GeoRGe Manvill€ Fsnn. 
 
Cornell University 
 Library 
 
 The original of this book is in 
 the Cornell University Library. 
 
 There are no known copyright restrictions in 
 the United States on the use of the text. 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924011348376 
 
Cornell University Library 
 PR 4699.F33R2 
 
 The rajah of Dah/ 
 
Ra 
 
Hamet hauled the boy into the boat .... a great horny tail rose above 
 the surface and struck it with a sharp slapping sound, and disappeared. 
 
 Pagk 25. 
 
THE 
 
 RAJAH OF DAH 
 
 George Manville Fenn 
 
 AUTHOR OF 
 
 IN THE KING'S NAME;' 'PATIENCE WINS ; ' ( DICK O* THE FENS ; 
 
 'NAT THE NATURALIST:' ' THE GOLDEN MAGNET ;' ETC. 
 
 WITH SIX ILLUSTRATIONS BY W. S. STACEY 
 
 W. & R. CHAMBERS, Limited 
 LONDON AND EDINBURGH 
 
Edinburgh : 
 Printed by W. & R. Chambers, Limited. 
 
 )ot 
 
est \ .f 'r'H JS> 
 
 GSS — 
 
 
 Chapter Page 
 
 I. OFF AT LAST! 7 
 
 II. UNCLE MURRAY'S LECTURE 12 
 
 III. UP THE RIVEH 19 
 
 IV. GUESTS OR PRISONERS? 34 
 
 V. BEFORE THE RAJAH 52 
 
 VI. MAKING THE ISKST OF IT 65 
 
 VII. A MORNING WALK 75 
 
 VIII. A HUNGRY CROC 85 
 
 IX. NED LOSES HIS HAT 93 
 
 X. A SERIOUS COMPLICATION 112 
 
 XI. THE WHITE HEN 124 
 
 XII. THROUGH THE JUNGLE 141 
 
 XIII. TWO HOURS LATE 154 
 
 XIV. THE RAJAH'S RING 160 
 
 XV. A TROUBLED NIGHT 169 
 
 XVI. PRISONERS 185 
 
 XVII. WHERE THE BOYS WERE 192 
 
 XVIII. A FRIENDLY HAND 202 
 
 XIX. DOWN THE STREAM AGAIN 215 
 
 XX. THE RAJAH'S MESSAGES 220 
 
 XXI. FRANK'S EU11AND 230 
 
 XXII. TIM'S HAPPY IDEA 239 
 
 XXIII. NED IS OBSTINATE 243 
 
 XXIV. UP THE RIVER 253 
 
 XXV. A DETERMINED PURSUIT 261 
 
 XXVI. OVERCOME 267 
 
 XXVII. A SAD RETURN 271 
 
 XXVIII. TIM PROVES HIMSELF A DRISCOL 275 
 
THE RAJAH OF DAE 
 
 CHAPTER L 
 
 OFF AT LAST ! 
 
 HOY, there ! All on board V 
 ' Yes ; all right' 
 ' Got all your tackle V 
 'I think so.' 
 
 ' Haven't forgotten your cartridges 1 ' 
 ' No ; here they are.' 
 ' I '11 be bound to say you 've forgotten something. Yes : 
 fishing-tuckle?' 
 
 'That we haven't, Mr Wilson,' said a fresh voice, that of 
 a bright-looking lad of sixteen, as he rose up in the long boat 
 lying by the bamboo-made wharf at Dindong, the little trading 
 port at the mouth of the Salan Eiver, on the west coast of 
 the Malay Peninsula. 
 
 ' Trust you for the fish-hooks, squire,' said the first speaker. 
 ' But, I say, take a good look round, Murray. It 's an awful 
 fix to be in to find yourself right up in the wilderness with 
 the very thing you want most left behind.' 
 
 'It's very good of you, Wilson,' said the gentleman 
 
8 THE RAJAH OF DAH. 
 
 addressed, a broad-shouldered man of forty, tanned and 
 freckled by the eastern sun, and stooping low to avoid 
 striking his bead against the attap thatch rigged up over the 
 stern of the boat, and giving it the aspect of a floating' hut. 
 It 's very good of you, but I think we have everything ; eh, 
 Ned?' 
 
 ' Yes, uncle ; I can't think of anything else.' 
 
 'Knives, medicine, sticking-plaster, brandy, boxes, spirit- 
 can, lamp, nets. Ah, I know, Ned: we've no needles and 
 thread.' 
 
 The lad laughed merrily, and took out a kind of pocket- 
 book, which he opened to display the above necessaries, with 
 scissors and penknife as well. 
 
 ' Well done, Ned ! I believe you have more brains than I 
 have. I can't think of anything else, Wilson. I only want 
 your good wishes.' 
 
 ' Matches ?' said the gentleman on the wharf. 
 
 ' Plenty, and we have each a burning-glass.' 
 
 ' That 's right, and now once more : take my advice.' 
 
 Johnstone Murray, enthusiast over matters of natural history, 
 shook his head, and rather a stern look came into his eyes as 
 his nephew watched him eagerly, 
 
 ' But, hang it, man ! you can make excursions up and down 
 the river from Dindong, and up the little branches as well. 
 Surely you can get all you want from here, and not lose touch 
 of civilisation.' 
 
 ' But we want to lose touch of civilisation, my dear fellow. 
 — What do you say, Ned ? Shall we stop here?' 
 
 ' No, no, uncle ; let 's go now.' 
 
 'Why, you foolish boy !' cried the gentleman addressed as 
 Wilson, 'you do not know what you are saying, or what 
 risks you are going to run.' 
 
OFF AT LAST ! 9 
 
 ' Oh, uncle will be careful, sir.' 
 
 'If lie can,' said the other, gruffly. 'I believe you two 
 think you are going on quite a picnic, instead of what must 
 be a'dangerous expedition.' 
 
 ' My dear Wilson, ' said the principal occupant of the boat, 
 merrily, 'you shut yourself up so much in your bungalow, 
 and lead such a serious plodding life over your merchandise 
 and cargoes, that you see danger in a paddle across the 
 river.' 
 
 'Ah, well, perhaps I do,' said the merchant, taking off his 
 light pith sun-hat to wipe his shining brow. 'You really 
 mean to go right up the river, then V 
 
 ' Of course. What did you think I made these prepara- 
 tions for 1 ' 
 
 ' To make a few short expeditions, and come back to me 
 to sleop and feed. Well, if you will go, good-luck go with 
 you. I don't think I can do any more for you. I believe 
 you may trust those fellows,' he added in a low voice, after 
 a glance at the four bronzed-looking strong-armed Malay boat- 
 men, each with a scarlet handkerchief bound about his black 
 hair as he sat listlessly in the boat, his lids nearly drawn 
 over his brown lurid-looking eyes, and his thick lips 
 more protruded than was natural, as he seemed to have 
 turned himself into an ox-like animal and to be chewing 
 his cud. 
 
 ' You could not have done more for me, Wilson, if I had 
 been your brother.' 
 
 ' All Englishmen and Scotsmen are brothers out in a place 
 like this,' said the merchant, warmly. ' Go rather hard with 
 some of lis if we did not stick to that ereed. Well, look 
 here, if ever you get into any scrape up yonder, send down a 
 message to me at once.' 
 
10 THE RAJAH OF DAH. 
 
 ' To say, for instance, that a tiger has walked off with Ned 
 here.' 
 
 ' Oh I say, uncle ! ' cried the boy. 
 
 ' No, no, I mean with the niggers. They 're a rum lot, 
 some of them. Trust them as far as you can see them. Be 
 firm. They're cunning; but just like children in some 
 things.' 
 
 'They're right enough, man, if you don't tread on their 
 corns. I always find them civil enough to me. But if we 
 do get into trouble, what shall you do 1 ' 
 
 ' Send you help of course, somehow. But you will not be 
 able to send a letter,' added the merchant thoughtfully. 
 'Look here. If you are in trouble from sickness, or hurt 
 by any wild animal, get some Malay fellow from one of the 
 campongs to bring down a handkerchief — a white one. But 
 if you are in peril from the people up yonder, send a red one, 
 either your own or one of the boatmen's. You will find it 
 easy to get a red rag of some sort ' 
 
 'I see,' said Murray, smiling. 'White, sickness; red, 
 bloodshed. — I say Ned, hear all this ? ' 
 
 'Yes, uncle.' 
 
 ' "Well ; don't you feel scared 1 ' 
 
 ' Horribly, uncle,' said the boy, coolly. 
 
 'Will you give up, and stop here in Dindong?' 
 
 The boy looked full in the speaker's face, thrust his hands 
 into the pockets of his brown linen trousers, and began to 
 whistle softly. 
 
 'There, good-bye, Wilson. The sun will soon be over- 
 powering, and I want to get on.' 
 
 ' Well, you 've got the tide to help you for the next three 
 hours. Sorry you're going. I'll take great care of the 
 specimens you send down. You can trust any of the boat- 
 
OFF AT LAST ! 1 1 
 
 people — they know me so well. Any fellow coming down 
 with rice or tin will bring a box or basket. God bless you 
 both! Good-bye!' 
 
 There was a warm hand-shaking. 
 
 ' Take care of yourself, Ned, my boy, and don't let your 
 uncle work you too hard. — Good-bye, my lads. Take great 
 care of the sahibs.' 
 
 The Malay boatmen seemed to have suddenly wakened up, 
 and they sprang to their places, responded with a grave smile 
 to the merchant's adjuration, pushed off the boat, and in a 
 few minutes were rowing easily out into the full tide, whose 
 muddy waters flowed like so much oil up past the little 
 settlement, upon whose wharf the white figure of the mer- 
 chant could be seen in the brilliant sunshine waving his 
 hand. Then, as the occupants of the boat sat in the shade 
 of their palm-leaf awning, they saw a faint blue smoke arise, 
 as he lit a cigar and stood watching the retiring party. The 
 house, huts, and stores about the little wharf began to grow 
 distant and look toy-like, the shores to display the dull, 
 green fringe of mangrove, with its curiously-arched roots 
 joining together where the stem shot up, and beneath which 
 the muddy water glided, whispering and lapping. And then 
 the oars creaked faintly, as the boat was urged more and more 
 out into mid-stream, till the shore was a quarter of a mile 
 away ; and at last the silence was broken by the boy, whose 
 face was flushed with excitement, as he stood gazing up the 
 smooth river, while they glided on and on through what 
 seemed to be one interminable winding grove of dull-green 
 trees ; for he made the calm, grave, dark-skinned boatmen 
 start and look round for danger, as he cried out excitedly : 
 
 ' Hurrah ! Off at last !' 
 
CHAPTER II. 
 
 UNCLE MURRAYS LECTURE. 
 
 VEEY man to his taste, Ned, my boy,' said John- 
 stone Murray, gentleman, to his nephew, who 
 was home for a visit to his uncle — he called it 
 home, for he had never known any other, and 
 visited this but rarely, his life having been 
 spent during the past four years at a Devon 
 rectory, where a well-known clergyman received four pupils. 
 
 As the above words were said about six months before 
 the start up the Salan Eiver, Ned Murray's guardian raised 
 a large magnifying-glass and carefully examined a glittering 
 fragment of stone, while the boy leaned over the table upon 
 which his elbows rested, and eagerly watched his uncle's 
 actions. 
 
 ' Is that gold, uncle 1 ' 
 
 'Eh? gold? nonsense. Pyrites — mingling of iron and 
 sulphur, Ned. Beautiful radiated lines, those. But, as I 
 was saying, every man to his taste. Some people who 
 have plenty of money like to go for a ride in the park, and 
 then dress for dinner, and eat and drink more than is good 
 for them. I don't. Such a life as that would drive me mad.' 
 ' But you didn't answer my question, uncle.' 
 ' Yes, I did, Ned. I said it was pyrites.' 
 'No, no. I mean the other one, uncle. "Will you take 
 me?' 
 
UNCLE MURRAY'S LECTURE. 13 
 
 ' Get away with you ! Go back to the rectory and read 
 up, and by-and-by we '11 send you to Oxford, and you shall 
 be a parson, or a barrister, or ' 
 
 ' Oh, uncle, it 's too bad of you ! I want to do as you do. 
 I say : do take me !' 
 
 'What for?' 
 
 ' Because I want to go. I won't be any trouble to you, 
 and I '11 work hard and rough it, as you call it ; and I know 
 so much about what you do that I 'm sure I can be very use- 
 ful ; and then you know what you 've often said to me about 
 its being so dull out in the wilds by yourself, and you would 
 have me to talk to of a night.' 
 
 ' Silence ! Be quiet, you young tempter. Take you, you 
 soft green sapling ! Why, you have no more muscle and 
 endurance than a twig.' 
 
 ' Twigs grow into stout branches, uncle.' 
 
 ' Look here, sir : did your tutor teach you to argue your 
 uncle to death when you wanted to get your own way ? ' 
 
 'No, uncle.' 
 
 ' Do you think I should be doing my duty as your guardian 
 if I took you right away into a savage country, to catch fevers 
 and sunstrokes, and run risks of being crushed by elephants, 
 bitten by poisonous reptiles, swallowed by crocodiles, or to 
 form a lunch for a fastidious tiger tired of blacks 1 ' 
 
 ' Now you are laughing at me again,' said the boy. 
 
 ' No, sir. There are risks to be encountered.' 
 
 'They wouldn't hurt me any more than they would you, 
 uncle.' 
 
 ' There you are again, arguing in that abominable way ! 
 No, sir ; I shall not take you. At your age education is the 
 thing to study, and nothing else. Now, be quiet ! ' and 
 Johnstone Murray's eyes looked pleasant, though his freckled 
 
14 THE RAJAH OF DAH. 
 
 brown face looked hard, and his eyes seemed to say that there 
 was a smile hidden under the grizzled curly red beard which 
 covered the lower part of his face. 
 
 ' There, uncle, now I have got you. You 've said to me 
 scores of times that there was no grander education for a man 
 than the study of the endless beauties of nature.' 
 
 ' Be quiet, Ned. There never was such a fellow as you for 
 disputing.' 
 
 ' But you did say so, uncle.' 
 
 ' Well, sir, and it 's quite right. It is grand ! But you are 
 not a man.' 
 
 ' Not yet, but I suppose I shall be, some day.' 
 
 ' Not if I take you out with me to catch jungle fever.' 
 
 ' Oh, bother the old jungle fever !' 
 
 ' So say I, Ned, and success to quinine.' 
 
 ' To be sure. Hurrah, for quinine ! You said you took it 
 often in swampy places to keep off the fever.' 
 
 'That's quite right, Ned.' 
 
 ' Very well then, uncle ; I '11 take it too, as much as ever 
 you like. Now, will you let me go?' 
 
 ' And what would the rector say V 
 
 ' I don't know, uncle. I don't want to be a barrister. I 
 want to be what you are.' 
 
 ' A rough, roaming, dreamy, restless being, who is always 
 wandering about all over the world.' 
 
 'And what would England have been, uncle, if some of 
 us had not been restless and wandered all over the world.' 
 
 Johnstone Murray, gentleman and naturalist, sat back in 
 his chair and laughed. 
 
 'Oh, you may laugh, uncle!' said the boy with his face 
 flushed. ' You laugh because I said some of us : I meant 
 some of you. Look at the discoveries that have been made ; 
 
unole Murray's lecture. 15 
 
 look at the wonders brought home; look at that, for 
 instance,' cried the boy, snatching up tho piece of pale, 
 yellowish-green, metallic-looking stone. ' See there ; by your 
 discoveries you were able to tell me that this piece which 
 you brought home from abroad is pyrites, and ' 
 
 ' Hold your tongue, you young donkey. I did not bring 
 that stone home from abroad, for I picked it up the other day 
 under the clitf at Veutnor, and you might have known what 
 it was from any book on chemistry or mineralogy. — So you 
 want to travel I' 
 
 ' Yes, uncle, yes !' cried the boy. 
 
 ' Very well, then : get plenty of books, and read them in 
 an easy-chair, and then you can follow the footsteps of 
 travellers all round the world without getting shipwrecked, 
 or having your precious soft young body damaged in any 
 way.' 
 
 'Oh dear! oh dear!' sighed the boy; 'it's very miserable 
 not to be able to do as you like.' 
 
 ' Xo, it isn't, stupid ! It 's very miserable to be able to 
 do nearly as you like. Nobody can quite, from the Queen 
 down to the dirtiest little boy in the streets. The freest 
 man finds that he has the hardest master to satisfy — himself.' 
 
 'Oh, I say, uncle!' cried the boy; 'don't, don't, please: 
 that doesn't seem like you. It 's like being at the rectory. 
 Don't you begin to lecture me.' 
 
 ' Oh, very well, Xed. I 've done.' 
 
 ' That 's right ; and remember you said example was better 
 than precept* 
 
 'And so it is, Xed.' 
 
 'Very well then, uncle !' cried the boy : ' I want to follow 
 your example and go abroad.' 
 
 Johnstone Murray brought his fist down bang upon the 
 
16 THE RAJAH OP DAH. 
 
 table of his study — the table covered with books, minerals, 
 bird skins, fossils, bones, and the miscellaneous odds and 
 ends which a naturalist delights in collecting round him in 
 his half study, half museum, where as in this case, every- 
 thing was so sacred that the housemaid dared hardly enter 
 the place, and the result was a cloud of dust which imme- 
 diately made Ned sneeze violently. Then his uncle 
 sneezed ; then Ned sneezed ; then they both sneezed together, 
 and again and again. 
 
 'Oh, I say, uncle !' cried Ned ; and he sneezed once more. 
 
 ' Er tchishou ! Bless the king ! — queen I mean,' said the 
 naturalist. 
 
 'You shouldn't, uncle,' cried the boy, now laughing 
 immoderately, as his uncle sneezed and choked, and wiped 
 his eyes. 
 
 ' It was all your fault, you young nuisance. Dear me, this 
 dust' 
 
 ' Ought to be saved for snuff.' 
 
 ' Now, look here, Ned,' said Mr Murray at last. ' I do not 
 say that some day when you have grown up to be a man, I 
 may not ask you to accompany me on an expedition into some 
 new untried country, such as the part of the Malay Peninsula 
 I am off to visit next.' 
 
 'How long will it be before you consider I am a man, 
 uncle V 
 
 ' Let 's see ; how old are you now V 
 
 ' Sixteen turned, uncle.' 
 
 ' Humph ! Well, suppose we say at one and twenty.' 
 
 'Five years!' cried the boy in despair. 'Why, by that 
 time there will not be a place that you have not searched. 
 
 There will be nothing left to discover, and' (a sneeze) 
 
 ' there 's that dust again.' 
 
UNUWS MUltUAtf'S LKUTUHU. 17 
 
 ' You miserable young ignoramus ! what are you talking 
 about?' cried the naturalist. 'Why, if a man could live to be 
 a hundred, and have a hundred lives, he would not achieve 
 to a hundredth part of what there is to be discovered in 
 this grand — this glorious world.' 
 
 He stood up with one hand resting on the table, and began 
 to gesticulate with the other. 
 
 'Why, my dear boy, before I was your age I had begun 
 to tnko an activo interest in natural history, and for con- 
 siderably over twenty years now I have been hard at work, 
 with my eyes gradually opening to the wonders on every 
 hand, till I begin now to feel sorrow and delight at how little 
 I know and how much there is yet to learn.' 
 
 ' Yes, uncle ; go on,' cried the boy, eagerly. 
 
 ' You said I was not to lecture you.' 
 
 'But I like it when you talk that way.' 
 
 ' Ah, Ned, Ned ! there 's no fear of one's getting to the end,' 
 said Murray, half sadly j ' life is far too short for that, 
 but the life of even the most humble naturalist is an unceasing 
 education. He is always learning — always finding out how 
 beautiful are the works of the Creator. They are endless, 
 Nod, my boy. The grand works of creation are spread out 
 before us, and the thirst for knowledge increases, and the 
 draughts we drink from the great fount of nature are more 
 delicious each timo we raise the cup.' 
 
 Ned's chin was now upon his thumbs, his elbows on the 
 table once more, and his eyes sparkled with intense delight 
 as he gazed on the animated countenance of the man before 
 him ; for that face was lit up, the broad forehead looked 
 noble, and his voice was now deep and low, and now rang 
 out loudly, as if he were some great teacher declaiming to his 
 pupil on the subject noarost to his heart. Till it suddenly 
 
18 THE RAJAH OP DAHj 
 
 dawned upon him that, instead of quenching, he was in- 
 creasing the thirst of the boy gazing excitedly in his eyes, 
 and he stopped short in the lamest way, just as he was rising 
 up to the highest pitch of his eloquence. 
 
 'Yes, uncle, yes !' cried Ned. ' Go on — go on.' 
 
 ' Eh ? No ; that 's all, my boy ; that 's all.' 
 
 'But that isn't all!' cried Ned excitedly, rising now. 
 ' That 's only the beginning of what I want to learn. I want 
 to read in those books, uncle. I want to drink from that 
 glorious fountain whose draughts are sweeter every time. I 
 
 want to — I want to — I want to Oh uncle, oh uncle, go 
 
 on ! do take me with you, there 's a dear old chap.' 
 
 The boy stretched out his hand, which was slowly taken 
 and pressed as Johnstone Murray said in a subdued tone : 
 'God grant that I may be doing rightly for you, Ned. 
 You've beaten me finely with my own weapons, my boy.' 
 
 ' And you '11 take me 1 ' 
 
 ' Yes, Ned, I give in. You shall be my companion now.' 
 
 ' Hurrah ! ' 
 
 Ned sprang on to his chair, then on to the table, and 
 waved his hand above his head. A month later he was 
 on his way in one of the French boats to Singapore, from 
 whence, after making a few final preparations, they went up 
 in a small trading-steamer to the little settlement of Dindong, 
 on the Salan Eiver. Here they made a fortnight's stay to 
 engage a boat and men, and learn a little more of the land 
 they were to explore, and at last the morning came when they 
 parted from ^the hospitable merchant to whom Murray 
 had had introductions ; and the bamboo wharf had faded 
 quite from sight, when Ned Murray again cried excitedly : 
 
 ' Hurrah ! Off at lust ! ' 
 
CHAPTEE III. 
 
 UP THE RIVER. 
 
 T was early morning yet, and the mists hung low, 
 but the torrid sun rapidly dissipated each opal- 
 escent gauzy vapour, and before long the sky was 
 of that vivid blue which reflected in the surface 
 of the river changed its muddy hue, and gave it 
 a beauty it really did not possess. 
 Nothing can be more dull and monotonous than the fringe 
 of mangroves which line the tidal waters of river and creek 
 in the tropics, and after sitting watching the dingy foliage 
 and interlacing roots for some time, in the hope of seeing 
 some living creature, Ned Murray began to scan the river in 
 search of something more attractive ; but for a time there 
 was the glistening water reaching on and on before them, 
 now fairly straight, now winding and winding, so that at 
 times they were completely shut in by the mangroves, and 
 the Malays appeared to be rowing in a lake. 
 
 'Not much of scenery this, Ned,' said Murray, after a 
 long silence. 
 
 ' That 's what I was thinking, uncle. But I say, is it going 
 to be all like this V 
 
 ' I should hope not. Oh no ! these trees only grow 
 where they can feel the sea-water, I believe. As we get 
 higher up, where the river begins to bo fresh, we shall see 
 a change.' 
 
20 THE EAJAH OF DAH. 
 
 ' But it 's all so still. No fish, no birds, and no chance of 
 seeing the animals for those trees.' 
 
 ' Patience, my lad, patience.' 
 
 ' But hadn't we better get out the guns and cartridges, or 
 the fishing-tackle V 
 
 ' Nothing to shoot as yet, nothing to catch, I should say ; 
 but we '11 have out a gun soon. Any fish to be caught here 
 with a line, Hamet?' 
 
 The nearest of the Malay boatmen smiled, ceased rowing, 
 and said in fairly good English, but with a peculiar accent : 
 ' Few \ not many. Shrimps when the water is low.' 
 
 ' Oh ! but we can't fish for shrimps without a net,' said 
 Ned, contemptuously ; ' and that 's stupid sport. I did 
 fish with a net once down in Devonshire, but I did not want 
 to do it again. Why, I should have thought a river like this 
 would have been full of something.' 
 
 ' Hah ! ' said the Malay, pointing, and Ned followed the 
 direction indicated by the man's long brown finger. 
 
 'Eh? what?' said the boy, staring across the water. 
 ' What is it— a bird ? where ? ' 
 
 'Don't you see. There, fifty yards away, on the surface 
 of the water?' 
 
 ' No ; I can't see anything. Yes, I can ; two bro$n- 
 looking knobs. What is it ? Part of a, tree, Oh ! gone. 
 I know now ; it was a crocodile.' 
 
 'No doubt about that, Ned, and I daresay we shall see 
 plenty more,' 
 
 ' Hah ! ' ejaculated the Malay again ; and he pointed this 
 time toward the right bank of the river, or rather to the 
 fringe of mangroves on that side. 
 
 ' Yes, I can see that one plain, just those two knobs. Why 
 doesn't it show more?' 
 
UP THE RIVER. 21 
 
 ' For the sake of being safe perhaps. There you can see its 
 eyes now, just above the surface.' 
 
 'But the gun, uncle. Let's shoot one.' 
 
 ' Waste of powder and ball, my boy. It is a great chance 
 if we could hit a vulnerable part, and I don't like wounding 
 anything unnecessarily.' 
 
 'Are there many of those things here?' said Ned, after 
 watching the two prominences just above the water, and vainly 
 trying to make out the reptile's body. 
 
 'Many things?' said the man, evidently puzzled. 
 
 'Yes; crocodiles?' 
 
 'Hah! Yes, plenty, many; sahib jump in and swim, 
 crocodile ' 
 
 He ceased speaking and finished in pantomime, by raising 
 one hand and rapidly catching the other just at the 
 wrist. 
 
 ' Snap at me ?' said Ned. 
 
 'Yes, sahib. Catch, take under water. Eat.' 
 
 ' I say, though, is he stuffing me ? Do they really seize 
 people, or is it a traveller's tale V said Ned, appealing to his 
 uncle ; but the Malay, who had been engaged from his know- 
 ledge of English to act as interpreter up the river, caught 
 at the boy's words, though he did not quite grasp his 
 meaning. 
 
 ' No, no, sahib ; not stuff you. Crocodile stuff, fill himself 
 much as he can eat.' 
 
 Then he turned sharply and said a few words to his com- 
 panions in the Malay tongue, and they replied eagerly in 
 chorus. 
 
 ' There 's no doubt about it, Ned,' said his uncle. ' They 
 are loathsome beasts, and will drag anything under water that 
 they can get hold of.' 
 
22 THE RAJAH OP DAH. 
 
 'Then we ought to kill it,' said Ned excitedly. 'Let's 
 shoot it, at once.' 
 
 'Where is it?' 
 
 ' That one 's gone too,' said Ned, with a disappointed air. 
 
 ' Plenty more chances, my boy ; but if you do try your 
 skill with a gun, wait till we see one of the reptiles on the 
 bank.' 
 
 ' But there is no bank.' 
 
 ' Wait a bit, and you '11 see sand-banks and mud-banks in 
 plenty. But the appearance of those creatures answers one of 
 your questions. There must be plenty of fish in the river, for 
 that forms their principal food.' 
 
 Just then their attention was taken up by one of the Malay 
 boatmen drawing in his oar, and then taking out a small bag 
 from which he extracted a piece of broken betel-nut and a 
 half-dried leaf. Then from the same bag he took a small 
 brass box carefully hammered to form a pattern, and upon 
 opening this a thick white paste became visible. 
 
 ' What 's that V whispered Ned. 
 
 ' Lime made from coral and mixed into a paste with water.' 
 
 ' But what is he going to do ?' 
 
 ' Watch him.' 
 
 Ned was already watching, and saw the man take a little of 
 the wet lime paste from the box with his finger, and smear it 
 over the leaf. Then the box was put away, and the scrap of 
 nut carefully rolled up in the leaf and placed in the man's 
 mouth, when he went on contentedly chewing as he resumed 
 his oar and pulled steadily on. 
 
 'I never saw them get their betel ready to chew before, 
 uncle,' whispered Ned. 'I say. what leaf is that?' 
 
 ' Sirih, a little climbing kind of pepper.' 
 
 ' Well,' continued Ned with a laugh ; ' I don't know 
 
up tiiic mvMi. 23 
 
 whether that 's a bail lmbit, but it looks a very nasty ono. 
 What savagos !' 
 
 'They miglit say tho samo about our Jacks with thoir 
 tobacco,' said his uncle. — ' How would you like to livo 
 tlioro V 
 
 Ho pointed to whore, in an oponing in tho mangroves, a 
 tiny village of a few houses bocamo visiblo, moro huts, but 
 protty enough to look at with their highly-pitched, pnlra- 
 thatchod roofs, showing picturesquo gables and ornamentally 
 woven aides, the whole raised on bamboo piles, so as to 
 pliico thorn six or eight feet above the level of tho river. A 
 few cocoa-nut troes grew closo at hand, and a couple of good- 
 sized boats were drawn up and tied to posts, while a group 
 of the occupants stood gazing at tho passing party. 
 
 ' No ; I don't think I should like to live there,' said Nod, 
 as tho men rowed on, and the houses with their cluster of 
 palm-liko trees gavo place once more to the monotonous green 
 of tho mangrovos. And now the boy altered his tactics. For 
 a timo ho had scorned tho shelter of the thatched roof which 
 covorod tho aftcrpart of tho roomy boat, and been all lifo 
 and activity, making tho Malays smile at his rostlossness, 
 as ho passed among them resting his hand first on one, then 
 on another brawny shoulder, to got right forward to tho 
 sharply-pointed prow, and sit there looking up the river ; 
 while his undo rearranged somo of the packages and impedi- 
 menta necessary for thoir long trip. 
 
 ' Thore,' ho said, as ho finished for the timo, by hanging 
 two guns in slings from tho roof, Ned having returned to 
 sit down, and ho bogan wiping his face. ' I think that will 
 do. If wo had designed a boat to suit us for our trip, we 
 couldn't have contrivod anything bettor. That is the 
 beauty of travelling in a country whore tho rivers aro tho 
 
24 THE RAJ AH OF DAH. 
 
 only roads. You require no bearers, and you have no 
 worry about men being dissatisfied with their loads, and 
 then having to set up a tent when the day's journey is over. 
 Here we are with a roof over us in our travelling tent, and 
 all we have to do at night is to tether the boat to the shore, 
 have a fire lit for cooking, and eat, sleep, and rest.' 
 
 ' But you will not always keep to the boat, uncle V 
 
 ' No ; we shall make a few little expeditions when we 
 can, but, from what I have learned, the country farther north 
 and east is nearly all jungle, with only a few elephant tracks 
 through the forest by way of roads. Here, hadn't you better 
 sit still for a bit out of the sun.' 
 
 ' Yes ; coming back directly,' was the reply ; and, going 
 forward, Ned stood with his hands in his pockets gazing up 
 the river. ' I say, uncle,' lie cried at last ; ' I 'm getting tired 
 of these mangroves. Why, the shore's all alike, and oh, 
 how hot it is ! ' 
 
 The Malays rowed steadily on with their eyes half closed, 
 paying not the slightest heed to the rays of the sun, which 
 seemed now to be pouring down with a fervour that was 
 terrible. The tide still set up the river, and very little 
 exertion on their part kept a good way on the boat, as 
 they swung to and fro, keeping pretty well together, their 
 eyes half closed, and their jaws working at the betel-nut 
 each man had in his cheek. 
 
 ' Here, come into shelter till the heat of the day is past,' 
 said Murray. 
 
 ' All right, uncle.' 
 
 Ned was standing right up on the prow, intently watching 
 the two prominences over the eyes of one of the crocodiles 
 which was gliding slowly about in the tideway on the look- 
 out for food, when the summons came, and turning sharply, 
 
UP TITE RIVER. 25 
 
 a peculiar sensation of giddiness attacked him. He threw 
 up his hands to his head, and in an instant lost his balance, 
 plunged in head foremost and was gone. 
 
 As the water splashed in over the bows, Hamet uttered a 
 shout, the men ceased rowing, and Murray rushed out 
 from beneath the shelter, tearing off his loose linen jacket, 
 and eagerly scanning the water, ready to plunge in as soon 
 as Xed reappeared. 
 
 ' Xo, no,' cried Hamet, hoarsely ; and then, giving a sharp 
 order to his companions, the course of the boat was changed, 
 and he leaned over the side, the men muttering excitedly to 
 each other, for they had seen the eyes of the crocodile sink 
 beneath the water just as the loud splash was made when 
 the boy fell in. 
 
 It was a matter of only a few moments before there was 
 a movement in the dark water three or four yards away. 
 The men on the side opposite gave their oars a sudden dip 
 and drag, the boat swung round across the tide, and, reaching 
 over, Hamet caught Xed's wrist, dragged him to the side 
 just as there was a sharp shock against the forward part of 
 the boat, a jerk, and a sensation communicated to the occu- 
 pants as if they had come into collision with the trunk of a 
 tree, and it was passing under the boat. While, as with 
 Murray's help, Hamet hauled the boy into the boat, there 
 was a tremendous swirl in the water, just where he had 
 been, a great horny tail rose above the surface and struck it 
 with a sharp slapping sound, and disappeared. 
 
 'That was close !' exclaimed Murray, as the boat glided on, 
 and the Malays talked rapidly together, Hamet giving his 
 employer a curiously significant look. 
 
 At that moment Xed opened his eyes, sat up quickly, and 
 then struggled to his feel 
 
26 THE RAJAH OP DAH. 
 
 'Did I go overboard?' he said. 'Yes; I remember,' he 
 continued quickly. ' I felt giddy all at once. Oh ! my 
 hat.' 
 
 This had been forgotten, but there it was floating on the 
 surface only a short distance away, and a few strokes of the 
 oars enabled him to recover it. 
 
 ' There, get under the roof and change your things,' said 
 his uncle. ' "We '11 wring these out, and they '11 soon dry 
 in the sun.' 
 
 'Yes; but who pulled me out?' cried Ned; and on being 
 told, he held out his hand to Hamet, who took it respect- 
 fully, and bent over it for a moment. 
 
 ' Thank you,' said Ned ; and then, ' was it the sun made 
 me turn like that 1 I say, uncle, it would have been awk- 
 ward if that old crocodile had caught sight of me.' 
 
 'This is a bad beginning, Ned,' said Murray gravely. 
 ' That hideous reptile did see you, and was within an ace of 
 getting hold.' 
 
 'Ugh !' ejaculated Ned, changing colour. 
 
 ' No crocodiles much higher up,' said Hamet. 
 
 ' Then the sooner we are higher up the better,' muttered 
 Murray as the boat glided on ; and Ned was very quiet as 
 he changed his wet things. 
 
 'I say, uncle,' he said at last, 'I'm very sorry. I did 
 mean to be careful, and not do anything to worry you. I 
 couldn't help that, could I?' 
 
 ' No, it was an accident, and will be a lesson to you to be 
 careful. You see how soon anything goes wrong.' 
 
 About this time the tide, which had helped them well on 
 their upward journey, began to grow slack, then to pause ; and 
 the men rapidly rowed across to the edge of the mangroves, 
 where the boat was made fast in the shade, and Hamet 
 
DP THE RIVER. 27 
 
 signified that they would rest now for some hours till the 
 tide turned, and the sun was beginning to get low. 
 
 Food was produced, but Ned did not want much dinner, 
 and sat with rather a disgusted look upon his countenance, 
 gazing between the leaves at the surface of the river, watching 
 for the muddy-looking prominences above the eyes of the 
 crocodiles ; and thinking how he should like to spend the 
 next few days gliding about in a boat, sending bullets into 
 the brains of the treacherous-looking brutes as they slowly 
 swam about in the tidal stream. 
 
 The sound of heavy breathing made him turn his head at 
 last to see that the Malays wore all fast asleep, and that his 
 uncle had followed their example ; and as Ned looked, he 
 could see the great drops of perspiration standing upon his 
 forehead. 
 
 Perhaps it was the effect of seeing others asleep — perhaps 
 the heat — at anyrate, the result was that a drowsy sensation 
 stole over the boy ; and the dark leaves which touched the 
 palm thatching of the roof, the metallic dazzling glare from 
 the surface of the river, and the rippling sound of the water 
 all passed away, as Ned dropped into a dreamless sleep, which 
 lasted till he was touched by his uncle. 
 
 ' Wake up, Ned. Going on.' 
 
 ' Have I been asleep V 
 
 'Look for yourself.' 
 
 The Malays were forcing the boat out into the stream once, 
 more, which, instead of glancing like molten silver with 
 a glare which was painful to the eyes, now seemed to be of 
 a deep glowing orange, the reflection of the wondrous sky 
 rapidly changing in its refulgent hues from gold to orange, to 
 a deep-red and purple, as the sun sank rapidly behind the 
 great dark belt of trees on their left. 
 
28 THE RAJATI OF DAH. 
 
 'The tide is just upon the turn again. Can't you feel 
 that it is much cooler ? ' 
 
 ' ISTo, not yet,' replied Ned. ' I turned hot when we first 
 got to Singapore, and I 've never been cool since.' 
 
 ' Not when you plunged into the river V 
 
 Ned gave him a sharp look. 
 
 ' I don't remember anything about that,' he replied ; ' but 
 I say, uncle, you might let me have a shot at one of the crocs 
 now.' 
 
 Murray laughed, but made no reply, and they sat in 
 silence watching the wonderful sunset, as the men, well 
 refreshed, sent the boat along at a pretty good rate, the tide 
 soon afterwards lending its help. This was kept on till long 
 after dark, and the crew did not cease rowing till they came 
 abreast of another tiny village. Here they fastened the boat 
 to a post in company with a couple more, after exchanging a 
 few words with some dusky-looking figures on the strip of 
 shore, beyond which a group of huts could be just made out, 
 backed by trees, which looked of an intense black, while 
 above them was the purple sky spangled with stars which 
 seemed double the size of those at home. 
 
 This time Ned was quite ready for his share of the evening 
 meal, which was eaten in silence as the travellers sat watch- 
 ing a patch of bushes which grew whore the mangroves 
 ceased. 
 
 'Why, it's just like a little display of fireworks,' Ned 
 whispered. 'As if the people there were letting them off 
 because we had come.' 
 
 ' Yes ; it is very beautiful. Look ! they seem to flash out 
 like the sparks in a wood fire, when the wind suddenly blows 
 over it, and then go out again.' 
 
 ' Yes,' said Ned thoughtfully ; ' our glow-worms that we 
 
DP THE RIVER. 29 
 
 used to find and bring back to put in the garden were nothing 
 to them. Look at that ! ' 
 
 He pointed to where a bright streak of light glided through 
 the darkness for a few yards, and then stopped suddenly, when 
 all around it there was a fresh flashing out of the lights. 
 
 'Why, uncle !' cried Ned, 'if we caught a lot of those and 
 hung them up in a glass globe, we shouldn't want this lamp.' 
 
 ' I don't know how the experiment would answer, Ned,' 
 was the reply. 'But it would be awkward to go plashing 
 about in the mud and water to catch the fireflies, and we 
 have no glass globe, while we have a lamp.' 
 
 The coruscations of the fireflies seemed to fascinate Ned so 
 much that he became quite silent at last, while the Malays 
 sat huddled together chewing their betel, and talking in a 
 low subdued tone. Then Murray struck a match to light 
 his pipe, and the flash showed Ned's intent face. 
 
 'What's the matter, boy?' 
 
 ' I was trying to puzzle it out, uncle.' 
 
 'What?' 
 
 ' Oh, there are three things,' said Ned, as the half-burned 
 match described a curve and fell into the water to be 
 extinguished with a hiss, looking as it flew something like 
 one of the fireflies ashore, but of a ruddier tint. 
 
 'Well, philosopher/ said Murray, leaning over against the 
 side of the boat, 'let's have some of your thoughts.' 
 
 ' You '11 laugh at me.' 
 
 ' No. Honour bright.' 
 
 ' Well, uncle, first of all, I was wondering why those lights 
 in the fireflies don't burn them.' 
 
 'Easily answered, Ned ; because they are not hot.' 
 
 ' But they seem to be burning like the flame in a lamp, 
 only of course very small.' 
 
30 THE RAJAH OF DAH. 
 
 ' Seem, Ned, but they are not burning. It s light without 
 heat, the same as you see on decaying fish ; and as we shall 
 find in some of the great mushrooms in the jungle. It is 
 one of the puzzles scientific men have not quite settled 
 yet. We have it, you see, in our own glow-worms. I 
 have often seen it in a kind of centipede at home, which 
 to me seems to be covered with a kind of luminous oil, 
 some of which it leaves behind it on a gravel path or the 
 trunk of a tree.' 
 
 ' Yes ; I 've seen that,' said Ned thoughtfully. 
 
 ' Then, again, you have it on the sea-shore, where in calm, 
 hot weather the luminosity looks like pale golden-green oil, 
 so thick that you can skim it from a harbour.' 
 
 ' But what can it all be for V 
 
 'Ah, there you pose me, Ned. What is everything for? 
 What are we for?' 
 
 ' To go up the river, and make all sorts of discoveries.' 
 
 ' A good answer. Then let 's roll ourselves in our blankets 
 and go to sleep. Hamet says that we shall start again before 
 it is light, and they are going to sleep now.' 
 
 ' All right. Shall I make the beds V 
 
 Murray laughed, for the bed-making consisted in taking 
 two blankets out of a box, and then they rolled themselves 
 up, the lamp was turned down, and, save for a few moments' 
 rustling sound caused by Ned fidgeting into a fresh place, 
 all was silent, the faint whisper of the water gliding by the 
 side of the boat hardly warranting the term sound. 
 
 'Asleep, Ned?' came after a pause. 
 
 ' No, uncle.' 
 
 'Thinking?' 
 
 ' Yes, uncle.' 
 
 ' What about V 
 
UP THE RIVER. 31 
 
 'I was thinking how horrid it would be if those people 
 came stealing on board with their krises, and killed us 
 all.' 
 
 ' Then don't think any more such absurd rubbish, and go 
 to sleep.' 
 
 'Yes, uncle.' 
 
 ' The people out there have just as much cause to fear that 
 we should turn pirates, and go and attack them.' 
 
 There was another pause, and then a fresh repetition of the 
 questioning, and this time Ned had been thinking how easy 
 it would be for Hamet and his companions to stab and drop 
 them overboard. 
 
 ' Get out, you horrible young imaginer of eviL If they did 
 that they would not be paid for their journey.' 
 
 ' No, uncle, but they 'd get the guns and all our things.' 
 
 ' Ned, I 'm beginning to think I ought to have left you at 
 home,' said Mr Murray quietly. 
 
 ' Oh, I say uncle, I couldn't help tumbling overboard.' 
 
 ' No, sir, but you can help putting all kinds of bloodthirsty 
 ideas in my head. Now go to sleep.' 
 
 ' "Well, uncle, if you '11 promise not to believe you ought to 
 have left me at home, I will not think anything like that 
 again.' 
 
 'Very well, sir. It \s a bargain.' 
 
 There was a long silence, and then, ping — ing — ing — ing, 
 came a sharp, piercing trumpeting. 
 
 ' Here he is, Ned.' 
 
 'Who, uncle?' 
 
 'The fellow who wants to have our blood.' 
 
 'Shall I get the guns, uncle?' whispered Ned, in awe- 
 stricken tones. 
 
 ' Bah ! Nonsense ! Whoever shot at a mosquito 1 ' 
 
32 THE RAJAH OF DAH. 
 
 * Mosquito ! Oil, I say, what a shame to scare me like 
 that.' 
 
 The insect came, filled himself full, and flow off replete ; 
 but somehow sleep would not come to either Ned or his 
 uncle, and they were lying hot and weary longing for the 
 repose, when they both started up, for from somewhere in the 
 forest beyond the cottages came a deep-toned sound which 
 can only be rendered by the word poio ! 
 
 ' What 's that, uncle i ' 
 
 ' Hist ! talk in a whisper. It may be some kind of ape on 
 the prowl ; but I 'm afraid ' 
 
 ' So am I, uncle, horribly.' 
 
 ' Be quiet, sir, and let me finish what I have to say,' cried 
 Murray angrily. 'I was going to say I'm afraid it's a 
 tiger.' 
 
 ' Oh, I say, do get down the guns,' whispered Ned. ' A 
 tiger 1 And loose ? ' 
 
 'Loose? Why, you young donkey, do you think this is 
 the zoological gardens, and the tiger's cage has been left 
 open 1 ' 
 
 ' I don't know, I 'm sure ; only it seems very risky to be 
 here like this, and not even able to shut the door. No — no — 
 no — no, uncle,' continued Ned hastily; 'you promised you 
 would not think that you ought to have left me at home.' 
 
 At that moment the cry came again louder and nearer, but 
 modified so that there could be no doubt about the animal 
 that had given vent to the sound. 
 
 The knowledge that a tiger was prowling about somewhere 
 near was enough to make Murray rise softly, and reach 
 down one of the guns from the slings, and slip a couple of 
 ball-cartridges into the barrels, and thus prepared he sat 
 waiting, both having the consolation of knowing that if the 
 
UP THE RIVER. 
 
 33 
 
 animal attacked them, it could only be by taking to the water 
 first and swimming to the boat. 
 
 The sound came again, exactly, as Ned said afterwards 
 when he felt quite safe, like the cry of a magnified tom-cat. 
 
 But a couple of hours passed away without further alarm, 
 and somewhere about that time Murray gave a start, for he 
 had been fast asleep. 
 
 ' Ned,' he whispered. 
 
 A heavy breathing was his answer, and the next minute lie 
 too was fast asleep only to be awakened by the warm sun at 
 last, and to find from Hamet that the boat had been cast oil', 
 and they had been rowing steadily up the river from the 
 earliest dawn of day. 
 
 'Ned,' said Murray. 'Ned.' 
 
 There was no answer, and he caught hold of the boy. 
 
 ' Hi, uncle ! quick ! the gun ! It 's got hold of my arm.' 
 
 'What has?' 
 
 ' Oh, it y s you,' said Ned, with a sigh of relief. ' I dreamed 
 something seized me, and I didn't know whether it was a 
 tiger or a croc' 
 
 l^fe 
 
CHAPTEE IV. 
 
 -*Bt5" 
 
 GUESTS OR PRISONERS? 
 
 jiIVE more days were passed ascending the river, 
 ■which by degrees began to display banks that 
 were park-like and densely packed with forest trees. 
 The dismal mangroves had disappeared, and in 
 their place graceful palms shot up and spread 
 their feathered plumes ; bamboos rose in clumps 
 like gigantic grasses, and canes swung from branch to branch, 
 and festooned specimens of timber which was often one blaze 
 of colour, and whose petals sprinkled the now bright clear 
 water. 
 
 A tiny village was passed at intervals, and from time to 
 time some boat floated by them deeply laden with rice or tea. 
 At night the boat was moored to some tree trunk. The 
 men went ashore, and collected wood and lit a fire for cook- 
 ing purposes, and then all returned to sleep on board before 
 starting early in the cool misty morning, so as to have some 
 hours' rest in the middle of the day, before the journey was 
 resumed in the evening. 
 
 It was a calm and peaceful, even if it were a monotonous 
 little voyage, for, in spite of some object worthy of a natu- 
 ralist's attention being pointed out, Murray preferred to 
 wait till he was farther on his way before commencing his 
 collecting ; and white-plumaged falcon and beautiful long- 
 tailed kingfishers were allowed to fly by unmolested. 
 
GUESTS OB PRISONERS? 35 
 
 ' Wait a bit, Ned,' he said, ' and you shall have your 
 hands full.' 
 
 The river was now beautiful. It was a broad clear stream, 
 with mountains visible away to the east, wherever an opening 
 occurred in the woods, and it seemed a wonder that so lovely 
 a country should show so seldom that it was inhabited. 
 
 At the villages they passed, the people looked peaceful, 
 quiet, and inoffensive, although every man carried a deadly- 
 looking kris in its wooden sheath, thrust in the twisted-up 
 band of the scarf-like silk or cotton sarong, which was 
 wrapped round the middle in the form of a kilt, and with the 
 exception of something worn in the shape of a hat to keep 
 off the sun's piercing rays, this was the only garment many 
 of the people displayed. 
 
 They brought fruit when asked, every house having its 
 cluster of fruit-trees about it. In some cases there were 
 cocoa-nuts, but more frequently bananas of two or three 
 kinds, which they parted with for a mere trifle, these form- 
 ing an admirable addition to the supply of food. 
 
 Hamet generally went to market, and came back smiling 
 often enough with a large bunch of the finger-shaped fruit, 
 a bag of rice, and when he was most fortunate in his forag- 
 ing, a couple of skinny-looking chickens and some eggs. 
 
 'Getting tired, Ned?' said Murray, one glorious morning 
 as the men were steadily rowing on, keeping close up to 
 the trees on their right, for the sake of the shade and the 
 slower motion of the stream. 
 
 ' No, not tired,' replied the boy. ' It 's all too beautiful 
 for one to get tired, but I do feel as if I should like to be 
 doing something. I keep seeing birds I want to shoot, and 
 flowers I should like to pick.' 
 
 'Then here's news for you, boy. I reckon that we are 
 
36 THE RAJAH OF DAH. 
 
 now well up into the region I wanted to explore, and to- 
 morrow work shall begin in real earnest.' 
 
 Ned's eyes sparkled. ' Begin shooting V 
 
 ' Yes, and collecting botanical specimens. There will be 
 no need now to toil up a certain distance every day, 
 and we shall stop at every likely-looking collecting ground 
 to go ashore, and certainly explore every side stream or 
 creek.' 
 
 'And fish? Hamet says it would be capital if I could 
 catch enough fish for a dinner now and then ; and I want 
 to bathe.' 
 
 ' Of course, and you shall try ; but there are crocodiles. 
 I have seen two within the past hour, one swimming, and 
 the other lying on a sandbank.' 
 
 ' Why, I saw that,' cried Ned ; ' but it was so still that I 
 concluded it was all fancy, it lay so close, and looked so like 
 the sand and mud. "Well, I may fish if I can't bathe, and — 
 well, that does seem curious just as I said that. Look, there 
 are two of the black fellows at it.' 
 
 ' A dark brown and a light brown to be more correct,' said 
 Murray, as he looked at a boat some fifty yards ahead of 
 them, where it had just shot round a bend of the smooth 
 stream, with a Malay boy paddling ; while another in bright 
 sarong and gay-looking baju or jacket, and a natty little 
 military-looking cap on one side of his head, leaned back 
 trailing a line for some kind of fish. 
 
 'I say, you sir,' cried Ned loudly, as he noted that the 
 brown-looking boy was about his own age, and that he was 
 watching the new-comers eagerly, 'what's the Malay for 
 what you are catching, and how many have you caught?' 
 
 For answer the boy gave his line a snatch in, and let it 
 go again, showing his teeth, and laughing heartily. 
 
QUESTS OR PRISONERS? 37 
 
 'Well, you might be civil,' said Ned flushing. 'I say, 
 Hamet, ask him how many he has caught.' 
 
 The boatman asked the required question, and received an 
 answer in the Malay tongue. 
 
 ' He says he has only just begun.' 
 
 ' "Well, ask him what sort of fish he catches.' 
 
 But before the question could be asked, the boy shouted 
 something. 
 
 'He says, sahib, are you fond of fishing?' 
 
 ' Yes, of course,' shouted Ned, forgetful of the apparent 
 need of an interpreter. 
 
 By this time, the boats had passed each other and the 
 distance was increasing, when there came in good plain 
 English : ' I say, where are you going ?' 
 
 'I T p the river,' cried Ned in astonishment. 'Know any 
 more English ? "Where do you live 1 How far is it away 
 from here, and what 's your name V 
 
 The boy in the boat threw out his line again, and burst 
 into a shout of laughter, greatly to Ned's annoyance, for it 
 sounded derisive ; but there was no opportunity for further 
 attempts at communication, for their boat swept round the 
 bend, and it was plain enough whence the fishers had come, 
 for, beautifully situated in a lake-like curve of the stream, 
 they could see quite a pretentious-looking village with what 
 was evidently a mosque, and just beyond it, a strong-looking 
 stockade. The houses were of exactly the same type as 
 those they had before passed, but in addition there were 
 several of considerable size, whose sides were woven in 
 striking patterns, while dense groves of cocoa, betel, and 
 nipah palms added to the beauty of the scene. 
 
 Along the shore a dozen or two of boats were drawn up, 
 while floating alone and doubled in the mirror-like water was 
 
38 THE RAJAH OP DAH. 
 
 a large prahu on whose deck several men were lolling about. 
 Just then a naga or dragon boat came swiftly from behind 
 it, propelled by a dozen men in yellow jackets and scarlet 
 caps, and three or four showily-costumed Malays could be 
 seen seated and standing in the shade of the awning, which, 
 like that of their own boat, was of palm-leaves or attap, but 
 far more neatly made. 
 
 ' What place is this, Hamet ?' 
 
 'Don't know, sir,' he said. 'Never been so far. It must 
 bo Campong Bukit, and that is one of the rajah's boats.' 
 
 ' What rajah V 
 
 ' Eajah of Dah. Great prince.' 
 
 ' Ah, well, we may as well stop and land, and I daresay we 
 can buy some fresh fruit and chickens and rice. What 's that V 
 
 ' Ibrahim says don't stop — not good place,' replied Hamet, 
 for one of the men had whispered to him. 
 
 ' Oh, but Mr Wilson said this was an important village, 
 and that there were English people here.' 
 
 The question of stopping or not was soon decided, for by a 
 dexterous turn the dragon boat was swept across them, their 
 way stopped, and one of the Malays beneath the awning 
 shouted something imperiously to the men. 
 
 Hamet replied in Malay, while Murray strained his ears to 
 try to pick up the meaning of some of the words, without 
 success, and then turned impatiently to Hamet. 
 
 ' What do they want V he said. 
 
 ' To know who you are, sir, and where you are going.' 
 
 ' Tell him to mind his own business,' said Murray, sharply, 
 and to Ned's great delight. ' No ; it would bo uncivil. Tell 
 him 1 am an English gentleman travelling for my pleasure, 
 and that we are going to land to look at the place and buy 
 provisions.' 
 
GUESTS OE PRISONERS? 30 
 
 This was duly interpreted, a fresh answer made, and per- 
 mission given, the naga being kept close alongside as they all 
 rowed for what proved to be quite a respectable landing-place, 
 that is to say, a roughly-made jetty formed by driving bamboos 
 into the sand and mud. 
 
 ' Ask him if there are not some English people here,' said 
 Murray to Hamet. 
 
 'No, uncle, don't. Look there, in front of those trees, 
 there 's an Englishman with a white umbrella, and a lady 
 with a parasol. Oh, I say, what a shame; she's using an 
 opera-glass — and you said we were coming up into quite a 
 savage place.' 
 
 'So I did, Ned,' said his uncle, rubbing his ear; 'but I 
 can't help it. Civilisation crops up everywhere now, and 
 they say you can't get away from cotton prints and Stafford- 
 shire pottery without running up against Sheffield knives.' 
 
 ' But it is so disappointing. I say, look, and there 's another 
 lady, and they 're going on to that jetty to see us come in. 
 There '11 be a steamboat call next, and I daresay there 's a 
 railway station somewhere among the trees.' 
 
 'Never mind, Ned,' said Murray, with a comical look of 
 chagrin in his countenance. ' "We '11 only buy what we can 
 and be off again directly. I certainly didn't expect this. 
 Why, there 's another Englishman,' he said, more loudly than 
 he had intended, for they were close up to the jetty now, and 
 the man of whom he had spoken, a red-faced youngish fellow 
 in flannel shirt and trousers and a straw hat, said loudly : 
 
 ' Not a bad shot, sor. Make it Oirish, and ye '11 be right.' 
 
 ' I beg your pardon,' cried Murray, hastily raising his hat, 
 and the salute was returned. 'What place is this ?' 
 
 'Dirthy Bucket, sor. Campong Bukit they call it. Are 
 ye from home lately?' 
 
40 THE RAJAH OP DAH. 
 
 ' From England 1 Yes.' 
 
 All this was said as the boat glided along by the bamboo 
 posts, and Murray added hastily : ' Perhaps you would not 
 mind helping us. We want to buy some provisions — some- 
 thing to eat.' 
 
 'Buy something to ate 1 !' said the man, smiling. 'Whisht, 
 here 's the masther and the ladies. — Here 's an English gentle- 
 man, sor.' 
 
 There was rather an angry buzzing here from the dragon 
 boat, as the gentleman with the white umbrella came on to 
 the jetty, the two ladies with him remaining,, behind, while 
 quite a little crowd of Malays began to collect on the river- 
 bank. 
 
 'English gentleman?' said the new-comer. 'Glad to see 
 you, sir. From Singapore, I presume V 
 
 ' Not just lately ; we have been staying at Dindong. We 
 were on our way up the river, and this place seemed a likely 
 one to lay in a store of fresh provisions. Am I right ?' 
 
 ' Perfectly. Come ashore, my dear sir. Your son V 
 
 ' Nephew,' replied Murray, and Ned bowed stiffly. 
 ?-' ' Just as welcome in this savage place. This way; my 
 bungalow is a very little way off.' 
 
 ' But my boat, guns, and the like 1 ' 
 
 'Be safe? Tim, jump in and take charge, while the 
 gentlemen come up to tiffin.' 
 
 ' But, sor, there '11 be nobody to ' 
 
 ' Oh, never mind ; we '11 manage. My factotum, butler, 
 footman, groom, everything,' continued the stranger. ' Did 
 those fellows bring you in V 
 
 ' Not exactly. They showed us the way.' 
 
 ' Hem ! ' said the stranger, with a dry cough ; and he put 
 up his white umbrella again. ' Mind the sun V 
 
QUESTS OR PRISONERS? 41 
 
 ' Oh, no ; we .are getting a bit acclimatised.' 
 
 ' You 're lucky then ; I 'ni not. My dears, gentlemen from 
 home. Mr — Mr ? ' 
 
 'Murray.' 
 
 ' Mr Murray. My wife and daughter. Oh, by the way, 
 forgot to introduce myself : Barnes, Doctor Barnes, resident 
 physician to His Highness the Rajah of Dah, in whose 
 capital you stand. My dear, Mr Murray and his nephew 
 have kindly consented to take tiffin with us.' 
 
 ' You are very kind,' said Murray, hesitating. 
 
 'No apologies are necessary,' said the elder of the two 
 ladies, rather a yellow, quick-spoken body ; and she made as 
 if to take the new-comer's arm. ' We are only too glad to 
 see a fresh face — a white one, are we not, Amy ?' 
 
 ' Indeed we are, mamma,' said the bright-looking girl 
 addressed, and in a half-amused way, she took Ned's arm 
 as her father went on in front. 
 
 ' I little thought of seeing English visitors,' she continued. 
 ' Shall I be impertinent if I ask why you have come so 
 far?' 
 
 'Oh no ! ' said Xed rather brusquely, for he resented the 
 questioning. ' Uncle and I have come up on a sporting and 
 natural history trip. We are going on directly.' 
 
 'Indeed ! Then the rajah has given you leave?' 
 
 ' What rajah ? The man here ? ' 
 
 ' Yes/ said the girl, smiling. 
 
 ' Oh no ! We did not know it was necessary. Uncle 
 will ask him then, I suppose. Does he call it his property ?' 
 
 The girl looked round at him in surprise. 
 
 ' Oh yes ; he is the rajah or prince of the country.' 
 
 ' Yes ; but I thought all this belonged to the Queen.' 
 
 ' Well, I suppose it does, but our prince here thinks he 
 
42 THE RAJAH OF DAJT. 
 
 is as important a person as the queen of England, and does 
 exactly as lie likes.' 
 
 'Oh!' 
 
 'You must recollect that we are a very very long way 
 from Singapore here, and, excepting what he has been told 
 of England and her power, the rajah knows very little about 
 our country, and laughs at my father as if he were telling 
 him romances when he talks of our army and ships of war.' 
 
 ' He must be awfully conceited, then.' 
 
 ' He is,' said the girl laughing. ' I believe he thinks he 
 is the greatest monarch upon earth.' 
 
 'Then you are the only English people here?' 
 
 'Oh no. We have Mr and Mrs Braine and their son, 
 and Mr and Mrs Greig.' 
 
 'Who are they?' 
 
 'Mr Braine is a gentleman papa recommended to the 
 rajah. He wanted some one to advise him and help him 
 to introduce English customs, and to drill his army. Mr 
 Greig is a merchant who lives here to purchase the produce 
 of the country to send down to Singapore. You will see 
 them, I daresay, for they are sure to come in as soon as 
 they know that you are here.' 
 
 ' It all seems very funny. I thought we were coming into 
 quite a wild place where there were elephants and tigers, and 
 great snakes and birds that we could collect.' 
 
 'Well, it could not be much more wild,' said the girl, 
 smiling. ' Directly you get past our house the dense jungle 
 begins. We are completely shut in by it, except in the 
 front here by the river. Wild? You will hear the tigers 
 as soon as it is dark.' 
 
 ' But I shall not be here,' said Ned, laughing. 
 
 ' I think you will,' said the girl, looking at him curiously. 
 
GUESTS OR PRISONERS? 43 
 
 ' Oh no ; my uncle lias quite made up his mind about 
 what he intends to do, and nothing can change him.' 
 
 ' Indeed ! We shall see. Here we are.' 
 
 They had been passing through the place with its houses 
 dotted about in the most irregular fashion, just as the builders 
 had felt disposed to plant them, and now came upon an 
 attractive-looking bungalow similar in character to the others, 
 and like them raised on bamboo piles se.ven or eight feet 
 from the ground, but with numberless little additions such 
 as would be made by an Englishman. Notably a high rustic 
 fence enclosing a large garden planted liberally with tropic 
 shrubs and flowers, and a broad flight of steps leading up to 
 a great open verandah which ran nearly along the whole of 
 the front, and over which the attap roof was brought to rest 
 on clusters of bamboo formed into pillars, up which ran and 
 twined in profuse growth passion-flowers and other creepers. 
 
