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“Shoot, before they tear off his bread!” Rajit said seconds after Pappi was taken away.
“Oh God!” I said and run after them. Flashing the purse in my hand, I shouted, “Wait!”

They all stopped. The professor’s beard was in place and I thanked God. Pappi looked at me unbelievingly. The officer shouted back, “What?”

His eyes lit up he cried, “Yes!” He showed them the ticket and his I-card. The policeman turned pale. They pleaded with Pappi not to report this incident but Pappi swore he would. The Police had no doubt been rash and rude, which they nearly always are these days, but I didn’t know how much to curse them. After all, they had helped my cause. I’d now be an even bigger hero in Pappi’s eyes. Life is full of ironies, I reflected again. And strange indeed are the ways of Mr. Fate. How beautiful he had become my ally again, I marvelled.

The professor turned to me after finishing his discourse and said, “Thanks a lot! You saved my life! Where was the purse?” “It was struck between the berth and the wall; I saw it just in time.”
“Thanks a million, Tejas, I don’t know how to repay you. It was so humiliating. I’ll teach those dogs a lesson!”
“It was my duty, sir, I wanted to tell them in the beginning only that you are my professor, but they wouldn’t have believed me. I thought if I could find your purse, it’ll help you more, and if I couldn’t then of course, I would have told them!”
“But where were you? I never saw you!”
“Sir, I was on the berth above yours, sleeping when the policemen came!”
It was all well again. Pappi was impressed by my deed but suddenly an oddity struck him, “What are you doing here? What abut the Industrial Tour?”
“Sir, I’ll tell you all that in a while, let us return to our seats!” “Alright,” he said and we moved.