“But not like that.  You’ll have to get those black whiskers of yours shaved, my man.  If they grew all over you’d pass perhaps for a Moor; but not with a fringe like that.  And you must stain your face; I have the stuff in this bundle; and we’ll borrow a dhoti and sandals from Abdul Kader.  We’ll dress you up between us.”

Bulger looked aghast.

“Dash my buttons, sir, I’ll look like a November guy!  What would my mates say, a-seein’ me dressed up like a stuffed Moor at Smithfield fair—­a penny a shy, sir?”

“Your mates are not here to see you, and if you hold your tongue they’ll never know it.”

“But what about this little corkscrew o’ mine, sir?  I don’t see any ways o’ dressin’ that up.”

“You can stick it into your dhoti.  Now here are soap and a razor; I give you ten minutes to shave and get your face stained; Abdul Kader will help.  Quick’s the word, man.”

A quarter of an hour later Desmond left the house with Bulger, the latter, in spite of the darkness, looking very much ashamed of himself.  The other members of the party had already gone towards the river.  Walking very slowly until they had safely cleared the lines of the investing troops, the two hurried their pace and about half-past eight reached the Armenian godown.  The three boats containing Mr. Merriman’s goods were moored at the ghat.  A number of men were on board, and bales were still being carried down by the light of torches.  It appeared that Coja Solomon had no intention of leaving until the factory was actually in Rai Durlabh’s hands.

Desmond had already decided that, to legalize his position, he must gain possession of the dastaks.  Not that they would help him much if, as was only too probable, Coja Solomon should be backed up by the Nawab.  As soon as it was discovered that the goods had been carried off, kasids would undoubtedly be sent along the banks, possibly swift boats would set off down the river in pursuit, and, dastaks or no dastaks, the goods would be impounded at Khulna or Hugli and himself arrested.  It was therefore of the first importance that the loss of the boats should not be discovered until he was well on his way, and to insure this he must secure the person of Coja Solomon.  If that could be done there was a chance of delaying the pursuit, or preventing it altogether.

Desmond kept well in the shelter of the palm trees as he made his observation of the ghat.  He wondered where Surendra Nath was, but could not waste time in looking for him.  Retracing his steps with Bulger for a little distance, he came to a spot on the river bank where the rest of his party were waiting in a boat, moored to an overhanging tree.  He ordered the men to land; then, leaving Bulger in charge of them, he selected three of the armed peons and with them made his way across paddy {rice} fields toward the Armenian’s house, a hundred yards or so from the bank.

Light came through the reed-screened window.  Bidding the men remain outside and rush in if he called them, he left the shelter of the trees and, approaching the door, stumbled over the darwan lying across the threshold.