a business as those we have gone through, for