The young midshipman saw at a glance what had happened, and the sight of
the deadly struggle going on roused him from the stupor that had
assailed him.
It was evident that Ali had been holding by one hand to the branch of a
tree, and was leaning over just such a pool as that which had caught the
attention of Bob, when a crocodile, taking advantage of his unguarded
approach, had seized him by the leg just above the knee.
Ali had at once dropped his gun, seized the branch with the other hand,
and clung for life as he uttered the cry for help, while the reptile
tugged viciously, and shook him violently, to make him loose his hold.
Had the creature succeeded, the young Malay chief's fate had been
sealed, for in another moment he would have been drawn down into the
deep pool, with a few bubbles ascending through the agitated water to
show where he lay.
The time seemed long to the brave young fellow as he held on for dear
life; and it seemed long to Bob Roberts before he could act; but it was
but a matter of moments before he had reached Ali's side, with his gun
cocked; and placing the piece close to the reptile's eye as it glared
savagely at him, and seemed about to leave one victim to seize another,
he fired both barrels in rapid succession.
There was a tremendous splash as the smoke hung before him for a few
moments, then as it rose the young middy saw nothing but the troubled
water before him, and Ali lying panting, and with his eyes starting,
close by his side.
By this time Tom Long and the two Malays had come up, eager with
questions, to which Ali answered faintly, and gladly partook of a little
spirits from the young ensign's flask.
"I ought to have known better," he said, "but I did not think of the
danger. It will be a warning for you both. These rivers swarm with the
brutes."
"But your leg?" cried Bob, kneeling down.
"A little torn; that's all," said the young Malay, stoically. "My
sarong and the trousers have saved it, I think."
All the same, though, it was bleeding freely, and with a rough kind of
surgery Bob's handkerchief was used to bind it up.
"I'm not much hurt," said Ali then; and to prove his words he rose,
limped a step or two forward, and picked up his gun, while Bob proceeded
to slip a couple more cartridges in his own, gazing once more eagerly
into the pool, but seeing nothing but a little blood-stained water.
He turned sharply round, for something touched him, and there stood Ali,
looking at him in a peculiar manner, and holding out one hand, which Bob
took, thinking the other felt faint.
"I can't talk now," said Ali, hoarsely; "but you saved my life. I shall
never forget it."
"Oh, nonsense, old fellow," cried Bob. "But, I say; what a brute! He
must have been twenty feet long."
"Oh, no," said Ali, smiling faintly, "not ten. The small ones are the
most vicious and dangerous. Let us go."
"But can you walk?" said Bob. "Have a cigar."
"Yes; I will smoke," said the young Malay, as he walked bravely on,
though evidently in pain; and lighting a cigar, he talked in the most
unconcerned way about the creature's sudden attack.
"Such things are very common," he said. "Down by the big river they
seize the women who go for water, and carry off the girls who bathe.
There are monsters, ten, twenty, and twenty-five feet long; but we are
so used to them that it does not occur to us to take care."
They were now walking over the ground they had that morning traversed,
Ali seeming so much at ease, and smiling so nonchalantly, that his
companions ceased to trouble him with advice and proposals that he
should be carried.
At last they came to a spot where a fresh track turned off, and Ali
paused.
"You will not think me rude," he said, speaking with all the ease of a
polished gentleman, "if I leave you here? Ismael will take you the
nearest way down to the island. Yusuf will go with me. My leg is bad."
"Then let us carry you," cried Bob. "Here, we'll soon cut down some
bamboos and make a frame."
"No, no, it is not so bad as that," cried the young man, firmly; "and I
would rather walk. This is a nearer way, and you will do as I ask,
please."
The two youths hesitated, but Ali was so firm, and his utterances so
decided, that although unwillingly, they felt constrained to obey his
wishes.
"No, no," exclaimed Bob, "let me go with you, old fellow. Let us both
come."
"Do you wish to serve me more than you have already done?" said Ali,
quietly.
"Yes, I do, 'pon my word," replied Bob.
"Then please say `good-bye.' I am very nearly at home."
There was nothing more to be said, so the young Englishmen shook hands
and parted from their companion, after he had promised to send word by
Yusuf the next day how he was.
"I don't half feel satisfied," said Bob, trudging along behind the Malay
who was their guide. "I think we ought to have gone with him, Tom."
"I feel so too," was the reply, "but what could we do? Perhaps he was
not so very much hurt after all."
