"It is the Guides," Ned said. "We know the officer, Dick. Keep on your
disguise a minute longer; we shall have some fun."

Ned accordingly stood in the middle of the road and shouted his "Hoo-Hac!"
at the top of his voice.

"Get out of the way, you old fool," the officer riding at its head said,
as he drew up his horse on seeing the wild figure, covered with shaggy
hair to the waist, twirling his formidable staff.

Ned stopped a moment. "Not a bit more of an old fool than you are
yourself, Tomkins," he said.

The officer reined his horse back in his astonishment. He had spoken in
English unconsciously, and being answered in the same language, and from
such a figure as this, naturally petrified him.

"Who on earth are you?" he asked.

"Ned Warrener; and this is my brother Dick;" and Ned pulled off his wig.

"By Jove!" the officer said, leaping from his horse; "I am glad to see
you. Where on earth have you come from? Some one who came up here from
Allahabad had seen some fellow there who had come down from Cawnpore, and
he reported that you had gone on into Lucknow in disguise, and that news
had come you had got safely in."

"So we did," Ned said; "and as you see, we have got safely out again. We
left there on the night of the 20th."