George Manville Fenn

“ 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. ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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?”
“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?”
“Oh, I say, don’t talk any more about eating,” cried Ned; “we seem to have done nothing else all day.” ”

“ 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 foraging, 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. ”

“ 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 even 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.” ”

“ 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 everywhere, 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. ”

“ The guns were brought out of their woollen bags and charged, and the boat glided on, steered closer in to one bank now, so as to give the naturalist a better chance of a shot; with the result that he brought down in the course of the 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. ”

“ 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 dare anything in his blind belief that he is too powerful for the English government to attack him.” ”

“ 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 awning 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.
“Now,” said Mr Braine, “there is no better plan. ”

“ 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 murmur rose from the Malays; “give him plenty of line. He won’t go very far. ”

“ This time Ned was quite ready for his share of the evening meal, which was eaten in silence as the travellers sat watching a patch of bushes which grew where 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 used to find and bring back to put in the garden were nothing to them. ”

“ 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 opportunity for striking.”
“But we must act and at once, Braine.”
“Yes, but it must be with quiet and dissimulation; cunning 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 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. ”

“ 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 you 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. ”

“ 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 be 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. ”

“ 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 Ned: “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.” ”

“ 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?”
“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.” ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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 was 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. ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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 increased, 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. ”

“ 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.” ”

“ Moind me head, Masther Frank! I’m ready, sor.”
“Can you walk?”
“Can I walk? Hark at him,” said Tim, drowsily. “I’ll 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.”
“And chirp like this,” said Frank, imitating a bird. “That will bring the boat.” ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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 newcomers 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. ”