 ' What a delightful place ! ' cried Ned. ' Why, it 's quite 
 a treat to see a good garden. Look at the fruit !' 
 
 ' Mamma is very proud of the garden, and ' 
 
 ' Come along, squire,' said the doctor, from the head of the 
 steps. ' Welcome to the Fernery.' 
 
 Murray was already seated at a well- spread table, upon 
 which a couple of Malayan women, in neat cotton sarongs 
 woven into an attractive plaid, were placing plates and dishes, 
 and they greeted the new-comers with a look of surprise and 
 a smile. 
 
 'There, gentlemen,' said the doctor, 'you could not have 
 arrived at a more opportune time, but you must excuse all 
 shortcomings. We keep up old English customs as well as 
 we can, and can give you coffee and eggs. No fried bacon, 
 squire,' he added laughingly to Ned. ' You are where our 
 genial useful old friend the pig is an abomination. Why, 
 
44 THE RAJAH OP DAH. 
 
 it 's five years since I Ye tasted a sausage, or a bit of ham. 
 But we can give you a curry of which I am proud. Eh, 
 my dear V 
 
 'Mr Murray will let a hearty English wolcomo make up 
 for anything lacking,' said the doctor's lady. ' He knows that 
 we are in the wilderness.' 
 
 ' A wilderness with bamboo chairs, a table, a clean cloth, 
 glass, plate, napkins, and flowers and fruit,' cried Murray. 
 ' AVhy, my dear madam, you forget that we have been pic- 
 nicking in a boat. There, don't spoil your welcome by 
 apologies ! ' 
 
 Then there was a busy interval during which the greatest 
 justice was done to an excellent meal, and Ned was initiated 
 into the mystery of sambals — tiny saucers of pickle-like and 
 preserve preparations, popular amongst the Malays as appe- 
 tisers, but quite needless in Ned's ease, for he was perfectly 
 independent of anything of the kind, and after his curry and 
 coffee, now the first chill of strangeness had passed, paid 
 plenty of attention to the fruit pressed upon him by the 
 doctor's daughter. Now it was a deliciously-flavourod choice 
 banana with a deep orange skin, now a mangosteon, and 
 then a portion of a great durian, a scrap or two of which 
 he ate with some reluctance. 
 
 'Hallo!' said the doctor aftor a glance at his daughter, 
 'you are not getting on with your durian, sir. Pray take 
 some more ; it is our king among fruits.' 
 
 ' I — I am afraid it is not a good one,' stammered Ned, 
 looking rather red. 
 
 'Eh? not a good one?' cried the doctor, tasting a piece. 
 'Delicious, just in perfect condition. Ah, you have to acquire 
 that taste. Now then, the ladies will excuse us, and we '11 
 have a cigar here in tho shade.' 
 
GUEST6 OB PRISONERS? 45 
 
 He clapped his hands, and one of the Malay women brought 
 a box of manillas. 
 
 ' No, I don't think I '11 smoke,' said Murray. ' You will 
 not think me rude, but if you will excuse us, and put us in 
 the way of getting what we want, I should be grateful.' 
 
 ' My dear sir,' said the doctor, ' you must see our other 
 English residents. They are only waiting to give us time to 
 finish our meal, and really you cannot go as yet.' 
 
 ' Indeed ! ' said Murray, smiling, and noticing that the 
 ladies both looked serious. 
 
 ' Well, you see,' said the doctor rather confusedly — ' do 
 pray light a cigar, I '11 set you an example — you see there is 
 the rajah.' 
 
 Ned looked up sharply at the doctor, and then darted a 
 look of intelligence at his daughter. 
 
 ' What about him V said Murray abruptly. 
 
 'Well, you see,' said the doctor, hesitatingly, 'he might 
 think — but you are going shooting and collecting, you say V 
 
 'Yes.' 
 
 ' Well, you ought to ask his permission.' 
 
 'What!' said Murray, laughing. 'My dear sir, you talk 
 as if this were a gentleman's estate, and he kept game- 
 keepers.' 
 
 ' Well, yes,' said the doctor, smiling ;' it is so on a large 
 scale.' 
 
 ' How far does it extend ? We will not begin shooting till 
 we are quite beyond his patch.' 
 
 'How far?' said the doctor thoughtfully. 'Ah, that is a 
 difficult question to answer. It was hard to say before the 
 late encounters with the Eajah of Padang ; now the territory 
 is more than doubled. I think you had better send in a 
 request. Ah, here is Braine !' 
 
46 THE RAJAH OF DAH. 
 
 ' And Mrs Braine and Mr Greig,' added the doctor's lady, 
 rising from her chair. 
 
 This ended the conversation, just when Ned saw that his 
 uncle was growing annoyed at the doctor's opposition to his 
 plans, and he glanced round to see that his neighbour was 
 looking at him intently. 
 
 ' I thought you would not be able to go away to-day,' she 
 whispered, as she rose and went with her mother to meet the 
 visitors at the foot of the steps, the doctor having made an 
 apology and gone too. 
 
 'What did that young lady say to you, Ned?' said his 
 uncle in a low tone. 
 
 ' She thought there would be some difficulty in our going 
 on to-day.' 
 
 ' Oh, nonsense ! These people lead an idle life, and they 
 want every one they see to stop and play with them. I 
 don't want to be rude, but we are not going to dawdle about 
 here ; and as for this petty chief — all rubbish ! ' 
 
 At that moment a tall stem-looking man, in loose white 
 clothes and a pith helmet, came up the steps. His face was 
 darkened almost to the tint of a Malay's, and ho had a quick 
 anxious look in his eyes, which, with his rather hollow 
 cheeks, gave him the aspect of one who had lately been ill. 
 He advanced with open hand. 
 
 ' Glad to meet you, Mr Murray,' he said. 'It is a pleasure 
 to see a countryman.' 
 
 ' That speech will do for mo too,' said a rather harsh voice, 
 and a keen-looking gentleman of about fifty, with his face 
 deeply lined and a quick expression and manner which at 
 once stamped him as shrewd, now shook hands warmly with 
 the new arrivals, while directly after a subdued, handsome- 
 looking woman was led up by the doctor's lady. 
 
GUESTS OR PRISONERS? 47 
 
 ' Let me introduce you two,' said the hostess. ' Mrs 
 Braine is an ardent botanist, Mr Murray, and I 'm sure that 
 you will enjoy a chat together. She knows all our flowering 
 plants here by heart.' 
 
 ' I am very pleased to meet Mr Murray,' said the new- 
 comer in a sweet sad voice. ' I hope he will let me be his 
 guide to some of the nooks on the river-bank, where the 
 jungle can be penetrated.' 
 
 'I should only be too glad, my dear madam,' said Murray ; 
 ' and I can find no words to express my thanks — our thanks, 
 I should say — for your cordial reception here of a perfect 
 stranger ; but my nephew and I have only put in to buy a 
 bag of rice and some fruit to replenish our stores, and we 
 are going on directly.' 
 
 Murray ceased speaking, and looked sharply from one to 
 the other, for he had seen Mr Braine raise his eyebrows and 
 glance at the doctor and the shrewd keen-looking man. The 
 doctor laughed, and took up the cigar box. 
 
 ' Have a smoke, Braine V he said. 
 
 'Thanks,' was the reply; and the new-comer took a cheroot 
 in the midst of a rather constrained silence. 
 
 'I hope I have not said anything wrong,' continued 
 Murray, who felt piqued at the manners of those about 
 him, for the ladies began talking together in a subdued 
 tone. 
 
 'Oh dear me, no!' said Mr Braine hastily. 'You are 
 shooting and collecting, I think V 
 
 ' We have not begun yet,' replied Murray, quickly ; ' but 
 that is why we have come.' 
 
 There was another pause. 
 
 ' I am afraid you will give me the credit of being some- 
 what of a bear,' continued Murray, 'and really, Doctor 
 
48 THE RAJAH OF DAH. 
 
 Barnes, I am most grateful to you and your charming wife 
 and daughter for your hospitality.' 
 
 ' Oh, pray, say no more,' said Mrs Barnes. ' You confer a 
 favour on us by coming, though you have given us no 
 English news as yet.' 
 
 ' And I am afraid, my dear madam, that I shall have time 
 to give you very little. At the risk of being considered rude, 
 I must ask you to excuse us now.' 
 
 The doctor frowned and looked at Mr Braine, who glanced 
 in turn at the shrewd elderly man, and he immediately 
 searched for a silver snuff-box, and then spent a great deal 
 of time over taking a pinch. 
 
 ' Eeally, gentlemen,' said Murray, quickly, ' all this is very 
 strange. I can hardly think you credit me with rudeness 
 in being hurried.' 
 
 ' Oh no, Mr Murray, not at all,' said the doctor's lady. 
 — ' Mr Braine, why do you not explain ? ' 
 
 ' Well, really,' said that gentleman, ' I thought an explana- 
 tion should come from you as the host and hostess, but I 
 will do my best. — The fact is, Mr Murray, this country is 
 something like the west coast of Scotland in the old days, 
 when every chief had his stronghold.' 
 
 ' Oh yes, I have noted that,' said Murray, smiling; 'and I 
 see that they have both the plaid and dirk, though you call 
 them sarong and kris.' 
 
 ' Exactly. Well, my dear sir, the chief, rajah, prince, or 
 whatever you like to call him, is omnipotent here.' 
 
 'Not always, Mr Braine,' said the doctor's lady, merrily. 
 ' I think my husband rules over the rajah.' 
 
 'Only when he is ill, my dear, and he is the most 
 refractory patient I ever had.' 
 
 ' .And you see there is a certain etiquette to bo observed 
 
GUESTS OR PRISONERS? 49 
 
 here,' continued Mr Braine. ' "We would do everything we 
 could to help you to procure your provisions, and say God 
 speed to your journey, but we are helpless.' 
 
 'Indeed!' said Murray, flushing. 'You mean that as we 
 have come we must ask the rajah's permission to go : I shall 
 do nothing of the kind. Gentlemen, we will start at 
 once. ' 
 
 Mr Braine made a deprecatory sign. 
 
 'Excuse me,' he said. ' You speak like one of us — like an 
 Englishman, but my good sir, this is not England, and we 
 are beyond the range of the law courts and the police. I say 
 this is not England, nor is it Singapore. "We are not many 
 hundred miles from where the English rule is well in force, 
 but here, to all intents and purposes, we are completely in 
 the power of a barbarous chief.' 
 
 'But this is absurd!' cried Murray; 'surely the Governor 
 of the Straits Settlements would crush out any piece, of 
 oppression directly, or any outrage on a British subject.' 
 
 Mr Braine smiled. 
 
 ' The British lion is very strong, sir,' he said ; ' but he is 
 well fed and drowsy. He knows that he has only to lift his 
 paw, or perhaps only to lash his tail, to get rid of troublesome 
 animals or stinging insects, but it is very hard to get him to 
 do this. No doubt if Bajah Sadi were to behave very 
 badly, the war-steamer on the station here would come up 
 the river as far as she could, and then send an expedition in 
 boats with plenty of jacks and marines, and perhaps a few 
 soldiers, but not until there had been a great deal of red-tape 
 unwound, declarations sent to and from London, and perhaps a 
 year would have passed before the help came. Then the rajah 
 would be punished, if they could catch him, and his stockade 
 and village be burned. But most probably he would know 
 
50 THIS RAJAH OF DAH. 
 
 from his people when the expedition was coming, and mount 
 his elephants with his court, and go right away into the 
 jungle, after sending his prahus and other boats up one of the 
 side-streams where they could hide. Then the expedition 
 would return and so would the rajah ; the bamboo houses 
 would be rebuilt, and matters go on just as before.' 
 
 ' You are making out a very bad case, sir,' said Murray, 
 biting his lip to keep down his annoyance, ' but I shall not 
 hesitate as to my plans.' 
 
 ' You mean that you will go on at once 1 ' 
 
 'Certainly,' said Murray; 'and let them try to stop us if 
 they dare.' 
 
 ' Humph ! ' said Mr Braine, raising his brows a little. 
 'You doubt then the likelihood of the rajah's people inter- 
 fering with you ? ' 
 
 'Excuse me for seeming rude to you in my incredulity, 
 but I do doubt this.' 
 
 Mr Braine smiled again. 
 
 'I presume,' he said, 'that when your boat came up you 
 were boarded by the rajah's naga.' 
 
 'Yes.' 
 
 ' And you saw that she had a well-armed crew ?' 
 
 ' I noticed that the men all wore their krises, and that 
 spears were hanging in slings from the covered-in part.' 
 
 ' Exactly. That boat boards every vessel that goes up or 
 down the river, and all pay tax or toll to the lord of this 
 district, and have to await his permission before they can 
 stir.' 
 
 'Then,' said Murray, sharply, 'you consider that we are 
 prisoners?' 
 
 ' No ; I do not go so far as that, but you are in the 
 realm of a petty independent prince, who is something of a 
 
GUESTS OR PRISONERS ? 5 1 
 
 despot, and for your own sake you must submit to the customs 
 of the country.' 
 
 ' But this is ridiculous ! ' cried Murray, angrily. ' Ladies, 
 forgive me for being so abrupt, but people from the old 
 country resent coercion in every form. I '11 be as polite to 
 your rajah as a gentleman should be, but I am not going to 
 have my plans upset by a savage. Ned, my lad, we '11 see if 
 they dare interfere with us.' 
 
 'I beg you will do nothing rashly,' said Mr Braine, for 
 Murray took a step toward the ladies, and held out his hand 
 smilingly. 
 
 ' Good-bye,' he said frankly. ' I am going some distance 
 up the river, but I hope you will let me make your acquaint- 
 ance again on our return.' 
 
 'You are not gone yet, Mr Murray,' said the doctor, 
 shortly ; ' and I advise you, sir, to practise prudence for both 
 your sakes. As I expected, here are the rajah's people ; I 
 thought that they would not be long.' 
 
CHAPTER V. 
 
 BEFORE THE RAJAH. 
 
 T the same moment that the doctor was speaking, 
 Ned had caught sight of something glittering in 
 the sun above the green shrubs that bordered the 
 bamboo fence, and directly after that there was 
 quite a blaze of yellow and scarlet colour as a 
 party of Malays reached the gate and entered 
 the grounds, a little group of swarthy-looking spearmen 
 halting in the path, while two stately-looking men, with 
 handkerchiefs tied turban fashion about their heads, came 
 slowly up to the steps. The doctor descended to meet them, 
 and then ushered them into the verandah where they saluted 
 the ladies courteously, and then bowed gravely to the strangers, 
 to whom they were introduced as two of the chief officers of 
 the rajah in the most formal way ; after which, as a brief 
 conversation took place in the Malay tongue, and gave Ned 
 the opportunity to examine their silken jackets and gay kilt- 
 like sarongs in which were stuck their krises with the 
 handles covered by the twisted folds, the doctor turned to 
 Murray. 
 
 ' These gentlemen,' he said, ' have been sent by his high- 
 ness the rajah to ask why you have come here, and to desire 
 your presence before him.' 
 
 ' Tell them,' said Murray, ' that I am sorry I cannot speak 
 
BEFORE THE RAJAH. 53 
 
 their tongue ; and that as I am going on at once, I bog the 
 rajah will excuse me from waiting upon him.' 
 
 ' My dear sir,' whispered Mr Braine ; but Murray flushed a 
 little, and wont on : 
 
 'Tell the rajah, please, that I am an English gentle- 
 man, a subject of Her Majesty Queen Victoria, travelling 
 with my nephew to collect objects of natural history, and that 
 I shall be obliged if he will give me a safe conduct to pass 
 through his country unmolested by his people.' 
 
 An answer to this was made at once by the elder and more 
 grave-looking of the two Malays, showing that, though he 
 spoke in his own language to the doctor, he had compre- 
 hended every word that had been said. 
 
 The doctor listened, and then interpreted again to Murray. 
 
 ' The Tumongong desires me to say that he is sure his 
 highness will be glad to further your wishes, but that he 
 dare not go back and deliver such a message. You will 
 excuse me for saying so, Mr Murray, but you must obey, and 
 at once.' 
 
 'And suppose I refuse, sir?' said Murray, warmly. 'British 
 gentlemen are not accustomed to be told that they must.' 
 
 ' No,' said the doctor, smiling, ' and do not like it ; but 
 there are times when Englishmen and Scotchmen find that 
 they must submit to circumstances — eh, Braine? — eh, Greig?' 
 
 'Oh yes,' said the merchant, taking out his snuff-box, 
 opening it, and offering it to each of the Malay gentlemen, 
 who bowed gravely, and took a pinch. 
 
 ' It is not pleasant, I know, sir,' said Mr Braine quietly ; 
 'but may I, as a fellow-countryman, offer you a little 
 advice V 
 
 'Of course.' 
 
 'Then pray go, sir. And, excuse me for saying, it would 
 
54 THE RAJAH OF DAH. 
 
 be uncourteous not to obey the summons. Vous parlez 
 Francais?' he added quietly. 
 
 'Yes, badly.' 
 
 ' Croyez moi : il faut.' 
 
 Ned noticed a slight twitching of the Tumongong's facial 
 muscles, and an intent look in his eyes, as if he were trying 
 to understand the last words, which puzzled him. 
 
 'I am at his highness's service,' said Murray, abruptly. 
 ' Come Ned, you may as well come too.' 
 
 The chief officer smiled gravely, and placed himself beside 
 Murray, his companion following his example, and walking 
 up to Ned. Then they both bowed politely to the ladies, 
 and signed to the visitors to go toward the steps.' 
 
 'You are coming, then?' said Murray, as he saw Mr Braine 
 step forward. 
 
 'I? Oh yes. You will want an interpreter,' said the 
 gentleman addressed. 
 
 'Excuse me a moment,' said Murray, addressing the 
 Malay chief. — ' Ladies, I '11 say good-bye once more, and 
 thank you heartily for your kindness to us.' 
 
 'You can do that later on,' said the doctor, quietly. 'If 
 you do go to-day, of course we shall come and see you off.' 
 
 'To be sure. Thank you,' said Murray smiling. — 'Now, 
 gentlemen, I am at your service. I see that you speak 
 English.' 
 
 'Understand? yes,' said the chief officer; 'speak? no.' 
 
 By this time they were in the garden, the group of swarthy 
 spearmen standing back in line with military precision, and 
 holding their -weapons at the salute as the party passed them, 
 and then falling in behind to march after them in a way 
 which showed that they had been carefully drilled. 
 
 ' Come, Ned,' said Murray, as they passed out of the gate, 
 
BEFORE THE RAJAH. 55 
 
 ' don't look so serious, lad ; they are not leading us out to 
 execution.' 
 
 ' l^id I look serious, uncle V said the boy merrily. ' I 
 was not thinking that, but of our clothes.' 
 
 'Eh, what about them, lad?' 
 
 'That they look vory rough and shabby beside those grand 
 dresses. We hardly seem tit to go to court.' 
 
 ' Not our fault, boy. It is a special invitation,' replied 
 Murray merrily. — 'We must study up the Malay language so 
 as to be independent, Mr Braine.' 
 
 ' I should advise you to master it as soon as you can,' said 
 that gentleman, who was now walking beside them as they 
 threaded their way in and out among the houses, where every 
 now and then they could catch a glimpse of a pair of eyes 
 watching them, though the people they passed took not the 
 slightest notice of them, or just glanced, turned their betel- 
 nut in their mouths, and went on chewing it with their eyes 
 half closed, as if the coming of strangers was not of the 
 slightest importance to them. 
 
 'Is it far to the palace?' asked Murray, giving Ned a 
 quaint look. 
 
 ' Just beyond those houses, and amongst the group of trees 
 you can see over their roofs,' said Mr Braine ; and he then 
 turned and spoke to the officers, who replied to him in Malay. 
 
 ' His highness is waiting to give you audience,' he con- 
 tinued. ' Mr Murray, I do not like to force advice upon 
 a stranger, but I should like to say, for your own sake and 
 that of your young friend, try to accept the position in 
 which you find yourself, however hard it may be. And,' 
 he added in a whisper, looking sharply at Ned, 'whatever 
 you see, do not laugh. Eastern gentlemen are extremely 
 sensitive to ridicule.' 
 
56 THE RAJAH OP DAH. 
 
 ' I shall not laugh,' said Ned quietly ; aud then he began 
 thinking about the punctilious ways of his companions till 
 they had passed the last houses, entered a patch of forest, 
 and from that came suddenly upon a clearing where a spacious 
 bamboo house stood half hidden by a clump of umbrageous 
 trees, beneath one of which was drawn up a group which at 
 the first glance made the boy wonder whether he was gazing 
 at a scene in real life, or some imaginary picture from an 
 eastern tale. 
 
 The first figure upon which Ned's eyes rested was seated 
 in the centre of the group, on a quaintly made stool, and 
 his gorgeous dress immediately suggested that this must be 
 the great man himself whom they had come to see. For he 
 was evidently got up expressly for the occasion, with his 
 courtiers carefully arranged about him, some standing behind 
 and on either side, but for the most part squatted down on 
 the sandy ground in the position affected by eastern people, 
 though here and there one could be seen right down cross- 
 legged & la turque. 
 
 The rajah was the only one in European costume, and at 
 the first glance at the man, with his heavy fat sensual-looking 
 face and lurid eyes, Ned recalled his companion's words : 
 ' Whatever you sec, do not laugh.' 
 
 He felt at once the value of the advice, as his eye ran over 
 the chief's costume, for he was gorgeously arrayed in a 
 military tunic and trousers undoubtedly made in London to 
 order, the tailor having had instructions to prepare for his 
 highness a dress that would be striking and impressive, and 
 from this point of view he had done his work well. The 
 trousers were blue with gold stripes, of the most elaborate 
 floral pattern, such as decorate levee uniforms ; and, after the 
 fashion of our most gaily dressed hussars of fifty years ago, 
 
BEFORE THE RAJAH. 57 
 
 there were wonderful specimens of embroidery part of the 
 way down the front of the thigh. But the tunic was the 
 dazzling part of the show, for it was of the regular military 
 scarlet, and was neither that of field-marshal, dragoon, nor 
 hussar, but a combination of all three, frogged, roped, and 
 embroidered in gold, and furnished with a magnificent pair of 
 twisted epaulets. Across the breast was a gorgeous belt, one 
 mass of gold ornamentation, while the sword-belt and slings 
 were similarly encrusted, and the sabre and sheath — carefully 
 placed between his legs, so that it could be seen to the best 
 advantage — was a splendid specimen of the goldsmiths' and 
 sword-cutlers' art, and would have been greatly admired 
 in a museum. To complete the effect, the rajah wore an 
 Astrakan busby, surmounted by a tall scarlet egret-plume, 
 similar to that worn by a horse-artillery officer of the British 
 army, the cap being corded, starred, and held in place by a 
 golden chain cheek-strap. 
 
 The effect ought to have been most striking, and so it was 
 in one way; but it was spoiled by the presence of a jetty- 
 black Malay attendant, dressed in an ordinary dark paletot 
 and military-looking cap, holding over the rajah's head a 
 white sun umbrella of common cotton, and the fact patent to 
 any Englishman, that the uniform must have been ordered 
 without the customary visit to the tailor, the result destroy- 
 ing everything with the horribly striking truth that it did 
 not fit ! 
 
 Ned bit his tongue hard, and gazed to right and left at the 
 swarthy courtiers of the monarch, six of whom were squatted 
 down in the front row, some in little military caps, others in 
 brilliant kerchiefs tied turban fashion about their heads, and 
 all wearing brilliant silken sarongs. These were the rajah's 
 sword-bearers, and each held by the ornamental sheatli a kris 
 
58 THE RAJAH OP DAH, 
 
 or parang of singular workmanship, with the hilt resting 
 against the right shoulder. The rest of the rajah's people 
 were picturesquely arranged, and in their native dress looked 
 to a man far better than their ruler, who was the incongruous 
 spot in the group, which was impressive enough to an 
 English lad, with its lurid fierce-looking faces and dark oily 
 eyes peering from the mass of yellow and scarlet, while every- 
 wheie, though with the hilt covered by the folds of the 
 sarong, could be made out the fact that each man carried at 
 his waist a deadly-looking kris. 
 
 All this was seen at a glance as they advanced, and Ned 
 had thoroughly crushed down the desire to laugh at the dark 
 potentate, when his uncle nearly made him explode by whis- 
 pering : ' Make your fortune, Ned. Buy the whole party for 
 Madame Tussaud's.' 
 
 He was saved from a horrible breach of court etiquette by 
 the two officials advancing, bowing low to the rajah, and 
 making a short speech to his highness, who nodded and 
 scowled while the guard of spearmen formed up in a row 
 behind, and Mr Braine saluted in military fashion, and went 
 and stood half behind at the rajah's left elbow, listened to 
 something the great man said, and then looked at the two 
 visitors. 
 
 'His highness bids me say that you are welcome to his 
 court.' 
 
 ' We thank his highness,' said Murray, frankly. Then to 
 Ned : ' Do as I do ; ' and he advanced and held out his 
 hand. 
 
 There was a slight movement amongst the sword-bearers 
 and officials, and a dozen fierce-looking men seemed ready to 
 spring forward at this display of equality. But the rajah did 
 not resent it; he smiled, rose, and took the extended hands in 
 
BEFORE TUE RAJAH. 59 
 
 turn, making his plume vibrate and his busby topple forward, 
 so that it dropped right off, and would have fallen in the 
 dust hut for the activity of Xed. He caught it and returned 
 it to the wearer, who frowned with annoyance as he replaced 
 it in its proper position. 
 
 ' Dank you,' he said, quite surlily, and he shook hands now. 
 ' How der door 
 
 This last word was prolonged with quite a growl. 
 
 'Quite well, and glad to pay our compliments to your 
 highness,' said Murray. 
 
 The rajah's brow puckered, and he stared heavily, first at 
 his visitors and then at Mr Braine, for he had reached the 
 end of his English. 
 
 That individual came to his rescue, however, and after a 
 few formal compliments had passed, with the people all listen- 
 ing in stolid silence, Murray requested through his interpreter 
 permission to pass on through the rajah's country. 
 
 This brought forth a series of questions as to what the 
 visitors would collect, and answers respecting birds, animals, 
 and plants. 
 
 The rajah listened to the answers, and then said something 
 eagerly to Mr Braine. 
 
 ' His highness wishes to know if you understand anything 
 about minerals and metals,' said the latter. 
 
 ' Yes, I have made mineralogy and geology something of a 
 study,' replied Murray ; and this being interpreted, the rajah 
 spoke again for some little time with more animation than 
 might have been expected from so heavy and dull a man. 
 
 ' I "m getting tired of this, Xed,' whispered Murray. 
 
 ' Oh, it's worth seeing, uncle. It will be something to talk 
 about when we get home.' 
 
 ' Yes, boy ; but I want nature, not art of this kind.' 
 
60 THIS RAJAH OF DA1I. 
 
 'Mr Murray,' said their interpreter just then, after clearing 
 his voice with a cough, as if to get rid of something which 
 tickled his throat, and drawing him and Ned aside, 'his 
 highness desires me to say that he is very glad to welcome to 
 his court so eminent a naturalist.' 
 
 ' My dear Mr Braine,' said Murray, interrupting, ' we are 
 fellow-countrymen. Never mind the flowery part ; let's have 
 the plain English of it all.' 
 
 ' My dear fellow, I am translating almost verbatim. His 
 highness says that he has long wished to see a gentleman of 
 your attainments, for ho is anxious to have his country 
 explored, so that the valuable metals, precious stones, and 
 vegetable productions may be discovered. He says that you 
 are very welcome, and that a house shall be placed at your 
 disposal, with slaves and guards and elephants for expeditions 
 through the jungle to the mountains. One of his dragon 
 boats will also be placed at your service for expeditions up 
 the river, and he wishes you every success in the discoveries 
 you will make for him.' 
 
 'For him !' said Murray, looking bewildered; 'but I want 
 to make them for myself, and for the institutions with which 
 I am connected in London.' 
 
 'Yes; it is very awkward,' said Mr Braine. 
 
 'Tell him I am highly flattered, but I must go on to- 
 day. — Well, go on : speak to him.' 
 
 'I cannot. I dare not.' 
 
 'Then I will.' 
 
 'But you can't; you do not know his language.' 
 
 'Then I '11 show him in pantomime.' 
 
 'My dear sir, pray do nothing rash. I understand this 
 chief and his people. You are quite strange to their ways. 
 I beg you for your own sakes to accept the position.' 
 
BEFORE THE RAJAH. Gl 
 
 ' But it is making prisoners of us, sir. English people are 
 not accustomed to such treatment. I will not be forced to 
 stay.' 
 
 ' My dear Mr Murray, you are losing your temper,' said Mr 
 Braine. 'Just let me, as a man of some experience out here, 
 remind you of what, in cooler moments, you must know : I 
 mean the necessity for being diplomatic with eastern people. 
 Now pray look here. I know how annoying all this is ; but 
 on the other hand, you will have facilities for carrying on 
 your researches such as you could not create for yourself.' 
 
 ' Yes ; but I do not like to be forced.' 
 
 ' I know that. It is most objectionable.' 
 
 'And I see through him as plainly as can be : he 
 wants me to find out gold, or tin and precious stones, and 
 other things for his benefit. It is degrading to a scientific 
 man.' 
 
 ' You are perfectly right ; but I must speak plainly. This 
 man has perfect confidence in his own power, and he rules 
 here like the Czar of Russia. My dear sir, be guided by me. 
 You have no alternative. You cannot leave here, and he 
 will have no hesitation whatever in imprisoning you if you 
 refuse. Come, accept his proposal with a good grace, for 
 your own and your nephew's sake — I may add for the sake of 
 the fellow country-folk you have met here to-day.' 
 
 ' But my good sir,' said Murray angrily, ' this idea of forc- 
 ing me makes me the more indignant and obstinate.' 
 
 ' Yes ; but forget all that in the cause of science.' 
 
 Murray smiled. 
 
 'You are a clever diplomat, Mr Braine,' he said. 'Well I 
 give way, for, as you say, there is no alternative.' 
 
 ' That 's right,' said Mr Braine eagerly, ' and I hope you will 
 not regret it. There, the rajah is growing impatient He 
 
62 THE RAJAH OF DAH. 
 
 must not think you have spoken like this. I shall tell him 
 that you have been stipulating for abundance of help.' 
 
 ' I do stipulate for that.' 
 
 'And freedom to pursue your investigations in every 
 direction.' 
 
 ' Yes ; I stipulate for that too.' 
 
 For some time past the rajah had been frowning, and 
 loosening his sabre in its scabbard and clapping it down again, 
 while Ned noticed that, as if anticipating an unpleasant 
 reminder of their master's anger, the people right and left 
 squatted and stood like statues, gazing straight before them. 
 But when Mr Braine left the two strangers, and went back 
 to the fierce-looking chief and made a long communication, 
 which he had dressed up so as to gloss over the long 
 consultation and Murray's defiant manner, the rajah's face 
 lit up, and showed his satisfaction, the courtiers and attend- 
 ants relaxed, and began to chew their betel. Ned even 
 thought he heard a faint sigh of relief rise from the group, 
 as Mr Braine bowed and returned to where the new-comers 
 were standing. 
 
 ' You have acted very wisely, Mr Murray,' he said. ' Come 
 now, his highness wishes to speak to you.' 
 
 Murray could hardly crush down the feeling of resentment 
 which troubled him, but he walked up with Ned quietly 
 enough, and stood waiting and trying to attach a meaning to 
 the words which the rajah said, feeling how valuable some 
 knowledge of the language would be, and hardly hearing 
 Mr Braine's interpretation. 
 
 ' His highness bids me say that he will be most happy to 
 meet your wishes with respect to accommodation, and freedom 
 to explore.' 
 
 The rajah spoke again. 
 
'Goooood — boyahs,' lie said thickly. 
 
BEFORE THE RAJA II. 63 
 
 'And that boats, elephants, and men to clear a path 
 through the jungle, are to be at your service.' 
 
 There was another speech in Malay, which Mr Braine did 
 not interpret, apparently for the reason that the rajah now 
 rose from his stool, and took a step forward to tap both 
 Murray and Ned on the shoulder, standing looking from one 
 to the other, and rolling his great quid of betel-nut in his 
 cheeks as he tried to recall something he wanted to say. 
 
 At last a smile came upon his heavy features. 
 
 ' Goooood — boyahs,' he said thickly. Then, drawing himself 
 tip, he stood fast, holding the scabbard of his sword in his 
 left hand, threw his right over and grasped the hilt, and then 
 in strict military fashion evidently, as he had been drilled by 
 an instructor, he drew his sword, saluted, replaced the blade, 
 faced to the right, marched a dozen paces ; faced to the right 
 again, and marched toward his bamboo and palm palace, the 
 loose fit of his tunic and the bagginess of his trousers showing 
 off to the worst advantage, till he was covered by his followers, 
 who also marched after him mechanically, sword-bearers, men 
 carrying a golden betel-box and golden spittoon, courtiers, 
 and spearmen. At last all were either in or close up to the 
 house, only the two Malay chiefs, who had fetched the 
 strangers from the doctor's bungalow, remaining behind. 
 
 These two came up to them smiling in the most friendly 
 way, just as Murray said : ' What about our boat and the 
 men?' 
 
 ' Oh, they will be all right,' replied Mr Braine. 
 
 'But the men 1 Am I to send them back?' 
 
 ' No ; his highness desires that they stay.' 
 
 Just then the chief who had been spoken of as the Tumon- 
 crons — a kind of chief counsellor — made some remark to Mr 
 Braine, who nodded. 
 
64 THE RAJAH OF DAH. 
 
 'These gentlemen,' he said, ' wish me to say that they hope 
 we shall all be very good friends, and that they will see the 
 rajah's wishes carried out as to your comfort.' 
 
 ' And our guns and things in the boat V 
 
 The Tumongong spoke at once. 
 
 ' You are not to make yourself uneasy. Everything will 
 be right.' 
 
 Then profound salaams were exchanged, and the Malays 
 went toward the rajah's house, while the Englishmen took 
 the way that led to the doctor's. 
 
 ' I am beaten, Mr Braine,' said Murray, rather bitterly. ' I 
 said I would go.' 
 
 ' You have acted very wisely, sir.' 
 
 ' Humph ! Well, perhaps so,' said Murray, rather gruffly. 
 ' Here we are then, Ned : prisoners in the cause of science 
 we '11 call it. — But it seems to me, Mr Braine, that if we do 
 not mind our P's and Q's, we shall be prisoners indeed.' 
 
 Mr Braine made no reply, but his looks seemed to endorse 
 the other's words. 
 
CHAPTEE VI. 
 
 MAKING THE BEST OF IT. 
 
 \T ED,' said Mr Murray, as they reached the doctor's, 
 'run and tell the boatmen we are going to stay,' 
 and Ned started off. 
 
 The boatmen did not seem in the least degree 
 surprised upon Ned announcing to them that 
 they were to stay for the present. 
 ' It is kismet — fate,' said Hamet, calmly. 
 ' I could have told ye that before,' said a voice ; and, 
 looking up, Ned saw the good-humoured sun-browned face of 
 the Irishman just projecting over the edge of the bamboo 
 jetty, where he lay upon his chest smoking a pipe. 
 
 ' Hullo ! I 'd forgotten you,' said Ned, who had come down 
 very thoughtful and dull. 
 
 ' Faix, and I hadn't forgotten you. Didn't ye tell me to 
 mind your duds and things in the boat, sor?' 
 
 ' They did ; I didn't. I say, if you knew that we should 
 
 stay, why didn't you But never mind.' 
 
 The man gave him a droll look. 
 
 ' There ye needn't mind spaking out,' he said. ' I know. 
 The old 'un won't let ye go away again.' 
 ' You know him V said Ned excitedly. 
 ' Av course I do. He niver lets any one go that he wants 
 to stay.' 
 
66 THE RAJAH OP DAH. 
 
 'Then why didn't you, an Englishman — Irishman, I 
 
 'That's better, sor, though any one would hardly know 
 me for an Irishman by my spache. Sure there are times 
 when I haven't a bit of brogue left. It 's the sun dhries it 
 out of me, I think.' 
 
 ' But why didn't you warn us V 
 
 ' Because there 'd a been a regular shaloo if I had. The 
 other gintleman would have told your men here to pull away, 
 and the dhragon boat would have been afther ye shying 
 shpears, and you'd have been shuting, and the end would 
 have been that ye 'd been hurt ; and think o' that now.' 
 
 ' But we should have rowed right away.' 
 
 ' Divil a bit. They 'd soon have caught ye or been firing 
 their brass lalys at yez.' 
 
 ' What 's a brass laly V said Ned. 
 
 ' Get out wid ye, sor : poking fun at me. Who said a 
 wurrud about lalys 1 I said lalys.' 
 
 ' Well, so did I.' 
 
 ' Not a bit of it ; ye said lalys.' 
 
 ' So did you.' 
 
 ' Not I. I said Idly.' 
 
 ' Spell it then.' 
 
 ' Is it shpell it. Well then, 1-e-l-a-h, laly. It 's a big 
 brass blunderbush thing on a shwivel. There 's two of 'em 
 on each of their prahus, and they send a ball about two 
 pound-weight sometimes, and other times a couple o' handfuls 
 of old bits o' broken iron, and nubbles o' tin, and shtones. 
 Annythin whin they 're spiteful.' 
 
 ' But do you mean to say they 'd have dared to fire at a 
 boat with two Englishmen in it — I mean a man and a boy V 
 cried Ned, flushing. 
 
MAKING THE BEST OP IT. 67 
 
 ' Oh, don't go ating yer wumids like that, lad. Shure 
 ye 've got the sperret of a man in ye, if ye 're not sliix feet 
 high. An' is it fire at a boat with Englishmen in it 1 Why, 
 I belave they 'd shute at one with Irishmen in, and I can't 
 say more than that.' 
 
 ' Then we 've rowed right into a nest of Malay pirates V 
 
 ' Oh no. You people at home might call 'em so, perhaps, 
 but the old un 's jist a rale Malay gintleman — a rajah as lives 
 here in his own country, and takes toll of iverything that 
 goes up and down. Sure, we do it at home; only gintalely, 
 and call it taxes and rates and customs. And they 've got 
 customs of the country here.' 
 
 ' But, I say,' said Ned, as he found that he was getting a 
 deeper insight into their position, 'the rajah will soon let 
 us go V 
 
 'Will he?' 
 
 ' Come, answer me. How long will he want us to 
 stay V 
 
 ' Oh, for iver, I should say, or as much of it as ye can 
 conthrive to live.' 
 
 'You're making fun of me,' said Ned, frowning. 'But 
 look here ; you are not prisoners.' 
 
 ' Prishoners ? No. Isn't the masther the rajah's owen 
 chief docthor, and Mr Braine his prime-minister, field- 
 marshal, and commander-in-chief.' 
 
 ' Then you people could go when you liked V 
 
 ' Oh no. Divil a bit. The old un 's so fond of us, he 
 won't let us shtir, and he always sends four dark gintlemen 
 wid shpears if I think I 'd like to go for a walk.' 
 
 'Then you are all prisoners?' 
 
 ' Don't I tell ye no, sor. They don't call it by that name, 
 but we can't go away.' 
 
68 THE RAJAH OF DAH. 
 
 ' Oh, but this is abominable !' cried Ned, looking in the 
 dry, humorous face before him. 
 
 ' Ye '11 soon get used to it, sor. But just a frindly wurrud. 
 I 'd be civil, for they 've an ugly way of handling things here, 
 being savage-like. There isn't a wan among 'em as knows 
 the vartue of a bit o' blackthorn, but they handle their 
 shpears dangerously, and ivery man's got his nasty ugly 
 skewer in his belt — you know, his kris — and it 's out wid it, 
 and ructions before ye know where ye are.' 
 
 ' Yes ; I saw that every man had his kris,' said Ned, 
 thoughtfully. 'But can you stay and look after the boat V 
 
 'Didn't the masther say I was to. But nobody would 
 dare to touch a thing here. Here he is.' 
 
 Ned turned sharply, and saw a little party approaching, 
 consisting of Mr Braine, the doctor, and Murray, with the 
 Tumongong at their side. 
 
 ' Tim,' said the doctor, ' you can superintend here. The 
 men are to carry everything in the boat up to the house 
 next but one to ours.' 
 
 ' The one close to the trees, sor?' 
 
 ' Yes. You will not want any other help. But mind 
 that the boat is properly made fast.' 
 
 ' Shall I stay too, uncle V asked Ned. 
 
 ' No ; come with me, and let 's see our new quarters.' 
 
 They were in the act of starting when the Malay chief by 
 their side held up his hand to arrest them, looking along the 
 river with eager eyes, where a boat, similar to the one which 
 had first come alongside their own, could be seen approaching 
 fast, half filled with men, eight of whom were working 
 vigorously at the oars, while half a dozen more sat beneath 
 the awning, with the blades of their spears thrust out at the 
 sides, and glittering in the sun. 
 
MAKING THE BEST OF IT. 69 
 
 'Have they got him, I wonder?' said the doctor half aloud. 
 
 ' Got whom V asked Murray. 
 
 ' A Malay who offended the rajah by a serious breach, and 
 broke out of his prison about five days ago.' He added a 
 few words in the Malayan tongue to the Tumongong, who 
 responded. 
 
 'Yes, they've got the poor wretch,' said the doctor. 
 'Well, he was a bad scoundrel. Let's stop and see them 
 land.' 
 
 The second dragon boat was rowed quickly up to the 
 jetty, the oars laid in, and the armed men landed, and stood 
 ready while the rowers lifted out a savagely defiant-looking 
 man, whose wrists and ankles were heavily chained. Then 
 a couple of more showily-dressed Malays stepped out, a little 
 procession was formed, and the prisoner was then led, with 
 his chains clanking and dragging in the dust, away toward 
 the rajah's residence, the Tumongong talking rapidly to the 
 fresh comers for a few minutes, and then rejoining the 
 Englishmen to walk with them to the neat-looking house 
 set apart for the enforced visitors. 
 
 They went up the steps, to find the place light, cool, and 
 rather dark, coming as they did out of the glare of the sun ; 
 but as their eyes grew accustomed to the gloom, it was to 
 see that the place was neatly covered with matting, and that 
 there was a darker inner room with more mats, evidently 
 intended for sleeping. 
 
 ' I should hardly have expected that you had houses to 
 let,' said Murray, who, now that their position was unavoid- 
 able, seemed bent on removing any bad impression made 
 by his rather warm display of temper. 
 
 ' "We have none,' said the doctor. ' This is the house of 
 one of the minor chiefs, and he has been sent elsewhere.' 
 
70 THE EAJAH OP DAH. 
 
 ' But really — I would rather — oh, we can make shift in a 
 humbler place than this.' 
 
 'It is the rajah's orders that you should come here, and 
 we are all bound to obey him.' 
 
 ' Oh, very well. Then we will obey,' said Murray. ' Look, 
 Ned, here are our traps already. But one moment, Doctor 
 Braine, are our men to stay here too?' 
 
 The doctor turned to the chief, who said quietly : ' The 
 man who is their servant is to stay. The others will have 
 a house to themselves.' 
 
 The next hour was spent in arranging their boxes and 
 arms, Hamet assisting and calmly taking to his new quarters, 
 as if nothing in nature could surprise him, and when all was 
 done, Ned looked round eagerly. 
 
 'Come, uncle,' he said; 'it isn't such a bad place after 
 all.' 
 
 'No ; far better than I expected, but it wants one thing.' 
 
 'What's that, under 
 
 ' Liberty to do what we like, boy. If we had that, we could 
 congratulate ourselves.' 
 
 'Well, try and think that you really have it,' said the 
 doctor. ' There now, what do you say to coming up to my 
 place to rest till dinner-time? Braine has promised to come.' 
 
 Murray hesitated, but the doctor would take no denial, 
 and leaving Hamet in charge of the place, they descended 
 to find that the Tumongong, who had left them for a time, 
 was again back, in company with the other officer. 
 
 These made a communication to the doctor, who nodded, 
 and the two officers then bowed gravely, and went away. 
 
 'Message for you,' said the doctor. 'You are requested' 
 
 ' Ordered,' said Murray, drily. 
 
 'Well, ordered, not to leave the village without asking 
 
MAKING THE BEST OF IT. 71 
 
 permission, so that you may have au escort ; but you are quite 
 at liberty to go anywhere you please about the place.' 
 
 'Ah, well,' said Murray, 'I am not going to complain any 
 more to-day. I have made myself a nuisance enough. Hallo, 
 Xed, here comes your saucy young Malay friend.' 
 
 Ned looked sharply round, the doctor having stepped 
 forward hurriedly to speak to one of the Malays seated on 
 the steps of his house, and there, sure enough, was the gaily- 
 dressed lad they had seen that morning, followed byr his 
 companion of the boat carrying a basket and the rod the 
 first had used. 
 
 They saw them pass on, to be hidden directly by the trees, 
 and they were still watching the place when the doctor 
 returned. 
 
 • Sorry to have left you,' he said. ' One of my patients — 
 he was mauled badly in a tiger-hunt, but' he is coming round 
 nicely now.' 
 
 Xed pricked up his ears at the words tiger-hunt, and feel- 
 ing more satisfied now with his new quarters, he followed the 
 doctor into his garden, and then np the broad steps to the 
 shady verandah, where a pleasant evening was spent, the 
 dinner capitally served, Tim Driscol, now very neatly attired 
 in white, waiting at table, and giving the scene quite a flavour 
 of home. Then there were cigars and excellent coffee for the 
 gentlemen, and a delightful long chat with the ladies beneath 
 the shaded lamp which hung from one of the bamboo rafters, 
 the doctor's daughter readily answering Xed's questions about 
 their life and the natural history of the place. Of the former, 
 he learned that the doctor had been persuaded while at 
 Malacca to accept the post through the Tiunongong. who was 
 there on some kind of embassy. The terms had been tempt- 
 ing, and it had been arrancred that he was to take his wife 
 
72 THE EAJAH OP DAH. 
 
 and daughter with him, all hesitation vanishing when the 
 Malay chief introduced him to Mr Braine, who accepted his 
 post directly he found that he would have the society of an 
 Englishman, and in the end he too had brought his family. 
 Their reception had been most cordial, and they had only to 
 ask for any addition to their comfort to have it instantly 
 granted by the rajah. He would give them everything, in 
 fact, but liberty. 
 
 'Then you are quite prisoners too?' said Ned, who had 
 listened to all this with the greatest of interest. 
 
 ' I suppose so. Both papa and Mr Braine were furious at 
 first, and said that they would never forgive the Tumongong 
 for having tricked them, but he said it was the rajah's orders, 
 and that he dared not have come back without a doctor, and 
 an officer who could drill the men. And really he was so 
 kind, and has always been such a good friend when the rajah 
 has been in one of his mad fits, that we have all ended by 
 liking him. 
 
 'But to be prisoners like this !' said Ned. 
 
 ' Oh, we seldom think about it now. Papa says we shall 
 never be so well off again, and the rajah, who nearly kills 
 himself with indulgence, has such bad health that he can 
 hardly bear to see the doctor out of his sight, and conse- 
 quently papa has immense influence over him.' 
 
 ' But I could never settle down to being a prisoner,' cried 
 Nod. 
 
 ' Till you grow used to it. Oh, don't mind ; it is a whim 
 of the rajah's, and you will soon have leave to go. We never 
 shall. There, hark ! what did I say V 
 
 She held up her hand, and Ned leaned forward, peering out 
 into the darkness as the low distant cry of a wild beast was heard. 
 
 'Is that a tiger?' 
 
MAKING THE BEST OF IT. 73 
 
 ' Yes, and it is so common that we scarcely notice it now. 
 They never come into the village ; but of course it would be 
 terribly dangerous anywhere beyond the houses.' 
 
 Ned still leaned forward listening, as the cry was repeated, 
 and then, in a low voice, he said: ' Look, just where the light 
 of the lamp shines faintly, I thought I saw the gleam of a 
 spear. Can you see it V 
 
 ' Oh yes ! two — three,' replied the girl, quickly. ' There are 
 more.' 
 
 'But what are armed men doing there?' 
 
 'Don't you know?' 
 
 'No.' 
 
 ' They are your guard. But you need not take any notice 
 of them. Of course they will follow you about, and keep 
 watch over your house, but they will never speak to you, or 
 seem watching, unless you are straying too far.' 
 
 ' This is pleasant,' said Ned, wiping his forehead. 
 
 ' Oh, you will not mind after a day or two, and it is best : 
 for it really is dangerous for an Englishman to be up here 
 unless he is under the protection of the rajah.' 
 
 The pleasant evening came to a close, and after a friendly 
 parting from their hosts, the two fresh additions to the 
 rajah's village walked back, Ned declaring that he could 
 easily make out their house, and they smiled, passed out of 
 the gate, and without catching a glimpse of either of the 
 Malays on guard, they reached their own abode, where a 
 shaded lamp was forming an attraction to the insects of the 
 jungle, and Hamet was patiently awaiting their return. 
 
 ' What a strange experience, Ned,' said Murray, as they stood 
 at the top of their steps, watching the bright stars and the fire- 
 flies which were gliding about among the low growth at the 
 edge of the jungle, of which they caught a glimpse hard by. 
 
74 THE RAJAH OP DAH. 
 
 ' But it is very beautiful and soft,' said Ned, thoughtfully. 
 ' What a lovely night !' 
 
 ' Yes ; not much like being in prison, is it V 
 
 ' No,' said Ned ; but, as he gazed, he could see the shadowy 
 form of one of the guards, a fact -which he did not mention, 
 though the fact of the proximity of armed men seemed 
 strange in connection with his uncle's next words. 
 
 ' We will not tug at the tether for a few days or weeks, 
 Ned,' he said. ' I daresay we shall get some rare collecting, 
 and when we are tired, we '11 slip down to the boat some night 
 and get right away. Hamet, I daresay, could manage that.' 
 
 'He would do his best, sir,' said the Malay, gravely. 
 
 ' Then now for a good comfortable snooze on those clean 
 mats, for I'm tired out. Come along, Ned. Good-night, 
 Hamet. Where do you sleep V 
 
 ' Across the door, sahib,' said the man, who bore the lamp 
 into the sleeping chamber, and then stretched himself across 
 the entrance. 
 
 'You can sleep too, Ned,' said Murray, yawning as he 
 threw himself on his simple couch. 
 
 'No, uncle,' said Ned. 'I am going to lie and think a 
 bit.' 
 
 ' Bah ! Sleep, boy. It is only a bit of an adventure after 
 all. Heigho-ha-hum ! Good-night.' 
 
 ' Good-night, uncle,' said Ned, as he too lay down, hearing 
 the distant cry of a tiger through the mat-screened door ; and 
 then he began thinking about the adventures of the past day, 
 and how strange their position was. 
 
 Only began : for in spite of tigers, mosquitoes, and the fact 
 that fierce-looking Malay spearmen were about the place, 
 Ned's waking moments were moments indeed, and only few. 
 Certainly not a minute had elapsed before he was fast asleep. 
 
CHAPTEE VII. 
 
 A MORNING WALK. 
 
 ^ HEN Ned Murray opened, his eyes again, it 
 was to gaze at the faint dawn which was 
 making its way into the larger room; and 
 he lay puzzled and wondering for a few 
 minutes before he could quite make out 
 where he was. Then it all came like a flash, 
 and he looked across the room to dimly make out the figure 
 of his uncle fast asleep. 
 
 Ned lay thinking for a few moments and then rose softly, 
 ready dressed as he was, and stole out, with the bamboo 
 flooring creaking beneath his feet. 
 
 At the top of the steps he found Hamet, and after a few 
 words spoken in a whisper, Ned said : ' I don't suppose uncle 
 will wake yet, but if he does, say I'm gone down to look 
 at the river.' 
 
 The Malay nodded, and showed his white teeth, and Ned 
 stepped quietly down, looking sharply round to have hard 
 work to restrain a start, as he caught sight of four swarthy 
 sentries standing spear in hand. But he ignored their 
 presence, and walked slowly along, but only to be aware of 
 the fact directly, that two of them were following quietly iu 
 his steps, and looking, as he glanced back once, with his hands 
 in his pockets and whistling softly, singularly ghostly and 
 strange. 
 
76 THE RAJAH OF DAH. 
 
 For there was a heavy mist floating softly in the morning 
 air, and as the boy slowly made his way among the houses, 
 there was a feeling of chilliness that, in combination with the 
 novelty of his position, made him shiver. 
 
 His intention was to have a look round the place ; and, 
 after a glance at the doctor's house with its charming garden, 
 he walked first in one direction and then in another, conscious 
 of the fact that his two guards were always a short distance 
 behind, but apparently bound on quite a different mission, 
 for they never seemed to look at him once. 
 
 Suddenly he altered his mind, and turned back to have a 
 look at the rajah's own place, and in doing this he had to 
 pass pretty close to the swarthy-looking spearmen, who merely 
 drew hack between two houses till he had passed, and 
 followed as before. 
 
 ' Two for uncle and two for me,' said Ned at last. ' Well, 
 I never knew that I had two shadows before.' 
 
 The light was getting a little clearer above the mist, which 
 did not seem to rise above the tops of the cocoa-nut trees, 
 and he had nearly reached the clump, in the midst of which 
 was the clearing, when he suddenly noticed a dimly-seen 
 figure glide out from among the trees, and another, and 
 another — three who barred his farther advance. 
 
 ' He has his guards too,' thought Ned, and he turned back 
 with the intention of going as far as the jetty, and then 
 returning to see if his uncle was awake, when there was a 
 sharp clank-clink away to his left. 
 
 The sound was familiar, but he could not recall what it 
 was, though it came nearer and nearer, apparently from down 
 a lane of houses. 
 
 Then, all at once, he knew. For from out of the mist came 
 the dark figures of half a dozen men bearing spears, and 
 
A MORNING WALK. 77 
 
 directly after, between two more, the prisoner he had seen 
 brought in the previous day ; and as he caught a glimpse of 
 the dark face, he could see that the man was slowly chewing 
 away at his betel-nut. 
 
 Six more spearmen followed, apparently led by an officer 
 who marched erect behind the heavily-fettered prisoner, with 
 one hand resting upon the handle of his kris. 
 
 No one heeded the boy, and the party marched on toward 
 the river side, when, under the impression that the man was 
 being taken down to embark once more, and be sent up or 
 down the river, Ned followed, and his guard came now more 
 closely behind. 
 
 To Xed's surprise, the leaders of the party turned off a 
 little to the right, leaving the jetty on their left, and with it 
 the smaller boats, but they were evidently making still for 
 the river, and halted upon its bank, just in front of where, 
 half hidden by the mist, the large prahu swung at her 
 anchorage. 
 
 ' They are going to hail a boat from the prahu and keep 
 him imprisoned there,' thought Nedj and as he fancied 
 this, he began to consider how safe a place it would be for a 
 man, so heavily chained that any attempt at escape by 
 swimming must mean being borne down by the weight of his 
 fetters. 
 
 He walked close up, meaning to see the prisoner put on 
 board the boat, but no one attempted to hail the prahu, and as 
 Ned drew aside, he saw that the prisoner was led close to the 
 edge of the swift river, which now began to look as if it were 
 so much liquid opal for bright hues of orange and purple 
 began to gleam through the wreathing mist, and the plume- 
 like dripping tops of the various kinds of palms stood out 
 clearer in the coming light. 
 
78 THE RAJAH OF DAII. 
 
 'They are going to take off his chains first,' thought the 
 boy, as he drew nearer still, no one paying the slightest heed 
 to his presence ; and he had a full view of the man as the 
 spear-bearers drew up in two lines whose ends rested on the 
 river, leaving their officers standing by the prisoner, and 
 undoing his bonds. 
 
 Ned was not half a dozen yards away, and a feeling of 
 satisfaction pervaded him as he saw the wrists set free, and 
 heard the chain clank as it was thrown on the ground. 
 
 The fetters from the man's ankles followed next, and fell 
 to the ground, while Ned could not help wondering at the 
 stolid aspect of the prisoner, who displayed not the slightest 
 satisfaction at being freed from so painful and degrading a 
 load. 
 
 What followed was so quick that Ned had hardly time to 
 realise what it meant, for the officer signed to the prisoner to 
 kneel down, and he sullenly obeyed, while his lower jaw 
 yras working in a mechanical fashion as he kept on 
 grinding his betel-nut. The sun was evidently now well 
 above the horizon, for the gray mist was shot with wondrous 
 hues, and the palm-leaves high overhead were turned to gold. 
 There were sweet musical notes from the jungle mingled with 
 the harsher cries and shrieks of parrots, and with a peculiar 
 rushing noise a great hornbill flapped its heavy wings, as it 
 flew rapidly across the river. In short, it was the beginning 
 of a glorious tropic day for all there but one, who knelt 
 sullen and hopeless, only a few yards from Ned, who stood 
 spell-bound, now that he realised what was to happen, too 
 much fascinated by the horrible scene to turn and flee. 
 
 For, as the man knelt there with the guard of spearmen on 
 either side, one Malay, who seemed to be an officor, but whom 
 Ned realised to be the rajah's executioner, took out a little 
 
A MORNING WALK. 79 
 
 handful of cotton wool from the folds of his sarong, tore open 
 the loose baju or cotton jacket his victim wore, so as to lay 
 bare the bronze skin upon his shoulder, and placed the wool 
 over it like a loose pad just within the collar-bone. 
 
 'Is he going to set fire to it and brand him?' thought Xed; 
 but the next moment he drew in his breath with a hiss, as if 
 he suffered pain, for the executioner whipped out, from its 
 wooden sheath at his waist, a short kris with a curved handle 
 and a dull thin steel blade. This he held with his left hand 
 perpendicularly, with the point resting in the centre of the 
 cotton wool, and in the momentary pause which followed, 
 Xed saw that the culprit was gazing straight at him in a dull 
 heavy way, and that his lips were moving as he still ground 
 the betel-nut between his teeth. 
 
 It was but a momentary pause, and then, quick as lightning, 
 the executioner brought his right hand with a smart 
 blow upon the curved hilt of the kris, driving it perpen- 
 dicularly into the victim's chest, transfixing his heart, and as 
 rapidly drew it forth, while the prisoner fell back, without 
 struggle or groan, splash into the river, where Xed saw 
 him rolled over by the rapid current dimly seen there, for 
 the mist was heavy on the surface ; but visible till there 
 seemed to be a rush in the water, the dead man was snatched 
 under, and the mist slowly rolled away, to leave the surface 
 glittering in the morning sunshine, and taking a glorious tint 
 of blue from the clear morning sky. 
 
 Xed saw all this vividly, and then a mist gathered over 
 everything again, as he tottered rather than walked a few 
 yards to where he could throw one arm round a tall slim 
 cocoa-nut tree, and hold on, for he felt sick, and he knew that 
 the mist now was only in his eyes. 
 
 But he saw the spearmen form up with military precision 
 
80 THE RAJAH OF DAH. 
 
 before and behind the executioner, as he calmly thrust his 
 little kris back in the waist folds of his sarong, and then the 
 party marched off with their spears glittering in the morning 
 sun, and from somewhere in the jungle a wild-fowl uttered 
 his sharp short crow. 
 
 'Am I going to faint?' thought Ned; and then he started 
 and turned sharply round, for a voice said quickly : ' Ah, my 
 lad! You there?' 
 
 Ned saw that it was Mr Braine standing before him, looking 
 at him frowningly, and with an air of disgust. 
 
 ' Yes ; I came for a walk,' stammered Ned, huskily. 
 
 'And you saw that?' 
 
 'Yes,' cried Ned, with a passionate cry, as his blood, which 
 had seemed chilled" and to flow sluggishly through his veins, 
 now throbbed in his temples. ' I could not stop them. I 
 did not know. They have just murdered a man. He fell 
 into the river, and — and — oh, it is too horrible !' 
 
 ' It was not a murder. It was an execution by the rajah's 
 command,' said Mr Braine, coldly. ' You ought not to have 
 come.' 
 
 ' I didn't know, sir. I could not tell. I thought — I don't 
 know — I never imagined ' 
 
 ' I beg your pardon, my lad,' said Mr Braine, kindly. ' I 
 thought you were attracted by a morbid desire to witness tho 
 horrible.' 
 
 'Oh no !' said Ned with a shudder. ' I should have been 
 too great a coward if I had known. But has this man the 
 right to do such things?' 
 
 'The rajah !' said Mr Braine, shrugging his shoulders; 'he 
 is king here in his own country. He has his tiny army and 
 navy, and he has conquered the three petty chiefs nearest to 
 his domain.' 
 
A MORNING WALK. 81 
 
 'But the English — the Queen,' said Ned. 'It seems 
 terrible that a man like this should have such power. Will 
 not government interfere?' 
 
 ' No. How could it 1 But there, come with me, and try 
 to forget what you have been seeing.' 
 
 'But one moment, sir. Couldn't you have interfered to 
 save the man's life ? Did you know he was to be mur ' 
 
 ' Executed, my boy. Yes, and I appealed to the rajah for 
 mercy ; but he gave me so terrible an account of the man's 
 life that I was silenced at once. Come, you have plenty of 
 time before breakfast. I want you to see my home.' 
 
 Ned shivered a little as he gave a glance round at the scene, 
 which looked so beautiful, that it seemed impossible that so 
 great a horror could have taken place there. Then he followed 
 the Besident, and awoke to the fact that they were alone. 
 
 ' Where are the men who were following me V he said, and 
 Mr Braine smiled. 
 
 'Gone back to their quarters, I suppose,' he said. 'They 
 consider you are in my charge now.' 
 
