Then Jane took up the tale.
'We had six casks of water when we landed at Bombay, and from there we distributed them all over our line of route, which we had carefully planned before we set out. One we have with us on this train, one has gone to Calcutta, one to Lucknow, one to Jeypore, and one to Mehernugger, and we've allowed ourselves one for the Delhi Durbar. We've calculated to such a nicety what we drink every day that we can't possibly run short.'
'Unless, of course, Providence intervenes, dear Jane,' said Martha.
'Or the casks leak,' I murmured.
Consternation wrote itself large on the face of each.
'Oh, Heaven forbid,' they chimed in chorus, and passed on to another subject, as if that were too awful a catastrophe to contemplate.
'And we need eat very little of the food of this country, for we've brought a large supply in tins,' said the third one, whom they called Anne.
'With, of course, plenty of condensed milk,' added Martha.
'In fact,' said Jane primly, 'you might say that we are absolutely self-provided, and we hope to eat as little as possible beyond what we have brought out from home, and of course, on no account shall we drink anything except from our own casks.'
'And, of course, we shall avoid all native fruit,' added Martha.
