The mess dinner was over, and the officers were sitting back by one of
the open windows, dreamily gazing out at the dark jungle and breathing
in with a calm feeling of satisfaction the soft, comparatively cool air
that floated up on the surface of the swift river.
It was very still, not a word having been spoken for some time; not a
sound came from the native campong, while it was hard to believe that
within touch of the mess-room there were the quarters of nearly three
hundred men. But once in a while something like a whisper came from the
jungle, suggesting the passing through its dense tangle of some
prey-seeking, cat-like creature. But no one spoke; though, in a
half-drowsy way, those seated by the window and a couple of dark figures
outside in the veranda were straining their ears and trying to make out
what caused the distant sounds. Then some one spoke:
"Asleep, Archie?"
"No. I was trying to make out what was that faint cry. Do you know,
Down?"
"Didn't hear any faint cry."
"Listen, then."
"Can't. Deal too drowsy.--Lots of fire-flies out to-night."
"Yes; aren't they lovely?--all along the river-bank. They put me in
mind of the tiny sparks at the back of a wood fire."
"A wood fire? What do you mean--a forest on fire?"
"No, no; at home, when you are burning logs of wood and the little
sparks keep running here and there all over the back of the stove, just
like fireworks at a distance."
"Ah, yes, they do look something like that, just as if the leaves of the
overhanging bushes all burst out into light."
"Yes," said Archie; "and when the soft breeze blows over them it seems
to sweep them all out."
"Good job, too," said Captain Down. "We get heat enough in the sunshine
without having the bushes and the water made hot by fire-flies."
"It's wonderful," said Archie.
"Wonderfully hot."
"No, no; I mean so strange that all those beetles, or whatever they are,
should carry a light in their tails that they can show or put out just
when they like, and that though it's so brilliant it is quite cool."
"Rather awkward for them if it was hot, in a climate like this. They
look very pretty, though."
"Lovely!" said the subaltern enthusiastically. "I don't know when I
have seen them so bright. You can trace out the whole course of the
river as far as we can see; and there above, the sky looks like purple
velvet sewn all over with stars, just as if they were the reflections of
the fire-flies."
"Bosh!" said Captain Down, striking a match to light a cigar.
"Why bosh?"
"Fancy--poetry. I think I shall have a nap. It's too hot to smoke."
"Don't."
"What! not smoke?"
"No; don't go to sleep. You will get fever."
"Who says so?"
"The Doctor."
"Oh, bother!"
"Now then, what do you say to going as far as his bungalow and telling
the ladies that the river has never looked more beautiful?"
_Plosh_!
"Beautiful river!" said the Captain mockingly. "Like to take them on it
perhaps in a boat?"
"Well, it would be very nice, with a couple of good men to pole it
along."
"Of course; and every moment expecting to see the horrible snout of one
of those brutal beasts shoved over the side to hook one out."
"Nonsense!" said Archie impatiently.
"Nonsense? Why, they often upset a boat when they are hungry, and lay
hold of a nice, juicy native, to take him down and stuff him in some
hole in the bank to get tender for the next feed."
"Oh, they would never attack a boat when men are splashing about with
poles."
"Well, you don't catch me taking ladies out on a dark night, unless it's
in a big dragon-boat with plenty of men on board; and then I should like
to have a gun."
"They are horrible beasts," said Archie, "and I wonder that the Malay
fellows don't try to exterminate them."
"Ah! Go in pluckily and make a decent use of those crooked krises of
theirs. There would be some sense in having them poisoned then."
"Old Morley says he has never seen a kris-wound turn bad, and he has
doctored scores. Says it's all fudge about their being poisoned."
"Well, he ought to know," said the Captain; "but there's no go in these
Malay fellows. I don't believe they would stir even if they saw one of
their women snatched off the bank where she had gone to fetch water."
The officer had been giving his opinions in a low, subdued voice, and
Archie Maine was about to break out in defence of the people amongst
whom they were stationed; but he closed his half-parted lips, for the
silence within the mess-room was broken by the voice of the Resident,
who suddenly broke out with:
"To go on with what I was saying at dinner--"
"Eh?" said the Major drowsily; and the two young men in the veranda
turned slightly, to see, by the light of a faintly burning lamp, the old
officer alter his position and re-spread a large bandana silk
handkerchief over his head as if to screen it from the night air. "What
were you saying at dinner?"
"About its seeming such an anomalous position."
"What's an anomalous position?" said the Major more drowsily.
"Why, for me to be supposed to be here, for diplomatic reasons, to
advise Rajah Suleiman as to his governing his people, and to have you
and your strong detachment stationed at the campong."
"Anomalous!" said the Major, with a chuckle. "I call it wise. See what
emphasis a body of fighting-men can give to your advice."
"Oh, but that's dealing with the natives by force."
"Very good force too, old fellow; for I don't believe that thick-lipped,
sensual--looking fellow would take much notice of what you say if we
weren't here."
"Yes; but I want to deal with them by moral suasion."
