home in search of fortune. He glossed over his brother's ill-treatment.
He told how he had been inveigled on board the _Good Intent_, and handed
over to Angria when the vessel arrived at Gheria. He mentioned no names
except that of Captain Barker, though he could not have explained his
motive in keeping silence about Diggle.
"Barker is a villain, ripe for the gallows," said Captain King. "But
Mr. Burke, I don't understand how you came to be so hoodwinked in
London. Sure you must have known that a boy without an ounce of
experience would never be made supercargo. Had you any enemies in
London?"
"I didn't know that I had, sir, till the _Good Intent_ had sailed. I
was deceived, but the man who promised me the berth was very friendly,
and I didn't suspect him."
"It was not Barker, then?"
"No, sir; it was a man I met at Market Drayton."
"At Market Drayton?" said Clive. "That's odd. What was his name?"
"His name was Diggle, and----"
"A stranger? I remember no one of that name," said Clive.
"I thought he was a stranger, sir; but of late I have begun to suspect
he was not such a stranger as he seemed."
"How did you meet him?"
"Accidentally, sir, the night of your banquet in Market Drayton."
"Indeed! 'Tis all vastly curious. Was he lodging in the town?"
"He came in from Chester that night and lodged at the _Four Alls_."
"With that disreputable sot Grinsell----" Clive paused. "Did he tell you
anything about himself?
"Very little, sir, except that he'd been unlucky. I think he mentioned
once that he was a fellow at a Cambridge college, but he spoke to me
most about India."
As he put his questions Clive leant forward, and seemed to become more
keenly interested with every answer. He now turned and gave a hard look
at the bluff man whom he had called Mr. Merriman. The rest of the
company were silent.
"Do you happen to know whether he went up to the Hall?" asked Clive.
"Sir Willoughby's? I met him several times walking in that
neighbourhood, but I don't think he went to the Hall. He did not appear
to know Sir Willoughby.--And yet, sir, I remember now that I heard
Diggle and Grinsell talking about the Squire the night I first saw them
together at the _Four Alls_."
"And you were with this--Diggle, in London, Mr. Burke?"
"Yes, sir."
Desmond began to feel uncomfortable. Clive had evidently not recognized
him before, and he was hoping that the unfortunate incident in Billiter
Street would not be recalled. Clive's next words made him wish to sink
into the floor.
"Do you remember, Mr. Burke, in London, throwing yourself in the way of
a gentleman that was in pursuit of your friend Mr. Diggle, and bringing
him to the ground?"
"Yes, sir, I did, and I am sorry for it."
Desmond did not like the grim tone of Clive's voice; he wished he would
address him as "my lad" instead of "Mr. Burke."
"That was a bad start, let me say, Mr. Burke--an uncommonly bad start."
"Oh come, Mr. Clive!" broke in Mr. Merriman, "say no more about that.
The boy was in bad company: 'twas not his fault. In truth, 'twas my own
fault: I am impetuous; the sight of that scoundrel was too much for me.
I bear you no grudge, my lad, though I had a bump on my head for a week
afterwards. Had you not tripped me I should have run my rapier through
the villain, and there would like have been an end of me."
"Shall I tell the boy, Mr. Merriman?" said Clive in an undertone.
"Not now, not now," said Merriman quickly.
The other gentlemen, during this dialogue, had been discussing the
information they had gained about Gheria.
"Well," said Clive, "you are lucky, let me tell you, Mr. Burke, to be
out of this Diggle's clutches. By the way, have you seen him since he
sold you to the Pirate?"
"He came a few days before I escaped, and wanted me to come here as a
spy. Angria promised me my freedom and a large sum of money."
"What's that?" cried Merriman. "Wanted you to come as a spy?"
"Yes, sir."
"And what did you say?"
"I told him he might do it himself."
"A palpable hit!" said Merriman with a grim laugh, "and a very proper
answer. But he'll have more respect for his skin."
"Gentlemen," put in Mr. Bourchier, "we have kept Mr. Burke talking so
much that he hasn't had a mouthful of food. I think we might go out on
the veranda and smoke our cheroots while he takes some supper. Mr.
Johnson, you've done most justice to my viands, I think. Perhaps you
will join us."
The superintendent became purple in the face. He had in fact been
eating and drinking with great gusto, taking advantage of the
preoccupation of the company to ensure that the excellent fare should
not be wasted. He rose hurriedly, and, with a sheepish look that
scarcely fitted his cheerful features, followed his sarcastic host to
the veranda. All the guests save Mr. Merriman accompanied Mr.
