Chapter Nine.The Major on Hedging.“Look here, Dallas,” said the Major; “I think your diplomacy and arguing and writing despatches is a great nuisance.”“You will think better of it some day, sir,” said the Resident.“Never!” said the Major warmly; and his ruddy, sun-browned face grew redder, while his stiff, silvery-grey moustache and short-cut hair seemed to bristle. “Of course I know you must have troubles, sir, with other nations, and people like these Malays, who are subservient to us; but when they come, let’s fight and bring them to their senses.—What do you say to that, Archie Maine?”“Spoken like a soldier, sir,” cried Archie quickly.“Good!” cried the Major. “Your writing despatches and minutes and red-tape and all the rest of it to a fellow like that Rajah Suleiman is all waste of energy. Here you are supposed to be guiding him.”“I hope and believe I am guiding him, sir,” said the Resident coldly.“Bah! He and his people are growing more impudent every day. It’s bound to end in a blow-up. These imitation Scotch niggers in their plaid sarongs, as they call them, will be getting up a big quarrel with my men with their bounce and contempt for my well-drilled, smart detachment. Here’s every common, twopenny-halfpenny Malay looking down upon my fellows, while there isn’t one among my lads who isn’t a better man than their Rajah. There will be a row some day; won’t there, Archie?”“I expect so, sir,” replied the lad, who was listening to the conversation, and felt rather amused.“I sincerely hope, Major, that you give strict injunctions to your officers and men about doing everything to avoid coming into collision with the natives and their traditions.”“You leave me alone for that, sir. I think I know what to do with my lads. You would like me to confine them to barracks, I suppose?”“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 butterflies, 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 assumption ofhauteurand 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 thesuaviter in modo, while you want to practise—”“Yes, I know,” said the Major; “the good old way: theforti—what’s its name?—What is it, Archie?”“I forget, sir.Fortitersomething.”“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 pass. 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.“No, sir, I don’t wish to. But I was thinking that we ought to do something to teach these ignorant people how ready and well provided we are in case of any trouble.”“Of course,” said the Major; “we must do something.”“Better wait patiently,” interposed Sir Charles, “until we have real cause for using our weapons; and then I am quite for punishing them severely.”“Stitch in time saves nine,” said the Major emphatically. “Why not nip the thing in the bud?”“Why not?” continued Archie, who, now he was started, gained confidence every minute and did not seem disposed to stop.“Why not what?” said the Major.“Have a grand parade, sir. There’s the Queen’s Birthday next week.”“Yes,” said Sir Charles.“Eh?” grunted the Major. “Grand parade? You mean make a bit of a show? Full review order, and the band?”“I’d finish off with that, sir,” said Archie; “but I’d have every man out, and get up a thoroughly good sham-fight, burn plenty of powder, make everything as real as could be, and after plenty of firing and evolution, form in line and deliver a regular good charge.”“Yes,” said the Major, “there’s something in that. But what’s the good of doing it with only the people of the campong to look on?”“Oh, I wouldn’t do it shabbily, sir. I think, in honour of Her Majesty’s birthday, Sir Charles ought to give a big banquet here, and invite both Rajah Suleiman and Rajah Hamet to come in force with their followers, and after the sham-fight have it all arranged that their people shall be well feasted.”“But the expense—the expense, sir!” cried Sir Charles.“You go on, Archie Maine,” said the Major. “Capital! Hang the expense!”“But all these things have to be considered, sir,” said the diplomat rather coldly.“Yes, sir; and I am considering them,” said the Major. “I think the plan’s excellent. It will be killing two birds with one stone. I’ll make it so real that we shall overawe the people, and please them and make them more friendly, at one stroke. Why, it will be worth in prestige twenty times as much as the money it will cost.”“Then you think we ought to do it, Major?”“Think we ought to do it, Dallas?” said the Major in astonished tones. “Why, of course. Don’t you?”“I think it’s worth consideration, certainly, but I am not for coming to a rash decision.”“Rash!” said the Major hotly. “I don’t call that rash. What is there rash in it?”“Several things occur to my mind,” said the Resident.“Never mind the several; let’s have one,” said the Major, with the facial muscles making his moustache twitch sharply.“Well, sir, we are few in number. Would it be wise to invite these two Eastern princes to come here in force and well-armed, so that they could combine and try to sweep us out of existence?”“What! when our men are hot with excitement and ready to smell mischief in a good sham-fight? I should just like to see them try—eh, Maine?”“Yes, sir,” said Archie, with his eyes twinkling. “I think they would make a mistake.”“Yes,” said the Major, leaning forward to give the boy a slap on the knee that made him wince. “And what about your despised British bayonets then—eh, sir? Eh?”“Ah!” said the Resident thoughtfully.“Oh, nonsense, nonsense, Sir Charles!” cried the Major. “Come, I think this is a grand proposal, and I can only see one failing in it.”“What’s that, sir?”“That I didn’t think of it myself. Why, my dear sir, it’s splendid; and I tell you what, we have got a pretty good supply in store. Our fellows shall give them a grandsalvoof rockets at night from boats in the river, by way of a finish off, the band playing ‘God save the Queen’ the while, with plenty of big drum.”“And you might make the campong people illuminate all their boats on the river,” said Archie.“Capital! Of course!” cried the Major.“Humph! Yes,” said Sir Charles. “And I might send in my invitation despatch a request to the two Rajahs to arrange that their nagas shall be well hung with lanterns.”“Hear that, Archie?” said the Major, chuckling. “He’s coming round.”“Well, yes, on further thought,” said the Resident, “if such afêtewere made of the matter it would be a great attraction, and must impress not only the followers of the two Rajahs, but the inhabitants of every campong within reach. But I am afraid—”“I’m not,” said the Major.“I was going to say, of the expense.”“Oh, hang the expense! as I said before,” cried the Major. “Let’s do it well, and think about the cost later on. I say that these people, bloodthirsty as they are, quarrelsome, and generally spoiling for a fight, are such children at heart that they would be delighted, and believe more than ever in the followers of her they call the Great White Queen. Now, Sir Charles, are you with me?”“Yes, Major,” said the Resident, “I must confess that I am.”“Settled,” said the Major, drawing himself up. “The Queen’s Birthday, then. We haven’t much time to spare.—What’s that?” he continued, as Sir Charles left the Major’s quarters, where the above discussion had taken place. “What’s that you say—it might be dangerous to bring the followers of those two fellows together, seeing what enemies they are? I never thought of that, Maine.”“You see, they began using their krises, sir, that night of the mess dinner.”“Humph! Yes. Then they were hanging about with nothing to do but growl at each other. Oh, I don’t think we need study that, my lad. You see, their attention will be taken up—plenty to see, plenty to eat and drink—and we shall have all our lads under arms and prepared for any littleémeute. Oh no, my lad, we won’t seek clouds where there are none. All the same, we’ll be prepared.”
“Look here, Dallas,” said the Major; “I think your diplomacy and arguing and writing despatches is a great nuisance.”
“You will think better of it some day, sir,” said the Resident.
“Never!” said the Major warmly; and his ruddy, sun-browned face grew redder, while his stiff, silvery-grey moustache and short-cut hair seemed to bristle. “Of course I know you must have troubles, sir, with other nations, and people like these Malays, who are subservient to us; but when they come, let’s fight and bring them to their senses.—What do you say to that, Archie Maine?”
“Spoken like a soldier, sir,” cried Archie quickly.
“Good!” cried the Major. “Your writing despatches and minutes and red-tape and all the rest of it to a fellow like that Rajah Suleiman is all waste of energy. Here you are supposed to be guiding him.”
“I hope and believe I am guiding him, sir,” said the Resident coldly.
“Bah! He and his people are growing more impudent every day. It’s bound to end in a blow-up. These imitation Scotch niggers in their plaid sarongs, as they call them, will be getting up a big quarrel with my men with their bounce and contempt for my well-drilled, smart detachment. Here’s every common, twopenny-halfpenny Malay looking down upon my fellows, while there isn’t one among my lads who isn’t a better man than their Rajah. There will be a row some day; won’t there, Archie?”
“I expect so, sir,” replied the lad, who was listening to the conversation, and felt rather amused.
