Nick nodded understandingly.
Reading by the light of a lamp on a table in the room sat the Hindoo
snake charmer himself, clad in a rich, loose robe of Oriental fashion.
He arose with much deliberation and dignity when the detectives entered,
and gravely bowed in greeting, while his interpreter hastened to place
chairs for the visitors.
Through the interpreter Nick quickly explained his business, and saw a
look of surprise appear on the face of Pandu Singe when inquiries were
made about the loss of a snake.
It took Nick but a short time to learn what he desired. Precisely as he
expected, the Hindoo had missed one of his snakes about ten days before,
one of the most venomous and dangerous of the lot.
Hearing no reports or complaints about the missing reptile, however,
Pandu Singe had come to the conclusion that the snake had died in the
den and then been devoured by one of his companions in captivity. So the
Hindoo had let the matter drop, and had said nothing about it.
Nick did not disclose the true occasion for his inquiries, but invented
a satisfactory explanation, and at the end of a quarter of an hour the
two detectives departed and entered their waiting carriage.
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