 Ned gave him a curious look, which his companion inter- 
 preted directly. 
 
 'Very well,' he said, laughing; 'think so if you like. I 
 suppose I am your guard. Ah, here are your two friends,' 
 for the Tumongong and the other officer came up hurriedly, 
 and made a communication to the last speaker. 
 
 ' I must put you off, Murray,' he said, turning quickly to 
 the boy. The rajah is taken ill. You can wander about the 
 place a bit ; I daresay I shall be back soon.' 
 
 He went off with the two Malay officers, and Ned hesitated 
 for a few moments as to which direction he should take, and 
 ending by making for the river higher up the stream, so as 
 to get right away from the spot that he could not recall 
 
82 THE RAJAH OF DAH. 
 
 without a shudder. This part, too, looked particularly attrac- 
 tive with its groups of palms and large forest trees, somo of 
 which overhung the stream, one being covered with white 
 flowers to its very summit. 
 
 It was all very beautiful as he neared it, and he began 
 thinking of how delighted his uncle would be with the 
 orchids and other parasitical plants which cling to the boughs ; 
 but all at once, as he was looking round, he caught sight of 
 one of his guards, and directly after of the other, for, as if 
 by magic, they had reappeared, and the sensation of being 
 watched again, coming upon the recollections of the morning 
 adventure, seemed quite to rob the place of its beauty. 
 
 'I may as well go back,' he thought to himself, after 
 wandering for a short distance among the trees, and stopping 
 at last to lay his hand upon a branch which overhung the 
 river, so that he could lean out and gaze down into the dark 
 clear water, with some vague idea of seeing whether there 
 were any fish. 
 
 He could see none, but it was very attractive to gaze down 
 into that dark clear water with its patches of floating lotus- 
 leaves, from among which rose the bright blue waterlily-like 
 flowers. They seemed likely places for fish, and for a few 
 minutes the grim horrors of the morning passed away, and ho 
 began to think of what a capital place that would be for carp- 
 fishing, if it were an English river at home, and to wonder 
 what kind of fish there would be there. For that there wore 
 fish he felt convinced, from a slight swirling movement ho 
 had seen, and the shaking of the stems and leaves once or 
 twice, as if something were moving somewhere below. 
 
 That smooth shadowy pool in the river was very beautiful, 
 and the sun streamed down through the leaves like a silver 
 shower, as Ned still thought of the fishing, and this brought 
 
A MORNING WALK. 83 
 
 up the recollection of the boy ho hud seen on tho river and 
 at his return at night. 
 
 'Perhaps he's the rajah's son,' thought Ned. 'No,' he 
 continued inconsequently, ' he couldn't be, because the rajah 
 has lots of wives, and of course ho would have plenty of 
 sons. I know,' he thought, after a pause ; ' he must be the 
 Tumongong's boy. He did look something like him. I 
 shouldn't wonder if its ' 
 
 Ned's thoughts seemed at that moment to have been cut 
 off short, or, to use a railway phrase, shunted off on to another 
 track — that is, from fancies about the Tumongong's son to 
 the fishy inhabitants of the river. 
 
 For once more he noticed that about twenty feet from 
 the overhanging bank, formed of twisted roots, on which he 
 stood, one of the largest beds of floating lotus-leaves was being 
 agitated by what must certainly be quite a large fish forcing 
 its way toward him, till he could see its long brown back 
 just beneath the surface, and gliding very slowly nearer. 
 
 It was impossible to make out what it was for the leaves, 
 two or three of which were pushed up, and sank down again 
 while others were forced aside. 
 
 It was quite fascinating to watch it, and Ned was longing 
 for some fine tackle, when there was a sudden rustling in the 
 boughs overhead, and a dark animal that he could not clearly 
 distinguish began leaping and bounding about, chattering, 
 shrieking, and making other strange noises, as it shook the 
 boughs and ran out on one over the water, to hang down by 
 one hand and a foot, chattering and showing its teeth menac- 
 ingly at the big fish which was still slowly gliding nearer 
 to the bank. 
 
 There was no mistaking what the animal was now, and 
 wondering at its comparative tameness, Ned's attention was 
 
84 
 
 THE RAJAH OF DAH. 
 
 now diverted to what was the finest and most active monkey- 
 he had ever seen. 
 
 'I didn't know monkeys liked fishing,' he was saying to 
 himself, when the movement in the water increased, the 
 animal in the tree swung itself nearer, and there was a rush 
 and splash just as the spectator felt a violent shock as if 
 some one had seized him from behind, and losing his balance 
 he fell backward, and then in alarm rolled over twice away 
 from the river, and struggled up to his knees, just as a figure 
 rushed at him again and dragged him farther away. 
 
 Malay Kris. 
 
CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 A HUNGRY CROC. 
 
 j HE next moment Ned stood with clenched lists, 
 ,-j about to fly at the Tumongong's son, as he had 
 
 $. mentally dubbed him, but his fists unclenched, 
 and ho began to comprehend that he must have 
 been in some danger from which he had been 
 driven and dragged by the excited lad, who now 
 snatched off the little flat military-looking cap he wore, and 
 showed a crop of curly dark hair — not black, coarse, and 
 straight like a Malay's — and as he wiped his streaming 
 forehead with the silken sleeve of his baju, he cried fiercely : 
 
 ' What a jolly fool you must be to go and stand there.' 
 
 ' Eh ? I ? Was 1 1 Would the monkey have bitten me V 
 
 ' Yes, if you had pulled his tail, and he wouldn't have let 
 you. He bitten you 1 No.' 
 
 ' Then,' said Ned, flushing a little, and feeling indignant at 
 the young semi-savage's dictatorial speech, ' why was I a 
 jolly fool to go and stand there, pray V 
 
 ' Hark at him ! ' said the lad, looking round as if he were 
 addressing an audience ; ' he says, Why was he a jolly fool 1 
 Oh, what a green one you are ! ' 
 
 'Look here, sir,' said Ned, shortly; 'have the goodness to 
 be a little more respectful in your speech. I am not accus- 
 tomed to be addressed in that manner.' 
 
 ' Oh certainly, my lord, 1 said the lad. ' Salaam maharajah, 
 
86 THE RAJAH OP DAH. 
 
 salaam.' And raising his hands above his head, he bowed 
 down almost to the ground. ' I didn't know you were such 
 a grandee.' 
 
 'Never mind what I am, sir, and have the goodness to 
 keep your place.' 
 
 ' Yes, my lord. Salaam maha ' 
 
 ' Stop !' cried Ned, angrily. ' I don't want you to do that 
 tomfoolery to me.' 
 
 The lad made a grimace, and meekly crossed his hands 
 upon his breast. 
 
 ' Now, sir, have the goodness to tell me why I was a jolly 
 fool, and so green, as you call it. Pity people can't teach 
 you foreigners something better than slang. Now then — 
 answer.' 
 
 ' Well, to go and stand under that tree with a croc stalking 
 you.' 
 
 ' Croc stalking you 1 What do you mean V 
 
 ' Don't you know the river 's full of crocodiles V 
 
 ' I know there are some there.' 
 
 'Some !' cried the lad. 'Why, it's as full as a pond is of 
 sticklebacks.' 
 
 Ned stared at these words, coming out of eastern lips. 
 
 ' Why, when they krised a fellow this morning, and 
 tumbled him into the river, Dilloo Dee says one of them 
 snatched the body under directly. He told me just now. 
 Didn't you see that one coming at you?' 
 
 ' I saw a big fish under the lotus-leaves.' 
 
 ' Big fisherman you mean. Poof ! ' cried the boy, bursting 
 into a roar of laughter, 'it was a great croc, and I was 
 just in time to knock you out of the way. I thought he 
 would have' got you, he made such a rush.' 
 
 ' Did — did you see him V said Ned, turning a little white. 
 
A HUNGRY CROC. 87 
 
 ' Only got a glimpso of his wet scales ; but I know lie was 
 there stalking you, by that monkey scolding him. Oh my ! 
 how the little beggars do hate a croc' 
 
 'Then — then, you saved my life, and I didn't know it,' 
 said Ned. 
 
 ' Eh ? "Well, I s'pose I did, for if he had pulled you down, 
 I don't suppose we should ever have seen you again.' 
 
 'Ugh !' shuddered Ned. 'How horrid. What a dreadful 
 country this is.' 
 
 ' Get out ! I like it.' 
 
 ' But tell me : would that thing have dragged me in V 
 
 ' To be sure he would. "Why, it 's only two days since he 
 pulled a girl into the water. She 'd only gone down to wash 
 a sarong.' 
 
 'Is it a big one?' asked Ned, after gazing in a horrified 
 way at his companion. 
 
 ' Oh yes ! a whacker — fifty or sixty feet long.' 
 
 'Nonsense !' 
 
 '"Well then, fifteen or twenty. I know it's a big one. 
 One of our men — Dilloo, I think it was — saw him one day 
 ashore. Look here, old chap, tell you what. "We '11 get 
 some of the fellows to lend us a rope with a loose end, and 
 a hook, and we '11 set a night-line for the beggar, and catch 
 him. "What do you say?' 
 
 ' I should like to, if we stay here.' 
 
 'Oh, you'll stay here,' said the lad, laughing. 'Like 
 fishing?' 
 
 ' Passionately.' 
 
 ' So do I. Caught two dozen yesterday after I met you. 
 I say, you and your uncle are bird and butterfly cocks, aren't 
 you?' 
 
 ' My uncle is a naturalist, and I help him,' said Ned, rather 
 
88 THE RAJAH OP DAH. 
 
 stiffly, for this easy-going address from a young Malay, who 
 had evidently passed all his life among English people, 
 annoyed him. ' But I say, what a knowledge you have of 
 English.' 
 
 ' Oh yes, I know some English,' said the lad, laughing. 
 
 'And Malay?' 
 
 'Oh, pretty tidy. I don't jabber, but I can make the 
 beggars understand me right enough. What 's your name ? 
 Murray, isn't it V 
 
 ' Yes.' 
 
 ' But the other ? Tom— Dick— Harry 1 ' 
 
 ' Edward.' 
 
 ' Oh, where are you going to, Edward Gray ? What is it t 
 That 's wrong. What does old Tennyson say ? Hullo ! 
 what's the matter?' 
 
 ' I — that is ' — stammered Ned — ' some mistake. You speuk 
 English so well.' 
 
 ' Of course I do.' 
 
 ' But what is your name V 
 
 ' Frank Braine.' 
 
 ' Then you are not the Tumongong's son ?' 
 
 ' Tumon grandmother's — ha ! ha ! What a game ! Oh, I 
 see now ! I forgot that I was in nigger togs. You took me 
 for one of them.' 
 
 1 Of course I did.' 
 
 ' Well, it 's a rum one. Won't father laugh ! That 's why 
 you were so cocky at first?' 
 
 ' Yes, I didn't know you were Mr Braine's son. You are, 
 aren't you?' 
 
 1 Course I am. Been out here two years now. I was at . 
 Marlborough — school you know — and I 'd got the whiffles or 
 something so bad, the doctor said I should die if I wasn't 
 
A HUNGRy CROC. 89 
 
 sent to a warm climate. Thoy scut a letter to the dad, and 
 it was nino months getting to him. Ma says he was in a 
 taking till ho 'd got a despatch sent down to Singapore, to bo 
 dillygraphod homo to England for me to come here directly. 
 He couldn't fetch me, you know. The ould one, as Tim calls 
 him, wouldn't lot him go. You know him?' 
 
 ' Yes.' 
 
 ' Well, they sent me out, and after they 'd carried me on 
 board, the captain of the steamer told one of the passengers 
 that it was a shame to have sent me, for I should die before 
 I was half-way out It made me so wild, that I squeaked out 
 that he didn't know what he was talking about, and he 'd 
 better mind his own business. And he didn't either, for I 
 began to get better directly, and the old skipper shook hands 
 with me, and was as pleased as could be, one day just before 
 we got to Singapore ; for I had climbed up into the foretop 
 and laughed at him, I 'd got so much stronger. Then I had 
 to go up to Malacca, and there old Bang-gong met me.' 
 
 'Who?' 
 
 ' Tumongong, and brought me up here, and now I 'm as 
 strong as you are.' 
 
 'Yes, you look wonderfully brown and well.' 
 
 ' And you took me for a nigger ! What a game ! ' 
 
 ' Of course it was very stupid of me.' 
 
 ' Oh, I don't know. But, I say, I am glad you 've come. 
 You won't be able to go away again, but that don't matter. 
 It 's a jolly place, and you and I and old Tim will go 
 shooting and fishing, and — I say — I shall come with you and 
 your uncle collecting specimens.' 
 
 ' I hope so,' said Ned, who began to like his new acquaint- 
 ance. ' But don't you feel as if you are a prisoner 
 here?' 
 
90 THE RAJAH OP DAH. 
 
 ' No ; not a bit. I go where I like. Old Jamjah knows 
 I shan't run away from my people.' 
 
 'Jamjar?' 
 
 'That's only my fun. I call him the Kajah of Jamjah 
 sometimes, because he's such a beggar to eat sweets. He 
 asks me sometimes to go and see him, and then we have a 
 jam feed. I 'm pretty tidy that way, but he beats me hollow. 
 Perhaps he '11 ask you some day, and if he takes to you and 
 likes you, he gives you all sorts of things, for he 's tremend- 
 ously rich, and always getting more. He wants to find gold 
 and emeralds and rubies if he can, to make him richer, but 
 none of his people have the gumption to look in the right 
 place.' 
 
 'That's why he wants my uncle to go on expeditions then.' 
 
 ' To be sure it is ; and if he finds a mine or two for the 
 old boy, he '11 make Mr Murray a rich man.' 
 
 Ned looked at him thoughtfully, while the boy chattered 
 on. 
 
 ' He gave me these silk things I 've got on, and lots more. 
 It pleases him to wear 'em. Make some of my old form 
 chaps laugh if they saw me, I know ; but they 're very com- 
 fortable when you 're used to them, and its safer to wear 
 'em when you go amongst strangers, too. He gave me this 
 kris,' continued the lad, uncovering the hilt, which was 
 wrapped in the waist-folds of his showy plaid sarong. 
 ' That 's the way to wear it. That means peace if its covered 
 up. If you see a fellow with, his kris in his waist uncovered, 
 that means war, so cock your pistol and look out.' 
 
 As he spoke he drew out the weapon from his waistband 
 and handed it to Ned. 
 
 ' That handle 's ivory, and they do all that metal-work fine.' 
 
 ' Why, all that working and ornament is gold.' 
 
A HUNGRY CHOC. 91 
 
 ' To be sure it is. Pull it out : there 's more gold on the 
 blade.' 
 
 Ned took hold of the handle and drew the little weapon 
 from its light-coloured wood shoath to find that it was very 
 broad just at the hilt, and rapidly curved down to a narrow, 
 wavy or flame-shaped blade, roughly sharp on both edges, and 
 running down to a very fine point. It was not polished and 
 clear like European steel, but dull, rough, and dead, full of a 
 curious-looking grain, as if two or three different kinds of 
 metal had been welded together, while up near the hilt there 
 was a beautiful arabesque pattern in gold. 
 
 ' Ugh ! ' said Ned, returning it to its sheath ; ' it 's a nasty- 
 looking thing. Is it poisoned?' 
 
 ' Not it. A thing like that doesn't want any poison upon it.' 
 
 'But krises are poisoned.' 
 
 ' I never saw one that was, and father says he never did. 
 He has asked several of the big men here about them, and 
 they always laugh and say it is nonsense ; that the only 
 poison in them is given by a good strong arm. Everybody 
 wears a kris here,' he continued, as he returned the weapon 
 to his waistband. ' Perhaps old Jamjah will give you one.' 
 
 ' I don't want one,' said Ned. Then, suddenly, ' It seems 
 a stupid sort of handle, doesn't it V 
 
 ' Yes ; more like a pistol, but they like it, and they know 
 how to use it too. I say, I hope the old chap will ask you 
 too, next time he asks me. It 's capital fun, for you can hear 
 all his wives whispering together behind the mat curtains, 
 and they get peeping at you while you 're having all the good 
 tilings, and are longing to join in, but they mustn't be seen 
 by a giaour, or the son of a giaour, as they call me. I say, 
 if you like I '11 talk to the old fellow about you, and then 
 he 's sure to ask you.' 
 
92 THE RAJAH OP DAH. 
 
 'No, don't please,' replied Ned. 'I nearly burst out 
 laughing when I saw him yesterday.' 
 
 ' I say, it 's precious lucky for you that you didn't. He 'd 
 never have forgiven you. Had he got on his grand uniform ? 
 Yes, he would have, to show himself off, and he does look 
 comic in it too. You see it was made for him at a guess in 
 London ; and, my ! it is rum to see him straddling about in 
 it sometimes. He 's just like a peacock, and as proud of his 
 feathers. But if you had laughed it would have been 
 horrible. So mind what you are about, for he 's sure to ask 
 you some day, and he '11 call you " goo-ood boy " if you eat 
 enough. I taught the old cock parrot to say that. But, I 
 say, aren't you getting hungry V 
 
 'Yes,' said Ned, quickly, for that seemed to account for a 
 faint feeling from which he suffered. 
 
 ' So am I. Daresay the old croc is,' said the lad, grinning. 
 
 ' Oh !' cried Ned, offering his hand, 'I am grateful to you 
 for that.' 
 
 'Stuff! That's all right.' 
 
 ' I shall never be able to repay you.' 
 
 ' How do you know 1 Some day you '11 catch an elephant 
 putting me in his trunk, or one of our prize striped torn 
 tigers carrying me off, like a cat and a mouse. Then it will 
 be your turn. Come on and have breakfast with us.' 
 
 ' No, I can't leave my uncle.' 
 
 'Then I'll come and have breakfast with you. Old 
 Jamjah will send you your rations, and they will be good 
 till you offend him. Then you 'd better look out for squalls.' 
 
 ' What do you mean V 
 
 ' Poison. But old Barnes will put you up to some dodges 
 to keep that off, I daresay. Yes, I am hungry. Come on.' 
 
CHAPTER IX. 
 
 NED LOSES HIS HAT. 
 
 •tf HE two lads had grown in an hour as intimate as 
 if they had been friends for mouths, and they 
 were chatting away together as they approached 
 Murray's house, where Hamet was standing look- 
 ing out. 
 
 'Hah!' he cried; 'you are here. The master 
 has been looking for you, and is gone again.' 
 
 'Here he comes!' cried Ned's new companion, taking off 
 and waving his cap as Murray came striding up, looked 
 strangely at the Resident's son, and then turned to his 
 nephew. 
 
 'I was getting anxious about you,' he said. 'Keep by 
 me, my boy. Come along to breakfast. We are going up the 
 river directly after. Mr Braine has been to say we are to 
 go on with our work at once, and land and examine some 
 hills about ten miles up.' 
 
 ' I know,' said Ned's companion, ' Gunong Bu.' 
 Murray turned upon him sharply, but the lad was in no- 
 wise abashed. 
 
 ' I '11 go with you, and show you. I know the way through 
 
 the jungle. There 's an old path. I 've been ' 
 
 ' Thank you,' said Murray, coldly. ' Come, my boy, the 
 breakfast has all been sent on by the rajah.' 
 
94 THE RAJAH OP DAH. 
 
 'I knew he would send,' said their visitor. 'You keep 
 friends with him, and you '11 see how civil he can be.' 
 
 Murray frowned a little ; and, amused by his uncle being 
 deceived as he had himself been, Ned said quietly, ' He has 
 come to breakfast with us, uncle.' 
 
 ' It is very kind of him,' said Murray, coldly ; ' but he 
 might have waited till he was asked.' 
 
 'And then you wouldn't have asked me. I say, you; he 
 thinks like you did, that I 'm a nigger.' 
 
 ' Well,' said Murray, quickly, ' are you not a Malay, in 
 spite of your perfect English?' 
 
 ' Of course not, sir ; I 'm Frank Braine.' 
 
 'My dear sir, I beg your pardon,' cried Murray. 'You 
 should have told me, Ned. Come in, my lads, I 'm getting 
 sharp-set ; ' and directly after, they were seated, eastern 
 fashion, cross-legged on the mat, which was spread with 
 Malay luxuries, prominent among which was some excellent 
 coffee, and a hearty meal was made, with the Resident's son 
 as much at home as if he had been a very old friend ; and 
 hardly was it ended, when Mr Braine appeared. 
 
 ' Ah, Frank,' he said, smiling ; ' not long making yourself 
 at home, I see. The boat 's ready, Mr Murray,' he continued, 
 ' and plenty of provisions on board I daresay you will get 
 some new birds and insects on your way, and the rajah 
 hopes you will make some discovery up in the hills.' 
 
 ' He seems reasonable,' said Murray, laughing. ' What would 
 he like first — a gold-mine 1 ' 
 
 ' Oh, you must humour him, and then you will have 
 plenty of opportunity for your own work. Will you want 
 an interpreter beside your own man V 
 
 ' No,' said Frank, quietly. ' I 'm going with them, father.' 
 
 ' You, my boy ? Oh, very well, only try not to be rash ; 
 
NED LOSES niS HAT. 95 
 
 though I don't suppose you will have any adventures. 
 You know, I suppose, that we have tiger and elephant about 
 here, so take a rifle in ease you meet big game.' 
 
 The men were waiting below, and they were soon after 
 despatched with Haniet to carry guns, ammunition, and the 
 other impedimenta of a naturalist who is an enthusiastic 
 collector. The gentlemen followed soon after, Mr Braine 
 seeing them down to the boat, which proved to be a hand- 
 some naga, fully manned. The crew were well armed, and 
 as Xed glanced at their faces he, little observant as he was 
 in such matters, could note that they were a strong, fierce- 
 looking, determined party, who would stand at nothing their 
 leader set them to do. 
 
 There was a friendly wave of the hand, followed by that 
 of a couple of pocket handkerchiefs, as the boat swung out 
 into the stream and began rapidly to ascend, for the doctor 
 and his ladies had just strolled down to the bamboo jettj-, 
 but too late to see the party off. 
 
 1 1 say. don't do that,' cried Frank, quickly, as Xed hung 
 one arm over the side of the boat, and let the cool water run 
 through his fingei s. 
 
 ' Of course not. I forgot Haniet did tell me.' 
 
 'There 's a chap at the next place with only one arm. He 
 was hanging over the side of a boat holding his line with 
 his hand, and a croc snapped it right off.' 
 
 ' Is that a traveller's tale, squire ?' said Murray, drily. 
 
 ' Xo, it isn't,' said the boy, frowning. ' You don't believe 
 it? Ask hini there if a croc didn't, nearly seize him this 
 morning.' 
 
 ' Wliat ! ' cried Murray. 
 
 ' Yes, uncle,' said Xed. ' It was so. and Frank Braine 
 snatched me away just in time.' 
 
96 THE RAJAH OF DATT. 
 
 ' Oh, get out ! I only pushed you out of his way. They 
 are nasty beggars.' 
 
 He turned to the Malay guard and said a few words, to 
 which a chorus which sounded like assent came at once. 
 
 ' They say you have to be very careful, for the crocs kill 
 a good many people every year.' 
 
 ' Then we will be very careful,' said Murray ; ' and I beg 
 your pardon for doubting you.' 
 
 ' Oh, that don't matter.' 
 
 ' And let me thank you for helping Ned here this morning.' 
 
 'That's nothing,' cried Frank, hastily. 'Hi! Abdul!' he 
 shouted to one of the rowers ; and he hurried from beneath 
 the mat awning overhead, amongst the crew to the man in 
 the bows, evidently to avoid listening to further thanks, and 
 sat down to go on talking to the Malay, whose heavy stolid 
 face lit up as he listened. 
 
 'So you had quite an adventure?' said Murray. 
 
 ' Yes, uncle,' replied Ned ; and he then went on to tell of 
 the horrible scene he had witnessed. 
 
 Murray listened with his brows knit, and then after sitting 
 thoughtful and silent for some minutes : ' Mr Braine and the 
 doctor have not exaggerated the situation, Ned,' he said. 
 ' Well, my lad, we must make the best of it. I daresay we 
 can spend a month here advantageously, but we must be 
 careful not to upset the rajah, for, though he can be a capital 
 friend, and send us out collecting in this royal way, it is 
 evident that he can prove a very dangerous enemy. You 
 see he is a man who has the power of life and death in his 
 hands, and does not hesitate about using it. We are beyond 
 help from the settlement, and unmistakably his prisoners.' 
 
 ' Well, I don't mind being a prisoner, uncle, if he is going 
 to treat us like this.' 
 
NED LOSES HIS IIAT. 97 
 
 ' Good, lad. I '11 take a leaf out of your book, and make 
 the best of things. This is quite new ground for a naturalist, 
 so let 's sot aside all worry about where we are, and think only 
 of the wonderful objects about us.' 
 
 Ned was already following out that plan, and wishing his 
 uncle would not worry about other things, for they were 
 riding at a pretty good rate up the clear sparkling river, and 
 passing scene after scene of tropic loveliness that excited a 
 constant desire in the boy to go ashore and roam amongst 
 grand trees of the loveliest tints of green, all different from 
 anything he had seen before. 
 
 Just then Frank came back. 
 
 ' Got your shooting tackle ready V he said. 
 
 ' No, but I was thinking it was time,' replied Murray, ' and 
 that we might as well land directly we see a bird or two. I 
 want to get all the specimens I can.' 
 
 ' Land !' said Frank, with a merry laugh ; ' land here V 
 
 ' Yes ; not to go any distance. Just for a ramble, and then 
 return to the boat.' 
 
 'But you couldn't, nor yet for miles farther on.' 
 
 ' Why 1 The country on either bank looks lovely.' 
 
 ' The trees do, but that 's all jungle.' 
 
 'Well, I see that,' said Murray, rather impatiently. 
 
 'But you don't know what our jungle is, sir. You couldn't 
 get a dozen yards any way.' 
 
 ' The trees are not so thick as that.' 
 
 'No, but the undergrowth is, and it's all laced together, 
 and bound with prickly canes, so that at every step you must 
 have men to go before you with their parangs to chop and 
 clear the way.' 
 
 ' Is a parang a chopper V 
 
 'They chop with it,' replied Frank. 'It's the sword 
 
98 THE RAJAII OP DAH. 
 
 thing the men carry to cut down the wild vines and canes 
 with.' 
 
 'Do you mean to say we couldn't get through there?' said 
 Ned. 
 
 ' Yes, of course I do. Like to try ? I did when I first 
 came. Why, in five minutes you 'd be horribly scratched, and 
 your clothes torn half off your back, and you so hot you 
 couldn't bear yourself.' 
 
 Coclc-a-duodJe-do ! 
 
 It was a peculiar broken spasmodic crow from some little 
 distance in the jungle, and Ned turned upon the Resident's 
 son, laughingly : ' Why, there must be a road there to that 
 farm or cottage and back.' 
 
 There was an answering crow from farther away. 
 
 'Is there a village close by?' asked Murray. 
 
 'If there was a village, it would be here,' said Frank, 
 showing his white teeth. ' This is the high-road of the 
 country, and the villages are all on the rivers.' 
 
 ' But there must be people who keep fowls in there.' 
 
 'Yes,' said Frank, merrily; 'Mother Nature does. Those 
 are jungle cocks crowing. I say, look out. Don't you want 
 one of those?' 
 
 He pointed to where a lovely bluish bird, with a long tail 
 ending in oval disks like tiny tennis racquets, was seated 
 some distance ahead upon a bare branch ; but almost as he 
 spoke the bird took flight, and went right on, up the river like 
 a flash of blue light. 
 
 ' Never mind ; you '11 have plenty more chances, and you '11 
 soon know as much about the place as I do.' 
 
 The guns were brought out of their woollen bags and 
 charged, and the bout glided on, steered closer in to one bank 
 now, so as to give the naturalist a better chance of a shot : 
 
NED LOSES HIS HAT. 99 
 
 with the result that he brought down in the course of tlie 
 next two hours, as they followed the winding course of the 
 river, shut in on both sides by the tall flower-decked trees, 
 two brilliant racquet-tailed kingfishers, a pink-breasted dove, 
 and a tiny sunbird, decked in feathers that seemed to have 
 been bronzed and burnished with metallic tints of ruby, 
 purple, and gold. 
 
 These were carefully picked up from the water in which 
 they fell, laid in the sun to dry their feathers, and then put 
 aside for preparation that evening. After this specimens 
 were seen of gorgeously painted butterflies, one being evidently 
 seven or eight inches across, but capture was out of the 
 question, and Xed watched them longingly as they flitted 
 across the stream. 
 
 ' I can take you where you can catch them,' said Frank ; 
 ' along by the edge of the jungle where the rice-fields are ; 
 only the worst of butterfly catching there is, that a tiger may 
 fly out and butter you, as they do the men sometimes who are 
 at work over the rice.' 
 
 ' Xot a pleasant way of butterfly hunting, I must say,' 
 said Murray, who, gun in hand, was watching the edge of the 
 jungle. ' What 's the matter 1 ' 
 
 For the men had suddenly ceased rowing, and the naga 
 glided slowly on, diminishing in speed till it was stationary, 
 and then, yielding to the influence of the stream, began to 
 glide hack. 
 
 Meanwhile an excited conversation was going on between 
 the principal boatman and Frank Braine, the former pointing 
 up into a huge tree whose boughs overhung the river, their 
 tips almost touching the surface, and naturally both Murray 
 and Xed gazed up too. 
 
 ' What is it — a monkey or a bird J' said Xed, eagerly. 
 
100 THE RAJAH OP DAH. 
 
 ' Yes, I see it now,' said Frank. Then, telling the men in 
 Malay to keep the boat stationary, he turned to Murray : 
 ' Here 's a shot for you, sir. I couldn't see it at first. Their 
 eyes are sharper than ours. Wait a minute till the boat 's 
 right. That's it. Stop now, both of you look right in 
 through that opening among the leaves, and you'll see it on a 
 branch.' 
 
 'What, some handsome bird?' 
 
 'No; something that's been up there after the birds or 
 monkeys. Do you see ? Look where I 'm pointing.' 
 
 ' I am looking there,' said Ned, eagerly ; ' but I can only 
 see a great creeper all curled about and twisted in knots 
 where it looks quite dark.' 
 
 ' Well, that 's it,' said Frank, laughing ; ' that great creeper. 
 See it, Mr Murray?' 
 
 ' Yes, I see it now. Wait till I change the cartridge for 
 bigger shot.' 
 
 ' Yes ; use your biggest for him,' whispered Frank ; and 
 Ned looked on wonderingly, refraining from asking questions, 
 for he was met by an imperious 'Hush !' 
 
 ' I can't see what he means, I suppose,' thought Ned ; and 
 he watched eagerly now as Murray suddenly took aim and 
 fired. 
 
 Then for a few moments there was a violent rustling and 
 breaking of twigs, and something heavy fell with a great 
 splash beyond the screen of leaves formed by the lowermost 
 drooping branches. 
 
 'You hit him !' cried Frank, excitedly, and he gave an order 
 to the men, who rowed in under the drooping boughs. 
 
 'Now quick, the other barrel!' cried the lad. 'See him? 
 Too late. He 's gone !' 
 
 ' I couldn't get a good sight of him,' said Murray. 
 
NED LOSES HIS HAT. 101 
 
 ' But what was it V 
 
 ' A great serpent. He glided out of the river in amongst 
 those bushes.' 
 
 'Could we follow if the boat were rowed right in V 
 
 Frank shook his head. 
 
 'Impossible,' he said; and the boat was pulled out and 
 began once more to ascend the stream. 
 
 'How big was it 1 !' said Ned, as the incident was discussed. 
 
 'Impossible to say,' replied Murray; 'but I should say 
 fifteen or sixteen feet long, and as large round as your leg.' 
 
 Another hour's steady pulling up against the stream brought 
 them to quite a change in the character of the river-banks. 
 One side had the jungle as before, but on the other the 
 forest receded more and more, till they gazed across a park- 
 like plain dotted with clumps of huge trees, and rising more 
 and more till a range of hills towered up looking wonderfully 
 beautiful, wooded as they were to the summit. 
 
 This meant a tramp, and the boat was run up beneath 
 some trees, to one of which it was moored, while two of the 
 guard busied themselves in spreading refreshments beneath 
 the awning in a business-like way, which suggested that they 
 had been used to such tasks before. 
 
 'Eather hot for a long walk,' said Frank, when the meal 
 was finished ; ' but I don't mind, if you don't.' 
 
 Murray smiled with the calm contempt for heat usually 
 displayed by an Englishman, took his gun and stepped 
 ashore, followed by the boys, to find that half a dozen men 
 armed with spears followed them, one stepping forward to 
 act as guide, but after a few words from Frank, going 
 back to his place with the rest. 
 
 ' Now then,' he said, ' what 's it to be— birds or beasts V 
 
 'Birds to-day,' replied Murray. 
 
102 THE KAJAII OF DAII. 
 
 ' There you go then — a big one,' cried the lad, as with a 
 rushing, heavy beating sound of its wings, a great bird flew 
 directly over their heads, uttering a hoarse cry, and with its 
 huge curved bill bearing a curious, nearly square, excrescence 
 on the top, plainly seen as the bird approached. 
 
 'Why didn't you shoot?' cried Frank, as the bird went off 
 unscathed. ' Why, I believe, I could have hit that.' 
 
 'For the simple reason that I did not want to encumber 
 myself with a bird I have had before.' 
 
 ' Oh, I see. There are lots of those about here, and I 've 
 found their nests.' 
 
 'What sort of a nest is it?' asked Ned. 'Anything like 
 a magpie's?' 
 
 'No!' cried Frank; 'not a bit. Big as they are, they 
 build like a tomtit does, right in a hollow tree, but the one 
 I saw had only laid one egg, and a tomtit lays lots. It was 
 in the trunk of a great worm-eaten tree, and the hen bird was 
 shut in, for the cock had filled the entrance-hole with clay, 
 all but a bit big enough for the hen to put out her beak to 
 be fed. What's that?' 
 
 Murray had fired and brought down a gaily-feathered bird, 
 green, scarlet, and orange, and with a sharp wedge-shaped 
 beak fringed with sharp bristles. 
 
 'A barbet,' said Murray, giving the bird to one of the 
 men to carry; 'but like your hombill, too common to be 
 worth preserving.' 
 
 Other birds fell to Murray's gun as they went on. A 
 trogon was the next, a thickly-feathered soft-looking bird, 
 yoke-toed like a cuckoo, and bearing great resemblance in 
 shape to the nightjar of the English woods, but wonderfully 
 different in plumage; for, whereas the latter is of a soft 
 blending of grays and browns, like the wings of some wood- 
 
NED LOSJiM HIS HAT. 103 
 
 land moths, this trogon's buck was of a cinnamon brown, 
 and its breast of a light rosy-scarlet blending off into white 
 crossed with fine dark-pencilled stripes. 
 
 The next was rather a common bird, though none the less 
 beautiful in its claret-coloured plumage ; but the striking part 
 of the bird was its gaily-coloured beak of orange and vivid 
 blue. 
 
 The tramp in the broiling sunshine was so full of interest 
 now, that JS'ed forgot the labour, and eagerly kept pace with 
 his uncle, the Malays following closely behind, and carrying 
 the specimens willingly enough, but with their swarthy faces 
 wearing rather a contemptuous look for the man who, in 
 preference to a quiet siesta beneath a tree, chose to tramp on 
 beneath the burning sun for the sake of a few uneatable 
 birds. 
 
 'I say,' cried Frank, 'I'll tell you of a bird you ought to 
 shoot. Hist — hist ! ' 
 
 He made energetic signs to them to lie down among the 
 low bushes through which they were passing. 
 
 He was obeyed at once, and most quickly by the Malays, 
 who crouched down, spear in hand, like an ambush in waiting 
 for something far more important than the two birds of 
 which the lad had caught sight in a narrow glade of a park- 
 like patch of trees they were approaching, but which now 
 remained invisible. 
 
 ' Well,' said Murray, after waiting patiently for some few 
 minutes with his gun cocked, ' what did you see V 
 
 'Two birds you ought to have shot,' the lad whispered 
 back, ' but they must have seen us. No ; look. Go on 
 first ; creep to those bushes.' 
 
 He pointed to the edge of the clump, from out of which 
 came slowly, with stately movement, a couple of long-necked 
 
104 THE RAJAH OF DAH. 
 
 birds, one of which carried behind him an enormous train of 
 feathers which flashed in the brilliant sunshine. 
 
 Murray needed no second hint, but crept carefully forward, 
 taking advantage of every bush and tree which afforded him 
 shelter, while the rest remained in concealment eagerly 
 awaiting the result; even the Malays looking excited, with 
 their soft dark eyes glowing and their heads craned forward. 
 
 Murray soon reduced the distance between him and the 
 birds — quite a quarter of a mile — and it seemed as if he 
 would easily stalk them; but while he was a full hundred 
 yards away, something seemed to have startled the game, which 
 rose at once and made for the open, yet just in the midst 
 of the disappointment felt at the waste of energy over the 
 stalk, they curved round so as to make for the shelter of the 
 trees, passing between the watchers and Murray. 
 
 ' Never mind,' said Frank, ' he '11 have another chance.' 
 
 Bang ! following upon a puff of smoke, and the bird with 
 the long train stopped in its flight, shot up a few yards, and 
 then fell motionless. 
 
 Ned uttered a cheer, and the whole party hurried forward, 
 to reach the prize some time after Murray, who had reloaded 
 and was carefully smoothing the bird's plumage. 
 
 'A long shot, Ned,' he said. 'That must have been fully 
 eighty yards. It was the large shot did it. There, you never 
 saw a peacock like that.' 
 
 ' Yes,' cried Ned, ' often.' 
 
 ' No, my lad ; look again.' 
 
 ' Well, it is a little different. The neck's green.' 
 
 ' Yes, instead of blue. That 's the Javanese peacock, and a 
 splendid specimen. "We'll hang this up till our return. 
 Anything likely to touch it if we hang it on a branch 1 ?' 
 
 ' No, I think not, sir,' replied Frank ; and after the bird 
 
NED LOSES HIS HAT. 105 
 
 had been carefully suspended fully six feet from the ground, 
 the party walked on, to find that the ground was beginning 
 to rise steadily, an indication of their nearing the hills. 
 
 'So that's the bird you wanted me to find, was it?' said 
 Murray, after a long silent tramp, for the bush had grown 
 rather dense. 
 
 ' Oh no. The birds I mean only come out of a night. 
 I 've only seen two since I 've been here, but you can hear 
 them often in the jungle.' 
 
 'Owls?' 
 
 ' Oh no ; pheasants, father says they are. Birds with 
 tremendously long tails, and wings all over great spots like a 
 peacock's, only brown.' 
 
 'Argus pheasants,' said Murray, quietly. 'Yes, I must 
 try and get some specimens of them.' 
 
 The ground began to rise more rapidly now, till it was 
 quite a climb through open forest, very different to the dense 
 jungle by the river-side. The ground, too, had become stony, 
 with great gray masses projecting here and there, and still 
 they rose higher and higher, till, hot and breathless, they 
 stopped in a narrow gorge to look back at the narrow plain 
 they had crossed, just beyond which, and fringed on the far 
 side by the dark jungle, they could see the river winding 
 along like a ribbon of silver. 
 
 There were several umbrageous trees here, and the air was 
 so fresh and comparatively cool that it was decided to halt 
 now for an hour to rest. Then, after a good look round had 
 been taken, Murray suggested that they should return by 
 another route to where the peacock had been hung, after 
 which they could go direct to the boat. 
 
 The Malays lay down and began preparing fresh pieces of 
 betel-nut to chew ; but Murray's rest was short, and jumping 
 
106 THE EAJAH OF DAH. 
 
 up again, he took a geological hammer from his belt, and 
 began to crack and chip the stones and masses of rock which 
 peered from the barren-looking ground, the two boys, one of 
 whom carried the gun, watching him intently. 
 
 ' Plenty of quartz, Ned,' said Murray. ' Quite possible that 
 one might find gold here.' 
 
 As he spoke, he broke a piece of gray stone which he had 
 hooked out from among the grass, and laid in a convenient 
 place. A quick ejaculation came from his lips, and Prank 
 cried excitedly, 'Why, you haven't found goldV 
 
 ' No, my lad, but I have found a valuable metal. Look ! ' 
 
 He handed the broken halves of the stone to the boys, 
 while the Malays crouched together, chewed away at their 
 betel, and watched them. 
 
 'Well,' said Ned, 'I don't see any valuable metal. Do 
 you?' 
 
 Frank shook his head. 
 
 'That is a fairly rich piece of ore too,' said Murray. 'Don't 
 you. see those little black grains running through the quartz?' 
 
 ' No. These are all standing still,' said Frank, laughing. 
 
 'Facetious, eh?' said Murray, smiling. 'Well, those black 
 grains are tin.' 
 
 ' Oh, they do get tin somewhere up the river,' said Frank, 
 eagerly; 'but it isn't a bit like this.' 
 
 ' But it is like what this would be if it were smelted, young 
 gentleman,' cried Murray; 'and, judging from appearances, I 
 should say that the rajah could get tin enough in these hills 
 to make him as wealthy as he likes.' 
 
 ' He ought to be satisfied, then, with what you have done, 
 uncle,' said Ned. 
 
 ' But he will not be, my boy. He will not care to set up 
 works, and he '11 want us to try again for something better. 
 
NED LOSES HIS HAT. 107 
 
 There, we'll take onr specimens to show to Mr Braine, and 
 start back now. Give mo the gun, and I '11 go in the centre, 
 and you two shall walk on either side of me, say fifty yards 
 or so distant. You may beat up some specimens, and give 
 me a better chance. Ask the men to keep about a hundred 
 yards behind us.' 
 
 Frank went and spoke to the men, and told them what 
 was about to be done, and they rose, took their spears and 
 waited while the boys started off to right and left, Murray 
 waiting till they had guessed their distances, and then at his 
 signal, a low whistle, the start was made for the river, down 
 the steep slope, and bearing off so as to leave their outward 
 track on their left. 
 
 It was a laborious descent, and Ned found the path 
 he had to follow encumbered by loose gray stones, and 
 full of gins and traps, in the shape of narrow cracks in 
 the rock, and bramble-like canes ever ready to trip him 
 up. However, fortunately, the trees and bushes were pretty 
 open on that dry hill-side, and he could pick his way. But 
 there was no shot, and he saw no sign of bird or reptile ; only 
 a few butterflies which started up from among the dry herb- 
 age, and went flapping away among the trees. 
 
 Once or twice he heard the crackling of twigs on his 
 left, and once he fancied that he could hear the Malays 
 coming on behind him ; but he was not sure, and he toiled 
 on, bathed in perspiration, thinking how wonderfully still 
 everything was out there, and how loud the rustling noise 
 was he made with his boots in forcing his way through the 
 scrub. 
 
 All at once, just as he was thinking what a likely place 
 that steep stony hill-side looked for snakes, a magnificent 
 butterfly sprang up within a yard or two of his feet, and 
 
108 THE RAJAH OF DAH. 
 
 as he stopped short, he saw it go fluttering on in a zigzag 
 fashion, and then pounce down all at once, only a little way 
 on before him, and right in the direction he had to go. 
 
 'I don't see why I shouldn't have a specimen too,' 
 he said to himself, as, regardless of the heat, he took off 
 his straw hat, and crept silently on with his eyes fixed 
 upon the spot where the beautiful insect had disappeared. 
 He was within a yard of it, with upraised hat ready to 
 strike, when it darted up, and he made a bound forward, 
 striking downward with his hat at the same time. 
 
 The result was unexpected. Ned's step was on to nothing, 
 and, letting go of his hat, he uttered a cry of horror as he felt 
 himself falling through bushes, and then sliding along with an 
 avalanche of stones, apparently right away into the bowels 
 of the earth, and vainly trying to check himself by stretching 
 out his hands. 
 
 One moment he saw the light dimmed by the green 
 growth over the mouth of the opening, the next he was in 
 utter darkness, and gliding down rapidly for what seemed, 
 in his horror and confusion, a long period. Then all at 
 once the rattling, echoing noise of falling stones ceased, and 
 so did his progress, as he found himself, scratched and sore, 
 lying on his side upon a heap of stones, some of which were 
 right over his legs. It did not take him long to extricate 
 himself, and stand upright with his hands resting on a cold 
 rocky wall, and as he stood there in the darkness, he obeyed 
 his first impulse, which was to shout for help. But at every 
 cry he uttered there was so terrible a reverberation and echo, 
 that he ceased, and began to try to climb back up the great 
 crack to the light of day. 
 
 To his horror and despair he soon found that such a 
 climb would be impossible in the darkness, and as a 
 
is # •* -# 
 »L ■&££ ~_ 
 
 The result was unexpected. 
 
NED LOSES HIS HAT. 109 
 
 flood of terrible thoughts threatened to sweep away his 
 reason, and he saw himself dying slowly there from starva- 
 tion, it seemed to him that it was not quite so dark as he 
 thought, and peering before him, he felt about with hand and 
 foot, and changed his position slowly, finding that the stones 
 beneath him were pretty level till he made one unlucky step 
 on a loose flat piece, which began to glide rapidly down. 
 Although he tried hard to save himself, he slipped and rolled 
 again for some distance before he could check his way, when 
 he sat up with his heart . bounding with joy, for, about a 
 hundred yards or so before him, he could see a rough opening 
 laced over by branches, through 'which gleamed the sunlight. 
 
 And now, as he cautiously made his way toward the light, 
 he began to realise that he was in a rough rift or chasm in 
 the rock, whose floor descended at about the same rate as the 
 hill-slope ; and five minutes after, he forced his passage out 
 through the bushes which choked the entrance, to hear, away 
 on his left, a distant ' cooey.' 
 
 He answered at once, and went on descending the hill, 
 thinking how strange his adventure had been, and that after 
 all it was only a bit of a fright, and that he had come part 
 of the way underground, instead of above. 
 
 And now the heat of the sun reminded him that he had 
 lost his hat, and he stopped short with the intention of going 
 back, but another shout on his left warned him that he 
 must proceed or he might be lost 
 
 'And perhaps the Malays may find it,' he argued; so 
 tying his handkerchief over his head with a great leaf inside, 
 he trudged on, answering the ' cooeys ' from time to time, till 
 he drew nearer, and at last, in obedience to a whistle, joined 
 his uncle about the same time as Frank. 
 
 ' Nothing to show,' cried the former. ' I say, Ned, you 
 
 H 
 
110 THE RAJAH OF DAH. 
 
 got too far away. I thought at one time I 'd lost you. Why, 
 where 's your hat V 
 
 ' Lost it,' replied the boy, looking toward Frank as he 
 spoke. 
 
 That young gentleman was laughing at him, and this so 
 roused Ned's ire, sore and smarting as he was, that he did 
 not attempt to make any explanation of his mishap, feeling 
 assured that he would only be laughed at the more, for not 
 looking which way he went. 
 
 They were all beginning to feel the effect of their walk 
 in the hot sun, and in consequence they trudged back rather 
 silently to where the peacock had been hung, and this was 
 borne in triumph back to the boat, where the rest of the men 
 were patiently awaiting their return. 
 
 ' Wonder what they 've got ready for us,' said Frank, 
 rousing up a little as they came near the river. 
 
 ' Got ready ? What, refreshments ? Will they have any- 
 thing?' 
 
 ' There '11 be a tremendous uproar if they have not,' cried 
 Frank. ' The rajah is a regular old pirate, as my father says, 
 and he helps himself to whatever he fancies from everybody 
 round, but there's nothing stingy about him as you'll find.' 
 
 The lad was quite right in his surmises respecting refresh- 
 ments, for the men had quite a pleasant little repast spread, 
 and most welcome of all, a great piece of bamboo, about five 
 feet long, hanging from the side of the boat in the full sun- 
 shine, with one end swaying in the river. 
 
 ' Look at that !' cried Frank. ' Know what that is?' 
 
 ' A very thick piece of bamboo.' 
 
 ' Yes, but what 's in it V 
 
 ' I did not know anything was in it.' 
 
 ' But you will know directly. That 's the big decanter, 
 
NED LOSES UIS HAT. Ill 
 
 with a whole lot of deliriously cool drink in it. I don't 
 know what it is, only that it 's the old chap's favourite tipple, 
 and it 's precious good.' 
 
 'Is it wine?' 
 
 ' Oh no ; at least perhaps they call it wine. It 's some- 
 how made with the sap out of the palm-trees, with cocoa- 
 nut milk and fruit juice. I don't know, and it doesn't 
 matter. As soon as you get your lips to a cup of it, you don't 
 want anybody to talk to you till it 's done.' 
 
 Ned soon had an opportunity of putting the contents of 
 the bamboo to the test, and he quite agreed with Frank's 
 description, for it was delicious after the long hot walk, 
 and they all sat enjoying their meal as the boat glided rapidly 
 down stream now, the men merely dipping their oars from 
 time to time to keep her head straight. They had spent a 
 far longer time than Ned had expected, and the sun was sink- 
 ing behind the jungle as the village was reached, and they 
 disembarked, Hamet being ready to bear the spoils of the 
 day up to the house, where Murray intended to commence 
 preparing the skins at once, but found that Mr Braine was 
 in waiting to insist upon the two new-comers dining with 
 him at his place. 
 
 ' Never mind them,' he cried, as Murray pointed to his 
 specimens ; ' you can get hundreds more at any time, and 
 Barnes and his people will be horribly disappointed if you 
 do not come.' 
 
 To Ned's great satisfaction his uncle gave way, for he felt 
 no great disposition to begin an unpleasant task after so 
 hard a day, and the result was that after a change they went 
 up to the Resident's house, to reach there just at the same 
 time as the doctor, his wife, and daughter. 
 
CHAPTER X. 
 
 A SERIOUS COMPLICATION. 
 
 N a few weeks all thought of considering themselves 
 as prisoners was forgotten, and Murray and Ned 
 were as busy as it was possible to be in that 
 hot steamy climate. 
 
 There was, however, one point about which 
 Murray made a complaint, and spoke to Mr Braine 
 upon the subject, and that was the presence of armed men 
 as guards ; for wherever they went, even if it was from one 
 end of the village to the other, there were these quiet dark 
 sentinels, and so sure as either Murray or his nephew came 
 to the conclusion that they were alone, the next moment one 
 of the men would be seen pretty close at hand. 
 
 ' Xever mind, uncle,' Ned said, laughingly ; ' the sun 
 always shines here, so one must expect to have shadows.' 
 
 ' But I don't like it, Ned ; it worries me,' said his uncle ; 
 and as stated he complained to Mr Braine, who promised to 
 speak to the rajah, and two days later came to the house 
 where its occupants were busy skinning and drying their 
 specimens. 
 
 ' The rajah has sent me to ask if he can do anything more 
 for you, Murray,' said their visitor. 'He has been saying 
 again that he is delighted with your discovery of the tin, 
 and that he shall some day set men to work mining and 
 smelting, but he hopes you will persevere, and discover a 
 
A SERIOUS COMPLICATION. 113 
 
 good voin of gold. You aro to speak as soon as you aro 
 ready for a long expedition, and the elephants will be 
 brought up.' 
 
 'Let's go soon, uncle,' said Ned. 'I want to have an 
 elephant ride.' 
 
 'Patience, patienco, boy. There, that's not such a had 
 imitation of life, is it?' said Murray, holding out a boautiful 
 amethystine-looking kingfish er. 
 
 'Capital!' said Mr Braine, smiling at the enthusiasm his 
 new friend brought to bear in his pursuit. 
 
 'Do for us ?' said Murray, thoughtfully ; 'do for us? No, 
 I think not. He is wonderfully civil ; feeds us too well ; 
 tho attention we get is excellent, and you people treat us as 
 if we were your brothers.' 
 
 ' You are satisfied, then ?' said Mr Braine. 
 
 ' Yes, I think so ; eh, Ned V 
 
 ' I am enjoying it thoroughly,' replied the latter. 
 
 ' Oh yes, of course. So long as you can be always off on 
 some prank or another with Braine's unbroken colt. It suits 
 you, you lazy young dog.' 
 
 ' Oh, uncle, what a shame ! Frank and I have brought 
 you in some splendid specimens.' 
 
 ' Well, pretty tidy; but that rare trogon's tail feathers were 
 wanting in the three central pens.' 
 
 ' We '11 get you another, then,' cried Ned. 
 
 ' You like the place, then?' said Mr Braine. 
 
 ' Like it, sir ! I never imagined being a prisoner was half 
 so good.' 
 
 'Ah yes — prisoners,' said Murray, looking up from his 
 work, which he was still pursuing in spite of the arrival of 
 his visitor. 'Here! hi! Hamet !' 
 
 ' Yes, master, ' 
 
114 THE RAJAH OP DAH. 
 
 ' Go and turn those skins over carefully, and put them out 
 of the sun. They are drying too fast.' 
 
 'Yes, master.' 
 
 'Yes; prisoners,' continued Murray. 'You did not take 
 my message to the rajah about those spearmen always follow- 
 ing us about.' 
 
 ' I did, and that was my principal reason for coming and 
 interrupting you this morning.' 
 
 'Ah!' cried Murray, looking up with an unfortunate bird 
 turned inside out in one hand, and a brush laden with 
 preserving paste in the other; ' what did he say?' 
 
 'That he esteemed the visit and presence of so great a 
 scientific man too highly to run any risk of his coming to 
 harm. That many of his people were not so enlightened as 
 those about the court, and were likely to resent the presence 
 of an Englishman.' 
 
 ' And boy,' said Ned in an undertone. 
 
 ' And boy,' said Mr Braine, smiling ; ' and that he would 
 die of grief if anything happened to you ; whereas, if harm 
 happened when you had your guard, he could punish them V 
 
 'Poor wretches!' said Murray, brushing away at his bird- 
 skin. ' Soft soap. Gammon, Braine. He is afraid that we 
 shall slip off, eh?' 
 
 ' Yes ; that is the plain English of the matter.' 
 
 ' And the men are to follow us still.' 
 
 ' Yes. You must put up with it.' 
 
 'Ah, well, the place is so rich that I will not grumble. 
 I must say that the men are never too attentive, and it 
 would be unpleasant if we were to be speared and krised; 
 eh, Ned?' 
 
 ' And skinned and preserved as specimens of the English 
 for his highness's museum,' said Ned, quietly, as he carefully 
 
A SERIOUS COMPLICATION. 115 
 
 drew the skill of a lovely blue and drab thrush over its 
 skull. 
 
 ' Xo one to do it,' said Mr Braine, laughing. 
 
 • Well, I shall not grumble again,' continued Murray. 
 ' Tell him we '11 go soon right up to the hills through the 
 jungle, and that I '11 try and find him a gold-mine. Ton were 
 quite right, Braine ; we could not have done better for 
 natural history if we could have gone where we liked,' 
 
 ' I am sure you couldn't' 
 
 'Ladies quite well — Mrs Braine and the Barnes's and 
 Grogs?' 
 
 ' Yes ; but complaining that you do not visit us all more 
 often.' 
 
 'Very good of them, but I must get on with my work.' 
 
 1 And I with mine,' 
 
 ' Oh, don't hurry away. Stop and smoke a cigar. How's 
 that boy of yours ?' 
 
 ' Quite well, thank you, Mr Murray.' 
 
 They looked up sharply, and there was Frank standing in 
 the veranda looking in. 
 
 'Hullo! busy, Ned!" 
 
 ' Yes. Two more birds to do.' 
 
 ' Oh, what a bother ! I want you particularly. I say. Mr 
 Murray, why don't you let Amy Barnes skin these little tiny 
 snnbirds ! It wants some one with pretty little fingers like 
 hers.' 
 
 ' Because, sir, it is not fit work for a lady,' replied Murray, 
 shortly. 
 
 ' Ha, ha ! what a game ! Why, she asked me to get her 
 a few, and I set that, one-eyed chap to knock some down with 
 a sumpitan — you know, Xed, a blowpipe, and she has had 
 six these last three days, and skinned them all beautifully. 
 
116 THE RAJAH OF DATT. 
 
 She gave me one to show me how well she could do it. 
 Here, where did I stick the thing?' 
 
 He hegan searching his pockets, and ended hy dragging 
 out a rough tuft of glistening metallic feathers, at which he 
 looked down with a comical expression of countenance, 
 
 'A delightful specimen,' said Murray, grimly. 
 
 ' Yes, now. But it was beautiful when she showed it to 
 me. I oughtn't to have put it in my pocket, I suppose. But, 
 I say, Mr Murray, can't you spare Ned?' 
 
 'What do you want him for, Frank?' said his father. 
 
 ' To try for that big croc that hangs about the river half- 
 way between here and the stockade. He has just taken 
 another poor girl, father.' 
 
 ' What !' cried Mr Braine, with a look of horror. 
 
 ' I only just heard of it. She was reaching over to pick 
 lotus-leaves close by, where you were so nearly caught, Ned.' 
 
 'Eh?' cried Murray, looking up sharply. 'Oh yes, I 
 remember, and you are thinking of trying to shoot this 
 monster?' 
 
 ' No ; going to catch him,' said Frank. 
 
 ' You two boys ?' 
 
 ' They will have some of the men to help them,' said Mr 
 Braine. ' The brute ought to be destroyed.' 
 
 'Why don't your rajah do it?' 
 
 'Because he does nothing that does not tend toward his 
 pleasure or prosperity,' replied Mr Braine, bitterly. ' Have 
 you made any preparations, Frank ?' 
 
 ' Yes, father ; we 're all ready. Only waiting for Ned.' 
 
 He gave the latter a merry look as he spoke. 
 
 'Like to go?' said Murray. 
 
 ' I don't like to leave you so busy, uncle, and seem to 
 neglect preparing the specimens.' 
 
A RT5RI0US COMPLICATION. 117 
 
 ' But that would be getting another specimen,' said Frank, 
 merrily. ' Mr Murray may have it when it 's caught, mayn't 
 he, father?' 
 
 'You go along with you, sir,' cried Murray, with mock 
 sternness. ' You are spoiling my boy here. Be off with you, 
 and mind and don't get into any danger. Here, you Ned, go 
 and wash your fingers well first. Don't neglect that after 
 using the paste.' 
 
 Five minutes after, the two lads were off toward the bank 
 of the river near where the rajah's stockade was situated — 
 a strongly-palisaded place commanding the river, and within 
 which four of the light brass guns known as lelahs were 
 mounted. Mere popguns in the eyes of a riaval officer, 
 but big enough to awe people who traded up and down 
 the river in boats, and whose one or two pound balls or 
 handfuls of rough shot and rugged scraps of iron and nails 
 were awkward enemies for the slight timbers of a good-sized 
 prahu. 
 
 'There will not be any danger for the boys, eh?' said 
 Murray, looking up at where Mr Braine stood thoughtfully 
 smoking his cigar. 
 
 'Oh no ; they will have quite a little party of active men 
 with them, ready to despatch the brute with their spears 
 if they are lucky enough to catch him ; but that is very 
 doubtful.' 
 
 He relapsed into silence, and Murray went on busily with 
 his work, for he had had a successful shooting trip on the 
 previous afternoon, and was trying to make up for it before 
 his specimens decayed, as they did rapidly in that hot climate. 
 He was so intent upon his task as he sat at the rough 
 "bamboo work-table he had rigged up, that for a time he 
 forgot the presence of his silent visitor, till, looking up 
 
118 THE RAJAH OF DAH. 
 
 suddenly he saw that Mr Braine was gazing thoughtfully 
 before him in a rapt and dreamy way. 
 
 'Anything the matter?' he said. 
 
 Mr Braine started, looked at his cigar, which was out, and 
 proceeded to relight it. 
 
 'No — yes,' he said slowly; 'I was thinking.' 
 
 ' What about ? No, no. I beg pardon. Like my impu- 
 dence to ask you.' 
 
 ' No. It is quite right,' said Mr Braine, slowly, and with 
 his brow knit. ' You are one of us now, and in a little knot 
 of English people situated as we are, there ought to be full 
 confidence and good-fellowship so that we could help each 
 other in distress.' 
 
 ' Yes, of course,' said Murray, laying down his work. 
 ' But, my dear fellow, don't be so mysterious. You are in 
 trouble. What is wrong?' 
 
 Mr Braine walked to the door to see that Hamet was out of 
 hearing, and then returning, he said in a low voice : ' Look 
 here, Murray ; it is of no use to mince matters ; we are all 
 prisoners here, at the mercy of as scoundrelly a tyrant as 
 ever had power to make himself a scourge to the district 
 round.' 
 
 ' Well, it is as well to call a spade a spade,' said Murray. 
 
 ' Both Barnes and I were doing badly, and we were tempted 
 by the offers we received from the rajah, and certainly I must 
 own that, from a worldly point of view, we have both 
 prospered far better here than we could have done in an 
 English settlement. But we are not free agents. We never 
 know what mine may be sprung upon us, nor how the chief 
 people among the rajah's followers may be affected toward us 
 through petty jealousies.' 
 
 ' I see — I see,' said Murray. 
 
A SERIOUS COMPLICATION. 119 
 
 ' So far wo have got on well. For years and years Barnes, 
 who is very clever in his profession, has made himself indis- 
 pensable to the rajah, and has also gained some very good 
 friends by the way in which he has treated different chiefs 
 and their families in serious illnesses, and for accidents and 
 wounds. While on my part, though mine is a less satis- 
 factory position, I have by firmness and strict justice gained 
 the respect of the rajah's fighting men, whom I have drilled 
 to a fair state of perfection, and the friendship of the various 
 chiefs by acting like an honourable Englishman, and regard- 
 less of my own safety, interceding for them when they have 
 offended their master, so that now they always come to me as 
 their counsellor and friend, and I am the only man here who 
 dares to tell the tyrant he is unjust.' 
 
 'I see your position exactly,' said Murray; 'but what is 
 behind all this. What is wrong?' 
 
