The Adventures of Akbar

Oft when the house lay silent in the heat My thoughts would be so full of you, my sweet, That dreaming half--I seemed to hear once more Your little fingers fluttering at the door, The pitter patter of your childish feet In joyous rhythm cross the echoing floor.

Then small, soft hands would nestle into mine, And warm soft arms around my neck would twine, As soft and warm the dream child on my knees, Cuddling so close in clear young voice would tease And tease and tease in mimicked glad young whine For "Just one little story if you please."

So half in jest and half in earnest, too, Mostly I think to dream my dreaming true, I'd conjure up long tales of lands afar And days gone by that yet remembered are; Shaping my stories with this end in view To gain the verdict "Tell some more, Mamma."

For I was happy when I had beguiled Into my life the spirit of a child. Thus one by one the weary hours flew And page by page a little volume grew, So--that my dreams with truth be reconciled, Take it, my darling, it was writ for you.

April, 1875

Long years have sped since that poor book was penned. None read the pages. Therefore at the end Of this world's life I dedicate to two Small boys--her sons--whose question'ng eyes of blue Tell me that dreams of childhood never end This book. So take it boys--'twas writ for you.

1911

PREFACE

This book is written for all little lads and lasses, but especially for the former, since it is the true--quite true--story of a little lad who lived to be, perhaps, the greatest king this world has ever seen.

It is a strange, wild tale this of the adventures of Prince Akbar among the snowy mountains between Kandahar and Kabul, and though the names may be a bit of a puzzle at first, as they will have to be learned by and bye in geography and history lessons, it might be as well to get familiar with them in a story-book; though, indeed, as everybody in it except Roy the Rajput, Meroo the cook boy; Tumbu, the dog; and Down, the cat (and these four may have been true, you know, though they have not been remembered) really lived, I don't know whether this book oughtn't to be considered real history, and therefore

A LESSON BOOK

Anyhow, I hope you won't find it dull.

CONTENTS

PAGE PREFACE

CHAPTER I FAREWELL 1

CHAPTER II THE FIRST VICTORY 11

CHAPTER III THE ROYAL UMBRELLA 20

CHAPTER IV TUMBU-DOWN 27

CHAPTER V ON THE ROAD 39

CHAPTER VI AT COURT 50

CHAPTER VII WINTER 58

CHAPTER VIII DOWN'S STRATAGEM 68

CHAPTER IX SPRING 77

CHAPTER X THE NIGHT OF RECORD 88

CHAPTER XI A WINTER MARCH 100

CHAPTER XII SNOW AND ICE 109

CHAPTER XIII OVER THE PASS 119

CHAPTER XIV IN THE VALLEY 128

CHAPTER XV DEAREST-LADY 138

CHAPTER XVI CRUEL BROTHER KUMRAN 147

CHAPTER XVII IMPRISONMENT 159

CHAPTER XVIII THE GARDEN OF GAMES 169

CHAPTER XIX BETWIXT CUP AND LIP 178

CHAPTER XX ESCAPED 187

CHAPTER XXI DAWN 196

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

ON A SHELVING BANK OF DRY SAND BABY AKBAR SITTING UP AND RUBBING HIS EYES Frontispiece

To face page

PRINCE ASKURRY ... STRODE ... INTO THE TENT 16

THE CHILD HAD SLIPPED IT ONTO HIS LITTLE FOREFINGER 62

SO THEY BOTH TOUCHED THE COLD MARBLE FLOOR WITH THEIR WARM LITTLE FOREHEADS 98

AHEAD OF THEM, A SHADOW SHOWED, A SHAMBLING SHADOW! TUMBU ... WITH A BOUND WAS OFF FULL TILT AFTER IT 126

AND ONE DAY THE DOOR DID OPEN.... "MY SON--MY LITTLE SON!" 166

"LADIES! UNVEIL!" 176

"I STAY MY HAND WHILE I COUNT TEN--NO MORE" 198

CHAPTER I

FAREWELL