I will guarantee that, before I go away again, you will be good friends with everyone, and will wonder how you could have thought it to be anything dreadful to come among them." When they got within a mile of Tripataly, Dick said: "Now I will ride on ahead, Annie, and prepare my mother for your coming.

It will be pleasant to have no questions or explanations when you arrive, and I am sure she will carry you straight off to bed, and keep you there, until you have quite got over the effects of your journey." He did not wait to hear Annie's faint protest against his leaving her, but telling Surajah to take his place beside the cart, and to keep talking to the girl, he galloped on ahead.

He sprang from his horse in the courtyard, threw the reins to a servant, and ran in.

The party had just sat down to their evening meal, and as he entered he was greeted by exclamations of astonishment and welcome.
His mother had received two letters, sent through Pertaub by traders going down from Seringapatam.

In these he had told her, first, of his arrival and of the adventure with the tiger, and of his obtaining the post in the Palace; and in the second of the non-success that had attended his visits to the hill forts.