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As soon as he had seen Reginald's party to a safe distance, he sat down to a breakfast which Bikoo, Balkishen's slave, had prepared for him; while the Brahmin, who would have considered himself defiled by eating in company with his friend, sat down to a more frugal meal by himself.

Soon after she had retired, the slave Bikoo, for whom Reginald had sent, was brought, heavily chained, into the presence of the rajah, who at once promised him his life on condition that he would afford all the information he possessed regarding the proceedings of his late master Balkishen.

"That's where I am going to take you," answered Sambro; for he was the black slave. "Come along, my friend; come along." At that moment casting his eyes on Bikoo, who stood trembling near by, he made a sign to the elephant, which immediately wound its trunk round the slave's body, and walked behind Sambro and the khan.

"The holy men are engaged in their devotions in the lower hall, where the tomb of the saint is situated," answered Bikoo, leading the way. Reginald followed, holding a pistol ready for use, should his guide prove treacherous, or the priests appear inclined to oppose his entrance. At the further end of the upper hall was a flight of steps leading downwards.

Meanwhile, Balkishen having waited till he thought his accomplice would have been able to secure the horses, set fire to the train, and then hurried away to join him. On ascending the steps, however, his foot slipped and down he fell. In vain he shouted to Khan Cochut and Bikoo to come and help him. The slave was too far off to hear his master's voice.

"There is wisdom in that remark," coolly observed Khan Cochut; and Bikoo was forthwith despatched by his master to explore the place into which the tigress had tumbled. He went though with no great alacrity to obey the order he had received, taking with him a long stick; not that it would have served him much against the enraged tigress, but it was the only weapon he possessed.

"There must be some opening at the foot of the tower, or we should not hear the sounds so plainly," observed the Brahmin, "I will send Bikoo to try and find out. It would be more satisfactory to have him torn to pieces than ourselves."

Burnett agreed to Reginald's proposal; and Cochut and Bikoo having been given into safe keeping, Dick was summoned and received the necessary directions. In a few minutes he was ready for his departure, with his master's verbal despatches carefully stowed away in his capacious head, out of which no one but those to whom they were to be delivered were likely to draw them.

After giving orders to the chief officer of the guards to select a band of fifty trustworthy men, he changed his Oriental costume for his seaman's dress, taking care to stick a brace of pistols and a dagger in his belt. Then ordering Bikoo to accompany him, he set out for the temple, which was in a remote part of the city. Quaint and monstrous designs ornamented all parts of the building.

He had managed to collect the rebel forces, and had been with them in the very fort that Reginald and his party now occupied. When they evacuated it, he with his slave Bikoo had remained behind, intending to proceed from thence secretly to Allahapoor, according to the information he might receive from his ally, Khan Cochut.