The red and white bags carrying bones, which were supposed to be the bones of defunct relatives, were suspended from tripods of bamboo to preserve them from the pollution of the soil.
And presently three big drums, Nakaras, were arranged in front of the yogi's tent, and were being beaten by strong-armed drummers, while a conch shell blared forth a discordant note that was supposed to be pleasing to the gods.
Some of the Bagrees issued from their tents having suddenly become canonised, metamorphosed from highwaymen to devout yogis, their bodies, looking curiously lean and ascetic, now clothed largely in ashes and paint.
"Go you, Hunsa," Ajeet commanded, "into this depraved village and summon the _patil_ to come forth and pay to the sainted yogi the usual gift of one rupee four annas, and make his salaams. Also he is to provide fowl and fruits for us who are on this sacred mission. He may be a son of swine, such as the lord of a village is, so speak, Jamadar, of the swords the Raja's guards carry. Say nothing as to the expected one, but let your eyes do all the questioning."
Hunsa departed on his mission, and even then the villagers could be seen assembled between the Bagrees and the mud huts, watching curiously the encampment.
"Sookdee," Ajeet said, "if we can rouse the anger of the _patil_--"
The Jamadar laughed. "If you insist upon the payment of silver you will accomplish that, Ajeet."
Ajeet touched his slim fingers to Sookdee's arm: "Do not forget, Jamadar--call me Raja. But as to the village; if we anger them they will not entertain the merchant; they will not let him rest in the village. And also if they are of an evil temper we will warn the merchant that they are thieves who will cut his throat and rob him. We will give him the protection of our numbers."
"If the merchant is fat--and when they attain wealth they always become fat--he will be happy with us, Raja, thinking perhaps that he will escape a gift of money the _patil_ would exact."
"Yes," Ajeet Singh answered, "we will ask him for nothing when he departs."
After a time Hunsa was seen approaching, and with him the grey-whiskered _patil_.
The latter was a commoner. He suggested a black-faced, grey-whiskered monkey of the jungles. Indeed the pair were an anthropoid couple, Hunsa the gorilla, and the headman an ape. Behind them straggled a dozen villagers, men armed with long ironwood sticks of combat.