“I sincerely hope, Major, that you give strict injunctions to your officers and men about doing everything to avoid coming into collision with the natives and their traditions.”
“You leave me alone for that, sir. I think I know what to do with my lads. You would like me to confine them to barracks, I suppose?”
“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 butterflies, 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 assumption ofhauteurand 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 thesuaviter in modo, while you want to practise—”
“Yes, I know,” said the Major; “the good old way: theforti—what’s its name?—What is it, Archie?”
“I forget, sir.Fortitersomething.”
“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 pass. 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.
“No, sir, I don’t wish to. But I was thinking that we ought to do something to teach these ignorant people how ready and well provided we are in case of any trouble.”
“Of course,” said the Major; “we must do something.”
“Better wait patiently,” interposed Sir Charles, “until we have real cause for using our weapons; and then I am quite for punishing them severely.”
“Stitch in time saves nine,” said the Major emphatically. “Why not nip the thing in the bud?”
“Why not?” continued Archie, who, now he was started, gained confidence every minute and did not seem disposed to stop.
“Why not what?” said the Major.
“Have a grand parade, sir. There’s the Queen’s Birthday next week.”
“Yes,” said Sir Charles.
“Eh?” grunted the Major. “Grand parade? You mean make a bit of a show? Full review order, and the band?”
“I’d finish off with that, sir,” said Archie; “but I’d have every man out, and get up a thoroughly good sham-fight, burn plenty of powder, make everything as real as could be, and after plenty of firing and evolution, form in line and deliver a regular good charge.”
“Yes,” said the Major, “there’s something in that. But what’s the good of doing it with only the people of the campong to look on?”
“Oh, I wouldn’t do it shabbily, sir. I think, in honour of Her Majesty’s birthday, Sir Charles ought to give a big banquet here, and invite both Rajah Suleiman and Rajah Hamet to come in force with their followers, and after the sham-fight have it all arranged that their people shall be well feasted.”
“But the expense—the expense, sir!” cried Sir Charles.
“You go on, Archie Maine,” said the Major. “Capital! Hang the expense!”
“But all these things have to be considered, sir,” said the diplomat rather coldly.
“Yes, sir; and I am considering them,” said the Major. “I think the plan’s excellent. It will be killing two birds with one stone. I’ll make it so real that we shall overawe the people, and please them and make them more friendly, at one stroke. Why, it will be worth in prestige twenty times as much as the money it will cost.”
“Then you think we ought to do it, Major?”
“Think we ought to do it, Dallas?” said the Major in astonished tones. “Why, of course. Don’t you?”
“I think it’s worth consideration, certainly, but I am not for coming to a rash decision.”
“Rash!” said the Major hotly. “I don’t call that rash. What is there rash in it?”
“Several things occur to my mind,” said the Resident.
“Never mind the several; let’s have one,” said the Major, with the facial muscles making his moustache twitch sharply.
“Well, sir, we are few in number. Would it be wise to invite these two Eastern princes to come here in force and well-armed, so that they could combine and try to sweep us out of existence?”
“What! when our men are hot with excitement and ready to smell mischief in a good sham-fight? I should just like to see them try—eh, Maine?”
“Yes, sir,” said Archie, with his eyes twinkling. “I think they would make a mistake.”
“Yes,” said the Major, leaning forward to give the boy a slap on the knee that made him wince. “And what about your despised British bayonets then—eh, sir? Eh?”
“Ah!” said the Resident thoughtfully.
“Oh, nonsense, nonsense, Sir Charles!” cried the Major. “Come, I think this is a grand proposal, and I can only see one failing in it.”
“What’s that, sir?”
“That I didn’t think of it myself. Why, my dear sir, it’s splendid; and I tell you what, we have got a pretty good supply in store. Our fellows shall give them a grandsalvoof rockets at night from boats in the river, by way of a finish off, the band playing ‘God save the Queen’ the while, with plenty of big drum.”
“And you might make the campong people illuminate all their boats on the river,” said Archie.
“Capital! Of course!” cried the Major.
“Humph! Yes,” said Sir Charles. “And I might send in my invitation despatch a request to the two Rajahs to arrange that their nagas shall be well hung with lanterns.”
“Hear that, Archie?” said the Major, chuckling. “He’s coming round.”
“Well, yes, on further thought,” said the Resident, “if such afêtewere made of the matter it would be a great attraction, and must impress not only the followers of the two Rajahs, but the inhabitants of every campong within reach. But I am afraid—”
“I’m not,” said the Major.
“I was going to say, of the expense.”
“Oh, hang the expense! as I said before,” cried the Major. “Let’s do it well, and think about the cost later on. I say that these people, bloodthirsty as they are, quarrelsome, and generally spoiling for a fight, are such children at heart that they would be delighted, and believe more than ever in the followers of her they call the Great White Queen. Now, Sir Charles, are you with me?”
“Yes, Major,” said the Resident, “I must confess that I am.”
“Settled,” said the Major, drawing himself up. “The Queen’s Birthday, then. We haven’t much time to spare.—What’s that?” he continued, as Sir Charles left the Major’s quarters, where the above discussion had taken place. “What’s that you say—it might be dangerous to bring the followers of those two fellows together, seeing what enemies they are? I never thought of that, Maine.”
“You see, they began using their krises, sir, that night of the mess dinner.”
“Humph! Yes. Then they were hanging about with nothing to do but growl at each other. Oh, I don’t think we need study that, my lad. You see, their attention will be taken up—plenty to see, plenty to eat and drink—and we shall have all our lads under arms and prepared for any littleémeute. Oh no, my lad, we won’t seek clouds where there are none. All the same, we’ll be prepared.”
Chapter Ten.Peter turns Mahout.It was the morning appointed for the review, the preparations having been all made on the previous day; and thereveillerang out, making Archie Maine turn over upon his charpoy bed with an angry grunt, for instead of unbuttoning his eyelids he squeezed them up extra tight.“Mr Archie, sir, don’t you hear the call?”“Hear it? Yes. What does it mean?”“Look sharp, sir. I’m putting your things straight. Tumble up and tumble in.”“Be quiet, you noisy rascal! What does it all mean? I say, we are in the middle of the night!”“Not it, sir. Do look sharp, sir.”“But what for?”“It’s because of the review, I suppose, sir. The lads are all tumbling up as if there was some alarm. I ain’t half dressed.”“Alarm! Nonsense! Sha’n’t get up till the regular time.”“Hi! Hullo, Maine!” and Captain Down’s voice was heard outside. “Are you nearly ready? Company’s all turned out.”“Ready—no! What’s the matter?”“Don’t quite know, but I think we are being attacked. The watch have come in with news that a strong party of the Malays are approaching by the forest path, out beyond the campong.”“What stuff!” cried Archie, beginning to dress sleepily. “It’s the country-people coming in to see the show.—Here, you, Peter Pegg, why don’t you get a light? Who’s to see to dress?”“Slip into your things, man,” cried the Captain irritably. “No nonsense. Recollect where we are.”“Oh, all right,” grumbled Archie. “I know it’s only a false alarm.”“False alarm or no, the Major was half dressed before I came on here.”“Oh, all right,” grumbled Archie again; “I’ll manage.—Pete,” he whispered, “try to get me a cup of coffee.”“Who’s that?” cried the Captain.“Sergeant, sir—Ripsy,” came in that non-com’s deep, important voice.“Well, what’s up?”“Well, sir, they may be coming to see the review, but it don’t look like it. There’s a strong body of well-armed natives just the other side of the campong, and they may be friends or they may be enemies, but we have got to be ready for them, anyhow. You see, sir, it don’t look right, because if they had been friends they would have been coming down the river in their boats. These ’ere must have been marching all night; and they have got elephants with them.”Whatever the body of Malays was, short as was the notice given, they found that the English cantonments were well guarded, and those who approached beyond the native village, where the main body had halted, were stopped before they could get any farther.It was quite dark, and the whole appearance of the body of men suggested a night attack; but before long native messengers came into camp with a message from the chief officers of Rajah Suleiman to say that they had had a long night march so as to reach Campong Dang before sunrise, on account of the heat, and asking that they might be furnished with refreshments for His Highness, and be given permission for the elephants to be brought into camp by their mahouts, to be placed in the shade of the trees by the parade-ground while the grass-cutters went out for their food.Messages then began to pass to and fro, and invitations were sent to the Rajah and his officers to join the officers’ mess at breakfast and rest, as it would be hours before the military evolutions would begin.The excitement and bustle quickly calmed down; pickets were stationed, with orders that none of the Malays were to come into camp; and the mess-men were almost ready to announce breakfast, when the Doctor came bustling on to the scene, and one of the first people he stumbled against was Archie.