"I make a good Musselman--scarce need any make-up, I'm so dark; I can
rattle off the _namaz_ (daily prayer), and sing the _moonakib_, the
hymn of the followers of the Prophet."

"Yes," Hodson said, his words coming slowly out of a deep think, "there
will be Patans in the Pindari camp; in fact Pindari is an all-embracing
name, having little of nationality about it. Rajputs, Bundoolas,
Patans, men of Oudh, Sindies--men who have the lust of battle and loot,
all flock to the Pindari Chief. Yes, it's a good idea, Captain, the
disguise; not only for an unnoticed entrance to the camp, but to escape
a waylaying by Nana Sahib's cut-throats."

"Yes, Colonel, from what I have learned--from the Gulab it was,
Sir--the Dewan has an inkling that I am going on a mission; and if I
rode as myself the King might lose an officer, and officers cost pounds
in the making."

The Resident toyed with the papers on his desk, his brow wrinkled from
a debate going on behind it; he rose, and grasping the black Kali
carried it back to the cabinet, saying: "That devilish thing, so
suggestive of what we are always up against here, makes me shiver."

Then he sat down, adding, "Captain, there is another important matter
connected with this. The Rana of Udaipur is being stripped of every
rupee by Holkar and Sindhia; they take turn about at him. Holkar is up
there now, where we have chased him--threatened to sack Udaipur unless
he were paid seventy lakhs, seven million rupees--the accursed thief!
We have managed to get an envoy to the Rana with a view to having him,
and the other smaller rulers of Mewar, join forces with us to crush
forever the Mahratta power--drive them out of Mewar for all time. The