pleased. And
whether from that occasion or another, by the time our voyage was
ended I was known all over the ship as Colonel Clive's purser. And how
proud the title made me I forbear to say, but I know that if Mr. Clive
had ordered me to march into Delhi, and pluck the Great Mogul by the
beard, I should have thought it a little thing to do.

The first thing I did after we had dropped our anchor was to beg for
leave to go ashore, which Mr. Sanders granted with some difficulty.
Mr. Griffiths was good enough to give me a place in the cutter, and as
soon as we were landed I separated myself from the rest, and without
staying to examine the curiosities of Bombay, which is a fine great
city, built on an island, I procured a boatman to take me off
privately to the _Fair Maid_.

The boatman I applied to was an Indian. He used me with wondrous
civility, calling me Sahib, which is an oriental term of respect, and
bowing before me to the very ground. When we were got into the boat,
however, he proved but a poor oarsman, and indeed all the natives of
that country seem but a feeble race, owing, no doubt, to their
idolatrous religion, which forbids them to eat flesh.

We arrived at the stern of the _Fair Maid_ without accident, but to my
surprise I could see nobody on the deck. Bidding the Indian wait for
me I scrambled on board without hailing, and proceeded to examine the
cabin. I found this likewise to be deserted, and was beginning to
think the vessel was empty when, on turning to come out, I found
myself face to face with a dark man in a turban, bearing a naked
scymetar in his hand, who had crept in behind me.

"Who are you?" I demanded, addressing him in Indostanee.

But he shook his head, for, as I was to find out, the Morattoes, to
which nation he belonged, speak a different dialect of their own.

While I was considering what to do with him, since his behaviour was
very threatening, I was greatly relieved by seeing an Englishman come
in after him, who proved, indeed, to be no other than my old
acquaintance, Trickster Tim.

The sight of me gave him a great shock, and at first I believe he
mistook me for a spirit from the other world, which perhaps was not
strange, considering that he had last seen me on the other side of the
globe, and lying very near to death's door.

I spoke him friendly, nothing doubting that he would be pleased to
welcome a fellow-countryman.

"Well, Tim, how d'ye do, and how are all aboard the