I will not try, in future, to damp your confidence; and will hope, with you, that your husband may yet be restored to you." One evening, Dick remarked: "You said down at Madras, Uncle, that you would, someday, tell me about the invasion by Hyder Ali.

Will you tell me about it, now ?" The Rajah nodded.

His sons took their seats at his feet, and Dick curled himself up on the divan, by his side.
"You must know," the Rajah began, "that the war was really the result of the intrigues of Sir Thomas Rumbold, the governor of Madras, and his council.

In the first place, they had seriously angered the Nizam.
The latter had taken a French force into his service, which the English had compelled Basult Jung to dismiss; and Madras sent an officer to his court, with instructions to remonstrate with him for so doing.

At the same time, they gave him notice that they should no longer pay to him the tribute they had agreed upon, for the territory called the Northern Circars.