nnoticed until it was too late to pursue him. At
the sight of Toley and his messmates of the Hormuzzeer, Bulger had let
fall his musket and dropped to the ground, where he sat mopping his face
and crying, "Go it, mateys!" Desmond felt a strange faintness, and leaned
dizzily against one of the hackeris. But, revived by a draft from Mr.
Toley's flask, he thanked the mate warmly, and wanted to hear how he had
contrived to come up in time.

When Desmond's messenger arrived in Calcutta, Mr. Merriman was away up
the river, engaged in very serious business. The messenger had applied to
the governor, to members of the Council, to Captain Minchin and other
officers, and the reply of one and all was the same: they could do
nothing; it was more important that every man should be employed in
strengthening the defenses of Calcutta than in going upcountry on what
might prove a vain and useless errand. But Toley happened to be in the
town, and learning of the difficulties and perils of his friend Burke,
with the captain's consent he had hastily collected the crew of the
Hormuzzeer, that still lay off the fort, and led them, under the guidance
of the messenger, to support him. Meeting Surendra Nath, and learning
from him that a fight was imminent, he had pushed on with all speed, the
Babu leading the way.

"It was well done," said Desmond warmly. "We owe our lives to you, and
Mr. Merriman his goods. But what was the business that took Mr. Merriman
from Calcutta at this time of trouble?"

"Trouble of his own, Burke," said Mr. Toley. "I guess he'd better have
let the Nawab keep his goods and sent you to look after his womenfolk."

"What do you mean? I left the ladies at Khulna; what has happened to
them?"

"'Tis what Mr. Merriman would fain know. They've disappeared, gone clean
out of sight."

"But the peons?"

"Gone, too. Nothing heard or seen of them."

This serious news came as a shock to Desmond. If he had only known! How
willingly he would have let Coja Solomon do what he pleased with the
goods, and hastened to the help of the wife and daughter Mr. Merriman
held so dear! While in Cossimbazar, he had heard from Mr. Watts terrible
stories of the Nawab's villainy, which no respect of persons held in
check. He feared that if Mrs. Merriman and Phyllis had indeed fallen into
Sirajuddaula's hands, they were lost to their family and friends forever.

But, eager as he was to get back to Calcutta and join Mr. Merriman in
searching