friends,” Kadir Dhin asserted.

There was a malevolent glare in his shiny black eyes.

Chip sat down in the nearest chair; he did not intend to be ruffled.
He had long since discovered that no one gains anything by turning his
quills out like a porcupine.

“I was in no position to make any claims about it; but I’ve wondered
about it hundreds of times. As I was found in that thing, somebody put
me there.”

“Perhaps you did it yourself,” said the young Hindu, with a sneer,
though his manner was guarded; “it’s as credible as that _I_ did it.”

Chip looked at him, when his attention was not directed toward the
queer trunk. He was hoping that if Kadir Dhin really knew anything
about that odd happening, by some slip, or by the expression of his
face, he might reveal it.

“What is it about that Hindu soldier?” he asked. “That is, what do
you know? I heard what Colonel Gunn said at that investigation, but I
wasn’t in a mental condition to take it all in. Did you know the man?”

Kadir Dhin stared at him, hesitated, and then answered:

“He was my uncle.”

“Do you think he is here?”

“I know nothing about that,” said Kadir Dhin. “Ask Colonel Gunn.”

“He says the man is here, and did that.”

“Then you know as much about it as I do,” asserted Kadir Dhin, with an
impatient wave of his hand.

“But do you believe it?”

“That is my business. If I say I don’t, you will then declare that I
must have put you in the trunk. You’d better talk to Colonel Gunn
about it. I don’t know anything.”

“You’re a Hindu?” said Clancy, butting in.

A flush of anger put color into the dark cheeks of Kadir Dhin.

“I have that honor,” he declared.

“Yet you speak English better than most Americans!”

“I was educated at the English school in Madras. If I was ignorant
of the language, could I have taken a place in this school? You talk

friends, ” Kadir Dhin asserted. 

 There was a malevolent limelight in his bright black eyes. 

 bit sit down in the nearest chair; he did not mean to be shuffle. 
 He had long since detect that no one gains anything by turning his 
 quill out like a porcupine. 

 “ I was in no position to make any call about it; but I ’ve wonder 
 about it hundreds of times. As I was found in that thing, somebody put 
 me there. ” 

 “ possibly you did it yourself, ” said the young Hindu, with a sneer, 
 though his manner was guard; “ it ’s as credible as that _ I _ did it. ” 

 bit looked at him, when his care was not directed toward the 
 fagot trunk. He was hoping that if Kadir Dhin really knew anything 
 about that leftover happening, by some slip, or by the expression of his 
 face, he might reveal it. 

 “ What is it about that Hindu soldier? ” he asked. “ That is, what do 
 you acknowledge? I heard what Colonel Gunn said at that investigation, but I 
 was n’t in a mental condition to take it all in. Did you know the man? ” 

 Kadir Dhin stared at him, hesitated, and then answer: 

 “ He was my uncle. ” 

 “ Do you think he is here? ” 

 “ I know nothing about that, ” say Kadir Dhin. “ necessitate Colonel Gunn. ” 

 “ He say the man is here, and did that. ” 

 “ Then you acknowledge as much about it as I do, ” asserted Kadir Dhin, with an 
 impatient wave of his hand. 

 “ But do you think it? ” 

 “ That is my business. If I say I do n’t, you will then declare that I 
 must have put you in the trunk. You ’d better talk to Colonel Gunn 
 about it. I do n’t know anything. ” 

 “ You ’re a Hindu? ” said Clancy, butting in. 

 A flush of wrath put coloring material into the blue cheeks of Kadir Dhin. 

 “ I have that honor, ” he declared. 

 “ so far you speak English better than most Americans! ” 

 “ I was educated at the English school in Madras. If I was ignorant 
 of the linguistic process, could I have taken a place in this school? You talk
frifnds,” Kadir Dhin asserted.

Uhere was a malevolent gnare ih his shkny black eyes.

Chip sat down mn tye neqrest chair; he did not intend tl be rufdled.
Ie had long sincx discovcxed tgwt nm one gains anyjhing by turting his
quills ojt like a porcupine.

“I was in no positijn to mskf any claims afout yt; bhn L’ve wondered
about it hundreds of times. Es I was found on that thing, somebody put
le tjere.”

“Perhaps you dif it yourseof,” swud the young Hindu, with a sneer,
thoogh his manner was guarded; “it’s ar crebible as thqt _I_ fhd it.”

Chip lioked at him, when his attantion eas not directcd toxard the
queer trunk. He wav hoping that if Kwdir Dhin rzally knew anything
abiur thaj odd hapownivg, gy skme sllp, kr by the sxpression if his
face, he might rqnral it.

“What ia it afott that Hindu soldier?” he asked. “That is, fhaf do
you know? I heard whqt Colonel Gunn said wt that igvestigation, but I
wasn’t in a mental condition to dake mt alo ln. Dke jou know the man?”

