stream.  In the evening the march was resumed; the party crossed the river by a ford at Pulta Ghat, and following the road on the other bank came at sundown to the outskirts of the French settlement at Chandernagore.  There they camped for the night.  Desmond was for some time tormented by the doleful yells of packs of jackals roaming abroad in search of food.  Their cries so much resembled those of human beings in dire agony that he shivered on his mattress; but falling asleep at length, he slept soundly and woke with the dawn.

He started again soon after sunrise.  Just beyond Chandernagore Bulger pointed out the stripped spars of the Good Intent, lying far up a narrow creek.

“Wouldn’t I just like to cut her out?” said Bulger.  “But ’spose we can’t stop for that, sir?”

“Certainly not.  And you’d have the French about our ears.”

Passing the Dutch settlement at Chinsura, he came into a country of rice fields, now bare, broken by numerous nullahs worn by the torrents in the rainy season, but now nearly dry.  Here and there the party had to ford a jhil—­an extensive shallow lake formed by the rains.  Desmond tried a shot or two at the flights of teal that floated on these ponds; but they were so wild that he could never approach within range.  Towards evening, after passing the little village of Amboa, they came to a grove of peepuls filled with green parrots and monkeys screaming and jabbering as though engaged in a competition.  A few miles farther on they arrived at the larger village of Khulna, where they tied up for the night.

Next morning Desmond was wakened by Surendra Nath.

“Sahib,” he said, “the bibi and the chota bibi are here.”

“Mrs. Merriman?”

“Yes.  They arrived last night by boat, and are pursuing their journey today.”

“I should like to see them before they go.  But I’m afraid I am hardly presentable.”

“Believe me, sahib, you will not offend the bibi’s punctilio.”

“Well, send one of the peons to say that I shall have the pleasure of waiting on Mrs. Merriman in half an hour, if she will permit me.”

Having shaved and bathed, and donned a change of clothes, Desmond set off accompanied by Surendra Nath to visit the ladies.  He found them on a long shallow boat, in a cabin constructed of laths and mats filling one end of the light craft.  The Babu made the introduction, then effaced himself.

A lady, whose voice seemed to waken an echo in Desmond’s memory, said: 

“How do you do, Mr. Burke?  I have heard of you in my husband’s letters.  Is the dear man well?”

“He is in good health, ma’am, but somewhat anxious to have you back again.”

“Dear man!  What is he anxious about?  Mr. Watts seemed anxious also to get rid of us.  He was vexed that Mrs. Watts is too much indisposed to accompany us.  And Mr. Warren Hastings, who was to escort us, was quite angry because he had to go to one of the out-factories instead.  I do not understand why these gentlemen are so much disturbed.”