Bourchier.
"They all want to talk shop--this expedition against the Pirate," said
Mr. Merriman. "You and I can have a little chat."
Desmond was attracted by the open face of his new acquaintance, slightly
disfigured, as he noticed, by a long scar on the left temple.
"You're plucky and lucky," continued Merriman, "and in spite of what Mr.
Clive calls your bad start in bowling me over, you'll do well."
His face clouded as he went on:
"That man Diggle: why should he have sold you to the Pirate: what had he
against you?"
"I cannot imagine, sir."
"You are lucky to have escaped him, as Mr. Clive said. I think--yes, I
will tell you about him. His name is not Diggle; it is Simon Peloti.
He is a nephew of Sir Willoughby. His mother married a Greek, against
her brother's wish; the man died when the child was a year old. As a
boy Peloti was as charming a little fellow as one could wish: handsome,
high-spirited, clever. He did well at school, and afterwards at
Cambridge: won a fellowship there. Then he went to the dogs--not all at
once; men never do. He was absolutely without principle, and thought of
nothing but his own ease and success. One thing led to another; at
last, in the '45----"
He paused. After a moment he went on:
"I had a brother, my lad----"
He stopped again, his face expressing poignant grief.
"I know, sir," said Desmond. "Sir Willoughby told me."
"He told you! And he did not mention Peloti?"
"No, sir; but I see it all now. It was Diggle--Peloti, I mean--who
betrayed your brother. I understand now why the Squire took no steps
against Grinsell. His accomplice was Diggle."
He related the incident of the housebreakers.
"Yes," said Merriman, "that throws a light on things. Peloti, I imagine,
had previously seen the Squire, and tried to get money from him. Sir
Willoughby refused: he gave him a thousand pounds ten years ago on
condition he left the country and did not return. So the villain
resolved to rob him. 'Twas fortunate indeed you appeared in time. That
is the reason for his hating you."
"There was another, sir," said Desmond with some hesitation. "He
thought I was hankering after the Squire's property--aiming at becoming
his heir. 'Twas ridiculous, sir; such an idea never entered my head."
"I see. Peloti came to India and got employment in the Company's
service at Madras. But he behaved so badly that he had to be turned
out--he said Mr. Clive hounded him out. What became of him after that I
don't know. But let us leave the miserable subject. Tell me, what are
your ideas? What are you going to do now that you are a free man once
more? Get another berth as supercargo?"
His eyes twinkled as he said this.
"No thank you, sir; once bit twice shy. I haven't really thought of
anything definite, but what I should like best of all would be a
cadetship under Colonel Clive."
"Soho! You're a fighter, are you? But of course you are; I have reason
to know that. Well, we'll see what my friend Mr. Clive says. You've no
money, I suppose?"
"Not a halfpenny, sir; but if the Governor will admit that the grab is
my lawful prize, I thought of selling her; that will bring me a few
pounds."
"Capital idea. Punctilio won't stand in the way of that, I should
think. Well now, I'll speak to Mr. Clive for you, but don't build too
much on it. He cannot give you a commission, I fear, without the
authority of the Governor of Madras; and though no doubt a word from him
would be effectual, he's a very particular man, and you'll have to prove
you're fit for a soldier's life. Meanwhile, what do you say to this?
I've taken a fancy to you. I'm a merchant; trade pays better than
soldiering, in general. I've got ships of my own, and I daresay I could
find a berth for you on one of them. You seem to know something of
navigation?"
"Very little, sir; just what I picked up on the _Good Intent_."
"Well, that's a beginning. I've no doubt that Admiral Watson will wish
you to go to Gheria with him: your knowledge of the place will be
useful. He won't start for a month or two: why not occupy the time in
improving your navigation, so that if there are difficulties about a
cadetship you'll be competent for a mate's berth? Nothing like having
two strings to your bow. What do you say to that?"
"'Tis very good of you, sir; I accept with pleasure."
"That's right. Now when you've finished that curry we'll go out on the
veranda. Before you came they were talking of nothing but their dogs;
but I wager 'tis nothing but the Pirate now."
They soon rejoined the other gentlemen.
"Come, Mr. Burke," said Admiral Watson, "we've been talking over the
information you've given us. You've nothing to do, I suppose?"
