prisoner I became a “gentleman” prisoner. The officer commenced a long panegyric of Sir Michael O’Dwyer. Sir Michael had nothing against me personally, he went on, only he apprehended a disturbance of the peace if I entered the Punjab and so on. In the end he requested me to return to Bombay of my own accord and agree not to cross the frontier of the Punjab. I replied that I could not possibly comply with the order, and that I was not prepared of my own accord to go back. Whereupon the officer, seeing no other course, told me that he would have to enforce the law against me. “But what do you want to do with me?” I asked him. He replied that he himself did not know, but was awaiting further orders. “For the present,” he said, “I am taking you to Bombay.”
We reached Surat. Here I was made over to the charge of another police officer. “You are now free,” the officer told me when we had reached Bombay. “It would however be better,” he added, “if you get down near the Marine Lines where I shall get the train stopped for you. At Colaba there is likely to be a big crowd.” I told him that I would be glad to follow his wish. He was pleased and thanked me for it. Accordingly I alighted at the Marine Lines. The carriage of a friend just happened to be passing by. It took me and left me at Revashankar Jhaveri’s place. The friend told me that the news of my arrest had incensed the people and roused them to a pitch of mad frenzy. “An outbreak is apprehended every minute near Pydhuni, the Magistrate and the police have already arrived there,” he added.
Scarcely had I reached my destination, when Umar Sobani and Anasuyabehn arrived and asked me to motor to Pydhuni at once. “The people have become impatient, and are very much excited,” they said, “we cannot pacify them. Your presence alone can do it.”
I got into the car. Near Pydhuni I saw that a huge crowd had gathered. On seeing me the people went mad with joy. A procession was