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Hubbo was silent for a moment, then he said: "Have I the huzur's leave to speak?" "There is a mistri on board the serang's boat who is used to working in ships a khalasi from Gujarat. He might do something on board your Excellency's ship. If this vessel sank, according to the plan, the Firangi would not be able to get aboard the others, and they would have time to sink slowly."
In a couple of minutes he was lying bound and helpless. His ornate garment was but little sullied. It had been stripped from him by the mistri, who hastily donned it over his own scanty raiment, together with the subahdar's turban. "How will that do, Hossain?" asked Desmond with a smile. The serang held up the oil lamp to inspect him.
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."
"The ships of the Firangi may appear at any moment, and I must be on the lookout. "Meantime," he added to Hubbo, "you keep watch." For a man of his build he was fairly active. Dropping on to the loose earth, he scrambled over it towards the oil lamp by whose light the mistri and his assistant were working.
"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.
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.
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