"Enough, father," said Fazil aloud; and, turning to Pahar Singh, "Where you go I will follow; but who will lead us?"
"I will lead one party, and my son here another. Come thou with me, Khan, and send thy son with mine," replied the chief promptly.
"Where are we to go?" asked Fazil.
"We cannot say till we are on the road," said the chief, smiling. "'Thieves,' they say, 'have longer ears than asses.' I have one of my trumpeters here; and when it is time to move, a shrill blast will be blown: till then, eat and make your preparations, as I will mine;" and saluting them, Pahar Singh and his son walked to their horses, and, mounting them, rode away.
"And do we go with them alone, father?" asked Fazil, following the chief with his eyes, and in a tone of apprehension.
"No," said the Khan, "the order I gave for the Paigah and the Abyssinian horse to march to-night to Sholapoor is for this service, and we shall lead them."
"Excellent," cried Fazil joyfully; "then I fear nothing; but who is this Pahar Singh? Surely I have seen him before."
"Certainly, in the Durbar at Nuldroog, when the deed of confirmation was given to him."
"I was not there, father: I heard of it."
"Ah, true! Well, then, dost thou remember the Kullunder Fakeer of the King's Durbar?"