"
Very gently, Surajah put his arms under the sleeping girl, and lifted
her.
"That is right," Dick said, as he placed her on the blankets before
him, and held her with his right arm, with her head against his
shoulder. "She is dead asleep."
The blankets were strapped on to the horses again, the others mounted,
and they started, at a walk, out of the wood. As soon as they were on
the road, the horses broke into a canter again. Annie moaned uneasily,
but did not open her eyes. Dick drew her still more closely to him.
"She will do now, Surajah," he said, in a low voice. "I hope that she
will sleep till morning."
Half an hour later, they rode through Sultanpetta. It was quite dark
now, and although there were people in the streets, Dick knew that at
the rate they were riding, in the darkness, the fact that he was
carrying a lad in front of him would scarce be noticed. Nor would it
be of any consequence if it were, as, even if they met any officer who
should stop and question them, it would suffice to say that the lad
had been taken ill; and that, their business being urgent, they were
taking him on with them.
Four hours later they passed through Conkanelly, and crossed the
bridge over a branch of the Cauvery.
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