"I've just suggested that he should read up navigation, Mr. Watson,"
said Merriman.
"You're a wizard, Mr. Merriman. I was proposing to engage Mr. Burke to
accompany us on our expedition against the Pirate. He can make himself
useful when we get to Gheria. We'll see how James's information tallies
with his. You won't object to serve his Majesty, Mr. Burke?"
"'Tis what I should like best in the world, sir."
"Very well. Meanwhile learn all you can; Captain King here will take
charge of you, I've no doubt."
"Certainly, Mr. Watson."
"You will give Mr. Burke quarters for the present, Mr. Johnson?" said
Merriman.
"To be sure. And as 'tis late we'd better be going. Good night, your
Excellency; good night, gentlemen."
Early next day Admiral Watson himself rode down to the harbour to
inspect the grab. He was so much pleased with her that he offered to
buy her for the service. Before the day was out Desmond found himself in
possession of seven thousand rupees. After paying the Marathas the
wages agreed upon, he proceeded to divide the balance. He retained two
shares for himself, and gave each of the men who had escaped with him an
equal part. No one was more surprised than Fuzl Khan when he received
his share in full. He had expected to get the punishment he knew he
well deserved. But Desmond, against the advice of the superintendent,
determined to overlook the man's misconduct. He went further. At his
request Admiral Watson gave him a place on the grab. The Gujarati seemed
overwhelmed by this generosity on the part of a man he had wronged, and
for the nonce breaking through his usual morose reserve, he thanked
Desmond, awkwardly indeed, but with manifest sincerity.
The other men were no less delighted with their good fortune. The sum
they each received made them rich men for life. None was more elated
than Surendra Nath. It happened that Mr. Merriman came on board to see
the grab at the moment when Desmond was distributing the prize money.
Desmond noticed a curious expression on the Babu's face, and he was
compelled to laugh when the man, after a moment's hesitation, walked up
to Mr. Merriman, and with a strange mixture of humility and importance
said:
"I wish you a very good morning, your honour."
"Good gad!--Surendra Nath Chuckerbutti! I'm uncommonly glad to see
you."
He shook hands warmly, a mark of condescension which made the Babu beam
with gratification.
"Why," continued Merriman, "we'd given you up for dead long ago. So
you're the plucky and ingenious fellow who did so much to help Mr. Burke
in the famous escape! Surendra Nath was one of my best clerks, Mr.
Burke. His father is my head clerk for Company's business. He hasn't
been the same man since you disappeared. You must tell me your story.
Come up to Mr. Bowman's house on the Green to-night; I am staying
there."
"I shall be most glad to return to my desk in Calcutta, your honour,"
said the Babu. "But I do not like the sea. It has no sympathy with me.
I think of accomplishing the journey by land."
"Good heavens, man! it would take you a year at the least, if you wasn't
swallowed by a tiger or strangled by a Thug on the way. You'll have to
go by water, as you came."
The Babu's face fell.
"That is the fly in the ointment, your honour. But I will chew majum
and bestow myself in the cabin; thus perhaps I may avoid squeamishness.
By the kindness of Burke Sahib I have a modicum of money, now a small
capital; and I hope, with your honour's permission, to do trifling trade
for myself."
"Certainly," said Merriman with a laugh. "You'll be a rich man yet,
Surendra Nath. Well, don't forget; you'll find me at Mr. Bowman's on
the Green at eight o'clock."
CHAPTER THE EIGHTEENTH
*In which Angria is astonished; and our hero begins to pay off old
scores.*
Time sped quickly. Desmond made the best use of his opportunities of
learning navigation under Captain King and the superintendent, and
before two months had expired was pronounced fit to act as mate on the
finest East Indiaman afloat. He took this with a grain of salt. The
fact was that his adventures, the modesty with which he deprecated all
allusions to his part in the escape from Gheria, and the industry with
which he worked, won him the goodwill of all; he was a general favourite
with the little European community of Bombay.
Apart from his study, he found plenty to interest him in his spare
moments. The strange mixture of people, the temples and pagodas, the
towers of silence on which the Parsis exposed their dead, the burning
ghats of the Hindus on the beach, the gaunt filthy fakirs[#] and jogis
who whined and told fortunes in the streets for alms, the exercising of
the troops, the refitting and careening of Admiral Watson's ships--all
this provided endless matter for curiosity and amusement. One thing
disappointed him. Not once during the two months did he come in contact
with Clive. Mr. Merriman remained in Bombay, awaiting the arrival of a
vessel of his from Muscat; but Desmond was loth to ask him whether he
had sounded Clive about a cadetship. As a matter of fact Mr. Merriman
had mentioned the matter at once.
