enemies.

At any rate Sewlal sent for Hunsa the night of the ordeal and explained
to him, somewhat casually, that a jewel merchant passing through
Mahrattaland had in his collection a ruby of no great value, but a
stone that he would like to become possessed of because a ruby was his
lucky gem. The Dewan intimated that Hunsa would get a nice private
reward for this particular gem, if by chance he could, quite secretly,
procure it for him.

Next day was a busy one in the Bagree camp.

Having followed the profession of decoits and thugs for generations it
was with them a fine art; unlimited pains were taken over every detail.
As it had been decided that they would go as a party of mendicants and
bearers of family bones to Mother Ganges, there were many things to
provide to carry out the masquerade--stage properties, as it were; red
bags for the bones of females, and white bags for those of the males.

In two days one of the spies came with word that Ragganath, the
merchant, had started on his journey, riding in a covered cart drawn by
two of the slim, silk-skinned trotting bullocks, and was accompanied by
six men, servants and guards; on the second night he would encamp at
Sarorra. So a start was made the next morning.

Sookdee, Ajeet Singh, and Hunsa, accompanied by twenty men, and Gulab
Begum took the road, the Gulab travelling in an enclosed cart as
befitted the favourite of a raja, and with her rode the wife of Sookdee
as her maid.