 ' Perhaps nothing — imagination, may be, and I don't know 
 that I should have spoken to you yet, if it had not been for 
 an admission — I should say a remark, made by my son just 
 now.' 
 
 'I do not understand you. What did he say?' 
 
 ' That Miss Barnes — Amy — had been devoting herself to 
 the preparation of some of the tiny gems of our forests.' 
 
 ' Yes, yes, and very strange behaviour on the part of a 
 young lady too.' 
 
 ' I do not see it,' said the Resident, gravely. ' She is a very 
 sweet, true-hearted, handsome womanly girl. Let me see : she 
 is past one and twenty now, and has always displayed a great 
 liking for natural history.' 
 
 1 Yes, of course,' said Murray, hurriedly. ' The collection 
 of butterflies and beetles she showed me is most creditable.' 
 
 ' And it is only natural that, situated as she is, a prisoner 
 
120 THE RAJAH OF DAH. 
 
 in these wilds, she should be much attracted by the com- 
 panionship of a gentleman of similar tastes, and of wide 
 experience and knowledge.' 
 
 'Oh, nonsense, nonsense!' said Murray, fidgeting. 'She 
 has been very patient and kind of an evening in listening to 
 me, though I am afraid I have often bored her terribly with 
 my long-winded twaddle about ornithology and botany.' 
 
 ' I can vouch for it you have not, and also that you have 
 caused great disappointment when you have not come and 
 joined us.' 
 
 ' Oh, fancy, my dear sir,' said Murray, tugging at his great 
 brown beard, and colouring like a girl ; ' your imagination.' 
 
 ' It is her father's, her mother's, the Greigs' and my wife's 
 imagination too ; and this experiment of hers — commenced 
 directly after you had been telling us all how difficult you 
 found it with your big fingers to manipulate the tiny sun- 
 birds — confirms what we thought.' 
 
 'My dear sir, what nonsense!' cried Murray, sweeping a 
 bird-skin off the table in his confusion, as he snatched up his 
 pipe, lit it, and began to smoke. ' I talked like that because 
 I wanted that idle young scamp, Ned, to devote his fingers 
 to the task. I had not tho most remote idea that it would 
 make a young lady commence such an uncongenial pursuit.' 
 
 ' Straws show which way the wind blows.' 
 
 'Look here, sir,' cried Murray, jumping up, and making the 
 bamboo floor creak as he strode up and down. 'I am not 
 such a fool or so blind as not to comprehend what you mean. 
 Miss Amy Barnes is a very sweet, amiable young lady.' 
 
 'Far more so than you think,' said Mr Braine, warmly. 
 ' She is a good daughter — a dear girl, whom I love as well as 
 if she were my own child. I shall never forget the way in 
 which she devoted herself to my boy when he came out here, 
 
A SE1U0US COMPLICATiON. 121 
 
 still weak, and a perfect skeleton, and it is my tender affection 
 for the girl that makes me speak as I do.' 
 
 ' Then, then — oh, I am very sorry — very sorry indeed,' 
 cried Murray. ' I wish to goodness I had never come. It is 
 nonsense, madness, impossible. I am nearly forty — that is 
 over four and thirty. I am a confirmed bachelor, and 
 I would not be so idiotically conceited as to imagine, sir, 
 that the young lady could have even a passing fancy for such 
 a dry-as-dust student as myself. I tell you honestly, sir, I 
 have never once spoken to the lady but as a gentleman, a 
 slight friend of her father, would.' 
 
 ' My dear Murray, we have only known you a few 
 weeks, but that has been long enough to make us esteem and 
 trust ' 
 
 ' Exactly ; and it is preposterous.' 
 
 ' That means, you could never care for the lady well enough 
 to ask her to be your wife V 
 
 ' Never — certainly — never — impossible — that is — at least — 
 no, no, no, quite impossible. I am a bookworm, a naturalist, 
 and I shall never marry.' 
 
 ' I am sorry,' said Mr Braine, thoughtfully, ' for, to be frank, 
 I rather thought there was a growing liking on your part for 
 Amy.' 
 
 ' A mistake, sir — a mistake, quite,' said Murray, warmly. 
 
 ' And it would have been a happy circumstance for us now, 
 at this rather troublesome time.' 
 
 ' Eh t Troublesome ? What do you mean 1 Is anything 
 more the matter?' 
 
 ' Yes,' said Mr Braine, with his brow full of lines. ' I may 
 be wrong — we may be wrong. We have dreaded something of 
 the kind might happen, but years have gone on, and we have 
 had no occasion to think anything serious till now.' 
 
122 THE RAJAH OF DAH. 
 
 'You startle me. What do you mean?' said Murray, 
 excitedly. 
 
 ' Well, you see the rajah is a Mussulman.' 
 
 ' Yes, of course. Allah, Mahomet, and so on.' 
 
 ' He has several wives.' 
 
 ' Yes, whom he keeps shut up like birds in a cage. Well, 
 what of that V 
 
 ' Last night we were all very much disturbed. It was 
 before you came in.' 
 
 ' Ah ! Yes, I noticed you were all very quiet. Why 
 was it?' 
 
 ' The rajah had sent Amy a present. It was a magnificent 
 specimen of goldsmith's work — a large bangle of great value.' 
 
 'Well?' 
 
 ' Gentlemen, especially eastern gentlemen, do not send such 
 presents as that to ladies without having some ulterior object 
 in view.' 
 
 ' What ! ' roared Murray, in so fierce a tone of voice that 
 Hamet came running in. 
 
 'Master call?' 
 
 'No, no: go away. Nothing. — Here Braino, you horrify 
 me. That old tyrant dare to — to think — to send her presents 
 — to — oh, it is horrible. The old scoundrel ! He to presume 
 to— oh!' 
 
 ' We may be mistaken. It may be only a compliment.' 
 
 ' Nothing of the sort, sir. He meant an offer of marriage, 
 which is sure to follow, and — oh, the insolent, tyrannical, old 
 scoundrel !' 
 
 Mr Braine looked at Murray with a grave smile. 
 
 ' This indignation 's all real ?' he said. 
 
 'Eeal? I could go and horsewhip him.' 
 
 ' Then you do care for Amy Barnes, in spite of your short 
 
A SERIOUS COMPLICATION. 
 
 123 
 
 acquaintance, Murray ; and I tell you frankly I am very glad, 
 for it may put a stop to a terrible complication, which might 
 have risked all our lives.' 
 
 Murray's face was scarlet, and he stood looking at his 
 visitor without a word, for in his heart of hearts he owned 
 that he was right, and that out there, in those wild jungles, 
 he, Johnstone Murray, naturalist, who had never thought of 
 such a thing before, had found his fate. 
 
 ' Yes,' said Mr Braine again, thoughtfully, ' a serious com- 
 plication, which might have risked all our lives.' 
 
 Crocodile. 
 
CHAPTEE XL 
 
 THE WHITE HEN. 
 
 iEANWHILE Ned and Frank had gone off 
 eagerly to the attack upon the lurking water- 
 dragon, terrible, in its way, as that which St 
 George slew, and about half-way to the 
 stockade they caught sight of Tim Driscol, 
 seated under a tree, puffing away at a home- 
 made pipe, composed of a short piece of bamboo with a reed 
 stuck in the side. He had a neatly-made little basket by his 
 knee, and as he saw the lads coming, he tapped the ashes out 
 of his pipe, thrust it in his pocket, and rose to pick up his 
 basket, in which there was evidently something alive. 
 
 ' Bedad and I began to think ye didn't mane to come,' he 
 said, with his eyes twinkling. 
 
 ' Oh, I should have come, Tim, if he hadn't,' replied 
 Frank. 
 
 'Av coorse ye would. — No offinse, Mr Murray, but why 
 don't ye have a dress like the young master here ? Don't he 
 look fine ? I hear you took him for a young rajah.' 
 
 ' You come along, and don't talk stuff,' cried Frank. ' Is 
 that the chicken V and he nodded toward the basket. 
 ' Well sor, I 'd like to tell the truth when I can.' 
 'What do you mean? Haven't you got a chicken?' cried 
 Frank, wrathfully. 
 'No, sor.' 
 
THE WHITE HEN. 125 
 
 ' I gave you orders to get one for a bait, and if you haven't 
 got one, it 's no use for us to go on.' 
 
 ' I did go to get one, sor.' 
 
 'Well?' 
 
 ' And the baste at the farthest off house said he 'd find one 
 for me.' 
 
 ' Well ? Why, you have got it,' cried Frank ; ' I can hear 
 it rustling in the basket.' 
 
 ' That isn't a chicken, sor.' 
 
 'What is it, then?' cried Frank, impatiently. 
 
 ' It 's what he said was a chicken, sor.' 
 
 'What is it, then?' 
 
 ' I belave it 's the ouldest hin about these parts, sor. He 
 jabbered away in his haythen dialect, and swore it was a 
 tinder young chicken ; but it 's an ould hin, that 's laid eggs 
 till she 's tired, and won't lay any more, and he wants to 
 sell her.' 
 
 'But is it white ?' 
 
 'Oh yes ! it's white enough, sir.' 
 
 'That will do, then. I don't suppose the croc can tell 
 whether a bird's tender or tough. Come along.' 
 
 Frank led on, leaving the palm houses behind, plunging 
 among the trees, and winding in and out, till Ned recognised 
 the spot where he had stopped to watch the river, and there 
 he could see, lying about in the shade, eight or nine of the 
 Malays, most of whom had spears, which stood leaning 
 against the trunks of the trees. 
 
 ' Now then, you two must talk English. I have got to 
 speak in Malay, for I am going to do all the ordering this 
 time. I say, Ned, you like fishing,' he added, laughing. 
 ' You shall hold the line.' 
 
 ' But what are you going to do ?' 
 
126 THIS RAJAH OP DAII. 
 
 ' Wait a bit and you '11 see,' cried tho lad ; and he began 
 to order the Malays about, the men hurrying here and there, 
 and, evidently at his command, keeping right away from the 
 banks of the river. 
 
 'Don't want to scare our fish,' he said, hurriedly, to Ned. 
 Then, as a man came up with a coil of rope, Frank undid a 
 part of it, and showed that some feet of tho end were not 
 twisted, but all loose. 
 
 'Want to cut off that bad bit?' said Ned, producing his 
 knife. 
 
 ' Bad, eh 1 Why, that 's the beauty of it. I 'm going to 
 tie the hook on to it just there.' 
 
 ' But if you fish for a crocodile like that, ho '11 break away.' 
 
 ' Not he. They never do. If I fished with a hard piece 
 of rope, he 'd bite right through it.' 
 
 ' Then he must bite through that loose stuff. What is it — 
 some kind of hemp 1 ' 
 
 'No; fibre of the gamooti palm, and his teeth will only 
 go through the loose stuff and bother him.' 
 
 He asked for something in Malay, and one of the men 
 handed him a curiously-shaped hook, which he attached to 
 tho loose fibrous rope, and then took a piece of stout twine 
 from his pocket. 
 
 'Now, Tim,' ho cried, laughing, 'give me the worm.' 
 
 Tim opened the basket a little way, thrust in his hand, 
 drew out the unfortunate hen, which was quite white, and 
 began shrieking and flapping wildly till her wings woro held 
 down to her sides. 
 
 'Are you going to bait with that?' said Ned. 
 
 'Yes. Can't afford to bait with little boys and girls,' 
 replied Frank, merrily; 'they 'come expensive, and the 
 mothers don't like it.' 
 
TriE WHITE HEN. 127 
 
 ' But you aro going to kill it first V 
 
 • Kill it ? What for 1 We shouldn't get a Lite if we did.' 
 
 ' But it's so horribly cruol.' 
 
 'Is it 1 Well, I suppose it is, but if it wasn't killed this 
 way, it would have been killed directly to make into a 
 curry. This is a better end for it, for we shall save people's 
 lives.' 
 
 ' If ye catch him, Masther Frank,' said Tim. 
 
 ' Oh, we shall catch him, Tim. You '11 see. There, hold 
 still.' 
 
 As ho spoke, Fred was busy tying the twine round the hen 
 with ingenious knots, till the poor bird looked as if it had 
 been put in harness ; while, firmly secured in amongst the 
 string bandages, and hidden by one of the wings, the hook 
 lay ready for the reptile, if it did not prove to be too cunning 
 to touch the bait. 
 
 'There !' cried Frank, at last; and he then said something 
 to the Malays, from whom a murmur that was a chorus of 
 approval, arose. 
 
 ' Are you going to throw it into the river close by where I 
 saw the monster V whispered Ned. 
 
 ' Throw it in 1 Why, it would drown the bird.' 
 
 ' Of course.' 
 
 ' Oh, I see you don't understand croc fishing,' continued 
 Frank, securing a piece of the fibre twine to one of the legs 
 of the hen, and another to a stout peg of wood, leaving 
 about five feet clear for the bird to move about. 
 
 These preparations made, Frank took the bird under his arm, 
 twisted the rope twice about the hand which held the peg, 
 and then, sticking a short stout staff in his belt, he stooped 
 down, and, keeping the tree in which Ned had seen the 
 monkey, between him and the water, he crept silently for- 
 
128 THE RAJAH OF DAH. 
 
 ward, dragging the rope after him, till he was close up. Then, 
 taking the peg to which the hen was tethered, he drove it 
 quickly and firmly down into the ground, as near to the edge 
 of the bank as he could reach. 
 
 Ned watched him excitedly, and as he recalled his own 
 adventure, he was in dread lest the reptile should make a 
 rush at the gaily-clad figure, so occupied in his task that 
 he would have been quite at the monster's mercy. 
 
 Similar thoughts evidently troubled the Malays, for five 
 of the men took their spears from where they leaned, 
 and stood some thirty feet behind the lad, ready to 
 rush forward to his help. But there was no need. Frank 
 worked quickly and well, driving the peg down into the 
 ground with the club, sufficiently tightly to keep the lien 
 from getting free, but not hard enough to prevent its being 
 drawn by the reptile, supposing that the twine did not 
 break. 
 
 It was only a minute's work before the club was thrust 
 back into his waistbland, and a quantity of the rope hauled 
 down to the bank. Then the lad trotted rapidly back, 
 leaving the hen walking disconsolately up and down 
 with the hook beneath its wing, and dragging the loose 
 rope here and there ; while, so little was the poor thing 
 troubled, that it began to scratch and peck about beneath the 
 tree by the time Frank was talking eagerly to the Malays, 
 who now lay down again with their spears ready. 
 
 'Shall I howld the rope, sor?' said Tim. 
 
 ' No. Mr Murray likes fishing,' replied the lad, with a 
 grin ; ' and he shall hold the line till there 's a bite. Better 
 tie that other end, though, to that little tree.' 
 
 Tim obeyed, and then seated himself in the shadiest place 
 ho could find, and took out his pipe again, 
 
THE WHTTE HEN. 129 
 
 'Now, Ned, lay hold; anil when the fish bites, give him 
 plenty of line. Don't strike.' 
 
 Ned took the rope offered to him eagerly, and yet with a 
 feeling of reluctance, for the game was formidable. 
 
 ' Let him go back into the river, and swallow the bait ; 
 then we '11 talk to him. Now all lie down and he quiet.' 
 
 The Malays were already as silent and motionless as a 
 group in bronze, and Tim and the lads followed their 
 example, every one watching the white hen, which, in happy 
 ignorance of its perilous position, still pecked about quite 
 close to the edge of the bank. 
 
 ' Think it will come 1 ' said Ned, after they had crouched 
 there in silence for quite an hour. 
 
 ' Can't say,' whispered back the other. ' More likely 
 perhaps to bite of a night or early in the morning. Most 
 likely to bite if we were not here. Fish always do if I 
 leave my rod for a bit. Getting tired of waiting Y 
 
 ' No ; it 's too exciting.' 
 
 ' No need to hold the rope without you like.' 
 
 ' But I do like. "Will he pull very hard V 
 
 ' AVhen he 's hooked, but you must not let him pull hard 
 when he first takes the hen. It 's just like some kinds of 
 fishing ; you don't want to strike till the fish has swallowed 
 the bait.' 
 
 Another hour in that hot silence, and no signs of a 
 crocodile. The Malays were all watchful, their dark eyes 
 fixed on the white bird, and their spears ready; but Tim 
 Driscol had fallen asleep with his pipe in his mouth, and the 
 sight of the Irishman with his eyes closed, and his breath 
 coming regularly, had a drowsy effect upon Ned, who half 
 lay there on his side watching the glaring river, with the 
 water looking every here ami there like damascened metal. 
 
130 THE RAJAH OF DAH. 
 
 Then all at once, as Tim Driscol's breath came thickly, the 
 hen was not there, the rope was running out fast, there was 
 a sudden jerk, and Ned's eyes opened with a start. 
 
 ' Don't go to sleep,' whispered Frank. ' He may come at 
 any time.' 
 
 'Don't go to sleep !' Then he had been asleep and dream- 
 ing, for there was the hen scratching about on the bank, and 
 the rope lying just as it was before. 
 
 ' I had only just closed my eyes, had IV 
 
 'About five minutes, and your head was wagging about 
 like a big fruit on a stalk. You don't want the croc to drag 
 you into the river too.' 
 
 These last words effectually drove away the drowsy sensa- 
 tion brought on by the silence and heat there beneath the 
 trees ; and, after a glance round to see that the Malays were 
 all a3 watchful as ever, Ned settled down again to think 
 about the white hen; about his own narrow esoape, and 
 then about the horrible mishap that morning, and of the poor 
 girl's feelings as she felt herself seized by the great reptile. 
 
 ' They ought to kill them all, Frank,' he whispered. 
 
 'Kill whom?' 
 
 'The crocodiles, It is horrible to let these creatures bo 
 about the place.' 
 
 ' Very well ; let 's kill 'em all, then. There '11 bo plenty 
 of sport. We're beginning with this one.' 
 
 ' But he does not come.' 
 
 'Well then, let 'b give it up now and go. He is too artful. 
 I daresay he sees us, and will not come till we are gone. 
 We'll go away and come back this evening. That's the 
 way the Malays catch the wretches. They don't stop to 
 watch, only let the rope be tied to a tree, and then come 
 back, and they often find one on.' 
 
THE WHITE HEN. 131 
 
 ' Plow do they kill it, then V 
 
 'Same as we're going to kill this one when he is 
 hooked; but, oh murder, I'm getting so precious hungry; 
 let's give up now. I'll tell them we're not going to 
 stay.' 
 
 He crawled to the men, whispered softly to them for a few 
 minutes, and then came back, pausing to rouse up Tim, who 
 looked very stupid. 
 
 'Eeady V said Ned, who was still holding the rope attached 
 to the hen. 'No. I don't think I should like to give up. 
 He may come yet.' 
 
 'I don't know,' said Frank. 'The brute isn't hungry 
 perhaps. I am, and I daresay there's a white chicken 
 waiting at home nicely curried, and with plenty of cocoa-nut 
 cream in it, and the whitest of rice round, ready for me. 
 I 'm hungry, and can bite ; so can you. Let 's be off and — 
 eh? What?' 
 
 ' Hist ! ' whispered Ned ; ' the water is moving. Look ! 
 look!' 
 
 They could only see a little of the water near the bank, 
 where the lotus-leaves were, but they were evidently being 
 moved by something passing through them, and the pale 
 blue blossoms were nodding. 
 
 Then almost directly there was a splash, a hideous head 
 appeared on the bank, the wretched hen uttered a cackling 
 shriek and leaped up to the full extent of the tether, a loud 
 snapping noise was heard. They had just a rapid view of a 
 huge scaly, dripping body in the act of turning, a great 
 undulating tail waved in the air — there was a loud splash ; 
 and, thrilling with excitement, Ned saw the slack coils of 
 rope running out, and that the bait was gone. 
 
 'That 's right,' whispered Frank excitedly, as a suppressed 
 
132 THE RAJAH OF DAII. 
 
 murmur rose from the Malays ; ' give him plenty of line. 
 He won't go very far. There 's lots of length ; ' and he stood 
 looking on as, excited as he, Ned dragged at the rope, and 
 passed it rapidly through his hands as it kept on running 
 toward the bank, and into the river more and more and more, 
 till only about ten yards were left before the end was reached 
 — the end tied to a young cocoa-nut tree. 
 
 One of the Malays sprang up, whipped out his kris, and 
 was going to cut the rope, for a check might have made the 
 crocodile leave the bait before he had swallowed it, and the 
 intention was to run with the end over to the river's brim, 
 thus giving another fifty feet of line to run ; but, just as he 
 raised his kris, the great reptile ceased drawing out the rope, 
 and Frank gave his young companion a congratulatory slap 
 on the shoulder. 
 
 'Hurrah !' he cried; 'he will not go any farther. He has 
 got a lurking-place down there, under those lilies, and he is 
 busy swallowing it.' 
 
 He turned and asked one of the men a question, and the 
 answer confirmed his opinion. 
 
 ' Yes ; it 's all right,' said Frank. 
 
 'Shall I strike now?' 
 
 1 Oh no ; give him plenty of time to swallow his chicken 
 curry. I say, wait a bit ; won't he find it warm in a few 
 minutes.' 
 
 ' But I must strike soon. Let me do it.' 
 
 ' Oh yes ; you shall strike, and then we '11 have a lot of the 
 fellows ready to catch hold, for that fellow 's seventeen or 
 eighteen feet long. I know, and you don't know, how strong 
 these things are.' 
 
 Ned made no reply, for he was suffering from a strange 
 feeling of emotion : his heart beat violently, there was a 
 
THE WHITE HEN. 133 
 
 sensation of suffocation in his breast, and the hands which 
 held the rope trembled and twitched.' 
 
 'Feel frightened, sorT whispered Tim, smiling in his face. 
 
 ' No, I don't think I 'm frightened, because I wouldn't let 
 go on any account.' 
 
 ' I know. I felt just like that the first time I saw one 
 caught, and the men let me howld the line.' 
 
 ' But it must he time to strike now.' 
 
 ' Why, you talk as if you had a rod in your hand, and a 
 fish had taken your bait,' cried Frank. 
 
 ' Yes ; it seems just the same.' 
 
 ' Only it isn't fishing : its reptiling. Give him plenty of 
 time.' 
 
 'But why?' 
 
 ' Because perhaps he hasn't swallowed it, and is lying down 
 there chewing it over in his jaws. If you pulled now, you 
 might jerk it out of his mouth.' 
 
 Ned uttered a sigh, as if he were getting rid of a great 
 amount of pent-up emotion while he stood there grasping the 
 rough rope with both hands, waiting and feeling more 
 impatient than he ever had before. 
 
 ' Tou '11 see, when we pull him out, how useful the loose 
 strands of rope are. They '11 be stuck between his ugly teeth. 
 My word, it will make a mess all about here. It will be wet 
 and beaten down, and made into a regular puddle.' 
 
 ' Will he struggle much?' 
 
 'I should think he will. Mind his tail.' 
 
 ' You mean his head.' 
 
 ' No, I don't ; I mean his tail. Of course he '11 snap and 
 bark, but he tries to sweep people over with his tail, just as 
 if he were mowing you off the ground. Hullo ! he 's moving 
 now. Eeady ? Give the rope a jerk, and hold tight.' 
 
134 THE RAJAH OF DAH. 
 
 Ned obeyed his instructions, for the rope was beginning 
 to glide over the bank again, and, as it tightened, Ned gave 
 it a sharp jerk, went down headlong directly, and as he 
 still clung to the rope, began to glide rapidly toward the river. 
 
 ' Oh murther ! ' roared Tim. 
 
 'Let go !' shouted Frank. But in his excitement Ned held 
 on, and he was dragged within a yard of the river before 
 there was a tremendous check put on tho rope by the Malays, 
 who stopped its progress, and enabled Ned to struggle up, 
 Frank joining him, and the fight now began. 
 
 At first there was nothing but a steady strain on the line, 
 as if the end were tied to a dead tree at the bottom of the 
 river, and this kept on for some minutes, neither side stirring. 
 
 ' Oh, be 's a beauty ! ' said Tim, who was hauling hard. 
 
 'I told you he was a big one,' said Frank; but Ned 
 made no answer. The interest was too deep, and he held on 
 to the rope with all his strength. Then, all at once, a 
 peculiar vibration ran through it, as if the crocodile had 
 rapidly shaken its head, and the next moment there was a 
 tremendous jerk, and right out in the river, a violent move- 
 ment in tho stilly flowing water, as if the monstrous brute 
 had suddenly wallowed and twisted itself round, the water 
 rising in eddies and then becoming discoloured with clouds 
 of mud which flowed slowly by them, the direction the reptile 
 had taken being somewhat up the river. 
 
 The plunge was tremendous, and the rope was nearly jerked 
 out of the men's hands, but they held on, threw themselves 
 back, and once more the dull steady strain was there, the 
 reptile lying like a log at the bottom. 
 
 'Look at that now !' cried Tim. 'I belave he's tired, and 
 gone to slape.' 
 
 'lie's a coward, and won't fight,' cried Frank. 'Lot's 
 
THE WniTE HEN. 135 
 
 have him out at once,' he shouted in Malay to the men, but 
 their leadev gave a decided negative. 
 
 ' Says he '11 begin to fight directly,' continued Frank ; and 
 hardly were the words out of his mouth when there was 
 another fierce shaking of the rope, a furious plunge, and the 
 brute began to make the line rush through the water here 
 and there. The lotus-leaves were cut and torn off and floated 
 down the river, till, where the beautiful bed of flowers lay, all 
 was muddy water churned up by the savage efforts of the 
 beast, which tugged and dragged and sometimes drew the 
 Malays a little nearer the brim ; but just as Ned was wonder- 
 ing whether they had not better let go, the men recovered their 
 lost ground again, and the water eddied and bubbled as the 
 mud rose to the surface. 
 
 'He's trying to burrow down,' said Frank • 'wait a bit, 
 and he '11 show himself. It 's precious deep just there.' 
 
 The fight went on, and Ned was beginning to think that 
 their captive ought now to grow tired, when the strain 
 suddenly ceased, and the whole party went down backward 
 with their heels in the air. 
 
 'The hook's broken out. Oh!' cried Ned, struggling to 
 his knees, his voice showing his disappointment. 'Ah!' he 
 yelled, ' mind ! run ! ' for he suddenly caught sight of a fearful 
 pair of open jaws thrust out of the water not half a dozen 
 yards away, the monster making a savage charge right up to 
 the bank, before its head sank down. 
 
 ' Look at that now ! ' shouted Tim. 
 
 ' Gone !' cried Ned ; ' and a good job too.' 
 
 ' Xot he,' said Frank, laughing. ' Look !' 
 
 For the rope was running out again, showing that the hook 
 was fast ; and, as the boys seized the line once more, the men 
 let it go a little, and then gradually tightened it, with the 
 
136 THE RAJAH OF DAII. 
 
 result that the crocodile turned itself over and over, thrusting 
 its loathsome head out, curving over and diving down again, 
 its tail appearing above the surface, waving, and giving the 
 water a tremendous slap, which sent the spray flying right 
 out over the bank. 
 
 It charged again right to the bank, but did not attempt 
 to throw itself out ; always turning and plunging down 
 again into deep water, the violent efforts testing the strength 
 of the rope and the hold of the hook, but nothing gave way, 
 for the strands were nearly new, and the toughest of the 
 tough. 
 
 And so the fight went on, minute after minute, the men 
 perspiring and the boys' hands beginning to grow sore. How 
 long the violent plunging and churning up of the water lasted 
 they never attempted to guess, for the interest in the fight 
 was too engrossing as the monster now made a rush to escape 
 down the river, now up again, and at last made so desperate 
 a rush straight out as if to go across, that the party were 
 taken unawares, and were jerked right forward, losing their 
 footing and falling. Ned and Frank had to let go, to save 
 themselves from being dragged into the river, and as they 
 lay close to the edge, the rope passed over them, and Ned 
 shouted, ' Gone !' while Tim threw himself down in despair. 
 
 And so it seemed, for half the men had also let go, and 
 the others had so bad a hold that they followed their com- 
 panions' example, so that all the labour seemed to have been 
 thrown away. 
 
 It was all the work of a few moments, and the reptile was 
 now well out, and apparently escaping, when there was again 
 a tightening, and the young cocoa-nut palm shivered and bent 
 as the knots were tested where the end was secured. 
 
 The next moment, with a low cry of excitement, the men 
 
THE WHITE HEX. 137 
 
 had seized tho line again, and eased the strain on the young 
 tree; then steadily dragging the reptile's head round, and 
 drawing it back toward the bank till half the rope was 
 recovered. 
 
 The struggle recommenced, for the monster seemed to be 
 as strong as ever, but it was now allowed to have no rest, 
 and at last it was drawn to within some twenty feet of the 
 bank, and four of the men let go and went back. 
 
 ' Here, hi ! don't run away !' cried Tim. 
 
 'What are they going to do?' said Ned, panting with his 
 efforts. 
 
 ' Gone to get their spears. We 're going to have him out 
 now.' 
 
 ' And we 're nearest ! ' cried Ned. 
 
 'Yes. Afraid? Shall we go back?' 
 
 'Do you want to?' 
 
 'No.' 
 
 ' More don't I,' said Ned, desperately. 
 
 ' It 's all right,' said Frank. ' We can run out of his way 
 if he makes a jump at us. You '11 easily know if he 's going 
 to. You '11 see him hump up his back if he 's going to rush 
 at us. But what you 've got to mind is his tail. He '11 try, 
 as I told you, to flip you into the water. He may break 
 your legs. Now then, be ready for a good haul. Here they 
 are with their spears.' 
 
 The four men came back, two going on each side of the 
 rope toward the bank, and standing ready with their weapons 
 to try to plunge them into the reptile's throat. Then the 
 principal Malay said a few words, uttered a shout, and the 
 strain was increased a little, then a little more, as the creature 
 began to be drawn nearer the bank ; then they moved faster 
 and faster, Ned wondering whether the rope and hook would 
 
138 THE RAJ All OP DAH. 
 
 stand ; and as he ran on with the men, he looked back and 
 saw the reptile's head with its jaws wide appear above the 
 muddy bank, then its fore-paws wore over, and the next 
 moment it was gliding over the grass, striking right and left 
 with head and tail ; while, as it was dragged right away from 
 the river, and the men paused, it raised itself up high on its 
 feet, arching up its back like an angry toad of monstrous 
 dimensions, and snapped its jaws. 
 
 'Pretty darlin'!' cried Tim. 'Oh, how proud his mother 
 must be. Look at his smile.' 
 
 Frank uttered a triumphant shout, and Ned joined in, but 
 only feebly, for he was too much excited and on the watch 
 for a charge from their captive. 
 
 Two or three of these were made as the men attacked it 
 with spears ; but the strain of the rope on the reptile's head 
 prevented it from doing any mischief, and though it laid 
 about it, thrashing furiously with its tail, no harm was done, 
 while the men contrived to give it thrust after thrust in the 
 soft under-parts of the neck, weakening it so, that at last they 
 managed to turn it over on its back, and one of the Malays 
 leaped upon it, and with a great knife ripped it up nearly from 
 end to end. 
 
 Ned turned away sickened as the men now unfastened the 
 rope from the tree and retied it, so as to give the reptile a 
 very short tether. 
 
 'There's no need for that now— is there?' said Ned, as he 
 stood wiping his brow. 
 
 'No need to what?' 
 
 ' Tie it up.' 
 
 ' Only, that if they did not, the brute would crawl back 
 into the river.' 
 
 'What, wounded like that?' 
 
THE WHITE HEN. 139 
 
 ' Oh yes. They don't seom to mind much. They '11 go 
 back into the water even after the Malays have cut them open 
 and taken out their inside. They always do that to see 
 whether they are man-eaters. They 're doing it now. Come 
 and look.' 
 
 'No,' said Ned. 'I'm satisfied. We've caught him. 
 That 's all too horrible.' 
 
 Ey this time the report was being spread that the monster 
 had been taken, and footsteps were heard approaching, quite 
 a little crowd hiding tho reptile from the boys, and out of 
 which crowd rose directly after a low wailing sound. 
 
 ' How horrid ! ' whispered Frank. 
 
 ' What does it mean ? Are they sorry we 've killed it Y 
 
 ' No, they have found something inside the beast which 
 tells them that we have caught the right croc. I daresay it 's 
 the one that took the poor girl.' 
 
 Frank was right, and after a time the lads returned, the 
 crowd — a part of which had gone back in procession toward 
 one of the houses — making way for them. 
 
 The men standing about the horrible reptile gave them a 
 quiet but warm greeting, and there was a look of triumph in 
 their eyes as one of them told Frank, what he afterwards inter- 
 preted to his companion, that this was undoubtedly the 
 monster that had taken the poor girl ; and they showed him 
 too a silver ornament, blackened and strange looking, which 
 must have been in the creature for perhaps months. 
 
 Ned turned shuddering away from this recital to examine 
 the hideous mud-colohred brute, Frank eagerly showing him 
 how the loose strands had opened out as the reptile bit at 
 them, its great teeth passing through without damaging the 
 strength of the rope ; and it was interesting to see how the 
 hook had taken too fast a hold to be dislodged. Then he 
 
140 THE RAJAH OP DAH. 
 
 examined the great bulky body with its crooked legs and 
 claws, and the formidable tail, everything tending to show that 
 it was a reptile just in the full vigour of its existence. 
 
 ' They never get bigger than this, do they V said Ned, after 
 a careful measurement had proved the crocodile to be within 
 an inch or two of eighteen feet, and bulky in proportion. 
 
 'Bigger? Yes, half as big again. My father saw one 
 twenty-five feet long, but he says those very large ones are so 
 heavy that they are slow and not so dangerous. It is those 
 fellows from fifteen feet to eighteen that the men are most 
 afraid of. They can quite dart through the water like a 
 fish.' 
 
 ' What will they do with it V 
 
 ' They are going to leave it here till our people have seen it, 
 and then throw it in the river again. And I hope,' added 
 Ned merrily, ' it will be a lesson to all the others, and that 
 they will behave better. Here, come along, and let 's get 
 something to eat. I say, what a horrid mess ! ' 
 
 ' It 's dishgusting, sor,' said Tim. ' Here, I must light a 
 pipe to take the taste out of my mouth. But it 's a puzzle — 
 a reg'lar conundhrum, that 's what it is.' 
 
 ' What 's a conundrum V 
 
 'Why sor, whatever crocodiles could have been made for. 
 But I say, Masther Frank, he thought it was a chicken. He 
 nivver knew it was a tough ould hin.' 
 
CHAPTEE XII. 
 
 THROUGH THE JUNGLE. 
 
 FETV days later, in which interval several little 
 boating journeys had been made, the results of 
 which could be seen in Murray's house, which 
 was rapidly beginning to show traces of its being 
 intended for a museum, the morning broke fine 
 and comparatively cool ; and just at sunrise Mr 
 Braiue came to where Xed and his uncle was seated at their 
 early breakfast, to announce that the preparations settled 
 upon the previous evening had been made. 
 
 Murray had finished his meal, but Xed was still engaged 
 in getting ready for a tolerably long fast to mid-day, when a 
 good meal would be prepared. 
 
 He was still lingering reluctantly over his breakfast when 
 Frank appeared, and as soon as the two boys were together, 
 Murray drew Mr Brainc out into the veranda, 
 'Well?' he said; ' any fresh news V 
 
 ' Xo,' replied Mr Braine ; ' and in spite of my long experi- 
 ence of the man, I am half-disposed to think that I may be 
 wrong.' 
 
 ' Then you do not think I need stay?' 
 ' Oh no.' 
 
 ' Because I should not like to be out of the way if there 
 was any trouble.' 
 
 ' You need have no fear for to-day. He has been perfectly 
 
142 THE KAJAII OF DAH. 
 
 quiet and interested in some affairs connected with the rajah 
 of the next state. This man has offended him, and I should 
 not feel a bit surprised if war broke out between them.' 
 
 ' I don't care what breaks out so long as you are wrong in 
 your ideas about that affair,' said Murray, excitedly. ' It 
 worries me so that I hardly like to leave the place to go 
 collecting.' 
 
 Mr Braine smiled to himself as he saw how genuine 
 Murray's interest was. 
 
 'You shall have the earliest information if anything is 
 wrong,' he said. 
 
 ' But why wait for anything to be wrong. Would it not 
 be much better for the ladies to leave this place at once?' 
 
 ' Much better, of course.' 
 
 ' Then why not make a strong effort, and get them down 
 to Malacca?' 
 
 ' For the simple reason that no efforts we could make 
 would be half strong enough. The only way would be to try 
 to escape.' 
 
 'Well, why not try that?' 
 
 ' Because there is such a thing as failure, my dear fellow, 
 and that would mean placing us all in a ten times worse 
 position than we are in now.' 
 
 Murray frowned and looked intensely miserable. 
 
 'Come,' said Mr Braine; 'don't let us conjure up what 
 may be imaginary troubles. Call those boys, and be off 
 before the sun gets more power. I tell you that you may go 
 away perfectly contented, for this man moves very slowly, 
 and we shall have ample warning of any danger before it 
 comes.' 
 
 Murray sighed, and it was in rather a half-hearted manner 
 that he handed his guns and cases to Hamet, who bore them 
 
THROUGH THE JUNGLE. 143 
 
 off, and directly after thoy hoard him talking to some one, 
 whoso voice told at once, from its peculiar, highly-pitched 
 intonation, that it was Tim Driscol, who the next minute 
 appeared at the door. 
 
 ' Beg pardon, sor,' he said, ' but masther says if it 'a at all 
 convaynient would you ' 
 
 ' "What 's the matter 1 ' cried Murray, eagerly, catching the 
 man by the arm. 
 
 ' Oh, jist nawthing as ye may say, sor. A little out of 
 ordhor for want of fresh air, and the masther says if ye 
 wouldn't mind takking me with ye to-day, I might be a bit 
 useful.' 
 
 Murray turned away with an impatient gesture, and 
 exchanged glances with Mr Braine. 
 
 ' I 'm very sorry, sor, said Tim, quite crest-fallen, for he had 
 been longing intensely to go on the trip. 'The masther 
 thought it would do me good, or I wouldn't have asked.' 
 
 ' Oh yes, you can come, my man,' said Murray. ' Take 
 hold of that bag of cartridges, and go on after Hamet.' 
 
 ' Thank ye, sor,' cried the man eagerly ; and taking up 
 the bag, and giving the two boys a delighted look, he hurried 
 off. 
 
 ' Sure, if I stay near him, and he looks at me,' said Tim 
 to himself, ' he may alter that bit of him that he calls his 
 mind.' 
 
 As soon as Tim was out of hearing, Murray said excitedly : 
 'There, you will be another man short. I had better give 
 up the expedition.' 
 
 ' Nonsense ! go, and I would try and make a discovery of 
 metal if I could, even if it is only tin again. If you could 
 hit upon gold, even if it is only some poor deposit in a stream, 
 it would be worth everything to us now, from making him 
 
144 THE RAJAH OF DAH. 
 
 more friendly to us. Spend a little time over that as well as 
 over the birds.' 
 
 'Then you would go?' 
 
 ' Certainly, and at once.' 
 
 'Keady, boys?' cried Murray, quickly now, for he felt 
 that if he thought much more about the trouble at the doctor's 
 home, he would not be able to go. 
 
 ' Yes ; all ready,' cried Frank, presenting himself first. 
 ' Let 's be off. You are not waiting for us.' 
 
 ' Go on, then. The elephants are standing in front of the 
 rajah's.' 
 
 The boys needed no second request, but hurried off to find 
 three of the huge, clumsy-looking animals, with their attend- 
 ants and a party of spearmen, standing bowing their heads 
 and waving their curled-up trunks to and fro. They were 
 fitted with strong basket-work howdahs, and the smallest 
 one was evidently the bearer of the refreshments, its ratan- 
 cane howdah being more roomy and of a rougher make. 
 
 The arrangements were soon finished, and Murray mounted 
 into the howdah of the first elephant, followed by Hamet 
 and one of the rajah's men ; the second elephant was devoted 
 to the two boys and Tim, who took his place in the most 
 solemn manner. 
 
 ' Be on your guard for the branches,' said Mr Braine. 
 'They stretch so across the way, that on a tall elephant you 
 have to mind, or you may be swept off.' 
 
 With these parting words of warning, he gave the word, 
 the mahouts touched their mounts' heads with an iron crook, 
 and the party moved off, passing with its rather large guard 
 of spearmen right by the doctor's and the merchant's houses, 
 where the ladies stood in the verandas, and waved them a 
 farewell. 
 
Til ROUGH THE JUNQIJ?. 145 
 
 'Want the tiger's skin?' shouted Frank to Amy. 'You 
 shall have it, if we get one.' 
 
 She nodded laughingly, and said something ; but they were 
 too distant to hear the words, and directly after, the long 
 regular shuffling gait of the elephants had taken them out 
 of sight. 
 
 'We are not going near tigers, are we?' said Ned, rather 
 excitedly. 
 
 ' Of course we are. You can't go anywhere here without 
 going near tigers, and if you don't go near them, they come 
 near you. Wait a few minutes till we are well out of the 
 village, and then you'll see the sort of place our road is. 
 —Won't he, Tim V 
 
 ' Indade he will, sor. It 's a beautiful road, with a wall on 
 each side, or a hedge, if you like to call it so, as fresh and 
 green as a country one, only a dale more scratchy.' 
 
 Their way took them past the clump of trees in which the 
 rajah's house was hidden, and the boys looked eagerly between 
 the trunks, but the growth was too dense for them to see any- 
 thing, even from their elevated perch, as the elephants 
 went swinging by with the spearmen, some now in front 
 and some behind. 
 
 ' Like it V cried Frank. 
 
 'Yes, I think so,' replied Ned. 
 
 'Don't feel sea-sick, do you?' 
 
 ' How can one feel sea-sick, when there is no sea — no boat.' 
 
 ' But you do feel a little giddy with the motion ; don't 
 you?' 
 
 ' I did,' replied Ned ; ' but it is going off fast, and I am 
 beginning to like it.' 
 
 ' Yes, it 's all right as long as the forest isn't too dense, 
 and the elephant holes too deep.' 
 
146 THE RAJAH OP DAH. 
 
 ' What are elephant holes V 
 
 ' Oh, wait a few minutes and you '11 soon see that. — Won't 
 he, Tim?' 
 
 ' That he will, sor, and here we are.' 
 
 For they had left the village behind, crossed the rice and 
 fruit grounds, and there, all at once, without any preparation 
 in the way of bushes or outstanding trees, was the jungle, 
 with its huge growth rising up like a green wall shutting 
 in some strange territory. It was even more formidable look- 
 ing than the walls that shut in the river, and as Ned 
 looked to right and left in search of the entrance to the way 
 they were to take, he quite realised how dangerous it was for 
 the poor folk who worked in their rice-fields close up to the 
 black jungle and its lurking creatures. 
 
 ' There you are,' said Frank. ' Now then, you must keep 
 your eyes open for snakes and your ears for tigers. Your 
 uncle will shoot if he gets a chance ; won't he ?' 
 
 ' I don't know,' replied Ned ' I don't think he is well, 
 he has been so quiet lately ; but I should hardly believe he 
 would let anything go by.' 
 
 ' Nor I. He 's such a shot,' said Frank. ' My father is 
 pretty good, but Mr Murray is twice as sure. But we shall 
 see no tigers going through a wood like this. The worst of 
 it is, they can see you.' 
 
 For as he was speaking, the first elephant had gone, as it 
 were, straight into the solid green wall of verdure, and dis-" 
 appeared. 
 
 ' Now then, Trousers,' cried Frank. 
 
 'What do you call the mahout Trousers for?' asked Ned. 
 
 ' I didn't. I was speaking to old India-rubber here.' 
 
 'Well, why do you call him Trousers V 
 
 'Because elephnnts always look to me like a big body and 
 
Timouan Tnrc juncle. 147 
 
 two pairs of trousers. Now then, look out for canes and 
 scratches. ' 
 
 For the elephant they were on shuffled into the narrow 
 track, whose sides and roof brushed the great cane howdah, 
 and in a few moments they had passed from the glaring 
 sunshine into the hot dank gloom of the forest, where the 
 swishing noise of the abundant growth, forced aside and 
 trampled down by the huge animals, was for a time the only 
 sound. 
 
 ' I say, bo on the look-out, or out you '11 go. We 're getting 
 into the wet now.' 
 
 Frank's words were uttered just in time to make Ned seize 
 hold of the side of the howdah, for the elephant they were 
 on began to lurch and roll, as its legs sank deep in the soft 
 mud and water which filled a series of holes in the track, and 
 the driver turned round to them and smiled. 
 
 ' Tell him to guide the elephant better,' said Ned, as this 
 rocking motion went on. ' He is letting it put its feet in all 
 these holes.' 
 
 Frank laughed. 
 
 ' It 's all right,' he said ; ' they always do that. The holes 
 are the old footprints of other elephants, or their own, when 
 they came along here before, and they get deeper and deeper, 
 and full of mud and water. Elephants always keep to the 
 old footprints, because they believe they are safe.' 
 
 ' But he could make them go on the hard ground.' 
 
 Frank said something to the driver, who smiled as he 
 replied. 
 
 ' I told him what you said, and he says nobody could make 
 an elephant step out of them. Look back ; the other one is 
 doing just the same.' 
 
 Th.it was plain enough, and Ned now turned his eyes on 
 
148 THE RAJAH OP DAH. 
 
 Tim, who was seated cross-legged in the hind corner of the 
 howdah, with his arms resting on the edge. 
 
 ' Ye '11 soon get used to it, sor,' he said, smiling. ' Shakes 
 ye up wondherful though, at first. They 're great onaisy pigs 
 to ride. Would either of you gentlemen object to my shmok- 
 ing my pipe?' 
 
 ' Oh no, smoke away, Tim, but don't make a noise with the 
 match.' 
 
 ' Nivver fear,' was the reply ; and the man began to prepare 
 his bamboo pipe, while Ned gazed wonderingly at the narrow 
 view of the dense growth on either side, and the way in 
 which the trees were laced together over their heads by 
 ratan canes and other creepers, whose leafage helped the 
 spreading boughs far overhead to shut out the faintest ray of 
 sunshine. In front, the way was blocked by the hind-quarters 
 of the elephant Murray was on ; behind, the smaller elephant 
 with the provisions shut in the track, so that the spearmen 
 who followed could only at internals be seen, and the gloom 
 grew deeper as suck, suck, the elephants drew their great 
 limbs from the track holes, or plunged them in, sending a 
 gush of mud and water flying out on either side. 
 
 ' Is the forest all like this V said Ned at last. 
 
 ' The jungle is.' 
 
 ' But are there no other paths V 
 
 'Not that I know of.' 
 
 ' Then'how do the animals get about 1 !' 
 
 ' Oh, some use these tracks, but the tigers and bears creep 
 along under and through the trees and bushes. They can go 
 anywhere. "We couldn't, without the men cut a way for us.' 
 
 Skrit, skrat, skrat ! ' went Tim's match loudly, and the 
 elephant uttered a tremendous squeal, plunged forward, and 
 ran its head against the hind-quarters of the one in front, 
 
They tore on along the narrow track, with the mud and water flying. 
 
THROUGH TI1I5 JUNOLE. 149 
 
 which trumpeted shrilly, and catching the panic rushed on; 
 the store elephant following, in spite of the mahouts, who 
 strove hard to check them in thoir headlong course, but in 
 vain. 
 
 ' Down, down !' shouted Frank. ' Hold tight.' 
 
 His advice was needed, for the plunging and rolling of the 
 great frightened animals was terrible, and for a while they 
 tore on along the narrow track with the mud and water flying, 
 and the growth from the sides and roof threatening to drag 
 the occupants of the howdahs from their seats. 
 
 At the end of about a mile, the first elephant was checked, 
 and of necessity the second and third had to stand, which 
 they did with their heads pressed against the other's tail. 
 
 ' Any one hurt V cried Murray, looking hack. 
 
 ' No, all right — all right,' cried the boys. 
 
 'What was it scared your elephant?' 
 
 'Oh murther, don't tell him, Masther Frank,' whispered 
 Tim, who then desperately told the truth. 
 
 ' It 's all right, sor. I sthruck a match to light me pipe. 
 That's all.' 
 
 ' Well then, don't do it again.' 
 
 'No, sor.' 
 
 ' Go on slowly now,' cried Murray, and progress was again 
 made. 
 
 'An' I should think we would go slowly,' muttered Tim. 
 'I belave I haven't a whole bone left, and what's more, I 
 didn't light me pipe.' 
 
 'And you must not now,' cried Frank, laughing. 'Oh, I 
 did get such a switch from one of those canes. — How did 
 you get on 1 ' 
 
 ' Something nearly pulled me out of the howdah,' replied 
 Ned, ' and I 'm a bit scratched.' 
 
150 THE RAJAH OF DATI. 
 
 ' Bit scratched, sor ? Look at me,' cried Tim, showing his 
 bleeding hands. 'These baskets, if ye are to have a ride 
 in 'em, ought to have a lid to shut down.' 
 
 The elephants uttered a low sigh now and then, as they 
 shuffled and splashed along the muddy track, whose gloomy 
 monotony was so wearisome that Ned turned at last to his 
 companion. 
 
 ' I say,' he cried, ' is it all going to be like this V 
 
 Frank laughed. 
 
 ' Oh no ; only for a few miles. Then we shall get to 
 some open ground.' 
 
 ' You 've been along here before, then V 
 
 ' Oh yes, twice ; but till you get through the jungle it is 
 very dreary.' 
 
 Ned sat swaying and giving with the movements of the 
 elephant, thinking what a terrible journey it would be for 
 any one who had to walk, and looking back from time to 
 time at the spearmen behind, who seemed to get along lightly 
 enough, whon he caught sight of one. Several, however, 
 had climbed on to the rear elephant, while two had hold of 
 the ropes of the one he rode. 
 
 All at once, just as if seen through a tunnel, there was a 
 patch of light, and soon after the party emerged into an 
 opening of a few acres in extent, where the sun had full 
 power, and the growth of orchid and flowering tree lit up the 
 scene with glowing colour. Here they heard the cries of 
 birds, and were just in time to catch sight of the metallic 
 green, gold, and purple of half a dozen peacocks before they 
 hurried out of sight among the trees. 
 
 Murray obtained a few specimens of parrot and sunbird 
 here, though, in their half-hour's halt before the leading 
 elephant was started, and once more plunged into the con- 
 
THROUGH THE JUNGLE. 151 
 
 tinuation of the green leafy tunnel, which by contrast seemed 
 darker than the first part. 
 
 By degrees the way of progression grew so wearisome that 
 Ned turned to his companions to find both fast asleep, and 
 he turned again to gaze before him at the hind-quarters of 
 his uncle's elephant, feeling sour and ill-used and heartily 
 sick of the tedious ride. 
 
 But all his ill-humour faded away an hour later when the 
 elephants passed out of the tunnel once more into an undulat- 
 ing paradise of tree and flower, rising gradually higher and 
 higher to hills that appeared to be of a lovely blue ; and as 
 if roused by the glow of the sun, both Frank and Tim started 
 up. 
 
 ' Oh, here we are, then, at last,' cried the latter. ' Then, I 
 suppose, the first thing is something to eat.' 
 
 He was quite right, for about a mile farther on toward the 
 hills, the elephants were halted close to a stream, over whose 
 glancing water a huge tree of the fig tribe spread its gigantic 
 branches, and offered a most tempting refuge from the sun. 
 
 The elephants were tethered, and the rajah's men rapidly 
 unloaded the pannier they had brought, to spread a tempting 
 meal beneath the tree ; and this being ended, the first elephant 
 was again brought into use to bear Murray, the two boys, 
 and Tim, on toward the hills shooting and exploring. 
 
 This part of the expedition was so beautiful, and the 
 specimens shot so satisfactory, that the wearisome nature of 
 the journey out was forgotten, and that back, which had 
 hung before Xed like a cloud, was no longer thought of. 
 
 He said something in respect to it as they walked on 
 beside the elephant, carrying a spare gun and ammunition, 
 and Frank laughed : 
 
 'It was tiring, but we had not had any dinner then, and 
 
152 THE RAJAH OF DAH. 
 
 that makes all the difference. I say, Mr Murray, suppose 
 a tiger came now, what should you do V 
 
 ' Fire at it, of course.' 
 
 ' With small shot 1 Oh ! I say, hadn't you better load 
 your rifle 1 I '11 carry it.' 
 
 ' Yes ; it would be wise,' replied Murray. ' You '11 promise 
 to give it me if there is a chance.' 
 
 ' Of course.' And the rifle was handed out of the howdah 
 by Tim, loaded, and shouldered by Frank as they once more 
 went on, getting now on to higher ground, where the rugged 
 incline of the gully down which the stream whose course 
 they followed ran, induced Murray to begin examining the 
 stones that lay loose on one side of the little river's rocky 
 bed. 
 
 Then there was another tramp onward, and a couple more 
 specimens fell to the naturalist's gun. 
 
 ' That 's as many as we shall care to skin to-night, Ned,' 
 he said. ' Let 's see now if we can't discover some metal.' 
 
 'Whoo-hoo!' shouted Tim, from up in the howdah. 
 ' Look sor, look ! shoot ! There he is ! ' 
 
 They followed Tim's pointing hand, to see, about a couple 
 of hundred yards away, in an open spot where a gully ran up 
 into a patch of forest, a full-grown tiger, whose stripes 
 showed out clearly in the sunshine, as, with head erect and 
 tail lashing his sides, ho watched the approaching party ; but 
 before Murray could seize the rifle, the lithe animal gave a 
 couple of leaps and had disappeared. 
 
 'Gone!' ejaculated Murray. 'It would he no use to try 
 to hunt him up, without beaters.' 
 
 So the search for minerals was commenced again, with no 
 further result than the discovery of a little tin, specimens of 
 which were thrown up to Tim, and another halt was made. 
 
THROUGH THE JUNGLE. 153 
 
 By this time the sun was beginning to descend, and after 
 a little hesitation, for the place was full of attractions, Murray 
 said unwillingly, ' I suppose we must go back now.' 
 
 ' Too soon yet, uncle,' said Xed. ' I should like to have a 
 shot at something.' 
 
 'Another time, my lad,' said Murray. 'We have been 
 longer than I thought, and we have all that dreary ride 
 back through the jungle. It will be dark before we get back. 
 Yes ; let 's turn now at once,' he continued, displaying a little 
 anxiety as he thought of his conversation with Mr Braine 
 that morning, and wondered that he could have so forgotten 
 himself in his favourite pursuit as to have ignored the 
 position of those at the village. 
 
 The lads acquiesced at once, and they mounted the 
 elephant to look wonderingly from one to the other now, as 
 they noted how anxious Murray had become, and impatient 
 in his orders to Hamet to tell the driver to hurry the elephant 
 along. 
 
 ' What 's the matter with your uncle V whispered Frank at 
 last. ' Does he want something to eat V 
 
 ' I don't know,' replied Ned. ' I can't quite make him 
 out. He was all right coming, and thought of nothing but 
 the shooting ; now he 's all in a fidget. There ! ' 
 
 This was in consequence of Hamet reporting that the driver 
 said he could get the elephant along no faster, as the road 
 was so bad and stony. 
 
 Murray threw himself back impatiently, and sat gazing 
 straight before them, while the elephant nodded and shuffled 
 slowly along. 
 
 'For suppose,' thought Murray, 'anything should happen 
 while I am away, I should never forgive myself. I wish 
 now I had not come.' 
 
CHAPTEE XIII. 
 
 TWO HOURS LATE. 
 
 T is only fancy,' said Murray to himself, as, after 
 
 what seemed to be an interminable length of 
 
 time, they came in sight of the big tree where 
 
 the other two elephants stood ^winging their 
 
 trunks, and the rest of the party were standing 
 
 about watching for their return. 
 
 There was no time lost now, for the day was getting well 
 
 on, and the Malays showed plenty of eagerness to be once 
 
 more well on their road, so as to be through the jungle before 
 
 dark. 
 
 ' 1 'm afraid we have rather overdone it, boys,' said Murray, 
 after a long silence, during which the elephants plodded 
 patiently on, and their guard kept up a low muttered con- 
 versation to themselves. 
 
 ' It would have been better if we had started half an hour 
 sooner,' said Frank, coolly ; ' but it don't matter, that I see. 
 Once we get into the jungle track the elephants will go 
 through it back to their quarters, and we can lie down and 
 get a nap if we like.' 
 
 All this was shouted from one elephant to the other, for 
 the same order had been maintained as in coming. 
 ' No danger, is there V said Ned. 
 'Danger? Well, perhaps a little. Tiger might catch one 
 
TWO HOURS LATE. 155 
 
 of the men, as a cat does a mouse. You see how close they '11 
 all keep to the elephants as soon as wo enter the jungle.' 
 
 ' Oh, nonsense ! Xo tiger would attack a party like this.' 
 
 'Wouldn't he! You 'Usee.' 
 
 'What?' 
 
 ' Well no, I don't mean that ; only that if a tiger is 
 hungry he 'd attack anything.' 
 
 It seemed to be a long journey to the jungle track, and 
 evening was growing very near, as once more the elephants 
 plunged into the narrow dark tunnel, Avhere the mud rarely 
 grew dry in the huge footprints worn by the heavy animals 
 into deep pits, each of which seemed like a trap, out of which 
 the labouring bfenst had to drag its leg. 
 
 The change from the golden glow of the late afternoon to 
 the gloom of the jungle path was again sudden, and it evoked 
 the remark from Xed : ' If it is like this now, what will it be 
 when it's dark?' 
 
 'Why dark?' cried Frank, laughing. 'Oh, you needn't 
 mind. There's no fear of the elephants taking the wrong 
 turning, because there isn't one. If the drivers keep them 
 going, we shall be sure to get back home.' 
 
 Then the monotonous slush slush of the elephant's tread 
 began, mingled with the squeaking of the strong basket-work 
 howdah, and an occasional snort from one of the great animals, 
 as it found the task of extricating its legs harder than usual. 
 For a time the Malays had kept up their low murmuring 
 conversation, but this soon dropped off as the darkness in- 
 creased, and they crept up close, as Frank had suggested, to 
 the heads of the elephants, contriving so that one of the 
 animals should form the rear-guard, and thus protect them 
 from attack. 
 
 It was not long before the conversation between those on 
 
 K 
 
156 THE RAJAH OP DAH. 
 
 the two leading elephants dropped off, so that by the time it 
 was quite dark the journey was being continued in almost 
 absolute silence, as far as talking was concerned. 
 • And it was dark : so black that the occupants of the 
 howdahs could not see each other when close together, and 
 the only way to avoid the boughs which brushed against 
 them constantly was to crouch as low down as was possible. 
 
 Ned had been sitting silently for some time thinking all 
 kinds of horrors, and of how huge serpents might be hanging 
 from the boughs, or tigers watching them in the darkness, 
 ready to spring in among them, when suddenly he started, 
 for there was a low guttural sound like a suppressed roar close 
 at hand, and directly after, a cold chill ran through him, for 
 as the elephant went on with its slow swaying motion, some- 
 thing which seemed to be long and round glided past his 
 face, passed over his shoulder, and then swept about his 
 neck. 
 
 The scene up the river came back instantaneously, and in 
 those moments Ned mentally saw a creature like that at 
 which his uncle had shot, hanging from somewhere above, 
 and seeking to coil round his body to crush him in its folds. 
 
 It was all momentary, but in that brief space of time Ned 
 sat motionless, and then his breath escaped with a low hiss, 
 as he felt that it was Frank's arm feeling for him, and 
 directly after the boy's lips touched his ear. 
 
 'Ned,' he whispered, 'here's a game. Old Tim's asleep 
 and snoring.' 
 
 ' Well, I don't see any game in that. I wish I was.' 
 
 ' Don't be snaggy. I mean to have a bit of fun with him.' 
 
 ' What could you do V 
 
 ' You know how he has been fidgeting about the tigers.' 
 
 'Yes.' 
 
TWO HOURS LATE. 1 5 ? 
 
 ' Look here, then : you sit fast, and I '11 just fuel how lie 
 lies, and then got out of this jolly old basket, hold on to the 
 side, and then jump in on him, take him by the neck, and 
 give a good loud snarl. I can imitate the tigers exactly.' 
 
 'And suppose he hits you with all his might?' 
 
 ' I shouldn't give him time. I should roll off directly. 
 He 'd declare a tiger had jumped into the howdah, and brag 
 about how he had escaped.' 
 
 Ned was silent. 
 
 ' "Well, wouldn't it be a game ? Why don't you answer ? 
 "What are you thinking about V 
 
 'Tim scratching a match, and frightening the elephant,' 
 said Ned quietly. 
 
 'What? this morning V 
 
 ' Yes ; and of how it rushed off.' 
 
 'Ah! I never thought of that,' said Frank. 'Perhaps it 
 would scare it, and that would be awkward in the dark.' 
 
 'Let me get down and walk before you begin,' continued 
 Ned. 
 
 ' Oh, bother ! I shan't do it now. I say, I don't know 
 where we should all be if he started now.' 
 
 ' I don't know where we are without his starting,' replied 
 Ned. ' It seems to me as if the thing 's going right through 
 the blackest part of the forest as it is.' 
 
 ' Nonsense ! And look : it isn't so dark now. We 're 
 out in that part where we rested this morning.' 
 
 That was plain enough, for a load seemed to have been 
 suddenly lifted from their spirits. The air felt warm and 
 fresh. The peculiar dank odour of the trampled leaves and 
 mud was wanting, and right above them were the purple 
 heavens ablaze with glorious stars, looking brighter and larger 
 than they had ever seemed before. 
 
158 THE RAJAH OF DAH. 
 
 'Hah!' ejaculated Ned, taking a long breath; 'that's 
 better.' 
 
