man looked pleased, and obeyed my words, placing the melon in Dost's
lap; but the latter did not move or unclose his eyes, but sat there
perfectly motionless, with the piece of the fruit in his lap, while I
partook of mine, which was delicious in the extreme, and I enjoyed it as
I saw how completely the people about me were deceived.

Salaman and the bearer stood humbly close at hand till I had finished,
and then took plate and tray with the remains of the melon.

"Will my lord return to the tent?" asked Salaman.

"Oh, I don't know," I said indifferently.

"But my lord might be sleeping when the holy man comes back to himself.
You see, he is not there now. It is only his body."

"How these old impostors of fakirs do deceive the people," I thought, as
I glanced at Dost; then aloud--

"Well, suppose I were sleeping?"

"The holy man might harm my lord."

"Not he," I said, in a voice full of contempt. "Words do no harm
whatsoever."

Salaman bowed and went his way, and I took up a palm-leaf fan, and began
to use it, not as a wafter of cool wind, but as a screen to hide my face
when I spoke to Dost, and from behind which I could keep an eye on the
tents, and see when any one was coming.

As soon as I gave him a signal, Dost began again, but without stirring a
muscle; in fact, so rigid did he look that it would have puzzled any one
to make out whence the low muffled voice came with such a peculiar
whispered hiss, caused by its passing through the thick beard which
muffled his lips.

"You understand, sahib," he said. "I shall be gone before morning, and
if you do not hear anything, be not afraid, for if I get safely to the
captain sahib, he will be making plans to come and save you as soon as
he can."

"Tell me one thing," I said quickly. "What about Major Lacey?"

"Ah! at Rajgunge, sahib. I do not know. I was not able to go there
again, but he will be well. Those with whom he was placed would not let
him come to harm."

"And Sergeant Craig?"

"His wounds were healing fast, sahib. But now listen. When I come back
to you to get you away to your friends, who will be waiting close by, I
shall let you know I am there by making a hiss like a snake--so--in a
quick way, twice."

He gave the imitation, but so softly that it could not have been heard.

"Now," he said, "go, and take no more notice of me. If the servants
suspect anything, my work must be begun all over again, and it is hard
to deceive them.