“Like you, sir, I have come to believe that you owe this terrible sorrow to Diggle—­I must always call him that.  Don’t give up heart, sir.  What his motive is, if he has indeed captured the ladies, I cannot tell.  It may be to use them as hostages in case he gets into trouble with us; it is impossible to see into the black depths of his mind.  But I believe the ladies are safe, and, please God, I shall learn something about them and maybe bring them back to you.”

Desmond waited a couple of days in the hope of receiving a definite task from Major Killpatrick.  But that officer, while an excellent soldier, was not fertile in expedients.  The process of “turning things over in his mind” did not furnish him with an inspiration.

He came on board the Hormuzzeer one afternoon, and confessed that he didn’t see how Desmond could possibly get up and down the river.  Mr. Merriman reminded him that in the early days of the stay at Fulta, Mr. Robert Gregory had gone up with requests to the French and Dutch for assistance.  Under cover of a storm he passed Tanna and Calcutta unnoticed by the Nawab’s men.

“The French were very polite, but wouldn’t move a finger for us,” added Mr. Merriman.  “The Dutch were more neighborly, and sent us some provisions—­badly needed, I assure you.  Mr. Gregory is still with them at Chinsura.”

“If he got through, why shouldn’t I?” asked Desmond.

“My dear boy,” said Killpatrick, “the river is narrowly watched.  The Moors know that Gregory outwitted them; sure no other Englishman could repeat the trick.  And if you were caught, there’s no saying how Manik Chand might serve you.  He seems disposed to be friendly, to be sure:  he’s made governor of Calcutta now, and wants to feel his feet.  But he’s a weak man, by all accounts; and weak men, when they are afraid, are always cruel.  If he caught an Englishman spying out the land he’d most probably treat him after oriental methods.

“In fact, the situation between him and us is such,” concluded the major with a laugh, “that he’d be quite justified in stringing you up.”

Major Killpatrick left without offering any suggestion.  When he had gone Desmond spent an hour or two in “turning things over in his mind.”  He felt that the major was well disposed and would probably jump at any reasonable scheme that was put before him.

After a period of quiet reflection he sought out Hossain, the serang, and had a long talk with him.  At the conclusion of the interview he went to see Mr. Merriman.  He explained that Hossain wished to return to the service of a former employer, a native grain merchant in Calcutta, who did a large trade along the Hugli from the Sandarbands to Murshidabad.  The consent of the Council was required, and Desmond wished Mr. Merriman to arrange the matter without giving any explanation.

The merchant was naturally anxious to know why Desmond interested himself in the man, and what he learned drew from him an instant promise to obtain the Council’s consent without delay.  Then Desmond made his way to Major Killpatrick’s hut, and remained closeted with that genial officer till a late hour.