It was not long before, as Surajah predicted, one of the sleepers sat up and stretched himself; then he rose and walked to the door, opened it, and stood at the entrance; a moment later he was joined by another figure, and for a few minutes they stood, talking together.

Then he came in again, shut the door, and lay down.
During the next hour, three of the others followed his example, the last of them leaving the door ajar behind him, when he came in.
"Now is our chance, Surajah.

We must give him ten minutes to fall asleep again.

Then we will move.

Should one of them be lying awake, and notice us--which is not likely, for it is too dark in here to see figures distinctly--and ask where we are going, say, 'To the door, to get cool.' They won't imagine that we are thinking of escape, with one sentry at the door, and another at the gate." "Don't you think, Sahib, that it would be safer to kill the sentries ?" "Safer or not, Surajah, we will not do it.