"And locked your knowledge in your silent bosom," said the Babu, with an aggrieved look. "That was cruelty to animals, sir. With knowledge of so ingenious a weapon of defence we should all have slept more securely in our beds." "All this must be done as quietly as possible," continued Bob, ignoring the Babu’s indignant protest. "We must try not to let the Kalmucks on the other side know that anything out of the ordinary is going on." "That will not be easy, sahib," said the havildar. "Perhaps not, but you must do the best you can. I said just now that I would send all the Pathans down the river, but you will want some of them to work. Will they be loyal?" "The huzur is their father, sahib. They will fight for him and for you. To them the Kalmucks are sons of pigs." "How is Muhammad, by the way?" "His wound is healing; he will be well to-morrow--well enough to fight the Kalmucks." "I will see him in the morning. I am rather troubled as to what to do with the Kalmuck miners. They will side with their countrymen if they come up in force, and every man extra will add to our difficulties." "The sahib should send them away," said Gur Buksh. "But we can’t send them down-stream until my brother comes back, and that’s their natural way. They won’t go without their arms, and Lawrence Sahib and the Pathans might be attacked then on both sides; and they would certainly refuse to go in the opposite direction, away from their homes." "Permit me to interpose, sir," said Ditta Lal, who had for some time taken no part in the discussion. "I have suggestion for cutting Gordian knot. Many years ago, sir, my uncle, member of celebrated Hunza Nagar expeditionary force, made proposal which, if taken at the flood, would have led to fortune. British force would have triumphed over dastardly foes, and many valuable lives would have been saved to honour and glory of king and country." "Cut it short, Babu," said Bob. "What is your proposal?" "Perpend, sir. Our friend and comrade Gur Buksh will cross bridge--or better Shan Tai--gather Kalmucks about him, and offer to beguile tedium of inaction by great feast, Chinese delicacies, stews and all that, regular blow out. While he engages Kalmucks in this artless conversation, make mouths water galore, one of noble garrison steals behind their backs into huts, inserts dynamite and fuse into walls, and retires with careful slowness, as if nothing was up, and he were merely strolling for constitutional. Then in midst of jollification huts all blow up like one o’clock, and scoundrels wallow in their gore." "That was your uncle’s suggestion, was it?" said Bob.