Is all that clear to you ?" "Yes, sahib." Mahommed Gunga went through considerable pantomime of being angry with a fly.

He found it necessary to conceal emotion in some way or other.

Alwa sat motionless and stared straight back at Cunningham.
"I understand, sahib," he repeated.
"You are talking to me, then, on that understanding ?" "Most certainly, huzoor." "You can raise two thousand men ?" "Perhaps." "Say fifteen hundred ?" "Surely fifteen hundred.

Not a sabre less." "All horsed and armed ?" "Surely, bahadur.

Of what use would be a rabble?
I was speaking in terms of men able to fight, as one soldier to another." "Will you raise those men ?" "Of a truth, I must, sahib!" Alwa laughed.