After a few minutes silence the patient said:—
"Take away the rope and the basket, why did you not tie the end of the rope to the post."
"Why did you pull it so hard" said one of the persons present.
"I was hungry and in a hurry" said the ghost.
They asked several persons to go down into the well but nobody would. At last a fishing hook was lowered down. The basket, which had at first completely disappeared, was now floating on the surface of the water. It was brought up, quite empty.
Captain X in the meantime had arrived and was taken to the patient. Two high officials of Government (both Europeans) had also arrived.
As soon as the Captain stepped into the sick room the patient (we shall now call him the Ghost) said. "Good evening Captain X, these people will not believe that I am General—and I want to convince them."
The Captain was as surprised as the others had been before.
"You may ask me anything you like Captain X, and I shall try to convince you" said the Ghost.
The Captain stood staring.