the Chief for the crime Ajeet could not then say
that the Dewan had instigated it; there would be only Hunsa's word for
this, and, of course, he would deny that the Minister was the father of
the scheme.

And in the camp Hunsa and Sookdee were clamouring at Ajeet to undertake
a decoity for they were all in need, and to be idle was not their way
of life.

Hunsa went the length of telling Ajeet that the Dewan would even send
them word where a decoity of much loot could be made and in a safe way,
too, for the Dewan would take care that neither sepoys nor police would
be in the way.

And then one day there came to the Bagree camp a mysterious message. A
yogi, his hair matted with filth till it stood twisted and writhed on
his head like the serpent tresses of Medusa, his lean skeleton
ash-daubed body clothed in yellow, on his forehead the crescent of
Eklinga, in his hand a pair of clanking iron tongs, crawled wearily to
the tents where were the decoits, and bleared out of blood-shot blobs
of faded brown at Ajeet Singh.

He had a message for the Chief from the god Bhyroo who galloped at
night on a black horse, and the message had to do with the decoits, for
if they were successful they could make offering to the priests at the
temple of Bhowanee, for in her service decoity was an honourable
occupation and of great antiquity.

Hunsa and Sookdee had come to sit on their heels, and as they listened
they knew that the wily old Dewan had sent the _yogi_ so that it could
not be said that he, the Minister, had told them this thing.

A rich jewel merchant of Delhi was then at Poona on his way to the
Nizam's court. He had a wealth of jewels--pearls the size of a bird's
egg, emeralds the size of a betel nut, and diamonds that were like
stars. This was true for the merchant had paid the duty as he passed
the border into Mahrattaland.

Ajeet gave the yogi two rupees for food, though, viewing the animated
skeleton, it seemed a touch of irony.

Then the jamadars considered the message so deeply wrapped in
mysticism. Hunsa unhesitatingly declared that the yogi was a messenger
from the Dewan, and if they did not take advantage of it they would
perhaps have to fare forth on lean stomachs and in disgrace--perhaps
would be beaten by the Mahratta sepoys--undoubtedly they would.

Sookdee backed up the jamadar.

"Very well," declared Ajeet, "we will go on this mission. But remember
this, Hunsa, that if there is treachery, if we a