“Oh, here you are,” he cried, hastily fastening one or two buttons of his white flannels. “Just the fellow I wanted to see.”“Morning, Doctor. How are you?” replied the lad.“Bad. Up nearly all night with a couple of sick people, and I was at last just sinking into a pleasant doze when those wretched bugles began to ring out. All your doing.”“My doing, sir?”“Yes—upsetting our regular routine. It will be just as I expected when the Major arranged for tins absurdity. As if Her Majesty couldn’t have a birthday without everybody going mad with a desire to get sunstroke.”“Have some breakfast, sir,” said Archie quietly. “You will feel better then.”“Better, sir? Bah! Nothing the matter with me now. Eh, what? Is the coffee ready? Can’t be. These princes and potentates haven’t all come in yet, and I suppose we shall have to wait for them.”“No, you won’t, sir. Captain Down and some more of us who will have to be on duty have got a snug corner to ourselves, and we are going to have a snatch meal before going out.”“Oh,” said the Doctor in a more mollified tone. “Then there is somebody here blessed with brains! Who was it—Down?”“No, sir; if I must confess,” cried Archie, “it was I.”“Oh,” said the Doctor. “Then you must have been thinking of number one, sir.”“No, Doctor. My fellow, Peter Pegg, got me a cup of coffee an hour ago.”Matters soon settled quietly down, and the swarthy-looking Rajah Suleiman, in gorgeous array and attended by quite a staff of his notables—Maharajah Lela, Tumongong, Muntri, Lakasamana, and the rest of them—was haughtily partaking of an excellent breakfast, with a string of followers behind the chairs of him and his suite—pipe-bearers, betel-box carriers, and other attendants; while a picked guard of his finest men in a uniform of yellow satin, all armed with the lim-bing or throwing-spear and kris, were drawn up in the veranda, carefully watching over their lord in the mess-room, and as carefully watched over themselves by a guard of quiet-looking linesmen with fixed bayonets.It fell to Archie’s lot to be near the clump of trees beneath which the half-dozen splendid elephants that brought in the Rajah were being fed and groomed.They had come in covered with mud from their journey along the narrow forest path formed of a line of deep mud-holes made by the elephants themselves, every one of the huge animals invariably planting his feet in the track of the one which had preceded him. Their trappings during the journey had been carefully rolled-up, and now hung with the howdahs from horizontal branches of the sheltering trees.As soon as it was light the great beasts had been marched down by their attendants to the landing-place for a swim, and brought out again back to the shelter to be carefully groomed, and now stood partaking contentedly of their morning meal, prior to being decked with their gay howdah-cloths and other trappings.One of the first men that Archie encountered was Peter Pegg, who was standing watching the mahouts, who in turn were overlooking the attendants whose duty it was to groom the Rajah’s stud.“How is it you are not on duty?” he said.“Am, sir,” said the lad. “The Sergeant put me here to keep a heye on these helephant chaps and see as they don’t get quarrelling with t’other Rajah’s men.”“Why, they have not come yet, have they—Rajah Hamet, I mean, and his people?”“Oh yes, sir; and they are out yonder—helephants and all. Joe Smithers is doing the same job with them.”“Did you see the Rajah?”“No, sir,” replied the lad; “only ’eerd he was there. I am to be relieved to go to breakfast in a hour’s time.”Archie nodded and went on. The hour passed, and Peter, who had no further orders, forgot all about breakfast in the deep interest he took in the proceedings of those who had the elephants in charge; while as he waited for the bugle-call which would summon him to the ranks, he stood watching the finishing touches being given to the elephants, now browsing on the plenteous supply of fresh green leafage thrown before them by the grass-cutters, and began to make friends with the mahouts.He tried one after the other, but on each occasion only to meet with a surly scowl.He was going to cross to the man in charge of the finest of the elephants—a little, sturdy fellow, who only looked on while the attendants were busy over the showy trappings, the edgings of which glistened with a big bullion fringe, and who himself was showily dressed in the Royal yellow, which suggested that this must be the Rajah’s own mount. Pete took a step towards him, but shrank back as if it were not likely that this chief among the others would receive his advances any better, when a voice behind him made him turn his head sharply, to find that Joe Smithers, now for the present off duty, had likewise been attracted by the elephants, and had strolled up for a look.“Why didn’t you come for your breakfast, comrade?” he said.“Oh—wanted to see these ’ere;” and then, as an idea struck the lad on noticing the canvas haversack slung from Smithers’s shoulder, he said quickly, “What you got in your satchel, comrade?”“Only bread-cake.”“Give us a bit.”“Take the lot,” said Smithers. “I don’t want it. Only in the way. A drink of water will do for me.”Pegg gave him a peculiar look as he hurriedly transferred two great portions of the regimental bread to his own haversack.“Thank you, comrade. I say—got any ’bacco?”“Yes; but I want that.”“Never mind. Give it to me, Joe. I’ll pay you with twice as much to-morrow.”Without hesitation Mrs Private Smithers’s husband handed over a roll of about two ounces of tobacco.“Thank you,” said Pegg. “Now you shall see what you shall see.”Peter shouldered his rifle, marched straight up to the gaudily attired mahout, looked him up and down admiringly, pointed at his handsome turban, smiling the while as if with satisfaction, and then tapped the gilded handle of the ankus the man carried, drawing back and looking at him again.“Well, you do look splendid,” he said.The swarthy little fellow seemed puzzled for the moment, but Peter Pegg’s look of admiration was unmistakable, especially when he walked quickly round the mahout so as to see what he was like on the other side, before saying:“Have a bit of ’bacco, comrade?”Not a word was intelligible to the little, bandy-legged fellow, whose supports had become curved from much riding on an elephant’s neck; but there was no mistaking the private’s action as he took out the roll of tobacco, opened one end so as to expose the finely shredded aromatic herb, held it to his nose, and then passed it on to the mahout, whose big, dull, brown eyes began to glisten, and he hesitated as if in doubt, till the private pressed it into his hands and made a sign as if of filling a pipe and puffing out the smoke. The little fellow nodded his satisfaction, while Peter Pegg smiled in a friendly way and pointed to the huge elephant, which had ceased munching the turned-over bundle of green food at his feet, and now stood swinging his head to and fro and from side to side.“My word,” said Peter, “he is a beauty!” And then, looking about him first at one and then at another until he had bestowed a glance upon the other five great beasts, he turned once more to what proved to be the Rajah’s special mount, and then spoke again to the little mahout.“He is a beauty,” he said; and once more his looks conveyed to the driver the admiration he felt. “May I feed him?” he added, taking out a piece of the white bread he had obtained, and making a sign as if holding it out to the elephant.The mahout looked doubtful, but the elephant himself answered Peter Pegg’s question by slowly raising his trunk, reaching out and closing it round the new white bread, prior to curving it under and transferring it to his mouth.The mahout nodded and smiled at his new friend, and the elephant showed his satisfaction by extending his trunk for more.“You are a splendid old chap,” said Pegg, breaking another piece of bread inside his haversack and offering it to the monstrous beast, now slowly flapping his great ears.This was taken, and bit by bit Peter doled out another portion of the white cake, venturing at the same time to stroke the animal’s trunk.“I’ll risk it,” he said. “If he tries to knock me over I can easily jump away.”But the elephant made no sign of resentment, only transferring the piece of bread and extending his trunk for more.