34 APRIL 



very anxious to restore him to his mother, but 

 began to fear that he must have been murdered, 

 and that there would be very little chance of ever 

 hearing anything of him again. As a last resource I 

 said to his father : 



" Can he have gone to Dumraon, do you think, 

 where you all came from, and where an expedition 

 has just gone to see the eclipse ? " 



His father thought it not possible a child of 

 ten ! who had never travelled alone, to make a 

 journey of 400 miles ; but if my honour ordered it, 

 he would send a letter to the head of his family 

 there. 



"No," I said, "send a telegram; here is the 

 money." The answer came. 



"Yes! Billy Doo was there; also with much 

 money." 



Instantly his father said, " I will fetch him," and 

 he went. In eight days, as we sat at lunch, there 

 was suddenly a crowd in the doorway; silently 

 standing, waiting for permission to advance. There 

 was the uncle, and the father, and all the other 

 servants ; and they brought forward an abject little 

 wretch ; miserable, whimpering, tattered and torn. 



