I said Colonel Clive never mistook
his men."
"Well, if that's true, what you said won't make him vain. This
information is valuable: you see that. Have you heard anything more from
the lad?"
"Nothing, sir."
"And you can't communicate with him?"
"No, 'twas a part of his scheme never to let me know his whereabouts, in
case the messages miscarried."
"So; 'twas his scheme, not yours?"
"Egad, sir, I've no head for that sort of thing," said Killpatrick with a
laugh. "Give me a company, and a wall to scale or a regiment to charge,
and--"
"My dear fellow," interrupted Clive, "we all know the king has no better
officer. Credit where credit is due, major, and you're not the man to
grudge this youngster his full credit for an uncommonly daring and clever
scheme. Did you see him in his disguise?"
"I did, sir, and at a distance he took in both Mr. Merriman and myself."
"Well, he's a boy to keep an eye on, and I only hope that tigers or
dacoits or the Nawab's Moors won't get hold of him; he's the kind of lad
we can't spare. Now, let me know the state of your troops."
When he had sent off his note to Major Killpatrick, Desmond enjoyed a
short spell on deck preparatory to turning in. Hossain was placidly
smoking his hubblebubble; from the far bank of the Hugli came the mingled
sounds of tom toms and other instruments; near the boat all was quiet,
the wavelets of the stream lapping idly against the sides, the stillness
broken only by the occasional howl of a jackal prowling near the bank in
quest of the corpses of pious Hindus consigned to the sacred waters of
the Ganges.
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