small stones as a signal, which was answered by a faint whistle, the ropes
were lowered without delay. One of them was soon seized from below, and
the others being also found and fastened to the rope ladder, the weight of
which was considerable, those above began to draw up. Everything succeeded
admirably. One by one fifty men appeared at the top of the wall. Quietly
they made their way down to the courtyard, and broke up into parties,
taking their places at the entrance to the various buildings; then, all
further need for concealment being at an end, a bugle call sounded loud in
the air. It was answered by another down upon the plain near the gate. The
rajah himself was one of the first to rash out. He was seized and disarmed
before he was aware of what had happened.

"Tell your men to throw down their arms and surrender," Major Warrener
said to him, "or we will put you and every soul here to the sword. The
place is surrounded, and there is no escape. Do you not hear our bugles on
the plain?"

It needed not the rajah's order; the garrison, taken utterly by surprise,
and finding the castle captured by an enemy of unknown strength, threw
down their arms as they came out of their quarters. Orders were sent by
the rajah to the men at the various gates on the hill to come up and lay
down their arms, and the sentry at the lowest of all was to open it to the
troops there. A bugler and ten men were left below, and the rest joined
the party in the castle.

Long ere they had arrived, the joyful meeting of the captives and their
friends had taken place. Rose and Kate had awoke at the sound of the
bugle, but had heeded it little, believing that it was only a Sepoy call.
Even the stir and commotion outside had not disturbed them, and they had
lain quiet until they heard a loud knocking at the door of the women's