"Hai! Ennicott Sahib is truly a very great man," said Nagdu. "We were there in the little house, with our guns on the wall, looking up the road, when there came a soft voice behind us. ’Twas like cold water trickling down my back, O Ganda. And when I turned and saw the huzur’s two eyes like little bits of blue steel, I felt my soul shrivel up inside me: that is true, old friend. ’You are keeping good watch upon the road, Nagdu,’ said he, and I shivered, and my voice was like a woman’s when I said my salaam." "Keeping watch upon the road!" repeated the dafadar with a sly look at the other. "Do you know, Nagdu, if any harm had come to the sahib-ji I would have put a bullet there, and there." He touched the man’s neck and breast. "Hai! what harm could come to the huzur?" said Nagdu protestingly. "He is heaven-born, and knows. ’Keeping good watch upon the road,’ he said, and when I stammered out my ’Salaam, sahib,’ he went on: ’It is well. There are rascals about. I go to hold a talk with your people on that very matter, and ’tis good luck I met you, for you can take me to your village.’ And I said the huzur’s face was like the sun shining upon the hills, for by that time my soul was come to me again, and after a little talk we came out. Hai! Truly is Ennicott Sahib a very great man." "Ay, he knows the heart of you hill-men. You have a little heart, Nagdu; the huzur’s is a very great one. His word is a sword." "And his eyes are like fires that burn. Is there anything he does not know? He did not see us go into the little house: we were quiet as mice in the corn; yet he knew we were there----" "Keeping watch on the road," said Ganda Singh with a low chuckle. "You are indeed a mouse, Nagdu; would you measure yourself against a lion?" Nagdu protested that he had no such thought, and then turned the conversation into an easier channel.