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CHAPTER XXXI

"HALLO!" cried Ramesh, "where are you off to, Umesh ?"

"I'm going with mother."

Ramesh. "But I took a ticket for you as far as Benares and this is only Ghazipur. We're not going to Benares."

Umesh, "Neither am I."

Ramesh had not anticipated that Umesh would be

a permanent addition to their household but he was amazed at the boy's calm assurance.

"Are we going to take Umesh with us then?" he asked Kamala.

"He has nowhere else to go."

Ramesh. "He has some relation or other in Benares."

Kamala. "He wants to come with us instead. Now remember you're in a strange place, Umesh, and keep

close to Uncle or we'll lose you in the crowd."

It was evident that Kamala had taken sole command and assumed entire responsibility for the destination and constitution of the party. The phase in which she had meekly accepted Remesh's dictates had come to an abrupt close. Umesh accompanied them accordingly without further discussion, carrying a little bundle of clothes under his arm.

Uncle lived in a small bungalow between the city and the European quarter. In front of the house was a stone-built well and behind it a mango-orchard. The compound was separated from the road by a low wall, and between the wall and the house was a small kitchen-

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