"'Hastings--Lieutenant Hastings,' I said. 'And yours?'
"'Sivajee Punt!' he said.
"This was bad. I had fallen into the hands of the most troublesome,
most ruthless, and most famous of the Dacoit leaders. Over and
over again he had been hotly chased, but had always managed to get
away; and when I last heard anything of what was going on four or
five troops of native police were scouring the country after him.
He gave an order which I did not understand, and a wretched Bombay
writer, I suppose a clerk of some moneylender, was dragged forward.
Sivajee Punt spoke to him for some time, and the fellow then told
me in English that I was to write at once to the officer commanding
the troops, telling him that I was in his hands, and should be put
to death directly he was attacked.
"'Ask him,' I said, 'if he will take any sum of money to let me
go?'
"Sivajee shook his head very decidedly.
"A piece of paper was put before me, and a pen and ink, and I
wrote as I had been ordered, adding however, in French, that I had
brought myself into my present position by my own folly, and would
take my chance, for I well knew the importance which government
attached to Sivajee's capture. I read out loud all that I had written
in English, and the interpreter translated it.
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