Here they came upon a large village, and Dick found no difficulty in hiring a light native cart to take Annie, who was, as he felt by the relaxation of her hold, unable to proceed farther on horseback, or continue straight through to Tripataly.
A thick layer of straw was placed at the bottom of the cart, a couple of rugs spread over it, and on this Annie was enabled to lie down at her ease.

The horses were fed and watered, and had an hour's rest, and then they started for the last twenty miles of their journey.
Annie had, while the horses were resting, a chat with a native woman, and had gone into her house with her.

When they were ready for the start, she returned, dressed in the costume she had worn in the Palace.

It had originally been intended to get rid of the clothes, after starting, but Annie had asked for them to be taken on.
"I can change again, before I get to Tripataly," she said.

"I should not like to appear before your mother, for the first time, dressed as a boy." And Dick had at once fallen in with her wishes.
The turban was gone, and her head was covered in the fashion of native women, with a long cotton cloth of a deep red colour.
Where the road was good, the cart proceeded at a fair pace, but in the pass down the ghauts they could go only at a walk, and the sun had set before they reached Tripataly.