Mr. Gupta had to travel through the evening. After an early dinner hestarted, attended by many palki-bearers and the very aged servant. The moonrose bright and glorious and bathed the picturesque country in softradiance. The silence of the jungle was broken only by the rhythmiccries of the bearers and the pat-pat of their feet. The first streamwas reached and the bearers asked for a halt. Consent granted, theywent into the stream to drink of the deeper water. The very aged servantcrouched by the palki.

"Thirstest not?" kindly asked his master.