 But the pleasurable feeling soon passed away, for at the 
 end of five minutes, the jungle track was entered upon again, 
 and plash, plash, plash, plash, on they went, with the 
 howdah creaking to the elephant's swing, and the boughs now 
 dripping with moisture brushing against them as the elephants 
 plunged on. 
 
 ' Why, we shall be hours yet,' said Ned. ' Oh, I am 
 getting so sick of this. It was bad enough this morning 
 when it was daylight. Hark ! What's that?' 
 
 ' Tiger,' said Frank, in a subdued voice, ' on the prowl. 
 But I don't suppose he '11 come near us.' 
 
 Frank's words did not inspire confidence. On the contrary, 
 they made Ned feel very nervous, and begin to envy Tim's 
 ability to sleep all through the perilous jaunt. For dangerous 
 it was, since, setting aside the risk of an attack by some 
 hungry tiger, there was always the possibility of one of the 
 elephants coming down when floundering through the mud. 
 
 On still, with the motion at last growing so wearisome that 
 the dangers were forgotten, and both of the boys began to 
 nod, but roused up again as a hail came from the foremost 
 elephant. 
 
 ' Getting tired of it V 
 
 'Horribly !' they shouted back ; 'and it's a long way yet.' 
 
 Then the nodding began again, their crouching attitude 
 fostering it, and the darkness was lit up by the dreams which 
 came with their sound sleep, out of which they both started 
 together; the change in the elephant's movement, from a 
 rolling, plunging progress, something akin to that of a boat 
 at sea without its smoothness, to a regular steady walk, 
 Waking the boys at once. 
 
TWO HOURS LATE. 159 
 
 'Hurrah!' cried Frank. 'Out of the jungle. 2\ut far to 
 go now.' 
 
 As lie spoke, they could see lights, and the elephants 
 stepped out freely, bringing them in a very short time to the 
 front of the rajah's grounds, where a group of men were 
 standing, and among them Mr Braine, Mr Greig, and the 
 Tumongong, who all advanced. 
 
 ' You are late,' cried the former. ' Make haste and get 
 down here ; we have been waiting these two hours.' 
 
 ' Sorry to have kept you,' cried Murray, as the elephants 
 went down on their knees. 
 
 ' Xever mind, we '11 talk later on. The rajah desires that 
 you all come and have your evening meal with him, and tell 
 him what you have done.' 
 
 ' Impossible to-night. AVe are not fit.' 
 ' Xever mind that,' said Mr Braine, rather hurriedly ; 'he 
 expressed a wish for you to come, and come you must. He 
 has been waiting two hours. The ladies are all there, and 
 the doctor too. A dinner has been prepared for us in a 
 room to ourselves. You will have an audience with the 
 rajah afterwards.' 
 
 The mention of the ladies being there swept away all 
 Murray's objections, and he descended, while Frank said 
 aloud : 
 
 ' Then I shall take Xed on home to have something with 
 me." 
 
 ' Xo, no,' cried Murray, hastily ; ' he must see to the 
 specimens and guns being safely housed.' 
 
 ' Impossible ! ' cried Mr Braine, ' and we are wasting time. 
 The rajah said all, and he will be impatient. Your man 
 Hamet must see to everything. Come alon<j.' 
 
CHAPTEK XIV. 
 
 THE RAJAH'S RING. 
 
 [ UKRAY was anxious, unwilling, and willing 
 altogether, as he followed the Tumongong and 
 a guard of the rajah's men into the lantern-lit 
 clearing before the house ; and from thence they 
 were ushered into a room hung with mats, 
 where water was brought in brass basins for 
 their ablutions, before they were shown into a long dimly-lit 
 room, where a meal was spread on mats upon the floor, while 
 upon cushions at one end the rajah himself was seated con- 
 versing with the doctor and the ladies. 
 
 He rose and received the rest of his guests with dignity, 
 pointing out to them the places he wished them to occupy, 
 and then, to the surprise of all, he took the head of the board 
 himself; a compliment which the Englishmen looked upon 
 with suspicion, as possibly meaning something, opposed as it 
 was to his ordinary customs. 
 
 To the boys it was delightful, for everything in the dimly- 
 lit room was attractive : the group of guards and officials who 
 stood behind and about the rajah in their showiest silks ; the 
 chief in his native costume now, in which bright-yellow 
 silk predominated ; and as Ned gazed at him, he could not 
 help thinking how much better he looked in a dress which 
 became him, for he looked now like an eastern prince, and 
 the boy whispered so to his companion. 
 
THE rajah's ring. 161 
 
 'Yes; lie don't look such an old guy now,' said Frank, 
 in the same tone. ' We English people can wear our clothes 
 without looking foolish,' he said, complacently. ' They can't 
 wear English things without being scarecrows.' 
 
 ' But, I say, where are his wives 1 There are no ladies here,' 
 whispered Nod again. 
 
 'Locked up, put away in the cupboard. Heads chopped 
 off, perhaps,' whispered Frank. 'You didn't suppose they 
 would be here to sit down and eat with such infidels as we 
 are!' 
 
 ' Oh, I didn't know.' 
 
 ' Well, I did. It 's a wonder to see the old chap here. 
 He 's got some scheme in his head, or he wouldn't be so civil. 
 I wonder what it is. You see they 're all obliged to come if 
 he gives orders. But be quiet : don't talk and ask questions. 
 I 'm hungry, and the things he gives you to eat are precious 
 good, though often enough you don't know what they are.' 
 
 ' But, I say, tell me this,' whispered Ned ; ' and I won't ask 
 you any more questions. There will not be anything one 
 don't like to eat, will there ? I mean anything queer.' 
 
 ' What, young crocodile fatted with niggers, pickled boa 
 constrictor, or curried baby ?' 
 
 ' Don't chaff. Tell me.' 
 
 'Look here : do you want to know what to do?' 
 
 ' Of course.' 
 
 'Then you eat just the same as I do, and you can't be 
 wrong.' 
 
 Ned took the advice, and, like his companion, he was very 
 soon enjoying himself thoroughly ; too busy, in fact, to take 
 much notice of the others, till Frank began to make remarks. 
 
 'I say, how nice Amy Barnes looks, doesn't she? Got 
 quite a colour.' 
 
162 THE RAJAH OF DAH. 
 
 Ned glanced at her, and saw that she was flushed and 
 looked excited, hut was evidently doing her best to be at ease, 
 talking readily enough with the Eesident, and letting hini 
 translate in answer to some remark made in a grave and 
 stately way by the rajah, who scarcely ate anything, but kept 
 on giving instructions to his attendants to take this dish or 
 that wine to his guests. 
 
 'What's the matter with your uncle?' said Frank, sud- 
 denly; 'not poorly, is he?' 
 
 'Matter?' said Ned, looking across to where Murray was 
 seated. ' Nothing ; he only looks cross.' 
 
 ' But he is hardly eating anything. Overdid it to-day in 
 our walk, or else riding the elephants has made him queer. 
 It makes some people ill, like going to sea for the first time.' 
 
 Just then the rajah spoke to one of the attendants, who 
 directly after went and filled Murray's cup with some kind of 
 palm wine, and then the Eesident's, and the doctor's. 
 
 ' The rajah will take wine with us, Murray, in the English 
 fashion,' said Mr Braine; and though Murray felt as if he would 
 like to refuse, he told himself that so far he had no real cause, 
 and that such an act on his part might mean peril to all 
 present. So in a very distant quiet way he took wine, the 
 rajah merely putting his cup to his lip's, while as Murray 
 drank he could not help thinking how easily such a man 
 might get rid of any one he disliked, and how little likelihood 
 there was of his being ever called to account for the murder. 
 
 These thoughts gave a bitter flavour to the by no means 
 unpalatable draught. 
 
 He had no time to dwell further on the thoughts which 
 had been troubling him ever since he had entered the place, 
 for the rajah spoke to Mr Braine, who bowed and turned to 
 the naturalist : 
 
THE rajah's ring. 163 
 
 'Our host is eager to know whether you have made any- 
 fresh discoveries.' 
 
 Murray replied that he had only found more tin, and this 
 was interpreted to the rajah, who scowled a little, and then 
 spoke rather sharply to Mr Braine, who again interpreted. 
 
 ' His highness is disappointed,' he said, ' for he is sure that 
 there is an abundance of gold, and that there are precious 
 stones in the hills. He wishes you to go again.' 
 
 ' Orders me to go again, you mean,' said Murray, warmly. 
 
 ' For Heaven's sake, man, be careful,' whispered Mr Braine ; 
 but with a smile upon his face the while. ' You do not know. 
 Our lives may be at stake. Help me, pray. The ladies. 
 Have you a specimen of anything you found V 
 
 Murray glanced at Amy, who gave him an imploring look, 
 and, drawing a deep breath, he felt ready to diplomatise, give 
 up self, and smother his indignation for the sake of those 
 before him. 
 
 The rajah's eyes were fixed upon him keenly, and he met 
 them without flinching, but he mastered the anger at his 
 heart, and thrusting his hand into his jacket pocket, drew out 
 a couple of fragments of quartz. These he passed over to Mr 
 Braine. 
 
 ' The best I could do,' he said. ' I searched well, but this 
 is the only metal I could find.' 
 
 Mr Braine took them to the rajah, whose eyes glittered 
 with cupidity as he saw the specimens; but as soon as he took 
 them in his hands he returned them with a gesture of im- 
 patience, saying something quickly to Mr Braine, who bowed, 
 looked troubled, but smiled directly, and said aloud : 
 
 ' The rajah bids me say that your last discovery of tin was 
 ample, Mr Murray, and he begs that you will start again 
 to-morrow, making arrangements to be away three or four 
 
164 THE RAJAH OF DAH. 
 
 days, so that you may have time to penetrate right into the 
 hills.' 
 
 ' But hang it all ! ' began Murray ; and then he stopped, for 
 he saw a frightened look in the faces of the ladies, and he 
 altered his tone. 
 
 ' I '11 see to-morrow morning,' he said. 
 
 'That will not do,' said Mr Braine, quickly; and Murray 
 was conscious that the Tumongong's eyes were fixed upon them, 
 and that he was evidently comprehending every word they 
 said. ' My dear fellow, I must ask you to give way, or at all 
 events seem to give way. Pray, he careful. That chief 
 understands what we say, and I cannot be sure whether he 
 is an enemy or friend.' 
 
 This last was in a whisper. 
 
 'But really, Mr Braine, this is getting beyond bearing.' 
 
 ' No. Try to bear it for all our sakes — at all events now, 
 and we '11 talk it over later on. May I answer that you will 
 go?' 
 
 ' Yes,' said Murray, bowing his head, as he tittered the 
 monosyllable unwillingly. 
 
 Mr Braine turned to the rajah and spoke to him, his words 
 evidently calming the great man's wrath, for he nodded and 
 turned smilingly to address a few words to Mrs Barnes, and 
 then to Mrs Braine, to which, with a little hesitation, they 
 replied in the Malay tongue. 
 
 After that he turned smilingly to Amy, and evidently paid 
 her some compliment, for she started a little and coloured, 
 her eyes being directed the next moment at Murray, as if to 
 apologise for having listened to the prince's words, while the 
 Englishman bit his lip till it bled. 
 
 Meanwhile the attendants glided about silently, plying each 
 of the guests with wine, fruits, and sweets, to all of which 
 
the rajah's ring. 165 
 
 Frank helped himself liberally ; and the guards and attendants, 
 dimly seen in the feebly-lit place, looked like so many statues 
 cast in bronze. 
 
 ' I say,' whispered Frank, as he cut open a mangosteen, 
 ' do you notice anything V 
 
 'Yes. Uncle looks horribly cross. He can't bear to be 
 ordered about.' 
 
 ' S'pose not. No man does. But I say, don't you notice 
 anything else ? ' 
 
 'No.' 
 
 'Well, I do. Strikes me we are going to have a storm.' 
 
 ' Are we ? "Well, I want to look at the lightning.' 
 
 ' Nonsense ! I mean a row. My father looks as if he had 
 been getting into trouble with the rajah, and the ladies are 
 all on the fidget. So 's the doctor. I can't make it out.' 
 
 ' I fancied they looked as if they were not enjoying them- 
 selves.' 
 
 ' So did I, but then I wasn't sure, and it was such a 
 beautiful supper, and I did enjoy it so. You did pretty 
 well.' 
 
 'Yes,' said Ned, 'I liked it.' 
 
 ' I know,' whispered Frank ; ' they think it 's time to get 
 up and go to the drawing-room, and leave us gentlemen to 
 our coffee and cigars, and there is no drawing-room that they 
 can go to, and they daren't get up for fear of offending the 
 grand panjandrum. 
 
 Just then the rajah clapped his hands, and coffee was 
 brought in, another attendant bearing a tray with some 
 clumsy-looking cigarettes, and others bringing great pipes 
 with water receptacles, and charcoal pans to supply lights. 
 
 The men bore pipes to the doctor and Mr Braine, and then 
 to Murray, who took one of the clumsy-looking cigarettes, 
 
166 THE RAJAH OF DAH. 
 
 formed by so much tobacco crammed into the dry sheaths of 
 a peculiar palm. Then the attendant came on to where tho 
 two lads were seated together, and offered them pipes. 
 
 'Go on, you ugly brown-nosed animal,' said Frank; 'what 
 would they say if I tried to smoke?' Then, uttering a 
 negative in the man's tongue, he let him pass on. 
 
 'Wasn't it tempting, Ned?' whispered the boy. 'Offering 
 a pipe to us like that. I don't see why we should not have a 
 try. Pass those sweets, and let 's have some more of that 
 lemonady stuff. I want a dnrian, too, and I don't see any. 
 Wonder whether old Pan would mind if I asked for one.' 
 
 Just then the Tumongong came to where they were seated, 
 and with a grave smile said a few words to Frank, who 
 turned to his companion. 
 
 'The rajah says you are to como and see him to-morrow. 
 He will send for you to look at all his curiosities.' 
 
 'But how can I come if I go with my uncle?' replied 
 Ned. 
 
 ' Says how can he come if he goes shooting and gold-hunt- 
 ing with his uncle V said Frank, in English. 
 
 The Tumongong smiled sadly, and replied in Malay. 
 
 'Tells me you're not to go with your uncle to-morrow, 
 but to como here,' said Frank, interpreting. ' Never mind ; 
 I '11 go with him.' 
 
 The Tumongong said a few words. 
 
 'Oh, I'm to stop too. Very well. I don't mind. I'll 
 stay, and we '11 make the old boy give us plenty of fruit and 
 sweets. He will, I know. Go and tell him,' he continued, 
 ' that we kiss his feet.' 
 
 The Tumongong smiled, patted Frank on the arm, as if he 
 were a favourite, and returned to stand behind whoro his 
 master was seated, smoking, and gazing amiably from one 
 
the rajah's kino. 167 
 
 to tlio other, favouring Murray several times, and each time 
 their eyes met, the rajah raised his golden cup to his lips, and 
 sipped a little coffee. 
 
 At last, when the patience of every one of the English 
 party was thoroughly exhausted, the rajah rose, which was 
 taken as a signal for their dismissal ; but the potentate 
 reversed the etiquette of an English parting by shaking hands 
 with the gentlemen first, and smiling almost affectionately 
 upon Murray, whose hand he grasped warmly, while the 
 Englishman's grip was cold and limp. Then turning to the 
 ladies, he bade Mrs Braine, Mrs Greig, and Mrs Barnes good- 
 night, after the custom of his country, and lastly, held out 
 his hand to Amy, who could hardly master herself sufficiently 
 to place hers within it. 
 
 As he grasped it firmly, he bent down and said a few 
 words in a low tone, which made the girl shrink away with a 
 horrified look, while Murray would have started forward, but 
 for Mr Braiuo's restraining hand. 
 
 But the rajah retained the hand he held, and slipping a 
 ring from his little finger, he placed it on one of Amy's, 
 accompanying it with a meaning look, and then drawing back 
 to march slowly toward the hanging mats which divided the 
 room from the next, and passing through followed by the 
 chiefs and attendants ; while the visitors lost no time in 
 making for the veranda, below which an armed guard bear- 
 ing lanterns was waiting, ready to escort them as far as 
 the doctor's house, and here they salaamed and retired. 
 
 ' Come in, Braine — come in, Mr Murray,' said the doctor, 
 excitedly. ' I should like a few words with you both. Go 
 in, my dears. Mrs Braine, please, don't leave them yet.' 
 
 The ladies went hurriedly up the steps into the open 
 veranda, and Mr Braine turned to his son. 
 
168 THE BAJAH OP DAH. 
 
 ' Walk home with Ned,' he said quickly. ' You can stay 
 with him till I come with Mr Murray.' 
 
 ' Yes, father,' replied the boy, and the two lads went off 
 together toward Murray's house. 
 
 ' They 're going to have a confab,' said Frank, ' that they 
 don't want us to hear. I was right ; there 's going to be a 
 storm.' 
 
 ' But isn't it very strange 1 ' said Ned, eagerly. ' What 
 does it all mean?' 
 
 ' I 'm regularly puzzled,' cried Frank. ' It 's impossible, of 
 course, but it looks so like it, that I can't help thinking so.' 
 
 ' What do you mean ? ' 
 
 ' That I hope I 'm wrong, but it looks as if the old boy has 
 taken a fancy to Amy.' 
 
 ' What — an English lady ! Impossible ! ' cried Ned, in- 
 dignantly. 
 
 "Taint impossible here; if the rajah says he will; but if 
 it isn't so, why did he give Amy Barnes that ring?' 
 
 ' I don't know. Why did he give you that kris ? ' 
 
 'Oh, that was for a present. I don't understand such 
 things, but I believe when a gentleman gives a lady a ring, 
 it's because he means to marry her.' 
 
 ' But he can't ; he has a wife.' 
 
 ' A wife ! ' cried Frank. ' Lots. But that doesn't matter 
 out here.' 
 
CHAPTER XV. 
 
 A TROUBLED NIGHT. 
 
 S soon as Amy entered her home, she let the 
 pent-up agony and fear which she had hidden for 
 hours have vent in a burst of passionate weeping, 
 and hurried away to her own room, closely fol- 
 lowed by her mother and Mrs Braine, leaving the 
 gentlemen standing in the half-darkened room, 
 silent, agitated, and each waiting for the other to speak. 
 But for some minutes no word was spoken, and the silence 
 was only broken by the creaking sound of the bamboo 
 flooring, as in a violent state of agitation, Murray walked the 
 room from end to end. Just then a low cat-like cry came 
 from the jungle, repeated and answered from different direc- 
 tions, and influencing Murray, so that he went and stood at 
 the opening, gazing across the veranda at the fireflies gliding 
 here and there like tiny wandering stars, and listening to the 
 cries which told him that on the jungle side they were 
 surrounded by enemies. 
 
 As he stood there motionless, strange hoarse barking sounds 
 came from the river, with an occasional faint splash, and then 
 a loud beating noise, as if some monster were thrashing the 
 surface of the river with its tail. Then, again, from the 
 forest arose other strange cries, croakings, whinings, and 
 sounds to which it would have been hard to give a name, but 
 
170 THE RAJAH OF DAH. 
 
 all suggestive of the black darkness around being full of 
 danger, and after his experience that day of the forest track, 
 he found himself thinking of how impossible it would be 
 for any one seeking to leave the village to escape in that 
 direction. 
 
 Then there was the river. 
 
 'Yes,' he thought; 'that would be easier, for it was a 
 broad highway, swiftly flowing down toward civilisation and 
 safety.' 
 
 Murray felt a bitter twinge of annoyance at that moment, 
 as he thought of how he had sacrificed everything to his love 
 for science, and as soon as he had found it necessary to 
 accept his position, hardly troubled himself to think of the 
 whereabouts of the boat in which he had arrived, and of 
 where the men who formed her crew had been placed. 
 
 'Hamet will know,' he thought as, in a vague way, he 
 began to make plans, when he was interrupted by Mr 
 Braine's voice uttering the one word ' "Well V 
 
 Murray turned at once and stood close to the other 
 occupants of the room, drawing his breath hard, and longing 
 to plunge at once into the conversation, but shrinking from 
 the emotion by which he was half suffocated. 
 
 A silence of some moments succeeded Mr Braine's question- 
 ing word, and the faint murmur of women's voices could be 
 heard from the inner rooms. 
 
 ' Yes ; there is no doubt about it now,' said the doctor. ' I 
 have always dreaded this, but lived on in hope.' 
 
 ' And I,' said Mr Braine, sadly. 
 
 ' The base, treacherous ' 
 
 ' Hush ! ' 
 
 Mr Braine laid his hand upon his old friend's arm, and 
 pointed downwards to the floor, beneath which lay the open 
 
A TROrBLEP XTGTTT. 171 
 
 space formed by the house being raised on posts, while the 
 flooring was so slight that anything spoken in the room 
 could easily be heard by a listener below. 
 
 * There is not likely to be any one there who could under- 
 stand us." said the doctor, impatiently. 'Man, man, what is 
 to be done!' 
 
 There was a few moments' silence, and then Mr Braine 
 said despondently : 
 
 ' I am at my wits' end. I never felt our helplessness so 
 thoroughly as at the present moment' 
 
 Murray drew a long deep breath, and the veins in his 
 temples seemed to throb as he stood listening to his com- 
 panions' words, and waiting to hear what they intended 
 to do next. 
 
 At last he could contain himself no longer. 
 
 ' We are wasting time, gentlemen,' he said. ' I have not 
 heard you say a word that promises to help us out of our 
 difficulty.' 
 
 'Ah, Mr Murray !' said the doctor, C I had almost forgotten 
 yon. Tes. it is m£ indeed. "Well, sir, you see now our posi- 
 tion ; what can we say or do V 
 
 •Surely you are not going to stand still, and see that 
 insolent savage force his attentions upon your daughter." 
 
 * Sir. I would sooner see her dead than hurried into such 
 a degrading position, but yon know how we are situated, and 
 our utter helplessness.' 
 
 ' But you will send for help. Mr Wilson at his station — 
 Dhidong — assured me that in a case of necessity he would see 
 that we were protected.' 
 
 ' Hew would yon send the message, sir V 
 
 4 By some Malay. He must be bribed heavily. Plenty 
 would be glad to make the venture.' 
 
 t 
 
172 THE RAJAH OP DAH. 
 
 ' Where will you find them, sir ? Do you know that you 
 would be sending the man to certain death ? 
 
 ' Surely not.' 
 
 'The river is closely watched night and day. No boat 
 could pass down unseen.' 
 
 ' But a man might swim say a few hundred yards,' cried 
 Murray. ' I would go myself.' 
 
 'And if you escaped the crocodiles, which is not likely, 
 what would you do then 1 ' 
 
 ' Land, and follow the stream by the bank.' 
 
 The doctor uttered a low laugh. 
 
 ' My dear sir, you do not know what you are saying ; the 
 bank for miles inland is utterly impassable.' 
 
 ' Then the other way by that elephant track.' 
 
 ' Farther into the enemy's country. No, sir ; there is only 
 one route — the river ; and so far, I can only see violence as 
 the way, and we are too weak to attempt that — too weak, or 
 the rajah is too strong.' 
 
 'Then do I understand you to mean that you are going 
 to remain prostrate, and bow down your necks for this man to 
 trample upon you V 
 
 'Mr Murray,' interposed Mr Braine, 'you are too hard. 
 You are losing your temper. Recollect, sir, that we are 
 placed in a position whose difficulties you even now hardly 
 realise.' 
 
 ' Indeed you are wrong, Mr Braine ! ' cried Murray, hotly. 
 
 'Then remember, sir, you are speaking to a gentleman — 
 a father, whose heart is wrung by the position in which he 
 is placed.' 
 
 ' Yes, I am wrong,' said Murray, warmly ; ' but have some 
 pity for me too. Doctor Barnes, you cannot be blind to 
 what I think and feel. All this is agonising to me. Look 
 
A TROCBLED NIGHT. 173 
 
 here, sir ; do you think I have not brains enough to see that 
 this man reads me and my sentiments toward your daughter. 
 The scoundrel — the insolent barbarian ! he is actually jealous, 
 and under his smiling civility, he is trying to crush me down 
 or to sweep me out of his path. Do you not see what this 
 expedition to-morrow means.' 
 
 'Ah, I did not think of that !' cried Greig, excitedly. 
 
 ' But I did,' said Murray. ' I will not go so far as to say 
 that the wretch means to have me killed, but I do say that 
 as my presence here might interfere with his plans, I am 
 to be either put out of the way, or kept up the country a 
 prisoner, doing his work until such time as he considers it 
 safe for me to return.' 
 
 ' Murray is right,' said Mr Braine ; ' too right, I fear. You 
 must not, you shall not risk the journey to-morrow alone. 
 I must speak plainly now. I would not answer for your life.' 
 
 ' I will not go,' said Murray, firmly. ' I am a quiet 
 enthusiast, but there is some old Scottish blood in my veins, 
 gentlemen, that can be roused, and I'll fight to the death 
 before I will see this wrong done.' 
 
 ' As we all would,' said Mr Braine, warmly. ' God bless you, 
 Murray ! You will be a tower of strength to us ; but this 
 is not a time for fighting. We are weak — the rajah is strong. 
 He is cunning, too, with all the smiling deceit of these people, 
 who throw you off your guard so as to get a better oppor- 
 tunity for striking.' 
 
 'But we must act and at once, Braine.' 
 
 ' Yes, but it must be with quiet and dissimulation ; cun- 
 ning for cunning. Violence is useless.' 
 
 ' I don't know,' said Murray, fiercely. ' The future of a 
 lady whom I boldly tell her father I love and reverence so 
 dearly that, though my suit may be hopeless, though she 
 
174 THE RAJAH OF UAH. 
 
 may never look, upon me as aught but a friend, I will die in 
 her service to save her from such a fate as threatens her. 
 My life is, I know, menaced now. Well, I had better try 
 to do some good before I go, if it is only to rid the world 
 of this tyrannical scoundrel and ' 
 
 Murray stopped short, the doctor darted to a chest and 
 snatched out a revolver, and Mr Braine seized a sword hanging 
 upon a couple of hooks against the wall ; for all at once a 
 violent scuffling and panting arose from beneath their feet, 
 telling that two men were contending, and all doubt as to 
 who one of them might be, was set aside the next moment 
 by a familiar voice. 
 
 ' Ah-h-li ! would ye — ye thayving baste ? Shure, would ye 1 
 Take that, and that, and that.' 
 
 It was plain, too, what the donations were from the sounds 
 which followed them — dull heavy thuds of blows delivered 
 by a sturdy fist. 
 
 The struggle was continued as all hurried out into the 
 veranda, and down the steps to plunge below the house 
 into the intense darkness, where all was now silent. 
 
 'Who's there 1 !' said the doctor. 'Driscol, where are 
 you!' 
 
 There was no reply. 
 
 'Surely the poor fellow has not been stabbed!' cried the 
 doctor excitedly. ' Wait till I fetch a light.' 
 
 He hurried back, leaving Murray and Mr Braine trying in 
 vain to penetrate the darkness, so as to make out whether 
 any one was near. Then the doctor's step} were heard over- 
 head, and his voice came down so distinctly, that both felt 
 how a listener would hear every word. 
 
 ' Don't be alarmed,' he said. ' Driscol caught some Malay 
 scoundrel prowling about' 
 
A TUOUBLED NIGHT. 175 
 
 ' Where is my husband V said Mrs Braino. 
 
 ' Down below with Murray. How is Amy V 
 
 ' Calmer now.' 
 
 ' That 's right. Back directly.' 
 
 And then the doctor's step made the bamboo creak as he 
 crossed the room. 
 
 ' Whoever it was must have heard every word we said,' 
 whispered Mr Braiue. 
 
 Just then the lamp the doctor carried shone down through 
 the steps, and directly after among the posts which supported 
 the house. 
 
 'Well?' he said, holding the lamp above his head; 'heard 
 any one V 
 
 ' Yes,' said Mr Braine in a low tone. ' You.' 
 
 ' You heard me speaking V 
 
 ' Every word you said.' 
 
 ' How unfortunate ! But where is my man ? There is no 
 one here.' 
 
 ' Thank goodness ! ' said Mr Braine. 'I was afraid the 
 poor fellow had been stabbed. But let 's look round.' 
 
 The lamp's light was directed in all directions, but there 
 was no sign except in one spot where the ground had been 
 trampled, and a climbing-plant torn down. 
 
 'We must try to follow the trail,' said the doctor; but 
 at that moment steps were heard, and the whisking noise of 
 some body passing through the bushes and shrubs the doctor 
 had collected about the back of his house. 
 
 'Who's that?' cried Mr Braine, sharply. 
 
 ' Only me, sor. Is the master there ? Oh, there you are, 
 sor. I wint after him, sor, for he made me a bit mad shticking 
 at me with his kris thing.' 
 
 'Are you wounded?' 
 
176 THE RAJAH OF DAH. 
 
 ' Only just a bit of a prick, sor. I 've put my liankychy 
 round it. In me arm here. It 's jist nawtliing.' 
 
 ' But who was it ? What does it mean V said the doctor, 
 hastily examining the man's arm, while Mr Braine held the 
 light. 
 
 ' Who was it, sor? Well, I hardly know. It was so dark, 
 but if I was to guess by the face of the man, I should say it 
 was Mr Tumongong — an' what a name for a gintleman !. — and 
 what does it mane ? Well, sor, I was having just a little whiff 
 out of me bamboo-pipe, and takking a look round, or a feel 
 round, it was so dark, before going to bed, when I heard a bit 
 of a rustle, and I backed under the house to get away, for I 
 • thought it was a tiger ; but it was a man, and he kept on 
 coming nearer till he was right underneath here, and close 
 to where we stand, and hiff ! ' 
 
 'Did 1 hurt you?' said the doctor, who was binding Tim's 
 wound. 
 
 ' Yes, sor, thank ye, sor. It did rather, but I don't mind. 
 Well, sor, he was listening to you gintlemen up-stairs ; and 
 as I thought it moighty ondacent, I laid howld of him, and 
 nipped him, and we scuffled a bit, and then he pricked me 
 wid his kris, and I hit him two or three cracks wid me fist, 
 for I had no stick. Then he went off in the dark, and I 
 afther him ; but there wasn't a chance of catching him, for he 
 went through the trees like a sarpent, and of course, sor, the 
 man who runs has a better chance than the man who runs 
 afther him.' 
 
 ' Did you see where he made for ?' said the doctor. 
 
 'And is it see on a night like this, sor?' 
 
 'No, no. Of course not. There, come into the house, it 
 must have been some scoundrel trying what he could pick up. 
 Come, Braine.' 
 
A TROUBLED NIGHT. 177 
 
 They went back up the stairs into the room where Mrs 
 Barnes and Mrs Braine were anxiously awaiting their coming, 
 and told them that it was only a scare. 
 
 ' Driscol heard some one about the place, and tried to hold 
 him,' the doctor said. ' Don't be alarmed.' 
 
 ' But I am alarmed,' said Mrs Barnes, excitedly. ' I am 
 sure there is some great trouble coming upon us.' 
 
 ' Then act like a true Englishwoman,' said the doctor ; 
 ' help your husband. Don't hinder him by being weak and 
 hysterical' 
 
 ' I '11 try,' said Mrs Barnes, speaking firmly. 
 
 'That's right. Now Braine, what do you propose doing 
 nextf 
 
 ' Nothing. "We must wait.' 
 
 'But Amy — my child? 
 
 ' I am thinking of her as much as you are,' said Mr Braine, 
 ' and I see no other course but to stand firm, and to give the 
 rajah to understand that such a thing as he is bent upon is 
 impossible. Mr Murray will stand by us.' 
 
 ' Yes,' said Mir Braine, moodily. ' But ' 
 
 ' For Heaven's sake, do not raise difficulties, man,' cried the 
 doctor. ' We can do nothing to-night, but rest and gain 
 strength for any trouble which may come to-morrow. — My 
 dear,' he continued to his wife, 'you will stay with Mrs 
 Barnes to-night; she and Amy will be glad, I am sure, of 
 your company.' 
 
 ' Indeed yes,' cried the doctor's wife, gratefully. 
 
 ' I can do no good, Barnes, so I will go on with Murray 
 here, and bring back Frank. Tou will send to me if there is 
 the slightest need. There, good-night, all. This has been a 
 scare, but it may have had its crisis, and a few days hence, I 
 hope we shall all be laughing at our fright.' 
 
178 THE RAJAH OF DAH. 
 
 He shook hands, ami moved towards the door. 
 
 ' Now, Greig, Murray,' he said. 
 
 But Murray was standing grasping Mrs Barnes's hand. 
 ' Tell her,' he whispered, ' that some means shall be devised 
 to save her from such another insult as this.' 
 
 Mrs Barnes pressed his hand; and then hastily shaking 
 hands with Mrs Braine and the doctor, lie hurried out into 
 the garden and joined the others, after which the Greigs 
 went to their own place. 
 
 ' Those boys will think we are never coming,' Murray 
 said, speaking more cheerily now. 
 
 'Well, we will soon relieve their anxiety,' replied Mr 
 Braine. ' Come, that 's better. We must not treat this as a 
 panic, and exaggerate the difficulty of our position.' 
 
 ' I do not,' said Murray, quietly. ' It needs no exagger- 
 ation. Look!' he whispered; 'we are followed, are we 
 not?' 
 
 'I can hardly see for the darkness. Possibly. His men 
 are always on the watch. No European monarch was ever 
 better served by his secret police.' 
 
 ' But tell me,' said Murray ; ' are you going back quietly 
 to your place as soon as you have fetched Frank V 
 
 ' Not directly, perhaps, but very soon. We had better 
 separate, and seem to be treating all this calmly, for our acts 
 are certain to be reported to the rajah.' 
 
 ' And what about our words at the house V 
 
 ' What ? the possibility of them having been heard, and the 
 information conveyed to the rajah?' 
 
 'Yes.' 
 
 'I cannot say. Let us both sleep on it. To-morrow I 
 may have some plan.' 
 
 ' And the boys. Are they to know V 
 
A TROUBLED NIGHT. 179 
 
 'As little as possible. Here wo are. llow quiet and 
 peaceful the place seems ! Asleep, I suppose. Tired of 
 waiting.' 
 
 There was a dim light in the house devoted to Murray and 
 his nephew; and as they reached the steps, the naturalist 
 felt a pang of annoyance at not seeing Hamet start up and 
 challenge them, for, as a rule, he was always in the veranda 
 on the watch. 
 
 ' It has been a long and weary day,' said Murray, with the 
 depression from which he suffered ali'ecting his voice. ' Will 
 you go on first?' 
 
 ' No ; you are the master ; lead on.' 
 
 Murray stopped short. 
 
 ' Look here,' he said. ' Let the boys sleep. Stop here 
 with me. I will soon make some coffee, and we will sit and 
 smoke and talk.' 
 
 ' No, no,' said Mr Braine, hastily. 
 
 'But it is hard indeed if we cannot hit out some 
 plan before morning. There, go up quietly. You will 
 stay V 
 
 ' No,' said Mr Braine, firmly. ' You forget what was said 
 when we came away. I must be at my own place in case 
 Barnes wants me.' 
 
 'Yes, of course,' said Murray, quickly. 'Then I will come 
 back with you. One minute. Let me see if the boys are 
 sleeping all right, and say a few words to Haniet.' 
 
 He sprang up the steps lightly, and entered the house, but 
 no Hamet was there to challenge him, neither were the boys 
 in the outer room stretched on the mats, as he expected to 
 find them — asleep. 
 
 Murray looked round quickly, and at a glance saw that the 
 guns had been brought in and hung on their slings, the two 
 
180 THE RAJAH OF DAH. 
 
 baskets containing the specimens shot, and the others were 
 hung upon the pegs arranged for the purpose, and the lamp 
 was burning dimly on the rough table. 
 
 He caught up the light, and shading it with his hand, 
 stepped lightly over the mats, and looked into the inner 
 room, drew a long deep breath, and stepped back to stand 
 thinking a few moments before he set down the lamp. 
 
 He stepped to the doorway. 
 
 ' Come up,' he said. 
 
 Braine obeyed. 
 
 ' Sleeping soundly V 
 
 ' Take the light. Look,' said Murray, in a low voice. 
 
 Mr Braine glaneed at him, surprised by his strange manner, 
 and then he caught up the light, and went and looked in the 
 room in his turn. 
 
 'Gone!' he said, in a low excited voice. 'What is the 
 meaning of this V 
 
 Murray shook his head. 
 
 ' There was no mistake about the directions ? I told Frank 
 to go home with your boy to bear him company, and to wait 
 until I came. Oh, I see. The foolish fellow ! He must 
 have misunderstood me, and taken Ned home with him. 
 They are waiting for us there.' 
 
 ' And Hamet 1 My follower V 
 
 ' Gone with them.' 
 
 ' He would not have known.' 
 
 ' Then the boys have been here. Frank was fagged out, 
 and said he would not wait for me any longer, and he has 
 gone home. Your boy and Hamet have accompanied him to 
 see him safely there.' 
 
 ' You are speaking without conviction, Braine,' said Murray, 
 sternly. ' You say this to comfort me, and you are thinking 
 
A TROUBLED NIGHT. 181 
 
 differently. "What does this mean ? "What desperate game is 
 this man playing 1 I swear that if harm has come to that 
 poor boy, though I die for it, I '11 shoot this rajah like a dog 
 — like the cowardly cur he is.' 
 
 ' Hush ! don't be hasty. You know that your threat 
 may have been heard, and will perhaps be reported to the 
 rajah.' 
 
 'Let them report it.' 
 
 ' Be sensible, man,' whispered Mr Braine. ' I feel all this as 
 keenly as you do, and I cling to the hope that we may find 
 the boys at my place. Come with me.' 
 
 Murray made no answer, but went to one of the cases he 
 had brought up the river in the boat, and took from it his 
 revolver and some cartridges, charged the weapon, and then 
 thrusting it into his breast, he turned to the Besident. 
 
 ' I am ready now,' he said, in a low harsh voice. ' Come 
 on.' 
 
 The bamboos creaked, and the house shook with the heavy 
 steps of the two men, as they went down, and conscious all 
 the time that they were watched, and fully expecting to have 
 their way barred at any moment, they retraced their steps, to 
 halt for a minute and listen, as they came opposite the 
 entrance to the doctor's garden. But all was silent there, and 
 the lamps were burning just inside the door. 
 
 c Come on,' whispered Mr Braine, with his voice trembling 
 with the intense strain from which he suffered. 
 
 The distance was very short, not many yards on in the 
 direction of the rajah's place, and here they crossed a carefully- 
 tended garden toward the veranda, about whose creepers the 
 fireflies were gleaming. 
 
 But there a low fierce voice challenged them from the dark- 
 ness, and Murray's hand flew to his breast. 
 
182 THE RAJAH OF DAH. 
 
 ' I, Yussuf,' said Mr Braine, quietly ; and then, in Malay, 
 he asked if the boys had come, and received his answer. 
 
 ' Not here, and they have not been,' he whispered to 
 Murray. 
 
 ' No. There is some other meaning to it,' said Murray, 
 sternly. ' The rajah has had them seized. To-morrow I was 
 to have been sent out of the way, but this is a fresh plan. 
 Is it in consequence of what was overheard at Doctor 
 Barnes's V 
 
 ' It is impossible to say,' replied Mr Braine. ' I am begin- 
 ning to feel bewildered. But we must be calm. No great harm 
 can have befallen them. It is part of some plan to force 
 Barnes to consent to this hateful marriage.' 
 
 ' Then we must take time by the forelock, and go.' 
 
 ' It is impossible, I tell you.' 
 
 'There is no such thing in a case like this, man,' cried 
 Murray, angrily. 'Have you not thought of what I feel?' 
 
 ' Sir,' retorted Mr Braine, bitterly, ' have you not thought 
 of what I feel V > 
 
 ' Forgive me,' said Murray, humbly. ' I am half mad with 
 rage and excitement. But, for pity's sake, propose something 
 upon which I can act. If I could be doing something, I could 
 bear it better.' 
 
 ' I can propose nothing,' said Mr Braine, sadly. ' We are 
 so surrounded by difficulties, so hedged in by danger, that 
 we cannot stir. You must remember that any premature 
 action on our part might hasten the catastrophe we want to 
 avert.' 
 
 ' But he would not dare ' 
 
 ' Murray ! ' replied Mr Braine, with energy, as they stood 
 there in the intense darkness, the speaker conscious that 
 several of the rajah's spearmen were close at hand, ' he would 
 
A TROUBLED NIGHT. 183 
 
 dare anything in his blind belief that he is too powerful for 
 the English government to attack him.' 
 
 'Then he must be taught.' 
 
 'And I,' continued Mr Braine, as if not hearing the 
 interruption, 'have been for years doing what seems now 
 to recoil on my unhappy head, strengthening his belief in 
 himself by training his people for him, and turning savages 
 into decent, well-drilled soldiers, who have made him the 
 dread of the country for hundreds of miles round.' 
 
 'Come on and tell Doctor Barnes,' said Murray at last, 
 and they hurried back, almost brushing against two sentries 
 standing among the trees, men who followed them silently, 
 and then paused as they entered the gates, where they were 
 joined by three more, looking shadowy and strange by the 
 fireflies' light. 
 
 As they reached the foot of the steps, the doctor stepped 
 forward, and then said that he would descend. 
 
 'She is asleep at last,' he whispered. 'Thank you for 
 coming. You need not be so anxious now. Go back, and I 
 promise you both that I will send Driscol on if there is the 
 slightest need of your help. There is not likely to be any- 
 thing but a quiet insistance on his part, and this must be 
 met firmly.' 
 
 ' There is likely to be something more than quiet insistance, 
 Doctor Barnes,' said Murray, sternly. ' We have come to 
 bring bad news. Those two lads have been spirited away.' 
 
 ' What ! ' cried the doctor, excitedly. ' No, no ; surely 
 not. They were favourites with the rajah. Some accident 
 or some prank. They are only boys ; perhaps my man 
 
 Driscol has No, no, no. He is here in the house. 
 
 But think again ; had they any idea of trying some kind of 
 night fishing, or shooting ? Yes, of course. I heard Frank 
 
184 THE RAJAH OP DAH. 
 
 tell my child that he was going to sit up and watch with a 
 Malay — of course — in the jungle, to try and trap or shoot a 
 specimen or two of the argus pheasant for you, Mr Murray. 
 — That is it, depend upon it, Braine.' 
 
 ' No,' said the Resident, despondently. ' He would not 
 have gone to-night after such a weary day, and he would not 
 have gone without telling me his plans. He told me every- 
 thing, even to his trifling fishing trips on the river. There 
 is something more — an accident, or he has been carried off.' 
 
 ' What ! by the crocodiles 1 ' said Murray, suddenly. 
 
 ' No, no ; I don't fear that. Come, man, we must be up 
 and at work now.' 
 
 ' What are you going to do ? ' asked Murray, eagerly, for 
 he was quivering with the intense desire he felt to be in 
 action. 
 
 ' I am going to the Tumongong. He has always been my 
 friend.' 
 
 ' The man who was watching and listening to-night ! ' 
 
 ' It could not have been the chief. He is too much of a 
 gentleman at heart. Your servant was mistaken. Come on, 
 Murray. We will come and tell you when we have been. 
 He must know what has been done.' 
 
 'He will not betray his master's secrets,' said Murray, 
 bitterly. ' It is more than his life is worth.' 
 
 ' I shall not ask him to do that,' said Mr Braine, slowly ; 
 ' but I think he will set our hearts at rest as to the safety 
 of our boys. Will you come?' 
 
 ' Yes,' said Murray, thoughtfully, ' I will come. No : I 
 cannot think of anything else having happened to them. 
 It must be the rajah's doing. Come on then, and let us 
 know their fate.' 
 
CHAPTEE XVI. 
 
 PRISONERS. 
 
 VEEYTHING looked dark as the Eesident and 
 Murray reached the Tuniongong's handsome resi- 
 dence — handsome, though merely erected of bam- 
 boo and palm — but as they approached the steps, 
 sounds were heard within, and very shortly after 
 being summoned, the rajah's officer appeared fully 
 dressed. 
 
 ' Can I speak to you without being overheard V said Mr 
 Braiue in English. 
 
 The Malay replied in his own tongue that he was prepared 
 to hear anything the Eesident had to say. 
 
 'But will what I say be overheard, I asked you?' cried Mi- 
 Brain e, impatiently, still speaking in English, so that Murray 
 might hear his words, knowing as he did that the Malay 
 perfectly understood everything. 
 
 ' I am quite ready to hear you,' replied the Tumongong. 
 ' And will what I say be carried to the rajah ? Look here, 
 Tumongong. I have always been on good terms with you 
 since I came here, though I do consider you acted unfairly 
 by me in not warning me in Malacca as to what my position 
 would be.' 
 
 ' I am the servant of his highness,' replied the officer, 
 'and I have my duty to do toward him. When I have 
 done that, I am your friend.' 
 
186 TIIE RAJAH OF DAH. 
 
 ' Then tell me this : those two boys, my son and his 
 young companion — where are they V 
 
 Dark as it was, Murray saw the Malay start, but he was 
 perfectly calm the next moment. 
 
 ' I do not know,' he said. 
 
 'Is this the truth V 
 
 ' I do not know where they are,' replied the Malay. 
 
 ' Have they been seized by the rajah's orders % ' 
 
 ' I do not know. The rajah, our master, is king, and does 
 what seems good to him.' 
 
 Mr Braine made an impatient gesture, but masking his 
 anger, he said appealingly : 
 
 'Tumongong, you have always been my friend, and the 
 friend of my boy. I am in agony about his fate. He and 
 his young friend have disappeared since we left the rajah's 
 to-night. Tell me where he is.' 
 
 ' I do not know.' 
 
 ' Is he safe 1 ' 
 
 ' I do not know.' 
 
 'You do know, and you will not speak,' cried Mr Braine 
 passionately. ' The rajah has had them seized.' 
 
 ' The rajah is my master, and does what is good in his own 
 eyes. If he has done this thing, it is wise and good. I do 
 not know.' 
 
 'Then I will go to the rajah himself, and he shall tell 
 me.— Ah !' 
 
 Murray had been standing listening impatiently to this 
 conversation, a portion of which was translated to him, but 
 he had now suddenly grasped his companion's arm, and drawn 
 his attention to the open place or veranda at the top of the 
 steps, and upon Mr Braine looking up, he dimly saw that 
 there was a figure standing there with a group of others 
 
PRISONERS. 187 
 
 behind, and in spite of the gloom he had no difficulty hi 
 seeing who the foremost figure was, and comprehending 
 why the Tumongong had been so guarded in his replies to 
 them. 
 
 Mr Braine addressed himself to the dimly-seen figure at 
 once, speaking now in the Malay tongue. 
 
 ' Your highness has heard all I have said,' he cried. ' Tell 
 mo, has some accident befallen those two boys, or have they 
 been taken away by your orders?' 
 
 It seemed to be a different man entirely who was now 
 speaking, and though Murray could not comprehend a word, 
 he grasped the rajah's meaning plainly enough, as he uttered 
 what was evidently a command, to which Mr Braine spoke 
 again sharply now. 
 
 The rajah uttered a low guttural word, and Murray now 
 cried : ' What does he say?' 
 
 'Go!' 
 
 ' But I insist,' cried Murray. 
 
 The rajah spoke again, and a dozen armed men ran from 
 behind and leaped actively to the ground. 
 
 Murray's hand darted to his breast, but Mr Braine caught 
 his wrist. 
 
 ' Madness ! ' he said. ' Wait.' 
 
 'But' 
 
 'Do you want to throw away two lives that are valuable 
 to our friends ?' whispered the Resident. ' Do as I do. It 
 is folly to resist now.' 
 
 That moment the rajah spoke again, the men formed up 
 around Murray and Mr Braine, and their leader said some- 
 thing to the latter. 
 
 'Come, Murray,' he said, bitterly. 'I have drilled these 
 men to some purpose. We are prisoners, I suppose.' 
 
188 THE RAJAH OP DAH. 
 
 He took his companion's arm, and they were marched off 
 through the darkness. 
 
 'Where will they take us?' said Murray, who was raging 
 with pain and indignation at his inability to struggle against 
 such force. 
 
 ' To a boat, I suppose, and then put us on board one of the 
 prahus,' replied Mr Braine. 'I might have known what 
 would come of all these years of service.' 
 
 They marched on in silence for a minute or two, and then 
 Mr Braine uttered an ejaculation full of surprise; for their 
 guards faced round to the left, and marched the prisoners 
 into the Resident's own garden, where the leader said a few 
 words and pointed up. 
 
 ' Prisoner in my own place V said Mr Braine to the officer. 
 
 'His highness commands that neither you nor the bird 
 man leaves the house till he gives orders.' 
 
 ' It might have been worse, Murray,' said Mr Braine, as 
 they ascended the steps, and dimly made out that the leader of 
 the little party of guards was posting his men here and 
 there. 
 
 ' Been worse ! ' said Murray, angrily, as he threw himself 
 upon a divan, 'impossible !' 
 
 'Possible,' said Mr Braine, quietly. 'We are not quite 
 prisoners, and are at liberty to plot and plan. They are very 
 cunning, these people ; but we English have some bTains. It 
 must be getting on toward morning. Let 's have some coffee, 
 and a quiet smoke.' 
 
 'Oh, how can you take things so quietly !' cried Murray. 
 
 ' Because I am more at ease. Those boys are alive. He 
 would not kill them. He felt that they were in the way of 
 his plans. They must have done something to make him act 
 as he has done.' 
 
PRISONERS. 1 89 
 
 'If I conld only bo sure of that,' said Murray, 'it would 
 be one trouble the less.' 
 
 Mr Braiue clapped his hands. A quiet-looking Malay 
 entered the room, trimmed the lamp, and went out again, to 
 return with water-pipes and a pan of charcoal ; after which 
 he retired as silently as he came, and once more entered 
 bearing a tray with coffee. 
 
 ' Smoke, drink your coffee, my dear fellow,' said Mr Braine, 
 quietly. 
 
 ' I cannot' 
 
 ' You must, man ; you want your brain clear and your 
 body rested.' 
 
 ' How can you speak so coolly, with those poor people in 
 such agony?' 
 
 ' Because I am helping them — or preparing to,' said Mr 
 Braine, cheerfully. ' Then the game is not lost ; be guided by 
 me, and you shall marry Amy, and some day we will talk 
 and chat over these troubles, which time will soften, and they 
 will not be so horrible then.' 
 
 'But if it comes to the worst,' cried Murray. 'If this 
 wretched despot, presuming on his power, insists upon that 
 
 poor girl becoming his wife Wife ? X o ; it is an insult 
 
 to the name.' 
 
 'He will not succeed,' said Mr Braine, sternly; 'even 
 monarchs are not all-powerful. The night before the mar- 
 riage, if everything else has been tried, that man will 
 die.' 
 
 ' What .' be murdered ?' cried Murray, in horrified tones. 
 
 ' .No ; the cup of his iniquities will be" full ; he will he 
 adjudged worthy of death ; he will die, and a new rajah will 
 reign.' 
 
 ' A new rajah ! Who will it be V 
 
190 THE RAJAH OF DAH. 
 
 ' Hush ! ' these places are very thin ; our words might be 
 heard.' 
 
 ' But tell me. You can trust me.' 
 
 ' Hist ! some one.' 
 
 There was a foot upon the steps, and the Tumongong 
 entered and saluted both gravely. 
 
 ' His highness bids me tell you,' said the officer, ' that 
 he does not forget the many good services you have done for 
 him. He desires now that you content yourselves by staying 
 here, where you will have everything you desire.' 
 
 ' Except liberty,' said Mr Braine, bitterly. 
 
 'Except liberty,' replied the Tumongong. 'Good-night. 
 Sleep. Be obedient, and your lives are safe.' 
 
 He bowed and left them, and as soon as he was out of 
 hearing, Mr Braine told Murray what had passed. 
 
 ' Then our lives are safe V 
 
 'If we are obedient.' 
 
 'I shall be obedient till I see an opportunity to strike, 
 sir. But go on ; tell me who will reign in his stead.' 
 
 ' That man,' said Mr Braine, quietly puffing at his pipe. 
 
 'The Tumongong?' 
 
 'Yes. Still waters run deep.' 
 
 'But' 
 
 ' Hush, man ! Keep that in your breast. I know, and I 
 am certain. He is our friend, but is compelled to act as he 
 does. You saw just now — you heard his words — so did the 
 Malays by the door, and every sentence will be reported to 
 the rajah,' said Mr Braine. 
 
 'Yes.' 
 
 'If the tyrant dreamed that his officer was friendly to- 
 ward us to the extent of trying to give us help, he would be 
 marched to the river bank at sunrise ; there would be another 
 
PRISONERS. 
 
 191 
 
 execution, and the world would hold one honest man the less. 
 Now, drink your coffee, and lie back and sleep.' 
 
 ' I cannot.' 
 
 ' You must. We can do nothing but wait the turn of 
 affairs, and the more coolly we take these matters, the better 
 able we shall be to act. Now try and rest.' 
 
 Murray shook his head, and sat wondering how a man 
 whose son had been suddenly snatched from him could drop 
 into a calm and restful sleep. Then he wondered how Amy 
 and the ladies were, and then he ceased wondering, for when 
 the sun rose above the river mist and the tops of the jungle 
 trees, it shone in between the mats hanging over the doorway, 
 lighting up the Resident's room, and the divan where Murray 
 lay back utterly exhausted, and now fast asleep. 
 
CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 WHERE THE BOYS WERE. 
 
 OESNT matter out here, doesn't it?' said Ned. 
 'Well, I tell you what it is. I shall talk to 
 uncle about it, and he '11 speak to the doctor, and 
 tell him it would be disgraceful.' 
 
 ' Don't talk so loudly ; those fellows are close 
 behind.' 
 ' But they can't talk English.' 
 
 ' No ; but some of them have heard so much that I often 
 think they understand a little of what is said.' 
 ' I don't see any one about.' 
 
 ' Perhaps not, but they 're following us all the same, and if 
 you were to make a rush off now, very likely you 'd run up 
 against one of them, ready to stop you. But I don't know,' 
 continued Erank, looking stealthily about ; ' I 've got regular 
 cat's eyes now, with going to the jungle edge of a night to set 
 and watch traps with the men. I don't see any one about. 
 What do you say to a walk down to the jetty V 
 'What for?' 
 
 'To hear the crocodiles at play. They have fine games 
 there of a night, splashing and chasing one another.' 
 ' Oh no. I 'm too tired, really.' 
 
 ' You are a chap ! Why, we might take one of the boats 
 and have a row. Go off to one of the prahus, and startle 
 
WHERE THE BOYS WERE. 193 
 
 the beggars. No, that wouldn't do, because they might 
 throw spears at us.' 
 
 ' But they couldn't hit us if they did.' 
 
 ' Couldn't they ! You don't know. They throw them 
 splendidly. Why, I know fellows here who could hit you 
 with a spear every time at thirty yards, and send the thing 
 right through you.' 
 
 'Ugh!' ejaculated Ned, with a shudder. 'Come along, 
 and we '11 get Hamet to give us some coffee.' 
 
 'And bring us pipes. I say, let's try and smoke.' 
 
 ' Nonsense ! ' 
 
 ' "Well then, let 's go down to the jetty. You can see the 
 fireflies down by the river-side. They look wonderful on the 
 other bank.' 
 
 'Then let the monkeys and crocodiles look at them. I 
 don't want to look at anything. I 'm so tired.' 
 
 ' Then sit in a sampan, and I '11 row you about among the 
 crocs.' 
 
 ' I 'm not going to sit in Sam's pan or anybody else's pan,' 
 cried Ned. 'I want to lie down and rest. That elephant 
 has shaken me all to pieces, and I 'm so sore ; I 'm just as if 
 I had been caned all over.' 
 
 ' Perhaps you have,' said Frank, laughingly. ' Your uncle 
 has been giving it to you. I say though, seriously, I '11 ask 
 the rajah to give you a set of native togs. You 'd find them 
 so cool and comfortable.' 
 
 ' And look just such a guy as you do.' 
 
 ' You want me to punch your head, Ned. Guy, indeed ! ' 
 
 'Do. Try.' 
 
 ' Not I. Ill-tempered beggar, that 's what you are. I say, 
 there are no guards watching us. Let 's go and have a game 
 somewhere.' 
 
194 THE RAJAH OP DAH. 
 
 ' Yes, a game at coffee and cushions,' said Ned. ' Here we 
 are. — I say, Hamet, can you give us some coffee, quick?' 
 
 The Malay was busy arranging the rifle and guns which 
 had been used that day, and he nodded ; but, instead of hurry- 
 ing to prepare the meal, he laid his hand on Ned's arm. 
 
 ' Something wrong V he said. ' Trouble V 
 
 ' Oh, I don't know,' replied Ned, carelessly ; ' nothing 
 much. "Why do you ask?' 
 
 'Hamet think so,' he said, his peculiar pronunciation 
 sounding strange. ' The master want to go away back down 
 the river?' 
 
 ' Eh ? Yes, but we can't. They have taken the boat and 
 the men.' 
 
 ' Yes ; but Hamet knows where now. Always been try to 
 find boat and men.' 
 
 'But you couldn't find them. My uncle can't, and you 
 don't know, do you, Frank V 
 
 ' No ; they took them all right away somewhere. But 
 never mind about them. You can have the rajah's boats 
 when you like, and you don't want to go away.' 
 
 'How do you know?' replied Ned, thoughtfully. 'We 
 might want to go perhaps all in a hurry, and it would be 
 handy to know where our own boat and men are.' 
 
 'Oh, bother! Don't be shabby, and talk about going. 
 We've had no fun at all hardly yet. Where's that 
 coffee?' 
 
 ' But it would be handy to know where the boat is kept in 
 case of there being trouble ; and I know my uncle has been 
 annoyed at its being so hidden away.' 
 
 ' Yes ; the master angry,' assented Hamet. 'My boat — my 
 men.' 
 
 'And you know where it is?' said Frank. 
 
WHERE THE BOYS WERE. 195 
 
 ' Yes ; one of my men came and told me to-night. They 
 
 all want to go back home, and they are kept at work.' 
 ' Yes ! ' exclaimed Ned, ' we ought to know.' 
 ' Very well then,' cried Frank, rather ill-humouredly ; ' he 
 
 knows where the boat is, and when you 've done collecting, 
 
 and we 've had no end more trips, you can get your things on 
 
 board again, and go.' 
 
 ' But we ought to know too,' said Ned, ' in case of there 
 
 being trouble. We might want to go in a hurry.' 
 
 'Yes; that's right,' grumbled Frank. 'Well, you are 
 
 shabby. I haven't had a companion for years now ; and as 
 
 soon as I 've got one, you want to take him away.' 
 ' But you used to do without one before I came.' 
 ' Yes ; but then I hadn't had one. I say, never mind about 
 
 all that. Settle down here till we all go. Perhaps we shall 
 
 some day.' 
 
 'Hamet show the young master where the boat is?' 
 
 ' Yes,' said Ned eagerly ; and he forgot his weariness in 
 
 the desire to know that which had been concealed from 
 
 him. 
 
 'Why, I thought you were too tired to stir,' cried Frank. 
 
 'I wanted you to go down to the river to a boat, and you 
 
 were gruff and wouldn't come.' 
 
 ' Hamet did not say down by the river.' 
 
 'Where do you suppose it is, then?' cried Frank, laughing; 
 
 'up in a tree?' 
 
 'Yes ; down the river. Hamet knows.' 
 
 'Let 's go and see where it is, Frank,' said Ned eagerly. 
 
 'What for ? I 'm too tired now.' 
 
 ' Suppose you and your father wanted to go too.' 
 
 'We should have a naga ard plenty of the rajah's men.' 
 
 ' No, you would not. He would not let you go.' 
 
196 THE RAJAH OP DAH. 
 
 ' No more lie would,' said Frank, thoughtfully. ' All right 
 then, if you really mean to go, I '11 come. I can guess where 
 it is, though, and it will not be a very nice walk.' 
 
 ' Not far. Soon go,' said Hainet. ' Then the master know 
 if he want boat.' 
 
 ' Are the men in it V said Ned. 
 
 ' No. All on board big prahu.' 
 
 ' Let 's go and see, Frank.' 
 
 'Very well, but you mean "feel." Why not wait till 
 morning?' 
 
 ' No can go then,' said Hamet, quickly. 
 
 'Very good reason,' said Frank, as thoughtful now as his 
 companion. 'Yes, we might as well know. My father has 
 often said he wished we had a boat of our own that we could 
 use if we wanted to go away in a hurry, because the rajah bad 
 gone in a mad fit.' 
 
 ' Young masters come ?' 
 
 ' Yes. Go on and we '11 follow,' said Frank ; ' but look out 
 for the crocs.' 
 
 Hamet gave them a keen look, held up his hand, and 
 threw himself down, crawled to the doorway, and out on to 
 the veranda. 
 
 ' Looking out for squalls,' said Frank, laughingly. 
 
 In a minute Hamet was back. 
 
 'Can't see men. All dark. No one. No speak. Keep 
 close to Hamet.' 
 
 ' Yes ; we '11 follow,' said Ned, and after lowering the lamp 
 a little by putting the wick back amongst the oil, they crept 
 out on to the veranda, where all listened for a time and tried 
 to pierce the darkness. 
 
 It was very quiet. Only a cry from the jungle, and a faint 
 splash from the river; and descending quickly, Hamet took 
 
WHERE THE BOYS WERE. 197 
 
 about a dozen paces at a run, and then stopped for the boys to 
 overtake him. 
 
 'No one. No spears,' he whispered, evidently fully con- 
 vinced that his sharp run would have in some way brought 
 him in contact with the guard if they had been there. 
 
 Then, going off quickly in the direction of the jetty, he 
 turned off when about half-way there, and led his young 
 companions in and out among the houses, and after passing 
 them, away along the edge of the rice-fields that skirted the 
 village, the boys following in perfect silence for about a 
 quarter of an hour, when Frank whispered : ' He 's going 
 wrong, right away from the river.' 
 
