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One or two dishes of meat were also handed round, but were taken away untouched. "Now come out to the stables, Dick," the Rajah said. "Anwar, the officer who commanded the escort, will meet us there. He will be your instructor." The stables were large. The horses were fastened to rings along each side, and were not, as in England, separated from each other by stalls.
You see, it was a pretty strong position, and we had time to block up the doors and windows, and to make loopholes to fire through." "What think you of that, Anwar?" the Rajah exclaimed to the captain of the troop. "My nephew and Rajbullub's son have shown themselves brave fighters, have they not?"
He was not, however, sorry when, at the end of another half hour, Anwar held up his hand as he approached him, and the horse stopped at the slightest touch of the rein. As he slid off, his legs felt as if they did not belong to him, and his back ached so that he could scarce straighten it. The Rajah and his sons had returned to the palace, and the boys were there waiting for him.
"I can do that now," Dick laughed, and, placing his hand on the horse's shoulder, he lightly vaulted into his seat. "Well done, Dick," the Rajah said, while the two boys, who had been looking on with amused faces, clapped their hands. "Now, Sahib," Anwar went on, "you must let your legs hang easily. Press with your knees, and let your body sway slightly with the movement of the horse.
It was bridled but unsaddled, and Anwar gave a few instructions to Dick, and then said: "I will help you up, but in a short time you will learn to vault on to his back, without any assistance. See! you gather your reins so, in your left hand, place your right hand on its shoulder, and then spring up."
He himself, with fifty men, took up a position at the mouth of the pass of Amboor. Another fifty were sent to the pass of Moognee, to the west of Chittoor, under the command of Anwar, the captain of the troop. The rest were distributed among the minor passes. Dick remained with his uncle, who established himself in a village, seven miles up the pass.
For the next month, he spent the greater part of his time on horseback. For the first week he rode only in the grounds of the palace; then he ventured beyond, accompanied by Anwar on horseback; then his two cousins joined the party; and, by the end of the month, he was perfectly at home on Murad's back. So far, he had not begun to practise shooting.
It is no odds if I do tumble off." "Shake your rein a little. The horse will understand it," Anwar said. Dick did so, and Murad at once started at a gentle canter. Easy as it was, Dick thought several times that he would be off. However, he gripped as tightly as he could with his knees, and as he became accustomed to the motion, and learned to give to it, acquired ease and confidence.
He said little, but watched the boy closely, made him go through trials of strength with some of his troopers, and saw him practise with blunted swords with others. Dick did well in both trials, and the Rajah then requested Anwar, who was celebrated for his skill with the tulwar, to give him, daily, half-an-hour's sword play, after his riding lesson.
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