“Work without pay?” said I.

“Aye,” said they, “work without pay.  There is coal, for instance.  We understand that you Sikhs have proved yourselves adept at work with coal.  He who can labor in the bunkers of a ship can handle pick and shovel in the mines, and most of our miners have been called up.  Yet we need more coal than ever.”

So, sahib.  So they turned my boast against me.  And the men around me, who had heard me tell the tale about our willing labor on the ship, now eyed me furiously; although at the time they had enjoyed the boast and had added details of their own.  The Germans went away and left us to talk over this new suggestion among ourselves, and until afternoon I was kept busy speaking in my own defense.

“Who could have foreseen how they would use my words against us?” I demanded.  But they answered that any fool could have foreseen it, and that my business was to foresee in any case and to give them good advice.  I kept that saying in my heart, and turned it against them when the day came.

That afternoon the Germans returned, with knowing smiles that were meant to seem courteous, and with an air of confidence that was meant to appear considerate.  Doubtless a cat at meal-time believes men think him generous and unobtrusive.  They went to great trouble to prove themselves our wise counselors and disinterested friends.

“We have explained to you,” said they, “what hypocrites the British are,—­what dust they have thrown in your eyes for more than a century—­how they have grown rich at your expense, deliberately keeping India in ignorance and subjection, in poverty and vice, and divided against itself.  We have told you what German aims are on the other hand, and how successful our armies are on every front as the result of the consistence of those aims.  We have proved to you how half the world already takes our side—­how the Turks fight for us, how Persia begins to join the Turks, how Afghanistan already moves, and how India is in rebellion.  Now—­wouldn’t you like to join our side—­to throw the weight of Sikh honor and Sikh bravery into the scale with us?  That would be better fun than working in the mines,” said they.

“Are we offered that alternative?” I asked, but they did not answer that question.  They went away again and left us to our thoughts.

And we talked all the rest of that day and most of the next night, arriving at no decision.  When they asked me for an opinion, I said, “Ranjoor Singh told us this would be, and he gave us orders what to do.”  When they asked me ought they to obey him, I answered, “Nay, choose ye!  Who can make you obey against your wills?” And when they asked me would I abide by their decision, “Can the foot walk one way,” I answered, “while the body walks another?  Are we not one?” said I.

“Then,” said they, “you bid us consider this proposal to take part against our friends?”

“Nay,” said I, “I am a true man.  No man can make me fight against the British.”