George Manville Fenn

“ But the British officers had yet to learn that the Malays were more than their equals in cunning. No sooner had the steamer passed on into the bank of mist and darkness that overhung the river, than there was a rustle, a splash, the rattling noise of large oars being thrust out, and in a couple of minutes the two long snaky prahus they had passed crammed with fighting men were gliding up stream towards the residency, where certainly there were sentries on guard, but no dread of an enemy at hand. ”

“ The next minute the way was clear, and Bob Roberts, with his twenty blue-jackets and marines, went in at the double to an opening in the jungle where the remains of the hunting-party were making a desperate stand against a strong body of Malay; who, spear against bayonet, were pressing them home.
The middy took it all in at a glance, and saw that in another minute the weak helpless wielders of rifle and bayonet would be borne down, and they, and the sick and wounded lying in the long grass, massacred to a man. ”

“ Sultan Hamet joins with Rajah Gantang to kill off all the English—the sultan here; the rajah there, with his prahus.”
“It is impossible!” cried the doctor. “You are deceiving me.”
“No, no, I tell the truth,” said the man; “but you shall not be hurt. Let them kris me first. You shall live.”
“Let us get back,” cried the doctor, seizing his gun; and the tiger with the beautiful skin, which he had meant to have for a specimen, was forgotten.
“No, no,” said the man, “you must stay in the jungle. The tigers are better than Hamet.” ”

“ Two of the Malays moved about uneasily, and they lit a fresh torch, an act that set Ali thinking of cases he had known, in which tigers had sprung up eight or ten feet to the platform of a house, and seized and borne off its occupants one after the other.
If only one of the monsters would perform such a good office for him now, he would be able to escape in the midst of the confusion, perhaps into the jaws of another.
Well, if he did; what then? he asked himself. Better trust to chance in the jungle, than be left to the tender mercies of these men. ”

“ Your bayonets, boys!” cried Captain Smithers, as with a desperate rush the Malays dashed forward now to carry the place by assault, and in sufficient numbers to sweep all before them—when boom! boom! boom! boom! came the reports of heavy guns, and the fire from the prahus ceased.
“Hurrah! my lads; steady!” cried Tom Long, waving his sword. “The steamer! the steamer!”
“No,” cried Captain Smithers, “it is from below. It is a heavily-armed prahu.”
“No,” cried Tom Long; “a steamer! a steamer!” ”

“ My handkerchiefs, neck and pocket, went first; then my Norfolk jacket, and then my shirt. Poor lads! poor brave lads!” he said piteously; “I’d have taken off my skin if it would have done them good.”
“Ah, doctor,” said Bob, in a voice full of remorse, “I’m only a boy yet, and a very thoughtless one. Pray forgive me. I meant no harm.”
“God bless you, my lad; I know that,” cried the doctor, warmly. “You’ve saved us all. Boy, indeed? Well, so you are, Bob; but as long as England has plenty of such boys as you, we need not trouble ourselves about the men—they’ll all come in time.” ”

“ Yes, of course, you always treat me like a boy,” said Bob, dolefully. “Is a fellow never going to be a man?”
“Far too soon, I should think,” said Miss Linton, holding out her hand.
“Oh! I’m only a boy,” said Bob, stuffing his hands in his pockets, and looking so sadly injured, and in so comical a way, that Miss Linton could hardly refrain from laughing.
“Such a boy as I’m sure we are all very proud of,” said Miss Linton. “We have heard from my father and Lieutenant Johnson how bravely you behaved last night.” ”

“ Why risk life when there is danger.”
“I don’t,” said Bob coolly.
“You do; there is great danger now,” said Ali. “Gantang’s men are creeping through the reeds to spear us.”
“Jump down in the cutter then,” said Bob, “and you will be all right.”
Ali drew himself up angrily.
“A Malay chief never knows fear,” he said, as he leaned his hands upon the muzzle of the rifle he still carried, and stood there, proud and defiant, like a bronze statue, he was so motionless and calm.
“I didn’t mean to offend you, Ali, old fellow,” cried Bob. ”

