it burst like a bomb.  Fortunately nobody was hurt.  There was, of course, a saucepan to heat some water in, but the cold water had got into the stove and extinguished it.”  It would be another half an hour before tea was ready, he added.  Mr. Anderson now realised that it was not the fault of the servants but the curse of the Indian Fakir.  So with a sad smile he ordered his motor car and thought that he and his wife had better try the Railway refreshment rooms.  When his chauffeur was going to start the engine Mr. Anderson expected that there would be a backfire and the chauffeur would have a dislocated wrist.  But there was no accident.  The engine started as smoothly as it had never done before.  Mr. and Mrs. Anderson went to the Railway refreshment rooms.  There they were informed that no tea was available.  A dead rat had been found under one of the tables in the first class refreshment room, and as plague cases had been reported earlier in the week, the station master had ordered the rooms to be closed till they had been thoroughly disinfected.  The whole staff of waiters with all the preserved meat and oilman’s stores had been sent by special train to the next station so that the railway passengers might not be inconvenienced.  The next station was eight miles off and there was no road for a motor car.

“I had expected as much” said Mr. Anderson bitterly, as he left the Railway Station.

“I would go to Captain Fraser and beg for some dinner.  He is the only man who has got a family here and will be able to accommodate us” said he to his wife, and so off they started for a five mile run to the Cantonments.  There was some trouble with the car on the way and they were detained for about an hour, and it was actually 8-30 in the evening when the Andersons reached Captain Fraser’s place.  Why, instead of going home from the Railway Station, Mr. Anderson went to Captain Fraser’s place he himself could not tell.

When the Andersons reached Captain Fraser’s place at half past eight in the evening, Mr. and Mrs. Fraser had not come back from the club.  But they were expected every minute.  It was in fact nine when the Captain and his wife turned up in a Hackney Carriage.  They were surprised to see the Andersons.  They had heard the story told by Atkins at the club.  Anderson gave them his version.  Of course, Captain Fraser asked them to stay to dinner.  He said “I am very sorry I am late, but it could not be helped.  When returning from the club my horse was alarmed at something.  The coachman lost control and there was a disaster.  But, thank God, nobody is seriously hurt.”

Their carriage had, however, been so badly damaged that they had to get a hackney carriage to bring them home.

In India, specially in June, they are not particular about the dress.  So Captain Fraser said they would sit down to dinner at once and, at a quarter after nine they all went in to dine.  The Khansama stared at the uninvited guests.  He knew that something had gone wrong with Anderson Saheb.