Now--wouldn't you like to join our side--to throw the weight of Sikh honor and Sikh bravery into the scale with us?
That would be better fun than working in the mines," said they.
"Are we offered that alternative ?" I asked, but they did not answer that question.

They went away again and left us to our thoughts.
And we talked all the rest of that day and most of the next night, arriving at no decision.

When they asked me for an opinion, I said, "Ranjoor Singh told us this would be, and he gave us orders what to do." When they asked me ought they to obey him, I answered, "Nay, choose ye! Who can make you obey against your wills ?" And when they asked me would I abide by their decision, "Can the foot walk one way," I answered, "while the body walks another?
Are we not one ?" said I.
"Then," said they, "you bid us consider this proposal to take part against our friends ?" "Nay," said I, "I am a true man.

No man can make me fight against the British." They thought on that for a while, and then surrounded me again, Gooja Singh being spokesman for them all.

"Then you counsel us," said he, "to choose the hard labor in the coal mines ?" "Nay," said I."I counsel nothing." "But what other course is there ?" said he.
"There is Ranjoor Singh," said I.
"But he desired to lead us against the British," said he.
"Nay," said I."Who said so ?" Gooja Singh answered: "He, Ranjoor Singh himself, said so." "Nay," said I."I heard what he said.