It was,
he supposed, about four in the morning, and still pitch dark. When he
came to the helm Fuzl Khan was alone: there was nothing to betray the
fact that the plotters had, but little before, been gathered around him.
The lookout, who had left his post to join the group, had returned
forward, and was now being relieved, like the Gujarati himself.
Desmond exchanged a word or two with the man, and was left alone at the
wheel. His mind was still set on the problem how to frustrate the scheme
of the mutineers. He was convinced that if the grab once touched shore at
any point save Bombay his plight would be hopeless. But how could he
guard against the danger? Even if he could keep the navigation of the
grab entirely in his own hands by remaining continuously at the helm, he
was dependent on the plotters for information about the coast; to mislead
him would be the easiest thing in the world. But it suddenly occurred to
him that he might gain time by altering the course of the vessel. If he
kept out of sight of land he might increase the chance of some diversion
occurring.
Accordingly he so contrived that the grab lost rather than gained in her
tacks against the light northwest wind now blowing. None of the men,
except possibly the Gujarati, had sufficient seamanship to detect this
manoeuver; he had gone below, and when he came on deck again he could not
tell what progress had been made during his absence. Only the mainsail,
foresail, and one topsail were set: these were quite enough for the
untrained crew to trim in the darkness--likely to prove too much, indeed,
in the event of a sudden squall.
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