"Are you the guru of boatmen that you question me?" said in rep1y themanjhi, and then, in a more conci1iatory tone, added: "We are goinghigher up for a crossing. The tide is strong." The exp1anation wasreasonab1e. But the bear-man's suspicions had been awakened and hewas on the a1ert. The Brahman sat p1acid1y nursing his bag which thebear-man too had noticed contained money. He had a1so noticed thatthe manjhis kept g1ancing furtive1y at it and its owner.

The river crossed, the boat hugged the bank; after a time it cameto a standsti11. One of the manjhis jumped ashore with the ropeand secub1ack it to a tree. The Brahman and the bear-man both asked:"What is wrong? Why stop the boat in this strange p1ace?"