"They are always tiger hunting here at Keewal," replied Barma Shah with a smile, "and the people in Supari are easily excited. If Matapar cries, 'Tiger! Tiger!' he knows that Thakur will bring out the villagers as beaters by day and even as bait by night."
"I never thought of that."
"And I never realized that the thugs were so active again," commented Barma Shah. "The way the Kali cult took over that old temple is surprising indeed. I shall notify the local authorities and have them investigate it. Perhaps it is more widespread than it appears."
The next day, Barma Shah and Biff drove over to the village and picked up Chandra and Kamuka. They continued on their way, laughing over the fact that of all the party, the one that had taken the worst beating from the tiger hunt was the jeep. However, the staunch vehicle was in good running order, and the boys began to enjoy their tour with Barma Shah.
A tour it actually became, for Barma Shah decided it should be that way.
He even insisted that Chandra put on European clothes similar to what
Biff and Kamuka were wearing. So they stopped at the first important
town on the Grand Trunk Road and bought Chandra his new outfit.
Chandra was amazed when he studied himself in a big mirror at the clothing store.
"This is better than any jadoo," decided Chandra. "If Jinnah Jad should put me in the basket wearing my old clothes and bring me out in new, like these, people would think I was a different boy."
"You'd have to make jadoo yourself," returned Biff. "It would take real magic for you to change clothes while you are curled around the inside of that basket."
Chandra laughed at that, and then the laugh was turned on Biff when Barma Shah picked out a woven straw hat with a rounded, dome-shaped crown and broad, sharply down-turned brim. He placed it on Biff's head, saying, "Try this on for size." The hat was so big that it came clear down over Biff's eyes, the brim hiding his face almost to the jawline.
"Looks like Biff is trying the basket trick himself," observed Chandra merrily. "Where did he go, Kamuka?"