The line closed up, and marched "easy" back towards the upper end of the
parade-ground, with not a single stranger to represent the spectators,
and, half ironically, they were received by the band with "See, the
Conquering Hero Comes." The review and sham-fight were over, and as the
officers and weary men were dismissed, and the officers gathered where
the ladies and others of the station were assembled, one of the first
upon whom they set eyes was the young Rajah Hamet, who had just joined
the Resident.
"Well, Dallas," said the Major, who was mopping his forehead, "what did
you think of our charge?--Ah, Rajah Hamet," he continued, as he caught
sight of the young man, who approached to hold out his hand, "what did
_you_ think of our sham-fight? Did you see it all?"
"Magnificent, sir; every bit."
"Where were you?"
"Down yonder, sir, in front of my elephants and men."
"Then you didn't run?"
"No, sir; I have been to Aldershot and seen a review before."
"I am afraid we scared your men," said Archie, to whom the young Rajah
turned a few minutes later.
"Well, wasn't it quite enough to scare them?" replied the Prince. "It
seems to me that a body of men, to whatever nation they belonged, would
require a good deal of hardening before they would stand firm and
receive a bayonet charge."
"Yes," replied Archie. "As far as I know, there are not many who can.
It was rather comic, though, to see your men run."
"Well," replied the young Prince, "I don't think my men ran any faster
than Suleiman's."
"Not a bit," cried Archie hastily. "I say, I didn't mean to insult
you."
"Oh, I am not insulted," said the young man quietly. "I should have run
too if I had not known that your men would pull up at the last moment.
Well, good-bye."
"You are not going?" cried Archie. "You will stop and be our guest
to-night? You were invited, of course. There are all the sports to
come, and the illuminations and fireworks."
"Oh no, I must go," said the young Rajah. "I have got to rally my men,
and see them safely back."
"Well, but some of your officers will do that, and bring them back."
"I doubt it," said Hamet, smiling. "If I know my people, they will not
stop till they get home."
"Oh, surely not! They will all come here again and see the rest of our
_file_--and Rajah Suleiman's too."
Hamet shook his head.
"Some of your people from the campongs, who know you--they may come
back, but none of the others."
"Well, you stop at any rate."
"No," said the young Rajah. "If my people have forsaken me, I must not
forsake them. Here, you promised, you know, to come and spend a few
days with me, and have some tiger-shooting. When is it to be?"
"When my major gives me leave. Stop! Stop now, and ask him. He or Sir
Charles Dallas will put you up for the night."
"No, Maine; they don't believe in me enough. Somehow they have no faith
in me at all, and because I'm Suleiman's enemy--or rather, he is mine,
for I have no feeling for or against the fellow--they think that I am
opposed to the English, with whom I want to be friends and to get their
help to civilise my people. No, I must be off to my boat at once, and
try to get in touch with my people as soon as possible. They will keep
to the lower elephant-patch, as near to the river as they can. There,
try and get leave, old chap. I want you to come. I say, you don't mind
my calling you `old chap'?"
"Like it," said Archie, holding out his hand. "I am disappointed,
however, for I should have liked you to stay. But hadn't you better try
to bring some of your men back?"
"No. They wouldn't come now, for fear of being laughed at for being
such cowards."
"Well, if you must go, you must; but, as I said, I should have liked you
to stay. It would have looked so friendly to my people."
"I hope they will believe in me some day without that," said the young
Malay. "But tell me, if you had been in my place, and seen your people
scared away by the English soldiers, would you have stayed?"
"No; I'll be hanged if I should," said Archie with energy. "I should
have felt too mad."
"Thank you," said Hamet. "That sounds frank."
"It is frank," said Archie. "But I say, now, tell me: has it made you
feel mad against us?"
"No-o; only sorry for my people. I want to train them up to know you
better, and to be ready to fight with you."
"Fight with us?"
"Yes; not against you--fight side by side with you, so that you may help
me to civilise my folks more, and join us to put down the Malay chiefs
like Suleiman."
"You don't like Suleiman, then?"
"Like him!" said the young man scornfully. "I like no man who cannot
stretch out his hand to me and take mine in an honest grasp that I can
trust."
"Of course," cried Archie. "But then our Resident believes in
Suleiman."
"Yes, and distrusts me," said the young man rather bitterly. "Well,
they think they are right; but we shall see. I say, though, I didn't
see that French gentleman with Suleiman's people. I expected he would
be mounted upon one of the elephants."
"No," said Archie; "he has not been here for the last few days."
"Forbidden to come?" said the young man.
"No-o," said Archie; "he wouldn't be. He is Rajah Suleiman's friend."
"Yes," said Hamet quietly. "That is why I thought he would be here. Do
you like him?"
"Not a bit," said Archie. "Why?"
"Oh, I suppose it was because I dislike him myself. That is all.
Good-bye. As we Malays say, _apa boleh booat_."
"What is to be will be," said Archie. "Good-bye."
The parade-ground remained deserted for quite an hour, and then some of
the campong people had regained sufficient courage to begin dribbling
back, to be followed by a few of the inhabitants of the neighbouring
villages. But not one of the Malays who followed their Rajahs made
their appearance. Consequently there was no attempt made to carry out
the sports; but on being consulted, the Major gave orders that the
illumination of the boats should be encouraged, and the display of
rockets and coloured lights should follow; and as this news gradually
spread, some of the nearest village people and fisher-folk joined in, to
display their lanterns upon their boats, and a pretty fair gathering of
the campong people were present as soon as it was dark, it taking very
little in so effective a position to light up the river and jungle banks
in a most attractive way.
The Doctor and his wife and niece, in addition to several of the ladies
of the station, dined at the mess that night, so that they might
afterwards stroll down to the banks of the river and watch the rockets
burst and sprinkle the jungle with their stars; and just as the
enjoyment was at its height, and the simple Malay folk kept on bursting
out with their ejaculations indicative of delight, the Major went up
behind the Resident, who had been chatting with the Doctor and his
ladies.
"Well, Dallas," he said, "you don't feel nervous now, do you?"
"Hush!" was the reply, as the gentleman addressed looked sharply round.
"More so than ever. I hope you have got sentries out to command the
river approaches to the station?"
"Of course I have. But why?"
"Because see what an opportunity is offered for those two chiefs to take
revenge upon us for what they must consider an insult to their dignity."
"My dear sir, you are giving reins to your imagination. They are well
on the way now to their homes."
"Perhaps so," said the Resident in a low, nervous tone; "but suppose
they have made a halt and are only waiting till their scouts have
announced to them that we are quite unprepared?"
"You are assuming, my dear Dallas, that those two princes are working
hand and glove."
"Well, you are quite of my way of thinking over that."
"Humph! No," said the Major. "I am beginning to think that our
lavender-gloved young friend means well by us."
"Lavender-gloved young friend!" said the Resident. "Who knows but those
soft kid gloves may not be worn to cover the tiger's claws?"
"Ah! who knows, my dear Dallas? But it is enough for us to know that if
we can produce such an effect with blank cartridge and a sham charge, we
have it in our power to protect the station and defend the honour of
those we love, by using ball-cartridge and sending our bayonets home."