 'St — st!' whispered Hamet, and he went on again for 
 another ten minutes, before Prank tried to speak again. 
 
 'It 's all right,' he said. ' I know: it isn't where I thought. 
 There 's a creek runs right up ever so far among the rice-fields. 
 I never went there, but that 's where he is going.' 
 
 ' St — st ! ' whispered Hamet. 
 
 ' Oh bother ! You need not be so particular now. "We 're 
 right away from all the houses. Nobody would be down 
 here. — I say, Ned, how do you like your walk?' 
 
 ' It 's very dark and awkward,' said Ned ; ' but I don't 
 mind. I should like to be able to tell uncle where the boat is.' 
 
 They had now reached a part where trees were growing 
 pretty thickly, and it was only by keeping close to their 
 guide that they were able to make their way onward ; but 
 this confusing part of their journey was soon over, for Hamet 
 suddenly stood fast as if puzzled, and uttered a word or two 
 in a tone full of vexation. 
 
 'He can't find it after all,' cried Frank. 'Oh, what a 
 bother, to drag us all this way for nothing.' 
 
 'Hah !' ejaculated the Malay, and catching Ned's hand, he 
 
198 THE RAJAH OP DAH. 
 
 drew him through the trees at right angles to their former 
 course, and again suddenly stopped. 
 
 ' "Well, which way now V asked Ned. ' Can't you find it V 
 
 'The boat — the boat!' whispered Haniet, and drawing 
 Ned's arm out to full length, he made him stoop a little in the 
 black darkness, with the result that the boy's hand rustled 
 among the leaves of the attap covering. 
 
 'It's here, Frank,' he said excitedly, and pressing down 
 now with both hands, he felt the boat yield and then stop. 
 
 ' Yes, that 's a boat, sure enough,' said Frank, who now felt 
 about the top of the awning. ' Yes, and I can feel the poles 
 and oars. Why, this is quite a narrow ditch, only just wide 
 enough to hold it. I 've got hold of a rope, too. It 's tied 
 up to a cocoa-nut palm ; I know the thing by the feel.' 
 
 ' Yes ; the boat,' whispered Hamet. 
 
 ' All right. Then now you know where your own boat is, 
 Ned, and when you are tired of us all, you can jump in and 
 say "Good-bye."' 
 
 ' Or take yon with us,' said Ned. ' I don't want to go 
 away from you. Not so ungrateful as you think. Oh, don't ! 
 You needn't hug me like that. I say : don't act like a great 
 girl. Ah, Ham' 
 
 Then silence. For Ned felt, as he believed, his companion 
 fling his arms affectionately about him, and so roughly that 
 he bore him back. He felt the silken baju and sarong and 
 the hilt of the kris against him, and then he went down 
 heavily. Frank was evidently playing him some foolish 
 trick, and he had clapped a hand now over his mouth to keep 
 him from making a noise, and betraying their whereabouts. 
 
 Then a horrible pang of fear ran through him, for there 
 were smothered sounds and scuffling going on close by, leaves 
 cracked and stalks and twigs snapped, and directly after the 
 
WHERE THE BOTS WERE. 199 
 
 hand was removed, and lie opened Iris mouth to cry out, but 
 something soft was thrust in, then a cloth was dragged over 
 his head, his amis were bound to his body, and he felt him- 
 self lifted up, and carried by a couple of men. 
 
 'A piece of treachery,' he thought. 'And we trusted 
 Hamet so. Poor Frank ! Is he being served the same?' 
 
 He got as far as that point, and then the heat and the 
 oppression caused by the gag so nearly stifled him that his 
 brain grew confused; there was a sensation of giddiness 
 and a singing in his ears. 
 
 'They are choking me,' he thought; and he made a 
 desperate struggle to get his hands to his lips, and then he 
 remembered no more till he felt a sensation of something cool 
 being trickled between his lips. It tasted bitter hut pleasant, 
 and in his half-insensible state he swallowed the grateful 
 beverage, and swallowed again and again. 
 
 Then forgetfulness stole over him once, and he knew no 
 more, till he opened his eyes and saw the level rays of the sun 
 shining through the open doorway on to the mats that formed 
 the side of the room. 
 
 ' Going to get up, uncle V he said, and then he stared, for 
 a couple of dark faces were thrust in to stare at him, and as 
 he looked quickly round, he could not see the guns on the 
 walls, nor his uncle's specimens hanging out of reach of the 
 ants, nor yet his uncle ; but close beside him, lying on a mat, 
 the figure of Frank, evidently fast asleep. 
 
 The two swarthy-looking faces were withdrawn slowly, and 
 Xed turned, seized Frank by the shoulder, and shook him 
 violently. 
 
 'Don't, father!' was the result, as Frank spoke, without 
 unclosing his eyes. ' Let me lie a bit longer. My head is 
 so bad.' 
 
200 THE RAJAH OF DAH. 
 
 ' Frank, old chap, wake up. "Where are we ? What does 
 it all mean?' 
 
 The boy opened his eyes and sat up, stared round, rubbed 
 himself, and then gazed at his companion. 
 
 'I — what does it mean? I — what — I remember now. 
 Some one jumped on me and stuffed something into my 
 mouth. I thought it was you then. It was that Hamet. 
 What does he mean ? Here, we 're not tied now ; let 's get 
 out of this. I say, where 's my kris ?' 
 
 He sprang up, and Ned followed his example, both making 
 for the doorway, but only to be confronted directly by four 
 spearmen, who effectually barred the way. 
 
 'Eh,' said Frank, thoughtfully, 'that's it, is it? 'Tisn't 
 one of Haniet's games. Here you,' he continued, speaking 
 now in Malay ; ' what does all this mean ? Why are we 
 brought here V 
 
 One of the men answered respectfully enough, and Frank 
 turned from the door to face his companion. 
 
 ' Those are the rajah's chaps, and that fellow says we are 
 to stay here. I know : they thought we were going to cut off 
 in that boat. Here you, where 's Hamet ?' 
 
 The man addressed looked at him half smilingly, but made 
 no reply. 
 
 ' He won't speak,' said Frank, impatiently. ' It 's no good 
 to try. You might as well ask questions of a cocoa-nut. I 
 hope they haven't given him the kris. Here, you : tell me 
 this — Hamet — has he had the kris?' 
 
 This too in Malay, and the man addressed smiled now, but 
 he would not answer, and Frank gave it up. 
 
 ' I don't think they 've killed him, or they wouldn't look so 
 civil. Perhaps they've only shut him up like us. Well, 
 I 'm glad we went to see where the boat was.' 
 
But only to be confronted directly by four spearmen, who effectually 
 barred the way. 
 
WHERE THE BOYS WERE. 
 
 201 
 
 'Oh, I say, ilon't reproach me !' cried Xed. 'I did all for 
 the best. Then we 've been sleeping here all night. I never 
 knew.' 
 
 ' Xot you. They gave us some stuff, I know.' 
 
 ' But my uncle ! He '11 think I 'm lost, or gone into the 
 river, or something. What will he say V 
 
 ' Oh, bother your uncle ! ' cried Frank, petulantly. ' I 'm 
 thinking about my poor old dad.' 
 
CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 A^t 
 
 A FRIENDLY HAND. 
 
 i HE two boys stood staring thoughtfully at each 
 other that bright, sunny morning, for some 
 
 minutes before Ned spoke again. 
 
 ' They will not kill us, will they V he said. 
 'Kill us? No. I should just like to catch 
 them at it. The brutes ! To take away my kris 
 too. There's going to be a row about this as soon as my 
 father knows.' 
 
 ' Then you think it 's all a mistake V 
 
 ' Of course it is. I shouldn't have wondered if they 'd 
 shut you up like this, but you sec they 've shut up me.' 
 
 'Well, you're of no more consequence than I am,' said 
 Ned, laughing in spite of his trouble and a throbbing head. 
 
 ' No more consequence than you ? Why, I Ve done as 
 much as I liked about here for ever so long, and the people 
 have treated me just as if I were the rajah's son. It's all 
 your fault.' 
 
 ' I suppose so,' said Ned, dismally. 
 
 ' But if they think they 're going to do just as they like, 
 they're mistaken. Here !' he cried in Malay, * water.' 
 
 There was a bit of a bustle out on the veranda, and two 
 men came in with brass basins and cotton cloths, which they 
 bold while, without hesitation, Frank began to bathe his 
 face. 
 
A FRIENDLY HAND. 203 
 
 It was a good example, and Ned followed suit, the cool, 
 fresh water feeling delightful to his heated hrow. 
 
 'Done?' said Frank, as he wiped his hands. 
 
 'Yes.' 
 
 ' Take away, and bring breakfast,' cried Frank, haughtily, 
 to the men, who bowed and went off with the water and 
 towels.' 
 
 ' 1 11 lot them see whether they 're going to treat me like 
 a prisoner,' cried Frank. 
 
 'I wish I could be as bumptious as you are with them,' 
 said Ned, with a faint smile. 
 
 'You don't try.' 
 
 ' I 'm so anxious.' 
 
 ' Oh, it 's of no use to be anxious,' said Frank, gazing out 
 of the door, and then through the window with its bamboo 
 lattice-work. 
 
 'Which house are we in'?' 
 
 'I don't know. I was trying to make out, but you can 
 only see trees. I do believe they 've taken us up the river 
 somewhere. I don't know, though. These houses are all 
 abke. It isn't the Tumongong's, nor the Muntrie's, nor the 
 Maharajah Lela's. Yes, I believe they've taken us up the 
 river. The old chap has houses in all sorts of places out 
 in the jungle, where he likes to go and hide himself some- 
 times, but I don't see any fun in his hiding us.' 
 
 ' Then they brought us up here. But how V 
 
 ' In a naga, of course.' 
 
 'But in our sleep, or while we were insensible?' 
 
 'Insensible, if you like to call it so. They must have 
 given us some stuff. They've all kinds of dodges of that 
 sort, bless 'em ! You should hear Doctor Barnes talk about 
 the poisons they use.' 
 
204 THE EAJAII OP DAII. 
 
 ' I should like to — now,' said Ned, drily. 
 
 ' And so you shall — before long. I '11 soon get you out of 
 this. Yes,' he continued, ' this is one of the old boy's places. 
 See how fine the mats arc, and how the walls are covered. 
 But never mind now, my head 's better, and here 's our 
 breakfast.' 
 
 For the two men entered as the boys came back into the 
 main room opening on to the veranda from an inspection of 
 two side-places beautifully hung and covered with mats. 
 Then a third man entered, and as Frank nonchalantly 
 seated himself on the matting floor, Ned followed his 
 example, and an excellent breakfast was placed before 
 them. 
 
 'Not bad for being prisoners,' said Frank, as ho ate away; 
 while, after the first few mouthfuls, Ned's appetite increased, 
 and he began to enjoy the meal. 
 
 ' That 's right. Euminate away, old chap. There 's nothing 
 to pay. It 's the rajah's orders, sure enough, or we shouldn't 
 be fed like this. He isn't going to kill us.' 
 
 'Think not V 
 
 ' Sure of it, unless he 's going to fatten us up, and then try 
 whether we 're good to eat.' 
 
 ' I wish I had such good spirits as you have.' 
 
 ' Oh, I 'm getting better now. Here you, send in the head 
 man,' cried Frank to one of their attendants. 
 
 The man bowed respectfully, and withdrew to the veranda, 
 where they heard him speak, and directly after one of the 
 party, evidently a man of some consequence from his silken 
 sarong, came in. 
 
 ' I want my kris,' said Frank. 
 
 The man smiled, and shook his head. 
 
 ' You give it me directly. It was the rajah's present.' 
 
A FRIENDLY HAND. 205 
 
 ' You will run amok,' said the man. 
 
 'No. I promise. An English gentleman's promise,' said 
 Frank. 
 
 The man thrust his hand under his silken robe, and 
 produced the handsome weapon. 
 
 ' An English gentleman does not break his word,' he said, 
 giving the kris to the boy. 
 
 ' Of course he doesn't. Thank you,' said Frank, replacing 
 the dagger at his waist, and covering up the hilt with a 
 significant look at the man, who smiled and withdrew, while 
 the boy interpreted the words which his companion had 
 failed to grasp. 
 
 The meal being ended, they rose ; the men came and 
 cleared away, and as soon as they were alone again, Ned 
 looked at Frank. 
 
 'What next?' he said. 
 
 ' Ah, that 's the puzzle ! Here we are, like two dicky-birds 
 in a cage, and they won't let us go out. If they keep us 
 shut up long like this, it will be horrid. I wish I could send 
 father word.' 
 
 ' Could we escape ?' 
 
 'I don't know. We might try. What a muddle, to be 
 sure. They think we were going to run away with Hamet, 
 and we may talk for ever and they wouldn't believe us.' 
 
 ' But we can't sit here and do nothing.' 
 
 ' No ; it will be horribly dull. Those Malay fellows like 
 it. They can sit in the sun all d«y and chew betel. We 
 can't. All we can do is to sit and eat fruit, and you can't 
 keep up doing that always.' 
 
 Sure enough the party of Malays, ten strong, who acted as 
 their guard in the palm-thatched house, and attended to 
 every want instantly, did sit in and below the veranda in 
 
206 THE RAJAH OF DAH. 
 
 the sun chewing betel, with their eyes half closed, till, to use 
 Ned's words, it nearly drove him mad. 
 
 Frank tried persuasion, bribery, threats, and then force, to 
 get out if only for a walk ; but in a patient good-humoured 
 way the chief and his followers refused to let them pass oven 
 out on to the veranda; and all the boys knew at last of 
 their position, as the sun went down, was that which they 
 had learned at sunrise : they were in a house somewhere deep 
 in the jungle, shut in by trees. 
 
 ' Can't we get away when it 's dark?' said Ned. 
 
 'Get away where?' cried Frank, ill-humouredly. 'You 
 ought to know by this time that you can't get through the 
 jungle without men to chop for you.' 
 
 ' But there must be a path by which they brought 
 us.' 
 
 ' Yes ; one leading down to the river, where you could get 
 no farther for want of a boat, and trust 'em, they '11 watch 
 that night and day. Fellows who know they '11 have a kris 
 stuck into them, and be pitched into the river if they let a 
 prisoner escape, look out pretty sharp.' i 
 
 It was rapidly growing dark when Frank, who had tried 
 lying down, sitting cross-legged, standing up, walking about, 
 and lying on his chest, with his elbows on the bamboo flooring 
 and his chin in his hands, suddenly exclaimed : ' Have some 
 more durian ?' 
 
 'No, thank you.' 
 
 ' Some mangosteens V 
 
 'No, I 've had enough.' 
 
 'Try some of those little bananas.' 
 
 ' No — no — no, I couldn't eat any more fruit.' 
 
 'No more can I. Shall we tell them to bring us some 
 curry to finish off with ?' 
 
A FRIENDLY HAND. 207 
 
 ' Oh, I say, don't talk any more about eating,' cried Ned ; 
 'we seem to have clone nothing else all day.' 
 
 ' Well, there wasn't anything else to do. — I know.' 
 
 'What?' 
 
 ' Let 's catch the jungle fever. Then they '11 be obliged to 
 take us back to tho doctor.' 
 
 ' Nonsense ! But I say, Frank, if it 's so miserable and 
 wearisome to be shut up like this for a day, what will it be 
 by-and-by?' 
 
 'I don't know. Never mind by-and-by,' said Frank. 
 ' 'Nough to do to think of just now. What shall we do V 
 
 ' Go to sleep and forget it till to-morrow morning,' said 
 Ned philosophically. 
 
 'Come,' cried Frank; 'that's the best thing you've said 
 to-day. All right.' 
 
 It was now so dark that they had to feel their way into 
 the inner room, where they lay down. on the mats with their 
 heads close to the side, and they had hardly settled themselves 
 comfortably when the chief entered the main room followed 
 by two men, one of whom bore a lamp. 
 
 The principal Malay looked sharply round, and then said to 
 Frank, who lay on his back with his hands under his head : 
 'Does my lord want anything else?' 
 
 'Yes. You to go and not bother,' replied the boy 
 ungraciously. 
 
 'Can we bring him anything ?' 
 
 ' Yes ; a boat to take us home.' 
 
 'Shall I leave the light V 
 
 'No ; take it away. I 'm sleepy.' 
 
 The man bowed, backed out with his followers, the matting 
 was dropped between the two rooms and then over the door- 
 way as they passed into the veranda. 
 
208 THE EAJAH OF DAII. 
 
 ' That 's the way to talk to them,' said Frank, peevishly. 
 
 ' You weren't very civil.' 
 
 ' Well, who 's going to be to people who shut you up. 
 It 's no use to be " my lord " without you behave like one. 
 Now let 'a go to sleep.' 
 
 Easier said than done. First in the hot darkness came the 
 ping-wing of a mosquito, then the restless sound made by the 
 boys fidgeting about, and the low dull murmur of the men 
 talking in the veranda. 
 
 'What's that?' said Ned, suddenly. 
 
 ' Bother ! Go to sleep. Only our chaps walking under- 
 neath to see if all 's safe below. I say,' he added, after a 
 pause, ' I know what I shall do if they don't let us out soon.' 
 
 ' What V 
 
 ' Say I want to learn to smoke — late some evening.' 
 
 ' And make yourself sick.' 
 
 ' No ; I '11 make them sick. They '11 bring a pipe and 
 some burning charcoal.' 
 
 'To light the pipe?' 
 
 ' No ; it will be to light this jolly old bamboo house. It 
 will blaze up like fun.' 
 
 'And roast us to death?' 
 
 ' Not it. We won't be inside. Perhaps we can run away 
 in the scrimmage.' 
 
 Silence again, and hot, weary, and miserable, the boys lay 
 there in the darkness, till a peculiar sound struck Ned's ear. 
 
 'Asleep?' be said. 
 
 ' No ; who 's going to sleep if you talk so. Yes, there it is 
 again. Hurrah I' 
 
 'Then you did bear that sound?' 
 
 'Hear it? Yes. Know what it is?' 
 
 'I thought it was a crocodile in'the river.' 
 
A FRIENDLY HAND. 209 
 
 ' So it is, and it shows that tho river isn't fur oil'. I wish 
 there were none, and then we 'd cut down some hamboos and 
 float away to the village. But not to-night. Let 's go to 
 sleep.' 
 
 There was again silence, with the hot air growing unbear- 
 able, and Ned had just made up his mind to undress, when 
 from out of the jungle, plainly heard through the thin plaited 
 bamboo and palm walls, came a peculiar cry — Coo-oio, coo-ow 
 — to be answered from farther away. 
 
 'What's that?' said Ned, half aloud, speaking to himself. 
 
 ' Argus pheasant,' said Frank, drowsily. ' Oh, I do wish 
 you wouldn't bother. Wonder whether they 've got any of 
 that stuff.' 
 
 'What stuff V 
 
 ' To send us to sleep again.' 
 
 ' I wouldn't take a drop,' thought Ned j and then in the 
 hot silence he lay thinking about Frank's father, wondering 
 what was going on at the rajah's village, and what his uncle 
 thought of his absence, till weary nature closed his eyes, 
 and even the loud cry of the argus pheasant and the melan- 
 choly howl of a tiger prowling about had no effect upon his 
 slumbers. 
 
 But a touch effected that which sound had not produced. 
 
 For, mingled with his dreams, he had one of a great rat 
 gnawing very softly somewhere by his head, and this kept on 
 for what seemed in his dream like a tremendous length of 
 time before it ceased, and the rat came in through the hole 
 and began walking over his face and sat up on his lips. 
 
 That woke him, and he felt the perspiration standing on his 
 brow, for it was no dream : the rat was seated on his lips, and 
 as he lay motionless like one in a nightmare, he felt the little 
 animal glide from his lips to his shoulder, then down his arm 
 
210 THE RAJAH OF DAH. 
 
 to where his hand lay upon his chest, play with the fingers 
 for a few moments, and then grasp them firmly. 
 
 It was not a rat : it was a warm soft hand. 
 
 A sob escaped from Ned's breast, and he was about to 
 speak, but his hand was pressed firmly, and he returned the 
 grasp, for it felt like the hand of a friend, and if it were, it 
 meant help and perhaps escape. 
 
 Turning quickly on his side, he leaned over and touched 
 Frank, who started awake. 
 
 ' Yes,' he said loudly. ' What is it V 
 
 The hand was snatched away. 
 
 ' I told you. Argus pheas — fez — fuz ' snore. 
 
 Ned shook him again sharply. 
 
 ' What's the matter?' he said, thoroughly waking up now. 
 
 ' Hush ! pray. Hist ! ' whispered Ned ; and he pressed his 
 companion's arm, for steps were heard on the creaking bamboo 
 floor, a light shone through between the mat hangings, a dark 
 face appeared and a lantern was held up, so that its dim 
 light fell upon them. 
 
 Just then a bright thought occurred to Ned. 
 
 1 Tell them to bring some water,' he said, querulously ; 
 and Frank, who grasped the idea that there was something 
 particular in the way, gave the order sharply to the man, 
 who retired directly, and returned in a few minutes with 
 another bearing a vessel of some pleasant, cool drink, of which 
 Ned partook with avidity. 
 
 'Leave a fellow a drop,' said Frank; and the half-full 
 vessel was handed to him. 'Ah, it ain't bad,' he continued, 
 as he too drank heartily. ' There, be off. Thank you,' he 
 added, in Malay ; ' the light hurts my eyes.' 
 
 The man smiled as he took the vessel, and as Ned watched 
 through his half-closed eyes, he saw that there was the gleam 
 
A FRIENDLY HAND. 211 
 
 of spears in the outer room. Then the matting dropped 
 behind their jailors, tho bamboo floor creaked, the last rays 
 of tho light disappeared, and Frank rose softly, crept to the 
 doorway, and peered under the matting. 
 
 'They're all out on the veranda,' he whispered, as ho 
 returned. ' What was the matter V 
 
 Ned told him, and Frank uttered an excited ' Ah !' 
 
 Then after a long silence : 
 
 ' It 's help come. P'r'aps it 's old Hamet. Bah ! you were 
 dreaming.' 
 
 ' No ; I am sure.' 
 
 ' Then,' said Frank, with his lips close to his companion's 
 ear ; ' if you were awake, there must be a hole for the hand 
 to come through.' 
 
 And as Ned listened, he heard the faint rustling of his 
 companion's hand moving here and there, and then there was 
 a heavy catching breath, and Frank's fingers were placed over 
 his lips. 
 
 ' Big hole under the mat. Behind your head. Hist f 
 some one coming.' 
 
 For there was a gleam of light, and then, hardly heard, 
 save for a faint creak of the floor, some one approached, and 
 Ned lay with his arm over his eyes, just making out that tho 
 lantern was thrust in, and that a head was.visible between 
 the mats and the door, while Frank lay as naturally as if in 
 a heavy sleep, his head half off its resting-place. 
 
 The mats fell within again. There was another faint 
 creak, the last gleam of light again disappeared, and the boys 
 lay for a full half-hour without moving, while the silence 
 was now broken by the heavy beating of their hearts. 
 
 All at once, after an interval which seemed terrible, the 
 cry of the argus pheasant was repeated, and it sounded 
 
212 THE RAJAH OF DAH. 
 
 terribly near, while at the same moment Ned was conscious 
 of a faint rustling, and the steamy dank scent of the jungle 
 came to his nostrils. 
 
 The next moment fingers touched his cheek, were pressed 
 upon his lips, touched his breast, and were gone directly ; a 
 slight start from Frank suggesting that he was now being 
 touched. Then followed a faint rustling, and Frank leaned 
 over, put his lips to Ned's ear, and said : 
 
 ' The hand touched me, then went down to my waist, and 
 it has taken my kris. It 's a thief. Shall I call for help V 
 
 At that moment he felt his hand seized and tugged. Then 
 again, and it was drawn under the mat to the opening above 
 their heads. 
 
 ' It 's all right,' whispered Frank. ' I 'm to go first. 
 Snore.' 
 
 For a few moments the boy did not grasp his friend's 
 meaning, but the idea came, and he commenced breathing 
 hard, and uttered a faint sigh in his agony; for just in 
 the midst of the rustling sound close by him, caused as he 
 knew from a touch by Frank gliding slowly through the 
 opening as if being drawn, he saw a gleam of light beneath 
 the matting at the doorway, and felt that some one was 
 coming again with the lantern. 
 
 The difficulty now was to make a noise that should 
 sound natural. If he snored loudly it might seem forced, 
 and if he did not, he felt sure that the rustling, scraping 
 sound would be heard. But fortune favoured him. 
 
 Just as he was in despair, there was the sharp pintj-wing of 
 a mosquito, and he babbled out something incoherently, 
 made a restless movement, and slapped his face quickly twice, 
 as he had often done before in an attempt to slay one of the 
 noxious little insects. 
 
A FRIENDLY HAND. 213 
 
 The light disappeared directly, for the listening Malay was 
 satisfied ; and as Ned stretched out his hand again, he found 
 that he was alone. 
 
 There was a terrible pause now, and in these brief moments 
 the boy began to think that he had been forsaken, when 
 all at once the hand touched him, glided down to his waist, 
 and drew at it firmly. " * 
 
 He yielded and tried to force himself along, but did little, 
 and that little seemed unnecessary, for strong muscles were 
 at work, and he was almost entirely drawn through the 
 opening till he was quite out ; his legs sank down gently, 
 and he was lowered till he felt his feet touch the ground, 
 and a hand which he knew directly for Frank's, lay on his 
 lips. 
 
 As he was puzzling himself as to how it had been managed, 
 he grasped the fact that some one was gliding down the 
 smooth trunk of a palm-tree which grew close to the house, 
 and to which one of the bamboo rafters had been secured, but 
 whether it was Hamet or some other friend he could not 
 tell. • 
 
 He had no more time for thinking, for two hands were 
 placed on his shoulders, and a voice he now recognised 
 whispered: 'Down — creep — follow.' 
 
 He grasped the idea at once, and went down on hands and 
 knees, to begin crawling slowly and softly after two bare feet, 
 which he had to touch from time to time to make sure that 
 he was right, while he felt that Frank was behind him, and 
 that he too was touching his boots in the same way. 
 
 They were evidently crawling through a tunnel-like track 
 below the undergrowth, a path probably made by a wild 
 beast — unless it was a contrivance to escape from the back 
 of the house in case of emergency — and along this they 
 
214 TI1E HAJAH OF UAH. 
 
 crawled painfully, with the bushes on either side and over- 
 head. Now a thorn entered hand or knee, now some kind of 
 vegetable hook caught in their clothes, and then they had to 
 creep round some rugged stump of a tree stem to get forward. 
 
 The distance was really not great, but it seemed painfully 
 long, and every moment the fugitives were in expectation of 
 having an alarm raised, and seeing the lights of the men in 
 pursuit. But at last, just as Ned had crawled under a bush 
 which scraped and pricked severely, he heard a rustling noise 
 and a peculiar rippling, and was aware of the fact that their 
 guide had risen upright, and that he too could stand, 
 
 ' Ah,' sighed Frank, directly after, ' what a ' 
 
 'Hist!' came in a low whisper. 'Stop here — don't move. 
 Quiet;' and it seemed to Ned that the man lowered himself 
 down till his head was on a level with his companion's knees, 
 and a faint splashing told him where. 
 
 They were at the edge of the river, and their rescuer was 
 slowly wading against the stream, holding on by the over- 
 hanging boughs. 
 
 Then the faint splashing ceased, and the boys joined hands, 
 to stand awe-struck and listening in the thick darkness, and 
 with the knowledge that the water, gliding swiftly by their 
 feet, swarmed with monstrous reptiles, which for aught they 
 knew might seize their guide, or be marking them down for 
 their prey. 
 
CHAPTEE XIX. 
 
 splash. 
 
 DOW>" THE STREAM AGAIN. 
 
 IYJK minutes, ten minutes, a quarter of an hour 
 passed, and neither of the boys spoke. Xo sound 
 came from the house, no splashing of the water 
 told that their guide was on his way back. 
 
 All at once a shout reached them, followed by 
 another cry, the noise of a struggle succeeded by a 
 Then another splash, and while, with their nerves all 
 on the strain, they listened trembling with excitement, there 
 was another faint gurgling cry ; but, instead of being from the 
 direction in which their rescuer had gone, it was close to 
 thein in the river, and ceased at once, to be heard again more 
 faintly lower down. 
 
 ' Oh, Xed,' whispered Frank, passionately, ' that was poor 
 old Hamet. They've krised him, and thrown him in the 
 river.' 
 
 ' Can't we help him V panted Xed, knowing as he spoke 
 that they were only vain words. 
 
 ' Xo — no — no,' groaned Frank. ' And hark ! They 're 
 coming after us.' 
 
 For there were shouts, and quite close at hand the glow 
 of torches dimly seen above the trees, while as the boys 
 strained their eyes in the direction, Xed jerked Frank's arm. 
 
 'Hark!' he whispered; 'some one's crawling along the 
 path. Can't we run V 
 
216 THE RAJAH OP DAII. 
 
 ' Can't we fly V said Frank, bitterly. ' It 's all over.' 
 
 ' Hist ! quick ! ' came from the water ; ' get in.' 
 
 There was the sound of wood brushing against the bushes, 
 and a dark object rose in front of them. 
 
 'The boat!' said Frank, excitedly. 'Hurrah! In with 
 you,. Ned.' 
 
 The latter needed no second admonition, but sprang in 
 against the man who was holding on by the boughs, and as 
 the boy stumbled and fell, Frank followed. 
 
 It was none too soon, for there was a sharp rustling behind 
 them, something dark sprang right after them, and another 
 black figure, which had struggled through the tunnel-like 
 passage, rose up ; but the boat was loosened, their rescuer 
 struck out fiercely, and the man who had tried to leap on 
 board fell back into the water with a splash, and they heard 
 him dragging himself out just as there was a peculiar thud 
 close to where Ned stood. 
 
 ' What was that?' he whispered. 
 
 ' Spear,' said the man, laconically ; and they heard him 
 drag the weapon out of the thwart into which it had 
 stuck. 
 
 The shouting continued, and it was as if two parties were 
 answering one another; but the sounds grew more distant, 
 and Ned realised that they were gliding down the stream. 
 
 ' They '11 come after us in another boat,' panted Ned. 
 
 'No. No boat,' said the man. 
 
 ' Oh, Hamet, old chap,' whispered Frank, ' we thought they 
 had krised you, and that we heard you go down the river.' 
 
 'No,' said the man, quietly. 'Two men keeping boat. 
 Not hurt.' 
 
 Ned felt a strange shrinking sensation, and his imagination 
 supplied the facts of the case, as he mentally saw their friend 
 
DOWN TI1E STliEAM AGAIN. 217 
 
 wade in the darkness up to where this boat had been moored, 
 and attack its guardians. He shuddered, and dared think no 
 more, but, happily, Frank began whispering to him just 
 then. 
 
 ' This is one of the little nagas,' he said. ' I know it. 
 The men iised it to take us up the river. They did not know 
 it would be all right for us to escape. I say, Hainet, how 
 far is it down to the rajah's campong ?' 
 
 ' Don't know,' said the man quietly, using an oar so as to 
 get the boat's head down stream, and farther from the bank, 
 where the fireflies were still flitting at intervals. 
 
 ' "Well, we shall float down to it. TVe needn't speak low 
 now ?' 
 
 ' No ; only a little,' replied the man. 
 
 ' I say, you were a good one to come and help us. But, 
 I say, you did not kill any one, did you ?' 
 
 ' They tried to kill Hainet,' he replied, quietly. 
 
 'Oh, Ised!' whispered Frank, with a shudder, 'I shall 
 never wear that kris again.' 
 
 They glided on down in silence for some time before either 
 of the boys spoke again, and then Xed said in a low voice : 
 
 'They seized you too, Hamet?' 
 
 ' Yes, master, and brought us up the river here. I said to 
 myself, "I will save the young masters," and they are here.' 
 
 ' But what is to be done now ?' 
 
 'Go down in the dark to my lord, and say here is a boat 
 waiting. Shall we go back to Dindong ?' 
 
 ' But we could not, Hamet,' said Frank. ' The rajah's 
 people would hear us, and stop us.' 
 
 ' Perhaps,' said the man, quietly. ' Heaven knows : but 
 we will try.' 
 
 ' Yes,' said Frank, ' we will try, unless my father thinks 
 
218 THE RAJAH OF DAH. 
 
 we ought all to stop, and he could bully the rajah. But 
 we will see.' 
 
 ' Yes, we will see,' replied Hamet ; and there was silence 
 once more for a time, but Ned was too much excited to 
 remain quiet long. 
 
 'Are you sure,' he said, 'that they cannot follow us on 
 shore though they have no boat V 
 
 ' Quite sure,' said Frank. ' They are on the wrong side of 
 the river, and they could not cut a way through the jungle 
 for days and days. I don't know how far we are up either. 
 Perhaps miles and miles, and they were rowing and poling 
 up all night.' 
 
 Silence once more fell upon the party, and the boys sat 
 watching the dark wall of trees on either side and listening 
 to the forest sounds, all of which seemed strange and im- 
 pressive at such a time. Now and then the oar creaked 
 with which Hamet kept the boat's head right, and several 
 times now the boys shrank from the side as there was a 
 sudden swirl and rush through the water, evidently caused by 
 a crocodile disturbed by the passing boat. Then, too, came 
 the cry of a tiger, distant or near, and other peculiar calls 
 from deep in the jungle, sounds that they would hardly have 
 noticed by day, but which were peculiarly impressive now. 
 
 And so the time wore on, till, just as Ned was asking if his 
 companion did not think they must be near the campong 
 now, Hamet said in a low voice : 
 
 'Don't talk. Words fly along the water. Be heard.' 
 
 'Then we must be near now V whispered Ned. 
 
 'Yes,' replied Frank. 'I say, Hamet, keep a good look- 
 out for the prahus, and run her in by the tree where the 
 crocodile was caught. It will be quite black under those 
 boughs: 
 
DOWN THE STREAM AGAIN. 
 
 219 
 
 'Pst!' whispered Hamet, and he ceased dipping his oar 
 in the water, for suddenly a faint light appeared ahead of 
 them not larger than that emitted by a firefly, but the 
 regular beat of oars told that it was in some boat, and 
 unless prompt measures were taken, it was evident that 
 they would be seen, and the efforts of the night thrown 
 away. 
 
CHAPTEE XX. 
 
 THE RAJAH S MESSAGES. 
 
 ; UKRAY woke with a start to find that the 
 sun was well above the trees, and a curious 
 sensation of shame troubled him as he recalled 
 the events of the previous night. 
 
 As he started up, he saw that Mr Braine 
 was seated at his little table writing, and as 
 the latter noticed his fellow-prisoner's awaking, ho laid down 
 his pen, and held out his hand. 
 
 ' I was writing a few lines to the doctor,' he said. ' I 
 daresay they will take a note for me. I have told him 
 that we are prisoners, to account to my wife for our absence.' 
 
 ' Tell him — tell them,' said Murray, flushing a little, ' to 
 be of good cheer, for we are behaving like prisoners, and 
 watching some means by which we may all escape from this 
 wretched place.' 
 
 ' And if my letter goes to the rajah first, he may get it 
 interpreted for him, and know what we intend to do.' 
 Murray made an impatient gesture. 
 
 ' You are right,' he said. ' My brain is all confused. We 
 cannot escape without those boys.' 
 
 ' I am as confused as you are,' replied Mr Braine. ' The 
 rajah has had those two taken to hold as hostages. I am 
 sorry to give you pain, but the truth must be told.' 
 
the rajah's messages. 221 
 
 ' But why— why V 
 
 'Do you need to ask?' 
 
 'No,' said Murray, despairingly. 'I know well enough, 
 and in my selfish love for her, I am ready to say she must be 
 saved from such a fate.' 
 
 ' And my son condemned to death in company with your 
 brother's child.' 
 
 Murray sprang up, and began to pace the room, making 
 the floor wave and the walls quiver with his impetuous 
 tread. 
 
 ' Tell me what to do,' he said at last. ' I feel helpless. 
 I will follow your instructions, and look to you for what 
 is right.' 
 
 Mr Braine shook his head sorrowfully, finished his letter, 
 and handed it to Murray to read. 
 
 ' Yes,' he said j ' you cannot say more.' 
 
 The letter was sealed, and the chief of their guards sum- 
 moned. 
 
 ' I want this letter taken to the doctor,' said Mr Braine. 
 
 The man bowed, took the letter, and gave it to one of his 
 men, who went off directly, while Mr Braine stood back 
 against the wall of the room. 
 
 ' I thought so,' he said. ' I am fallen from my high 
 position now.' 
 
 'What do you mean?' said Murray, eagerly. 
 
 ' The messenger has gone toward the rajah's place, and not 
 to the doctor's house.' 
 
 Breakfast was brought in to them soon afterwards, but 
 Murray turned from it in disgust. 
 
 'Eat, man,' said Mr Braine, quietly. 'It is a necessity. 
 You may want all your wits and strength before long.' 
 
 ' I said I would look to you for advice,' Murray exclaimed ; 
 
222 THE RAJAH OF DAH. 
 
 and he sat down and ate mechanically, while Mr Braine went 
 on talking. 
 
 ' If those boys were here,' he said ; ' matters have now 
 arrived at such a pitch, that I should try and scheme in some 
 way to procure a boat, get all on board, and make an attempt 
 to start away in the darkness.' 
 
 'Of course!' cried Murray. 'They might not see us, but 
 if they did, we are skilled in the use of our weapons, and I 
 swear I could bring down every man at whom I shot.' 
 
 ' Yes,' said Mr Braine, thoughtfully ; ' if driven, we should 
 have to fight. I might win over three or four or half a 
 dozen of the men to whom I have been friendly. I think I 
 could. But no. The rajah has been too cunning for us. 
 He sees that we are likely to try to escape, and he has us 
 on the hip. Murray, I cannot go and leave my boy to the 
 mercy of this demon. Mercy 1 He does not know the word. 
 I should horrify you, if I told you of all I have been com- 
 pelled to witness here.' 
 
 Murray gazed at him with his brow puckered, and then he 
 suddenly started. 
 
 ' I was to go on another expedition to-day ; and, good 
 heavens ! here conies the rajah's messenger to say that the 
 elephants are ready. He shall kill me before I '11 stir a step. 
 Stop,' he cried excitedly — ' the elephants. I shall be able to 
 take gun, rifle, and revolver. What if I make the men stop 
 a mile or two away in the jungle path. Could you contrive 
 to join me with the ladies after dark?' 
 
 ' And if you could alone over-ride your guard, and I could 
 contrive to join you with the ladies after dark, where should 
 we go ? My dear fellow, it is madness. Only out into the 
 mountains to starve. We could not take the ladies, even if 
 we could forsake the boys. Hush ! here he is.' 
 
THE rajah's messages. 223 
 
 The Tumongong, who had been in close conference with 
 the chief of the guard below in the garden, now ascended the 
 steps, and saluted the two prisoners. 
 
 ' I bring you a message,' he said, gravely. ' The rajah 
 wishes him to wait for a few days before going upon his 
 expedition, and he is to return to his own house. Tell him.' 
 
 ' The rajah sends word that we are to be separated, Murray,' 
 said Mr Braine. ' You are to go.' 
 
 'And if I refuse?' 
 
 'There is no appeal, man; force would be used. Go 
 patiently, and console yourself with the thought that I am 
 working and planning for you. You must go.' 
 
 Murray rose and held out his hand. 
 
 ' Look here,' he said ; ' if they have not taken them, I have 
 plenty of arms and ammunition there, and I am ready to 
 stand by you to the death. — Hah!' he ejaculated angrily, as 
 he turned fiercely on the Tumongong, 'you know what I 
 said?' 
 
 The Malay looked at him fixedly, but said nothing, and 
 Murray shook hands with Mr Braine. 
 
 ' Is this a ruse ?' he said, bitterly. ' Is it good-bye for ever 1 
 Are they going to make an end of me V 
 
 The Tumongong looked admiringly at the firm manly 
 fellow about to be led off, for aught he knew, to execution, 
 and he spoke quickly to Mr Braine. 
 
 ' The Tumongong bids me tell you that your life is quite 
 safe.' 
 
 'Hah !' ejaculated Murray; and he gave the Malay a grate- 
 ful look, and went down to where his escort was waiting, the 
 chief and half the guard marching him off back to his house, 
 where at the first glance he saw that his weapons were still in 
 their places ; and here he threw himself down, to try to hit 
 
224 THE RAJAH OF DAH. 
 
 out some plan, while the Malays stationed themselves about 
 the place, and he saw that he was to be strictly watched. 
 
 Meanwhile the Tumongong and Mr Braine stood gazing 
 hard into each other's faces. 
 
 'Well, what next?' said Mr Braine at last, gazing search- 
 ingly into the Malay's eyes. 
 
 'You are to join the doctor and his family, and if you 
 value your life, help his highness by reasoning with them, so 
 that his wishes may be obeyed at once.' 
 
 ' He is still set upon this atrocity?' 
 
 'Yes; he is determined that the poor lady shall be his 
 wife.' 
 
 ' And if we all refuse and set him at defiance ?' 
 
 'What good?' said the Tumongong, bitterly. 
 
 ' I cannot do it, man,' cried Mr Braine. ' Tell me where 
 are those boys V 
 
 ' I cannot — I do not know.' 
 
 ' But — you have always been my friend — is there no way 
 out of this difficulty ?' 
 
 The Tumongong was silent. 
 
 ' Yes,' continued Mr Braine ; ' there is that way. His 
 death or imprisonment. Is not the time ripe?' 
 
 The Malay made no answer. 
 
 'Murray is a strong man, brave as a lion; the doctor, 
 Greig, and I are good shots, We will fight for you to the 
 death.' 
 
 ' It is time to go,' said the Tumongong, coldly ; and he 
 walked out into the veranda, and gave the guard below an 
 order to be in readiness. 
 
 ' It would be to the death,' he said, quietly, as he returned. 
 'No; we are not strong enough. It is not for want of 
 courage. I could kris him, but it would be too cowardly. 
 
tub rajah's messages. 225 
 
 It' wo fought, it would mean death to your friends and the 
 boys — the ladies left alono to his morey. There : I am your 
 friend. I have trusted you : my life is in your hands.' 
 
 ' It has been for months,' said Mr Braine, quietly ; ' I have 
 known your secret for long.' 
 
 ' Are you ready V said the Tumongong, loudly. Then in a 
 low tone — ' Bring your weapons.' 
 
 Five minutes after, the Resident was being marched to the 
 doctor's, where his coming was eagerly greeted ; and the 
 guard there being strengthened by the new-comers, the 
 Tumongong looking grave, and then going slowly off, followed 
 by his attendants. 
 
 ' Frank ? Tell me about Frank,' cried Mrs Braine, clinging 
 to her husband's hand. 
 
 ' Mr Murray — Ned 1 ' cried Amy, seizing the other. 
 
 ' All well as yet,' said the Besident, sadly. 
 
 1 This is true V whispered Mrs Braine. ' You are not 
 deceiving me V 
 
 ' You know,' he replied, gravely ; and the ladies shrank 
 away to weep together, while the doctor offered his old friend 
 his hand. 
 
 'Bad news?' whispered the doctor. 
 
 ' The worst. He insists, and it is to be at once.' 
 
 ' I would sooner kill her,' said the doctor, passionately. 
 
 'And I would sooner see her dead,' 
 
 They stood thoughtful and silent for a few minutes before 
 the doctor spoke again. 
 
 ' I never felt our helplessness so much before. Where is 
 Murray V 
 
 Mr Braine told him. 
 
 ' A good man the less, but we might perhaps get a message 
 to him to make a dash for us here. Braine, will you fight V 
 
226 THE EAJAH OF DAH. 
 
 ' To the death. ' 
 
 ' We shall be four, with the women to load for us as we 
 fire.' 
 
 ' I am ready, man,' said Mr Braine, sadly ; ' and we shall 
 have the satisfaction of acting as Englishmen in a time of 
 peril, but we can do no more than keep them at bay for a 
 time. Even if we did that, they could starve us out.' 
 
 The doctor let his hands drop helplessly to his side. 
 
 ' Yes ; that 's it,' he said. ' It is madness. It would only 
 mean so much bloodshed and nothing done.' 
 
 ' He would send every man he had to his death to gain his 
 ends.' 
 
 'If I had only known — if I had only known !' groaned the 
 doctor ; ' he would never have recovered from that last illness, 
 I swear.' 
 
 'Then you swear falsely,' said Mr Braine, holding out his 
 hand. ' My old friend, John Barnes, never did a treacherous 
 act, and never could.' 
 
 ' Hah !' ejaculated the doctor, wringing the Eesident's hand. 
 ' Now you disarm me : but a man would do desperate things 
 to save his wife and child.' 
 
 'Even to giving his life, as I would mine.' 
 
 They stood by the door in silence, then gazing out into the 
 garden, where a spearman stood at the gate, and the rest of 
 the guard sat about mechanically chewing their betel-nut and 
 sirih-leaf, apparently heedless of the prisoners' presence, but 
 ready to start into action on the instant. 
 
 Mr Greig joined them, and the day wore on in sorrow and 
 despair, for their position seemed to be absolutely hopeless, 
 and it was nothing to them that the sun shone down from 
 the pure blue sky on the gorgeous vegetation, whose leaves 
 seemed to shed silver beams of light down amongst the dark 
 
THE RAJAHS MESSAGES. 227 
 
 shade beneath. Plan after plan was suggested and referred 
 to the ladies, who also made proposals. But the result was 
 always the same. They acknowledged that the rajah, with 
 his Eastern cunning, had checkmated them, and that nothing 
 could be done but wait. 
 
 As the day wore on, the doctor's servants went about their 
 work as usual, and Tim Driscol brought in the mid-day meal, 
 and stood looking on in despair to find it untouched. 
 
 ' Oh, Miss Amy, dear,' he whispered, ' my heart 's bruk 
 intirely to see your pretty eyes all swelled up and red like 
 that. What '11 I do, darlin' ? Say the word, and if it's to 
 slay and kill him, I '11 go.' 
 
 'Don't — don't talk to me, Tim,' she whispered, with the 
 tears flowing fast. 
 
 ' Not talk to ye — me who carried ye when ye were only 
 half the size ye are ! I '11 go to the masther, thin.' 
 
 With the freedom of an old servant, he went out to 
 where the doctor was seated in the veranda, so as to avoid 
 seeing the sad faces within. 
 
 ' Oh, masther, dear,' he said, ' what 's to be done V 
 
 'I wish I could tell you, Tim.' 
 
 ' It makes a man's heart sore, sir, to see the misthress and 
 her frinds looking like that. — Mr Braine, sir, begging your 
 pardon for intrudin', it's only bekase I want to help. 
 Wouldn't a good fight set it straight, bekase if so, I 'm your 
 man.' 
 
 'Waste of blood, waste of life, and no good done, Tim,' 
 said the Kesident, sadly. ' We are in God's hands. I cannot 
 see that we can stir.' 
 
 ' Four of us and Mister Murray, if we could get at him,' 
 mused Tim ; ' that makes foive, and they 're as many hun- 
 dreds, and got their prahus and boats beside ; but I don't 
 
228 THE RAJAH OF DAH. 
 
 know. The old counthry looks a very shmall place on the 
 map, but she could beat the world. Well, the masther has 
 only got to spake, and I '11 foight for me misthress and my 
 young lady as long as I can lift a fist.' 
 
 As the evening drew near, Tim comforted himself by 
 examining and loading the guns and pistols that were in the 
 house, and then replaced them, ready for use at a moment's 
 notice. 
 
 But when he had done, he shook his head sadly. 
 
 ' It 's such a whishp of a place to fight in,' he said to 
 himself. ' Anny one could knock it all over wid a scaffold 
 pole. Why, if it kirn to a foight, the bastes could run under- 
 neath, and shtick their spears through the flure. An' I 'd like 
 to get one crack at the head of the man I caught doing it.' 
 
 The dinner-time came, and Tim made another attempt to 
 get the unhappy party to eat. 
 
 ' And not a bit of fruit,' he muttered. ' Wonder whether 
 they 'd let vis get some.' 
 
 He went and spoke to one of the women who acted as 
 servant, and she readily agreed to go and fetch what was 
 necessary, catching up the second sarong worn by the Malay 
 women as a veil, and used with the two ends of the long 
 scarf-like article of attire sewn together. 
 
 With this over her head, she started off, and the guard now 
 looked up sharply, but they had no orders to interfere and 
 prevent one of the women from going out, and in less than 
 a quarter of an hour she returned bearing a basket of 
 mangosteens and bananas. 
 
 But it was all labour in vain ; the dinner and dessert, so 
 thoughtfully prepared, remained untouched,, and the wine, 
 cool and fresh from the evaporating it had received, remained 
 on the table. 
 
THE RAJAH'S MBSSA0E8. 229 
 
 It was a lovely starlit night, and after Mr Greig had gone, 
 the doctor and Mr Braine rose from the table to go and 
 walk up and down in the veranda, and wait for the coming 
 of the next messengers from the rajah, for that there would 
 soon be another both felt perfectly convinced. 
 
 They had not long to wait before the Tumongong appeared 
 with a small retinue of men, spear-armed as usual, who were 
 halted by their officer at the foot of the steps, while the 
 Malay chief ascended to the veranda to announce briefly 
 that the rajah would honour the ladies with a visit that 
 evening ; after which he turned and left the place as he came, 
 the dark figures of his escort filing out through the bamboo 
 gate, looking like shadows in the starlight. 
 
 'There is only qne thing left,' said Mr Braine, as the 
 doctor sat too much stunned by the intelligence, now it had 
 come, to be able to go in and communicate it to his wife and 
 child. 
 
CHAPTEE XXI. 
 
 Frank's errand. 
 
 THAT'LL I do? What '11 I do?' muttered 
 Tim Driscol to himself as he walked up and 
 down one of the garden paths hidden from 
 his master and his friends, and unheeded 
 by the Malay guard, who contented them- 
 selves with seeing that he did not pass out of 
 the gate. 
 ' That pretty colleen ! Ow, the covetous owld rip, and him 
 wid a dozen wives at laste, to want our darlin'. What '11 I 
 do 1 — what'Jl I do ? Faix, I '11 have me poipe.' 
 
 He filled the rough bamboo affair with the coarse native 
 tobacco he used, and went on smoking, the bowl glowing as 
 if a ruddy firefly were gliding up and down the garden walk. 
 'Ow, sorrow to uz all!' he muttered. 'An' what are all 
 his wives about ? Why, they can't have a taste o' sperrit in 
 'em, or they wouldn't shtand it. Why, if they were ladies 
 from the ould country, and he even thought of taking another, 
 there wouldn't be a bit of hair left on his wicked head. 
 Oh dear ! sorrow to me, what '11 I do at all, at all 1 — Who 's 
 this. To see wan of the women, I suppose.' 
 
 He was near the gate where two spearmen stood, and in 
 the full starlight he saw a Malay woman coming up, and as 
 she drew near, she raised her hands beneath the veil-like 
 sarong she wore over her head to a level with her brows, 
 
Frank's errand. 231 
 
 spreading out the plaided silk after the custom of the women, 
 so that the top and bottom hems were drawn parallel, 
 covering her face and forming a narrow horizontal slit through 
 which her eyes alone were seen. 
 
 ' Yah ! Get out. How modest we are. Sure, and ye 're 
 an ugly flat-nosed coffee-coloured one, or ye wouldn't be so 
 moighty particular. Want to see one of the women folk, do 
 ye ? Well, the gyards '11 shtop ye, and send ye about yer 
 bishness, and good luck to ye.' 
 
 But the guards did not stop her as she walked quietly up. 
 A woman coming to the doctor's house, that was all ; and she 
 passed between them with her face covered, and turned off 
 into the narrow path among the trees leading to the servants' 
 quarters, the men just glancing after her, and then chewing 
 away at their betel. 
 
 The consequence was that the next minute the woman was 
 face to face with Tim, who blocked the way in a surly 
 fashion ; and as they stood there in the shadowy path, Tim's 
 pipe bowl glowed, and the eyes seen through the narrow slit 
 gleamed. 
 
 'And what do you want?' said Tim, in the Malay tongue. 
 
 ' Muhdra,' was the reply, in a faint voice. 
 
 ' She 's yonder,' said Tim. ' I daresay you know the way.' 
 
 'Show me,' said the woman softly. 
 
 ' Oh, bad luck to ye to want to come chattering haythen 
 nonsense to the cook, wid all this trouble on the way,' he said 
 angrily, in his own tongue. Then more civilly in Malay, 
 ' Come along, then.' 
 
 He led the way, and the woman followed till they had 
 passed another sentry, when he felt his arm gripped. 
 
 'Don't flinch — don't speak. Tim, don't you know me?' 
 
 ' Masther Frank ! Oh murther !' 
 
232 THE RAJAH OF DAH. 
 
 The man staggered in his surprise as he uttered these 
 words, but the quick Irish wit grasped the situation directly, 
 and he said aloud in the Malay tongue something about its 
 being a fine warm night, and then led the way into the dark 
 room he called his pantry, though it was little more than a 
 bamboo shed, and excitedly clasped the boy to his breast. 
 
 ' Masther Frank, darlin' ! Oh, Heaven be thanked for 
 this ! — Ah, ye wicked young rip, to frighten us all as ye 
 did.' 
 
 1 Hush, man, silence ! Don't, Tim. Why— my face is all 
 wet.' 
 
 ' Whisht ! nonsense, boy. That 's liawthing. Only a 
 dhrop o' water. It 's so hot. But quick ! An' good luck 
 to ye for a cliver one. To desave us all like that ! ' 
 
 ' Where is my father ? He was not at home.' 
 
 ' Faix no ; he 's up-stairs. But where have ye been V 
 
 'Don't ask questions. Are they all right?' 
 
 ' Oh yes, all right ; and all wrong too. There 's me news, 
 boy. The rajah 's going to marry Miss Amy, and we 're all 
 prishners. ' 
 
 'I thought so,' whispered Frank. 'But prisoners?' 
 
 ' Oh yes ; ye saw the gyards.' 
 
 'Where is Mr Murray ?' 
 
 ' Shut up at home wid sax or eight min to take care of 
 him.' 
 
 ' Go and tell my father I 'm here. No ; take me Up to them 
 at once.' 
 
 ' Oh murther I no, Masther Frank ! Don't think of it, boy. 
 Iv ye go up, the ladies '11 all shquale out, and yer mother 
 go wild wid sterricks. Sure an' Masther Bang-gong's just 
 been to say the owld chap 's coming to see the ladies 
 to-night.' 
 
Frank's errand. 233 
 
 ' Oil !' ejaculated Frank. 
 
 ' But where have yo been, lad V 
 
 ' Go quite quietly, and tell my father or the doctor I 'in 
 here.' 
 
 ' Yis.' 
 
 'And Tim, have you got anything to eat? I'm starving.' 
 
 'Lashins, me dare boy. Help yerself, for the sorrow a 
 taste would they take in the parlour.' 
 
 Tim hurried up, passed through the main room, listened 
 for a moment or two to the murmur of the ladies' voices 
 in one of the inner places, and then crept out into the 
 veranda, carrying a tray with a metal bottle and two 
 cups, which he made to jingle loudly for the guard to 
 hear. 
 
 ' Xo, no, my man,' said the doctor. ' It 's very thoughtful 
 of you, but no. — Braine, will you?' 
 
 'Xo, no,' said the Resident; and then he uttered a gasp, 
 for Tim's lips were at his ear, as he stood behind his seat, 
 and said softlj" : 
 
 ' Whisht, Mr Braine, darlin' ; don't make a hurroo. 
 Masther Frank's come, and he's below.' 
 
 There was a dead silence for a few moments, and then 
 Mr Braine said in a forced voice : 
 
 ' Xo, no drink, Tim. — Doctor, come in and give me a 
 cigar.' 
 
 He rose, and walked quietly in with the slow careful 
 acting of one who knows that his every action is watched, 
 and, wondering at his friend's change, the doctor rose and 
 followed. 
 
 ' Get the cigars and matches,' said Mr Braine, quietly ; and 
 then in a quick whisper : ' Be firm, man, and act. Light a 
 cigar. Frank has come back.' 
 
 ? 
 
234 THE RAJAH OF DAH. 
 
 ' Thank God ! ' muttered, the doctor, and he pressed his 
 friend's hand before getting cigars and matches, and they 
 stood where those in the garden could see, striking a match, 
 and holding it between them as they lit their cigars — great 
 coarsely-made ones of the native tobacco. 
 
 ' Now, Tim, where V said Mr Braine. 
 
 ' In my room, shure, sor.' 
 
 ' Sit down there and smoke,' said Mr Braine, in a low tone. 
 ' Take both cigars, man, and keep them alight, changing your 
 position as you change the cigars.' 
 
 ' And desave the haythens. Yes, sor, I undherstand,' said 
 Tim, taking the cigars as the gentlemen prepared to descend, 
 ' and a moighty plisant way of desaving 'em,' he muttered to 
 himself, as he began smoking away; while the next minute 
 Frank was in his father's arms, hurriedly telling him of lus 
 adventures. 
 
 ' And when we heard the naga coming up the river before 
 daybreak, we pulled in under the trees and bushes, just below 
 the stockade,' he said in conclusion, ' and there we 've been 
 all day, not daring to stir, and even when it was dark we 
 were afraid to move, till I thought of putting a sarong over 
 my head, and coming like this. I passed lots, and no one 
 spoke to me.' 
 
 'And the boat?' 
 
 ' Safe under the trees with Ned and Hamet.' 
 
 'Is it big enough to hold us all?' said Mr Braine. 
 
 ' Plenty.' 
 
 ' Heaven has sent us help !' said Mr Braine fervently. 
 ' Barnes, we must by some means get all on board to-night, 
 and trust to the darkness to run down the river.' 
 
 'But the rajah's visit?' said the doctor. 
 
 ' Ah ! I had forgotten that,' said Mr Braine, with a groan ; 
 
Frank's errand. 235 
 
 ' the rajah and- our guards ; but with help and ease of mind 
 coming like this, we must not despair. Now, doctor, go back 
 up-stairs. One moment — your women-servants?' 
 
 ' They are to be trusted.' 
 
 'Then go and set my wife's mind at rest. Tell her our 
 lives depend upon her being calm. There must be no excite- 
 ment, or we shall excite suspicion. Implore your wife and 
 child to be careful.' 
 
 ' And Murray and Mr Greig's V 
 
 ' Another obstacle V exclaimed Mr Braine. ' Never mind ; 
 one thing at a time. We may get the women to the boat, 
 then we might drop down opposite to Murray's place and cut 
 him out. But we shall see. Go on, and in a minute or two 
 I '11 bring up Frank.' 
 
 The doctor went up, passed Tim, who was carefully keeping 
 his two points of light glowing at a distance from each other, 
 and communicated his tidings to the ladies, with the effect 
 that Mrs Braine fainted dead away, but to recover directly, 
 and eagerly whisper that she would be firm and not make a 
 sound. 
 
 She kept her word, weeping silently over her son, while 
 Mrs Barnes and Amy both clung to the lad's hands, in the 
 faintly-lit room. 
 
 ' Quick ! ' said Mr Braine, whose ears were preternaturally 
 sharp. 'Frank, keep here in hiding. You three come out 
 when the doctor summons you. Come, Barnes, back to our 
 cigars. The rajah.' 
 
 They glided back into the dark warm room, after adjur- 
 ing those they left to be silent, and as they took their places 
 they could see the gleam of lights through the trees, the sight 
 of which had roused their guard into making the sound which 
 had warned the Resident. 
 
236 THE RAJAH OP DAH. 
 
 'Light both the lamps, Tim,' said Mr Braine; 'and he 
 guarded. The rajah is coming.' 
 
 The man obeyed, and as the lights shed a softened glow 
 through the place, the guards could see the doctor and 
 Eesident seated back smoking calmly. 
 
 ' What are we to say V said the doctor, huskily. 
 
 'Surprised at his treatment — ask for a little time — the 
 lady startled by the unexpected demand — diplomacy — diplo- 
 macy. Let him go back thinking that you will yield.' 
 
 And as these last words were uttered, the lights drew near 
 and lit up the swarthy faces of the rajah's guards and sword- 
 bearers filing into the grounds. 
 
 ' Whatever you do, be careful. Don't seem to yield easily. 
 We are hurt by his treatment, mind.' 
 
 There was no time to say more, for the escort was already 
 at the foot of the steps, on each side of which they formed 
 up in a picturesque group, the lanterns they bore lighting up 
 the showy costumes and displaying the rajah in his European 
 uniform. 
 
 The two Englishmen advanced into the veranda to receive 
 him, and as he mounted alone, he smiled, and waited to be 
 asked into the room, evidently quite confident of his safety 
 with his guard so near. 
 
 As soon as he was seated, he placed his glittering sword 
 against his knee, and his plumed cap beside it, drawing him- 
 self up and glancing toward the doorway to make sure that 
 he was in full sight of his guard. Then, turning to the 
 doctor, he said in English : ' Theeee — laidees.' 
 
 The doctor bowed, and crossed to the inner door, which he 
 threw open, and the prisoners came out looking pale and 
 calm, to be received with smiles and motioned to take their 
 seats, while the gentlemen remained standing. 
 
FRANK'S ERRAND. 237 
 
 'Tell thorn this is only a short visit,' said the rajah. 'To- 
 morrow shall come, not to return alone. The lady will be 
 with me, and we shall go to the mosque. Then my English 
 wife will return here no more.' 
 
 The Eesident translated the rajah's words, though the task 
 was needless, for all present followed him pretty well. 
 
 Then the doctor spoke, as their visitor keenly watched the 
 effect of his words and fixed his eyes upon the shrinking girl 
 before him. Her father's words were much as had been 
 arranged, and the rajah listened to the interpretation patiently 
 enough. 
 
