meantime the kettle was boiling, while my two visitors made themselves as comfortable as was possible under the circumstances on pack-saddle cases.
The tea party went off well, for the ladies, evidently suspecting the "eccentricity" of their host, had come provided not only with cups and saucers, but with spoons, cake, bread, butter, and biscuits!
FOOTNOTES:
[4] N.B.—Anglo-Indians very rarely condescend to shake hands with the natives.
CHAPTER IX
Discouraging reports—A steep ascent—How I came to deserve the name of "monkey"—Hard at work—Promoted in rank—Collapse in a gale of wind—Time and labour lost.
The weather again became rainy and cold. The reports that I received of the state of the roads farther up were not encouraging.