“Truly, huzur, I know not.  It is a common name in Bengal—­a vile Hindu; an unbeliever—­”

“How did this paper come here?” cried Diggle impatiently.

“How should I know, sahib?  I am a poor man, an ignorant man; I do not read—­”

“Come with me and search the back of the house,” said Diggle, turning away with an oath.

Desmond stepped noiselessly across the floor and joined the khansaman.  They made their way out stealthily down the stairs, through the garden at the back, into a mango grove.  There they remained hidden until Diggle, finding his search fruitless, remounted with his men and galloped away.

Desmond felt in a maze of bewilderment.  It was clear that Diggle was ignorant of the whereabouts of the ladies; where had they been spirited to, and by whom?  Apparently there had been an attack on the house, and they had been carried away:  was it by friends or foes?  What was the meaning of the paper found by Diggle?  Had the Babu had any hand in the latest disappearance, or was it his letter that had put someone else on their track?  Desmond had heard nothing of Surendra Nath or his father since the sack of Calcutta.

There was no clue to the solution of the problem.  Meanwhile it was necessary to get back to Calcutta.  The journey had been delayed too long already, and Hossain’s employer, the grain merchant, would have good reason for complaint if he felt that his business was being neglected.

“We must go, khansaman,” said Desmond in sudden determination.

The man was nothing loath.  They returned by the way they had come.  Desmond left the man some distance short of Sinfray’s house, promising, in return for his assistance, to use his best offices with the irate manjhi {steersman} on his behalf.  Then he struck off for the point lower down the river where his boat was moored.  As soon as he arrived they got under way, and late that evening reached Tanna Fort, where they had to deliver their cargo of rice for the use of the Nawab’s garrison.

In the dead of night they were surprised by a visit from Hubbo, the serang’s brother.  He had seen them as they passed from one of the sloops that lay in the river opposite the fort.  Though chief in command of the Nawab’s vessels at that point, he was still secretly loyal to the Company, and was anxious to serve their interests to the best of his power.

He had now brought important news.  The three sloops and two brigantines that lay off the fort were, he said, filled with earth.  On the approach of Admiral Watson’s fleet they were to be scuttled and sunk in the fairway.  A subahdar {equivalent to colonel of infantry} of Manik Chand’s force was at present on board one of the sloops, to superintend the work of scuttling.  The signal would be given by the subahdar himself from his sloop.

“Very well, Hubbo,” said Desmond, “that signal must not be given.”

“But how prevent it, sahib?  I wish well to the Company; have I not eaten their salt?  But what can one man do against many?  The subahdar is a very fierce man; very zabburdasti {masterful}.  When he gives the word it will be death to disobey.”