KASARAGOD 427
down from the verandah, his knee striking hard on the
floor of the yard. He was fretting and grumbling over the
accident. Ramdas consoled him. It must be related in this
connection that Mark Sanjivrao was an early sleeper. He
would therefore insist upon all the members in the ashram
to go to bed early. So by ten o'clock all retired to sleep. It
might have been about eleven o'clock when a loud grunting
noise proceeded from the direction of Dwarkadas which
awakened the sleepers. Mark Sanjivrao was the first to cry
out. Rubbing his eyes he lifted up his head from the pillow
and inqnired what the row was about. Ramanath Kini f rom
outside enlightened him with the information that
Dwarkadas was the cause of the disturbance. Now Ramdas
drawing the attention of Dwarkadas asked him what
the matter was. He replied:
"I just now remembered ray dead father and as a result
•of it could not help weeping over his separation." Sanjivrao
assured him that he would meet him some day and every-
thing would be all right and that lie might for the present
sleep the matter off. For a time there was a lull and
Sanjivrao and others entered again into the depths of sleep*
Not many minutes had passed before a piercing yell startled
Sanjivrao and others. This time Sanjivrao shot out of bed
and going up to the dimly-burning lantern, turned up its
light, and, arming himself with it, directly made for the
place where Dwarkadas was sleeping. All the time he was
muttering: "Let us lay the ghost once for all. The devil
is at its tricks again. We shall find out what the matter
with him is." He held the lantern before Dwarkadas1
face and allowing its full glare to fall upon him: "What is
wrong with you?" he bellowed. The reply came: "I want
to attend the first call of nature/1
"Why don't yon?" anxiously asked Sanjivrao.
By this time Ramdas was also standing beside Sanjivrao.
"Look here, have you no eyes to see? My knee-joint
has swollen and I cannot walk," he replied pointing to his
54*