Part 25 (1/2)

”There's a light ahead,” he cried out; ”it must be on the walls, or else a house in the suburbs”

”If it was on the walls, it would appear higher,” answered Archie, ”What do you think, To round Roy discovered that both Tom and Billy were nowhere to be seen

”We must wait for them,” cried Archie; ”we cannot leave them behind”

Before, however, he or his coe was heard, and several shots caallop back to look for them, we shall have another volley,” said Roy ”I will ride forward slowly That iment stationed outside the town They mistake us for the enemy, and theyfor his co, ”Friends, friends! English, English!+” At length he caht of a party of , inquired who he was He explained that they were pursued by a body of cavalry, whos, and that he very much feared two of their companions had fallen into their hands

The officer on this ordered his ave the word Roy, riding forward, quickly overtook Archie and Gerald On either side was a bank covered with shrubs, which would afford conceal this, the officer told Roy to go a little distance further on and then to halt, and iallop back towards the town

”You may, I hope, meet your friends, but if not, and they should have fallen into the hands of the rebels, we shall have a good chance of rescuing them”

”I understand, and will carry out your direction,” said Roy, and the threeevery instant to fall in with Tom and Billy Their disappointment was bitter when they were nowhere to be seen They had not, however, gone far, when they saw the Tae-ping horse rapidly towards them, but neither Tom nor his companions were visible On this they ialloped back, as they had been told to do, in the direction of the town, feeling dreadfully anxious as to the fate of their friends They had got some little distance beyond the ambush when a rapid succession of shots told them that the Indian soldiers had opened their fire on the enes would not venture to advance further In this they were right, for as they returned they saw the after them

”You have saved our lives, I believe, sir,” said Roy, addressing the officer, who had advanced to meet him ”What can have becos must have overtaken them, and too probably, immediately have cut theot under our fire My lish unifor on the road,” said Deso and look for them”

To this the officer eant They proceeded even beyond where Toh they cas, who had been shot by the soldiers, they could discover no trace of their friends

”Then they must have been carried off prisoners,” observed Desmond

”However, that is better than had they been killed, as we may possibly recover them”

Any further search was useless; indeed, the officer was anxious to send back to the town to give notice that the Tae-pings were in the neighbourhood, and that a cavalry force had advanced so far without infantry to support thely returned to the house where the outpost was stationed Gerald and Archie were so h, if the truth was known, they did not care so much about poor Billy,--that they felt scarcely able to ride back, and were glad to accept the lieutenant's offer of refreshment before they returned to the city

”They'll be after cutting off the poor fellows' heads,” cried Gerald

”How did we coht they were close at our heels”

”Nor would I,” said Archie; ”it's so of that fellow Billy Blueblazes He must have tumbled off his horse, and Toive thes, from the reports received, committed the most horrible cruelties in the places they had taken, and when they captured Pow-shun they put to death indiscriminately men, wo joined the the place

”Our horsesback,” said Roy at last

Thanking the lieutenant, they again ot outside the house they heard the sound of homes' hoofs

”Don't fire!” cried the officer to his men ”These must be friends”

In anotherthe road, and Gerald, dashi+ng forward, shouted out, ”Hurrah! Why, it's Toers and Billy Blueblazes!”

Gerald was not uished from the masses ofreceived the congratulations of the party, and being introduced to the lieutenant, explained that finding the Tae-pings gaining upon them, they had leaped over a ditch bordered by trees, which concealed thealloped along over the soft ground, having to scrah a number of ditches, which were too wide to leap, until they, once e, made their way back to the road

As Toh, they declined to do more than stop and take a cup of hot tea, and the whole party then galloped on, as fast as their tired steeds could go, to the town, and ed to find their way back to the stable from which they had hired the horses

The olda rueful countenance, and shaking his head, ood!”