I love him very much. He is
always the same. He never seems to get angry, and is kind to
everyone."
"Did he fight when he was with the army?"
"Not much. He was one of the general's own officers, and used to ride
with the others behind him. He fought in the battle before
Seringapatam, for the general and every one else had to fight, then."
"How is it you come to be always with him?" she asked.
"It first began when we went out on a scouting expedition together,
before the English army went up the ghauts. We volunteered to find
out, if we could, which way the sultan's army was going. We went
through a good deal of danger together, and some hard fighting, and
the Sahib was pleased with me; and since then we have always been
together."
"Tell me about that, Surajah?"
Surajah related the story of their capture and escape, of their making
their way through the fort, and the subsequent pursuit, and their
defence of the ruined hut. Annie listened almost breathlessly.
"How I should like to have been with you," she said, when he finished.
"At least, I think I should have liked it. I should have been
dreadfully in the way, but I could have sat down in the hut and loaded
the guns, while you were both fighting.
Pages:
413
414
415
416
417
418
419
420
421
422
423
424
425
426
427
428
429
430
431
432
433
434
435
436
437