“Here you are,” said Peter; “only you can’t have any more goes. Wish I’d got a dozen quarterns, though. I want to mount you, old chap, and hang me if I know how to set about it. However, here goes; only I must look sharp.”The next minute as the elephant’s trunk was extended to him he gave it another scrap of the bread, and followed this up with a few friendly touches, which the monster seemed to accept in a friendly way, before transferring the bread; the mahout looking on smilingly the while.The trunk was raised slowly again, and the mahout uttered a few words, with the result that the private had to make a strong effort over self to keep from starting away from an expected blow; but in obedience to the driver’s words the great beast slowly passed his trunk over the young soldier’s shoulders and breast, and then, grunting, swung up the end as if asking for more of the bread.“Only two bits more,” said Peter; and he turned to the mahout and made signs to him that he should mount to the elephant’s neck.The young soldier hardly expected it, but his meaning was so well conveyed that the mahout uttered a command, when the elephant passed his trunk round the driver, swung him up, and dropped him easily into his seat, raising his ears the while, and then lowering them over the rider’s knees.“Bravo! Splendid!” cried Pegg, clapping his hands; and the next minute, after another word or two which the elephant evidently understood and obeyed, the little mahout dropped lightly down and stood smiling at his admiring audience.It was not Peter Pegg’s words, but the meaning must have been conveyed by his eyes to the mahout, for Peter said excitedly:“There, I’d give a suvron, if I’d got one, to be able to say to our chaps that I’d had a ride on a helephant like that;” and then, to his surprise, the mahout looked at him, smiling, uttered a few words to him, and held out his hand.“Eh? What?” cried Peter. “Let you hold my rifle? Well, I oughtn’t to; but there aren’t no officers near. There, I’ll trust you, and I wish I could tell you what I want.”To his surprise and delight, as the mahout took hold of the rifle and examined it curiously, uttering another order to his great charge, Peter Pegg felt the great coiling trunk wrap round his waist, swing him up in the air, and drop him astride of the huge beast’s neck. “Oh, but, I say, this ’ere won’t do,” cried Peter; “I am wrong ways on:” and scrambling up from sitting facing the howdah, he gradually reseated himself correctly, nestling his legs beneath the great half-raised ears. “My word! ain’t it nice and warm?” cried the young soldier excitedly. “Shouldn’t I like to ride round the camp now!—I say, Joe, ain’t this prime?”His comrade, who had been looking on admiringly, uttered a grunt, which was followed by an order from the mahout, resulting in the elephant reaching up his trunk, which coiled round the young soldier’s waist, twitched him out of his seat, and dropped him at the driver’s feet.“Here, just a minute,” panted the young soldier, thrusting his hand into his haversack and withdrawing the last bit of bread. “Here you are, old chap;” and he transferred the piece to the raised trunk, which he patted again and again before it was withdrawn.—“Thankye, comrade. You will find that prime ’bacco, and here’s wishing I may see you again.”“Now, Pete,” growled Smithers, for the first notes of the bugle-call rang out.“All right. Give us my rifle, comrade. I’m off.” Catching the rifle from the mahout’s hand, he followed Smithers at the double; but he contrived to give one glance back at the magnificent beast upon which he had been mounted, with a strange feeling of longing for his lost seat.
It was the morning appointed for the review, the preparations having been all made on the previous day; and thereveillerang out, making Archie Maine turn over upon his charpoy bed with an angry grunt, for instead of unbuttoning his eyelids he squeezed them up extra tight.
“Mr Archie, sir, don’t you hear the call?”
“Hear it? Yes. What does it mean?”
“Look sharp, sir. I’m putting your things straight. Tumble up and tumble in.”
“Be quiet, you noisy rascal! What does it all mean? I say, we are in the middle of the night!”
“Not it, sir. Do look sharp, sir.”
“But what for?”
“It’s because of the review, I suppose, sir. The lads are all tumbling up as if there was some alarm. I ain’t half dressed.”
“Alarm! Nonsense! Sha’n’t get up till the regular time.”
“Hi! Hullo, Maine!” and Captain Down’s voice was heard outside. “Are you nearly ready? Company’s all turned out.”
“Ready—no! What’s the matter?”
“Don’t quite know, but I think we are being attacked. The watch have come in with news that a strong party of the Malays are approaching by the forest path, out beyond the campong.”
“What stuff!” cried Archie, beginning to dress sleepily. “It’s the country-people coming in to see the show.—Here, you, Peter Pegg, why don’t you get a light? Who’s to see to dress?”
“Slip into your things, man,” cried the Captain irritably. “No nonsense. Recollect where we are.”
“Oh, all right,” grumbled Archie. “I know it’s only a false alarm.”
“False alarm or no, the Major was half dressed before I came on here.”
“Oh, all right,” grumbled Archie again; “I’ll manage.—Pete,” he whispered, “try to get me a cup of coffee.”
“Who’s that?” cried the Captain.
“Sergeant, sir—Ripsy,” came in that non-com’s deep, important voice.
“Well, what’s up?”
“Well, sir, they may be coming to see the review, but it don’t look like it. There’s a strong body of well-armed natives just the other side of the campong, and they may be friends or they may be enemies, but we have got to be ready for them, anyhow. You see, sir, it don’t look right, because if they had been friends they would have been coming down the river in their boats. These ’ere must have been marching all night; and they have got elephants with them.”
Whatever the body of Malays was, short as was the notice given, they found that the English cantonments were well guarded, and those who approached beyond the native village, where the main body had halted, were stopped before they could get any farther.
It was quite dark, and the whole appearance of the body of men suggested a night attack; but before long native messengers came into camp with a message from the chief officers of Rajah Suleiman to say that they had had a long night march so as to reach Campong Dang before sunrise, on account of the heat, and asking that they might be furnished with refreshments for His Highness, and be given permission for the elephants to be brought into camp by their mahouts, to be placed in the shade of the trees by the parade-ground while the grass-cutters went out for their food.
Messages then began to pass to and fro, and invitations were sent to the Rajah and his officers to join the officers’ mess at breakfast and rest, as it would be hours before the military evolutions would begin.
The excitement and bustle quickly calmed down; pickets were stationed, with orders that none of the Malays were to come into camp; and the mess-men were almost ready to announce breakfast, when the Doctor came bustling on to the scene, and one of the first people he stumbled against was Archie.
“Oh, here you are,” he cried, hastily fastening one or two buttons of his white flannels. “Just the fellow I wanted to see.”
“Morning, Doctor. How are you?” replied the lad.
“Bad. Up nearly all night with a couple of sick people, and I was at last just sinking into a pleasant doze when those wretched bugles began to ring out. All your doing.”
“My doing, sir?”
“Yes—upsetting our regular routine. It will be just as I expected when the Major arranged for tins absurdity. As if Her Majesty couldn’t have a birthday without everybody going mad with a desire to get sunstroke.”
“Have some breakfast, sir,” said Archie quietly. “You will feel better then.”
“Better, sir? Bah! Nothing the matter with me now. Eh, what? Is the coffee ready? Can’t be. These princes and potentates haven’t all come in yet, and I suppose we shall have to wait for them.”
“No, you won’t, sir. Captain Down and some more of us who will have to be on duty have got a snug corner to ourselves, and we are going to have a snatch meal before going out.”
“Oh,” said the Doctor in a more mollified tone. “Then there is somebody here blessed with brains! Who was it—Down?”
“No, sir; if I must confess,” cried Archie, “it was I.”
“Oh,” said the Doctor. “Then you must have been thinking of number one, sir.”
“No, Doctor. My fellow, Peter Pegg, got me a cup of coffee an hour ago.”
Matters soon settled quietly down, and the swarthy-looking Rajah Suleiman, in gorgeous array and attended by quite a staff of his notables—Maharajah Lela, Tumongong, Muntri, Lakasamana, and the rest of them—was haughtily partaking of an excellent breakfast, with a string of followers behind the chairs of him and his suite—pipe-bearers, betel-box carriers, and other attendants; while a picked guard of his finest men in a uniform of yellow satin, all armed with the lim-bing or throwing-spear and kris, were drawn up in the veranda, carefully watching over their lord in the mess-room, and as carefully watched over themselves by a guard of quiet-looking linesmen with fixed bayonets.
It fell to Archie’s lot to be near the clump of trees beneath which the half-dozen splendid elephants that brought in the Rajah were being fed and groomed.
They had come in covered with mud from their journey along the narrow forest path formed of a line of deep mud-holes made by the elephants themselves, every one of the huge animals invariably planting his feet in the track of the one which had preceded him. Their trappings during the journey had been carefully rolled-up, and now hung with the howdahs from horizontal branches of the sheltering trees.
