s interrogatory both the boys directed their glances along the
road, in the direction in which they were going, hoping to discover some
explanation of the matter. There was no object before them as far as
they could see except Ossaroo. The Hindoo alone was upon the road. The
blood could not be from him--surely not? Such a loss of blood would
have killed the shikarree long ago. So thought Karl and Caspar.

They had fixed their eyes, however, upon Ossaroo, and just at that
moment they saw him lean his head to one side, as though he had spat
upon the ground. They marked the spot, and what was their astonishment
on coming up and discovering upon the road another red spot exactly like
those they had been noticing. Beyond a doubt Ossaroo was spitting
blood!

To make sure, they watched him a little longer, and about a hundred
yards farther on they saw him repeat his red expectoration!

They became considerably alarmed for the life of their guide.

"Poor Ossaroo!" exclaimed they, "he cannot live much longer after the
loss of so much blood!"

And as this remark was made, both ran forward calling upon him to stop.

The guide wheeled round, and halted, wondering what was the matter. He
quickly unslung his bow and placed an arrow to the string, fancying that
they were attacked by some enemy. The hound, too, catching the alarm,
came scampering up, and was soon upon the ground.

"What's the matter, Ossaroo?" demanded Karl and Caspar in a breath.

"Matter, Sahibs! me knowee noting--matter."

"But what ails you? are you ill?"

"No, Sahibs! me not ill--why my lords askee?"

"But this blood? See?"

They pointed to the red saliva on the road.

At this the shikarree burst out laughing, still further perplexing his
interrogators. His laughter was not intended to be disrespectful to the
young "Sahibs," only that he was unable to restrain himself on
perceiving the mistake they had made.

"Pawnee, Sahibs," said he, drawing from his pouch a small roll like a
cartridge of tobacco-leaves, and taking a bite off the end of it, to
convince them that it was it--the "pawn"--which had imparted to his
saliva such a peculiar colour.

The boys at once comprehended the nature of their mistake. The roll
shown them by Ossaroo was the celebrated _betel_; and Ossaroo himself
was a "betel-chewer," in common with many millions of his countrymen,
and still more millions of the natives of Assam, Burmah, Siam, China,
Cochin China, Mala