They were tired now, and the heat of the afternoon seemed greater than
ever, so that they longed to get out of the stifling forest to the open
banks of the river. But they were as yet far away, and their guide made
a cut along the side of a patch of marshy ground, looking back from time
to time to see if they followed.
"Snipe, by all that's wonderful!" cried Bob, firing two barrels almost
as he spoke, and bringing down four birds out of a flock that bore some
resemblance to, but were double the size of, snipes.
Tom raised his piece for a shot, but he was too late; and Yusuf smiled
and showed his teeth as he ran and picked up the birds, tied their legs
together with some grass, and added them to the jungle-fowl he was
carrying.
"Well, they won't be able to laugh at us," said Bob. "We shan't go back
empty. Hallo! what the dickens now?"
For a couple of scantily clad Malay girls, their sarongs torn and ragged
with forcing their way through the bushes, came panting up, uttering
loud cries, and, flinging themselves down at the astonished youths'
feet, clung to their legs, while Yusuf began to abuse them angrily, and
kicking one, was about to thrust away the other with his foot.
"You leave them alone, will you?" said Bob, giving him a rap on the head
with his gun-barrel. "I wish to goodness I knew what was the Malay for
_cowardly beast_, and you should have it, young fellow."
The Malay's hand flew to his kris as he threw down the birds, and it
flashed in the sunshine directly.
"Ah! would you bite?" cried Bob, presenting his gun at the other's
breast, when the man shrank away, with his eyes half-closed, and a
peculiarly tigerish aspect about him as he drew his lips from his white
teeth, but kept at a respectful distance, knowing as he did how ably the
young sailor could use his gun.
Just then the girls renewed their cries and lamentations, clinging
wildly to the youths as if for protection, as half-a-dozen Malays, armed
with krises and the long limbings, or spears, that they can use with
such deadly force, came running up, and made as if to seize upon the two
girls.
"Keep off, will you! Confound your impudence, what do you mean?" roared
Bob, slewing round his gun to face the newcomers. "I say, Tom, what
fools we do seem not to be able to speak this stupid lingo! What are
they jabbering about?"
"Hang me, if I know," said Tom, whose face was flushed with heat and
excitement. "All I can make out is that they want these two Malay
ladies who have come to us to protect them."
"Then, as my old nurse used to say, `want will be their master,'" said
Bob, angrily; "for they're not going to have them."
The leader of the Malay party volubly said something to the two English,
and then said some angry words to the two girls, who clung more tightly
to their protectors, as he caught each by her shoulder.
Bob brought the barrel of his gun down heavily on the Malay's head, in
the same fashion as he had served Yusuf, who was now missing, having
suddenly glided away.
The Malay leaped back, tore out his kris, and made at his assailant; but
the presented barrels of the two guns kept him back, as they did his
companions, who had presented their limbings as their leader drew his
kris, while now the girls leaped bravely up, and interposed their bodies
between the two youths and the threatened danger.
"That's very prettily done, my dears," said Bob; "but you are both of
you horribly in the way if we should shoot, and it isn't the fashion in
England. Place aux Messieurs in a case like this. There, you stand
behind me."
He gently placed the girl behind him, keeping his gun the while pointed
at the Malays, and Tom Long followed his example.
"Shall we shoot, Bob Roberts?" said the ensign, hoarsely.
"No," said Bob, whose voice sounded just as hoarse. "Not unless they
try to do us mischief. This is the time for a strategical retreat, as
they are three to one, and we may at any time be cut off. I say, Tom, I
feel in such a horrible state of squirm; don't you?"
"Never was so frightened in my life," replied Tom, "but pray don't show
it."
"Show it?" replied Bob sharply; "hang 'em, no; they should cut me to
pieces first. But I say, old fellow, I never thought I was such a
coward before."
"More did I," replied Tom. "Suppose they understand what we're saying!"
"Not they; no more than we can them. I say, I have it! These are two
slaves trying to escape, and these chaps want to get them back."
"Then we'll take them right away to the fort," cried Tom. "Look out!"
he added, as, after speaking to his followers, the chief Malay made
another angry advance with the men.
"Now look here, Mr Cafe-au-lait," said Bob, raising his gun this time
to his shoulder, as he spoke aloud, "if you don't sheer off, I'll let
fly at you a regular broadside. Be ready, Tom."
