"'He'll never do that as long as he is free,' she exclaimed, and went off."...
"You'll come out soon and see us again," Vansie said to Gilbert the following morning before he left, "and bring your brother with you. Father will give you both some good shooting in the jungle."
"Certainly I will," said Gilbert, with a sense of pleasure at having found a place which was so homelike.
A week later, Superintendent Jenkins came into Frank's bungalow in a very irate state of mind.
"There," he said, throwing down a letter, "that's all the reward a man gets for doing his duty. The Commissioner declares we must be shilly-shallying with the natives, and he will himself come down and see whether he can't catch this Hari Rām."
"Let him; he'll soon find out his mistake," said Frank. "I was up with Gilbert at Macgregor's the day before yesterday, and he says it will be tremendous work to nab him. He's protected by all the natives, and can pass from one village to the other without fear of being betrayed."
"Well, that remains to be proved," said Jenkins. "At all events the Commissioner is coming in full force with a whole army of police."
"Ah! well, you must put the best face on it you can," said Frank. "If Hari Rām is caught it will be a good thing for the country. My opinion is that he's hovering somewhere about here. Let who will catch him, I'm glad it's not my business. I much prefer the prospect of a shooting party with Macgregor next week. He is really a nice fellow. Came over and asked Gilbert and me to go there. Of course we have accepted."
"I can understand it is preferable. Hunting Dacoits is not in your line of business," said Jenkins, and with that they parted.