arrangement；　rigged　with　a　scandalous　amount　of　talking；　but
  perfectly　equal　to　the　work　in　hand。　　It　was　Peroo　who　had　saved
  the　girder　of　Number　Seven　pier　from　destruction　when　the　new
  wire…rope　jammed　in　the　eye　of　the　crane；　and　the　huge　plate
  tilted　in　its　slings；　threatening　to　slide　out　sideways。　　Then
  the　native　workmen　lost　their　heads　with　great　shoutings；　and
  Hitchcock's　right　arm　was　broken　by　a　falling　T…plate；　and　he
  buttoned　it　up　in　his　coat　and　swooned；　and　came　to　and　directed
  for　four　hours　till　Peroo；　from　the　top　of　the　crane；　reported
  〃All's　well；〃　and　the　plate　swung　home。　　There　was　no　one　like
  Peroo；　serang；　to　lash；　and　guy；　and　hold；　to　control　the
  donkey…engines；　to　hoist　a　fallen　locomotive　craftily　out　of　the
  borrow…pit　into　which　it　had　tumbled；　to　strip；　and　dive；　if　need
  be；　to　see　how　the　concrete　blocks　round　the　piers　stood　the
  scouring　of　Mother　Gunga；　or　to　adventure　upstream　on　a　monsoon
  night　and　report　on　the　state　of　the　embankment…facings。　　He
  would　interrupt　the　field…councils　of　Findlayson　and　Hitchcock
  without　fear；　till　his　wonderful　English；　or　his　still　more
  wonderful　linguafranca；　half　Portuguese　and　half　Malay；　ran　out
  and　he　was　forced　to　take　string　and　show　the　knots　that　he　would
  recommend。　　He　controlled　his　own　gang　of　tackle　men　…　mysterious
  relatives　from　Kutch　Mandvi　gathered　month　by　month　and　tried　to
  the　uttermost。　　No　consideration　of　family　or　kin　allowed
  Peroo　to　keep　weak　hands　or　a　giddy　head　on　the　pay…roll。
  〃My　honour　is　the　honour　of　this　bridge；〃　he　would　say　to　the
  about…to…be…dismissed。　　〃What　do　I　care　for　your　honour？
  Go　and　work　on　a　steamer。　　That　is　all　you　are　fit　for。〃
  The　little　cluster　of　huts　where　he　and　his　gang　lived　centred
  round　the　tattered　dwelling　of　a　sea…priest　…　one　who　had　never
  set　foot　on　black　water；　but　had　been　chosen　as　ghostly
  counsellor　by　two　generations　of　sea…rovers　all　unaffected　by
  port　missions　or　those　creeds　which　are　thrust　upon　sailors　by
  agencies　along　Thames　bank。　　The　priest　of　the　Lascars　had
  nothing　to　do　with　their　caste；　or　indeed　with　anything　at　all。
  He　ate　the　offerings　of　his　church；　and　slept　and　smoked；　and
  slept　again；　〃for；〃　said　Peroo；　who　had　haled　him　a　thousand
  miles　inland；　〃he　is　a　very　holy　man。　　He　never　cares　what　you
  eat　so　long　as　you　do　not　eat　beef；　and　that　is　good；　because　on
  land　we　worship　Shiva；　we　Kharvas；　but　at　sea　on　the　Kumpani's
  boats　we　attend　strictly　to　the　orders　of　the　Burra　Malum
  ＇the　first　mate＇；　and　on　this　bridge　we　observe　what　Finlinson
  Sahib　says。〃
  Finlinson　Sahib　had　that　day　given　orders　to　clear　the
  scaffolding　from　the　guard…tower　on　the　right　bank；　and　Peroo
  with　his　mates　was　casting　loose　and　lowering　down　the　bamboo
  poles　and　planks　as　swiftly　as　ever　they　had　whipped　the　cargo
  out　of　a　coaster。
  From　his　trolley　he　could　hear　the　whistle　of　the　serang's　silver
  pipe　and　the　creek　and　clatter　of　the　pulleys。　　Peroo　was
