Expert detectives

Nishad, a boy of sever (also called Seven because his name means the severth note on the musical scale) and his ten-year-old sister Maya are verų curious about one Mr Nath. Then one day the children's marble rolls into Mr Nath's room, and Nishad gets a chance to see him. Is he a crook on the run? Why is his face badly scarred? Why has he no friends? Nishad's mother, a doctor, knows Mr Nath as a patient, who is very polite. Expert Detectives s we walked back towards the clinic ASeven said, "He doesn't look anything like a monster, Maya. But did you see how thin he is? Maybe he's very poor and can't afford to eat." "He can't be poor if he's a crook on the run," I told him. "He's probably got millions of rupees stashed away somewhere in that room." "Do you really think he's a criminal, Maya? He doesn't look like one." Nishad looked doubtful. "Of course he's one, Seven," I said, "and he certainly isn't ştarving. Mr Mehta told us that Ramesh brings his meals up from the restaurant downstairs. But Maya, Mr Mehta told us he doesn't work anywhere, so how can he possibly have money to pay for food?" Nishad said. "Exactly!" I exclaimed. "He must have lots of money hidden somewhere, maybe in that trunk in his room. It's probably full of silver and gold and jewels and..." "What rubbish," Nishad interrupted. "I know I'm right, stupid," I told him. "By the way, Seven, did you see his scars? I couldn't, it was too dark, but I bet he got them during a shoot- out with the police or something." "Mummy told us quite clearly they were born scares nishad Seth farmily Perhaps the police had to set his house a fre to force him out," I suggested. Seven looked unsure. On the Monday following Mamma's birthday, Seven went alone with her to the clinic at Girgaum as I was spending the evening with a schoolfriend. When they returned, Nishad told me he'd been to see Mr Nath and I felt most annoyed that I hadn't been there. Seven had been quite upset about Mr Nath's gaunt appearance and was sure that he was starving. He told me that he had knocked loudly on Mr Nath's door that evening and said, "Open the door quickly, Mr Nath." The man had opened it and asked him, "Lost another marble?" He had obviously recognised my brother. "No." said Nishad. He had taken the man's hand in his own, and thrust a bar of chocolate into it. "Did you get a chance to peek into the trunk, Seven?" I asked. Nishad looked disappointed. "He didn't even ask me in," he said. Then he smiled. "But I did find out something, Maya. I went down to the restaurant where Ramesh works and talked to him." "Good for you, Mr Detective," I said, patting him on the back. "I hope you questioned him properly." Seven looked pleased. "Ramesh told me that he takes two meals for Mr Nath every morning and evening, and two cups of tea, one in themorning and one in the afternoon. Ramesh. he's not very particular about what he eats, always the same food and a vegetable. Mr Nath pays cash and tips well "Ramesh told me something very strange, Maya Seven added. "Almost every Sunday, he carries two lunches to Mr Nath's room and the same man jk with him each time. He's tall, fair, stout and wears spectacles. Ramesh says his visitor talks a lot, unlike Mr Nath who hardly speaks." "Well done, Nishad." I told him. "Now that we've made some progress with our inquiries, we'll have to sort out all the facts like expert detectives so that we can trap the crook." "How you do go on, Maya," Seven sighed. "How can you possibly imagine he's a crook? He looks so ordinary!" "Criminals can look quite ordinary, smarty," I retorted. "Did you see the picture of the Hyderabadi housebreaker in the papers yesterday? He looked like any man on the street." Nishad looked doubtful. The monsoons broke the next day. Dark clouds accompanied by blinding flashes of lightning and roaring rolls of thunder burst with all their fury, flooding the streets with a heavy downpour. School was to have reopened after the summer holidays, but no traffic could move through the flooded roads and there was an unexpected holiday. I thought I'd spend the time usefully. I sat at my desk in our bedroom with a sheet of paper before me. says two chapattis, some del