“Nay,” replied Prabu, “if the sahibs would learn that which they so much desire to know, they must be patient; let them therefore withdraw for a time from the pandapa.”
“And leave you alone with this fellow?” said Martin.
“Aye,” replied Prabu, “for the dog hath more to fear from me than I from him.”
“Prabu is right, we will await without.” Then, taking Martin by the arm, he permitted me to lead him outside the building.
“That fellow will escape us yet,” said my brother.
“Not so,” I replied—“Prabu knows how to manage him better than either of us;” and so Martin was compelled to await the result.
After a close and whispered conference of half-an-hour, not one word of which could we catch, Prabu came forth from the pandapa.
“Well, where hath the rogue hidden our cousin?” we both asked, anxiously.
“Let the sahibs rest happy and contented—their cousin is safe and unharmed.”
“But where? How can you be certain of this?”