The Adventures of Kathlyn
Page 185"Did he tell you what it was he helped bury yonder?"
"No, holy one. He was an honorable man. Whatever the secret was, it
passed with him. We were not curious."
"It was the private treasure of the king of Allaha, and the man was the
king himself."
The fisherman salaamed.
"And I am sent, because I am holy, to recover this treasure, which was
willed to the temple of Juggernaut."
"And, holy one, I know not where it is hidden!"
"I do. What I want is the use of your sloop and men I can trust. To
you, as much gold as your hands can hold."
"I will furnish you with men as honest as myself."
The word of a holy man is never subjected to scrutiny in India.
Umballa was in good humor. Here he was, several hours ahead of his
enemies. He would have the filigree basket dug up and transferred to
the sloop before the Colonel Sahib could reach the village. And
Umballa would have succeeded but for the fact that the wind fell
unaccountably and they lost more than an hour in handling the sloop
with oars.
When the sloop left the primitive landing the chief returned to his hut
and told his wife what had taken place, like the good husband he was.
They would be rich.
Suddenly the child set up a wailing. Through the window she had seen a
chief at once summoned his remaining men, and they proceeded to set a
trap for the prowler. The cat had already killed one bullock and
injured another. They knew that the beast would not return for some
hours, having gorged itself upon the kid. But it was well to be
prepared.
Toward noon the other treasure seekers drew up within a quarter of a
mile behind the village. The men-folk thought it advisable to
reconnoiter before entering the village. One never could tell. Winnie
declared her intention of snoozing while they waited, and curled up in
her rugs. Kathlyn, however, could not resist the longing to look upon
the sea again. She could see the lovely blue water through the spaces
for home, home!
She went farther from the camp than she really intended, and came
unexpectedly upon the leopard which stood guarding its cubs while they
growled and tore at the dead kid. Kathlyn realized that she was
unarmed, and that the leopard was between her and the camp. She could
see the roofs of the village below her; so toward the huts she ran.
The leopard stood still for a while, eying her doubtfully, then made up
its mind to give chase. She had tasted blood, but had not eaten.