"
"You shall have the plan in good time. First I have a thing to say. When
a battle is to be fought, no soldier fights only for himself, doing that
which seems good to him alone. He looks to the captain for orders.
Otherwise mistakes would be made, and all effort would be wasted. We must
have a captain: who is he to be?"
"Yourself, sahib," said the Gujarati at once. "You have spoken; you have
the plan; we take you as leader."
"You hear what Fuzl Khan says. Do you all agree?"
The others assented eagerly. Then Desmond told his wondering hearers the
secret of the key, and during several hours of that quiet night he
discussed with them in whispers the details of the scheme which he had
worked out. At intervals the sentry passed and flashed his light through
the opening in the wall; but at these moments every man was lying
motionless upon his charpoy, and not a sound was audible save a snore.
Next day when Desmond, having finished his midday meal of rice and
mangoes, had returned to his workshop, Diggle sauntered in.
"Ah, my young friend," he said in his quiet voice and with his usual
smile, "doubtless you have expected a visit from me. Night brings
counsel. I did not visit you yesterday, thinking that after sleeping over
the amiable and generous proposition made to you by my friend Angria you
would view it in another light. I trust that during the nocturnal hours
you have come to perceive the advantages of choosing the discreet part.
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