. Toley showed a more
active interest in him, teaching him the use of the sextant and quadrant,
how to take the altitude of the sun, and many other matters important in
navigation.

It was the third week of April, and the monsoon having begun, Captain
Barker expected before long to sight the Indian coast. One morning, about
two bells, the lookout reported a small vessel on the larboard bow,
laboring heavily. The captain took a long look at it through his
perspective glass, and made out that it was a two-masted grab; the
mainmast was gone.

"Odds bobs," he said to Mr. Toley, "'tis strange to meet a grab so far
out at sea. We'll run down to it."

"What is a grab?" asked Desmond of Bulger, when the news had circulated
through the ship's company.

"Why, that's a grab, sure enough. I en't a good hand at pictur' paintin';
we're runnin' square for the critter, and then you'll see for yourself.
This I'll say, that you don't see 'em anywheres in partickler but off the
Malabar coast."

Desmond was soon able to take stock of the vessel. It was broad in
proportion to its length, narrowing from the middle to the end, and
having a projecting prow like the old-fashioned galleys of which he had
seen pictures. The prow was covered with a deck, level with the main deck
of the vessel, but with a bulkhead between this and the forecastle.

"En't she pitchin'!" remarked Bulger, standing by Desmond's side. "You
couldn't expect nothing else of a craft built that shape. Look at the
water pourin' off her; why, I may be wrong, but I'll lay my best breeches
she's a-founderin'."

As usual, Bulger was right. When the grab was overhauled, the men on
board, dark-skinned Marathas with very scanty clothing, made signs that
they were in distress.

"Throw her into the wind," shouted the captain.

Mr. Toley at the wheel put the helm down, the longboat was lowered, and
with some difficulty, owing to the heavy sea, the thirty men on the grab
were taken off. As they came aboard the Good Intent, Diggle, who was
leaning over the bulwarks, suddenly straightened himself, smiled, and
moved towards the taffrail. One of the newcomers, a fine muscular fellow,
seeing Diggle approaching, stood for a moment in surprise, then salaamed.
The Englishman said something in the stranger's tongue, and grasped his
hand with the familiarity of old friendship.

"You know the man, Mr. Diggle?" said the captain.

"Yes, truly. The Gentoos and I are in a sense comra