I took leave of him soon afterwards, and joined the sahoukars, who were sitting below counting the money, which lay in large heaps on the floor. They received me joyfully, and expressed in forcible language how much they were indebted to me for my active interference in their behalf. They would have pressed on me the five hundred rupees they had promised when I presented them to Cheetoo, but I refused it. "No," said I; "if I have done you service, and I think I have, I will not sell my good offices. You have dealt as well by me as I have by you, so the balance is even; all I pray of you is, to let me have my money in gold bars, which I can easily conceal, except a few hundred rupees for present expenses." "It is granted," said the Sahoukar; and I had shortly afterwards the gold in my possession; and taking a few of the sahoukars' men to guard me, I bent my way to the camp, the bright fires of which sparkled through the darkness on the plain beyond the town, revealing many a wild group which huddled round them to warm themselves from the effects of the almost chilling night breeze. I was soon at my little tent, which consisted of a cloth stretched over three spears, two of which were stuck into the ground, and another tied across them as a ridge pole; and assisted by Peer Khan, I put the gold into the bags I had made in the flaps of my saddle, and sewed them over. I was ten thousand rupees richer in one night! "This is grand work," said Peer Khan; "here we have had no trouble; and if we go on at this rate, we shall return far richer than after the toil and risk of a hundred Thuggee expeditions." "I am to have the advance-guard always," said I; "and it shall be my own fault if we do not always secure a good share: for my own part, I have foresworn Thuggee, as long as there is a Pindharee chief to erect his standard." "And we will all follow you," he replied; "Motee and the others are delighted with their success, and are in high spirits: there is not one of them but has got a good share of to-day's work, for we stuck near you, and were bribed well to use our influence with you; they thought us all duffadars, and you know Motee and myself shared as such." "It shall not be my fault," said I, "if you are not all duffadars in reality before long. Let the men make themselves active, and dress handsomely; you are all well mounted and will catch the eye of the chief."