"Ready!" was the sharp reply, "when you say Fire."
"Right," replied Bob. "Now then, old check-petticoat, are you going to
call off your men?"
For answer the Malay pointed to the two trembling girls, and signed to
his men to advance with their spears.
"I'm horribly alarmed, Tom!" cried Bob, "but retreating now is showing
the white feather, and we shall be whopped. Now then, don't fire, but
let's make a dash at them."
The Malays were only about three yards off, having before retreated five
or six, but now they had diminished the distance, when the two lads,
with their pieces at their shoulders, stepped boldly forward, with the
result that the Malays broke and fled, their leader first; and out of
bravado Tom Long fired a shot over their heads to quicken their steps,
while Bob burst into a hearty fit of laughter.
"Look here!" he said. "Here's a game! Only look, sojer!"
"What is it!" cried Tom, drawing out the empty cartridge case and
putting in a new one. "Why, you don't mean to say--"
"But I just do mean to say it!" cried Bob, stamping about and laughing
as he opened the breech of his gun, and drew out two empty cases, to
replace with full.
"Not loaded!"
"No," cried Bob, "That moment, you know, I shot at the snipes, and
hadn't time to load again. Did you ever see such a game, keeping those
chaps off with an empty gun? Oh, I say, don't!"
This last was in consequence of the energetic action taken by the two
poor girls, who, seeing themselves now safe, began to demonstrate their
gratitude by hysterical cries and sobs, seizing and kissing the lads'
hands, and finally placing their arms round them and kissing their
cheeks.
"Oh, this is awful!" cried Tom Long, who was blushing like a girl.
"I shall be compelled to tell my mamma!" said Bob. "There, there, it's
all right. Come, give me your hand, Semiramis, or Cleopatra, or
whatever your name is, and let us make haste down to the river before it
is too late."
The girl seemed to understand him, and ceased sobbing as she prepared to
continue the flight, the other clinging to Tom Long's left hand.
"I say, though, let's have the birds," said Bob, stooping to pick them
up; but the girl snatched them from him, to carry them herself.
"Yes, Tom, old fellow; no doubt about it, they're slaves. Come along,
or we shall be cut off. It's not polite to let the ladies carry the
baggage, but as we are the escort we must be prepared to fight."
"I say!" cried Tom Long, "do you know the way?"
"Not I," said Bob; "don't you?"
"Not the ghost of an idea!" cried Tom.
The girls were watching them, and evidently in a state of great
excitement were trying to comprehend their words; but as soon as they
saw their indecision, and their bold start off in the direction they
imagined to be correct, then the slave girls understood their dilemma
and stopped them, gesticulating and shaking their heads as they pointed
in a quite fresh direction.
"They know where the ship lies, see if they don't," said Bob. "Let's
trust them."
"But suppose they lead us wrong?" replied Tom.
"Not they," cried Bob. "They'll lead us right away. Come along, my
fair specimens of chocolate a vanille; and the sooner we are safe under
the British flag, the better I shall like it."
The girls started off at a sharp walk, and then made signs that they
should run.
"All right," said Bob, nodding his head. "Double there, in the infantry
brigade! Naval brigade to the front! Forward!"
He broke into a trot, and the little party ran sharply on, to the great
delight of the two escaped slaves, who, as Bob had prophesied, led them
straight away to the side of the river, which they reached without
encountering a soul.
"I'm about knocked up," said Bob, panting. "It's disgusting to find
these girls can beat us hollow at running."
"The doctor's specimens are all shaken up into a regular mash!" said Tom
Long, peeping into the vasculum hung by a strap from his shoulder.
"Never mind," replied Bob. "Here's the boat coming. I shall come with
you straight; or no: let's take them on board the `Startler'?"
"No, no!" said Tom, "they must come to the fort."
"No, no, to the `Startler,' I tell you."
"No, no, to the fort."
"Then we'll split the difference, and take them to the residency," said
Bob; and as the boat touched the shore they stood back for the girls to
leap in, and then crouch down with their arms around each other's neck,
sobbing with joy as they felt that now they were safe.
There was no little excitement as the two girls were landed, and Mr
Linton seemed puzzled as to what he should do; but the poor creatures
were safe now under the protection of the British flag; and Bob Roberts
and Tom Long proceeded to the doctor's quarters for a thorough wash and
change, having fully verified old Dick's prophecy that they would be in
mischief before the day was out.