"Yea, I know," said the Bull. "Their Gods instructed them in the
matter."

A laugh ran round the circle.

"Their Gods! What should their Gods know? They were born
yesterday, and those that made them are scarcely yet cold," said
the Mugger. "tomorrow their Gods will die."

"Ho!" said Peroo. "Mother Gunga talks good talk. I told that to
the padre-sahib who preached on the Mombassa, and he asked the Burra
Malum to put me in irons for a great rudeness."

"Surely they make these things to please their Gods," said the Bull
again.

"Not altogether," the Elephant rolled forth. "It is for the profit
of my mahajuns fat money-lenders that worship me at each new year,
when they draw my image at the head of the account-books. I,
looking over their shoulders by lamplight, see that the names in
the books are those of men in far places - for all the towns are
drawn together by the fire-carriage, and the money comes and goes
swiftly, and the account-books grow as fat as myself. And I, who
am Ganesh of Good Luck, I bless my peoples."

"They have changed the face of the land-which is my land. They have
killed and made new towns on my banks," said the Mugger.

"It is but the shifting of a little dirt. Let the dirt dig in the