But we were saved the trouble; for the Khayet came into our camp, as he had said, by sunset, and was met at the confines of it by my father, and the two other jemadars. The respectability of his appearance struck me forcibly; he was evidently a man of polished manners, and had seen courts and good society. After arranging his travelling-cart to sleep in, by placing some tent walls around it for protection to his women, he and his son, an intelligent handsome-looking youth, came to the spot where my father and the other leaders had spread their carpets; and many of the band being assembled, there ensued a general conversation. Who could have told, Sahib, the intentions of those by whom he was surrounded! To me it was wonderful. I knew he was to die that night, for that had been determined when he arrived in our camp, and while he was arranging his sleeping-place. I knew too that a spot had been fixed on for his grave, and that of those with him; for I had accompanied my father to it, and saw that it was begun; and yet there sat my father, and Hoosein, and Ghous Khan, and many others. The pipe and the story passed round, and the old man was delighted at the company he had fallen into. "I thank you," said he to Bhudrinath, "that you brought me out of that unsainted village; truly here is some enjoyment in the society of gentlemen, who have seen the world: there I should have been in perpetual dread of robbers, and should not have slept a wink all night, while here I need not even to be watchful, since I am assured by the Khan Sahib," pointing to my father, "that I shall be well taken care of." "Ay!" growled out in a whisper an old Thug who sat behind me, "he will be well taken care of sure enough, I will see to that." "How?" said I. He gave the sign, by which I knew him to be one of the Bhuttotes or stranglers who had been selected. "I have an old grudge against him," he continued, "and the time is come when I can repay it." "Tell me how it happened," said I in a low tone, for the man's face wore a savage expression as he said it. "Not now," said he, "how can I? I will tell you to-morrow night when we meet in the mujlis: that man is Brij Lall, as great a rascal as ever lived, one who has committed more murders and more villanies in his life than any of us Thugs. But his cup is full, his breath is already in his mouth; one squeeze from me, and it will go forth never to return." "And the boy," said I, "that fair, fine boy,--surely he will be spared." "To tell all he saw, I suppose," said the man; "to deliver us up at the first place we come to! No, no, Mea, we know better, and so will you one of these days." And he went round and seated himself just behind the old man, who turned about as though he were intruded upon.