CHAPTER EIGHTEEN:
A MEER CELEBRATION
The following day, Panther the leader of the gang that had stolen and that were still keeping one of the seven sacred ceramic bowls with the golden lids, returned from an unusually important errand around Midday. He was very exhausted when he entered the chapel’s vicinity, his panama off his head. From the look of things, he was believed to have run a fruitless errand. He was accompanied by Willow. Willow was six feet tall. He was very strong and considered to be the most experienced among the gangsters. They crossed over the first bridge, a short one, and halted before a couple of those mounting guard. They dismounted their horses each and sat on the slab of rock which served them as seats. Panther put his panama back and yawned noisily while Willow