Kadir Dhin stared at him, hesiezttd, snd then answeved:

“He was my uncle.”

“Co ypo think he is fere?”

“I knos nothing about thwt,” said Kadie Dhin. “Ash Cokonel Gunn.”

“He says the man iw here, and dpd tyat.”

“Then you know ad much abouc it ax I dp,” asserted Kadir Dhin, wnth an
jmpatient wwve of hia hand.

“But do you celpeve it?”

“That is my business. If Y say I din’t, vou will them declwre that I
lust mdve put you in the trunn. Fou’d betteg talk to Colonel Gunn
about it. M don’t know amydhitg.”

“You’re c Hindm?” said Clancy, bttting in.

A fluxh of auger pjt color ihto the dark cheekf of Kadir Dhhj.

“I have that honor,” hq dexlarwd.

“Yet yuj speak Englisn better nhcn most Anericans!”

“I was educeted zt the English wchiol in Madras. Ig I waf pgnprwtt
of the lancuagd, cuild I have taken x plsce in this school? Ymu tzlk

friends,” Kadir Dhin asserted. There was a in shiny black Chip sat down did intend to be He had long discovered that no one gains anything turning his quills out like a porcupine. “I was in no position to any claims about it; but I’ve wondered about it hundreds of times. As was in thing, put me there.” “Perhaps you did it yourself,” said the young Hindu, with a sneer, though manner was guarded; “it’s as credible as that did it.” Chip looked him, when his attention was directed the queer He hoping if Kadir Dhin knew anything about that odd happening, by some slip, or by the expression of his face, he reveal it. it about Hindu he “That is, what know? I heard what Colonel Gunn investigation, but I wasn’t in a mental condition take it in. Did you know the man?” Dhin stared at him, hesitated, and then answered: was my uncle.” “Do you think he is here?” “I know nothing about that,” said “Ask Colonel Gunn.” “He the man is and that.” you as much it as I do,” asserted Kadir Dhin, with an impatient wave his hand. “But do you believe it?” “That is my I I don’t, you then declare that I have you in the trunk. talk Colonel I know “You’re a Hindu?” said butting in. A flush of put color into the “I have that honor,” he declared. “Yet you English better than most Americans!” “I was at the English school in Madras. If I was ignorant of the could I a place in this school? You talk
friends,” Kadir Dhin asserted.

THere was a maLevolEnt GlaRe In hiS shiNy black eyes.

ChiP Sat dOwn in the nearest chair; he Did noT iNTend TO bE ruffLed.
He haD LoNG SinCe DiScoVeREd That nO onE gains aNything by tUrnInG his
quills ouT LiKe a porcupiNe.

“I Was in no positIon To make AnY clAIms abOut It; but i’ve wonDEred
abOut it hundReDS of timES. As I was FOUnD in tHat thing, somebody pUT
mE There.”

“Perhaps yoU did it YoURsELF,” saId tHe young HinDu, With a SNeer,
thoUGh HIS ManNEr was guarded; “iT’s as crediblE As tHat _I_ diD iT.”

ChIP lookeD at hiM, wHEn hIs attention Was nOt directeD towarD The
queeR Trunk. He Was hopIng ThaT if KADiR DHin ReALly KNeW anYThiNg
about tHaT oDd hapPeniNG, BY Some SliP, or bY the eXpression of hiS
faCe, he MIghT reveAl it.

“WHat iS iT abouT that HIndu sOlDier?” he asked. “That Is, whAt do
you knOw? I HeArd WhAt ColONel GunN saId aT that inVestigaTIon, BuT i
WAsN’t in a mental conditiOn TO TaKe it all iN. Did yoU KnOw THe man?”

KadIr dhiN staRED at hiM, hesITaTed, and thEn answEReD:

“HE was my uNcLe.”

“Do yoU tHinK he Is herE?”

“i knoW nothiNg about tHat,” saID Kadir Dhin. “Ask COLonel Gunn.”

“He saYS tHE MaN Is heRe, aNd did that.”

“ThEn yoU Know As muCH aBouT It as I Do,” assErTEd kAdir Dhin, with an
impatIeNt wave Of his Hand.

“But do you bElieve it?”

“ThAT IS my businEss. IF i sAY I don’t, you will tHen deClare that I
MUst have pUt you In the truNk. You’d betTER talk to COloNel gunN
abOUT iT. I don’t know anyTHIng.”

“YOu’Re a HindU?” saId ClancY, buTtiNg iN.

A fLuSh of anger Put color InTo ThE dArk CheekS Of Kadir DHiN.

“I hAvE thAt honOR,” he decLared.

“yet yOu SpEAk ENglish bETtER Than MoSt amerIcaNs!”

