the boat, and carried him to the cabin. He was all
but unconscious.

A mouthful of arrack {fermented liquor made from rice or the juice of the
palm} from the serang's jar revived him. No sooner was he in command of
his breath than he implored his rescuers for their help and protection.
He had escaped, he said, from Hugli Fort, not without a gunshot wound
behind his shoulder. He spoke in Bengali. Seeing that he was too much
exhausted and agitated to tell his story that night, Desmond bade the
serang assure him of his safety. Then they made shift to tend his wound,
and, comforting him with food and drink, left him to sleep and recover.

The two Bengalis who had been to Chinsura returned before they were
expected. They had been alarmed by the uproar. As soon as they were
aboard Desmond decided to drop a mile or two farther down the river. The
boat coming to a ghat below Chandernagore, the serang ordered the men to
pull in, and tied up for the night.

In the morning the Bengalis were despatched on some errand along the
bank, and the coast being clear Desmond went with the serang to the
wounded man to learn particulars of the escape. The Bengali had now
almost wholly recovered, and was very voluble in his gratitude for his
rescue. Happening to glance towards the bank, he suddenly uttered an
exclamation of fear, and begged the serang with frantic waving of the
hands to leave the spot at once.

"Why, O brother, this fear?" asked Hossain.

"I will tell you. It is a great fear. Just before the coming of the rains
I was at Khulna. There I was hired by the head serang of a lady traveling
to Calcutta. She was the wife of a burra sahib of the great Company, and
with her was her daughter. All went well until we came near
Chandernagore; we struck a snag; the boat sprang a leak; we feared the
bibis would be drowned. We rowed to this very ghat; a sahib welcomed the
ladies; they went into his house yonder. Presently he sent for us; we
lodged with his servants; but in the night we were set upon, bound, and
carried to Hugli. False witnesses accused us of being dacoits; we were
condemned; and I was confined with others in the prison.

"Always since then have I looked for a chance of escape. It came at last.
Some of the jailers went last night to the tamasha at Chinsura. I stole
out and got away. A sentry fired upon me, and hit me; but I am a good
swimmer and I plunged into the river. You know all that happened then, O
serang,