--and
because voluntary, the poor fellow should serve you all the better for
your generosity. Give him but ten rupees, and see that he spends it all
for heavy undergarments and serviceable shoes."

Experiencing some haziness as to how any tittle of reputation for
generosity was going to be reared on an expenditure aggregating just
$3.20 in American money, I communicated my determination to the man who
perforce was to be my constant companion for a month, and who had it in
his power to make me love or hate the country. As was to be expected, I
was many kinds of a sahib for my munificent benefaction, and Torab Jan
salaamed almost to the floor when promising to return from the bazaars
in good time to strap my mattress and pack my trunk in readiness to go
to the station directly dinner was over.

Hours later, but in time to throw my clothes and books into trunk and
bags, Torab stalked into the apartment, and close upon his heels was
another native carrying a not overlarge parcel. Torab was frank in
stating that he had purchased precisely what he needed, and proffered a
snip of paper covered with characters in Hindustani to prove he had
expended precisely ten rupees, which made it necessary to have another
benefaction--two annas this time.

"What are the two annas for, and who is this man?" I asked.

"He's the coolie bearing my parcel from the bazaar, master," was the
response; "you must know that my caste makes it impossible for me to
carry parcels."

"See here, you drooling idiot; what do you think I have hired you for?
Why, you've got to carry parcels, lots of them, and big ones at that;
and you'll have to carry that bed there and my trunk half over India,
likely as not. Don't talk to me about caste."

"Pray, master, don't be angry with me. I know I'm to carry _your_
things--that's what I'm for. I forgot to explain that my caste forbids
only the carrying of my own parcels," the poor fellow whined.

And so it was. In places where there were no carriages Torab seemed to
delight in loading himself dawn with my paraphernalia, but his
belongings had always to be carried religiously by a native of a breed
earning its living by acting as human drays.

[Illustration: HIS HIGHNESS THE MAHARAJAH OF JEYPORE]

CHAPTER VII

THE VICARIOUS MAHARAJAH OF JEYPORE

Thousands of travelers make the pilgrimage to India, a land hoary with
age, and when weary of overwrought temples and tombs, when arid plains
and malodorous