  standing　on　the　top…most　coping　of　the　tower；　clad　in　the　blue
  dungaree　of　his　abandoned　service；　and　as　Findlayson　motioned　to
  him　to　be　careful；　for　his　was　no　life　to　throw　away；　he　gripped
  the　last　pole；　and；　shading　his　eyes　ship…fashion；　answered　with
  the　long…drawn　wail　of　the　fo'c'sle　lookout：　　〃Ham　dekhta　hai〃
  （〃I　am　looking　out〃）。
  Findlayson　laughed　and　then　sighed。　　It　was　years　since　he　had
  seen　a　steamer；　and　he　was　sick　for　home。　　As　his　trolley　passed
  under　the　tower；　Peroo　descended　by　a　rope；　ape…fashion；　and
  cried：　〃It　looks　well　now；　Sahib。　　Our　bridge　is　all　but　done。
  What　think　you　Mother　Gunga　will　say　when　the　rail　runs　over？〃
  〃She　has　said　little　so　far。　　It　was　never　Mother　Gunga　that
  delayed　us。〃
  〃There　is　always　time　for　her；　and　none　the　less　there　has　been
  delay。　　Has　the　Sahib　forgotten　last　autumn's　flood；　when　the
  stone…boats　were　sunk　without　warning　…　or　only　a　half…day's
  warning？〃
  〃Yes；　but　nothing　save　a　big　flood　could　hurt　us　now。　　The　spurs
  are　holding　well　on　the　West　Bank。〃
  〃Mother　Gunga　eats　great　allowances。　　There　is　always　room　for
  more　stone　on　the　revetments。　　I　tell　this　to　the　Chota　Sahib〃　…
  he　meant　Hitchcock　…　〃and　he　laughs。〃
  〃No　matter；　Peroo。　　Another　year　thou　wilt　be　able　to　build　a
  bridge　in　thine　own　fashion。〃
  The　Lascar　grinned。　　〃Then　it　will　not　be　in　this　way　…　with
  stonework　sunk　under　water；　as　the　Qyetta　was　sunk。　　I　like
  sus…sus…pen…sheen　bridges　that　fly　from　bank　to　bank。　　with　one
  big　step；　like　a　gang…plank。　　Then　no　water　can　hurt。　　When　does
  the　Lord　Sahib　come　to　open　the　bridge？〃
  〃In　three　months；　when　the　weather　is　cooler。〃
  〃Ho！　ho！　　He　is　like　the　Burra　Malum。　　He　sleeps　below　while　the
  work　is　being　done。　　Then　he　comes　upon　the　quarter…deck　and
  touches　with　his　finger；　and　says：　'This　is　not　clean！　　Dam
  jibboonwallah！'〃
  〃But　the　Lord　Sahib　does　not　call　me　a　dam　jibboonwallah；　Peroo。〃
  〃No；　Sahib；　but　he　does　not　come　on　deck　till　the　work　is　all
  finished。　　Even　the　Burra　Malum　of　the　Nerbudda　said　once　at
  Tuticorin　…〃
  〃Bah！　　Go！　　I　am　busy。〃
  〃I；　also！〃　said　Peroo；　with　an　unshaken　countenance。　　〃May　I　take
  the　light　dinghy　now　and　row　along　the　spurs？〃
  〃To　hold　them　with　thy　hands？　　They　are；　I　think；　sufficiently　heavy。〃
  〃Nay；　Sahib。　　It　is　thus。　　At　sea；　on　the　Black　Water；　we　have
  room　to　be　blown　up　and　down　without　care。　　Here　we　have　no　room
  at　all。　　Look　you；　we　have　put　the　river　into　a　dock；　and　run　her
  between　stone　sills。〃
  Findlayson　smiled　at　the　〃we。〃
  〃We　have　bitted　and　bridled　her。　　She　is　not　like　the　sea；　that
  can　beat　against　a　soft　beach。　　She　is　Mother　Gunga　…　in　irons。〃
  His　voice　fell　a　little。
  〃Peroo；　thou　hast　been　up　and　down　the　world　more　even　than　I。
  Speak　true　talk；　now。　　How　much　dost　thou　in　thy　heart　believe　of
  Mother　Gunga？〃
  〃All　that　our　priest　says。　　London　is　London；　Sahib。　　Sydney　is
