The train is not crowded and we would prefer to be alone. We are traveling a long distance and are tired."
"Why, is this compartment reserved?" he asked.
"No, it is not," Eruch replied. "But we prefer to spread out, and you will be equally comfortable in another compartment."
The man became arrogant and rude, and began arguing loudly, refusing to move.
Baba signaled, "Stop arguing with him. Just observe silence, talk with each other through signs and laugh uproariously. If he asks you anything, ignore him."
Gustadji, who was under orders not to converse in sign language while traveling, to avoid attracting attention, was now freed of this longstanding restriction, and he plunged into animated "conversation." Baidul and Eruch were familiar with his signs, and they also began using them and laughing loudly.
The politician looked puzzled and asked Eruch, "Where are you going?" Eruch looked at him and turned away without replying. He asked Baidul, and he too turned his face. "Where do you live?" the man questioned; but no one paid any attention to him and they kept up their sign language among themselves.
At the next stop, probably thinking he was in the midst of a bunch of lunatics, the man rose to leave the compartment, and summoned a coolie to remove his luggage.
Baba gestured to Eruch to shake his hand, thank him and help him out. So Eruch got up and helped the man down with his trunks and bid him farewell with a "Thank you."
They settled back to resume their journey in privacy, and Baba remarked, "Serves him right!"
Returning to Baroda, Baba stayed at the dak bungalow. As instructed, Babadas arrived the next day, 30 October, with Ali Shah. Baba worked with him for four days, sitting with him twice a day for several hours. On Sunday, 2 November 1947, Ali Shah was sent back to Meherabad. Baba left Baroda that same day and arrived in Palghar. After several days of searching, Baba could not find any masts there and so left on the 5th, returning to Bombay that night.
Adi Sr. had been informed to meet them and drive them to Poona, but he was misinformed about their train's arrival and went to see a movie. By the time Eruch found him, Baba was so upset he practically "wanted to beat me," Adi wrote in his diary.
They left immediately for Poona and reached at 2:00 A.M. They slept at Baba House and went to Bindra House the next morning, where Dr. Ghani and his son Hamid met Baba.