"Your advice is good," said I; "nevertheless the mistress I have lost is, as you know, worthy of regret, and I shall miss her for many a day. But tell me, what have you now in hand,--anything in which I may have a share?" "Why no," he replied, "nothing; but if you are so inclined, we will take a ramble this evening through the bazars, we may perhaps pick up somebody." "Of course I will be with you, for in truth my hand will get out of practice if I neglect work. But have you seen my father?" "I have not," said Bhudrinath; "I hear he is very much engaged about the property, and do not like to disturb him." "You are right, he is," said I; "but he will finish all to-day, and get the money. I suppose after that we shall not stay long here, and for my part I care not how soon we set off; I am anxious for new scenes and adventures, and we are not likely to do much here. Is not Surfuraz Khan here?" "No; he is gone with a party of seven travellers towards Puttuncherroo, and has taken ten or fifteen of the best of the men with him; he will not be back probably before night, if then." "Who were the travellers?" "Bunneas, I heard," said Bhudrinath carelessly; "I did not see them myself, and Surfuraz Khan was in too great a hurry to give me any information." "Out upon me!" I exclaimed, vexed at my idleness; "here have I been amusing myself while all this has been going on: for the sake of the Prophet, let us do something soon, that I may settle scores with my conscience, for I have hardly assurance enough to look you in the face after my behaviour." "Well," said he, "come this evening; if we can't decoy any one, we will kill somebody for amusement and practice." "I agree," said I; "for by Alla! I must do something. I am as melancholy as a camel, and my blood, which boiled enough yesterday, seems now scarcely to run through me;--it is not to be borne." I found when I reached home that the dullal had arrived, and with him the sahoukar's clerk, and some porters to carry the goods, as well as fellows with matchlocks and lighted matches, and others with swords and shields, to escort them. I stared at them. "One would think you were going to battle, Séthjee," said I, "with all those fierce fellows; I am half afraid of them." The fellows laughed; and the clerk replied, "They are necessary, and we always have them. If our goods were stolen, nay, carried off before our eyes, should we get any redress? no indeed: we therefore protect our property the best way we can." "Now," said my father, "take your goods and be off with them; they are no longer mine, and I fear to allow them to remain under my roof." "Surely," said the clerk, "they will be out of your way directly; and now let us speak about your money, or will you take some merchandise as part of it?" "Not a bit, not a bit," replied my father; "I want all my money in rupees--no, stay, not all in rupees; give me five thousand in silver and the rest in gold, it will be easier carried."