[#] Religious mendicants (Mohammedan).
"Patience, Merriman," was Clive's reply. "I have my eye on the
youngster."
And with that the merchant, knowing his friend, was very well content;
but he kept his own counsel.
At length, one day in the first week of February 1756, Desmond received
a summons to visit the Admiral. His interview was brief. He was
directed to place himself under the orders of Captain Latham on the
_Tyger_; the fleet was about to sail.
It was a bright, cool February morning, cool, that is, for Bombay, when
the vessels weighed anchor and sailed slowly out of the harbour. All
Bombay lined the shores: natives of every hue and every mode of attire;
English merchants; ladies fluttering white handkerchiefs. Such an
expedition had never been undertaken against the noted Pirate before,
and the report of Commodore James, confirming the information brought by
Desmond, had given the authorities good hope that this pest of the
Malabar coast was at last to be destroyed.
It was an inspiriting sight as the vessels, rounding the point, made
under full sail to the south. There were six line-of-battle ships, six
Company's vessels, five bomb-ketches, four Maratha grabs--one of them
Angria's own grab, the _Tremukji_, on which Desmond had escaped--and
forty gallivats. The _Tyger_ led the van. Admiral Watson's flag was
hoisted on the _Kent_, Admiral Pocock's on the _Cumberland_. On board
the fleet were 200 European soldiers, 300 sepoys, and 300
Topasses--mainly half-caste Portuguese in the service of the Company,
owing their name to the topi[#] they wore. To co-operate with this
force a land army of 12,000 Marathas, horse and foot, under the command
of Ramaji Punt, one of the Peshwa's generals, had been for some time
investing the town of Gheria.
[#] Hat.
At this time of year the winds were so slight and variable that it was
nearly a week before the fleet arrived off Gheria. When the bastions of
the fort hove into sight Desmond could not help contrasting his feelings
with those of two months before.
"Like the look of your cage, Mr. Burke?" said Captain Latham at his
elbow.
"I was just thinking of it, sir," said Desmond. "It makes a very great
difference when you're outside the bars."
"And we'll break those bars before we're much older, or I'm a Dutchman."
At this moment the signal to heave-to was seen flying at the masthead of
the _Kent_. Before the vessels had anchored one of the grabs left the
main fleet and ran into the harbour. It bore a message from Admiral
Watson to Tulaji Angria, summoning him to surrender. The answer
returned was that if the Admiral desired to be master of the fort he
must take it by force, as Angria was resolved to defend it to the last
extremity. The ships remained at anchor outside the harbour during the
night. Next morning a boat put off from the town end of the fort
conveying several of Angria's relatives and some officers of Ramaji
Punt's army. It by and by became known that Tulaji Angria, leaving his
brother in charge of the fort, had given himself up to Ramaji Punt, and
was now a prisoner in his camp. The visitors had come ostensibly to
view the squadron, but really to discover what were Admiral Watson's
intentions in regard to the disposal of the fort supposing it fell into
his hands. The Admiral saw through the device, which was no doubt to
hand the fort over to the Peshwa's general, and so balk the British of
their legitimate prize. Admiral Watson made short work of the visitors.
He told them that if Angria would surrender his fort peaceably he and
his family would be protected; but that the fort he must have. They
pleaded for a few days' grace, but the Admiral declined to wait a single
day. If the fort was not immediately given up he would sail in and
attack it.
It was evident that hostilities could not be avoided. About one in the
afternoon Captain Henry Smith of the _Kingfisher_ sloop was ordered to
lead the way, and Desmond was sent to join him.
"What is the depth under the walls, Mr. Burke?" the Captain asked him.
"Three and a half fathoms, sir--deep enough to float the biggest of us."
The sloop weighed anchor, and stood in before the afternoon breeze. It
was an imposing sight as the fleet formed in two divisions and came
slowly in their wake. Each ship covered a bomb-ketch, protecting the
smaller vessels from the enemy's fire. Desmond himself was kept very
busy, going from ship to ship as ordered by signals from the _Kent_, and
assisting each captain in turn to navigate the unfamiliar harbour.