  Sydney；　and　Port　Darwin　is　Port　Darwin。　　Also　Mother　Gunga　is
  Mother　Gunga；　and　when　I　come　back　to　her　banks　I　know　this　and
  worship。　　In　London　I　did　poojah　to　the　big　temple　by　the　river
  for　the　sake　of　the　God　within。　。　。　。　　Yes；　I　will　not　take　the
  cushions　in　the　dinghy。〃
  Findlayson　mounted　his　horse　and　trotted　to　the　shed　of　a
  bungalow　that　he　shared　with　his　assistant。　　The　place　had　become
  home　to　him　in　the　last　three　years。　　He　had　grilled　in　the　heat；
  sweated　in　the　rains；　and　shivered　with　fever　under　the　rude
  thatch　roof；　the　lime…wash　beside　the　door　was　covered　with　rough
  drawings　and　formulae；　and　the　sentry…path　trodden　in　the　matting
  of　the　verandah　showed　where　he　had　walked　alone。　　There　is　no
  eight…hour　limit　to　an　engineer's　work；　and　the　evening　meal　with
  Hitchcock　was　eaten　booted　and　spurred：　over　their　cigars　they
  listened　to　the　hum　of　the　village　as　the　gangs　came　up　from　the
  river…bed　and　the　lights　began　to　twinkle。
  〃Peroo　has　gone　up　the　spurs　in　your　dinghy。　　He's　taken　a　couple
  of　nephews　with　him；　and　he's　lolling　in　the　stern　like　a
  commodore；〃　said　Hitchcock。
  〃That's　all　right。　　He's　got　something　on　his　mind。　　You'd　think
  that　ten　years　in　the　British　India　boats　would　have　knocked　most
  of　his　religion　out　of　him。〃
  〃So　it　has；〃　said　Hitchcock；　chuckling。　　〃I　overheard　him　the
  other　day　in　the　middle　of　a　most　atheistical　talk　with　that　fat
  old　guru　of　theirs。　　Peroo　denied　the　efficacy　of　prayer；　and
  wanted　the　guru　to　go　to　sea　and　watch　a　gale　out　with　him；　and
  see　if　he　could　stop　a　monsoon。〃
  〃All　the　same；　if　you　carried　off　his　guru　he'd　leave　us　like　a
  shot。　　He　was　yarning　away　to　me　about　praying　to　the　dome　of　St。
  Paul's　when　he　was　in　London。〃
  〃He　told　me　that　the　first　time　he　went　into　the　engine…room　of　a
  steamer；　when　he　was　a　boy；　he　prayed　to　the　low…pressure
  cylinder。〃
  〃Not　half　a　bad　thing　to　pray　to；　either。　　He's　propitiating　his
  own　Gods　now；　and　he　wants　to　know　what　Mother　Gunga　will　think
  of　a　bridge　being　run　across　her。　　Who's　there？〃　　A　shadow　darkened
  the　doorway；　and　a　telegram　was　put　into　Hitchcock's　hand。
  〃She　ought　to　be　pretty　well　used　to　it　by　this　time。　　Only　a
  tar。　It　ought　to　be　Ralli's　answer　about　the　new　rivets。　。　。　。
  Great　Heavens！〃　　Hitchcock　jumped　to　his　feet。
  〃What　is　it？〃　said　the　senior；　and　took　the　form。　　〃that's　what
  Mother　Gunga　thinks；　is　it；〃　he　said；　reading。　　〃Keep　cool；
  young　'un。　　We've　got　all　our　work　cut　out　for　us。　　Let's　see。
  Muir　wired　half　an　hour　ago：　'Floods　on　the　Ramgunga。　　Look　out。'
  Well；　that　gives　us　…　one；　two　…　nine　and　a　half　for　the　flood　to
  reach　Melipur　Ghaut　and　seven's　sixteen　and　a　half　to　Lataoli　…
  say　fifteen　hours　before　it　comes　down　to　us。〃
  〃Curse　that　hill…fed　sewer　of　a　Ramgunga！　　Findlayson；　this　is　two
  months　before　anything　could　have　been　expected；　and　the　left　bank
  is　littered　up　with　stuff　still。　　Two　full　months　before　the　time！〃
  〃That's　why　it