"Now, think it over, Surajah. Why should he have hesitated, and why
should he have turned the question off without answering it, unless
there had been some reason? And if so, what could the reason be?"
Surajah had no suggestion to make, and they rode on for some distance
in silence.
"It is quite evident," Dick went on, after a long pause, "that he is a
kind-hearted man, and that he objects altogether to Tippoo's cruelty
to the prisoners. Therefore, if he had any captives, his reason for
not answering was most likely a kindly one."
"Yes, I should think so."
"You see, he would consider that we should report, to the sultan, all
particulars we had gathered about the fortress. His remarks about the
execution of the prisoners, and the worthlessness of the Chelah
battalions, and so on, was a private conversation, and was only a
matter of opinion. But, supposing he had had some prisoners, and had
said so, we might, for anything he knew, have had orders to inspect
them, and to report about them, as well as about the garrisons and
defences."
"Yes, he might have thought that," Surajah agreed; "but after all, why
should he mind that?"
Dick did not answer for some time. He was trying to think it out.
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