fell very heavily upon the rest of us, and it was over a
month before we had time to ride over to see the fakir.

"We had heard he was going on well; but we were surprised, on reaching
the village, to find that he had already returned to his old abode in
the jungle. However, we had made up our minds to see him, especially as
we had agreed that we would endeavour to persuade him to do a prediction
for us; so we turned our horses' heads towards the jungle. We found the
fakir sitting on a rock in front of the temple, just where he had been
seized by the tiger. He rose as we rode up.

"'I knew that you would come to-day, sahibs, and was joyful in the
thought of seeing those who have preserved my life.'

"'We are glad to see you looking pretty strong again, though your arm
is still in a sling,' I said, for Simmonds was not strong in Hindustani.

"'How did you know that we were coming?' I asked, when we had tied up
our horses.

"'Siva has given to his servant to know many things,' he said quietly.

"'Did you know beforehand that the tiger was going to seize you?' I
asked.

"'I knew that a great danger threatened, and that Siva would not let me
die before my time had come.'

"'Could you see into our future?' I asked.

"The fakir hesitated, looked at me for a moment earnestly to see if I
was speaking in mockery, and then said:

"'The sahibs do not believe in the power of Siva or of his servants.
They call his messengers impostors, and scoff at them when they speak of
the events of the future.'

"'No, indeed,' I said. 'My friend and I have no idea of scoffing. We
have heard of so many of your predictions coming true, that we are
really anxious that you should tell us something of the future.'

"The fakir nodded his head, went into the temple, and returned in a
minute or two with two small pipes used by the natives for
opium-smoking, and a brazier of burning charcoal. The pipes were
already charged. He made signs to us to sit down, and took his place in
front of us. Then he began singing in a low voice, rocking himself to
and fro, and waving a staff which he held in his hand. Gradually his
voice rose, and his gesticulations and actions became more violent. So
far as I could make out, it was a prayer to Siva that he would give some
glimpse of the future which might benefit the sahibs who had saved the
life of his servant. Presently he darted forward, gave us each a pipe,
took two pieces of red-hot charcoal from the b