V TROUBLES WITH THE WORKMEN 57 
day, as they were afraid of trouble at the quarry. 
At this I began to think that there was some- 
thing in the story I had heard overnight, but I 
laughingly assured him there would be no trouble 
and continued on my way. On my arrival at the 
quarry, everything seemed perfectly peaceful. 
All the men were working away busily, but after a 
moment or two I noticed stealthy side glances, and 
felt that there was something in the wind. As soon 
as I came up to the first gang of workmen, the 
jemadar, a treacherous-looking villain, informed me 
that the men working further up the ravine had 
refused to obey his orders, and asked me if I would 
go and see them. I felt at once that this was a 
device to lure me into the narrow part of the ravine, 
where, with gangs in front of me and behind me, 
there would be no escape ; still I thought I would 
see the adventure through, whatever came of it, so 
I accompanied the jemadar up the gully. When 
we got to the further gang, he went so far as to 
point out the two men who, he said, had refused to 
do what he told them—lI suppose he thought that 
as I was never to leave the place alive, it did not 
matter whom he complained of. I noted their 
names in my pocket-book in my usual manner, and 
turned to retrace my steps. Immediately a yell of 
rage was raised by the whole body of some sixty 
men, answered by a similar shout from those | had 
