"I am afraid they are all killed where there are no white troops; but
there, we must hope that they are making a stand. We shall be a long time
before we know anything. It is but a week yet since our station went;
seven days longer since Delhi rose."

"It seems ages ago," Ned said. "You don't mean to try and get to Meerut
to-night, I hope; we could walk as far if it were absolutely necessary,
but we have done a long day's walk already."

"No, no, Ned. I only want to get well away from our late camp. To-morrow
we will get near the river, hide all next day, and cross after nightfall.
There is a clump of trees; we will pass the night there; I think we are
safe enough now. The mutineers are too anxious to be at Delhi to spend
much time in looking for us. Now, first of all, let us get a fire."

"We have never had a fire at night," Dick said, "since we started; we have
been too much afraid of being seen."

"There is not much chance of its being observed in a wood; especially if
the bushes are thick. We are four miles at least from the camp, and we are
all wet through with dew. Now for sticks."

The whole party soon collected a pile of sticks; and the major was about
to scatter some powder among the dead leaves, when Ned said, "We have
matches, father."

"Oh, that's all right, Ned. There we are, fairly alight. Yes, we have
chosen the place well; there are bushes all around. Now," he said, when
the fire had burned up brightly, "let us hear the full story of what has
passed; you gave us a short account when we first got free. Now let us