Next morning Baba arrived back and heard the full story. What K― had eaten had not been arrowroot but a poisonous root given to buffalos or other tough animals who are ill, in order to kill them off rapidly. Fortunately, the bite taken was small. It was true that there was also arrowroot growing on that same plateau, very similar to this root, which, to our untrained eye and lack of knowledge of the neighborhood, seemed identical.

Rarely do things go wrong if we remember to obey Baba. It is to avoid such dangers that Baba, knowing all, seeks to protect us. He would often repeat, "Take care of your health and do not run unnecessary risks, because if one of you were to get ill or die, it would interfere with my work and give me much extra trouble."

If, in spite of obeying, one still has to suffer then one knows it had to be. All is in Baba's hands. Obedience is the greatest help we can give to Baba, because there is always purpose and reason behind anything and everything Baba asks us to do. But note carefully that it must be and is an obedience which is the outcome of love.

On the road to Quetta, in Northern India, we had another adventure. We had reached Multan and our next stop was Loralai. The route lay across an open stretch of land near one of the mountain passes, well known for bandits. We heard the story of how a week previously a private car had been held up and its occupants robbed. This, however, was the only route, and we were a bus full of women! Baba, the day before, had sent the mandali in search of a boy to accompany us to Quetta and to stay with us to help; from those who were brought, Baba chose the son of a well-known bandit! The boy rode next to Baba with the driver, in front of the bus, and we reached Loralai without any untoward incident. The boy, not wishing to go further, was sent back. Baba works in divers ways!

We rarely went to places in the right season. Quetta, for instance, is perfect in the late spring or summer, with fruits and flowers in abundance. We went in the early spring, and froze along with the frost-nipped blossoms! Lahore and Delhi are delightful in the cooler seasons, but appalling in summer, with temperatures 104 to 105 degrees. Baba took us in mid-July! We just weren't meant to be comfortable.

It was at the railway station in Quetta that Elizabeth found one of her numerous dogs, "Foundy." Apparently the dog had last seen his owner there,