As soon as it was light the great beasts had been marched down by their attendants to the landing-place for a swim, and brought out again back to the shelter to be carefully groomed, and now stood partaking contentedly of their morning meal, prior to being decked with their gay howdah-cloths and other trappings.
One of the first men that Archie encountered was Peter Pegg, who was standing watching the mahouts, who in turn were overlooking the attendants whose duty it was to groom the Rajah’s stud.
“How is it you are not on duty?” he said.
“Am, sir,” said the lad. “The Sergeant put me here to keep a heye on these helephant chaps and see as they don’t get quarrelling with t’other Rajah’s men.”
“Why, they have not come yet, have they—Rajah Hamet, I mean, and his people?”
“Oh yes, sir; and they are out yonder—helephants and all. Joe Smithers is doing the same job with them.”
“Did you see the Rajah?”
“No, sir,” replied the lad; “only ’eerd he was there. I am to be relieved to go to breakfast in a hour’s time.”
Archie nodded and went on. The hour passed, and Peter, who had no further orders, forgot all about breakfast in the deep interest he took in the proceedings of those who had the elephants in charge; while as he waited for the bugle-call which would summon him to the ranks, he stood watching the finishing touches being given to the elephants, now browsing on the plenteous supply of fresh green leafage thrown before them by the grass-cutters, and began to make friends with the mahouts.
He tried one after the other, but on each occasion only to meet with a surly scowl.
He was going to cross to the man in charge of the finest of the elephants—a little, sturdy fellow, who only looked on while the attendants were busy over the showy trappings, the edgings of which glistened with a big bullion fringe, and who himself was showily dressed in the Royal yellow, which suggested that this must be the Rajah’s own mount. Pete took a step towards him, but shrank back as if it were not likely that this chief among the others would receive his advances any better, when a voice behind him made him turn his head sharply, to find that Joe Smithers, now for the present off duty, had likewise been attracted by the elephants, and had strolled up for a look.
“Why didn’t you come for your breakfast, comrade?” he said.
“Oh—wanted to see these ’ere;” and then, as an idea struck the lad on noticing the canvas haversack slung from Smithers’s shoulder, he said quickly, “What you got in your satchel, comrade?”
“Only bread-cake.”
“Give us a bit.”
“Take the lot,” said Smithers. “I don’t want it. Only in the way. A drink of water will do for me.”
Pegg gave him a peculiar look as he hurriedly transferred two great portions of the regimental bread to his own haversack.
“Thank you, comrade. I say—got any ’bacco?”
“Yes; but I want that.”
“Never mind. Give it to me, Joe. I’ll pay you with twice as much to-morrow.”
Without hesitation Mrs Private Smithers’s husband handed over a roll of about two ounces of tobacco.
“Thank you,” said Pegg. “Now you shall see what you shall see.”
Peter shouldered his rifle, marched straight up to the gaudily attired mahout, looked him up and down admiringly, pointed at his handsome turban, smiling the while as if with satisfaction, and then tapped the gilded handle of the ankus the man carried, drawing back and looking at him again.
“Well, you do look splendid,” he said.
The swarthy little fellow seemed puzzled for the moment, but Peter Pegg’s look of admiration was unmistakable, especially when he walked quickly round the mahout so as to see what he was like on the other side, before saying:
“Have a bit of ’bacco, comrade?”
Not a word was intelligible to the little, bandy-legged fellow, whose supports had become curved from much riding on an elephant’s neck; but there was no mistaking the private’s action as he took out the roll of tobacco, opened one end so as to expose the finely shredded aromatic herb, held it to his nose, and then passed it on to the mahout, whose big, dull, brown eyes began to glisten, and he hesitated as if in doubt, till the private pressed it into his hands and made a sign as if of filling a pipe and puffing out the smoke. The little fellow nodded his satisfaction, while Peter Pegg smiled in a friendly way and pointed to the huge elephant, which had ceased munching the turned-over bundle of green food at his feet, and now stood swinging his head to and fro and from side to side.
“My word,” said Peter, “he is a beauty!” And then, looking about him first at one and then at another until he had bestowed a glance upon the other five great beasts, he turned once more to what proved to be the Rajah’s special mount, and then spoke again to the little mahout.
“He is a beauty,” he said; and once more his looks conveyed to the driver the admiration he felt. “May I feed him?” he added, taking out a piece of the white bread he had obtained, and making a sign as if holding it out to the elephant.
The mahout looked doubtful, but the elephant himself answered Peter Pegg’s question by slowly raising his trunk, reaching out and closing it round the new white bread, prior to curving it under and transferring it to his mouth.
The mahout nodded and smiled at his new friend, and the elephant showed his satisfaction by extending his trunk for more.
“You are a splendid old chap,” said Pegg, breaking another piece of bread inside his haversack and offering it to the monstrous beast, now slowly flapping his great ears.
This was taken, and bit by bit Peter doled out another portion of the white cake, venturing at the same time to stroke the animal’s trunk.
“I’ll risk it,” he said. “If he tries to knock me over I can easily jump away.”
But the elephant made no sign of resentment, only transferring the piece of bread and extending his trunk for more.
“Here you are,” said Peter; “only you can’t have any more goes. Wish I’d got a dozen quarterns, though. I want to mount you, old chap, and hang me if I know how to set about it. However, here goes; only I must look sharp.”
The next minute as the elephant’s trunk was extended to him he gave it another scrap of the bread, and followed this up with a few friendly touches, which the monster seemed to accept in a friendly way, before transferring the bread; the mahout looking on smilingly the while.
The trunk was raised slowly again, and the mahout uttered a few words, with the result that the private had to make a strong effort over self to keep from starting away from an expected blow; but in obedience to the driver’s words the great beast slowly passed his trunk over the young soldier’s shoulders and breast, and then, grunting, swung up the end as if asking for more of the bread.
“Only two bits more,” said Peter; and he turned to the mahout and made signs to him that he should mount to the elephant’s neck.
The young soldier hardly expected it, but his meaning was so well conveyed that the mahout uttered a command, when the elephant passed his trunk round the driver, swung him up, and dropped him easily into his seat, raising his ears the while, and then lowering them over the rider’s knees.
“Bravo! Splendid!” cried Pegg, clapping his hands; and the next minute, after another word or two which the elephant evidently understood and obeyed, the little mahout dropped lightly down and stood smiling at his admiring audience.
It was not Peter Pegg’s words, but the meaning must have been conveyed by his eyes to the mahout, for Peter said excitedly:
“There, I’d give a suvron, if I’d got one, to be able to say to our chaps that I’d had a ride on a helephant like that;” and then, to his surprise, the mahout looked at him, smiling, uttered a few words to him, and held out his hand.
“Eh? What?” cried Peter. “Let you hold my rifle? Well, I oughtn’t to; but there aren’t no officers near. There, I’ll trust you, and I wish I could tell you what I want.”
To his surprise and delight, as the mahout took hold of the rifle and examined it curiously, uttering another order to his great charge, Peter Pegg felt the great coiling trunk wrap round his waist, swing him up in the air, and drop him astride of the huge beast’s neck. “Oh, but, I say, this ’ere won’t do,” cried Peter; “I am wrong ways on:” and scrambling up from sitting facing the howdah, he gradually reseated himself correctly, nestling his legs beneath the great half-raised ears. “My word! ain’t it nice and warm?” cried the young soldier excitedly. “Shouldn’t I like to ride round the camp now!—I say, Joe, ain’t this prime?”
His comrade, who had been looking on admiringly, uttered a grunt, which was followed by an order from the mahout, resulting in the elephant reaching up his trunk, which coiled round the young soldier’s waist, twitched him out of his seat, and dropped him at the driver’s feet.
“Here, just a minute,” panted the young soldier, thrusting his hand into his haversack and withdrawing the last bit of bread. “Here you are, old chap;” and he transferred the piece to the raised trunk, which he patted again and again before it was withdrawn.—“Thankye, comrade. You will find that prime ’bacco, and here’s wishing I may see you again.”
“Now, Pete,” growled Smithers, for the first notes of the bugle-call rang out.
“All right. Give us my rifle, comrade. I’m off.” Catching the rifle from the mahout’s hand, he followed Smithers at the double; but he contrived to give one glance back at the magnificent beast upon which he had been mounted, with a strange feeling of longing for his lost seat.