"Rifles are much better. There's no occasion to use them; it's their
being at hand if they are wanted that will do the trick."
"I don't think it's necessary," said Sir Charles firmly. "I am getting
on very well with the Rajah, and he listens to everything I advise with
the greatest attention."
"Glad to hear it," said the Major, with a grunt; "but it seems to me
that he pays a deal more attention to that French chap than he does to
you."
"Think so?" said Sir Charles sharply.
There was silence for a few minutes.
"Let's get up and stroll round the lines," whispered Archie.
"Sha'n't. 'Tisn't time for visiting posts."
"But they'll wake to the fact that we are listeners."
"Let 'em. They ought to know we are here."
"But they are talking business," whispered Archie.
"Well, it's our business as much as theirs. Are you afraid that
listeners will hear no good of themselves, and the Major will bring in
something about your last prank?"
"No;" and the lad twitched himself a little round in his cane chair,
which uttered a loud squeak; and the Resident went on:
"Yes, that fellow is rather a nuisance. His bright, chatty way and
deference please the Rajah; and I suppose you are right, for he's always
proposing something that amuses the stolid Malay, while my prosing about
business matters must bore him."
"I believe he's an adventurer," said the Major. "Don't like him."
"Well, he doesn't like you, Major; so that balances the account."
"I don't know. What's he here for?"
"Oh, he's a bit of a naturalist and a bit of a sportsman. Glad of a
ride through the jungle on an elephant. Glad of his board and lodging.
Bit of a student he thinks himself in his dilettante, Parisian way. Oh,
there's no harm in him."
"So much the better," said the Major. "But what about that other
fellow--what's his name?--Hamet?"
"Ah-h!" ejaculated the Resident, expiring his breath rather sharply,
almost in a hiss. "I am rather doubtful about that fellow. I'm afraid
he's an intriguer."
"Why, there's nothing to intrigue about in this jungle."
"Don't you make any mistake, Major. There's as much intriguing going on
in this half-savage country as there is in Europe. That fellow Hamet,
on the strength of his European education, is very anxious to be friends
with me, and his civility covers a good deal."
"Good deal of what?" said the Major.
"Politics."
"Politics! Rubbish!"
"Oh no, my dear sir; not rubbish. This long, narrow Malay Peninsula is
cut up into countries each ruled over by a petty Rajah, and these
half-savage potentates are all as jealous of one another as can be.
Each Rajah is spoiling for a fight so as to get possession of his
neighbour's territory, and if we were not here one or the other of them
would swallow up Suleiman's patch, and he, knowing this, submits as
pleasantly as he can to the rule and protection of England, which keeps
them safe."
"Do you think, then, that this young fellow Hamet has any of these
grasping ideas?"
"Think? I am sure of it. He wants to be very friendly with me; and
what for?"
"Well, I suppose," said the Major, "he thinks you would be a very good
friend, and lend him a company or two of men to help him against one of
his grasping neighbours. What do you say?"
"Between ourselves," said Sir Charles, lowering his voice, "I think he
goes further than that. He has his eye on Suleiman's rich territory,
and would like me to help him to sit in Master Suleiman's place."
"Ho, ho!" said the Major. "And what do you say to that?"
"Nothing," said the Resident shortly.
"Here, let's go," whispered Archie; and he started up from his chair,
whose bamboo legs scraped loudly over the veranda floor.
"Who's that out there?" said the Major sharply.
"Down, sir, and Maine."
"Oh," said the Major; and then, "Is it any cooler out there?"
"No, sir," said Archie sharply. "I thought it was getting rather warm."
"Is any one else out there?" said the Resident, leaving his chair and
stepping through the Malay French window out into the sheltered spot.
"No, sir," said Archie.
"None of the servants within hearing?"
"No, sir."
"Are you sure?"
"Quite, sir," said Archie, as he laid his hand upon one of the
creeper-covered supporters of the roof.
"That's better," said Sir Charles; and, followed by the Major, he began
to stroll along past the mess-room windows towards where a sentry was on
duty, watchful and silent, while Archie and Captain Down turned in
another direction.
"You needn't be so precious thin-skinned about hearing what Sir Charles
said to the old man. I don't see why it should not be confidence for
us, and--Well, what's the matter? Giddy?"
Archie responded by gripping his companion tightly by the wrist, and the
two young men stood listening to a faint rustling away to their left,
till every sound they could hear came from behind them, where their
commander and the Resident were still talking at the end of the veranda
in a low tone.
"Hear that?" said Archie.
"Yes. Cat or some prowling thing smelling after the remains of the
dinner."
"If it had been anything of that kind we shouldn't have heard its velvet
paws."
"Perhaps not. What do you think it was, then? Not a tiger?"
"No; I thought it must be one of the Malay fellows--a listener."
"Not it. What would be the good of his listening to a language he
couldn't understand?"
"I don't know," said Archie. "Some of these Malays are very deep.
Hadn't we better say something to the Major?"
"Rubbish! No! Why, if it had been some one lurking about, the sentry
would have seen him."
"Yes," said Archie thoughtfully.