“Time to get up already?” I said.
“Yes, sahib,” he said hurriedly. “All the other gentlemen call and get up.”
“All right,” I said; and springing out, I stepped into my tiled bath-room, and had myself refreshed with some chatties of cold water poured over my head, after which, feeling elastic as steel, I towelled, and began to dress.
“Why, hallo, Dost,” I said, as I saw that the man was trembling, “what’s the matter? Not ill?”
“No, no, sahib; quite well, quite well!” he cried hastily.
“But you are not,” I cried. “You are all of a shiver. Let me give you something.”
He shook his head violently, and kept on reiterating that he was quite well.
“Come, out with it, Dost,” I said. “You are not deceiving me. What is the matter?”
He looked round quickly, and I could see that the poor fellow evidently was in great alarm about something.
“Master always good to Dost,” he said.