Arthur looked up and saw a thin man emerge from the shadows behind the main entrance, walking swiftly down the steps towards them. He bowed his head formally as he stood in front of Baird and spoke, in good English. ‘The killadar accepts your conditions, and your word as a pukka sahib that no harm will come of the household if we lay down our arms.’

‘Those were the terms offered, and I stand by them, with these officers as witnesses.’

‘There is one other thing,’ Arthur interrupted. ‘You must take us to the body of Tipoo, or at least to the last place he was seen.’

‘As you wish, sahib.’

‘Very well,’ Baird growled at the palace official. ‘Those are the final terms. Take ’em or leave ’em.’

‘We accept, sahib. I will tell my master.’

‘I want everyone in the palace brought out here,’ Baird ordered.‘They are to leave their weapons - all of them, mind you - stacked in the hall over there.’

‘Yes, sahib.’ The native bowed and trotted back towards the palace.

Baird turned to Arthur. ‘Bring your men in. They can guard the prisoners and take up position in and around the palace.’

‘Yes, sir.’

Shortly afterwards, as the redcoats stood waiting, the first of the enemy came out of the palace and cautiously made their way across the courtyard towards the men of the 33rd, to be herded together in one corner of the courtyard. A steady stream of warriors emerged, and then the Tipoo’s sons and scores of his wives. When the killadar appeared Arthur approached him to ask if any of his men had been taken prisoner during the night attack on the tope early on in the siege. The killadar had been held hostage by the company, in the days of Cornwallis, and spoke some broken English.

‘We show you,’ he replied nervously. ‘Prisoners? Please come.’

‘Show us?’ Arthur muttered. ‘Show us what?’

‘You must see. Come!’The killadar started towards the door to a smaller courtyard to one side of the palace. ‘This way!’

‘What’s over there, I wonder?’ Fitzroy asked suspiciously.

‘The dungeons,’ Baird replied quietly. ‘Where they held me for over three years.’

Baird summoned several men to accompany them. The party followed the killadar cautiously and once through the door they found that they were in what looked to be some kind of training ground. To one side a flight of steps descended to two rows of barred cells. At the far end was a pit. Fitzroy leaned closer to Arthur. ‘What do you think he means to show us?’

‘How should I know? Anyway, we’ll find out soon enough.’

The killadar led them across the courtyard and down the steps. As they made their way between the cells Arthur saw that the gates were open and the cells were empty. Except for the last one. As they approached four enormous figures emerged from it and bowed to the allied officers