Chapter Eleven.Full Review Order.“Ah, there you are, Knowle!” cried the Resident, bustling up to the Major, who was marching slowly towards the parade-ground in full uniform, carrying his sword under the left arm.“Yes, here I am. Look all right?”“Oh yes, yes,” said the Resident impatiently.“Don’t show any spots, do I?”“Spots?”“Yes; this confounded, hot, damp climate—specks of mildew on my best uniform. I say: you look capital, Dallas,” continued the Major, running his eye over the Resident’s official dress. “That’s the best of you young fellows; you only want a wash and a brush up, and you are all right. Get to my age, sir, and—”“Oh, don’t talk like that, Major. I was not thinking about uniforms.”“Eh, weren’t you? I was. I don’t mean about myself, but look at my lads. Aren’t they splendid, in spite of all the knocking about and wear? But what’s the matter? Not well?”“No, sir; I am not well.”“Poor old chap! There’s plenty of time; toddle up to the bungalow. Old Morley will give you a pick-me-up, and set you right in no time.”“I have been there, sir.”“Oh, that’s right,” said the Major, with a chuckle.“For I am very anxious about the ladies there, and the other women we have in our charge, and I feel more than ever that we have been guilty of a great error of judgment.”“Eh? What about?”“What about, sir? Look around you.”“Eh? Well, we have plenty of company, but I don’t see any error of judgment.”“Why, my dear Knowle! Company! Look at the crowd.”“Well, we shall keep them back so as to allow plenty of room for the evolutions.”“Yes; but, let alone the country-people, every man with his kris, there are the military followers of those two Rajahs in full array.”“Military! Phit! My dear Dallas!”“Ah, you laugh, sir. Why, roughly speaking, each of those two chiefs has got a following of about five hundred men—say a thousand.”“Yes, I dare say,” said the Major; “but they are not all together.”“No, they are divided so that we have a strong force on either side. You despise them; but have you thought of the consequences that might follow our being enclosed by two such bodies of men?”“Oh yes,” said the Major coolly. “Might. But, my dear boy, have you thought of the consequences that might follow if I told my lads to close up and face outwards, and began to deal with our visitors? Look at them,” he continued, as he pointed towards the perfectly drilled detachment drawn up in the centre of the parade-ground waiting for the order to commence the evolutions connected with the military display.“Oh yes, they are everything that could be expected from a handful of British infantry.”“Handful, sir! Why, I’ve got three hundred men on the ground. Every fellow’s under arms, and we are going to show these niggers what we could do if ever we were called upon. Error of judgment, sir! The whole thing’s a grand idea; and after it’s over, these Malays will go away with a ten times higher idea of England’s strength than they had before.”“I don’t know,” said the Resident. “Look at those fierce-looking fellows there gathered round the elephants and their gaudily dressed chiefs. Look at that haughty fellow Suleiman, with his chiefs and spearmen clustering round him looking as if they were awaiting their prince’s order to charge down upon us and sweep us all out of the district.”“Oh yes, I see,” said the Major, chuckling.“And here on the other side, right away to the river, there is this doubtful fellow Hamet with his lot of elephants and men, a stronger party than Suleiman’s.”“I see. I hope there won’t be any row.”“Oh, don’t suggest such a thing!”“Why not? They are in touch with the others.”“Yes; and at a word could combine.”“Ah, I am not afraid of that,” said the Major. “I was thinking about their jealousy, and the possibility of a row between them.”“I don’t believe in the jealousy. I believe it is all assumed,” said the Resident, “and that they are ready on the slightest excuse to join forces against us.”“I don’t,” said the Major gruffly. “I am afraid they may draw knives against each other; but if they do I will give them such a lesson as will prove a startler. But, I say, have you noticed that chap Hamet?”“Oh yes, I saw him. He did not march with his men, mounted on one of his elephants, but came up in his dragon-boat.”“Yes. Quite a fine show, with the amber-satin rowers, and the gongs beating. But you can’t grumble about his appearance and theatrical robes. It’s quite a compliment to Old England to see a native prince come simply in ordinary morning-dress. Hanged if he hadn’t got lavender kid gloves!”“Oh, don’t talk about trifles, Major; but for Heaven’s sake be on your guard!”“Oh yes—guard mounted,” said the Major. “Why, Dallas, my dear boy, I don’t believe you told Morley to give you a pick-me-up. You have been fussing about down there at the bungalow, and fidgeting about what might happen to a certain young lady if the Malays turned nasty and rose against us.”“Major! No.”“Don’t be cross, dear boy. I was in love too once upon a time, and fidgeted as much as you do about what might happen if—if— There, I only sayif. Now, it’s all right, my dear fellow, and it’s time for the show to begin. The crowd must be getting tired of waiting; and I only see one error of judgment of which we have been guilty.”“Ah! And what’s that?”“Ought to have begun an hour sooner, for, my word, the sun is hot! Oh, by the way, I have not seen you since, but we were talking over what to do with our visitors and the crowd generally after the review. There will be the feeding, of course; but we wanted something to fill up time till dark and the fireworks begin.”“I have heard nothing about further plans.”“Well, the lads will keep an open course, and there will be some races and wrestling, and Sergeant Ripsy is going to show some encounters with the bayonet and a little sword-play.”“Well, as you like. I can think of nothing else but getting the affair over and the people dismissed.”“There, don’t you be uneasy. There’s a guard mounted to watch over our women folk, so come on.”The Major went on towards the centre of the parade-ground, while the Resident hurried away, looking hot and anxious, to where seats had been arranged beneath an open tent erected on one side of the parade-ground, partly sheltered by a cluster of palms.At last, with colours flying and the loud martial strains of the band, doubled by a strange echo thrown back by the dense jungle, the solid little force of infantry, in brilliant scarlet and with the sun flashing from their bayonets, was put in motion; while a strange murmur of satisfaction arose from the crowd of gaily attired campong dwellers, which was caught up by the followers of the two Rajahs with prolonged cries that bore some slight resemblance to the tiger-likeragh, raghof an American crowd.And then, as the band marched by, Rajah Suleiman’s group collected in front of the great clump of trees left standing when a portion of the jungle had been cleared, and the huge elephants, now gorgeous with trappings, and each bearing its showy howdah, in which were seated the Rajah himself and his principal chiefs, responded to a final blast of the highly polished brass instruments and the thunderous roll of the drums by a simultaneous uneasy trumpeting of their own, with which were mingled the cries of the mahouts, who had to ply their sharp-pointed goads to keep their charges in subjection.Fortunately for the occupants of the howdahs, this was a final chord from the band, for the huge beasts were thoroughly startled, and the lookers-on noted that similar uneasiness was being displayed by the nine great elephants that appertained to Rajah Hamet’s force, these in particular showing a disposition to turn tail and make for one of the jungle paths.The silence that followed the band’s final chord seemed, as Oliver Wendell Holmes says in one of his little poems, to have come like a poultice to heal the wounds of sound, and the great beasts settled down.Then there was a bugle-call, and the evolutions began in regular review style, with plenty of fancy additions, such as had been planned to impress the great gathering of the Malay people. The troops marched and counter-marched, advanced in echelon, retired from the left, retired from the right, formed column and line, advanced in column of companies, turned half right and half left, formed three-quarter column; there was extended order and distended order, for Major Knowle’s force was very small, but he made the most of it. Sergeant Ripsy, with a face quite as scarlet as his uniform, buzzed about like a vicious hornet, and, perspiring at every pore, yelled at the guides and markers, letting fly snapping shots of words that were certainly not included in the code of military instructions. But the men, as soon as they warmed up—which was in a very short time—went into the spirit of the thing; and when at last the officers had got through the regular evolutions, that seemed to consist in weaving and twisting the men under their command into a series of intricate knots, for the sole purpose of untying them again, and Archie Maine had been saved from disgracefully clubbing his men by issuing an order which the said men wilfully disobeyed so as to cover the lad’s mistake, there was a general forming up again for a rest and cool down, while the band struck up, and, helped by the echo, filled the parade with sweet sounds, to the great delight of the gathered crowd.There was a burst of cheering here, of a rather barbaric nature, for from Rajah Suleiman’s gathering there came one solitary boom from a particularly musical gong. This rang out like a signal, and was followed by a score more from as many of the sonorous