"Stay," said I; "more follows. 'A tray of choice jewels, gold, and silver, valued at fifteen thousand rupees, and three trays of shawls and brocades for my lord's Muhal, valued at ten thousand rupees: in all, seventy-five thousand rupees. Secondly, a sum of ten thousand rupees to each leader of rank, of whom we learn from the worthy Syud, Ameer Ali, there are three: a tray of jewels to each, of five thousand rupees, and three trays, each valued at five thousand more; in all, twenty thousand rupees each.'" "Go on!" cried Cheetoo; "you have not done yet, I suppose?" "No," said I, glancing down the paper; "there is more following. 'Thirdly, a sum of one thousand rupees to each duffadar: we are uninformed of their number, but we have supposed thirty.'" "Good!" cried Cheetoo; "what more?" "'Fourthly, the sum of fifty rupees to each deserving person, to be given at the discretion of the mighty Cheetoo; by report we hear there are four thousand. Also food, grain, and forage for as many days as the army may remain with us.' This is all," said I; "what are my lord's orders?" "The list is well enough," said Cheetoo; "but they are wrong in some particulars: first, there are fifty duffadars, are there not, Ghuffoor Khan?" "There are," he replied; "I told them off myself." "Put that down, Meer Sahib," said Cheetoo. "Again, there are five thousand good Pindharees; am I not right?" "True again," cried all the leaders; "were they not counted at Nemawur?" This was a lie; there were hardly four thousand, for nearly half the lubhur had gone off in a different direction from the Nurbudda; but it signified little; for Cheetoo, I knew, was determined to make the best terms he could with the sahoukars. "Put down five thousand," said Cheetoo; "and now see how much you have got." I hastily arranged the amount, and read the paper to him. "First," said I, "there is your Highness's share, seventy-five thousand rupees; secondly, on account of the leaders, sixty thousand rupees; then the fifty duffadars, each man a thousand, fifty thousand rupees; lastly, five thousand men, each forty, two hundred thousand. And the sum of the whole is three lakhs and eighty-five thousand rupees." "And," said Cheetoo to Ghuffoor Khan, "the horses' shoes must be worn out, I think? we require new ones." "Certainly," cried the Khan, with a merry grin. "Put down fifteen thousand rupees for the horse-shoes; this, Meer Sahib, will make the sum an even four lakhs: and gentlemen," continued he to the sahoukars, "I must trouble you to pay with as little delay as possible, or we must help ourselves." There was a hurried conference for a few moments among the Sahoukars, and a few angry words passed among them; but they were wise; my fat friend rose, and making a lowly obeisance, declared the money was at hand, and should be brought immediately.