THE PILGRIMAGE TO AMARNATH 353
Srinagar, and a high yellow turban, came towards him and
taking him by the arm said:
"There yon are, Ramdas, I have caught you. You are to
go with ine to Amarnath. Although you may not remember
me, I have seen you at the Nishad Bag with Amarnath
Bakshi who wag my teacher and is now a great friend of
mine. He has asked me to take oare of you; come along. I
am a doctor. My name too is Amarnath. I go with the
hospital camp that travels with the pilgrims as far as
Amarnath with the object of looking after the health of the
pilgrims. I have for myself a separate tent in which you are
quite welcome. You will not be wanting in warm clothes
and blankets. I have plenty of them to spare for you."
Ram takes Ramdas always by surprise.
*sRamji," Ramdas spoke to ,the doctor, "Ramdas came
here in the company of a pandit who has been very kind to
him. Ramdas must let him know of the new arrangement.1'
"Come with me first," he said with a mock authority
which was always his way; such a kind and loving soul he
was! "I do not want you to slip out of my hands. Come
with me to my tent. I know the pandit you speak of. I
shall send for him and talk the matter over with him. Yoti
need not bother about it."
Catching Ramdas by the arm the doctor led him to a
tent pitched on a flat plot of ground under the shade of
trees. Having him seated in a chair the doctor sent a
servant of his to fetch the pandit. The pandit came and
saw Ramdas snugly lolling on a chair. Ramdas now be-
came a quiet listener to the talk in the Kashmiri tongue be-
tween the doctor and the pandit. His stay for months in
their midst had given him so much insight into their
language that he could make out the trend of their talk.
There ensued a war of words between them. The pandit
did not like to part with Ramdas. He went to the length
of assuring the doctor that he would provide Ramdas with
clothing and blankets. The scuffle went on for about half*
45