All
were natives.

His heart sank as he measured the odds against him. What was his dismay
when he saw, half a mile off, another body following up. And these were
white men! Was Diggle bringing the French of Chandernagore into the fray?

Desmond posted his twelve armed peons behind the hackeris. He gave them
strict orders to fire only at the word of command, and as they had
undergone some discipline in Calcutta he hoped that, if only in self
preservation, they would maintain a certain steadiness. Behind them he
placed twelve sturdy boatmen armed with half pikes, instructing them to
take the place of the peons when they had fired. Bulger stood at the
midpoint of the semicircle; his rough square face was a deep purple with
a rim of black; his dhoti had become loosened, leaving his great
shoulders and brawny chest bare; his turban was awry; his eyes, bloodshot
with the heat, were as the eyes of Mars himself, burning with the fire of
battle.

The pursuers had halted. Diggle came forward, trotting his horse up to
the base of the mound. The peons fingered their matchlocks and looked
expectant; Bulger growled; but Desmond gazed calmly at his enemy.

"Your disguise is excellent," said Diggle in his smoothest tones; "but I
believe I speak to Mr. Desmond Burke."

"Yes, Mr. Diggle," said Desmond, stepping forward.

"I am glad to have overtaken you. Sure you have encamped early. I have a
message from my friend the Faujdar of Hugli. By some mistake a
consignment of merchandise has been illegally removed from Cossimbazar,
and the Faujdar, understanding that the goods are contained in these
carts, bids me ask you to deliver them up to his men, whom you see here
with me."

Desmond was anxious to gain time. He thought out his plan of action while
Diggle was speaking. His impulsiveness prompted a flat defiance in few
words; policy counseled a formality of utterance equal to Diggle's.

"These carts certainly contain merchandise, Mr. Diggle," he said. "It is
the property of Mr. Edward Merriman, of Calcutta; I think you know him?
It was removed from Cossimbazar; but not, I assure you, illegally. I have
the dastaks authorizing its removal to Calcutta; they are signed by the
Faujdar of Murshidabad. Has the Faujdar of--where did you say?"

"Of Hugli."

"Has the Faujdar of Hugli power to countermand what the Faujdar of the
capital has done?"

"Why discuss that point?" said Diggle with a smile. "The Faujdar of Hugli
is an