JUNGLE TAILORS, SERVANTS AND COURTS 
in hia very walk, every action and gesture, threaten- 
ing coolies, shaking his fist in the face of a supposed 
kangani. The guests, several neighbouring servants 
with their wives, even low-caste kanganis from the 
lines, were squatted all round the room, grinning from 
ear to ear and exclaiming, ‘‘ Good, good.” At last one 
dirty looking fellow exclaimed, ‘‘ Rather dry work this, 
can’t you let us see how master drinks, and see if we 
all can’t copy him I” The hint was immediately taken, 
and we had just time to step back into the shadow 
of a white trumpet-flower shrub that grew up to the 
very verandah post, as the “ boy ” threw open the 
door and disappeared into the back door of the 
bungalow. He did not require a light, for the site of 
the sideboard and all its contents were well known to 
him, he could find anything there in the dark, which 
was soon proved, for from our lurking-place we 
soon plainly perceived him return with a bottle of 
“Bass” in each hand. He gave the bottles and a 
corkscrew to one of the company, and said, Now you 
act the boy. I ’m master, you know,” saying which he 
seated himself at the table and commenced to eat 
supposed rice and curry out of the empty dishes and 
plates which were supposed to contain it. The door 
was shut, so we again approached and looked through 
a chink, in order to receive information as to how 
we ate our curry and rice. The supposed master in 
our very tone now called out, “ Boy, some beer;’' and the 
boy pro tern, uncorked a bottle and filled out a glass, 
which was polished off at a draught— followed up by 
“Boy, more beer.” As there was no response, the 
mimic master looked round, too late, for the mimic 
boy had the mouth of the bottle in his mouth and 
the bottom of the bottle up in the air. A rush and 
snatch was made, and there was every prospect of a 
general row, so thinking we had seeu enough we 
stepped into the bungalow verandah and shouted out, 
“ Boy, bring a light” — just as if we had newly arrived. 
Immediately all was quiet and darkness. After a 
great deal of noise and calling on our part the boy 
at last made his appearance, all wrapped up in a 
white cloth, rubbing his eyes as if he had just risen 
from^sleep, with the remark, “Beg pardon, sir, did not 
think master was coming to-night, and we were all 
asleep I” 
Now, in many of these kitchen festivities the 
boy had always an eye to the main chance, and so 
it happened that when the tailor requested payment 
of his little account for sitting up till the small hours 
of the morning, making garments for the boy, this 
functionary reminded him that he had received his 
board and lodging, including an occasional festivity of 
