bailing.

Almost before it seemed possible they came in sight of a bend in the
river which one of the men, who knew the district, had described to
Desmond as the nearest point to the village he sought. So rapid had the
passage been that Desmond felt that, if they could only land in safety,
they might have gained considerably on Diggle's horsemen. The latter must
have felt the full effect of the gale: it was likely that they had taken
shelter for a time. Desmond and his men were wet to the skin, but,
profiting by the recollection of what had happened at Plassey, they had
kept their ammunition dry.

At the bend the river presented a shelving beach, being at least twice as
wide at this point during the rainy season as at other periods. Without
hesitation Desmond ran the nose of the boat straight at the beach: she
came to with a violent bump; the men tumbled out waist deep into the
water, and with shrill cries of relief scrambled ashore.

No time was lost. Waiting only to inspect their muskets, Desmond at once
began the march, the band being led by the man who knew the country.
Another man, a noted runner, formerly a kasid in the employment of the
Nawab of the Deccan, was sent in advance to find Surendra Nath's house,
give him warning of Desmond's coming, and instruct him to have someone on
the lookout for the approach of the enemy, if Diggle were not, indeed,
already in possession of the village. The rest pushed on with all speed.
The storm had cleared the air: the rain had ceased, and though it was
unpleasant walking over the soppy ground, the march was much cooler than
it would otherwise have been.

Desmond longed for a hill from which to get a view of the country. But,
as almost everywhere in the valley of the Ganges, it was dead flat. The
party was within a quarter of a mile of the village when the kasid came
running back. He had found the Babu's house. From its flat roof a body of
horse had been seen in the distance, nearly a coss away. Desmond at once
ordered his men to double, and as they dashed into the village among the
wondering people, the kasid pointed out Surendra Nath's house at the far
end--a small two-storied building, surrounded by a wall and approached
through a rickety iron gateway. It was the first house to which the
approaching horsemen would come.

A man in native dress was standing at the gate. At first Desmond did not
recognize him, but as he drew nearer he saw that it was Surendra Nath
himsel