me." And saying softly to the old man; "Brahman Thakoor, something
is brewing. I follow to see," he too stepped ashore.

Not far from the tree he found a small thatched house and several
men gathered behind it. Moving warily forward among the group he
recognised the manjhis. "Dacoits!" he whispered to himself. Then an
inspiration struck him.

He ran back to the boat, and asked the Brahman to change his seat
to the stern and be ready to steer off when he gave him a signal. He
took up a position in the prow and fondled his bear.

Within a few minutes a party of men appeared coming towards the
dinghi. Some were boatmen; all were dacoits.

The actor loosed the bear's chain, saying: "Go! go! hug the life out
of all of them!"

The sagacious animal responded to his master's order with a fierce
charge right among the approaching band of robbers. With startled
cries they fled in all directions. Quite sure they were effectively
scattered, the bear-man called his animal back, secured its chain
once more, and pushed from the shore.

With some difficulty he and the old Brahman navigated themselves back
to Calcutta and informed the police authorities there. The police
took possession of the dinghi which on inspection proved to be a
dacoit's nest well-equipped with instruments fitted for murder and
robbery. But none of this gang of river dacoits were captured.