"
"Barik allah {bravo!}! It is a good idea. Bid the mistri come aboard at
once."
Hubbo sent a long hail over the water. The serang cast off the rope by
which he had made fast to the sloop, and the petala came slowly down
until it was abreast of the subahdar's vessel. Hossain, Desmond, and
Karim stepped aboard, the last carrying a small box of tools. Only the
Bengali was left in the boat. All salaamed low to the subahdar.
"This, huzur, is my friend," said Hubbo, presenting his brother. "This is
the mistri, and this his assistant."
"Good!" said the subahdar. "Go down into the hold, mistri: look to the
holes; if they are not large enough make them larger, and as quickly as
you can."
Desmond with Karim dived down into the hold. It was filled with earth,
except where a gangway shored up with balks of timber had been left to
give access to the holes that had been drilled and temporarily stopped.
After a few words from the subahdar, Hubbo and his brother followed
Desmond below.
Half an hour later, Hubbo climbed up through the hatchway and approached
the subahdar, who was pacing the deck, giving many an anxious glance down
the river.
"The mistri has bored another hole, huzur. He said the more holes the
better. Perhaps your Excellency will deign to see whether you regard it
as sufficient."
"Nay, I should defile my clothes," said the subahdar, not relishing the
thought of descending into the malodorous depths.
"As your Excellency pleases," said Hubbo, salaaming.
Pages:
404
405
406
407
408
409
410
411
412
413
414
415
416
417
418
419
420
421
422
423
424
425
426
427
428