He interspersed his words with sudden unexpected silences, during which he sat all ears and his face strained to listen, as though he expected to surprise some stealthy movement.

But Thresk accounted for it by that decanter on the sideboard, in which the level of the whisky had been so noticeably lowered that evening.

He was wrong however, for Ballantyne sprang to his feet.
"You are going away to-night.

You can do me a service." "Can I ?" asked Thresk.
He understood at last why Ballantyne had been at such pains to interest and amuse him.
"Yes.

And in return," cried Ballantyne, "I'll give you another glimpse into the India you don't know." He walked up to the door of the tent and drew it aside.