Middy and Ensign Part 26

The occupants of a prahu then might already have paid tax two or three times, and the appearance of this new power in the river was resented strongly; but when it was found that no tin was taken from them, and that when rice, or fruit, or poultry was taken, the full market value was paid in dollars, a strong friendly feeling sprang up mingled with respect.

The news soon spread, and from that time whenever a trading boat came down from the upper country, the sight of an English boat was sufficient to make the Malays lie on their oars or pole, and await the coming of the English officer to board.

There came quite a calm over the little settlement about this time. The rajah was not heard of, and information, true or false, was brought in that the prahus were high up the stream, where they had been rowed during a flood, and taken up a tributary of the main river, where, on the cessation of the flood, they remained grounded and out of reach.

The sultan seemed to have forgotten his disappointment about the ladies, and the soldiers and sailors were enjoying a time of indolent ease, their greatest excitement being a little drill. Provisions were plentiful, fruit abundant, with as much native tobacco as the men liked to buy, at a most moderate price, and in spite of the steamy heat the people were perfectly happy.

Ali, the young chief, had been again to see Bob Roberts on board; but as yet the visit had not been returned, the attack upon the residency having put a stop to all leave for the time being; but as the officers were getting less strict, the middy was looking forward to the day when he could go ash.o.r.e. In the meanwhile he indulged himself with a little fis.h.i.+ng from out the chains.

Doctor Bolter was about the happiest man at the island, for now that he had got his sanitary matters put right, and his wounded men well, he had ample time for following his favourite pursuit of natural history.

The sailors were in a high state of delight over what they called the "Bolter's weakness," and out of grat.i.tude to him for many a little bit of doctoring, they took him everything they could get hold of that flew, crept, crawled, ran, or swam, bothering him almost to death. For Jack could not see the necessity for refraining from presenting the doctor with a fire-fly, because Tom had taken him a dozen the day before, and Bill two dozen the day before that.

"Wasn't his flies as good as Bill's, or Tom's? Well, then, mind yer own business, and let him mind his."

d.i.c.k came back from the sh.o.r.e beaming one day, with a large black monkey under his arm, held by a stout piece of chain, and a dog collar round its loins.

"Hallo, d.i.c.k," said one of his messmates, Bill Black, as soon as he climbed on board. "Where did you find your little brother?"

"'Tain't no brother o' mine," said d.i.c.k seriously; "he's a Black, and his name's Joseph, ain't it Joey?"

The monkey wrinkled its forehead, and its restless eyes ran over one after the other of the group as the sailors gathered round, who now began laughing.

"Well, he's a handsome chap at all events," said Bill, putting out his hand to pat the monkey on the head.

"Don't touch him, lad," growled d.i.c.k, by way of caution; "he bites."

"Get out," said Bill. "Now then, old man, how are you?"

"Chick--chack--squitter--witter--chack," cried the monkey, snapping at the sailor's hand and giving it a sharp nip.

"There, I told you so," said d.i.c.k.

"Hallo, what have you got there, d.i.c.k?" said Bob Roberts, coming up, attracted by the laughing.

"Native gentleman, sir, I bought for four dollars," said d.i.c.k, seriously. "He's a rar-jah I think, only he hadn't time to get his toggery and his kris afore he come aboard."

"Didn't know the native gentlemen had tails," said Bob, smiling.

"Hallo, old chap, how are you? Have a bite?"

He held out half a biscuit that he happened to have in his jacket pocket, and the monkey looked at him curiously, as it held out one long thin black hand, flinchingly, as if expecting to be teased.

Twice it essayed to get the biscuit, but always flinched, till Bob took a step more in advance, when the animal s.n.a.t.c.hed the coveted morsel and began to eat it ravenously.

"Why, it's half-starved, d.i.c.k," said the middy.

"Yes, sir, he tried to get a piece of Bill Black's finger, but Bill cut up rough, and wouldn't let him have it."

Here there was a fresh burst of laughter, in which Bill, whose finger was, after all, only pinched, heartily joined.

"What are you going to do with him, d.i.c.k?" said Bob Roberts.

"Well, sir," said d.i.c.k, with a dry wrinkle or two extra on his mahogany physiognomy, "I was going to ask the skipper if he'd like to have the gent for a new middy, seeing as you, sir, have got to be quite a grown man now."

"Don't you be cheeky, d.i.c.k," said Bob, indignantly.

"No, sir, I won't," said the old sailor humbly; "but on second thoughts, which is allers the best, Mr Roberts, sir, I thought as the skipper wouldn't have a uniform as would fit him, so I said as I'd take him on to the island, where they'd soon make a sojer of him."

"Now look here, d.i.c.k," said Bob, "I take no end of impudence from you, but let there be some end to it. Now then, have you done joking?"

"Yes, sir, but he would look well in a red jacket, wouldn't he?"

"What are you going to do with the monkey?" said Bob, peremptorily.

"Well, sir," said d.i.c.k, seeing that he had gone far enough, "I was up in the campong there, and I bought him of one of the n.i.g.g.e.rs as used him to pick c.o.key-nuts."

"Oh, yes, of course," said Bob, derisively.

"He will," said d.i.c.k; "and I bought him because, I says to myself, I says: Here's just the sorter thing our doctor would be glad to have, and he'd pin a long name to him directly, and say as he's a Blackskinnius Monkinius, or something of the kind."

"And are you going to take it to the doctor?" said Bob.

"Yes, sir, now, directly I've showed you how he can pick c.o.key-nuts.

Bill Black, mate, just step down and bring that ball o' stout fis.h.i.+ng-line out o' the locker, will you?"

The sailor addressed went down, and returned directly after to d.i.c.k, who undid the chain, and tied one end of the stout fis.h.i.+ng cord to the monkey's strap.

The little animal had been munching away at the biscuit in a quaint semi-human fas.h.i.+on; but as soon as d.i.c.k had fastened one end of the cord to the belt, it seemed to know what was wanted, for it squatted upon the deck, looking intelligently up in the sailor's face.

"There, ain't he an old un?" said d.i.c.k. "Now then, Yusuf, be kraja."

As the monkey heard the last two words, it sprang up the rigging to one of the great blocks, which in his mind represented the cocoa-nuts it was to bring down, and seizing one it tried hard to twist it off, chattering angrily, till d.i.c.k gave the cord a jerk, when the animal bounded to another block, and tried hard to fetch it off, going so far as to gnaw at the rope that held it, till d.i.c.k gave the cord another jerk, when it came down.

"Well done, old man," said d.i.c.k, patting the animal, which kept close to his leg, as if feeling that it must find protection of him, when d.i.c.k took it under his arm.

"Are you going now, d.i.c.k?" said Bob, eagerly.

"Yes, sir."

"Wait a moment, and let me see if I can get leave. Why, look here; the doctor's coming aboard."

True enough, Doctor Bolter was seen in a sampan rowed by one of the Malays, and a minute or two later he was on deck.

"Monkey, eh?" he said sharply, as he saw the animal. "_Semnopithecus Maurus_, I should say. What are you going to do with it?"

"d.i.c.k was going to give it to you, sir," said Bob, smiling.

"Give it--to me?" cried the doctor. "Thanks; no, my man, I must draw the line somewhere. Keep it on board. Climb the rigging, and that sort of thing. Here, you Roberts, tell the captain I'm here."