"Nay, be not inhospitable, good fellow," returned Bulwunt, soothingly; "and here is a trifle for thee--even for shelter. Hark to the thunder!" And as he spoke, another blinding flash of lightning illumined the interior of the shop, while a crashing peal of thunder followed hard upon it. "We shall have more of that, Rama; and as to stirring out in the rain,"--for it had come plashing down with the thunder--"whose dog am I that I should go out in it--I or my brother either? Is this a night to turn two votaries of Sree Mahadeo into the streets--strangers, too, who know no other place of shelter? And were we not told to come to Rama's shop near the temple?" he added to Fazil; who, sitting down, nodded assent, and followed his example. "There is a Gosai's Mutt hard by, round the corner," returned the man doggedly, "and a temple of Bhowani away yonder, in the plain at the back, among the tamarind trees. You will find your brethren in one, and shelter and water in the other, if ye need them. Begone, and trouble me no more. Get up; why sit ye there unbidden? Get up!" "Get up and go to a Mutt, indeed!" retorted Bulwunt, who did not move, but, on the contrary, settled himself more determinedly and doggedly upon a seat. "Not I--in this rain! How, brother?" he added to Fazil, "shall we attempt to enter the Mutt at night through barred doors?--be taken for thieves, and be fired upon for our pains, perhaps?" Fazil shook his head. "No: we were told to come here to Rama's--is thy name Rama, friend?--and here we are." "Who told ye to come here?" asked the kullal. "It concerns thee not, good man," replied Bulwunt, "unless they call you Rama." "That is my name; and what is your business with me?" he returned sulkily. "That you will know by-and-by," replied Bulwunt. "Meanwhile, as to the Mutt and the temple, who knows whether there is either the one or the other; and who can go to look in this storm? Wherefore, worthy sir," he continued to the keeper of the place, "we are very comfortable, and intend to remain. We are not beasts to be turned out in rain like this. So, kindly bring the hookas, and when we have smoked we will rest after our long travel to-day. As to those here before us, we are not likely to molest them; and if they do not let us alone, we have weapons, and can defend ourselves. Therefore, be reasonable." Bulwunt spoke loudly, that he might be heard by the men within. "What noise is that?" suddenly asked a strange voice from behind a partition close to which they were sitting. "Did I not tell thee, Rama, to admit no one?" "May I be your sacrifice, Rao Sahib," returned the kullal, joining his hands together, and advancing to the door of the room, "your slave desired these two Gosais to depart civilly, but they will not move; they say they were told to come here, and ask for hookas. When I told them to be gone, one fellow talked about his weapons, and I believe they are drunk."