in Council knew as much about
Punjabis as he knew about Charing Cross. He had said in Calcutta that
'the Bill was entirely in accord with the desires of that large and
important class, the cultivators'; and so on, and so on. The Legal
Member's knowledge of natives was limited to English-speaking
Durbaris, and his own red _chaprassis_, the Sub-Montane Tracts
concerned no one in particular, the Deputy Commissioners were a good
deal too driven to make representations, and the measure was one
which dealt with small land-holders only. Nevertheless, the Legal
Member prayed that it might be correct, for he was a nervously
conscientious man. He did not know that no man can tell what natives
think unless he mixes with them with the varnish off. And not always
then. But he did the best he knew. And the measure came up to the
Supreme Council for the final touches, while Tods patrolled the Burra
Simla Bazar in his morning rides, and played with the monkey
belonging to Ditta Mull, the _bunnia_, and listened, as a child
listens, to all the stray talk about this new freak of the _Lord
Sahib's_.

One day there was a dinner-party at the house of Tods' Mamma, and the
Legal Member came. Tods was in bed, but he kept awake till he heard
the bursts of laughter from the men over the coffee. Then he paddled
out in his little red flannel dressing-gown and his night-suit, and
took refuge by the side of his father, knowing that he would not be
sent back. 'See the miseries of having a family!' said Tods' father,
giving Tods three prunes, some water in a glass that had been used
for claret, and telling him to sit still. Tods sucked the prunes
slowly, knowing that he would have to go when they were finished,
and sipped the pink water like a man of the world, as he listened to
the conversation. Presently, the Legal Member, talking 'shop' to the
Head of a Department, mentioned his Bill by its full name--'The
Sub-Montane Tracts _Ryotwary_ Revised Enactment.' Tods caught the one
native word, and lifting up his small voice said--

'Oh, I know _all_ about that! Has it been _murramutted_ yet,
Councillor _Sahib_?'

'How much?' said the Legal Member. '_Murramutted_--mended.--Put
_theek_, you know--made nice to please Ditta Mull!'

The Legal Member left his place and moved up next to Tods.

'What do you know about _ryotwari_, little man?' he said.

'I'm not a little man, I'm Tods, and I know _all_ about it. Ditta
Mull, and Choga Lall, and Amir Nath,