Singh.

Sewlal pledged his word to the jamadar that no matter if an outcry were
raised over a decoity they would be protected--the matter would be
hushed up.

Hunsa knew that this was no new thing; he had been engaged in many a
decoity where men of authority had a share of the loot, and had
effectually side-tracked investigation. In fact decoits always lived
in the protection of some petty raja; they were an adjunct to the
state, a source of revenue.

The Dewan had intimated that Hunsa and his men were to wait until a
messenger brought them word where and when to make the decoity. Also
if he betrayed them, failed to keep his compact with them, it would
cause him the loss of his ugly head.

The jamadar quite believed this; it would be an easy matter, surrounded
as they were by Mahratta troops.

So then for the next few days Hunsa and Sookdee cautiously developed a
spirit of desire for action amongst the decoits, and a feeling of
resentment against Ajeet who was opposed to engaging in a punishable
crime so far from their refuge.

The Dewan sent for Ajeet and explained to him, as if it were a very
great honour, that Nana Sahib, having heard of Bootea's wonderful
grace, had asked her to appear at a _nautch_ he was giving to the
Sahibs and Hindu princes at his palace. No doubt Bootea would receive
a handsome present for this, also it would incline the heart of the