Sirdar Baptiste was for sending a thousand sepoys to put the
fear of destruction in the debtor; but the Dewan with his eye on revenue
from crops, hit upon this plan of the loud-voiced one of brass."
Then the commander ordered the advance, and saluting, said: "Salaam,
Captain Sahib, and if I meet with your servants I will give them news
that you desire their presence."
When the huge cannon had rumbled by, and behind it had passed a company
of sepoys on foot, Barlow turned his horse into the jungle for Gulab.
CHAPTER XI
Bootea's eyes glistened like stars when, lowering a hand, Barlow said:
"Put a foot upon mine, Gulab, and I'll swing you up."
When they were on the road she said; "I saw them. It is as the runner
said, war--is it so, Sahib?"
"The Captain says that he goes to collect revenue, but it may be that
he spoke a lie, for it is said that a man of the land of the Five
Rivers, which is the Punjaub, has five ways of telling a tale, and but
one of them is the truth and comes last."
The girl pondered over this for a little, and then asked; "Does the
Sahib think perhaps it is war against his people?"
That was just what was in Barlow's mind since he had seen the big gun
going forth at night; that perhaps the plot that was just a whisper,
fainter than the hum of a humming bird's wing, was moving with swift
silent velocity.
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