He took the wheel; the shade on the sea line
gradually became more definite; and in the course of an hour they opened
up a fort somewhat similar in appearance to that of Gheria. All the
ship's company were now on deck, looking eagerly shorewards.
"Do you know the place?" asked Desmond of the Gujarati unconcernedly.
The man gazed at it intently for a minute or so.
"Yes, sahib; it is Suwarndrug," he said. "Is it not, Nanna?"
"Yes, of a truth; it is Suwarndrug; I was there a month ago," replied the
Maratha.
"What do you say, Gulam?" he continued, turning to one of the Biluchis
standing near.
"It is Suwarndrug. I have seen it scores of times. No one can mistake
Suwarndrug. See, there is the hill; and there is the mango grove. Oh,
yes, certainly it is Suwarndrug."
At this moment four grabs were seen beating out of the harbor. Fuzl Khan
uttered an exclamation; then, turning to Desmond, he said with a note of
anxiety:
"It is best to put about at once, sahib. See the grabs! They may be
enemies."
Desmond's heart gave a jump; his pulse beat more quickly under the stress
of a sudden inspiration. He felt convinced that the fortress was not
Suwarndrug; the Gujarati's anxiety to pile up testimony to the contrary
was almost sufficient in itself to prove that. If not Suwarndrug, it was
probably one of Angria's strongholds, possibly Kulaba. In that case the
grabs now beating out were certainly the Pirate's, and the men knew it.
Here was an opportunity, probably the only one that would occur, of
grappling with the mutiny.
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