The Rajah of Dah Part 15

"No. How could it? But there, come with me, and try to forget what you have been seeing."

"But one moment, sir. Couldn't you have interfered to save the man's life? Did you know he was to be mur--"

"Executed, my boy. Yes, and I appealed to the rajah for mercy; but he gave me so terrible an account of the man's life that I was silenced at once. Come, you have plenty of time before breakfast. I want you to see my home."

Ned s.h.i.+vered a little as he gave a glance round at the scene, which looked so beautiful, that it seemed impossible that so great a horror could have taken place there. Then he followed the Resident, and awoke to the fact that they were alone.

"Where are the men who were following me," he said, and Mr Braine smiled.

"Gone back to their quarters, I suppose," he said. "They consider you are in my charge now."

Ned gave him a curious look, which his companion interpreted directly.

"Very well," he said, laughing; "think so if you like. I suppose I am your guard. Ah, here are your two friends," for the Tumongong and the other officer came up hurriedly, and made a communication to the last speaker.

"I must put you off, Murray," he said, turning quickly to the boy. "The rajah is taken ill. You can wander about the place a bit; I daresay I shall be back soon."

He went off with the two Malay officers, and Ned hesitated for a few moments as to which direction he should take, and ending by making for the river higher up the stream, so as to get right away from the spot that he could not recall without a shudder. This part, too, looked particularly attractive with its groups of palms and large forest trees, some of which overhung the stream, one being covered with white flowers to its very summit.

It was all very beautiful as he neared it, and he began thinking of how delighted his uncle would be with the orchids and other parasitical plants which cling to the boughs; but all at once, as he was looking round, he caught sight of one of his guards, and directly after of the other, for, as if by magic, they had reappeared, and the sensation of being watched again, coming upon the recollections of the morning adventure, seemed quite to rob the place of its beauty.

"I may as well go back," he thought to himself, after wandering for a short distance among the trees, and stopping at last to lay his hand upon a branch which overhung the river, so that he could lean out and gaze down into the dark clear water, with some vague idea of seeing whether there were any fish.

He could see none, but it was very attractive to gaze down into that dark clear water with its patches of floating lotus-leaves, from among which rose the bright blue waterlily-like flowers. They seemed likely places for fish, and for a few minutes the grim horrors of the morning pa.s.sed away, and he began to think of what a capital place that would be for carp-fis.h.i.+ng, if it were an English river at home, and to wonder what kind of fish there would be there. For that there were fish he felt convinced, from a slight swirling movement he had seen, and the shaking of the stems and leaves once or twice, as if something were moving somewhere below.

That smooth shadowy pool in the river was very beautiful, and the sun streamed down through the leaves like a silver shower, as Ned still thought of the fis.h.i.+ng, and this brought up the recollection of the boy he had seen on the river and at his return at night.

"Perhaps he's the rajah's son," thought Ned. "No," he continued inconsequently, "he couldn't be, because the rajah has lots of wives, and of course he would have plenty of sons. I know," he thought, after a pause; "he must be the Tumongong's boy. He did look something like him. I shouldn't wonder if its--"

Ned's thoughts seemed at that moment to have been cut off short, or, to use a railway phrase, shunted off on to another track--that is, from fancies about the Tumongong's son to the fishy inhabitants of the river.

For once more he noticed that about twenty feet from the overhanging bank, formed of twisted roots, on which he stood, one of the largest beds of floating lotus-leaves was being agitated by what must certainly be quite a large fish forcing its way toward him, till he could see its long brown back just beneath the surface, and gliding very slowly nearer.

It was impossible to make out what it was for the leaves, two or three of which were pushed up, and sank down again while others were forced aside.

It was quite fascinating to watch it, and Ned was longing for some fine tackle, when there was a sudden rustling in the boughs overhead, and a dark animal that he could not clearly distinguish began leaping and bounding about, chattering, shrieking, and making other strange noises, as it shook the boughs and ran out on one over the water, to hang down by one hand and a foot, chattering and showing its teeth menacingly at the big fish which was still slowly gliding nearer to the bank.

There was no mistaking what the animal was now, and wondering at its comparative tameness, Ned's attention was now diverted to what was the finest and most active monkey he had ever seen.

"I didn't know monkeys liked fis.h.i.+ng," he was saying to himself, when the movement in the water increased, the animal in the tree swung itself nearer, and there was a rush and splash just as the spectator felt a violent shock as if some one had seized him from behind, and losing his balance he fell backward, and then in alarm rolled over twice away from the river, and struggled up to his knees, just as a figure rushed at him again and dragged him farther away.

CHAPTER EIGHT.

A HUNGRY CROC.

The next moment Ned stood with clenched fists, about to fly at the Tumongong's son, as he had mentally dubbed him, but his fists unclenched, and he began to comprehend that he must have been in some danger from which he had been driven and dragged by the excited lad, who now s.n.a.t.c.hed off the little flat military-looking cap he wore, and showed a crop of curly dark hair--not black, coa.r.s.e, and straight like a Malay's--and as he wiped his streaming forehead with the silken sleeve of his baju, he cried fiercely: "What a jolly fool you must be to go and stand there."

"Eh? I? Was I? Would the monkey have bitten me?"

"Yes, if you had pulled his tail, and he wouldn't have let you. He bitten you? No."

"Then," said Ned, flus.h.i.+ng a little, and feeling indignant at the young semi-savage's dictatorial speech, "why was I a jolly fool to go and stand there, pray?"

"Hark at him!" said the lad, looking round as if he were addressing an audience; "he says, Why was he a jolly fool? Oh, what a green one you are!"

"Look here, sir," said Ned, shortly; "have the goodness to be a little more respectful in your speech. I am not accustomed to be addressed in that manner."

"Oh certainly, my lord," said the lad. "Salaam maharajah, salaam." And raising his hands above his head, he bowed down almost to the ground.

"I didn't know you were such a grandee."

"Never mind what I am, sir, and have the goodness to keep your place."

"Yes, my lord. Salaam maha--"

"Stop!" cried Ned, angrily. "I don't want you to do that tomfoolery to me."

The lad made a grimace, and meekly crossed his hands upon his breast.

"Now, sir, have the goodness to tell me why I was a jolly fool, and so green, as you call it. Pity people can't teach you foreigners something better than slang. Now then--answer."

"Well, to go and stand under that tree with a croc stalking you."

"Croc stalking you? What do you mean?"

"Don't you know the river's full of crocodiles?"

"I know there are some there."

"Some!" cried the lad. "Why, it's as full as a pond is of sticklebacks."

Ned stared at these words, coming out of eastern lips.

"Why, when they krissed a fellow this morning, and tumbled him into the river, Dilloo Dee says one of them s.n.a.t.c.hed the body under directly. He told me just now. Didn't you see that one coming at you?"

"I saw a big fish under the lotus-leaves."

"Big fisherman you mean. Poof!" cried the boy, bursting into a roar of laughter, "it was a great croc, and I was just in time to knock you out of the way. I thought he would have got you, he made such a rush."

"Did--did you see him?" said Ned, turning a little white.

"Only got a glimpse of his wet scales; but I knew he was there stalking you, by that monkey scolding him. Oh my! how the little beggars do hate a croc."

"Then--then, you saved my life, and I didn't know it," said Ned.

"Eh? Well, I s'pose I did, for if he had pulled you down, I don't suppose we should ever have seen you again."

"Ugh!" shuddered Ned. "How horrid. What a dreadful country this is."