about four in the morning
The grab with her extraordinary sailing powers could show a clean pair of heels to any Indiaman , however fast , even if he could find an opportunity of signaling for help . Fuzl Khan , without doubt , would take care that he never had such a chance . Turning things over in his mind , and seeing no way out of his difficulty , he was at length summoned to relieve the Gujarati at the wheel . It was , he supposed , about four in the morning , and still pitch dark . When he came to the helm Fuzl Khan was alone : there was nothing to betray the fact that the plotters had , but little before , been gathered around him . The lookout , who had left his post to join the group , had returned forward , and was now being relieved , like the Gujarati himself . Desmond exchanged a word or two with the man , and was left alone at the wheel .