The Adventures of Kathlyn - Page 185/201

"Did he tell you what it was he helped bury yonder?"

"No, holy one. He was an honorable man. Whatever the secret was, it

passed with him. We were not curious."

"It was the private treasure of the king of Allaha, and the man was the

king himself."

The fisherman salaamed.

"And I am sent, because I am holy, to recover this treasure, which was

willed to the temple of Juggernaut."

"And, holy one, I know not where it is hidden!"

"I do. What I want is the use of your sloop and men I can trust. To

you, as much gold as your hands can hold."

"I will furnish you with men as honest as myself."

"That will be sufficient; and you shall have your gold."

The word of a holy man is never subjected to scrutiny in India.

Umballa was in good humor. Here he was, several hours ahead of his

enemies. He would have the filigree basket dug up and transferred to

the sloop before the Colonel Sahib could reach the village. And

Umballa would have succeeded but for the fact that the wind fell

unaccountably and they lost more than an hour in handling the sloop

with oars.

When the sloop left the primitive landing the chief returned to his hut

and told his wife what had taken place, like the good husband he was.

They would be rich.

Suddenly the child set up a wailing. Through the window she had seen a

bold leopard trot over to the bullock cart and carry away the kid. The

chief at once summoned his remaining men, and they proceeded to set a

trap for the prowler. The cat had already killed one bullock and

injured another. They knew that the beast would not return for some

hours, having gorged itself upon the kid. But it was well to be

prepared.

Toward noon the other treasure seekers drew up within a quarter of a

mile behind the village. The men-folk thought it advisable to

reconnoiter before entering the village. One never could tell. Winnie

declared her intention of snoozing while they waited, and curled up in

her rugs. Kathlyn, however, could not resist the longing to look upon

the sea again. She could see the lovely blue water through the spaces

between the trees. Soon she would be flying over that water, flying

for home, home!

She went farther from the camp than she really intended, and came

unexpectedly upon the leopard which stood guarding its cubs while they

growled and tore at the dead kid. Kathlyn realized that she was

unarmed, and that the leopard was between her and the camp. She could

see the roofs of the village below her; so toward the huts she ran.

The leopard stood still for a while, eying her doubtfully, then made up

its mind to give chase. She had tasted blood, but had not eaten.