Trapped by Malays Part 27

As she reached the gate she became aware of lights in the distance, evidently going in the direction of the river lower down. Voices, too, floated on the night air, and her spirits rose, for she was conscious of a merry laugh. It could not mean trouble, and she stopped short, watching the lights that seemed now to have stopped by the river's bank, trying to fit them in somehow with a solution of her trouble. Still all was mental darkness, when she was conscious of a shout or two which made her start, but only to realise directly afterwards as she heard replies, followed by the splash of oars, that some one must be departing in a boat.

Then came the murmur of talking as the little party appeared to be not coming towards her but striking off diagonally in the direction of the officers' quarters and the Residency.

A loud cry escaped her. It was answered, and the next minute hurrying feet were approaching her, and a voice exclaimed:

"Anything the matter?"

"Yes, yes!" panted the agitated woman.

"Who is it? Mrs Morley?"

"Yes. Help, Captain Down--I--I--" and, trembling and half-breathless, she clung to the speaker as he caught her hands in his.

"The Resident's boat?" she panted.

"No, no--Rajah Hamet's. We have been to see him off."

"Oh, you don't understand! The Resident's boat--Mr Maine--"

"Ah! What of him?"

"Went up the river with my niece."

"Yes, yes--what of them?"

"Not come back!"

"Oh! Well, well, don't be alarmed.--Why, you are trembling like a leaf."

"Yes. I can't help it. It is foolish perhaps. I am terribly alarmed."

"Oh, come, come! I will walk back with you to the bungalow.--You go on, Durham; and you might tell the Resident that I am seeing Mrs Morley home."

"Yes; all right!" came out of the darkness. "Shall I say that the boat's not come back?"

"Oh yes. You might mention it."

"Yes--yes, pray tell him," added Mrs Morley, as the young officer addressed was continuing his route.

"Let's see," said the Captain; "the Doctor's gone off to see to the Rajah, hasn't he?"

"Yes."

"Ah, I see; and you are nervous from being left alone."

"No, no, Captain Down. I am afraid that something has happened to the boat."

"Yes, of course; ladies always are," said the Captain cheerily, "when they are sitting up waiting. Now, now, be cool. There are scores of things that might have happened in a little expedition like this. First of all, they may have stopped to watch the fire-flies."

"Oh yes, but not so late."

"Well, no; but they may have gone much farther than they intended. It is very tempting on a night like this."

"But I begged Archie Maine to be back in good time."

"Archie Maine is only a boy, and thoughtless; and I dare say Miss Heath would be delighted with the trip; and then there would be night-blooming flowers to look at, the noises of the jungle to listen to, and the splashing of the croc--"

"Oh, for pity's sake, don't, Captain Down!"

"Oh, well, I won't. Now then, my dear lady, let's get back to the bungalow, and you give me one of Morley's best cigars--not those out of the old cedar box, please; one of those will do very well for Archie Maine when he comes--and I will sit down in the veranda and chat with you till the truants return; and then you can scold your niece, after giving Archie the bad cigar. That will be punishment enough for him, for he will be vain enough to try to smoke it, though a thin cigarette makes him poorly, poor fellow! Now then, how do you feel now?"

"Oh, better," said Mrs Morley. "And you don't think anything could have happened, Captain Down?"

"Nothing worse than that they have gone too far and are keeping you up."

"But you don't think that the boat has been upset?"

"Certainly not. Why should I?"

"Boats are such dangerous things."

"Yes," said the Captain quietly--"in the hands of those who don't know how to use them. But Maine and your niece are not punting, and they have two of Dallas's best men."

"Yes," said Mrs Morley, with a sigh of relief, as they reached the gate and made their way into the veranda.

"Thank you," said the Captain, as Mrs Morley took a cigar-box from a shelf and then lit a cedar-wood match at the table lamp. "I wonder how the Doctor's going on," he continued, as he lit his cigar.

"Ah, I wonder too," said Mrs Morley.

"Hope the poor beggar isn't much hurt. But Mr Stripes' claws are rather ugly things. Ah, well, lucky for him that he's got a Doctor Morley to call into the wilderness. Hullo! Footsteps! What did I tell you? Here they come! In a hurry, too."

But the distant sound of steps was not duplicated. They were those of one only, coming at a rapid rate; and directly after the Resident dashed open the garden gate.

"What's this I hear?" he cried excitedly. "The boat not back?"

He listened for a few moments to Mrs Morley's once more excited words; but he half-interrupted her before she had done, by exclaiming:

"Here they come! I have told the Major, and he is turning out the men.

For Heaven's sake, Mrs Morley, try and be calm."

"I am trying, Sir Charles. But my husband absent! How can I look him in the face when he comes back?"

"Oh, hush, hush!" whispered the Resident, pressing her hand so hard that she could hardly bear it.

"You are taking the very blackest view of the matter. It may be a trifle--one of the poles broken, or they may have ventured too far."

"Don't talk, pray," said Mrs Morley. "Never mind me. Do something!

Act!"