misdemeanor, if not high treason; and it would get us into very hot water
with the Nawab. I can only advise patience."

One morning, Desmond had just finished breakfast with Mr. Watts and his
wife, when Lieutenant Elliott, in command of the garrison, came
unceremoniously into the room.

"Mr. Watts," he said, "the fat's in the fire. A lot of the Nawab's
Persian cavalry have come into the town during the night. They have
surrounded the French and Dutch factories and are coming on here."

"Don't be alarmed, my dear," said the chief, as his wife started up in a
state of panic; "'tis only one of the Nawab's tricks. He has used that
means of extorting money before. We'll buy them off, never fear."

But it was soon seen that the troops had come with a more serious
purpose. They completely invested the factory, and next day withdrew the
guards that had been placed around the French and Dutch forts, and
confined their whole attention to the British. Mr. Watts withdrew all the
garrison and officials behind the bastioned walls of the fort, and
fearing that an attack in force would be made upon him, despatched a
kasid {courier} to Calcutta with an urgent request for reinforcements.

While waiting anxiously for the reply, he took stock of his position. His
garrison numbered only fifty men all told, half of them being Dutch
deserters and the remainder half-caste topasses, with only two English
officers, Lieutenant Elliott and Sergeant Bowler. The guns of the fort
were old; and within a few yards of the walls were houses that would
afford excellent cover to the enemy. Without help resistance for any
length of time was impossible, and to resist at all meant a declaration
of war against the Nawab, and would entail serious consequences--possibly
involve the total ruin of the Company in Bengal. In this difficult
position Mr. Watts hoped that an opportunity of making an arrangement
with the besiegers would offer itself. Meanwhile, pending the arrival of
instructions from Calcutta, he gave orders that any attempt to force an
entrance to the fort was to be repelled.

But no letters came from Calcutta. Though several were despatched, none
of them reached Cossimbazar. On June first Ridurlabh, in command of the
besiegers, received orders from the Nawab, now at Murshidabad, to take
the fort. He came to the gate and tried to force an entrance, but
hurriedly withdrew when he met Sergeant Bowler's gleaming bayonet and saw
the gun