As long as
all goes well, I shall keep the main roads, but if there is a
breakdown, or an unforeseen accident occurs, I may have to leave the
road and take to bypaths."
"The cost of such horses would be about eighty rupees each; the
saddles and bridles another fifteen or twenty."
"Then here are two hundred rupees, Pertaub."
"Have you given up all hope of finding your father, Sahib? I have felt
so sure that you would be successful. It seemed to me that such brave
efforts could not go unrewarded."
"No, Pertaub, I have not given it up, at all. I intend to stay at
Tripataly for a fortnight, with my mother, and shall then come up the
ghauts again.
"That is another matter I want to speak to you about. Of course, we
should not dare to return to Seringapatam, and I think that we had
better settle to go to Bangalore. Could you forward our packs, with
the merchandise, to someone in that town?"
"There will be no difficulty in that, Sahib. There are many Hindoo
merchants there, who have been forced to change their religion, and
who have frequent dealings with traders here. One of my friends will,
I am sure, forward your goods with the next consignment that he sends
to Bangalore.
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