“Baksheesh, Sahib! Baksheesh.” The plea came again.
“Take him away, Ti Pao.” Jack Hudson turned, and started to reenter the building. As he did so, the beggar said softly, “No baksheesh? Not even Coke money?”
Jack whirled around. The beggar boy was already heading for the gate. Jack scratched his head. “I could have sworn he said— Nah! I must have been hearing things. Must be the heat,” he mumbled to himself. He shook his head and went through the door.
The beggar boy neared the gate, then cut to the left. He raced through the palm grove, then carefully, stealthily, made his way to the cabin of Ti Pao. There was just a flash of brown, ragged clothing as he slipped through the door.
“It work. It work! Biff!” Chuba danced up and down in his excitement.
The beggar boy grinned. It was the grin of a happy Biff Brewster.
“I’ll say it worked. Even your father didn’t recognize me.”
“Not Sahib Hudson, either?”
Biff shook his head. “Nope. I fooled him completely. I even spoke some American words. Course, I said them low, just as I was leaving. Don’t know whether he heard them or not.”
“Let me take closer look,” Chuba said. Biff turned slowly around as Chuba made his inspection.