I04
THE WRECK
really can't guess how you produced Iuchis out in mid- river, but they're jolly good, anyway," and he gave a practical demonstration of the extent to which his appetite dominated his zeal for knowledge.
The truth was this : When the steamer grounded on the shoal Kamala had despatched Umesh to the nearest village to replenish her empty larder. She still had a few rupees left over from the pocket-money which Ramesh had given her when she went to school and these she spent on flour and ghi (clarified butter for frying). "What will you get for yourself?" she asked Umesh.
"Please, mother, I noticed some nice curds at a dairyman's in the village. We've plenty of plantains' in the cabin and if I could get a half-penny worth of ground-rice I could make myself a fine pudding,"
Kamala sympathised with the lad's sweet tooth. "Have you any money left, Umesh?" she asked.
"None at all, mother."
This was the crux, for Kamala shrank from proffer- ing a direct request for money to Ramesh. After a little reflection she proceeded: "Well, if you can't get your pudding to-day, there are the luchis, so you'll be all right. Come along now and help me with the dough."
"What about the curds, mother?" "Look here, Umesh, wait till your master is at sup- per and then tell him you need money for shopping."
Umesh appeared when Ramesh was half-way through his meal and waited, scratching his head diffidently. When Ramesh looked up at him, he murmured:
"About that money for marketing, mother."
Ramesh suddenly awoke to the consciousness that if a man will not pay neither can he eat and that he had no Aladdin's lamp at his command.
"Why, of course, you've no money, Kamala !"
Kamala tacitiy admitted her fault, and after supper
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