The idea was a capital one, Mr.Brooke; and we shall be ready for them, whichever night they come.
"Will you please go across to the guard tent, and tell the sergeant to send a corporal across to the man on sentry, with orders to take the prisoner to the jail, and hand him over to the officer in command there?
When you have done that, will you ride out to the pagoda and inform your colonel what you have discovered?
It will be a relief to him, and to the men for, as the date of the attack has been uncertain, he has been obliged to largely increase his patrols, and to keep a portion of his force, all night, under arms.
He will be able to decrease the number, and let the men have as much sleep as they can, for the next two nights.
"The clouds are banking up, and I am very much afraid that the rain is going to set in again.

They say that we shall have another two months of it." After seeing the prisoner marched away, Stanley rode to the pagoda and, saying that he had come with a message from the general, was at once shown into the colonel's quarters.
"Any news, Mr.Brooke ?" "Yes, Colonel; the general has requested me to inform you, at once, of the news that I have obtained from a prisoner; namely that, either on the night of the 30th or 31st, your position will be attacked, by the men who are called the Invulnerables." "We will give them a chance of proving whether their title is justified," the colonel said, cheerfully.

"That is very good news.
The men are getting thoroughly worn out with the extra night duty caused by this uncertainty.

You think that there is no doubt that the news is correct ?" "None whatever, sir.

I could do nothing with the prisoner; but my Burman pretended to have a mission here, to kick up a row in the town when the attack began; and the man, believing his story, at once told him that the attack will be made on the pagoda, by the Invulnerables, on the early morning of the fourth day from this--or on the next night--the astrologers having declared that the time would be propitious, and also because they were very anxious to have the pagoda in their hands, in order that the princes might celebrate the great annual festival that is held, it seems, two days after." The colonel laughed.
"I am afraid that they will have to put it off for another year.
The general gave no special orders, I suppose ?" "No, sir; he had only just received the news, and ordered me to ride over at once to you, as he was sure that you would be glad to know that it would not be necessary to keep so many men on night duty, for the next two days." "Thank you, Mr.Brooke.Will you kindly tell the general that I am very pleased at the news?
No doubt he will be up here, himself, this afternoon or tomorrow." Stanley rode back fast, and was just in time to escape a tremendous downpour of rain, which began a few minutes after he returned.