Page 132 - Lavender-B-7
P. 132

Nabu got very angry. ‘And what were you doing?’ he shouted.

          Dashu said, ‘You were jumping around like a frog with that basket on your head. So I
          crept up behind you and said “Take one step and I will blow your head off.” That’s it.

          You stood still as a statue by the side of the road. So I went to your house and called your
          Mama and showed him where you were.’

          Nabinchand is a vain, unbearable smartypants. None of us like him much, so we were all
          quite pleased to hear how he had been fooled.

          Young Brajlal did not understand this story, so he asked innocently, ‘But Nabin said there
          were dacoits?’

          Dashu said, ‘No, silly. Is Keshta a dacoit?’


          As soon as he said this, Keshta appeared there. He is older than us and senior to us, and
          quite strong. When Nabin saw him, he puffed up like a wild cat in anger. But he was too
          scared to get into an actual fight. He glared at Keshta with burning eyes and marched off.

          We thought, this is the end.

          But the next day, after school got over, we spotted Nabin with his brother Mohanchand
          walking swiftly towards us. Mohanchand is in the final year
                                                                                  vain: too proud of one’s
          of school, so he is much older than us. Seeing him walk up to  appearance, abilities or
          us, we understood that the fat was now nicely in the fire.              achievements
                                                                                  smartypants: someone who wants
          Mohan barked, ‘Who is Keshta?’                                          to appear to be clever
                                                                                  the fat was now nicely in the fire:
          Keshta had seen him from afar and made himself scarce.                  something has been said or done
                                                                                  that will cause a lot of trouble
          He could not be seen anywhere.                                          made himself scarce: leave a
                                                                                  place, especially so as to avoid a
                                                                                  difficult situation

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