 'Yes, yes,' he said; 'you are her father. I understand. 
 But you will be rich, and like a prince here. It is a great 
 honour to your child. Tell him what I say.' 
 
 Mr Braine repeated the rajah's words formally, and then 
 the visitor rose, bowed and smiled with good-humoured 
 contempt, and ended by drawing a ring from one of his 
 fingers as he rose, walked toward Amy, and placed it upon 
 her hand, after which he made a profound obeisance and 
 moved toward the door. 
 
 ' One moment, your highness,' said the doctor. ' We are 
 your old servants and friends. You treat us as prisoners.' 
 
 ' Xo, no,' he said, on Mr Braine repeating the words. ' I 
 honour you. It is a guard for my wife. Not prisoners. 
 After to-morrow, no.' 
 
 ' But our English friend, Murray. Your highness will let 
 him join us V 
 
 The rajah caught the name Murray, and his face grew 
 black as night, and without waiting for the interpretation, he 
 made an angry gesture in the negative. 
 
 ' But my son and his young friend,' said Mr Braine, watch- 
 ing him narrowly, to ascertain whether the flight was known. 
 
238 THE RAJAH OF DAH. 
 
 The rajah gave him a meaning look, and laughed. 
 
 ' After to-morrow,' he said, ' they will come back.' 
 
 His face was all smiles once again, and he bowed to Amy, 
 passed into the veranda, descended, and the little cortege 
 moved out of the shady grounds. The lights slowly dis- 
 appeared among the trees, while the doctor dropped the 
 matting hangings over the door to hide the interior of the 
 house from their guard, after which he turned to encounter 
 the pleading face of his wife as Amy threw herself sobbing 
 upon his breast. 
 
 Mr Braine stood looking on for a few moments in silence. 
 Then, in a cold, stern voice, he said : 
 
 ' Go back to the inner room and pray for our success. 
 Then you have sarongs, make yourselves as much like the 
 Malay women as you can.' 
 
 'Then we shall escape?' cried Amy, joyously. 
 
 'Heaven knows !' said the Eesident. ' We shall try. Ah, 
 thank goodness, here are the Greigs;' and unchallenged by 
 the guards, Mr Greig and his wife came up to the house. 
 
CHAPTEE XXIL 
 
 TIMS HAPPY IDEA. 
 
 OME up here, Driscol,' said the doctor ; and as 
 Tim appeared Frank came to the inner doorway 
 to creep into a corner, where he was in shadow, 
 and could listen to what was said. 
 
 'Xow, Braine,' said the doctor. 'We are all 
 waiting, what do you propose?' 
 ' I have nothing to propose. We have a guard of sixteen 
 outside. If we could get by them, we might reach the river 
 in the darkness. Can you tell me how to proceed V 
 The doctor was silent. 
 'Frank, can you suggest anything?' 
 ' Xo, father ; only to fight.' 
 ' Madness, hoy. Help would come directly. 
 'I have an idea,' said the doctor, 'if it would act. I 
 should do it unwillingly, but it is our only hope that I see. 
 Stop ! — Driscol, can you help us?' 
 
 ' Sure, I 've been thinking hard, sor, and all I can get 
 hold of is one idaya, and that 's as shlippery as an oysther out 
 of its shell.' 
 
 'Speak, man, what is it?' 
 
 ' To wait a bit, and thin go round wid a thick shtick and 
 bate all their heads.' 
 
 ' Oh, nonsense !' cried Mr Braine. 
 That's what I said to meself, sor, for I saw while I was 
 
240 TUB RAJAH OF DAH. 
 
 quieting one, he wuuld make a noise, and — ye see if I could 
 hit all their heads at wance.' 
 
 'Hush ! silence !' said the doctor. ' Braine, the only thing 
 I can propose is to fill a vessel with wine and — drug it.' 
 
 'No,' said Mr Braine, sternly. 'For one thing they are 
 Mussulmans, and it is forbidden; some would not drink. 
 For another ' 
 
 ' They 'd be suspicious, and would not touch it,' said Frank, 
 quickly. 
 
 ' Quite right, Frank,' said his father. 
 
 'Then if I medicated some cigars,' whispered the doctor. 
 
 ' Oh, then,' said Frank, ' they 'd roll them in the waists of 
 their sarongs, and save them to cut up and smoke in their 
 hubble-bubbles to-morrow.' 
 
 'Yes; it is hopeless,' said the doctor, despondently; and 
 there was a long silence broken by Tim. 
 
 'Whisht! masther dear,' he said, 'would the rat poison 
 taste much?' 
 
 ' Poison ? No. Who said a word about poison ? I should 
 only send them to sleep.' 
 
 'Oh!' said Tim, 'a short slape ; not the very long one. 
 "Would it taste, sor V 
 
 ' No, my man ; why V 
 
 'Thin, bedad, I have it. Ye nivver touched the shmall 
 cakes for dinner : put some of the stuff into thim, and I '11 
 shtale out with a whole trayful and a bottle of wine from 
 down below, jist as if it 's me being civil to the bastes, and 
 I '11 offer 'em the wine, and they won't touch it, but I will, and 
 dhrink of it heartily. They won't think there 's anny desait 
 in it then, and I '11 offer 'em the cakes, and ate a shpare one 
 or two that I '11 kape on one side.' 
 
 ' Tim, you're a scoundrel !' cried Mr Braine, excitedly. 
 
tim's happy idea. 241 
 
 ' Sure, that 's what my mother always said, sor,' replied 
 Tim, modestly; 'but, masther dear, ye wouldn't put any rat 
 p shlaping stuff, I mane, into the wine.' 
 
 'And rob ourselves of our right hand?' said the doctor, 
 warmly. 'No!' 
 
 ' Thank ye, sor,' said Tim. ' I thought I 'd say that, for 
 ye may remimber once making a mistake, and nearly cut 
 off your right hand — I mane nieself.' 
 
 ' It was not a mistake, Tim, but an experiment with one of 
 the native medicines.' 
 
 ' Faix, it just was, sor, and I '11 niver forget it. But ye '11 
 look loively, sor. There 's plinty of the little cakes iv 
 Masther Frank didn't ate thim all.' 
 
 ' I did not touch them, Tim,' said Frank, eagerly. 
 
 'Then the day's our own, sor. You come down and 
 docthor 'em, and I '11 go and prepare the syle for the sade.' 
 
 ' What are you going to do V said Mr Braine, quickly. 
 
 ' Only shmoke me poipe in the gyarden, sor, and soother and 
 blarney them over a bit. It '11 kim aisier, thin, to go in and 
 fetch a bit and sup from the panthry, and not be so suddint 
 like. They're such desayving thayves of the world, they 
 suspect everybody.' 
 
 Tim went down, and the doctor busied himself at a 
 medicine-chest for a few minutes before following him. 
 
 'Now, Greig, help me,' said the Eesident, turning down 
 the lamps a little. Frank, keep out of sight in case we are 
 watched. You know where the doctor keeps his ammuni- 
 tion.' 
 
 ' Yes, father,' was the reply, and the pair busied themselves 
 in examining revolvers and guns, placing ammunition ready 
 for flight, and finally arming the ladies, and thrusting an 
 ornamental kris from the walls into their belts. 
 
242 THE RAJAH OF DAH. 
 
 Then weapons were placed ready for the doctor and his 
 man, their arrangements being about complete as the former 
 returned looking pale and anxious. 
 
 'Ah,' he said, on seeing the preparations, 'that's right. 
 It's hard to leave all our treasures and collections.' 
 
 ' Yes ; but we must think only of ourselves.' 
 
 ' Of our wives and children,' said Greig, quietly. 
 
 'Yes. But, tell me, what have you done 1 !' 
 
 ' Put a strong opiate in every cake.' 
 
 ' But those who take it — does it mean risk to their lives V 
 
 ' No. The worst that can happen may be a day or two's 
 illness after. That is not what I fear,' said the doctor, 
 significantly. 
 
 'What then?' 
 
 ' The rajah's punishment of the poor wretches.' 
 
 'Hah!' ejaculated Mr Braine, 'but we must be selfish 
 here for others' sake.' 
 
 A few more preparations were made by Frank's suggestion, 
 every scrap of food from below being placed in a couple of 
 baskets; the two women who assisted Tim in the house 
 having gone for the night some time before. 
 
 ' Now,' said the doctor, ' what next ? Matches and a 
 lantern.' 
 
 These were placed ready ; a few comforting words said to 
 the ladies — who were now calm, firm, and helpful, looking 
 strangely Malayan in their garb, for they had trenched upon 
 a store which they had saved up as mementoes of their 
 sojourn in the jungle — and then all sat down to listen and 
 wait, the strange forest sounds coming faintly to their ears, 
 mingled with the occasional mutterings of their guard. 
 
CHAPTEE XXIII. 
 
 NED IS OBSTINATE. 
 
 IM acted his part well. He strolled out from his 
 ' panthry,' and sauntered along to where the chief 
 of the guard stood gazing at him sternly ; and 
 trusting to the pretty good smattering of Malay ho 
 had picked up, he said quietly : ' Going to be on 
 guard all night?' 
 The Malay nodded. 
 
 ' Sorry for you,' said Tim, beginning to fill his pipe. ' I 
 did six months' soldiering myself when I was a mere lad, and 
 it was hard work keeping awake on sentry-go.' 
 
 He struck a match and lit his pipe, lighting up the scowling 
 face of the guard and his own good-humoured phiz. 
 
 ' I say,' he continued, ' next boat you gentlemen overhaul, 
 look sharp after the matches, if they 've brought any up from 
 Malacca, for we 're getting short, and I don't care to take to 
 the flint and steel.' 
 
 Tim nodded and went on, smoking, to make the round of 
 the place, stopping to say a word or two to the other armed 
 men in his easy good-tempered way, seasoning his remarks 
 with a joke or two, while the lightning flickered in a bank of 
 black clouds across the river. 
 
 By degrees he made his way back to the head-man, and 
 began to talk confidentially. 
 
244 THE RAJAH OF DAH. 
 
 ' I say,' lie said, ' I suppose we shall all be big people now, 
 when the rajah has married me young lady.' 
 
 The Malay laughed softly, contemptuously. ' Oh yes,' he 
 said. ' Perhaps he '11 make you Muntrie or Tumongong.' 
 
 ' Get out, making fun of a boy,' said Tim, good-humouredly. 
 ' Well, good-luck to you, I 've nearly finished my pipe. I 'm 
 tired, and going in to sleep. Take care of us. Good-night.' 
 
 The Malay wished him good-night, and Tim turned to go, 
 but stopped and pulled out his pouch. 
 
 'Have a bit o' tibakky?' he said. 'It's the master's. 
 Some the rajah gave him.' 
 
 The Malay nodded eagerly, and Tim gave him two or 
 three pipefuls. 
 
 ' Here,' he said, ' I 've got a lot. The master don't like it, 
 and tells me to help myself. I '11 fetch a bit for the other 
 boys.' 
 
 Tim lounged off, and at the end of a few minutes, with a 
 small basket made of thin strips of bamboo, and still smoking, 
 saimtered up to the head-man. 
 
 ' Call 'em up,' he said, in a low voice. ' Don't talk loud ; 
 they 've not gone to bed yet indoors.' 
 
 The Malay gave Tim a peculiar searching look, but the 
 Irishman was tapping the ash out of his pipe and putting it 
 in his pocket, after which he took a brass box from the basket 
 just as the Malay uttered a low guttural sound, and his men 
 stole up silently one by one. 
 
 'Whisht!' said Tim. 'Tibakky;' and he divided about 
 half the contents of the box, the leaf being eagerly received 
 and deposited in a fold of the sarong. 
 
 ' Whisht ! ' said Tim again, after a stealthy glance back at 
 the house, and putting the tobacco back, he drew out a bottle. 
 ' Will you drink the new ranee's health V 
 
NED IS OBSTINATE. 245 
 
 His question was received in utter silence. 
 
 'No !' said Tim. 'I thought you wouldn't, and I'm sorry 
 for your religion. "Well, I will. Long life to my darling 
 young misthress !' 
 
 He took out the cork, passed his hand over the top of the 
 bottle, and then applying it to his lips, took a long gurgling 
 draught, swallowing pretty well a pint before he lowered the 
 flask, the Malays gazing longingly at him as he drank. 
 
 ' I 'm sorry for you, boys,' said Tim ; ' for that 's a drop of 
 good stuff,' and he replaced the bottle. 'But, look here,' ho 
 said, with a laugh, 'left from up-stairs;' and holding up the 
 basket, he took out a cake or sweet of the kind cleverly 
 concocted by the Malay women, and began to eat. 'Any 
 one do a bit in this way?' he continued, with his mouth 
 full. 
 
 If he had offered the bottle now, they would have drunk 
 from it to a man, and after a momentary pause the chief of the 
 guard took a cake from the basket, broke off a scrap, removed 
 his betel-nut, tasted the sweet, took a good bite, and uttered a 
 low guttural order ; which resulted in each man taking a cake, 
 the last man growing excited from the belief that they would 
 not go round ; but there was just one each, and the head-man 
 spoke again, with the result that his men went back to their 
 posts eating greedily, while Tim stood in the darkness 
 trembling with excitement. 
 
 ' Well,' he said, fearing to betray himself ; ' now then for 
 my snooze. Good-night!' 
 
 The Malay laid his hand upon his shoulder. ' Stop ! ' he 
 said, 'let me taste from the bottle.' 
 
 'Don't apologise,' said Tim, wilfully misunderstanding him. 
 ' I was always the man to respect any one who stood by his 
 religion, and so was my mother before me. Good-night.' 
 
246 THE RAJAH OP DAH. 
 
 Tim turned into the house. ' Oh, murther,' he muttered, 
 returning to his own tongue ; ' the wine might have shpoilt 
 the docthor's rat poison. What an eshcape ! ' 
 
 ' Well ?' whispered Mr Braine and the doctor in a breath, 
 as Tim appeared looking white and scared. 
 
 ' Oh, they 've tuk it, ivery mother's son of thim, gintlemen ; 
 an' if they all die, docthor, don't go and say it was me doing 
 when I 'm not here.' 
 
 ' Die ? Nonsense ! ' 
 
 ' Oh no, it isn't, sor, and I 've made a dhreadful mistake.' 
 
 ' Mistake ? Failed V cried Mr Braine, horrified. 
 
 'Sure no, sor, I haven't failed; I've succayded too much.' 
 
 ' But you said you had made a mistake, man.' 
 
 ' Yes, sor. I tuk wan of the cakes meself.' 
 
 The announcement was received with a blank look of 
 despair. 
 
 'Sure sor, don't stand looking at me loike that, please. 
 Thin aren't ye going to give me an anecdote?' 
 
 'No antidote would be available, my poor fellow. But 
 how could you make such a blunder? I showed you so 
 carefully.' 
 
 'Sure ye did, sor, but I was a bit flurried.' 
 
 ' You ate a cake V 
 
 'Oh yes, sor,' said Tim, dismally. 'I ate wan, and I 
 didn't taste the shtuff till it was down.' 
 
 ' But you couldn't taste it, man.' 
 
 ' Sure, sor, but I did quite sthrong,' groaned Tim, sinking 
 on one of the divans. 
 
 ' But tell me, how do you feel V 
 
 'Horrid bad, sor; shlapy, and it's creeping up me legs. 
 Ye '11 have to carry me or lave me behind.' 
 
 ' Whatever can we do ?' said Mr Braine. 
 
NED IS OBSTINATE. 247 
 
 ' Perhaps exertion and the night air will revive him,' said 
 the doctor. ' I '11 give him something too.' 
 
 He hastily mixed a draught, which Tim drank gratefully, 
 and then lay back with Frank supporting his head. 
 
 ' How long will it be before the potion acts on the men ?' 
 said Mr Braine. 
 
 'Very few minutes before it begins, but of course not 
 on all alike. Some one must steal down and watch.' 
 
 'I'll go,' said Frank, and creeping down to the lower 
 rooms — the sheds used by the women and Tim — he stood 
 close to the door, and then by degrees from bush to bush, on 
 and on, till in less than half an hour he was back with the 
 expectant group. 
 
 ' They are all sleeping heavily,' he said. ' How is Tim V 
 
 His father pointed to the divan, where the man lay 
 apparently insensible, with Mr Greig bathing his head. 
 
 'It is all over,' said Braine, sadly; 'we cannot leave the 
 poor fellow.' 
 
 ' Oh !' cried Frank, dashing at the man and shaking him 
 violently. 
 
 ' All right. Moind me head, Masther Frank ! I 'm ready, 
 sor.' 
 
 'Can you walk?' 
 
 ' Can I walk 1 Hark at him,' said Tim, drowsily. ' I '11 
 show ye all.' 
 
 'Here, we'll try,' said Mr Braine. 'Take these. Put the 
 revolver in his breast. Can you carry a gun, man?' 
 
 ' For sartain,' said Tim, stupidly. 
 
 'Then ready. Not a moment is to be lost,' whispered Mr 
 Braine. 'Lead the way, Frank, and if we by chance are 
 separated, every one is to make for the tall clump of trees 
 this side of the stockade.' 
 
248 THE UAJAH OF DAH. 
 
 ' And chirp like this,' said Frank, imitating a bird. ' That 
 will bring the boat.' 
 
 ' Then forward. Not a word.' 
 
 They stepped out on to the veranda, and gazed down into 
 the black darkness, with the lightning still quivering and 
 flickering in the distance. 
 
 All was perfectly still in the garden for a few moments, 
 and then there was a heavy stertorous breathing, which 
 sounded louder as they descended and passed quickly on 
 down to the gate ; Tim staggering a little, but keeping step 
 for step with the doctor, who supported him by the arm. 
 
 Frank led as he had been instructed, and heard the heavy 
 breathing to right and left ; but it was not until he reached 
 the entrance that he really came in contact with the guards, 
 for there lay one right across the path, and another had his 
 arms folded on the bamboo top rail of the gate, and hindered 
 further progress. 
 
 To step over the prostrate man was easy, but this other 
 completely barred the way. Frank waited till his father 
 came up, and he heard him draw his breath heavily, and 
 stand thinking. 
 
 'We cannot stand over trifles now,' said Mr Braine. 
 'Desperate remedies are our only hope ;' and, after hesitating 
 a moment or two, he gently passed his arm round the soft 
 lithe body of the Malay, lifted him from the gate, and let 
 him sink to the ground beside his companion. 
 
 Those were critical moments, and all looked on trembling ; 
 but the man only muttered a little, and, with a heavy sigh, 
 went off into a deeper sleep. 
 
 The party stood listening for a few moments, and then 
 started for the stockade, in and out among houses and gardens, 
 where all was silent save the occasional cackle and movement 
 
NED IS OBSTINATE. 249 
 
 of the game-fowls many of the people kept. Twice they 
 heard voices, but the place seemed to be pretty well plunged 
 in slumber, and, with his spirits rising moment by moment, 
 Frank hurried on, with Amy close behind him, till the 
 houses were left behind without a soul being encountered ; 
 but now, as they neared the river, there were other dangers 
 to fear. 
 
 Of the reptiles Frank thought little. The danger was from 
 the naga that was always patrolling the stream night and day, 
 especially the former, on the look-out for trading vessels 
 trying to slip by in the darkness and in the silence of the 
 night. Knowing how sound travelled, he was in agony lest 
 there should be word or whisper to excite the Malays' sus- 
 picion. 
 
 But fortune favoured them. He caught sight of the dark 
 hulls of the prahus, but the boat was invisible, and as Frank 
 crept on along the river bank listening to the strange sighings 
 and splashings of the river, he at last made out the great tree 
 beneath which he had rescued Ned from a horrible death, and 
 a quarter of a mile farther on, through the wet untrampled 
 shore-growth, where twice over he heard the rushing and 
 splash of some reptile, he paused by a thick bed of reeds 
 and grass, with bushes overhanging the river's edge. 
 
 Here he stopped till the others joined him — Tim still 
 staggering on with the doctor's help — and then moved forward 
 again by a tall palm. 
 
 He listened, and everything but the splashing of fish and 
 reptiles was still. There was no dipping of oar or creak of 
 bamboo against wood. 
 
 Suddenly a low chirping sound rose from the midst of the 
 party, and was answered from a dozen yards distant. Then 
 came the rustling of some one forcing his way through the 
 
250 THE RAJAH OP DAH. 
 
 bushes, and Ned stood among them, silently grasping hand 
 after hand. 
 
 ' I was afraid they 'd got you, Frank,' he said. 
 
 ' No ; it 'a all right.' 
 
 ' But where 's my uncle ?' 
 
 There was silence, and then Mr Braine explained their 
 position. 
 
 ' I see,' said Ned, firmly ; ' but we cannot stir from here 
 without him.' 
 
 ' No ; we are going to get him out at any cost.' 
 
 'How?' said Ned. 
 
 'Hist! speak lower,' whispered Mr Braine. 'Drop down 
 in the boat to the point nearest his house, and there part of 
 us land.' 
 
 ' But you say he is guarded' 
 
 ' Yes. The case is desperate. But, first of all, let 's get on 
 board.' 
 
 ' No,' said Ned ; ' you are going to forsake him. I will 
 not go.' 
 
 'I give you my word as a gentleman, sir,' said Mr Braine, 
 coldly. 
 
 Ned said no more, but acting as guide, led the way down 
 to the boat, where, with Hamet's help, the ladies, arms, and 
 ammunition were placed on board, and they all followed 
 after, literally rolling Tim in over the side, to lie perfectly 
 helpless at the bottom. 
 
 ' Safe so far,' said Mr Braine, as they crouched together in 
 the fore-part, while the ladies were under the thatch awnin" 
 shivering with dread. 
 
 'Catch hold, Ned. You too, Hamet,' whispered Frank, 
 who, remembering his own sufferings, thrust some food into 
 the fasting pair's hands. 
 
NED IS OBSTINATE. 251 
 
 'Xovv,' said Mr limine, 'there is uo better plan. About 
 three hundred yards below the big tree, by that cluster of 
 palms.' 
 
 ' The prahus are near there,' said Frank. 
 
 ' A full hundred yards lower, boy,' said his father. ' You 
 lads will keep the boat while we land.' 
 
 ' I am coming too,' said Ned. 
 
 ' No,' whispered Mi Braine, angrily. ' Take my orders, 
 and keep the way of retreat open for us.' 
 
 ' I am not going to leave my uncle in that danger without 
 coming to help,' said Ned, stubbornly. 
 
 'Then come,' said Mr Braine, angrily, but admiring the 
 boy's determination all the same. ' Now then, revolvers only, 
 and they are only to be used if cunning fails. How many do 
 we muster if it comes to a fight V 
 
 ' Hamet will come, father,' said Frank. 
 
 ' To save master t Yes,' said the Malay, quietly. 
 
 ' Four, Ned five,' said Mr Braine. ' Oh, if that poor 
 fellow had not made the mistake. He is brave as — as ' 
 
 ' An Irishman,' said the doctor. 
 
 ' Yes, as an Irishman or a Scot.' 
 
 'But I don't think he's so very bad, father,' whispered 
 Frank.—' Here, I say, Tim. There 's a fight.' 
 
 'Foight? Eh?' said Tim, struggling up, and rubbing his 
 eyes. 
 
 ' Hush ! whisper.' 
 
 ' But who said there was going to be a foight ? ' 
 
 ' I did.' 
 
 ' Where ? Come on ! ' 
 
 ' Hush ! Don't speak so loud. He 's right enough, father.' 
 
 'Then push the boat carefully out of this wilderness, and 
 in Heaven's name let 's go.' 
 
252 THE KAJAH OF DAH. 
 
 Hamet unfastened a rattan line, and the boat began to glide 
 downward at once, with, bush and leaf scratching and rustling 
 against side and thatch, till they were clear of the dark 
 vegetable tunnel into which it had been thrust the previous 
 morning. Then taking a pole, the Malay punted it along 
 close in-shore, thrusting the metal-shod staff quietly down 
 till, when they had gone about a hundred yards in the pro- 
 found darkness beneath the trees, the point struck on some- 
 thing hard, when instantly there was a tremendous eddying 
 swirl, the boat rocked, and Hamet said quietly, ' Crocodile.' 
 
 A couple of minutes later Mr Braine pointed to the spot 
 where he wished to land, and the boat was cleverly brought 
 in close to the bank, here so steep that it lay invisible from 
 the shore, the overhanging boughs hiding it from any one 
 upon the river. 
 
 ' Now, Frank,' whispered his father, ' there must be abso- 
 lute silence. Not a word must be spoken. You and Mr 
 Greig must keep the boat. You will be sure to hear us 
 coming, so stand ready to cast off.' 
 
 'Yes, father.' 
 
 ' Eight,' said Greig. 
 
 ' And if matters come to the worst, let the boat drop down 
 the river. Save the ladies, and try to get help.' 
 
 'Yes, father,' said Frank huskily. 'Are you going to tell 
 them what you are about to do V 
 
 'No. Now then, ashore ! Quick!' 
 
 One of the first to step quickly and silently out of the 
 boat was Tim, and a minute later the boat-keepers saw the 
 party disappear into the darkness ; and then Frank sat there 
 listening to a faint sigh or two, the rippling of the water 
 beneath the boat, and trying to make out the shape of the 
 nearest prahu. 
 
CHAPTEE XXIV. 
 
 DP THE HIVER. 
 
 HALT was made as soon as the little party were 
 well away from the boat, for arms to be examined, 
 and a plan of attack arranged. 
 
 Hamet listened respectfully till it had been 
 decided that the only way was for the party to 
 creep up silently, seize and bind the guard, and 
 then retreat at once — a rather reckless proceeding, but one that 
 seemed to them the most likely to succeed — and then he 
 whispered a few words to Ned. 
 
 ' Hamet proposes, sir, that we should try to communicate 
 with my uncle from the back of the house or the roof. He 
 says he could climb the durian tree and break through 
 quietly.' 
 
 ' Then let him try,' said Mr Braine, eagerly. ' We will be 
 ready to support him and attack if it is necessary.' 
 
 Hamet drew in his breath at those words, and assuming 
 the lead, took the party round through garden after garden, 
 till they were only a few yards from the house, where they 
 stood listening to a low, murmured conversation, which told 
 where the guards had stationed themselves ; and then going 
 down on hands and knees, he crept away from them, leaving 
 the others breathless with excitement, and listening for the 
 alarm. 
 
 In a couple of minutes the Malay was back to catch Ned's 
 
254 THE RAJAH OP DAH. 
 
 hand and draw him away, to put in force the tactics which 
 had enabled him to rescue the two lads on the previous night. 
 
 Ned followed him with beating heart, till they were beside 
 one of the palm-tree posts which supported the house, and 
 then submitting to the Malay's busy hands, he found himself 
 placed with his arms grasping the post and his body curved a 
 little, and comprehending the man's plans, he stood firm, 
 while Hamet reached up as high as he could, planted one 
 bare foot on the boy's back, the other on his shoulder, 
 and then the bamboo supports of the matting walls creaked 
 softly, as with the agility of a monkey he passed along 
 to where the durian tree stretched a branch over the roof, 
 upon which, by the help of the bough, he managed to 
 swing himself, and then all was silent again. 
 
 Thump — thump — thump — thump. Ned felt his heart beat 
 as he listened to the murmuring of the Malay guards' voices 
 which came under the house, and as the boy stood there, 
 his ears were strained for the next noise Hamet might make, 
 wondering the while whether the guard would hear. 
 
 He was so near the spot where Murray would be lying, 
 that he felt he had only to raise his voice a little to 
 announce their presence, but he dared not speak. Then he 
 started, for he knew that Hamet was at work, for there was a 
 faint rustling, with an occasional crack, as of the breaking of 
 a leaf; and as the boy stood there in the darkness, he knew 
 that Hamet was cautiously cutting through the attap thatch, 
 scrap by scrap, for now little pieces no bigger than elm- 
 leaves began to fall about him. 
 
 This went on for what seemed to be an interminable 
 length of time, and he began wondering how a Malay who 
 knew so well how his fellow-countrymen made a roof, could 
 be so long in making a hole big enough for a human body to 
 
UP THE RIVER. 255 
 
 puss, when a familiar voice closo to his ear, as it seemed to 
 him, exclaimed : 
 
 ' Who 's there 1 Stop, or I fire.' 
 
 ' Oh, uncle ! ' panted Ned to himself ; ' how could you he 
 so stupid.' 
 
 Then he threw himself down, for there was the quick 
 movement of feet, the familiar creaking of the bamboo steps 
 in front, that he had so often ascended and descended, and 
 then his uncle's voice said loudly : 
 
 ' Nothing wrong. Water — water!' And as if to himself 
 — 'I don't suppose they understand a word.' 
 
 But it was evident that they comprehended the last word, 
 for the bamboo floor creaked, and Ned plainly heard the 
 sound of some one drinking. Then came the words, ' Thank 
 you ; ' the floor and steps creaked again, and after all had 
 been silent for what seemed to be half an hour, the boy rose 
 to his feet again, conscious that Hamet was hard at work, 
 for the scraps fell fast. 
 
 Then came a pause, the faint creaking of the floor as if 
 Murray had turned round, a dull expiration of the breath 
 as of some one breathing very hard; and as Ned stood 
 grasping the pillar, he felt that the slight house was quivering 
 slightly. 
 
 Ned's heart beat now fast, and in imagination he saw his 
 uncle hanging from Hamet's hands and being drawn upward 
 toward the sloping roof. 
 
 Another creak, a loud rustle, and he knew that he had 
 climbed — half drawn — through the palm thatch, and the pair 
 were about to descend. 
 
 'Quick, quick !' thought Ned, 'before they hear you;' and 
 longing to go to Murray's help, he strained his head back and 
 tried to pierce the thick darkness. 
 
256 THE RAJAH OF DAH. 
 
 All at once there was an ominous crack, a violent rustling 
 sound, and then a sharp jerk or check. 
 
 Murray had slipped, and was coming down fast, hut he had 
 saved himself, and from overhead now came a sharp whisper, 
 'Quick!' 
 
 The command was needed, for the guard had taken the 
 alarm. There was the rush of feet, a louder scramhling from 
 above, and Hamet and Murray dropped down into the arms 
 of the guards who came running under and round the house. 
 
 The struggle had commenced, and though Murray fought 
 bravely, he had been taken at a disadvantage, and the help 
 had come, apparently, in vain. 
 
 For, realising that the attempt had failed, Mr Braine and 
 the doctor rushed to the assistance of the others, and a fierce 
 milee ensued in the darkness, wherein the fresh comers, who 
 dared not use their revolvers for fear of injuring friends, 
 devoted their principal efforts to keeping the enemy from 
 using their krises, weapons admirably suited for a close 
 encounter. 
 
 It was only a matter of a minute or two. 
 
 ' Murray — is Murray there V cried the doctor. 
 
 'Yes,' came from the ground. 'I'm held — two men. 
 Never mind me — save yourselves.' 
 
 The fierce struggle went on almost in silence, for the Malays 
 as they wrestled with the Englishmen, sought more to take 
 prisoners than to strike, and uttered a low growling noise, more 
 like that of wild beasts than men. 
 
 'It's of no use,' whispered the doctor. 'Braine, Ned, 
 Hamet, make for the boat.' 
 
 ' Yes, quick ! escape ! ' cried Murray, after a tremendous 
 effort to get free. 
 
 ' No, no,' cried Ned, hoarsely, wresting his arm from the 
 
A blow on the ear which knocked over the man seated on Ned. 
 
UP THE RIVER. 257 
 
 doctor's clutch ; and with a short run he sprang upon one of 
 the men who were holding Murray down. 
 
 The sudden action and the weight of his body in his leap 
 drove the Malay from his hold, and, freed thus from one 
 enemy, Murray made another desperate effort as Ned rolled 
 over, got his right arm froe, dashed his fist into his enemy's 
 face, and sprang up. 
 
 ' Now ! ' he panted, ' all together for the boat.' 
 
 He was striking out right and left now with nature's 
 weapons, sending one man down, and keeping others at bay. 
 
 ' Where 's Ned V he panted. 
 
 ' Never mind me, uncle ; run ! ' cried the boy. 
 
 ' By-and-by,' muttered Murray, striking out again and 
 repeating his nephew's manoeuvre, but with the addition of a 
 blow on the ear which knocked over the man seated on Ned. 
 
 'Now then, are you ready?' cried Murray, as Ned sprang 
 up ; and the Malays now gathered together, and after a few 
 moments pause : ' Look out ! ' cried Murray, ' spears ! ' for the 
 enemy were coming on again. But at that moment the doctor 
 and Mr Braine pressed to the front, and four flashes, followed 
 by the sharp reports of their revolvers, checked the assailants 
 for the moment, and the party began to retreat rapidly. 
 
 But shouting excitedly now, the Malays pressed on, and 
 two spears whistled by the ears of the retreating party. 
 
 'Ah, ye cowards!' cried a familiar voice; 'tak that then,' 
 and shot after shot was rapidly fired, one of which was 
 followed by a hoarse cry, and a man went down. 
 
 ' Sure, I forgot all about it before,' said Tim ; ' and I 
 hadn't so much asa shtick.' 
 
 ' Silence ! ' said Mr Braine, sternly. ' Don't fire again 
 without orders. Forward, quick !' 
 
 It was quite time, for there was a loud confused noise of 
 
. 258 THE EAJAH OF DAH. 
 
 voices from all sides now, and, greatest danger of all, from the 
 river to which they were hastening fast. Lights were 
 gleaming amongst the trees, some of which Mr Braine saw 
 were from the prahus, and it was evident that they would 
 soon have an attack to repel from that side. 
 
 ' No, no,' whispered Hamet, just then. ' This way.' 
 
 For in his excitement Mr Braine was leading the party 
 wide of the boat, which was reached at last, just as lanterns 
 were moving on the river, and voices were shouting from 
 different directions. 
 
 ' Now for it ! ' whispered Mr Braine. ' Quick ! All in ! 
 Every man take an oar. We must make a dash for it. 
 The stream will help us. Don't attempt to fire unless they 
 board.' 
 
 ' No, no,' cried Hamet again, as they struggled into their 
 places ; and there was so much authority in his tones, that 
 for a while all paused, and the Malay silently took one of the 
 poles from the side, and keeping the boat well under the 
 shelter of the bank, forced her up stream instead of down, 
 always keeping close to the shore. 
 
 Mr Braine saw the wisdom of the act directly, for the boat 
 progressed slowly and without a splash, being a good thirty 
 yards away as Murray's guards reached the bank just below 
 where they had embarked. 
 
 An eager shouting and interchange of questions followed ; 
 two lights were seen moving down stream in a zigzag way, 
 and all at once a dazzling blue light began to burn a couple 
 of hundred yards from them, lighting up one of the prahus 
 moored in mid-stream ; but though every figure on the large 
 vessel, and the shape of another near, stood out plain, the 
 fugitives were in darkness, and though they felt that they 
 must be seen, Hamet worked calmly and steadily with his 
 
UP THE 1UVBR. 259 
 
 pole, sending the boat higher and higher, the force of the 
 stream being only slight so close to the bank. 
 
 Then, again, the wisdom of his plan became evident, for 
 the bank was now dotted with dammar torches, and their 
 swarthy bearers could be seen holding them over the water 
 as they hurried down stream toward where the closing in of 
 the jungle would soon preclude further progress on foot. 
 
 The blue light burning in a vessel on the first prahu died 
 out, but before it was extinct another flamed up from the 
 second prahu, and the scene was wonderfully picturesque to 
 the little party still moving up stream. Both banks were lit 
 up, with the shapes of the trees standing out distinct and 
 clear, while the river seemed to flow on like glittering steel, 
 on which, growing distinct now, three nagas were visible for 
 a few moments and then disappeared. 
 
 By this time Hamet's efforts had sent the boat four 
 hundred yards above the last prahu, and as he grew more 
 distant, his strokes grew quicker and less cautious, till it was 
 wonderful what speed one pair of arms kept up. 
 
 And now for the first time Mr Braine leant forward to the 
 man and whispered : ' Well done ; but you are taking us 
 farther from safety.' 
 
 ' No,' said Hamet, quietly. ' Up the river. Hide. Some 
 night creep down. Back to Dindong.' 
 
 'Yes. I see,' said Mr Braine. ' He is right.' 
 
 Silence was preserved once more, and Hamet kept on so 
 close in-shore that the overhanging boughs swept the thatched 
 roof of the boat. Then all at once he thrust down his pole 
 deep into the gravelly sand, and, as it were, anchored the 
 boat. 
 
 'Now,' he said, panting with his exertions; 'all take oars 
 and row.' 
 
260 
 
 THE KAJAH OF DAH. 
 
 'Yes,' said Mr Braine, eagerly, and the oars were seized; 
 but Hamet uttered a low 'hist !' and all listened. 
 
 Eor a few moments English ears failed to catch that which 
 had struck upon the more keen sense of the Malay, but soon 
 enough they could hear beat — beat — beat — beat — the sound 
 of rapidly plied oars, and it was plain that a naga had 
 now come up the river in pursuit. 
 
 wmmwm 
 
 uasse 
 
 mgm 
 
 wmwm 
 
 Tropical Forest. 
 
CHAPTER XXV. 
 
 A DETERMINED PURSUIT. 
 
 OST!' said Murray, bitterly. 
 
 ' No,' replied Mr Braine, quietly ; ' they have to 
 take us yet.' 
 
 'Hist!' whispered Hamet, and parting the 
 overhanging boughs, he forced the boat in till, 
 as far as they could tell, they were hidden — a 
 branch acting as anchor — and they listened to the water 
 rippling by thein, and the beat, beat, of the oars. 
 
 Sound travels so rapidly over smooth water, that it was 
 long before the fugitives could feel that the boat was close at 
 hand. Then, on it sped nearer, and above the sound of the 
 oars came that of voices in low, angry discussion. Two of 
 the leaders were evidently disputing, and their words were 
 plain to three at least on board. 
 
 Abreast now, and becoming then just visible through 
 the drooping boughs, and as Ned and Frank sat together, 
 hand clasped in hand, the unspoken question was : ' "Will 
 any of the keen eyes on board see us.' 
 
 ' Our escape cut off this way,' thought Ned, the next 
 moment; and then he placed his lips close to Frank's ear 
 and whispered, for the boy had suddenly given his hand a 
 quick pressure. 
 
 'What did they say?' 
 
262 , TUB RAJAH OP DAH. 
 
 ' It was the Muntrie,' whispered Frank in the same way. 
 ' Says there is no boat missing, and that we can't be on the 
 river. The only boat out is the one up by, where we are in 
 prison.' 
 
 ' Hist ! ' came from Hamet, and instead of the sound of 
 oars growing fainter, they waxed loud. 
 
 The boat had been turned, and swept by them again down 
 stream, the search being deemed useless. 
 
 Ten minutes after, when the beat of oars had died away, 
 the boat was thrust out again, and all joined now in sending 
 her up stream with a quiet steady stroke, which was kept to 
 for a couple of hours; and then all at once the river mist 
 began to be flushed with opal tints, the haggard faces of the 
 occupants of the boat grew plain, and marks of blood were 
 detected and rapidly washed away. 
 
 The bright sunshine and some refreshment sent a gleam of 
 hopefulness into every breast, and the men rowed on with 
 renewed energy. They were all together now, and if they 
 could manage to sustain life for a few days, they would bo 
 able either to reach the campong of the neighbouring rajah, 
 and throw themselves on his mercy, or, after hiding, drop 
 down the river some dark night. 
 
 As the sun rose higher, their exertions began to tell ; the 
 strokes given by Frank and Ned grew more feeble, and a 
 suitable place being found, the boat was run in under shelter 
 among the overhanging boughs, and an hour's rest taken. 
 Then once more forward, in spite of the heat, till well on in 
 the afternoon, when, as Frank and Ned were again resting, 
 and the boat was slowly making way against the stream, 
 Ned spoke, for the first time for quite an hour. 
 
 ' I suppose we 've passed the place where they took us.' 
 
 'Eh?' cried Frank, starting. 'I don't know. I forgot 
 
A DETERMINED PURSUIT. 263 
 
 that. I say, Hamet, hadn't we Letter go on the other side of 
 the river V 
 
 He had hardly uttered the words, when a spear flew from 
 among the bushes not many yards away, and stuck in the 
 bottom of the boat close to where Hamet was seated. 
 
 Mr Braine snatched his revolver from his waist and fired 
 in the direction of the enemy, who replied with a couple 
 more spears, both of which fell short, dropping into the 
 water with a light splash, for Hamet had made a tremendous 
 sweep with his oar, and sent the boat's head round toward the 
 farther shore, so that in a minute or two they were out of 
 danger. 
 
 ' I will not fire again,' Mr Braine said ; ' not that it much 
 matters, for these men will warn any boat which follows 
 that we have gone by.' 
 
 At last the heat began to be less oppressive, and better 
 progress was made. The party were divided into two crews, 
 one of which rested while the other pulled, the four ladies 
 insisting all through the night in taking an oar, so that as 
 the sun rose next morning, they had reached the spot where 
 the party had made their first exploring trip — the open 
 park-like tract beyond the jungle, with a view of the hill- 
 country in the distance. 
 
 ' Why not halt here for a few hours 1 ' the doctor said. 
 ' It is impossible for us to go on without getting food, and to 
 stop at any village means danger. 
 
 His propositions were acceded to, and the boat run into a 
 
 nook, where it was hidden from any one passing along the 
 
 river ; and the possibility and risk of shooting something to 
 
 supplement their supplies were being discussed, when once 
 
 more Hamet raised his hand. 
 
 There it was again, the faint beat of oars a long distance 
 
 R 
 
264 THE RAJAH OP DAH. 
 
 off, but plainly indicating pursuit ; and with the knowledge 
 that the enemy on the bank would tell of their passing, 
 it was decided to land at once and strike for the hills. 
 The mist would hide them for the time, and if their boat 
 was not discovered, it would still be available after the 
 danger had passed. 
 
 Very few minutes had elapsed before they were all ashore, 
 and once more taking the way through the park-like country, 
 Frank acting as guide, and taking care to keep his party well 
 hidden from the river; an easy enough task, as the open 
 glades were well furnished with clumps of trees, each of 
 which acted as a screen from any one who might be in 
 pursuit. 
 
 Of this, however, as the hours passed, there seemed no 
 sign, and place after place was recognised in passing. The 
 morning was glorious, and to the great satisfaction of all, 
 game was seen to be sufficiently plentiful to set famine at 
 defiance. But, of course, no shot was fired, the efforts of all 
 being devoted to reaching the hills, where the first halt would 
 be made for rest and food. 
 
 The comparative coolness of the air as they ascended, the 
 lovely scenery of the higher ground, and the feeling of hopeful- 
 ness that danger was escaped, at all events for the present, made 
 the long tramp pleasant ; and the ladies laughingly disclaimed 
 all feelings of fatigue, when Mr Braine called a halt beneath 
 a huge tree high up on the slope they had ascended, and from 
 which they had their first glimpse of the river they had left. 
 
 They had just seated themselves about the baskets, and 
 were laughingly sharing out the shrunken remains of the 
 provisions hastily gathered, when the doctor said, ' How 
 long do you think it will be before the Kajah gives up the 
 pursuit?' when Tim, who had been getting his breakfast 
 
A DETERMINED PURSUIT. 265 
 
 ready, as he merrily whispered to the boys, and withdrawn to 
 take it in smoke some distance apart, suddenly jogged his 
 master's elbow. 
 
 ' What is it, Tim ? Oh yes ; you are not forgotten. This 
 is our ' 
 
 ' Sure, we 're none of us forgotten,' whispered Tim, pointing. 
 
 And there, to the horror of the party, in a bend of the 
 river, and apparently close to the spot where they had landed, 
 lay two large prahus in the broad sunshine. 
 
 Every eye was fixed upon them as they glided straight in 
 their direction along one of the bends of the winding river. 
 
 1 "Well, he means to capture us,' said Mr Braine, quietly, as 
 the prahus disappeared behind the trees ; ' but he will have 
 to land his men, and even if they came on at once, it must 
 be hours before they reached hera So breakfast, dinner, or 
 whatever it is, and then another start.' 
 
 The sight of the prahus did not act as an appetiser, but 
 the meal was eaten, great care being exercised that no 
 traces of their stay were scattered about, and then once more 
 the word was 'Forward !' and the tramp for safety recommenced 
 in silence. 
 
 As they went on, Frank pointed to where Murray had 
 shot his various specimens and found the pieces of tin ore ; 
 and they went on higher till a comparatively open spot was 
 reached before crossing, where, as they were now so high, 
 Frank stopped to reconnoitre, gazing down with shaded eyes 
 into the plain and along the park-like slope they had 
 ascended. 
 
 'I can't see any sign of the prahus, Frank,' said Xed. 
 ' There 's nothing on the river. Oh !' 
 
 'What's the matter?' 
 
 ' Something flashed half a mile away there. Look down 
 
2G6 THE RAJAH OF DAH. 
 
 to the left of that great tree. That's the one where we 
 stopped to eat.' 
 
 'Spears. I see,' whispered Frank. 'Here, Hamet.' 
 
 The man stepped to his side. 
 
 'Look!' 
 
 Hamet crept forward and peered hetween the leaves of 
 a bush, and gazed down for some moments in silence. Then 
 turning, he said calmly : 
 
 'Thirteen of the rajah's men. They are tracking us by 
 the marks we have left, and will overtake us in less than an 
 hour.' 
 
 This was spoken in broken English, but no speech was 
 ever more impressive to the hearers, and the gentlemen 
 pressed together, while the ladies listened as if to their 
 fate. 
 
 ' Well,' said Mr Braine, hoarsely. ' You see. What do 
 you say ? Surrender or fight ?' 
 
 'Fight,' said Murray, after exchanging a glance with 
 Amy ; and the two boys uttered a faint ' Hurrah !' 
 
CHAPTER XXVI. 
 
 OVEECOME. 
 
 ■ OW forward,' said Mr Braine in a low earnest 
 voice. ' Trie plan will be to keep on till we come 
 upon a place that we can hold against attack 
 Frank, Ned, lead on with the ladies; we will 
 come last. Quick, and in silence. Single 
 file.' 
 
 Frank led on, hut at the end of half an hour no likely 
 spot had been found, and distant shouts told that their 
 pursuers were closing in. 
 
 Mr Braine came now to the front. 
 
 'We must have some place found at once, boys,' he 
 whispered, avoiding the inquiring looks of the ladies. ' If it 
 is only a patch of rocks or a dense clump of trees.' 
 
 But no such spot offered itself, and on all hands he could 
 see how easily they would be surrounded and at the mercy of 
 the enemy. 
 
 At the end of another quarter of an hour they were 
 approaching a steeper place than usual, but their pursuers 
 were very near now, and the gentlemen owned to themselves 
 that though they might shoot down a few of their enemies, 
 the Malays would certainly conquer; when Ned, who had 
 been staring about him wildly for some minutes, suddenly 
 uttered a low cry. 
 
268 THE RAJAH OF DAH. 
 
 'Here, quick!' he cried. 'Follow me;' and turning at a 
 sharp angle to the left, he seemed to be going almost back to 
 the enemy. 
 
 'Stop! Are you mad?' whispered Murray, dashing after 
 the boy and seizing his arm. 
 
 ' No. I know the place : this way.' 
 
 'Yes, follow him,' said Mr Braine. ' He may know;' and 
 without hesitation he ran after Ned for a few hundred yards, 
 till the boy stopped to gaze about him wildly, as the voices of 
 their pursuers were now very plainly heard. 
 
 'It was somewhere about here — somewhere about here,' 
 whispered Ned. 'Yes, I know ! Here !' 
 
 He pointed to a narrow rift just before him, and into this, 
 as the ladies came up, he led them ; the others followed, and 
 they had hardly all passed from the heat and glow of the 
 day into the cool darkness of the cavern into which Ned had 
 slipped on his first expedition, when a big swarthy-looking 
 Malay brushed by the bushes which masked the entrance, 
 followed by two more, who paused and shouted. 
 
 ' The heathens ! ' muttered Tim, who was the last to enter ; 
 ' they 've found us, and I 've lost me poipe.' 
 
 There was an answering shout, and the men went on, 
 while those in the cave breathed more freely. They were for 
 the moment safe. 
 
 There was shout after shout, now more distant, now close 
 at hand, for, to the dismay of the fugitives, the Malays did 
 not go far, but, as if scenting their prey, turned back, and 
 came by the narrow crack again and again, and those within 
 wondered that they passed it unseen, for the eager excited 
 faces of the Malays were plain enough, and once they were 
 not more than twenty yards away. 
 
 ' There is some reason for their hanging about,' whispered 
 
OVERCOME. 269 
 
 Mr Braine, as lie stood there pistol in hand. ' They must 
 know of the place.' 
 
 As he spoke there was a fresh shout, and four spear- 
 armed men came to where the big fellow the fugitives had 
 before seen was standing, rolling his opal eyes in every 
 direction. 
 
 There was an answering shout from high up overhead, and 
 as Xed stood gazing out past Mr Braine, he saw one of the 
 men down the slope give a sudden leap, stoop down, and 
 after securing something, hold up a bamboo-and-reed pipe. 
 
 ' Bedad, they 've found it,' murmured Tim. ' It fell out of 
 me pocket.' 
 
 'You've lost us now, Tim,' whispered Frank. 
 
 ' Whisht, sor. I couldn't help it. I haven't been meself 
 since I took the masther's rat poison.' 
 
 ' Tou didn't, Tim. Father told me. Tou drank too much 
 wine.' 
 
 ' Murther ! Masther Frank. Why, so it was. It did get 
 right into me legs.' 
 
 'Silence!' whispered Mr Braine, sternly. 'Eeady with 
 your arms.' 
 
 He raised his revolver as he spoke, for the men who had 
 disappeared had returned strengthened, and began to search 
 eagerly about Then one of them uttered a cry, pointed, and, 
 levelling their weapons, they came on. 
 
 'Stand back!' roared Mr Braine, in their tongue; and he 
 fired a shot over their heads. 
 
 This checked them for a minute, and they drew back 
 behind the bushes to begin throwing spears, but the missiles 
 only struck against the rocks at the side of the rift, and find- 
 ing their efforts vain, they paused for a few moments. A few 
 words ran from bush to bush, and Mr Braine whispered a 
 
270 THE KAJAH OP DAM. 
 
 warning, 'Be ready j' and directly after, the moro ominous 
 word, 'Fire!' 
 
 It was time, for the Malays dashed forward, kris in hand, 
 but from out of the cave a scattered volley of revolver shots 
 greeted them so warmly that two dropped, and tho others fell 
 back, followed by their wounded companions. 
 
 ' A moment's respite,' said Mr Braine. ' Reload. "We can 
 boat them off.' 
 
 A moment's respite, but not a minute's, for there was a 
 wild shriek from tho interior of the cavo, and a chill ran 
 through Ned. He had recalled the entrance to the place 
 through which he had slipped, and he turned just as thoro 
 was a rush, a burst of yells from within, answered by others 
 from without, as the Malays again camo on. 
 
 Then there was a wild struggle, the pistols wore useless, 
 and now thoroughly mastered by their lithe antagonists, all 
 the efforts of the last fow hours proved to have been in 
 vain, for Mr Braine, Murray, tho doctor, Mr Groig, Tim, 
 and the two boys lay bound where they had been draggod 
 out among tho bushes, with tho ladies seated weeping by 
 them, and only one of the unfortunate party spoke. 
 
 It was Tim, who turned to the boys. 
 
 ' Look at that now,' he said ; ' I niver had a chance, and 
 I've murthered one hand hitting it against the wall.' 
 
 'Never mind,' said Ned; 'perhaps our time will como.' 
 
 ' Faix thin, me lad, I 'd like to hear it shtrike at wanst.' 
 
 3ST«SSiTB 
 
CHAPTER XXVII. 
 
 A SAD RETURN. 
 
 T was a dreary tramp down to the naga lying close 
 beside their own, fastened to a tree on the river 
 bank ; but though the two wounded men scowled 
 at them, and even at the doctor who had offered to, 
 and did dress their wounds, the rest of the Malays 
 were respectful and friendly enough, for the Resident 
 and doctor were favourites with them, and they could all 
 recollect acts of kindness. The ladies were helped over 
 difficult parts, and refreshments and water were freely offered 
 to those who had, as the Malays thought, naturally enough 
 tried to escape, while they on their part had received orders 
 to recapture them, and been successful 
 
 Then once more they were afloat, and for the first time 
 Ned recognised their guardians of the jungle prison from 
 which they had been rescued by Hamet, these men going 
 back in their own boat, now reverted to its proper crew. 
 
 So the two nagas floated gently down the stream in the 
 af ternoon, reaching the campong at last ; but they went down 
 so leisurely that it was dark when they reached the jetty, 
 shouting and beating a gong to announce their return in 
 triumph. 
 
 Everything seemed very quiet at the village, and N~ed 
 tried to pierce the darkness and make out the place where 
 they had lain in hiding, and that where they had landed to 
 try to rescue Murray. 
 
272 THE RAJAH OP DAH. 
 
 'I say,' whispered Frank, rousing up from the despondent 
 state in which he had sunk, ' try and count the prahus.' 
 
 Ned turned and looked in the other direction, but it was 
 too dark, and he said he could not see. 
 
 ' I can't either, but it seemed as if there were four.' 
 
 The men sprang ashore, and secured the two boats before 
 bidding their prisoners come out, and as one by one these 
 landed, Mr Braine overheard a little of their conversation. 
 
 'We are to he all taken straight up to the rajah's,' he 
 whispered. ' Keep up your courage, and let 's hope yet. All 
 may be well after all.' 
 
 ' Very kind of you to say so, Mr Braine,' replied the doctor, 
 'but' 
 
 There was no time for further converse, the Malay head- 
 man giving an order, and the whole party were marched off 
 the jetty and up the broad path leading toward the rajah's ; 
 the crews of the two boats following with regular military 
 step, till they reached a narrower part, where the way led 
 between two houses, when suddenly, as if they had risen out 
 of the earth, a body of men blocked the road, and guard and 
 prisoners were halted. 
 
 Then there were cries of excitement, and orders given to 
 retreat, but another body of enemies blocked the road in their 
 rear. 
 
 For a few moments it seemed as if the prisoners were to 
 be in the centre of a desperate encounter, but a few sharp 
 commands sufficed to make the Malay guard sullenly give up 
 their arms to a force ten times their number, and then the 
 march toward the rajah's house was continued, but under a 
 fresh guard now. 
 
 ' What is the matter V whispered Ned. ' Is the rajah 
 angry with them for taking us?' 
 
A SAD RETURN. 273 
 
 'I don't quite know,' said Frank. 'It seems to me 
 
 that "Wait a minute or two, it's so dark, and I can't 
 
 make these men out.' 
 
 They were marched directly after into the enclosure, now 
 a blaze of light from the number of lanterns and dammar 
 torches stuck about. The place, too, was filled with armed 
 men, and as they were halted just at the foot of the steps, a 
 Malay officer in scarlet and yellow came down, looked eagerly 
 at the English party, and then signed to them to follow. 
 
 Frank tried to get to his father, but he was not allowed to 
 advance till the ladies had all ascended to the broad veranda ; 
 then both lads were ordered to go up, and they followed their 
 seniors into the rajah's chief room, now brilliantly lit, and 
 dotted with his chief men, while he sat on a bamboo stool at 
 the far end in his gorgeous uniform as upon their first 
 meeting, the Tumongong sitting upon a second stool upon 
 his right. 
 
 ' Ugh ! the old guy ! ' whispered Frank. ' I wish I 
 
 say, look — it isn't him. Why, Ned, what 's happened ?' 
 
 The reason for this exclamation was the rising of the 
 Tumongong, to tower above the double rank of sword and 
 regabia bearers on either side. And to the astonishment of 
 all present, he stretched out his hands, and, in very fair 
 English, as he took Amy's and kissed them, said : 
 
 ' My dear child, Allah be praised that you and yours are 
 safe ! Mrs Braine, Mrs Barnes, welcome home.' 
 
 He kissed their hands in turn, and then greeted the gentle- 
 men warmly before turning to the boys. ' Frank — Edward 
 Murray,' he said, ' safe ; no one hurt ? I am very, very glad. 
 
 'But,' cried Mr Braine, eagerly, 'the rajah?' 
 
 ' I am the Eajah of Dah now,' said the Malay chief with 
 a touch of hauteur in his tones. 'Are you surprised?' 
 
274 THE RAJAH OF DAH. 
 
 ' No,' said Mr Braine, warmly. ' Thank God ! I knew 
 that some day it must come.' 
 
 ' When the fruit was dead ripe, it would fall,' said the new 
 rajah, solemnly. 
 
 'AndSadi?' 
 
 ' The tyrant, the robber and oppressor of all who ascended 
 and descended this river, is dead, sir, and with your help, I 
 hope that a new period of peace will open on the land. The 
 time was ripe at last, and I sent to my ally here, Rajah 
 Aiken.' 
 
 This chief rose and was presented to all in turn, bowing 
 with Eastern dignity, and the scene would have been impres- 
 sive but for the Malay's vanity. The gorgeous military 
 uniform of his enemy had excited his cupidity ever since 
 reports had reached him of its splendour, and the minute he 
 had made an almost bloodless seizure of the campong, he had 
 claimed it as his spoil, received it readily from his friend the 
 ex-Tumongong, and arrayed himself in it ready for the return 
 of the English people, whom he wished to impress. 
 
 He succeeded far above his expectations, for that night, 
 when back at his old home, Frank said merrily : 
 
 'Why, it don't fit him half so well as it did poor old 
 Sadi.' 
 
 'No,' assented Ned. ' But — dead ! how horrible !' 
 
 ' Yes ; one of his own men killed him, they say, for every 
 one hated him except me.' 
 
 ' And you liked him V 
 
 ' No, I don't think I liked him,' said Frank, taking up the 
 kris Hamet had replaced in his hands; and then, with 
 a shudder, hanging it upon the wall ; ' but he was always very 
 kind to me.' 
 
CHAPTER XXVIII. 
 
 TIM PROVES HIMSELF A DEISCOL. 
 
 jT UT for the presence of two strange prahus and their 
 enormous crews, who seemed more than could be 
 packed in the long swift vessels, it seemed im- 
 possible to believe in the great change that had 
 taken place. 
 
 For the Eesident, the doctor, the Greigs, and 
 Murray were back in their houses, where the new rajah's 
 people were constantly showing them tokens of their master's 
 good-will. The people of the campong were all en fite, and 
 the place was given up to rejoicings as they began to realise 
 that new days were in prospect, and a man might call his life 
 his own. 
 
 And not the least puzzled of the occupants of the place 
 was Tim, who suddenly came confidentially to the boys as 
 they sauntered back into the garden. 
 
 'Masther Frank,' he said, 'will ye have the goodness to 
 pinch me arm?' 
 
 ' Certainly, Tim,' cried the boy. 
 
 ' Aisy lad, aisy. Don't take the pace out. Thank ye ; it 's 
 all right. I am wide awake.' 
 ' Of course you are.' 
 
 ' Oh, but I didn't know. I thought perhaps the masther's 
 rat poison was still on me strong.' 
 
276 THE RAJAH OP DAH. 
 
 ' Go along ; it was the wine !' 
 
 Tim's eyes twinkled, and just then he heard himself called, 
 and hurried in. 
 
 ' It is a bit of a puzzle, Ned, isn't it V said Frank. ' I 
 could hardly believe it at first. Hallo ! What now V 
 
 A party of the rajah's officers were at the gate to 
 summon the doctor and Eesident, with Murray and the 
 boys, to an audience, both these gentlemen being at the 
 doctor's house. 
 
 His highness received them with a great display of 
 genuine, manly dignity, and with a showy retinue about him. 
 He then spoke to his visitors in the Malay tongue, the 
 Eesident translating as of old, and bade them welcome to 
 his court, assuring them of his friendship and of that of 
 his people as long as they would stay. 
 
 He was thanked, but there was considerable hesitation in 
 the way in which his offers were received. Then refresh- 
 ments were handed round, and finally the court was dis- 
 missed, only the guards remaining outside, while the rajah 
 led his visitors into an inner room, where coffee, sweets, and 
 fruit stood on one mat, pipes on another. 
 
 'Now, gentlemen,' said the rajah, 'pray seat yourselves, 
 and we will smoke. My dear boys, there are sweets and 
 fruit for you till you wish to go.' 
 
 The boys did not wish to go, and as soon as they saw 
 their elders settled down to their pipes, they began, as 
 Frank expressed it, 'just to try' the fruit, and that fruit 
 was tried, and obtained most favourable verdicts in every 
 case. 
 
 At the end of a short conversation, the Resident said 
 respectfully : 
 
 ' May I ask your highness V 
 
TIM PROVES HIMSELF A DRISCOL. 277 
 
 ' Stop,' said the rajah, laying his hand upon the Eesident's 
 arm, while tho boys looked on and listened, ' wo have known 
 each other for some years now, and I hoped that I had 
 merited your friendship. ' 
 
 ' Indeed, yes,' said Mr Braine ; ' but you never trusted me 
 even to speaking English, though I always felt that you 
 could.' 
 
 'My dear Mr Braine,' said the rajah, 'if I had spoken 
 English to you alone some day, I should have betrayed 
 myself, and — believe me, I wished to live. My predecessor 
 was suspicious in the extreme, and you know how those fared 
 whom he disliked.' 
 
 ' Yes,' said the Eesident with a shudder. 
 
 'I could speak English easily ten years ago. And, now 
 henceforth, when we are alone, let there be no formality. 
 You are an English gentleman. I have always tried to be a 
 gentleman too.' 
 
 ' You always have been one,' said Mr Braine, warmly. 
 