instruments, supplemented by an excited yelling from the spear-armed men.This ended as quickly as it had begun, and, treated as a challenge, was repeated from the centre of Rajah Hamet’s party, who followed with a yell that might have been taken as a defiant answer to hereditary enemies.Matters seemed to be growing exciting, and Major Knowle, who was quiet and watchful as well as hot, despatched messages to the commanders of companies to be on their guard.But now, as the last gong ceased to send its quivering jar through the heated air, to be reflected back from the jungle, a burst of Malay cheering arose from the excited crowd of spectators; the elephants joined in, trumpeting loudly; and then, as the strange roar died away into silence, the band-master took advantage of the opportunity, raised his instrument, made a sign, the big drum boomed its best in answer to six of the drummer’s heaviest blows, and to the stirring strains of the favourite old march, “The British Grenadiers,” the band moved off to take up a fresh position.As soon as this was occupied the second part of the evolutions commenced. The little force was divided, and took up positions for attack and defence; men were thrown out, skirmishing began, and the Malay crowd cheered as the men in scarlet ran and took cover; and the field was soon after covered with advancing and retiring men, who ran, lay down, fired from one knee, fired from their chests, ran and took cover again; and the musketry began to roll in sputtering repetitions, till the retiring force seemed to take courage, gathered together, repelled their adversaries with half-a-dozen vigorous volleys, and advanced in turn, gradually driving their supposed enemies back, till, when the smoke was rising in a faint, misty cloud to float softly away over the river, the final stages of the sham-fight were nearly at an end, and for a concluding curtain to the mimic warfare the two little forces advanced as if to meet in contention in the middle of the field. But at a certain stage a bugle rang out, and with wonderful precision the men fell into column and marched away to the far end of the drill-ground, where they halted, turned, and then, in obedience to the Major’s command, began to advance in line towards where, on their left, were the two bodies of armed men comprising the followers of the two Rajahs, above whom towered the two knots of elephants, while on their right were the gathered crowds from the nearest campongs, excitedly watching for what was to come next.What was to come next and was now in progress was Britain’s thin red line, and that line was on that occasion very thin, very, very red, and extremely long, purposely extended so as to make the most of the tiny force.The crowds cheered in their fashion as the train moved on, and, excited by the yelling, the elephants began to trumpet as the troops were now nearly half across the parade-ground. Then the bugle rang out “Halt!” and the orders followed quickly: “Fire!” and with wonderful precision there was the long line of puffs of smoke as the volley roared and half obscured the advancing force in the thin veil of smoke.There was a fresh burst of cheers from the crowds, who now saw that the little line of scarlet-coated men was marching out of the filmy, grey cloud and lessening the distance between them.The next bugle-call was rather unsettling, and the next still more so, for it meant “Double;” while the last of all was more disturbing than anything that had taken place that day, for it was followed by a peculiar flickering of light as the brilliant sunplayed upon the glistening bayonets brought down sparkling in front of the line of men. The bugles now rang out “Charge!” followed by the good old British cheer given by wildly excited men with all the power left in them, and they bore the bristling bayonets on, racing down upon the spectators in front, as if the mimic advance were real.The trumpeting that greeted the charge was not defiant, for the elephants turned simultaneously as upon a pivot and set the example of making for the nearest points of the jungle; and to the charging men it seemed as if they formed part of some immensely extended human hay-making machine, whose glittering spikes were about to sweep off a living crowd which, excited and yelling wildly, had turned and fled for safety.The gaily coloured men of the two Rajahs, perhaps feeling in doubt as to their duty to fetch back the elephants—perhaps not: they may have been influenced otherwise—had dashed off after the huge quadrupeds at once, but the crowd of ordinary spectators were in nowise behind. Shrieking, yelling, and angry with each other as they dashed away, they made for shelter at full speed, and when the charge was at an end and the bugles rang out, the evolution had been so well driven home that a complete transformation had been effected.Where the great gathering had spread from side to side of the parade, there was the long, halting line of panting and powder-blackened men, who, in spite of their breathlessness, had followed up their British cheer with a tremendous petillating roar of laughter, which ran along the line from end to end and back again—a roar of laughter so loud that hardly a man knew that the band was now playing in full force “God save the Queen,” with an additional obbligato from the drums—that one known as the “big” threatening collapse from the vigorous action of the stick-wielder’s sturdy arms.It was only a few of the men who were cognisant of the fact that the Major was lying down exhausted, and wiping his eyes.“Who’s that?” he panted. “Who’s that—you, Maine?”“Yes, sir.”“Oh dear! Oh dear! I can’t stop it! It’s quite hysterical. Give me a water-bottle;” and then, after an application to the unstoppered mouth, “Oh dear! How they did run! I hope poor Dallas has seen it all. I wish he had been here. Hah! I’m better now. Why, Maine, we’ve swept them clean away. Are they collecting farther on?”“No, sir; I can’t see a single soul.”“Who’s that?” said the Major again.“Me, sir.”“I didn’t know you, my man. What is it, Sergeant?”“Well, sir, I was only going to say, as I was so near, what about them there squibs and crackers as was to be let off to-night?”“Oh, the rockets and fireworks,” said the Major. “They haven’t gone off in the heat, have they? No accident?”“No, sir; but there won’t be nobody left to see them pop.”
“Ah, there you are, Knowle!” cried the Resident, bustling up to the Major, who was marching slowly towards the parade-ground in full uniform, carrying his sword under the left arm.
“Yes, here I am. Look all right?”
“Oh yes, yes,” said the Resident impatiently.
“Don’t show any spots, do I?”
“Spots?”
“Yes; this confounded, hot, damp climate—specks of mildew on my best uniform. I say: you look capital, Dallas,” continued the Major, running his eye over the Resident’s official dress. “That’s the best of you young fellows; you only want a wash and a brush up, and you are all right. Get to my age, sir, and—”
“Oh, don’t talk like that, Major. I was not thinking about uniforms.”
“Eh, weren’t you? I was. I don’t mean about myself, but look at my lads. Aren’t they splendid, in spite of all the knocking about and wear? But what’s the matter? Not well?”
“No, sir; I am not well.”
“Poor old chap! There’s plenty of time; toddle up to the bungalow. Old Morley will give you a pick-me-up, and set you right in no time.”
“I have been there, sir.”
“Oh, that’s right,” said the Major, with a chuckle.
“For I am very anxious about the ladies there, and the other women we have in our charge, and I feel more than ever that we have been guilty of a great error of judgment.”
“Eh? What about?”
“What about, sir? Look around you.”
“Eh? Well, we have plenty of company, but I don’t see any error of judgment.”
“Why, my dear Knowle! Company! Look at the crowd.”
“Well, we shall keep them back so as to allow plenty of room for the evolutions.”
“Yes; but, let alone the country-people, every man with his kris, there are the military followers of those two Rajahs in full array.”
“Military! Phit! My dear Dallas!”
“Ah, you laugh, sir. Why, roughly speaking, each of those two chiefs has got a following of about five hundred men—say a thousand.”
“Yes, I dare say,” said the Major; “but they are not all together.”
“No, they are divided so that we have a strong force on either side. You despise them; but have you thought of the consequences that might follow our being enclosed by two such bodies of men?”
“Oh yes,” said the Major coolly. “Might. But, my dear boy, have you thought of the consequences that might follow if I told my lads to close up and face outwards, and began to deal with our visitors? Look at them,” he continued, as he pointed towards the perfectly drilled detachment drawn up in the centre of the parade-ground waiting for the order to commence the evolutions connected with the military display.
“Oh yes, they are everything that could be expected from a handful of British infantry.”
“Handful, sir! Why, I’ve got three hundred men on the ground. Every fellow’s under arms, and we are going to show these niggers what we could do if ever we were called upon. Error of judgment, sir! The whole thing’s a grand idea; and after it’s over, these Malays will go away with a ten times higher idea of England’s strength than they had before.”
“I don’t know,” said the Resident. “Look at those fierce-looking fellows there gathered round the elephants and their gaudily dressed chiefs. Look at that haughty fellow Suleiman, with his chiefs and spearmen clustering round him looking as if they were awaiting their prince’s order to charge down upon us and sweep us all out of the district.”
