the fields without any comment whatever from the natives at work there,
who would naturally suppose that they belonged to some village near at
hand. "Englishmen could not do this," he said; "too much leg, too much
arm, too much width of shoulders; but boys are thinner, and no one will
notice the difference. In half an hour I will come back with the things."
Ned gave him the rest of the berries, which they had preserved, and asked
him to boil them up in a little water, as they would now have to color
their bodies and arms and legs, in addition to their faces.

It was a sad parting between Kate and her brothers, for all felt that they
might never meet again. Still the course decided upon was, under the
circumstances, evidently the best that could be adopted.

In an hour the Hindoo returned. The boys took off their clothes, and
stained themselves a deep brown from head to foot. The farmer then
produced a razor and a bowl of water and some soap, and said that they
must shave their hair off their heads, up to a level with the top of the
ears, so as to leave only that which could be concealed by their turban.
This, with some laughter--the first time they had smiled since they left
Sandynugghur--they proceeded to do to each other, and the skin thus
exposed they dyed the same color as the rest of the body. They then each
put on a scanty loincloth, and wrapping a large piece of dark blue cotton
stuff first round their waists and then over one shoulder, their costume
was complete, with the exception of a pair of sandals and a white turban.
The old Hindoo surveyed them gravely when their attire was completed, and
expressed his belief that they would pass without exciting the slightest
suspicion. Their pistols were a trouble. They were determined that, come
what might, they would not go without these, and they were finally slung
behind them from a strap passing round the waist under the loin-cloth; the
spare ammunition and a supply of biscuit were stowed in stout cotton bags,