Then Ismail wanted to tie Yasmini’s abandoned horse to the tail of the dog-cart, but Dick sent him off to stable it somewhere at the other side of town to help throw trackers off the scent.  He himself drove home by a very wide circuit indeed, threading his cautious way among the hills toward the gold-diggings, where he drove back and forward several times around the edges of the dump, in order that the saises might see the red dirt on the wheels afterward and believe, and tell where he had been.

There was some risk that a panther, or even a tiger might try for the horse in the dark, but that was not the kind of danger that disturbed Dick Blaine much.  A pistol at point-blank range is as good as a rifle most nights of the week.  He arrived home after daylight with a very weary horse, and ordered the saises to wash the wheels at once, in order that the color of the dirt might be impressed on them thoroughly.  They were quite sure he had been at the mine all night.  Then he paid off Chamu and the cook and sent them packing.

He was looking for the beggars, to pay them, when Tom Tripe’s dog arrived and began hunting high and low for Tess.  Trotters had something in his mouth, wrapped in cloth and then again in leather.  He refused to give it to Dick, defying threats and persuasion both.  Dick offered him food, but the dog had apparently eaten—­water, but he would not drink.

Then the three beggars came, and watched Dick’s efforts with the interest of spectators at a play.

“Messenge!” said Bimbu finally, nodding at the dog.  That much was pretty obvious.

“Princess!” he added, seeing Dick was still puzzled.  It flashed across Dick’s mind that on the dresser in the bedroom was Tess’s hat that Yasmini had worn.  Doubtless to a dog’s keen nose it smelt of both of them.  He ran to fetch it, the dog followed him, eager to get into the house.  He offered the hat to the dog, who sniffed it and yelped eagerly.

“Bang goes fifty dollars, then!” he laughed.

He took the hat to Bimbu.

“Can you ride a camel?” he demanded.

The man nodded.  “Another would drive it.”

“Do you know where to get one?”

Bimbu nodded again.

“Take this hat, so that the dog will follow you, and ride by camel to the home of Utirupa Singh.  Here is money for the camel.  If you overtake the princess there will be a fabulous reward.  If you get there soon after she does there will be a good reward.  If you take too long on the way there will be nothing for you but a beating!  Go—­hurry—­get a move on!  And don’t you lose the dog!”

Chapter Twelve