It was just two o'clock when the engagement began with a shot from the
fort at the _Kingfisher_. The shot was returned, and a quarter of an
hour later, while the fleet was still under full sail, the _Kent_ flew
the signal for a general action. One by one the vessels anchored at
various points opposite the fortifications, and soon a hundred and fifty
guns were blazing away at the massive bastions and curtains, answered
vigorously by Angria's two hundred and fifty. Desmond was all
excitement. The deafening roar of the guns, the huge columns of smoke
that floated heavily over the fort, and sometimes enveloped the vessels,
the bray of trumpets, the beating of tom-toms, the shouts of men, set
his blood tingling: and though he afterwards witnessed other stirring
scenes, he never forgot the vivid impression of the fight at Gheria.
About three o'clock a shell set fire to one of the Pirate's grabs--one
that had formerly been taken by him from the Company. Leaving its
moorings, it drifted among the main fleet of pirate grabs which still
lay lashed together Where Desmond had last seen them by the blaze of the
burning gallivats. They were soon alight. The fire rapidly spread to
the dockyard, caught the unfinished grabs on the stocks, and before long
the whole of Angria's shipping was a mass of flame.
Meanwhile the bombardment had made little impression on the
fortifications, and it appeared to the Admiral that time was being
wasted. Accordingly he gave orders to elevate the guns and fire over
the walls into the interior of the fort. A shell from one of the
bomb-ketches fell plump into one of the outhouses of the palace and set
it on fire. Fanned by the west wind, the flames spread to the arsenal
and the storehouse, licking up the sheds and smaller buildings until
they reached the outskirts of the city. The crackling of flames was now
mingled with the din of artillery, and as dusk drew on, the sky was lit
up over a large space with the red glow of burning. By half-past six
the guns on the bastions had been silenced, and the Admiral gave the
signal to cease fire.
Some time before this a message reached Captain Smith ordering him to
send Desmond at once on board the _Kent_. When he stepped on deck he
found Admiral Watson in consultation with Clive. It appeared that
during the afternoon a cloud of horsemen had been observed hovering on a
hill eastward of the city, and being by no means sure of the loyalty of
the Maratha allies, Clive had come to the conclusion that it was time to
land his troops. But it was important that the shore and the neck of
land east of the fort should be reconnoitred before the landing was
attempted. The groves might, for all he knew, be occupied by the
Pirate's troops or by those of Ramaji Punt, and Clive had had enough
experience of native treachery to be well on his guard.
"I am going to send you on a somewhat delicate mission, Mr. Burke," he
said. "You know the ground. I want you to go quietly on shore and see
first of all whether there is safe landing for us, and then whether the
ground between the town and the fort is occupied. Be quick and secret; I
need waste no words. Mr. Watson has a boat's crew ready."
"I think, sir," said Desmond, "that it will hardly be necessary, perhaps
not advisable, to take a boat's crew from this ship. If I might have a
couple of natives there would be a good deal less risk in getting
ashore."
"Certainly. But there is no time to spare; indeed, if you are not back
in a couple of hours I shall land at once. But I should like to know
what we have to expect. You had better get a couple of men from the
nearest grab."
"The _Tremukji_ is only a few cables-lengths away, sir, and there's a
man on board who knows the harbour. I will take him, with your
permission."
"Very well. Good luck go with you."
Desmond saluted, and stepping into the boat which had rowed him to the
_Kent_, he was quickly conveyed to the grab. In a few minutes he left
this in a skiff, accompanied only by Fuzl Khan and a lascar. Not till
then did he explain what he required of them. The Gujarati seemed
overcome by the selection of himself for this mission.
"You are kind to me, sahib," he said. "I do not deserve it; but I will
serve you to my life's end."
There was in the man's tone a fervency which touched Desmond at the
time, and which he had good cause afterwards to remember.
A quarter of an hour after Desmond quitted the deck of the _Kent_, he
was put ashore at a sandy bay at the further extremity of the isthmus,
hidden from the fort by a small clump of mango trees.
"Now, Fuzl Khan," he said, "you will wait here for a few minutes till it
is quite dark, then you will row quickly along the shore till you come
to within a short distance of the jetty. I am going across the sand up
toward the fort, and will come round to you."
He stepped over the soft sand towards the trees and was lost to sight.
The bombardment had now ceased, and though he heard a confused noise
from the direction of the fort, there was no sound from the town, and he
concluded that the people had fled either into the fort or away into the
country. It appeared at present that the whole stretch of land between
the town and the fort was deserted.