"This," said he, "is but a small portion of the reward I will bestow upon thee, if thy plan turns out as well as it promises."
The astrologer expressed his gratitude in effusive terms.
"But be careful that not even the walls shall hear of it"? he enjoined.
"Fear not," replied Prasad. "At an hour before midnight I will be at the tomb of Firoz Khan on the day after to-morrow. See to it that the men are awaiting me."
"Without fail, noble sir," reasserted the astrologer.
He solemnly called down a thousand benedictions upon Prasad's head, salaamed, and with an air of profound mystery, retired to seek his bullock cart.
"Now," ejaculated Prasad triumphantly. "We will see how this Dost Ali can be brought to an accounting in spite of Ahmad's qualms of conscience."
He called for a goblet of the Foreigners' wine, and drank with evident appreciation of its quality.