"You mean you wish me to join you--to be one of you ?" "I mean," said Ranjoor Singh, "that if you were to apply to be allowed to join this regiment for a while, and to be allowed to serve us in a certain manner, we would consider the proposal.
Otherwise--is my meaning clear ?" "Yes!" said Tugendheim.
"Then-- ?' said Ranjoor Singh.
"I apply!" said Tugendheim; and at that moment the havildar and his men returned with some straw they had found in another tumble-down hut.

They had it stuffed under their overcoats to keep it dry.

"Too late!" said Tugendheim with a grimace, but Ranjoor Singh bade them throw the straw inside for all that.
"In Germany we were required to set our names to paper," he said, and Tugendheim looked him in the eyes again for a full half minute.
"Do you expect better conditions than were offered us ?" asked Ranjoor Singh.
"I will sign!" said Tugendheim.
"What will you sign ?" asked Ranjoor Singh.
"Anything in reason," answered Tugendheim.
"Let me tell you what I have here, then," said Ranjoor Singh, and he groped in his inner pocket for a paper, that he brought out very neatly folded, sheltering it from the rain under his cape.

"This," said he, "is signed by the Turkish captain and mate of that sunken steamer.

It is a receipt for all our money, to be taken and divided equally between you--mentioned by name--and them--mentioned also by name, on condition that the ship be sunk and we be let go.