HereeverythingseemedeasyenoughThesandhillsrandowntotheriveredge，itistrue，buttherewereplentyofshoalsandshallowsacrosswhichIcouldgallopPornic，andfindmywaybacktoterrafirmabyturningsharplytotherightorleftAsIledPornicoverthesandsIwasstartledbythefaintpopofarifleacrosstheriver；andatthesamemomentabulletdroppedwithasharp“whit“
closetoPornic’shead。
Therewasnomistakingthenatureofthemissile-aregulationMartini-Henry“picket。”Aboutfivehundredyardsawayacountry-boatwasanchoredinmidstream；andajetofsmokedriftingawayfromitsbowsinthestillmorningairshowedmewhencethedelicateattentionhadcomeWaseverarespectablegentlemaninsuchanimpasse？ThetreacheroussandslopeallowednoescapefromaspotwhichIhadvisitedmostinvoluntarily，andapromenadeontheriverfrontagewasthesignalforabombardmentfromsomeinsanenativeinaboatI’mafraidthatIlostmytemperverymuchindeed。
AnotherbulletremindedmethatIhadbettersavemybreathtocoolmyporridge；andIretreatedhastilyupthesandsandbacktothehorseshoe，whereIsawthatthenoiseoftheriflehaddrawnsixty-fivehumanbeingsfromthebadger-holeswhichIhaduptillthatpointsupposedtobeuntenantedIfoundmyselfinthemidstofacrowdofspectators-aboutfortymen，twentywomen，andonechildwhocouldnothavebeenmorethanfiveyearsoldTheywereallscantilyclothedinthatsalmon-coloredclothwhichoneassociateswithHindumendicants，and，atfirstsight，gavemetheimpressionofabandofloathsomefakirsThefilthandrepulsivenessoftheassemblywerebeyondalldescription，andI
shudderedtothinkwhattheirlifeinthebadger-holesmustbe。
Eveninthesedays，whenlocalselfgovernmenthasdestroyedthegreaterpartofanative’srespectforaSahib，Ihavebeenaccustomedtoacertainamountofcivilityfrommyinferiors，andonapproachingthecrowdnaturallyexpectedthattherewouldbesomerecognitionofmypresenceAsamatteroffacttherewas；
butitwasbynomeanswhatIhadlookedfor。
Theraggedcrewactuallylaughedatme-suchlaughterIhopeImayneverhearagainTheycackled，yelled，whistled，andhowledasIwalkedintotheirmidst；someofthemliterallythrowingthemselvesdownonthegroundinconvulsionsofunholymirthInamomentIhadletgoPornic’shead，andirritatedbeyondexpressionatthemorning’sadventure，commencedcuffingthosenearesttomewithalltheforceIcouldThewretchesdroppedundermyblowslikenine-pins，andthelaughtergaveplacetowailsformercy；whilethoseyetuntouchedclaspedmeroundtheknees，imploringmeinallsortsofuncouthtonguestosparethem。
Inthetumult，andjustwhenIwasfeelingverymuchashamedofmyselfforhavingthuseasilygivenwaytomytemper，athin，highvoicemurmuredinEnglishfrombehindmyshoulder：-“Sahib！
Sahib！Doyounotknowme？Sahib，itisGungaDass，thetelegraph-master。”
Ispunroundquicklyandfacedthespeaker。
GungaDass，Ihave，ofcourse，nohesitationinmentioningtheman’srealnameIhadknownfouryearsbeforeasaDeccaneeBrahminloanedbythePun-jabGovernmenttooneoftheKhalsiaStatesHewasinchargeofabranchtelegraph-officethere，andwhenIhadlastmethimwasajovial，full-stomached，portlyGovernmentservantwithamarvelouscapacityformakinghadpunsinEnglish-apeculiaritywhichmademerememberhimlongafterIhadforgottenhisservicestomeinhisofficialcapacity。
ItisseldomthataHindumakesEnglishpuns。
Now，however，themanwaschangedbeyondallrecognition。
Caste-mark，stomach，slate-coloredcontinuations，andunctuousspeechwereallgoneIlookedatawitheredskeleton，turban-lessandalmostnaked，withlongmattedhairanddeep-setcodfish-eyes。
Butforacrescent-shapedscarontheleftcheek-theresultofanaccidentforwhichIwasresponsibleIshouldneverhaveknownhimButitwasindubitablyGungaDass，and-forthisIwasthank-full-anEnglish-speakingnativewhomightatleasttellmethemeaningofallthatIhadgonethroughthatday。
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