 ' Thank you,' said the rajah, holding out his hand. ' Then, 
 now listen, I want the help of my friends. By your guidance 
 this land has grown powerful, but unfortunately it has been 
 for evil. I want it to be powerful now for good. Stay with 
 me as my friend and counsellor. — You, too, doctor, and Mr 
 Greig; and as for you, Mr Murray, I am not quite the 
 barbarian you think. Let all those past troubles be as an 
 ugly vision of the night. Forget them and stay. I can 
 admire your pursuits, and it will give me great gratification 
 if you will make this place your home. My elephants and 
 boats and men are at your service, and, of course, you 
 are free to come and go as you please. You hesitate ! 
 Come, come; I implore you. Doctor, you will not forsake 
 me?' 
 
278 THE RAJAH OP DAII. 
 
 ' Hang it, Tumongong — I beg pardon, I mean rajah, no.' 
 
 'There,' said the rajah, laughing; 'I have you too. 
 Murray, you will not go. I am not blind.' 
 
 Murray held out his hand. 
 
 ' In the cause of science,' he said, smiling, ' I stay.' 
 
 ' I ask for no more,' said the rajah. ' Here boys,' he cried, 
 'you've had enough fruit; you are going to stop. Frank, 
 my lad, at any time you want anything, ask me for it as your 
 old friend.' 
 
 'Thank you,' cried Frank, eagerly; 'then I want some- 
 thing now.' 
 
 'What is it?' 
 
 ' Give me a new kris.' 
 
 ' Why 1 A handsome one was given to you.' 
 
 ' Yes,' said Frank, with a slight twitching of the brows, 
 ' but I'm not going to wear that again.' 
 
 The rajah took one of two that he was wearing and gave it 
 to the boy. 
 
 ' Keep it as my present,' he said ; ' and I hope, boy, you 
 will live to see the day when the kris has given place to good 
 honest laws which protect people so that they can go 
 unarmed.' 
 
 There needs no telling how, as soon as the rajah's ally had 
 gone, the campong settled down to its everyday life, but that 
 life grew more and more new. The Eesident and the doctor 
 stayed ; Mr Greig began to make trade nourish ; and Murray 
 wont on with his collecting, working energetically for six 
 months, when he was obliged to return to England with Ned. 
 
 But they were both back again within six months more, 
 and a friend of Murray's accompanied him. Ho was a clergy- 
 man, but a gvoat naturalist, and ho joined his friend in collect- 
 
TIM PROVES HIMSELF A DRISCOL. 279 
 
 ing, till one day there was a great festival, for an English 
 gentleman was married to an English lady, a certain Mr 
 "Wilson coming up from Dindong to be best-man. After- 
 wards the happy pair went down the river and along the 
 coast to Malacca to spend their honeymoon ; while Ned 
 Murray stayed at the campong to look after the specimens 
 and enjoy himself to his heart's content. 
 
 Then the happy pair came back, and there was constant 
 talk of going back to England when the collecting was done; 
 but the collecting never was done, and Murray set to work 
 to write a book on the natural history of the place, that meant 
 years of delightful work, so they stayed on to see the land 
 improving month by month, and find the rajah their firmest 
 friend. 
 
 A couple of years had passed, when one day Frank, who 
 had developed a great love for mineralogy, and Xed, who 
 promised to be a great authority on botany, came upon Tim 
 Driscol busily improving the Murrays' garden. 
 
 'What are you doing, Tim V said Xed. 
 
 ' Jist putting in a few of Miss Amy's ' ■ 
 
 'Jlrs,' said Frank, sharply, and Tim slapped his own 
 mouth. 
 
 ' Av coorse,' he said. ' A few crapers and a bit of chuni- 
 padah, and some scinted things she likes. Oh, it 's a baste of 
 a place, but one must make the best of it.' 
 
 '"Why don't you go back to the old country, then?' said 
 Ned. 
 
 Tim gave him a droll look. 
 
 ' Eekase I 'm a Driscol, sor.' 
 
 'And what's that got to do with it?' 
 
 ' Sure, Masther Xed, there nivver was a Driscol yet who 
 didn't know when he was well off.' 
 
280 THE RAJAH OF DAH. 
 
 ' Why, ised,' cried Frank, laughing, 'he 's a philosopher.' 
 *Yis, sor,' said Tim, 'and I get more so every day. But, 
 by your lave, when are you young gentlemen going back?' 
 They answered together : 
 ' I don't know.' 
 
 THE END. 
 
 Edinburgh : 
 Printed by W. & R. Chambers, Limited. 
 
BOOKS 
 
 SUITABLE FOR PRIZES AND PRESENTATION. 
 
 Price 5s. 
 
 PHILIPPA. By Mrs Molesworth, author of Olivia, Blanche, 
 Robin Redbreast, Carrots, Imogen, &c. With eight Illustrations 
 by J. Finnemore. 5/ 
 
 Readers of Olivia and Blanche will welcome Sirs Molesworth back 
 to the same field where she again traces the development of a charm- 
 ing and high-spirited maiden through a series of domestic scenes, 
 where she is left in the end perfectly happy and perfectly satisfied 
 with her destiny, as no doubt the reader will also be, when that point 
 is reached. 
 
 THE GIRL AT THE DOWER HOUSE, AND AFTERWARD. By 
 
 Agnes Giberne, author of Sun, Moon, and Stavs ; A Lady of 
 England, etc. "With eight Illustrations by J. Finnemore. 5/ 
 
 The girl at the Dower House, her mother, the Vicar and his very 
 unconventional daughter, and the central character around whom 
 the interest of the story mainly hangs, play their part in a drama 
 which looks as if it would end in tragedy, until the heroine, wiser 
 through suffering, awakens to her true interests, and chooses the 
 better part. 
 
 CATALINA: Art Student. By L. T. Meade, author of Betty, 
 Four on an Island, Wilton Chase, &c. With eight Illustrations 
 by W. Boucher. 5/ 
 
 The life in a girls' art school in London is here sketched from the 
 life by a practised hand, and the troubles and difficulties in the path 
 of the heroine, who does heroic things for her family, are traced with 
 great realism. There are abundance of other girl characters in 
 the book to render its perusal not only intensely interesting but 
 absorbing. 
 
 W. d- S. Chambers, Limited, London and Edinburgh, 
 
2 BOOKS FOB PRIZES AND PRESENTATION. 
 
 THE BLACK TOR : A Tale of the Eeign of James I. By George 
 
 Manville Fenn, author of Roy Royland, Diamond Dylce, 
 
 Rajah of Dah, Real Gold, &c. "With eight Illustrations by 
 
 W. S. Stacey. 5/ 
 
 Mr Fenn is as entertaining as usual in this tale of rural England 
 
 in the time of James I. A feud between two great families is healed 
 
 in the effort made against a common enemy ; and the manly and 
 
 generous youths who represent the two families will be sure to 
 
 enlist the sympathy of the young reader. 
 
 ROY ROYLAND, or the Young Castellan. By George Manville 
 Fenn. With eight Illustrations by W. Boucher. 5/ 
 
 ' Fascinating from beginning to end ... is told with much spirit 
 and go. ' — Birmingham Gazette. 
 
 'Roy, the youth, has an amusing idea of his own consequence, 
 but shows equal courage and sagacity.'— Times. 
 
 ' Roy is a plucky youngster, not too great and good for curious 
 fortune's daily food. ' — Saturday Review. 
 
 THE BROTHERHOOD OF THE COAST. By David Lawson 
 Johnstonb. With twenty-one Illustrations by W. Boucher. 
 Large crown 8vo, antique cloth gilt. 5/ 
 
 ' There is fascination for every healthily-minded boy in the very 
 nanie of the Buccaneers. . . . Mr D. Lawson Johnstone's new story 
 of adventure is already sure of a warm welcome.' — Manchester 
 Guardian. 
 
 GIRLS NEW AND OLD. By L. T. Meade. With eight Illus- 
 trations by J. Williamson. 5/ 
 'A sound as well as entertaining romance.' — Yorkshire Daily Post. 
 'It is a fine, blight, wholesome book, well bound and illus- 
 trated.' — Saturday Review. 
 
 DON. By the author of Laddie, &c. With eight Illustrations by 
 J. Finneniore. Large crown 8vo, antique cloth gilt. 5/ 
 
 ' A fresh and happy story - . . told with great spirit . . . it is as 
 pure as spring air.' — Glasgow Herald. 
 
 OLIVIA. By Mrs Molesworth. With eight Illustrations by 
 Bobert Barnes. 5/ 
 
 'A beautiful story, an ideal gift-book for girls. '—British Weekly. 
 'A bright story of English provincial life.'— Daily Chronicle. 
 
 W. <b R. Chambers, Limited, London and Edinburgh. 
 
From Philtppa, by Mrs Molesworth ; price 6s. 
 
 'You will bewitch my father, I am sure.' 
 
4 BOOKS FOR PRIZES AND PRESENTATION. 
 
 BETTY: a School Girl. By L. T. Meade. With eight Illus- 
 trations by Everard Hopkins. 5/ 
 ' Mrs L. T. Meade has shown her accustomed skill in delineating 
 girl-life. . . . All the types are true to nature.' — Dundee Advertiser. 
 'This is an admirable tale of school-girl life : her history involves 
 an excellent moral skilfully conveyed.' — Glasgow Herald. 
 
 WESTERN STORIES. By William Atkinson. With Frontis- 
 piece. 5/ 
 ' These stories touch a very high point of excellence. They are 
 natural, vivid, and thoroughly interesting.' — Speaker. 
 
 BLANCHE. By Mrs Molesworth, author of Robin Redbreast, 
 The Next-Door House, &c. With eight Illustrations by Robert 
 Barnes. 5/ 
 
 'A story for girls, full of literary grace, and of sustained interest.' 
 — Glasgow Herald. 
 
 'Eminently healthy . . . pretty and interesting, free from 
 sentimentality. ' — Queen. 
 
 DIAMOND DYKE, or the Lone Farm on the Veldt : a Story of 
 
 South African Adventure. By George Manville Fenn, 
 
 author of The Rajah of Dah, Dingo Boys, &c. With eight 
 
 Illustrations by W. Boucher. 5/ 
 
 'This capital picture of the struggles and trials of settlers in a 
 
 new country. . . . The interest of the story is well maintained.' — 
 
 Standard. 
 
 ' There is not a dull page in the book.' — Aberdeen Free Press. 
 
 REAL GOLD : a Story of Adventure. By George Manville Fenn. 
 
 With eight Illustrations by W. S. Stacey. 5/ 
 
 ' In the author's best style, and brimful of life and adventure. . . . 
 
 Equal to any of the tales of adventure Mr Fenn has yet written.' — 
 
 Standard. 
 
 POMONA. By the author of Laddie, Rose and Lavender, Zoe, Baby 
 
 John, &c. With eight Illustrations by Robert Barnes. 5/ 
 
 'A pretty story, prettily told, and it makes very good reading 
 
 for girls, big girls, who like love-stories that are neither mawkish, 
 
 foolish, nor sentimental.'— Queen. 
 
 ' A bright, healthy story for girls.'— Bool seller. 
 
 W. & R. Chambers, Limited, London and Edinburgh. 
 
From The Girl at the Dower House ; and Afterward, 
 by Agnes Giberne ; prire os. 
 
 An inarticulate cry burst from Rhea, as she flung herself down 
 beside her mother. 
 
6 BOOKS FOE PRIZES AND PRESENTATION. 
 
 DOMESTIC ANNALS OF SCOTLAND, from the Reformation to the 
 Rebellion of 1745. By Robert Chambers, LL.D. Abridged 
 from the original octavo edition in three volumes. 5/ 
 
 ALL ROUND THE YEAR. A Monthly Garland by Thomas Miller, 
 author of English Country Life, &c. And Key to the Calendar. 
 With Twelve Allegorical Designs by John Leighton, F.S.A., 
 and other Illustrations. 5/ 
 
 Price 3s. 6d. 
 
 YOUNG DENYS : a Story of the Days of Napoleon. By Eleanor 
 C. Price, author of In the Lion's Mouth, Miss Latimer of 
 Bryans, The Little One, A Lost Battle, &c. "With six Illustra- 
 tions by G. Nicolet. 3/6 
 This story opens by giving a picture of Winchester early in the 
 century, and moves to France, whither the hero had been press- 
 ganged. He comes in contact with the great Napoleon before his 
 last fatal effort at Waterloo. The life in a provincial English town 
 is sketched with humour, vigour, and insight, and there is a pretty 
 thread of love-making which, being interrupted, ends to the satis- 
 faction of every one. 
 
 A SOLDIER OF THE LEGION: a Romance. By David Lawson 
 Johnstone, author of The Brotherhood of the Coast, The Rebel 
 Commodore, &c. With seventeen Illustrations by W. Boucher. 
 
 3/6 
 There is abundance of healthy adventure in this fresh story from 
 the pen of one of our rising young writers. The hero, George 
 Anuesley, exiled from home, performs deeds of daring in the Carlist 
 war in Spain, as a Captain of Guerrillas, and returns to England and 
 to the good fortune which awaits him at the close of the story. 
 
 ' Mr D. Lawson Johnstone maintains a well-earned reputation by 
 his new romance from his clever pen. The varied personages are 
 strongly and clearly drawn, and the changeful situations in which 
 the tale abounds are graphically developed.' — Edinburgh Evening 
 News. 
 
 W. & R. Chambers, Limited, London and Edinburgh. 
 
From Catalisa, by L. T. Shade ; price 5s. 
 
 Without urteriu^ a word, Catalina put down her tray. 
 
8 BOOKS FOB PRIZES AND PRESENTATION. 
 
 SWEPT OUT TO SEA. By David Ker, author of Prisoner among 
 Pirates, Cossack and Czar, Vanished, The Wizard King, &c. 
 With six Illustrations by J. Ayton Symington. 3/6 
 
 Mr David Ker, who has been round and over the world as a news- 
 paper correspondent, carries his hoy and girl heroes, and some of 
 their friends and guardians, including an athletic author and a 
 millionaire, from Shetland to Cornwall, and thence they are swept 
 out to sea, and land, after numerous adventures, in the West 
 Indies. There are pirates, villains, and adventures by flood and 
 field which carry the reader briskly onward to the close. 
 
 TWO BOY TRAMPS. By J. Macdonald Oxley, author of Bert 
 Lloyd's Boyhood, Fergus Mactavish, &c. With six Illustrations 
 by H. Sandham. 3/6 
 
 Mr Oxley conducts his heroes from Edinburgh over the Atlantic, 
 and across Canada to the Pacific, where his intimate knowledge of 
 the country enables him to delineate their numberless adventures 
 with life-like and graphic skill. The narrative is exciting and 
 vivacious, and throws an interesting light on the country through 
 which they travel ; and the boys, whatever dangers they may be in, 
 always land upon their feet. 
 
 THE BLUE BALLOON: a Tale of the Shenandoah Valley. By 
 Keginald Horsley. With six Illustrations by W. S. Stacey. 3/6 
 
 ' We have seldom read a finer tale. It is a kind of masterpiece.' — 
 Methodist Times. 
 
 ' Is as full of exciting adventures as any schoolboy could desire. 
 It is calculated to fire even the blast breast of the reviewer with a 
 martial energy.' — The Saturday Review. 
 
 'This is a most enjoyable, lively, and well- written story of the 
 American Civil War. . . . One of the best historical romances, and 
 of the kind suited to the comprehension of boys.' — Academy. 
 
 THE WIZARD KING: a Story of the Last Moslem Invasion of 
 Europe. By David Ker. With six Illustrations by W. S. 
 Stacey. 3/6 
 
 ' A historical tale . . . the hero being, of course, Sohieski, whose 
 skill, courage, and faith are finely portrayed.' — Aberdeen Journal. 
 
 'This volume ought to find an army of admiring readers.' — 
 Liverpool Mercury. 
 
 W. & R. Chambers, Limited, London and Edinburgh. 
 
From Two TV>y Tramps, by J. Mm-itounld O.i!-:;/ ; price 3s. 6d 
 
 In the Gorge of Bear Creek. 
 
10 BOOKS FOR PRIZES AND PRESENTATION. 
 
 THE REBEL COMMODORE (Paul Jones) ; being Memoirs of the 
 
 Earlier Adventures of Sir Ascott Dalrymple. By D. Lawson 
 
 Johnstone. With six Illustrations by W. Boucher. 3/6 
 
 • The Rebel Commodore is a spirited and well-written story. The 
 
 scenes at sea and on shore are dramatically presented, and strike 
 
 us as wonderfully true to the life. ' — Times. 
 
 ' It is a good story, full of hairbreadth escapes and perilous 
 adventures. ' — To-Day. 
 
 ROBIN REDBREAST. By Mrs Molbswobth, author of Imogen, 
 Next-Door House, The Cuckoo Clock, &c. With six original 
 Illustrations by Robert Barnes. 3/6 
 
 ' It is a long time since we read a story for girls more simple, 
 natural, or interesting.' — Publishers' Circular. 
 
 THE WHITE RAID OF THE ATLAS. By J. Maclaren Cobban. 
 
 With six Illustrations by W. S. Stacey. 3/6 
 
 ■ A well- told tale of adventure and daring in Morocco, in which 
 
 the late and the present Sultan both figure. ... A very pleasant 
 
 book to read.' — Imperial and Asiatic Quarterly Review. 
 
 THE YELLOW GOD : a Tale of some Strange Adventures. By 
 Reginald Hobslet. With six Illustrations by W. S. Stacey. 3/6 
 
 ' Admirably designed, and set forth with life-like force. ... A 
 first-rate book for boys.' — Saturday Review. 
 
 PRISONER AMONG PIRATES. By David Kee, author of Cossack 
 and Cr.ar, The "Wild Horseman of the Pampas, &c. With six 
 Illustrations by W. S. Stacey. 3/6 
 
 ' A singularly good story, calculated to encourage what is noble 
 and manly in boys.' — Athenaeum. 
 
 JOSIAH MASON : A BIOGRAPHY. With Sketches of the History 
 of the Steel Pen and Electroplating Trades. By John Thackray 
 Bunoe. Portrait and Illustrations. 3/6 
 
 FOUR ON AN ISLAND : a Story of Adventure. By L. T. Meade, 
 author of Daddy's Boy, Scamp and I, Wilton Chase, &c. With 
 six original Illustrations by W. Rainey. 3/6 
 
 ' This is a very bright description of modern Crusoes. ' — Graphic. 
 
 W. & R. Chambers, Limited, London and Edinburgh. 
 
From Young Denys, by Eleanor 0. Price ; price Ss. 6d. 
 
 Have you forgotten me ? ' he said a little wistfully. 
 
12 BOOKS FOB PRIZES AND PRESENTATION. 
 
 IN THE LAND OF THE GOLDEN PLUME : a Tale of Adventure. 
 
 By David Lawson Johnstone, author of The. Paradise of the 
 
 North, The Mountain Kingdom, &c. With six Illustrations 
 
 by W. S. Stacey. 3/6 
 
 'Most thrilling, and excellently worked out.' — Graphic. 
 
 THE DINGO BOYS; or the Squatters of Wallaby Kange. By 
 George Manville Fenn, author of The Rajah of Dah, In the 
 King's Name, &c. With six original Illustrations by W. S. 
 Stacey. 3/6 
 
 THE CHILDREN OF WILTON CHASE. By L. T. Meade, author 
 of Four on an Island, Scamp and I, &c. With six Illustrations 
 by Everard Hopkins. 3/6 
 
 ' Both entertaining and instructive. ' — Spectator. 
 
 THE PARADISE OF THE NORTH : a Story of Discovery and 
 
 Adventure around the Pole. By D. Lawson Johnstone, author 
 
 of Richard Tregellas, The Mountain Kingdom, &c. With fifteen 
 
 Illustrations by W. Boucher. 3/6 
 
 'A lively story of adventure, and a decided addition to Polar 
 
 literature. ' — Spectator. 
 
 ' Marked l>y a Verne-like fertility of fancy.'— Saturday Review. 
 
 THE RAJAH OF DAH. By George Manville Fenn» author of 
 In the King's Name, &c. With six Illustrations by W. S. 
 Stacey. 3/6 
 
 Price 2s. 6d. 
 
 THE ROMANCE OF COMMERCE. By J. Maodonald Oxlet, 
 LL.B., B.A. With fifteen Illustrations. 2/6 
 
 In this book an endeavour is made to show how an equal enter- 
 prise and daring in the pursuit of wealth, as in extending the bounds 
 of empire, has run close rivalry with glory in adding brilliant pages 
 to the world's history. The Hudson Bay Company, the East India 
 Company, the Canadian Pacific Railway, and Canadian lumbering, 
 are only four out of the thirteen such subjects dealt with in the 
 narrative. 
 
 W. >t R. Cluimbers, Limited, London and Edinburgh. 
 
From Abigail Templeton, by Emma Marshall ; price 2s. 6d. 
 
 Abigail caught the bridle of the runaway horse, and held on to 
 it with all her strength with both hands, 
 
14 BOOKS FOE PHIZES AND PRESENTATION. 
 
 ABIGAIL TEMPLETON; or Brave Efforts. A Story of To-day. 
 
 By Emma Marshall, author of Under Salisbury Spire, &c. 
 
 With four Illustrations by J. Finnemore. 2/6 
 
 The fortunes of a governess-companion to a delicate young lady in 
 
 high life are here sketched with unusual truthfulness and skill, along 
 
 with the difficulties and dangers of her position. How she kept true 
 
 and honourable and faithful throughout are among some of the 
 
 admirable lessons of the book. 
 
 ' There is not a dull page in this touching story of a clergyman's 
 daughter who went out into the world to earn a living. All the 
 characters are admirably drawn. ... A more helpful book could 
 not be placed in the hands of the young women of to-day.' — Edinburgh 
 Evening News. 
 
 THE ROMANCE OF INDUSTRY AND INVENTION. Selected by 
 
 Eobebt Cochrane, editor of Great Thinkers and Workers, 
 
 Beneficent and Useful Lives, Adventure and Adventurers, Recent 
 
 Travel and Adventure, Good and. Great Women, Heroic Lives, 
 
 &c. "With 34 process and woodcut Illustrations. 2/6 
 
 A romantic interest belongs to the rise and development of most 
 
 of our industries, and also to the careers of those who introduced 
 
 and perfected them. There is a mixture of industrial biography 
 
 and .description of varied industries in this book, including iron 
 
 and steel, with notices of Bessemer, Siemens, and the Krupps ; the 
 
 sewing machine and its inventors and perfecters ; wool and cotton ; 
 
 gold and diamonds ; the making of big guns, small-arms and 
 
 ammunition ; cycles and cycling ; steamers and sailing-ships ; the 
 
 post-office, telegraph, telephone, and phonograph. 
 
 THROUGH THICK AND THIN : The Story of a School Campaign. 
 
 By Andrew Home, author of From Fag to Monitor, Disturbers 
 
 of the Peace, &c. With four Illustrations by W. Bainey. 2/6 
 
 'The delights and discomforts of a fine lad's early experiences 
 
 at a great school are described with unfailing vigour.' — Manchester 
 
 Guardian. 
 
 ' This is just the kind of book for boys to rave over ; it does not 
 cram moral axioms down their throats, the characters act them 
 instead.' — Glasgow Daily Mail. 
 
 ' Every healthy boy will revel in these brisk pages. The hand- 
 some book is nicely illustrated and artistically got up.' — Edinburgh 
 Evening News. 
 
 W. <fc JR. Chambers, Limited, London and Edinburgh. 
 
BOOKS FOR PRIZES AND PRESENTATION. 15 
 
 PLAYMATES: A Story for Boys and Girls. By L. T. Meade. 
 "With six Illustrations by G. Nicolet. 2/6 
 
 'The charm of Mrs Meade's stories for children is well sustained 
 in this pretty and instructive tale. ' — Liverpool Mercury. 
 
 ' Playmates is a delightful story, which will be rightly appreciated 
 by both boys and girls.' — Dundee Advertiser. 
 
 OUTSKERRY: The Story of an Island. By Helen Waters. 
 With four Illustrations by E. Burns. 2/6 
 
 The reader will find some of the charm o f the Swiss Family 
 Robinson in this story of the manly and independent Adam and 
 Halcro Sweynson on the lonely island of Outskerry, whither they 
 have been exiled through the cupidity of an employer. A thread 
 of romance is woven through this fascinating story. 
 
 WHITE TURRETS. By Mrs Molisworth, author of Carrots, 
 
 Olivia, &c. With four Illustrations by W. Bainey. 2/6 
 
 'A charming story. ... A capital antidote to the unrest that 
 
 inspires young folks that seek for some great thing to do, while the 
 
 great thing for them is at their hand and at their home.' — Scotsman. 
 
 HUGH MELVILLE'S QUEST : a Boy's Adventures in the Days of 
 
 the Armada. By F. M. Holmes. With four Illustrations by 
 
 W. Boucher. 2/6 
 
 ' Old and young can read this tale and enjoy it. There is a 
 
 decided freshness about this book which is appetising.' — Practical 
 
 Teacher. 
 
 ' A refreshing, stirring story . . . and one sure to delight young 
 boys and young girls too. ' — Spectator. 
 
 ELOCUTION, a Book for Beciters and Eeaders. Edited by 
 
 B. C. H. Morison. 2/6 
 
 ' No elocutionist's library can be said to be complete without 
 
 this neatly bound volume of 500 pages. . . . An introduction on the 
 
 art of elocution is a gem of conciseness and intellectual teaching.' — 
 
 Era. 
 
 'One of the best books of its kind in the English language.' — 
 Glasgow Citizen. 
 
 VANISHED, or the Strange Adventures of Arthur Hawkesleigh. 
 By David Ker. Illustrated by W. Boucher. 2/6 
 
 ' It must be ranked high amongst its kind.' — Spectator. 
 'A quite entrancing tale of adventure.'— Athenceum. 
 
 W. <Se R. Chambers, Limited, London and Edinburgh. 
 
16 BOOKS FOR PRIZES AND PRESENTATION. 
 
 THISTLE AND ROSE. By Amy Walton. Illustrated by 
 Robert Barnes. 2/6 
 
 ' A thoroughly good story for a young girl. ... A beautiful anil 
 instructive presentation book.' — Practical Teacher. 
 
 ' Is as desirable a present to make to a girl as any one could wish.' 
 — Sheffield Daily Telegraph. 
 
 ADVENTURE AND ADVENTURERS ; being True Tales of Daring, 
 Peril, and Heroism. With Illustrations. 2/6 
 
 'The narratives are as fascinating as fiction.' — British Weekly. 
 ' It very deftly combines the grace and charm of fiction with tlie 
 reality of fact and direct personal experience.' — Schoolmaster. 
 
 BLACK, WHITE, AND GRAY : a Story of Three Homes. By Amy 
 
 Walton, author of White Lilac, A Pair of Clogs, &c. With 
 
 four Illustrations by Robert Bnrnes. 2/6 
 
 ' Told with all the simple charm that Miss Walton knows so well 
 
 how to use. There are few more capable writers for the young than 
 
 the authoress of this handsome hook.' — Schoolmaster. 
 
 OUT OF REACH : a Story. By Esme Stuart, author of Through 
 
 the Flood, A Little Brown Girl, &c. With four Illustrations 
 
 by Robert Barnes. 2/6 
 
 ' The story is a very good one, and the book can be recommended 
 
 for girls' reading. ' — Standard. 
 
 IMOGEN, or Only Eighteen. By Mrs Molesworth. With four 
 Illustrations by H. A. Bone. 2/6 
 
 ' The book is an extremely clever one. ' — Daily Chronicle. 
 ' A readable and very pretty story.' — Black and White. 
 
 THE LOST TRADER, or the Mystery of the Lombardy. By 
 
 Henry Frith, author of Tlie Cruise of the ' Wasp,' The Log 
 
 of the ' Bombastes,' &c. With four Illustrations by W. 
 
 Boucher. 2/6 
 
 ' Mr Frith writes good sea-stories, and this is the best of them that 
 
 we have read.' — Academy. 
 
 BASIL WOOLLCOMBE, MIDSHIPMAN. By Arthur Lee Knight, 
 author of The Adventures of a Midshipmdte, &c. With Frontis- 
 piece by W. S. Stacey, and other Illustrations. 2/6 
 
 W. <Ss R. Chambers, Limited, London and Edinburgh. 
 
BOOKS FOB PRIZES AND PRESENTATION. 17 
 
 THE NEXT-DOOR HOOSE. By Mrs Molbsworth. With six 
 Illustrations by W. Hatherell. 2/6 
 
 ' I venture to predict for it as loving a welcome as that received 
 by the inimitable Carrots. ' — Manchester Courier. 
 
 COSSACK AND CZAR. By David Ker, author of The Boy Slave 
 
 in Bokhara, The Wild Horseman of the Pampas, &c. With 
 
 original Illustrations by W. S. Stacey. 2/6 
 
 ' There is not an uninteresting and scarcely a careless line in it.' — 
 
 Spectator. 
 
 ' With his own personal knowledge of Cossack life in the Steppes, 
 and so brisk a theme as the struggle between Peter and Charles XII. 
 of Sweden, no wonder that Mr Ker's volume is exciting. ' — Graphic. 
 
 THROUGH THE FLOOD, the Story of an Out-of-the-Way Place. 
 By Esme Stuart. With Illustrations. 2/6 
 
 ' A bright story of two gii'ls, and shows how goodness rather than 
 beauty in a face can heal old strif es. ' — Friendly Leaves. 
 
 WHEN WE WERE YOUNG. By Mrs O'Reilly, author of Joan 
 
 and Jerry, Phosbe's Fortunes, &c. With four Illustrations 
 
 by H. A. Bone. 2/6 
 
 ' A very interesting story suitable for either boys or girls. ' — 
 
 Standard. 
 
 'A delightfully natural and attractive story.' — Journal of Educa- 
 tion. 
 
 ROSE AND LAVENDER. By the author of Laddie, Miss Toosey's 
 
 Mission, &c. With four original Illustrations by Herbert A. 
 
 Bone. 2/6 
 
 'A brightly- written tale, the characters in which, taken from 
 
 humble life, are sketched with life-like naturalness.' — Manchester 
 
 Examiner. 
 
 JOAN AND JERRY. By Mrs O'Reilly, author of Sussex Stories, 
 
 &c. With four original Illustrations by Herbert A. Bone. 2/6 
 
 ' An unusually satisfactory story for girls.' — Manchester Guardian. 
 
 THE YOUNG RANCHMEN, or Perils of Pioneering in the Wild 
 West. By Charles R. Kenton. With four original Illustra- 
 tions by W. S. Stacey, and other Illustrations. 2/6 
 
 W- tls R. Chambers^ Limited^ London and Edinburgh. 
 
18 BOOKS FOB PRIZES AND PRESENTATION. 
 
 MEMOIR OF WILLIAM AND ROBERT CHAMBERS. With Auto- 
 biographic Keminiscences of William Chambers, and Supple- 
 mental Chapter. Hth edition. With Portraits and Illustra- 
 tions. _ 2 / 6 
 'What would be the story of popular education in this island 
 if the names of William and Robert Chambers, and of all that 
 they did, could be cut out? ... As a matter of social history 
 the book is indispensable ; for who can be said to possess a know- 
 ledge of the England and the Scotland of the nineteenth century 
 who is not familiar with the story of the brothers Chambers?'— 
 School Board Chronicle. 
 
 POPULAR RHYMES OF SCOTLAND. By Eobert Chambers. 2/6 
 A collection of the traditionary verse of Scotland, in which the 
 author has gathered together a multitude of rhymes and short 
 snatches of verse applicable to places, families, natural objects, 
 games, &c, wherewith the cottage fireside was amused in days 
 gone past. 
 
 TRADITIONS OF EDINBURGH. By Eobert Chambers. New 
 
 Edition. With Illustrations. 2/6 
 
 ' The work is too well known to need any description here. It is 
 
 an accepted storehouse of the legendary history of this city.'— 
 
 Scotsman. 
 
 GOOD AND GREAT WOMEN : a Book for Girls. Comprises brief 
 
 lives of Queen Victoria, Florence Nightingale, Baroness Burdett- 
 
 Coutts, Mrs Beecher-Stowe, Jenny Lind, Charlotte Bronte, Mrs 
 
 Hemans, Dorothy Pattison. Numerous Illustrations. 2/6 
 
 ' A brightly written volume, full to the brim of interesting and 
 
 instructive matter ; and either as reader, reward, or library book, is 
 
 equally suitable.' — Teachers' Aid. 
 
 LIVES OF LEADING NATURALISTS. By H. Alleyne Nichol- 
 son, Professor of Natural History in the University of Aberdeen. 
 Illustrated. 2/6 
 
 ' Populnr and interesting by the skilful manner in which notices 
 of the lives of distinguished naturalists, from John Ray and Francis 
 ■\Villoughby to Charles Darwin, aro interwoven with the methodical 
 exposition of the progrcsH of Hits science to which they are devoted.' 
 - Scotsman. 
 
 W. * iJ. Chambers, J.rmitnl, London and Edinburgh. 
 
BOOKS FOB PRIZES AND PRESENTATION. 19 
 
 HISTORY OF THE REBELLION OF 1745-6. By Robert Chambers. 
 New Edition, with Index and Illustrations. 2/6 
 
 ' There is not to be found anywhere a better account of the events 
 of '45 than that given here.' — Newcastle Chronicle. 
 
 BENEFICENT AND USEFUL LIVES. Comprising Lord Shaftes- 
 bury, George Peabody, Andrew Carnegie, "Walter Besant, Samuel 
 Morley, Sir James Y. Simpson, Dr Arnold of Rugby, &o. By 
 R. Cochrane. Numerous Illustrations. 2/6 
 
 ' Nothing could be better than the author's selection of facts 
 setting forth the beneficent lives of those generous men in the 
 narrow compass which the capacity of the volume allows.' — School 
 Board Chronicle. 
 
 GREAT THINKERS AND WORKERS ; being the Lives of Thomas 
 Carlyle, Lord Armstrong, Lord Tennyson, Charles Dickens, Sir 
 Titus Salt, W. M. Thackeray, Sir Henry Bessemer, John Ruskin, 
 James Nasmyth, Charles Kingsley, Builders of the Forth 
 Bridge, &c. With numerous Illustrations. 2/6 
 
 ' One of the most fitting presents for a thoughtful boy that we have 
 come across.' — Review of Reviews. 
 
 RECENT TRAVEL AND ADVENTURE. Comprising Stanley and 
 the Congo, Lieutenant Greely, Joseph Thomson, Livingstone, 
 Lady Brassey, Vambery, Burton, &c. Illustrated. Cloth. 2/6 
 
 ' It is wonderful how much that is of absorbing interest has been 
 packed into this small volume.' — Scotsman. 
 
 LITERARY CELEBRITIES. 2/6 
 
 Being brief biographies of Wordsworth, Campbell, Moore, Jeffrey, 
 and Macaulay. Illustrated. 
 
 SONGS OF SCOTLAND prior to Burns, with the Tunes, edited by 
 Robert Chambers, LL.D. With Illustrations. 2/6 
 
 This volume embodies the whole of the pre-Burnsian songs of 
 Scotland that possess merit and are presentable, along with the 
 music ; each accompanied by its own history. 
 
 W. & R- Chambers, Limited, London and Edinburgh. 
 
20 
 
 BOOKS FOB PRIZES AND PRESENTATION. 
 
 GREAT HISTORIC EVENTS. The Conquest of India, Indian 
 Mutiny, French Revolution, the Crusades, the Conquest of 
 Mexico' Napoleon's Eussian Campaign. Illustrated. 2/6 
 
 HISTORICAL CELEBRITIES. Comprising lives of Oliver Crom- 
 well Washington, Napoleon Bonaparte, Duke of Wellington. 
 Illustrated. 2 /6 
 
 'The story of their life-work is toM in such a way as to teach 
 important historical, as well as personal, lessons bearing upon the 
 political history of this country. '—Schoolmaster. 
 
 STORIES OF REMARKABLE PERSONS. The Herschels, Mary 
 Somerville, Sir Walter Scott, A. T. Stewart, &c. By William 
 Chambbhs, LL.D. 2/6 
 
 Embraces about two dozen lives, and the biographical sketches 
 are freely interspersed with anecdotes, so as to make it popular and 
 stimulating reading for both young and old. 
 
 STORIES OF OLD FAMILIES. By W. Chambers, LL.D. 2/6 
 
 The Setons — Lady Jean Gordon — Countess of Nithsdale — Lady 
 Grisell Baillie— Grisell Cochrane — the Keiths — Lady Grange — Lady 
 Jane Douglas — Story of Wedderburn — Story of Erskine — Countess 
 of Eglintoun — Lady Forbes— the Dalryniples — Montrose — Buccleuch 
 Family — Argyll Family, &c. 
 
 YOUTH'S COMPANION AND COUNSELLOR. By William Cham- 
 bers, LL.D. 2/6 
 
 This is a new and enlarged edition of the first issue, which met 
 with a gratifying degree of approval. The book offers friendly counsel 
 to the young on everyday matters concerning their welfare ; the hints, 
 advices, and suggestions offered being the result of the large observa- 
 tion and experience of the long and busy life of the writer. 
 
 TALES FOR TRAVELLERS. Selected from Chambers's Papers for 
 the People. 2 volumes, ench 2/6 
 
 Containing twelve tales by the author of John Halifax, Gentleman, 
 George Cupples, and other well-known writers. 
 
 W. <Ss B. Chambers, Limited, London and Edinburgh. 
 
BOOKS FOR PRIZES AND PRESENT ATlON. 21 
 
 Price 2s. 
 
 THE LIFE AND TRAVELS OF MUNGO PARK IN AFRICA. With 
 illustrations, Introduction, and concluding chapter on the Present 
 Position of Affairs in the Niger Territory. 2/ 
 
 ' Few books of travel have acquired so speedy and extensive a 
 reputation as this of Park's.' — Thomas Carlyle. 
 
 ' One of the most justly renowned and interesting books of travel. 
 
 . The " Life " in this edition takes cognisance of the recent work 
 
 of Captain Lugard, and there is a closing chapter giving a survey of 
 
 the present position and trade of the Niger Territory.' — Aberdeen 
 
 Free Press. 
 
 ' A reissue of Mungo Park's travels is very welcome. ... In the 
 prefatory note some interesting particulars are given of his descend- 
 ants ; and the difference between travelling in Africa to-day and 
 nearly a hundred years ago is very vividly emphasised. ' — Bookseller. 
 
 •A notable work well worthy of recommendation.' — Birmingham 
 Gazette. 
 
 TWO ROYAL LIVES: Queen Victoria, William I., German 
 Emperor. 2/ 
 
 FOUR GREAT PHILANTHROPISTS : Lord Shaftesbury, George 
 Peabody, John Howard, J. F. Oberlin. Illustrated. 2/ 
 
 Shows the good accomplished through the agency of the lives and 
 labours of a noble Earl, a millionaire, a prison reformer, and the 
 humble pastor of the remote Ban de la Roche. 
 
 TWO GREAT AUTHORS. Lives of Scott and Carlyle. 2/ 
 
 ' Youthful readers will find these accounts of the boyhood and 
 youth of two of the three Scotch literary giants full of interest.' — 
 Schoolmaster. 
 
 .EMINENT ENGINEERS. Lives of Watt, Stephenson, Telford, and 
 Brindley. 2/ 
 
 ' All young persons should read it, for it is in an excellent sense 
 educational. It were devoutly to be wished that young people 
 would take delight in such biographies. ' — Indian Engineer. 
 
 W. di R. Chambers, Limited, London and Edinburgh. 
 
22 BOOKS FOR PRIZES AND PRESENTATION. 
 
 TALES OF THE GREAT AND BRAVE. By Margaret Fraser 
 
 Tytler. 2/ 
 
 A collection of interesting biographies and anecdotes of great men 
 
 and women of history, in the style of Scott's Tales of a Grandfather, 
 
 written by a niece of the historian of Scotland. 
 
 THROUGH STORM AND STRESS. By J. S. Fletcher. With 
 Frontispiece by W. S. Stacey. 2/ 
 
 ' Full of excitement and incident.' — Dundee Advertiser. 
 
 GREAT WARRIORS : Nelson, Wellington, Napoleon. 2/ 
 
 ' As a prize for the upper classes of Board and National Schools, 
 
 it can be recommended.' — Standard. 
 
 ' Told concisely and yet with sufficient detail to make these heroes 
 
 live in the imagination of the reader.' — New Age. 
 
 'One of the most instructive books published this season.'— 
 
 Liverpool Mercury. 
 
 HEROIC LIVES: Livingstone, Stanley, General Gordon, Lord 
 Dundonald. 2/ 
 
 ' Deserves a high place among the best of biographies for the use 
 of children.' — Schoolmaster. 
 
 'It would be difficult to name four other lives in which we find 
 more enterprise, adventure, achievement. . . . The book is sure to 
 please.' — Leeds Mercury. 
 
 THE REMARKABLE ADVENTURES OF WALTER TRELAWNEY, 
 
 Parish 'Prentice of Plymouth, in the year of the Great Armada. 
 Ee-told by J. S. Fletcher, author of Through Storm and Stress, 
 &c. With Frontispiece by W. S. Stacey. 2/ 
 
 'A wonderfully vivid story of the year of the Great Armada ; far 
 more effective than the unwholesome trash which so often does duty 
 for boys' books nowadays.' — Idler. 
 
 FIVE VICTIMS : a School-room Story. By M. Bramston, author 
 
 of Boys and Girls, Uncle Ivan, &c. With Frontispiece by H. 
 
 A. Bone. 2/ 
 
 'A delightful book for children. Miss Bramston lias told her 
 
 simple story extremely well. '—Associates' Journal. 
 
 W. <k R. Chambers, Limited, London and Edinburgh. 
 
BOOKS FOR PRIZES AND PRESENTATION. 23 
 
 SOME BRAVE BOYS AND GIRLS. By Edith C. Kbnyon, author 
 of The Little Knight, Wilfrid Clifford, &c. 2/ 
 
 ' A capital book : will be read with delight by both boys and 
 girls. '—Manchester Examiner. 
 
 ELIZABETH, or Cloud and Sunshine. By Henley I. Aeden, 
 author of Leather Mill Farm, Aunt Bell, &c. With Frontis- 
 piece by Herbert A. Bone. 2/ 
 'This is a charming story, and in every way suitable as a gift- 
 book or prize for girls.' — Schoolmaster. 
 
 HEROES OF ROMANTIC ADVENTURE, being Biographical Sketches 
 of Lord Clive, founder of British supremacy in India ; Captain 
 John Smith, founder of the colony of Virginia; the Good Knight 
 Bayard ; and Garibaldi, the Italian patriot. Illustrated. 2/ 
 
 FAMOUS MEN. Illustrated. 2/ 
 
 Biographical Sketches of Lord Dundonald, George Stephenson, 
 Lord Nelson, Louis Napoleon, Captain Cook, George Washington, 
 Sir Walter Scott, Peter the Great, &c. 
 
 LIFE OF BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. Illustrated. 2/ 
 
 ' A fine example of attractive biographical writing. ... A short 
 address, "The Way to Wealth," should be read by every young 
 man in the kingdom.' — Teachers' Aid. 
 
 EMINENT WOMEN, and Tales for Girls. Illustrated. 2/ 
 
 ' The lives include those of Grace Darling, Joan of Arc, Flora 
 
 Macdonald, Helen Gray,Madame Eoland, and others.' — Teachers' Aid. 
 
 TALES FROM CHAMBERS'S JOURNAL. 4 vols., each 2/ 
 
 Comprise interesting short stories by James Payn, Hugh Conway, 
 D. Christie Murray, Walter Thornbury, G. Manville Fenn, Dutton 
 Cook, J. B. Harwood, and other popular writers. 
 
 BIOGRAPHY, EXEMPLARY AND INSTRUCTIVE. Edited by W. 
 
 Chambers, LL.D. 2/ 
 
 The Editor gives in this volume a selection of biographies of those 
 
 who, while exemplary in their private lives, became the benefactors 
 
 of their species by the still more exemplary efforts of their intellect. 
 
 W. & R. Chambers, Limited, London and Edinburgh. 
 
24 WOKS FOR PRIZES AND PRESENTATION. 
 
 OUR ANIMAL FRIENDS— the Dog, Cat, Horse, and Elephant. 
 
 With numerous Illustrations. 2/ 
 
 AILIE GILROY. By W. Chambers, LL.D. 2/ 
 
 'The life of a poor Scotch lassie . . . a book that will be highly 
 esteemed for its goodness as well as for its attractiveness. ' — Teachers' 
 Aid. 
 
 ESSAYS, FAMILIAR AND HUMOROUS. By Kobert Chambers, 
 
 LL.D. 2 vols., each 2/ 
 
 Contains some of the finest essays, tales, and social sketches of 
 
 the author of Traditions of Edinburgh, reprinted from Chambers's 
 
 Journal, 
 
 MARITIME DISCOVERY AND ADVENTURE. Illustrated. 2/ 
 
 Columbus — Balboa — Richard Falconer — North-east Passage — 
 South Sea Marauders — Alexander Selkirk — Crossing the Line- 
 Genuine Crusoes — Castaway — Scene with a Pirate, &c. 
 
 SHIPWRECKS AND TALES OF THE SEA. Illustrated. 2/ 
 
 ' A collection of narratives of many famous shipwrecks, with other 
 tales of the sea. . . . The tales of fortitude under difficulties, and 
 in times of extreme peril, as well as the records of adherence 
 to duty, contained in this volume, cannot but be of service.'— 
 Practical Teacher. 
 
 SKETCHES, LIGHT AND DESCRIPTIVE. By W. Chambers, LL.D. 
 
 2/ 
 A selection from contributions to Chambers's Journal, ranging 
 over a period of thirty years. 
 
 MISCELLANY OF INSTRUCTIVE AND ENTERTAINING TRACTS. 
 
 Each 2/ 
 
 These Tracts comprise Tales, Poetry, Ballads, Remarkable Episodes 
 in History, Papers on Social Economy, Domestic Management, 
 Science, Travel, &c. The articles contain wholesome and attrac- 
 tive reading for Mechanics', Parish, School, and Cottage Libraries. 
 
 s. d. 
 
 20 Vols, cloth 20 
 
 10 Vols, cloth 20 
 
 10 Vols, cloth, gilt edges 25 
 
 e. d. 
 
 10 Vols, half-calf 45 
 
 160 Nos each 1 
 
 Which may be had separately. 
 
 W. & Ii. Chambers, Limited, London and Edinburgh. 
 
BOOKS FOR PRIZES AM) PRESENTATION. 25 
 
 Price Is. 6d. 
 
 With Illustrations. 
 
 SWISS FAMILY ROBINSON. Their Life and Adventures on a 
 D«-ert Island. 1/6 
 
 SKETCHES OF ANIMAL LIFE AND HABITS. By Andrew 
 
 Wilson, Ph.D., <fec. 1/6 
 
 A popular natural history textbook, and a guide to the use (if 
 the observing powers. Compiled with a view of affording the young 
 and the general reader trustworthy ideas of the animal world. 
 
 RAILWAYS AND RAILWAY MEN. 1/6 
 
 'A readable and entertaining book.' — Manchester Guardian. 
 
 EXPERIENCES OF A BARRISTER. 1/6 
 
 Eleven tales embracing experiences of a barrister and attorney. 
 
 BEGUMBAGH, a Tale of the Indian Mutiny. 1/6 
 
 A thrilling tale by George Manville Fenn. 
 
 THE BUFFALO HUNTERS, and other Tales. 1/6 
 
 Fourteen short stories reprinted from Chambers's Journal. 
 
 TALES OF THE COASTGUARD, and other Stories. 1/6 
 
 Fifteen interesting stories from Chambers's Journal. 
 
 THE CONSCRIPT, and other Tales. 1/6 
 
 Twenty-two short stories specially adapted for perusal by the 
 young. 
 
 THE DETECTIVE OFFICER, by 'Waters ;' and other Tales. 1/6 
 Nine entertaining detective stories, with three others. 
 
 FIRESIDE TALES AND SKETCHES. J/6 
 
 Contains eighteen tales and sketches by R. Chambers, LL.D. , and 
 others by P. B. St John, A. M. Sargeant, &c. 
 
 THE GOLD-SEEKERS, and other Tales. 1/6 
 
 Seventeen interesting tales from Chambers's Journal. 
 
 .W. & JR. Chambers, Limited, London and Edinburgh. 
 
26 BOOKS FOB PHIZES AND PRESENTATION. 
 
 THE HOPE OF LEASCOMBE, and other Stories. 1/6 
 
 The principal tale inculcates the lesson that we cannot have 
 everything our own way, and that passion and impulse are not 
 reliable counsellors. 
 
 THE ITALIAN'S CHILD, and other Tales. 1/6 
 
 Fifteen short stories from Chambers's Journal. 
 
 JURY-ROOM TALES. 1/6 
 
 Entertaining stories by James Payn, G. M. Fenn, and others. 
 
 KINDNESS TO ANIMALS. By W. Chambers, LL.D. 1/6 
 
 'Illustrates, by means of a series of anecdotes, the intelligence, 
 gentleness, and docility of the brute creation.' — Sunday Times. 
 
 THE MIDNIGHT JOURNEY. By Leitoh Ritchie; and other 
 Tales. 1/6 
 
 Sixteen short stories from Chambers's Journal. 
 
 OLDEN STORIES. 1/6 
 
 Sixteen short stories from Chambers's Journal. 
 
 THE RIVAL CLERKS, and other Tales. 1/6 
 
 The first tale shows how dishonesty and roguery are punished, 
 and virtue triumphs in the end. 
 
 ROBINSON CRUSOE. By Daniel Defoe. 1/6 
 
 A handy edition, profusely illustrated. 
 
 PARLOUR TALES AND STORIES. 1/6 
 
 Seventeen short tales from the old series of Chambers's Journal, by 
 Anna Maria Sargeant, Mrs Crowe, Percy B. St John, Leitch 
 Ritchie, &c. 
 
 THE SQUIRE'S DAUGHTER, and other Tales. 1/6 
 
 Fifteen short stories from Chambers's Journal. 
 
 TALES FOR HOME READING. 1/6 
 
 Sixteen short stories from the old series of Chambers's Journal, by 
 A. M. Sargeant, Frances Brown, Percy B. St John, Mrs Crowe, and 
 others. 
 
 TALES FOR YOUNG AND OLD. 1/6 
 
 Fourteen short stoiies from Chambers's Journal, by Mrs Crowe, 
 Miss Sargeant, Percy B. St John, &c. 
 
 W. tb B. Chambers, Limited, London and Edinburgh, 
 
BOOKS FOB PHIZES AND PRESENTATION. 27 
 
 TALES OF ADVENTURE. 1/6 
 
 Twenty-one tales, comprising wonderful escapes from wolves and 
 bears, American Indians, and pirates ; life on a desert island ; extra- 
 ordinary swimming adventures, &c. 
 
 TALES OF THE SEA. 1/6 
 
 Five thrilling sea tales, by G. Manville Fenn, J. B. Harwood, and 
 others. 
 
 TALES AND STORIES TO SHORTEN THE WAY. 1/6 
 
 Fifteen interesting tales from Chambers's Journal. 
 
 TALES FOR TOWN AND COUNTRY. 1/6 
 
 Twenty-two tales and sketches, by R. Chambers, LL.D., and 
 other writers. 
 
 HOME-NURSING. By Rachel A. Nbuman. Paper, 1/ ; cloth, 1/6 
 A work intended to help the inexperienced and those who in a 
 sudden emergency are called upon to do the work of home-nursing. 
 
 Price Is. 
 
 COOKERY FOR YOUNG HOUSEWIVES. By Annie M. Griggs. 1/ 
 A book of practical utility, showing how tasteful and nutritious 
 dishes may be prepared at little expense. 
 
 NEW SERIES OF CHAMBERS'S LIBRARY 
 FOR YOUNG PEOPLE. 
 
 ILLUSTRATED. 
 
 Price Is. 
 
 ' Excellent popular biographies. ' — British Weekly. 
 
 POPULAR BIOGRAPHIES. 
 
 QUEEN VICTORIA : the Story of her Life and Eeign. 1/ 
 
 'A sympathetic and popular sketch of the life and rule of our 
 Queen up to the present day.' — Manchester Guardian. 
 
 W. & B. Chambers, Limited, London and Edinburgh. 
 
28 BOOKS I OR PRIZES AND PRESENTATION* 
 
 LORD SHAFTESBURY AND GEORGE PEABODY. Being the Story 
 of Two Great Public Benefactors. With Portraits. 1/ 
 
 A brief biogiaphy of the good Earl whose life was crowded with 
 work for others. Lord Shaftesbury is here allowed to describe some 
 of his own philanthropic schemes, while there are also fresh facts 
 not included in the larger biography. This is the fullest brief life 
 which has yet appeared in this country of the millionaire philan- 
 thropist who gave half a million towards industrial dwellings in 
 London. 
 
 WILLIAM L, GERMAN EMPEROR, AND HIS SUCCESSORS. By 
 
 Mary Cochrane, L.L.A. Illustrated. 1/ 
 
 Affords a bird's-eye view of German history as unfolded during 
 the past century under William I., with the unilication of the 
 Empire, and the dramatic and sanguinary episode of the war with 
 France. It contains also some interesting facts about Frederick III. 
 and the present Emperor, William II. 
 
 THOMAS CARLYLE : the Story of his Life and Writings. tf 
 
 ' We don't know where to find a better biography of any man at 
 the price.' — Methodist Times. 
 
 THOMAS ALVA EDISON : the Story of his Life and Inventions. 
 By E. C. Kenyon. 1/ 
 
 ' It will repay anyone who is interested in Edison's various works 
 to read this little book.' — Inventions. 
 
 .'.A charming little book, which in simple style gives a clear 
 portrait of a wonderful man.'— Indian Western Engineer. 
 
 THE STORY OF WATT AND STEPHENSON. i/» 
 
 ' As a gift-book for boys this is simply first-rate. '—Schoolmaster. 
 
 THE STORY OF NELSON AND WELLINGTON. 1/ 
 
 ' This book is cheap, artistic, and instructive. It should be in . 
 the library of every home and school.' — Schoolmaster. 
 
 GENERAL GORDON AND LORD DUNDONALD : the Story of Two . 
 Heroic Lives. 1/; 
 
 W. & R. Chambers, Limited, London and Edinburgh. 
 
BOOKS FOR PRIZES AND PRESENTATION. 29 
 
 THOMAS TELFORD AND JAMES BRINDLEY. 1/ 
 
 'This is a capital book for boys of active and inquiring mind.' — 
 Saturday Review. 
 
 LIVINGSTONE AND STANLEY : the Story of the opening up of 
 the Dark Continent. 1/ 
 
 COLUMBUS AND COOK : the Story of their Lives, Voyages, and 
 Discoveries. 1/ 
 
 ' Models of compact biography. '— Christian World. 
 ' Is a fascinating and historical account of daring adventure.' — 
 Bristol Mercury. 
 
 THE STORY OF THE LIFE OF SIR WALTER SCOTT. By Eobert 
 Chambers, LL.D. Revised with additions, including the Auto- 
 biography. 1/ 
 
 Besides the AUTOBIOGRAPHY, many interesting and characteristic 
 anecdotes of the boyhood of Scott, which challenge the attention of 
 the young reader, have been added ; while the whole has been 
 revised and brought up to date. 
 
 THE STORY OF HOWARD AND OBERLIN. 1/ 
 
 The book is equally divided between the lives of Howard the 
 prison reformer, and Oberlin the pastor and philanthropist, who 
 worked such a wonderful reformation amongst the dwellers in a 
 valley of the Vosges Mountains. 
 
 THE STORY OF NAPOLEON BONAPARTE. 1/ 
 
 A brief and graphic life of the first Napoleon, set in a history of 
 his own times: the battle of Waterloo, as of special interest to 
 English readers, being fully narrated. 
 
 PERSEVERANCE AND SUCCESS : the Life of William Hutton. 1/ 
 
 STORY OF A LONG AND BUSY LIFE. By W. Chambers, LL.D. 
 
 1/ 
 
 W. <fc R. Chambers^ Limited^ London and Edinburgh* 
 
30 BOOKS FOE PRIZES AND PRESENTATION. 
 
 STORIES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE. 
 
 THE CHILDREN OF MELBY HALL. By M. and J. M'Kean. 
 
 Illustrated. V 
 
 These talks and stories of plant and animal life afford simple 
 
 lessons on the importance of ' Eyes and No Eyes,' and show what 
 
 an immense interest the study of natural history, even in its 
 
 simplest forms, will produce in the minds of young folks. 
 
 MARK WESTCROFT, CORDWAINER: a Village Story. By F. 
 Scarlett Potter. 1/ 
 
 A HUMBLE HEROINE. By L. E. Tiddeman. 1/ 
 
 BABY JOHN. By the author of Laddie, Tip-Gat, Rose and 
 Lavender, &c. With Frontispiece by H. A. Bone. 1/ 
 
 ' Told with quite an unusual amount of pathos.' — Spectator. 
 
 THE GREEN CASKET; LEO'S POST-OFFICE; BRAVE LITTLE 
 DENIS. By Mrs Molesworth. 1/ 
 
 Three charming stories by the author of the Cuckoo Clock, each 
 teaching an important moral lesson. 
 
 JOHN'S ADVENTURES : a Tale of Old England. By Thomas 
 Miller, author of Boy's Country Book, &c. 1/ 
 
 THE BEWITCHED LAMP. By Mrs Molesworth. With Frontis- 
 piece by Robert Barnes. 1/ 
 
 ERNEST'S GOLDEN THREAD. 1/ 
 
 LITTLE MARY, and other Stories. By L. T. Meade. 1/ 
 
 THE LITTLE KNIGHT. By Edith C. Kenyon. 1/ 
 
 'Has an admirable moral. . . . Natural, amusing, pathetic' — 
 Manchester Guardian. 
 
 WILFRID CLIFFORD, or The Little Knight Again. By Edith C. 
 Kenyon. With Frontispiece by W. S. Stacey. 1/ 
 
 W. & R. Chambers, Limited, London and Edinburgh. 
 
BOOKS FOB PRIZES AND PRESENTATION. 31 
 
 ZOE. By the author of Tip-Cat, Laddie, &c. 1/ 
 
 ' A charming and touching study of child life. ' — Scotsman. 
 
 UNCLE SAM'S MONEY-BOX. By Mrs S. C. Hall. 1/ 
 
 THEIR HAPPIEST CHRISTMAS. By Edna Lyall, author of 
 Donovan, &e. 1/ 
 
 FIRESIDE AMUSEMENTS ; a Book of Indoor Games. 1/ 
 
 'A thoroughly useful work, which should be welcomed hy all who 
 have the organisation of children's parties.' — Review of Reviews. 
 
 THE STEADFAST GABRIEL: a Tale of Wichnor Wood. By 
 Mart Howitt. 1/ 
 
 GRANDMAMMA'S POCKETS. By Mrs S. C. Hall. 1/ 
 
 THE SWAN'S EGG. By Mrs S. C: Hall. 1/ 
 
 MUTINY OF THE BOUNTY, and LIFE OF A SAILOR BOY. 1/ 
 
 DUTY AND AFFECTION, or the Drummer-boy. 1/ 
 
 A thrilling narrative of the wars of the first Napoleon. 
 
 FAMOUS POETRY. Being a collection of the best English verse. 
 Illustrated. 1/ 
 
 Price 9d. 
 
 Cloth, Illustrated. 
 
 THE LITTLE CAPTIVE KING. JOE FULWOOD'S TRUST. 
 
 FOUND ON THE BATTLEFIELD. PAUL ARNOLD. 
 
 ALICE ERROL, and other Tales. CLEVER BOYS. 
 
 THE WHISPERER. By Mrs S. C. Hall. THE LITTLE ROBINSON. 
 TRUE HEROISM, and other Stories. MIDSUMMER HOLIDAY. 
 PICCIOLA, and other Tales. MY BIRTHDAY BOOK. 
 
 W. <fc R. Chambers, Limited, London and Edinburgh. 
 
32 BOOKS FOR PRIZES AND PRESENTATION. 
 
 Price 6d. 
 
 Cloth, with Illustrations. 
 
 ' For good literature at a cheap rate, commend us to a little series 
 published by W. & R. Chambers, which consists of a number of 
 readable stories by good writers.' — Review of Revieivs. 
 
 ' One contains three little stories from the pen of Mrs Molesworth, 
 one of the most charming of writers for the little ones ; and the name 
 of L. T. Meade is a guarantee of good reading of a kind which 
 children are sure to enjoy.' — School Board Chronicle. 
 
 CASSIE, and LITTLE MARY. By L. T. Meade. 
 
 A LONELY PUPPY, and THE TAMBOURINE GIRL. By L. T. Meade. 
 
 LEO'S POST-OFFICE, and BRAVE LITTLE DENIS. By Mrs Moles- 
 worth. 
 
 GERALD AND DOT. By Mrs Faiebairn. 
 
 KITTY AND HARRY. By Emma Gellibrand, author of J. Cole. 
 
 DICKORY DOCK. By L. T. Meade, author of Scamp and I, &c. 
 
 FRED STAMFORD'S START IN LIFE. By Mrs Fairbairn. 
 
 NESTA ; or Fragments of a Little Life. By Mrs Molesworth. 
 
 NIGHT-HAWKS. By the Hon. Eva Knatchbull-Hugessen. 
 
 A FARfHINGFUL. By L. T. Meade. 
 
 POOR MISS CAROLINA. By L. T. Meade. 
 
 THE GOLDEN LADY. By L. T. Meade. 
 
 MALCOLM AND DORIS ; or Learning to Help. By Davina Waterson. 
 
 WILLIE NICHOLLS ; or False Shame and True Shame. 
 
 SELF-DENIAL. By Miss Edgeworth. 
 
 W. dfc R. Chambers, Limited, Loudon and Edinburgh,