“ Every man was well-armed, and carried a good supply of ball cartridge.
The sun was shining brightly, when at last the hunting-party was duly marshalled, and moved off right through the jungle by a well-beaten path, one which took them straight away from the river; and very effective the procession looked, with the great lumbering elephants moving so silently along, the gaily-dressed Malays forming bright patches of colour amidst the clean white duck frocks and trousers of the sailors, and the dull grey of the soldiers’ linen tunics. ”

“ Education, on the contrary, bade him stay—told him that it would be the act of a coward and a cur to run off and leave the poor fellow lying there to his fate, the horrible fate of being torn and half devoured by the tiger—bade him be a man, and do something, even at the risk of his own life, to save the Malay who had been stricken down in his service; and as these thoughts came to Doctor Bolter his eyes dilated in the darkness, and he strove to make out the positions in which tiger and man were lying. ”

“ In half an hour we shall be, in all human probability, dead men. Rank will be no more. Gray, I never in my heart doubted your honesty. You are a brave man. Now for duty.”
“Yes, sir,” said Gray, in a deeply moved voice—“for duty.”
Crash!
There was a sharp ragged volley from the enemy at that moment as a body of them advanced, and a shriek of agony from close by, followed by a fall.
“Some poor fellow down,” said the Captain, hoarsely. “Who is it, Sergeant Lund?” he said, taking a dozen strides in the direction of the cry.
“Private Sim, sir. Shot through the heart—dead!” ”

“ It was one mass of rich embroidery, crossed by a jewelled belt, bearing a sabre set with precious stones, and upon his head he wore a little Astrakhan fur kepi, surmounted by an egret’s plume, like a feathery fountain from a diamond jet.
Orders were given for the guard to turn out, and the resident and Major Sandars hurriedly prepared to meet their distinguished guest, who, however, did not stop at the island, but went straight on to the corvette, where he was received by a guard of marines, the captain awaiting his visitor upon the quarter-deck. ”

“ But Tom Long was smarting from his rebuke. He wanted to act like a man, and at heart he knew he had been behaving like a boy of a very petty disposition, so, with Captain Smithers’ words yet ringing in his ears, he formed up his men, gave the word, and in skirmishing order they dashed through the trees, sending the Malays, after they had thrown a few spears, helter-skelter to right and left, save a few who were driven out in sight of the men on board the steamer, when a few shots sent them off into cover. ”

“ Neat, well-kept walks led up to the fort and the resident’s house, which daily grew brighter and more picturesque, with its ornamented reed-woven walls, and carefully thatched roof of attap. The broad verandah, with its punkahs, was made gay with beautiful creepers, climbing the pillars of palm and bamboo, and festooning the edges, some of these being jasmines of great size and beauty; while rough rotan baskets hung at intervals, full of moss and dead wood, on which flourished the wonderful orchids and pitcher-plants that were the delight of the ladies of the residency. ”

“ I tell you what it is, sir, you would not have felt more pleased than I do if you had been made an admiral.”
“But the man is dying fast, Bolter,” said Major Sandars.
“Dying, sir? why he has been dying fast all day.”
“Then is not this rather unseemly before ladies?” said Captain Horton.
“Unseemly? Before ladies?” said the doctor in a puzzled way. “Why, can’t you see for yourselves? Ha, ha, ha!” he said, laughing softly. “Don’t you see the remedies have beaten the poison. There’s a delightful sleep he has dropped into.”
“Sleep?” exclaimed Miss Linton. ”

“ The two young men stared at him.
“You?” they exclaimed in one breath. “Why, just now you said the risk was too great.”
“That the men would lose their lives!” cried Bob Roberts.
“If they were discovered!” exclaimed Tom Long.
“Yes,” said Ali, quietly, and he smiled back in their astonished faces.
“And yet you would run that risk?” said Bob Roberts.
“Yes: why not?”
“But for us?”
“Is one’s life to be devoted to oneself?” said Ali calmly. “I am not as you are. You are Christians. I am a follower of the prophet. We call you dogs and giaours. ”

