the mansion is searched for swamis

No sooner had Volker and his family set out on elephant-back for the Gurunathan's cottage, than they began meeting others coming toward them. The first time this happened, the little leopard began laughing in a surprised and pleased way. First they saw Unca Krishnamoorthy zoom past so fast he did not even seem to notice them.



In the distance, some hippos were spotted, and this caused a burst of elephant conversation.



"Why are the elephants fed up about those hippos?" Elfi asked, but no one had an explanation for her.

Then there were a couple of police and some other official-looking representative of order striding purposefully toward them.



When a king went past, royal scepter in hand, the baby leopard began jumping up and down and pulling on the ears of the elephant he was riding as if the ears were reins, and insisting on something.



Suddenly the elephants turned and went romping back toward the mansion. Volker and Helga almost fell off, but some force held them on.

They saw the door was again open, but unlike last time, people and creatures were bustling in and out, some talking into walkie talkies, others into cell phones. The king was giving a speech, but everyone was too excited or busy to listen.

"No sign of Namechangeananda," one policeman was shouting importantly into his walkie talkie.

"But what of Blissananda? Is he hiding upstairs?" asked a reporter.

"And where is Treechopananda? Hiding behind the house? Let us see!" said another, which caused a mad rush of officials into the bushes.

"It is Krackaswami I am looking for," declared someone with an ear-grating American accent. "And I intend to bring him in. Got a warrant here. Messin' with people's minds and wallets, uh huh, that what it says." It was unclear where this person had appeared from, or who he worked for.

"I am on the trail of one Miracleananda!" said yet another investigator.

"Who sent you here?" asked the one who was scanning the horizon for Treechopananda.

"Ha ha, no one. I just read about him on wikipedia and thought: this stuff had got to be stopped! Why waste time editing when you can haul these people off to jail! Original research or not, I'd like to see all these guys behind bars! Ha ha ha!" He laughed as if this was just some glorious editing spree he was getting away with.

"And who are you looking for?" someone asked Volker.

"All these swamis you speak of, they are one and the same!"

"Oh no, not some guy who can't leave Advaita where it belongs," groaned one of the reporters.

"No no, it is true, they are all the very same person! And this is my house!"

Some people rolled their eyes, and for a few minutes there was even a bit of confusion about whether Volker was in fact one of the swamis they were looking for, trying to throw them off the scent by telling them that a whole pack of swindlers were really just one, and furthermore, that that one had left town. One of the little elephants tugged on Unca Krishnamoorthy's mane to get his attention, and Unca K came over and straightened out the confusion.

"This really is the home-owner," he said, with great authority. Everyone apologized to Volker.

"In that case," said a policeman, "please step right this way and open this safe for us."

Volker tried to oblige, but the safe was up to its tricks again. No matter how many times he tried the combination, it would not open. Helga had a few tries too, but she could not get it to open either.

From downstairs there was a roar of displeasure from Unca Krishnamoorthy.

Elfi and Heinrich race down, taking three steps at a go, not wanting to miss a moment of the excitement. Heavens, life had changed since they had gone off on their little skiing holiday!

"My new truck! Gone!" Unca K was lamenting.

Somehow, it had been stolen while everyone's attention was elsewhere.