So Matapar and the other shikaris watched silently, almost glumly, while Thakur and his helpers set up the cage close to a thicket that they thought would be inviting to the tiger. They were fixing the frames together with crude bolts when Barma Shah drove up in his jeep, wearing his pulled-down beret and dark sun glasses.
Biff walked over to meet him and as Barma Shah nodded a greeting, Biff announced, "I am Biff Brewster."
"I was sure of that," rejoined Barma Shah, extending his hand in greeting, "but because of your mission I thought it best to introduce myself first and let you make the next move."
"I'm doing that now," stated Biff. "Sir—what have you heard from my father? Where is he?"
Despite himself, Biff betrayed anxiety in his tone. Barma Shah noticed it and put reassurance into his reply.
"I haven't heard from him," he said, "but I know that he went to Kashmir and that he has probably—gone on from there. His mission was there, mine was in Calcutta."
Barma Shah paused and glanced about to make sure that no one was close enough to hear. Then he inquired:
"You have the ruby Diwan Chand gave you?"
Biff fingered the bag beneath his shirt collar and nodded. "Right here," he said.
"Good. Your father will be needing it. We can talk more of this tomorrow."