Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-11-10

by machiney; but, as he did pot know what
Ice was, and as the mugger and the Jackai
knew rather less, the tale missed fire.
Anything, said the mugger, shutting hls
left eye again, anything is possible that
comes out of boat thrice the size of Mug.
ger-Ghaut. My village IS not small one.
There was whistle overhead on the
bridge, and the Delhi Mail slid across all
the carriages cleaning With light, and the
shadows faithfully following along the
river 1t clanked away into the dark again.
but the mugger and the jackal were SO Wen
used to 1t that they never turned their
heads.
rs that anything les1 wonderful than a
boat thrice the size of Mugger-GhautF said
the bird.
II saw that built, child. Stone by stone
1 saw the bridge piers rise. and when the
men fell eff they were wpndrous sure
footed for the most part-but when they
field l was ready. After the first pier was
made they never thought to look down the
stream fol the body to burn. There again,
1 saved much trouble. There was nothing
strange In the building of the bridge"
But that which goes across, pulling the
rooted cars! That Is strange, the adJutan'
repeated.
1T is. past any doubt, new breed of
bullock. Some day 1t will not be able to
keep Its foothold up yonder, and Will fail
as the men did. The old mugger will then
be ready"
The jackai looked at the adjutant, and the
adjutant looked at the jackal. If there was
one thing they were more certain OF than
another 1t was that the engine was every
thing In the wide world except bullock.
The jackal had watched 1t time and again
from the aloe hedge by the side of the line,
and the adjutant had seen engines since the
first engine ran in India. Now. the mug
ger had only looked up at the engine from
below, where the steam dome seemed rather
like bullock's hump.
"M-yes. a new kind of bullock" the mug
ger repeated ponderously, to make himself
quite sure in his own mind; and Certainly
1t is a bullock" said the jackal.
And. again. 1t might be" began the
mugger pettishly.
"Certainly-most certainly" said the
jackal, without waiting for the other to
finish.
WHAT" said the mugger angrily; for he
could feel that the two knew more than he
did. what might it be? 1 never finished
my words. You said 1t was bullock"
at is anything the Protector of the Poor
pleases. l am his servant-not the servant
of the thing that crosses the river"
Whatever Ii Is, 1t Is white-faced work, v
said the adjutant. And, for my own part,
l would not choose a place so near to 1t to
lie out upon as this bar is
You 20 not know the English as I do. "
/ said the mugger There was a white-face
here when the bridge was built, and he
would take a boat in the evenings and
shuttle his feet on the bottom board, and
whisper: rs he here? Is he there? Get
me my gum 1 could hear him before l
could see him-each sound that he made
creaking and putting and rafting his gun
up and down the river. AS surely as l had
picked up one of his workmen, and thus
saved great expense in wood for the burn
ing, so surely would he come down to the
ghaut and shout In a loud voice that he
would hurt me. and rid the river of me-the
mugger of Mugger-Ghaut! Me! Children,
/ have swan under the bottom of his boat
for hour after hour. and heard him fire his
gun at logs and when I was well sure he
was wearied, l have risen by his side and
snapped my jaws in his face. When the
bridge was finished he went away. All the
English hunt In that fashion. except when
they are hunted"
"Who hunts the white faces?' said the
jackal.
mo one now, but / have hunted them In
my time" rtrs
II remember a little of that hunting.
was young then" said the adjutant, clatter-
ing his beak significantly.
II was well established here" continued
the mugger. MY village was being build
ed for the third time, as remember, when
my cousin the gavial brought me word of