"
They opened the caskets, which were of considerable size. As they
examined the contents, exclamations of surprise broke from them. Each
contained some thirty or forty little parcels, done up in paper; and
on these being opened, they were found to contain trinkets and jewels
of all kinds. Some were very costly and valuable. All were handsome.
It was evident that every one of the ladies who had been in the room,
when the tiger burst in, had contributed a token of her gratitude.
Many of the more valuable gems had been evidently taken from their
settings, as if the donors did not care that jewels they had worn
should be exposed to view. One parcel contained twenty superb pearls,
another a magnificent diamond and ten rubies, and so on, down to the
more humble gifts--although these were valuable--of those of lower
rank.
Dick's presents were much more costly than those of his companion, and
as soon as this was seen to be the case, Dick proposed that they
should all be put together, and divided equally. This, however,
Surajah would not hear of.
"The whole thing is due to you," he said. "It would never have
occurred to me to interfere at all. I had no part in the matter,
beyond aiding to kill a wounded tiger, and it was no more than I have
done, many times, among our hills, and thought nothing of.
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