HIMALAYAS-VASISHTASHRAM 267
Now began an ascent on the hills. Here again his speed
was as fast as ever. He was running up like a squirrel.
After covering some height he halted and looked back.
The two friends were still about forty or fifty yards
behind, tearing along in hot pursuit. They waved their
hands and hallooed him to stop. They came up to him
gasping for breath, and peering at him with a curious
twinkle in their eyes said:
"You are not an ordinary fellow. You well-nigh
knocked the wind out of us. No good to have yon in front.
Henceforth you shall follow us." At this, Ramdas could
not resist laughing, in which they heartily joined. So he
had to go behind them. The gallop was now reduced to a
trot, and when close to their back he would jump like an
India-rubber ball. The play of! shakti in him was
irresistible.
At about one o'clock in the afternoon, the party reached
the summit of a high mountain where there was a long
narrow hut, peopled by cultivators and their cattle. The
sun was hot and so the friends proposed to have some rest
at this place. In a small outer hut Ramdas was asked to
sit on some hay which was spread on the floor. The friends
•went inside the large hut and prepared, from the provisions
supplied by the hospitable dwellers of the hut, 'meals
consisting of rice, vegetable curry and curds. When things
were ready he was asked to join them, and he had a
refreshing dinner. It was the fare of the gods of which he
partook there, so simple, clean and delicious. Altogether,
after an hour's rest, he continued the journey with the two
friends again. Now the path was through brambles, heaps
of dry leaves and a network of trees and creepers. It was a
gradual descent and at about six o'clock the trio sighted
the river-bank again. One of them said: "We are now very
near to the Vasishta cave."
"Where? Where?" cried Ramdas in irrepressible glee.
They came on the bank. "There," pointed the finger
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