"We are bound thither also," said the elderly man, "to do puja at the holy place, bathe, and make our offerings. Let us all travel together."
"I desire nothing better," replied Bandhu, "it suits not my taste to travel alone."
"Besides there might be danger," suggested the younger man. "In these lonely parts there is no saying whom one might meet."
"Perhaps Dacoits or Thugs," * said the timorous Bandhu, and intuitively, he laid his hand on his bag.
* Dacoits are a kind of highwaymen who rob in gangs. Thugs were a set of professional murderers, who strangled unsuspecting travellers, under the supposed sanction of one of their demon-like goddesses. The following description of these murderers is extracted from the work of Ishuree Dás, before quoted:—
"Thousands of these Thugs have been exterminated by the British Government, but there are some still found here and there. These Thugs will follow a traveller for days until they get an opportunity to kill him. Once a traveller, who was known to have some money with him, was followed by Thugs for more than two hundred and sixty miles; the farmer was wide-awake, and was always on his guard, never smoking their tobacco, nor being familiar with them. At last he got near home, though the Thugs did not know that; and while all were sitting in a bunniah's shop in the forenoon to get some refreshment, the man pretended to go out for a few minutes, of course with his things; but he crossed a few fields, and safely arrived at home.
"Once a woman with her little boy and some money and jewels was pursued for some time by two women who were Thuggins. They pretended to be travellers, and always remained in company with this woman, who used to give them now and then part of her food, as dál and cakes and rice. It was observed by the boy that they ate the cake or rice that was given them, but dál (which has salt put in it at the time of being cooked) was always thrown away. He suspected they were Thuggins, and said so to his mother.
"The dál they threw away, because they believed it would be a great sin to kill a person whose salt they had eaten. In the saráes or inns the woman used to take a separate room from the Thuggins. Once the latter thought that they had an opportunity to despatch the woman, and in the darkness of the night, one of them took a dagger and softly stole towards her; but the woman got hold of it and the Thuggin, and cried out. People instantly came to her help and secured the Thuggin."
"What is in that bag?" asked the old man with curiosity.
"A wondrous mirror, as I have heard, and a jewelled bracelet," replied the incautious lad.
The two men exchanged glances with each other, but the dull-witted Bandhu never noticed the look.
For some hours these three rested in the mango-tope. The two men slept, or appeared to sleep, but the eyes of Bandhu did not close. He could not help thinking over the words which he had heard from Prem Chand.
After a while his companions raised their heads, and seating themselves on the grass, again resumed their hookahs.