Ajeet Singh graciously consented to this, and the merchant commanded
his men to erect his small tent beneath the limbs of the deep green
mango trees.

The decoits watched closely the transport of the merchant's effects
from the cart to the tent. When a strong iron box, that was an evident
weight for its two carriers, was borne first their eyes glistened.
Therein was the wealth of jewels the flying horsemen of the night had
whispered to the yogi about.




CHAPTER VIII

When the merchant's tent had been erected, and he had gone to its
shelter, the jamadars, sitting well beyond the reach of his ears, held
a council of war. Ajeet was opposed to the killing of Ragganath and
his men, but Hunsa pointed out that it was the only way: they were
either decoits or they were men of toil, men of peace. Dead men were
not given to carrying tales, and if no stir were made about the decoity
until they were safely back in Karowlee they could enjoy the fruits Of
their spoils, which would be, undoubtedly, great. By the use of the
strangling cloth there would be no outcry, no din of battle; they of
the village would think that the camp was one of sleep. Then when the
bodies had been buried in a pit, the earth tramped down flat and solid,
and cooking fires built over it to obliterate all traces of a grave,
they would strike camp and go back the way they had come.