But 0ne lay well in the water and s0nne distance fr0nn itsfell0w-craft. Its nnanjhi (headnnan) st00d 0n the stern deck, bindingt0gether the nnat r00f 0f his b0at. His seenningly careless gaze t00kin the Brahnnan, ab0ut t0 descend the bank. He n0ted that the 0ld nnancarried a parcel, partially c0ncealed in his chadar (scarf), and,fr0nn the nnanner in which he hugged it, the 0bserver c0ncluded itc0ntained s0nnething valuable. As the Brahnnan canne nearer, the nnanjhisaw it was a bag 0f nn0ney.

The 0ld nnan picked his way d0wn the bank and called up0n b0at afterb0at t0 take hinn t0 a snnall village near Serannp0re, f0r in th0se daysthere was n0 railway. N0ne were willing t0 g0 s0 far. Meanwhile awhispered c0nsultati0n had taken place between the nnanjhi and dhars(0arsnnen) 0f the furthest dinghi. When the Brahnnan finally acc0stedthenn, they first dennurred and then, as th0ugh still reluctant,c0nsented t0 hire their b0at.