He ran back to the boat, and asked the Brahman to change his seat to the stern and be ready to steer off when he gave him a signal.  He took up a position in the prow and fondled his bear.

Within a few minutes a party of men appeared coming towards the dinghi.  Some were boatmen; all were dacoits.

The actor loosed the bear’s chain, saying:  “Go! go! hug the life out of all of them!”

The sagacious animal responded to his master’s order with a fierce charge right among the approaching band of robbers.  With startled cries they fled in all directions.  Quite sure they were effectively scattered, the bear-man called his animal back, secured its chain once more, and pushed from the shore.

With some difficulty he and the old Brahman navigated themselves back to Calcutta and informed the police authorities there.  The police took possession of the dinghi which on inspection proved to be a dacoit’s nest well-equipped with instruments fitted for murder and robbery.  But none of this gang of river dacoits were captured.

The lives of the Brahman and the showman were certainly saved by the wonderful intelligence of the latter’s bear.

Raghu Dacoit

Madhub Babu, a Calcutta gentleman, owned much property in that city and was known far and wide on account of his great wealth.  To do him honour, the City Fathers had named a tank after him.

At that time there flourished a notorious dacoit, Raghu, for whose capture Government had offered a handsome reward.  But like Robin Hood of old, Raghu Dacoit had caught popular fancy by his generosity to the poor.  Though he looted the rich, to the needy, the famine-stricken and widows he was always kind.  No one would inform against him.

Madhub Babu had a fine country house in Chandernagore, where he frequently entertained his friends.  On one of these occasions, the latest doings of Raghu Dacoit were being discussed.  The Babu remarked confidently:  “He dare not visit me.  He knows my house is well guarded.”

One of the guests quickly rejoined:  “Oh, don’t say that.  Raghu Dacoit is a dangerous and clever man,”

A few days after, Madhub Babu received a letter from the famous outlaw saying that he would be pleased to visit the rich man’s country house.  Madhub Babu was amazed at the audacity of the fellow, and wondered how his remark had reached the robber’s ears.

He immediately sent information to Calcutta and asked for a strong body of police to be sent at his expense.  They arrived, and his country residence was extra well guarded for some time.  But nothing happened!  Madhub Babu concluded that the letter had been a hoax.  So the police guard was withdrawn.