I  do  not  know  its  name,  but  the  Sahib  sat  in  the
midst  of  three  silver  wheels  that  made  no  creak-
ing, and  drave  them  with  his  legs,  prancing  like
a  bean-fed  horse — thus.  A  shadow  of  a  hawk
upon  the  fields  was  not  more  without  noise  than
the  devil-carriage  of  Yunkum  Sahib.  It  was
here:  it  was  there:  it  was  gone:  and  the  rapport


54  At  Hozclt  Thana

was  made,  and  there  was  trouble.  Ask  the
Tehsildar  of  Rohestri  how  the  hen-stealing  came
to  be  known,  Sahib.
It  fell  upon  a  night  that  we  of  the  Thana  slept
according  to  custom  upon  our  charpoys,  having
eaten  the  evening  meal  and  drunk  tobacco.
When  we  awoke  in  the  morning,  behold,  of  our
six  rifles  not  one  remained !  Also,  the  big  Police-
book  that  was  in  the  Havildar's  charge  was  gone.
Seeing  these  things,  we  were  very  much  afraid,
thinking  on  our  parts  that  the  dacoits,  regardless
of  honor,  had  come  by  night,  and  put  us  to
shame.  Then  said  Ram  Baksh,  the  Havildar:
"  Be  silent!  The  business  is  an  evil  business,
but  it  may  yet  go  well.  Let  us  make  the  case
complete.  Bring  a  kid  and  my  tulwar.  See  you
not  now,  O  fools?  A  kick  for  a  horse,  but  a
word  is  enough  for  a  man."

We  of  the  Thana,  perceiving  quickly  what  was
in  the  mind  of  the  Havildar,  and  greatly  fearing
that  the  service  would  be  lost,  made  haste  to
take  the  kid  into  the  inner  room,  and  attended  to
the  words  of  the  Havildar.  "Twenty  dacoits
came,"  said  the  Havildar,  and  we,  taking  his
words,  repeated  after  him  according  to  custom.
