She turned a laughing face upon him.
"Oh, no, that was different. You deceived yourself. Would you have me
go about setting everybody straight?"
"Not at all. All I ask is that you will set me straight."
"Indeed!" cried Hope, "but that is asking a good deal."
CHAPTER XX.
IN OLD BOMBAY.
"I never expected it to look like this," remarked Faith in a
dissatisfied tone, as they entered the carriage for their first
explorations in Bombay, a day or so later.
She spoke to the air, perhaps, but her father answered the comment.
"Isn't it fine enough to please you, daughter?" as he took his seat
opposite the two girls in a handsome victoria, that would not have
disgraced the most aristocratic drive in London.
"Fine enough? It's too fine!" put in Hope with emphasis. "It's as
Englishy as Portsmouth itself, so far. We expected to see coolies, and
palanquins, and bungalows, and cobras, and--"
"Well, you need not hanker long after the last-named," laughed her
father, "for there is a snake-charmer this minute, and I don't doubt he
has a fine collection about him somewhere."
"In his boots, perhaps," suggested Faith slily, as they all turned to
gaze at the dark-skinned fellow in dingy white turban and loin-cloth,
who squatted on the sidewalk before one of those high modern buildings
which had excited Faith's comment, a long pipe at his lips and a basket
at his side, from which peeped an ugly flat head with darting tongue.
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