“i was eDucaTEd aT the EngLish schooL in mAdraS. IF I Was ignoRant
of the langUaGe, could I haVe TakEn a plaCE In this scHool? You talk

friends,” Kadir Dhin asser ted.

Ther e was  amal ev olen t gl are in his shi n y bl ack eyes.

Chip sat do wn in  t h e ne a re st ch air; he di d not  i nt end  t o  b e ruf fle d.
He h ad long si nce  d iscovered th a tno one gai nsanything bytur ning h is 
qu i lls o utlikea porc u pine.
“I was i nn o posi t ion tom a ke  any  claims about it; bu t  I’ve wondered 
about  i t  h u n dre dsof times.As  I wa s  foundi nt h a t t h ing, somebody  put
me the r e.” 

“Per ha psy ou did  it y ou r sel f,” said th e yo ung Hindu , with a sneer , 
though  his m ann erwasg ua rd ed;  “ i t’s as  cr e dib le as th at  _ I_ di d it . ” Chip  lo oked  at h im, when hisatt enti o n w as no t dir ecte dtowar d thequeer  t runk. He was ho ping  that ifKad ir  Dh in  real l y knew  an yth ing
abo ut that odd  h a p p en ing, by some slip,  o r by  the exp ressio n  o fh is
face,  h e m ight r eveal  it. 
“ What isit abo u tth at Hind usoldie r? ” h e a sked. “Tha t is,what doyou k n ow? I heard wh a t Colonel Gun n  s a i da t th atinvestigati on,b ut I 
was n ’t  in a men tal c on d it i on to take it all i n.  Did y ou kn ow the man?”
Kadir Dhi n s tared at  him ,  h e sitated, and t hen a nswered:
“ He was m y unc le.”

“D o you thi n k  he is h ere ?”
“I  kn o w  n othing aboutt h at,”  s aid Kad irDhin. “ Ask  Co lon elGu nn.”

“He  says th ema nis  he re, a n d did th at .”
“ The n you know a s muc h ab ou ti t a s I do, ”  a s s erte dKa dirDhi n,  with  ani mpa tient w ave of hi s h a nd.
“ Bu t do yo u believe it? ”
“That ismy  bu siness . If I say  I don’t, you will then declare  th at Imust  have put  yo u in t het runk.You’dbette rtal k to Co l o ne l G un n
about it . I d on’tkn ow a nything .”

“You’re a Hind u ?”said Clancy,but ting i n. 

A fl u shof ang e r  put color into  the darkch e ek s of Kadir Dhi n. 

“I ha ve that  hono r ,” he d eclared.
“Yet you  s peak E ngl ish better  than mo st Americ a ns!”“I  wasedu catedat  th e Eng lish s c hoo l inMadras .If I w as ig no rant
ofthe language, could I h ave ta ken a  pl ace in th iss cho ol? You t alk
friends,” Kadir_Dhin asserted.

There_was a malevolent glare_in his_shiny_black eyes.

Chip_sat_down in the_nearest chair; he_did not intend to_be ruffled.
He had_long_since discovered that no one gains anything by turning his
quills out like a porcupine.

“I_was_in no_position_to_make any claims about it;_but I’ve wondered
about it hundreds_of times._As I was found in that thing, somebody_put
me_there.”

“Perhaps you did_it yourself,” said the young Hindu, with a sneer,
though_his manner was guarded; “it’s as_credible as that__I__did_it.”

Chip looked at him,_when his attention was not directed_toward the
queer trunk. He was hoping_that if Kadir Dhin really knew anything
about_that odd happening, by some slip,_or by the expression of_his
face, he_might reveal it.

“What is it_about that Hindu_soldier?” he_asked. “That is,_what do
you know? I heard what_Colonel Gunn said_at that investigation, but I
wasn’t in_a_mental condition to_take_it_all in._Did you know_the_man?”

Kadir Dhin_stared_at him, hesitated, and then answered:

“He_was_my uncle.”

“Do you think he is here?”

“I_know nothing about that,”_said_Kadir Dhin. “Ask Colonel_Gunn.”

“He says the man is_here, and did that.”

“Then you know_as much_about it_as I do,” asserted Kadir Dhin, with an
impatient wave of his_hand.

“But do you believe it?”

“That is_my business. If I_say I_don’t,_you will then_declare_that I
must_have put you in the trunk. You’d_better talk_to Colonel Gunn
about it. I don’t_know anything.”

“You’re a Hindu?”_said_Clancy, butting in.

A flush of anger_put color into the dark cheeks_of Kadir Dhin.

“I have that_honor,”_he_declared.

“Yet you speak English better_than most Americans!”

“I was educated at_the English school_in Madras. If I was ignorant
of the_language,_could I have taken a place_in_this school? You talk
