For a
time the serang paid no apparent heed to him; but presently, while the
coolies were still busy, he sauntered across the plank and strolling to
the onlooker exchanged a salaam and squatted beside him. Passers by might
have caught a word or two about the grain market; the high prices; the
difficulties of transit; the deplorable slackness of trade; the infamous
duplicity of the Greek merchants. At last the banya rose, salaamed, and
walked away.
As he did so the serang carelessly lifted the bag upon which the banya
had been sitting, and, making sure that he was not observed, picked up a
tiny ball of paper scarcely bigger than a pea. Waiting a few moments, he
rose and sauntered back on board. A minute or two later the lascar in the
after part of the boat was unobtrusively examining the scrap of paper. It
contained three words and an initial:
Tomorrow about ten.--C.
A change had been made in the composition of Hossain's crew since the
incident at Sinfray's house. One day Desmond had found one of the
Bengalis rummaging in the corner of the cabin where he was accustomed to
keep his few personal belongings. Hossain had dismissed the man on the
spot. The man saved from the river had been kept on the boat and proved a
good worker, eager, and willing to be of use. He was an excellent
boatman, a handy man generally, and, for a Bengali, possessed of
exceptional physical strength. At Desmond's suggestion Hossain offered
him the vacant place, and he at once accepted it.
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