The Rajah of Dah Part 13

"Got whom?" asked Murray.

"A Malay who offended the rajah by a serious breach, and broke out of his prison about five days ago." He added a few words in the Malayan tongue to the Tumongong, who responded.

"Yes, they've got the poor wretch," said the doctor. "Well, he was a bad scoundrel. Let's stop and see them land."

The second dragon boat was rowed quickly up to the jetty, the oars laid in, and the armed men landed, and stood ready while the rowers lifted out a savagely defiant-looking man, whose wrists and ankles were heavily chained. Then a couple of more showily-dressed Malays stepped out, a little procession was formed, and the prisoner was then led, with his chains clanking and dragging in the dust, away toward the rajah's residence, the Tumongong talking rapidly to the fresh comers for a few minutes, and then rejoining the Englishmen to walk with them to the neat-looking house set apart for the enforced visitors.

They went up the steps, to find the place light, cool, and rather dark, coming as they did out of the glare of the sun; but as their eyes grew accustomed to the gloom, it was to see that the place was neatly covered with matting, and that there was a darker inner room with more mats, evidently intended for sleeping.

"I should hardly have expected that you had houses to let," said Murray, who, now that their position was unavoidable, seemed bent on removing any bad impression made by his rather warm display of temper.

"We have none," said the doctor. "This is the house of one of the minor chiefs, and he has been sent elsewhere."

"But really--I would rather--oh, we can make shift in a humbler place than this."

"It is the rajah's orders that you should come here, and we are all bound to obey him."

"Oh, very well. 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 a.s.sisting and calmly taking to his new quarters, as if nothing in nature could surprise him, and when all was done, Ned looked round eagerly.

"Come, uncle," he said; "it isn't such a bad place after all."

"No; far better than I expected, but it wants one thing."

"What's that, uncle?"

"Liberty to do what we like, boy. If we had that, we could congratulate ourselves."

"Well, try and think that you really have it," said the doctor. "There now, what do you say to coming up to my place to rest till dinner-time?

Braine has promised to come."

Murray hesitated, but the doctor would take no denial, and leaving Hamet in charge of the place, they descended to find that the Tumongong, who had left them for a time, was again back, in company with the other officer.

These made a communication to the doctor, who nodded, and the two officers then bowed gravely, and went away.

"Message for you," said the doctor. "You are requested--"

"Ordered," said Murray, drily.

"Well, ordered, not to leave the village without asking permission, so that you may have an escort; but you are quite at liberty to go anywhere you please about the place."

"Ah, well," said Murray, "I am not going to complain any more to-day. I have made myself a nuisance enough. Hallo, Ned, here comes your saucy young Malay friend."

Ned looked sharply round, the doctor having stepped forward hurriedly to speak to one of the Malays seated on the steps of his house, and there, sure enough, was the gaily-dressed lad they had seen that morning, followed by his companion of the boat carrying a basket and the rod the first had used.

They saw them pa.s.s on, to be hidden directly by the trees, and they were still watching the place when the doctor returned.

"Sorry to have left you," he said. "One of my patients--he was mauled badly in a tiger-hunt, but he is coming round nicely now."

Ned p.r.i.c.ked up his ears at the words tiger-hunt, and feeling more satisfied now with his new quarters, he followed the doctor into his garden, and then up the broad steps to the shady verandah, where a pleasant evening was spent, the dinner capitally served, Tim Driscol, now very neatly attired in white, waiting at table, and giving the scene quite a flavour of home. Then there were cigars and excellent coffee for the gentlemen, and a delightful long chat with the ladies beneath the shaded lamp which hung from one of the bamboo rafters, the doctor's daughter readily answering Ned's questions about their life and the natural history of the place. Of the former, he learned that the doctor had been persuaded while at Malacca to accept the post through the Tumongong, who was there on some kind of emba.s.sy. The terms had been tempting, and it had been arranged that he was to take his wife and daughter with him, all hesitation vanishing when the Malay chief introduced him to Mr Braine, who accepted his post directly he found that he would have the society of an Englishman, and in the end he too had brought his family. Their reception had been most cordial, and they had only to ask for any addition to their comfort to have it instantly granted by the rajah. He would give them everything, in fact, but liberty.

"Then you are quite prisoners too?" said Ned, who had listened to all this with the greatest of interest.

"I suppose so. Both papa and Mr Braine were furious at first, and said that they would never forgive the Tumongong for having tricked them, but he said it was the rajah's orders, and that he dared not have come back without a doctor, and an officer who could drill the men. And really he was so kind, and has always been such a good friend when the rajah has been in one of his mad fits, that we have all ended by liking him."

"But to be prisoners like this!" said Ned.

"Oh, we seldom think about it now. Papa says we shall never be so well off again, and the rajah, who nearly kills himself with indulgence, has such bad health that he can hardly bear to see the doctor out of his sight, and consequently papa has immense influence over him."

"But I could never settle down to being a prisoner," cried Ned.

"Till you grow used to it. Oh, don't mind; it is a whim of the rajah's, and you will soon have leave to go. We never shall. There, hark! what did I say?"

She held up her hand, and Ned leaned forward, peering out into the darkness as the low distant cry of a wild beast was heard.

"Is that a tiger?"

"Yes, and it is so common that we scarcely notice it now. They never come into the village; but of course it would be terribly dangerous anywhere beyond the houses."

Ned still leaned forward listening, as the cry was repeated, and then, in a low voice, he said: "Look, just where the light of the lamp shines faintly, I thought I saw the gleam of a spear. Can you see it?"

"Oh yes! two--three," replied the girl, quickly. "There are more."

"But what are armed men doing there?"

"Don't you know?"

"No."

"They are your guard. But you need not take any notice of them. Of course they will follow you about, and keep watch over your house, but they will never speak to you, or seem watching, unless you are straying too far."

"This is pleasant," said Ned, wiping his forehead.

"Oh, you will not mind after a day or two, and it is best: for it really is dangerous for an Englishman to be up here unless he is under the protection of the rajah."

The pleasant evening came to a close, and after a friendly parting from their hosts, the two fresh additions to the rajah's village walked back, Ned declaring that he could easily make out their house, and they smiled, pa.s.sed out of the gate, and without catching a glimpse of either of the Malays on guard, they reached their own abode, where a shaded lamp was forming an attraction to the insects of the jungle, and Hamet was patiently awaiting their return.

"What a strange experience, Ned," said Murray, as they stood at the top of their steps, watching the bright stars and the fireflies which were gliding about among the low growth at the edge of the jungle, of which they caught a glimpse hard by.

"But it is very beautiful and soft," said Ned, thoughtfully. "What a lovely night!"

"Yes; not much like being in prison, is it?"

"No," said Ned; but, as he gazed, he could see the shadowy form of one of the guards, a fact which he did not mention, though the fact of the proximity of armed men seemed strange in connection with his uncle's next words.

"We will not tug at the tether for a few days or weeks, Ned," he said.