LearnwithBasanti Class 8 English Unit 6 Sec 1 The Boy Who Was Caught Explanation animated

The boy who was caught by Mukerji. When we were boys at school, we used, among other things, to discuss ghosts. Most of my fellow students asserted that they did not believe in ghosts. But was one of those who not only believed in their existence, but also in their power to do harm to human beings if they liked. Of course, was in the minority. As matter of fact, knew that all those who said that they did not believe in ghosts told lie. They believed in ghosts as much as did. Only they had not the courage to admit their weakness and differ boldly from the skeptics. Among the lot of unbelievers was one Ramlal, student of the fifth standard, who swore that he did not believe in ghosts. And further, that he would do anything to convince us that they did not exist. It was, therefore, at my suggestion, that he decided to go one moonlit night and hammer down wooden peg into the soft sandy soil of the deserted ground on the outskirts of the village. It being well known that the ghosts generally put on visible appearance at dark, deserted place on moonlit night. It was the warm month of April, and the river had shrunk into the size of nala or drain. The real pakka ghat, the bathing place built of bricks and lime, was about 200 yards from the water of the main stream with stretch of sand in between. The ghats were only used in the morning when people came to bathe, and in the evening, they were all deserted. After game of football on the school grounds, we sometimes used to come and sit on the pakka ghat for an hour and return home after nightfall. Now, it was the 23rd of April and bright moonlit night. Every one of us, there were about dozen, had told the people at home that there was function at the school and he might be late. On this night, it was arranged that the ghost test should take place. The boy who had challenged the ghost, Ramlal, was to join us at the pakka ghat at 8:00 p.m. and then, while we waited there, he would walk across the sand and drive the peg into the ground at the eerie place under the furthest tree. We were to supply the peg and the hammer. had to pay the school gardener two annas for the loan of peg and hammer. Well, we procured the peg and the hammer and proceeded to the pakka ghat. If the gardener had known what we required the peg and the hammer for, I'm sure he would not have lent these to us. Though was firm believer in ghosts, still did not expect that Ramlal would be caught. What hoped for was that he would not turn up at the trysting place. But, to my disappointment, Ramlal did turn up, and at the appointed hour, too. He came boasting, as usual, took the peg and the hammer, and started across the sand, saying that he would break the head of any ghost who might venture within the reach of the hammer head. Well, he went along, and we waited for his return at the Pakka Ghat. It was glorious night. The whole expanse of sand was shining in the bright moonlight. On and on went Ramlal, with the peg in his left hand and the hammer in his right. He was dressed in the usual upcountry Indian style, in long coat or achkan, which reached well below his knees, and fluttered in the breeze. As he went on, his pace slackened. When he had gone about half the distance, he stopped and looked back. We hoped he would return. He put down the hammer and the peg, sat down on the sand facing us, took off his shoes. Some sand had got into it. He took up the peg and hammer, and walked on. But then, we felt that his courage was oozing away. Another 50 yd and he stopped again, and looked back at us. Another 50 yards remained. Will he return? No. He again proceeded. But we could clearly see that his steps were less jaunty than when he had started. We knew that he was trembling. We knew that he would have blessed us to call him back. But we would not yield. Neither would he. Looking in our direction at every step, he proceeded and reached the ground. He reached the identical spot where the peg had to be hammered. There was very little breeze. Not mouse was stirring. Not soul was within 200 yards of him, and he could not expect much help from us. How poor Ramlal's heart must have palpitated. As we followed Ramlal with our eyes, how we felt that we should burst. Well, Ramlal knelt down, fixed the peg in the wet sandy soil, and began hammering. After each stroke, he looked at us and at the river and in all directions. He struck blow after blow, and we counted about 30. That his hands had become nerveless, we would understand. For otherwise, dozen strokes should have been enough to make the peg vanish in the soft sandy soil. The peg went in, and only about couple of inches remained visible above the surface. And then Ramlal thought of coming back. He was kneeling still. He tried to stand up, gave out shrill cry for help, and fell down face foremost. It must have been his cry for help that made us forget our fear of the ghost, and we all ran at top speed towards the ghat. It was rather difficult to run fast on the sand, but we managed it as well as we could, and stopped only when we were about half dozen yards from the unconscious form of Ramlal. There he lay senseless, as if gone to sleep. Our instinct told us that he was not dead. We thanked God, and each one of us sent up silent prayer. Then we cried for help, and boatman, who lived quarter of mile away, came to us. He took up Ramlal in his arms, and as he was doing it, drr went Ramlal's long coat. The unfortunate lad had hammered the skirt of his long coat along with the peg into the ground. We took Ramlal to his house, and explained to his mother that he had bad fall in the football field, and there we left him. The next morning at school, one student, who was neighbor of Ramlal, told us that the whole mischief had become known. Ramlal, it appears, got high fever immediately after we had left him. About midnight, he had become delirious, and in that condition had disclosed everything in connection with his adventure at the Ghat. In the evening, we went to see him. His parents were very angry with us. The whole story reached the ears of the school authorities, and we got what thought richly deserved for having allowed any mortal being to defy ghost. But what need not say. Ram Lal is now grown-up young man. He holds responsible government appointment, and meet him sometimes when he comes to tour in our part of the province. always ask him if he has seen ghost since we met last.