But at any rate, I will promise to come
back, at the end of ten months from the present time, so as to say
goodbye to you, before you start."
The girl's face brightened.
"Thank you, Dick. I don't think I should go, anyhow, until I saw you
again--not even if I got a letter saying that I was to sail by the
next ship."
"My uncle would take you down bodily, and put you on board," Dick
laughed. "Mind, Annie, when I come back, at the end of ten months, I
shall expect to find you quite an educated young lady. I shall think
of all sorts of hard questions, in geography and history, to put to
you."
"I will try hard, Dick, really hard, to please you. I have had three
lessons, and I have learnt all the letters quite well."
"That is a good beginning, Annie. It took me a lot longer than that, I
know."
The next morning, Dick and Surajah started. They were to ride up the
ghauts, to the frontier line at Amboor, two troopers accompanying them
to bring back their horses. There they were to disguise themselves as
traders, and make their way direct to Bangalore. Dick said goodbye to
his mother, up in her own room.
"You must not be down-hearted, Mother," he said, as she tried in vain
to keep back her tears.
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