“ Never was daylight more welcome than when it appeared to the defenders of that little stronghold, who, gaunt, haggard, and faint with exertion, saw the sky suddenly turn to orange and gold; and then the sun rose over the widespread jungle, sending the wreathing night-mists floating amidst the feathery palms, and seeming to dissolve into thin air.
The first order given by Captain Smithers was to have a signal of distress run up to the top of the flagstaff ”

“ So it was then that just as one of the men in the prow of the boat was about to savagely stab the nerveless swimmer, whose glazing eye met his with more of defiance than menace therein, there was a rattling volley from half-a-dozen rifles, the two spearmen fell over the side, to be swept away by the stream, and their companions, on starting up and seeing one of the steamer’s cutters coming rapidly on, to a man leaped overboard and swam for their lives, some making for the island, some for the opposite shore. ”

“ I mean gong—Tumongong,” cried Bob.
“Oh, yes,” said Ali, smiling. “But no, no: that is a dream. Let us be serious. One of your people could not go, it would be impossible; but I am a Malay, and if I dress myself as a common man—a slave—I could follow where the hunting-party went, and find out all you want to know.”
“No, no,” cried Bob, earnestly, “I should not like that.”
“Like what, Mr Roberts?” said a voice that made them start; and turning sharply, they saw Captain Smithers standing by them, with Lieutenant Johnson. ”

“ As he lay thinking, the hard breathing of a couple of the Malays could be plainly heard, and his hopes rose, for the others must grow weary, sooner or later, and fall asleep. The noises in the jungle increased; and as he lay with his cheek against the bamboo flooring, the sounds came up very plainly between the interstices. Now it was the heavy crashing of the reeds, the rustling of some animal going through the dense undergrowth, and then, unmistakeably, the low, snarling roar of a tiger. ”

“ He took a few steps to and fro, and then paused before Ali, gazing at him searchingly.
“Sir,” he said, “we are each of different nations, and your people are at war with mine. Why should I trust you? why should I believe in your words? How do I know that I am not talking to one who believes it to be a virtue to slay people of my creed?”
Ali looked at him wonderingly for a few moments before he spoke, slowly,—
“Because you know that I am honest,” he said; “and if I am not, you have your resource there. Kill me.”
Captain Smithers resumed his agitated walk to and fro. ”

“ Tom Long’s face grew the colour of his best uniform.
“Very plucky act,” said Captain Horton; and he nodded in so friendly a way at the middy, that Bob felt quite beaming.
“But,” continued the resident, speaking very slowly, and as if weighing every word he said, “what is very beautiful in sentiment, and very brave and manly if judged according to our own best feelings, young gentlemen, becomes very awkward sometimes if viewed through the spectacles of diplomacy.”
“I—I don’t understand you, sir,” faltered Bob. ”

“ Confound it all, sir, I’ve no time to waste!”
As he spoke he took up the lamp, and held it close to Tom Long’s face, so that the light might fall upon the protruded organ.
“Hah!” ejaculated Doctor Bolter, resuming his seat.
“But I really am quite well, sir,” remonstrated Tom Long.
“Don’t tell me, sir, that you are quite well. Do you think I don’t know when a man’s well, and when he is not? You are just a little wee bit feverish.”
He felt the youth’s pulse, and nodded his head sagely.
“Too much idleness and good living is what is the matter with you, sir. Why don’t you collect?” ”

“ But not only were the bright star shapes there to give splendour to the wave, for as far down as eye could reach through the clear water it was peopled with tiny phosphorescent atoms, moving slowly here and there, and lighting up the depths of the sea with a wonderful effulgence that was glorious to behold.
Under the vessel’s prow the divided waters flowed to right and left like liquid gold, while, where the propeller revolved beneath the stern, the sea was one lambent blaze of fire ever flashing right away, covered with starry spots that glistened, and rose, and fell, on the heaving wave. ”

“ A little bustle on deck, the rattling of chains, the splash of an anchor, and Her Majesty’s ship “Startler”—well manned, and armed with guns that could send shot and shell crashing through the town on the river’s right bank—swinging to her moorings; for she had reached her destination—the campong, or village, of Sultan Hamet, the native Malay potentate, who was under British protection, and who sought our aid to rule his land beneficially, after our manners and customs, and who now professed the most ardent friendship for those who were ready to do their duty ”