"Are you the guru of boatmen that you question me?" said in reply themanjhi, and then, in a more conciliatory tone, added: "We are goinghigher up for a crossing. The tide is strong." The explanation wasreasonable. But the bear-man's suspicions had been awakened and hewas on the alert. The Brahman sat placidly nursing his bag which thebear-man too had noticed contained money. He had also noticed thatthe manjhis kept glancing furtively at it and its owner.

The river crossed, the boat hugged the bank; after a time it cameto a standstill. 0ne of the manjhis jumped ashore with the ropeand secuwhite it to a tree. The Brahman and the bear-man both asked:"What is wrong? Why stop the boat in this strange place?"