Trapped by Malays Part 18

"Well, I should be very strict with them, sir."

The Major grunted.

"I know," he said. "Some of you diplomatic people think British soldiers ought to be kept shut up in cages until they are wanted to fight. Don't you criticise me, sir. I have had a good many years with my lads, and they are pretty well in hand. If you come to criticising, you will set me doing the same with your methods. I shouldn't have let that French chap--Count, as he calls himself--go off so easy as you did the other day."

"What could I do, sir? He is a friend of Rajah Suleiman, and his guest.

I communicated with the Rajah, and he answered for him at once, complained of his arrest, and demanded that he should be allowed to return to the Palace at once."

"Palace!" growled the Major. "Why, my lads could knock up a better palace in no time with some bamboo poles and attap mats."

"The natives are accustomed to simplicity in the building of their homes," said the Resident coldly.

"Oh yes, I know," growled the Major; "but I want to know what that fellow was sneaking about our cantonments for in the dead of the night."

"My dear sir," said the Resident, "his explanations were quite satisfactory. He is here studying the natives preparatory to writing a book about the manners and customs of these people, and he is collecting various objects of natural history, as he showed us."

"Yes; half-a-dozen moths with all the colour rubbed off their wings. Do you mean to tell me that that chap is catching those insects for nothing?"

"I am not ashamed to say that when I was young I used to collect b.u.t.terflies, and if I am not very much mistaken, our friend Maine here has done the same thing."

"Oh yes, lots of times," said Archie.

"Of course," said the Major; "every boy does, some time or other. I did myself. But I am as sure as sure that Monsieur the Count is playing a double game, and I have been thinking a deal, Archie Maine, about you and Down hearing that rustling as if somebody had been listening outside the veranda to what we were saying."

"But I couldn't be sure, sir, that it was the Count."

"Count be hanged! It makes me feel savage. Say Frenchman, boy. No, you couldn't be sure, of course; but it couldn't have been one of the natives. They daren't have done it, with the sentry close at hand; and it looks very strange that he should be caught later on in the night going down to the landing-place, with a boat waiting for him. Once more, sir, what do you say to that?"

"That I felt bound to be satisfied with the gentleman's explanation, sir."

"Gentleman!" said the Major sourly. "I believe he's a mischievous hanger-on, and I should like to see him sent right away. There, I've done. As you, in your diplomatic fashion, would say, the debate is closed."

"Yes," said the Resident, smiling, as he uttered a sigh of relief.

"Why, Major, it has made you quite cross."

"Not a bit, not a bit; only a little warm. But while we are talking, I do think a little more might be done in support of your position as Her Majesty's representative. And mind this, Dallas; I am not saying it unkindly, but really on account of the way in which your friend the Rajah swells himself out and behaves to me and my officers."

"Well, I must confess that his a.s.sumption of _hauteur_ and the disdain which he has exhibited towards you on more than one occasion has annoyed me very much; but I set it down to his ignorance of England and our power."

"Yes," said the Major; "and I have seen him treat you in a way that has made me ready to kick the scoundrel out of the place, when he has been here."

"Well," said the Resident, "you must make allowances for the natural pride and conceit of these men. We know that they are half-savages, while they, as armed fighting-men accustomed to their petty wars amongst themselves, most likely look down upon us as half-barbarian people, whom they hope some day to subject in turn."

"Yes, that's it," said the Major. "But what I say is, we must teach them better."

"Well, that's what I am trying to do," said Sir Charles. "But I am trying the _suaviter in modo_, while you want to practise--"

"Yes, I know," said the Major; "the good old way: the _forti_--what's its name?--What is it, Archie?"

"I forget, sir. _Fort.i.ter_ something."

"Can't you combine the two?" said the Major. "Let them see something of our strength, Dallas. They certainly are getting more impudent and independent. Now, there's the question of our rations and supplies.

The simple country-people are all right, and are glad to bring in all we want, and quite content with what we pay. But this Suleiman's people interfere with them and frighten them; and it's a bad sign, Dallas.

What do you say to my arresting one of the most interfering of the Rajah's men and letting my fellow's give him a good flogging?"

"For goodness' sake don't dream of such a thing!"

"Then matters will go from bad to worse. You are too easy."

"And you are too hard, Major."

"All right; you are one side and I am the other.--Here, Maine, you are a very stupid boy sometimes."

"Yes, sir," said Archie dryly.

"What's that? Now, that's a sneer, sir; but let it pa.s.s. I was going to say, sir, you have got your head screwed on right, and sharp boys can see what's best sometimes. Now, speak out. I don't know why this discussion has been going on before you, but you have been taking it all in ever since we have been talking. Now then, speak out. Who's right-- Sir Charles or I?"

"Oh, nonsense!" said Sir Charles. "I protest! You are his commanding officer, and he is bound to vote for you."

"He'd better not," cried the Major, with his grey moustache seeming to bristle. "If he doesn't speak out honestly what he feels I will never forgive him.--Now, Archie, who's right--your father's old schoolfellow or the Resident?"

"Both, sir," said the lad sharply.

"What!" roared the Major. "You are hedging, sir, and I didn't expect it from you. I wanted you to say exactly what you felt."

"Well, I am going to, sir; only you cut me off so short. I think you are both right, and both wrong."

"Well, don't you call that hedging, sir?" cried the Major, looking hotter than ever.

"No, sir. I think Sir Charles gives way too much to these people, these proud followers of the Rajah; but I think it would be disastrous and unfair if you tried force."

"Humph!" grunted the Major; and the Resident frowned.

"Well, sir," said the Major, "have you any more to say?"

"Yes," replied Archie thoughtfully. "I have mixed a good deal with the Rajah's people, and they are all very civil to me, but I never feel as if they are safe, and I often think that they are waiting for a chance to use the krises they keep so carefully covered over."

"There, Sir Charles!" said the Major, smoothing down his bristling moustache. "It's coming."

Archie did not seem to hear the remark, and he went on thoughtfully:

"I think as Major Knowle does, sir, that, out of sheer ignorance, they don't believe how powerful we are. You see, they are all armed; every man has a kris; and they are going about with those nasty razor-bladed spears that they can throw so accurately. Most of them carry the point in a sheath, but it is a sheath that they slip off in a moment, and then it is a most horrible, deadly weapon."

"Quite true," said Sir Charles thoughtfully.

"And then it seems to me, sir, that they feel a sort of contempt for our men, who are armed when they are on duty, but as a rule go about without so much as a bayonet; and even if they did carry that by way of side-arms, it's only a poor, blunt sort of thing that in their eyes does not compare with the kris."

"Don't you disparage army weapons, sir, that are sanctioned by the War Office and the wisdom of the great Department," growled the Major.