SHAHJAHANPUR-JAMMU 327
foot, but my only wish is that you should give me the
pleasure of your company for at least a fortnight more," he
appealed.
Ramdas was obdurate. Jialal redoubled his watch.
Janakinath set him on to it so that Ramdas might not give
them the slip unawares. However, in two or three days, a
Kashmiri pandit, who was to return to Srinagar on short
leave with his family, volunteered of his own accord to
take Ramdas with him. Ramdas agreed to accompany him.
They were to start the following day,—the previous even-
ing he had left Janakinath's house when he was not at home,
and gone to stay with the new friend who was to be his escort
to Srinagar. In the night Janakinath put in an appearance
at this friend's house. He tried his utmost to detain
Ramdas for some days more, but all to no effect.
"Look here, Swamiji," he at last said, "you are going to
a cool place like Srinagar leaving me in this cauldron of
boiling heat. Why can you not take me also with you? If
you would not do so now, at least after reaching Srinagar
you can manage to draw me up to that place."
Meantime, a vacancy in the Srinagar office for which he
was qualified had occurred, and Janakinath had applied for
it and was awaiting the result with keen anxiety.