"Scuttle her, sahib, and hoist sail on the grab."
"But the rowers?"
"Fasten them to the benches and let them drown. They could not help our
enemies then, and it would make up for what you and I and all of us have
suffered in Gheria."
"No, I can't do that," said Desmond.
"It must be as I say, sahib. There is nothing else to do. We have killed
no one yet, except the sentinel on the parapet; I did that neatly, the
sahib will agree; I would have a life for every lash of the whip upon my
back."
"No," said Desmond decisively, "I shall not drown the men. We will take
on board the grab three or four, who must be sailors; let us ask who will
volunteer. We will promise them good pay; we haven't any money, to be
sure, but the grab can be sold when we reach Bombay, and though we stole
her I think everybody would admit that she is our lawful prize. I should
think they'll be ready enough to volunteer, for they won't care to return
to Gheria and face Angria's rage. At the same time we can't take more
than three or four, because in the daylight they can now see how few we
are, and they might take a fancy to recapture the grab. What do you think
of that plan?"
The Gujarati sullenly assented. He did not understand mercy to an enemy.
"There is no need to pay them, sahib," he said. "You can promise pay; a
promise is enough."
Desmond was unwilling to start an argument and said nothing. Once in
Bombay he could insure that any pledges given would be strictly kept.
Pages:
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227