[A TROOP OF BOYS enter]
AMAL. Say, brothers, where are you all off to? Stop here a
little.
BOYS. We're off to play.
AMAL. What will you play at, brothers?
BOYS. We'll play at being ploughmen.
FIRST BOY [Showing a stick] This is our ploughshare.
SECOND BOY. We two are the pair of oxen.
AMAL. And you're going to play the whole day?
BOYS. Yes, all day long.
AMAL. And you'll come back home in the evening by the road along
the river bank?
BOYS. Yes.
AMAL. Do you pass our house on your way home?
BOYS. You come out to play with us, yes do.
AMAL. Doctor won't let me out.
BOYS. Doctor! Suppose the likes of you mind the doctor. Let's
be off; it is getting late.
AMAL. Don't. Why not play on the road near this window? I
could watch you then.
THIRD BOY. What can we play at here?
AMAL. With all these toys of mine lying about. Here you are,
have them. I can't play alone. They are getting dirty and are
of no use to me.
BOYS. How jolly! What fine toys! Look, here's a ship. There's
old mother Jatai; say, chaps, ain't he a gorgeous sepoy? And
you'll let us have them all? You don't really mind?
AMAL. No, not a bit; have them by all means.
BOYS. You don't want them back?
AMAL. Oh, no, I shan't want them.
BOYS. Say, won't you get a scolding for this?
AMAL. No one will scold me. But will you play with them in
front of our door for a while every morning? I'll get you new
ones when these are old.
BOYS. Oh, yes, we will. Say, chaps, put these sepoys into a
line. We'll play at war; where can we get a musket? Oh, look
here, this bit of reed will do nicely. Say, but you're off to
sleep already.
AMAL. I'm afraid I'm sleepy. I don't know, I feel like it at
times. I have been sitting a long while and I'm tired; my back
aches.
BOYS. It's only early noon now. How is it you're sleepy? Listen!
The gong's sounding the first watch.
AMAL. Yes, dong, dong, dong, it tolls me to sleep.
BOYS. We had better go then. We'll come in again to-morrow morning.
AMAL. I want to ask you something before you go. You are always
out--do you know of the King's postmen?
BOYS. Yes, quite well.
AMAL. Who are they? Tell me their names.
BOYS. One's Badal, another's Sarat. There's so many of them.
AMAL. Do you think they will know me if there's a letter for me?
BOYS. Surely, if your name's on the letter they will find you out.
AMAL. When you call in to-morrow morning, will you bring one of
them along so that he'll know me?
BOYS. Yes, if you like.