Dick led the way along the ditch to the next angle, then left it and
entered the village, and dashed along the street.
The sound of firing had roused many of the peasants. Doors were
opening, and men coming out. Exclamations of surprise were heard, as
the two figures rushed past, but no one thought of interfering with
them. As they left the houses behind them, Surajah said:
"You are going the wrong way, Sahib. You are going right away from the
ghauts."
"I know that well enough," Dick panted; "but I did it on purpose. We
will turn and work round again. They will hear, from the villagers,
that we have come this way, and will be following us down the road
while we are making our way back to the ghauts."
They ran for another hundred yards, then quitted the path, and made
across the fields. From the fort and village they could hear a great
hubbub, and above it could make out the voice of the officer, shouting
orders. They continued to run, for another quarter of a mile, and then
turned.
"Now we can go quietly," Dick said, breaking into a walk. "This line
will take us clear of the fort and village, and we have only to make
straight for the ghauts. I think we have thrown them well off the
scent, and unless the officer suspects that we have only gone the
other way to deceive him, and that we are really making for the
ghauts, we shall hear nothing more of them.
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