“Oh yes, I see,” said the Major, chuckling.
“And here on the other side, right away to the river, there is this doubtful fellow Hamet with his lot of elephants and men, a stronger party than Suleiman’s.”
“I see. I hope there won’t be any row.”
“Oh, don’t suggest such a thing!”
“Why not? They are in touch with the others.”
“Yes; and at a word could combine.”
“Ah, I am not afraid of that,” said the Major. “I was thinking about their jealousy, and the possibility of a row between them.”
“I don’t believe in the jealousy. I believe it is all assumed,” said the Resident, “and that they are ready on the slightest excuse to join forces against us.”
“I don’t,” said the Major gruffly. “I am afraid they may draw knives against each other; but if they do I will give them such a lesson as will prove a startler. But, I say, have you noticed that chap Hamet?”
“Oh yes, I saw him. He did not march with his men, mounted on one of his elephants, but came up in his dragon-boat.”
“Yes. Quite a fine show, with the amber-satin rowers, and the gongs beating. But you can’t grumble about his appearance and theatrical robes. It’s quite a compliment to Old England to see a native prince come simply in ordinary morning-dress. Hanged if he hadn’t got lavender kid gloves!”
“Oh, don’t talk about trifles, Major; but for Heaven’s sake be on your guard!”
“Oh yes—guard mounted,” said the Major. “Why, Dallas, my dear boy, I don’t believe you told Morley to give you a pick-me-up. You have been fussing about down there at the bungalow, and fidgeting about what might happen to a certain young lady if the Malays turned nasty and rose against us.”
“Major! No.”
“Don’t be cross, dear boy. I was in love too once upon a time, and fidgeted as much as you do about what might happen if—if— There, I only sayif. Now, it’s all right, my dear fellow, and it’s time for the show to begin. The crowd must be getting tired of waiting; and I only see one error of judgment of which we have been guilty.”
“Ah! And what’s that?”
“Ought to have begun an hour sooner, for, my word, the sun is hot! Oh, by the way, I have not seen you since, but we were talking over what to do with our visitors and the crowd generally after the review. There will be the feeding, of course; but we wanted something to fill up time till dark and the fireworks begin.”
“I have heard nothing about further plans.”
“Well, the lads will keep an open course, and there will be some races and wrestling, and Sergeant Ripsy is going to show some encounters with the bayonet and a little sword-play.”
“Well, as you like. I can think of nothing else but getting the affair over and the people dismissed.”
“There, don’t you be uneasy. There’s a guard mounted to watch over our women folk, so come on.”
The Major went on towards the centre of the parade-ground, while the Resident hurried away, looking hot and anxious, to where seats had been arranged beneath an open tent erected on one side of the parade-ground, partly sheltered by a cluster of palms.
At last, with colours flying and the loud martial strains of the band, doubled by a strange echo thrown back by the dense jungle, the solid little force of infantry, in brilliant scarlet and with the sun flashing from their bayonets, was put in motion; while a strange murmur of satisfaction arose from the crowd of gaily attired campong dwellers, which was caught up by the followers of the two Rajahs with prolonged cries that bore some slight resemblance to the tiger-likeragh, raghof an American crowd.
And then, as the band marched by, Rajah Suleiman’s group collected in front of the great clump of trees left standing when a portion of the jungle had been cleared, and the huge elephants, now gorgeous with trappings, and each bearing its showy howdah, in which were seated the Rajah himself and his principal chiefs, responded to a final blast of the highly polished brass instruments and the thunderous roll of the drums by a simultaneous uneasy trumpeting of their own, with which were mingled the cries of the mahouts, who had to ply their sharp-pointed goads to keep their charges in subjection.
Fortunately for the occupants of the howdahs, this was a final chord from the band, for the huge beasts were thoroughly startled, and the lookers-on noted that similar uneasiness was being displayed by the nine great elephants that appertained to Rajah Hamet’s force, these in particular showing a disposition to turn tail and make for one of the jungle paths.
The silence that followed the band’s final chord seemed, as Oliver Wendell Holmes says in one of his little poems, to have come like a poultice to heal the wounds of sound, and the great beasts settled down.
Then there was a bugle-call, and the evolutions began in regular review style, with plenty of fancy additions, such as had been planned to impress the great gathering of the Malay people. The troops marched and counter-marched, advanced in echelon, retired from the left, retired from the right, formed column and line, advanced in column of companies, turned half right and half left, formed three-quarter column; there was extended order and distended order, for Major Knowle’s force was very small, but he made the most of it. Sergeant Ripsy, with a face quite as scarlet as his uniform, buzzed about like a vicious hornet, and, perspiring at every pore, yelled at the guides and markers, letting fly snapping shots of words that were certainly not included in the code of military instructions. But the men, as soon as they warmed up—which was in a very short time—went into the spirit of the thing; and when at last the officers had got through the regular evolutions, that seemed to consist in weaving and twisting the men under their command into a series of intricate knots, for the sole purpose of untying them again, and Archie Maine had been saved from disgracefully clubbing his men by issuing an order which the said men wilfully disobeyed so as to cover the lad’s mistake, there was a general forming up again for a rest and cool down, while the band struck up, and, helped by the echo, filled the parade with sweet sounds, to the great delight of the gathered crowd.
There was a burst of cheering here, of a rather barbaric nature, for from Rajah Suleiman’s gathering there came one solitary boom from a particularly musical gong. This rang out like a signal, and was followed by a score more from as many of the sonorous instruments, supplemented by an excited yelling from the spear-armed men.
This ended as quickly as it had begun, and, treated as a challenge, was repeated from the centre of Rajah Hamet’s party, who followed with a yell that might have been taken as a defiant answer to hereditary enemies.
Matters seemed to be growing exciting, and Major Knowle, who was quiet and watchful as well as hot, despatched messages to the commanders of companies to be on their guard.
But now, as the last gong ceased to send its quivering jar through the heated air, to be reflected back from the jungle, a burst of Malay cheering arose from the excited crowd of spectators; the elephants joined in, trumpeting loudly; and then, as the strange roar died away into silence, the band-master took advantage of the opportunity, raised his instrument, made a sign, the big drum boomed its best in answer to six of the drummer’s heaviest blows, and to the stirring strains of the favourite old march, “The British Grenadiers,” the band moved off to take up a fresh position.
As soon as this was occupied the second part of the evolutions commenced. The little force was divided, and took up positions for attack and defence; men were thrown out, skirmishing began, and the Malay crowd cheered as the men in scarlet ran and took cover; and the field was soon after covered with advancing and retiring men, who ran, lay down, fired from one knee, fired from their chests, ran and took cover again; and the musketry began to roll in sputtering repetitions, till the retiring force seemed to take courage, gathered together, repelled their adversaries with half-a-dozen vigorous volleys, and advanced in turn, gradually driving their supposed enemies back, till, when the smoke was rising in a faint, misty cloud to float softly away over the river, the final stages of the sham-fight were nearly at an end, and for a concluding curtain to the mimic warfare the two little forces advanced as if to meet in contention in the middle of the field. But at a certain stage a bugle rang out, and with wonderful precision the men fell into column and marched away to the far end of the drill-ground, where they halted, turned, and then, in obedience to the Major’s command, began to advance in line towards where, on their left, were the two bodies of armed men comprising the followers of the two Rajahs, above whom towered the two knots of elephants, while on their right were the gathered crowds from the nearest campongs, excitedly watching for what was to come next.
What was to come next and was now in progress was Britain’s thin red line, and that line was on that occasion very thin, very, very red, and extremely long, purposely extended so as to make the most of the tiny force.
The crowds cheered in their fashion as the train moved on, and, excited by the yelling, the elephants began to trumpet as the troops were now nearly half across the parade-ground. Then the bugle rang out “Halt!” and the orders followed quickly: “Fire!” and with wonderful precision there was the long line of puffs of smoke as the volley roared and half obscured the advancing force in the thin veil of smoke.
There was a fresh burst of cheers from the crowds, who now saw that the little line of scarlet-coated men was marching out of the filmy, grey cloud and lessening the distance between them.
The next bugle-call was rather unsettling, and the next still more so, for it meant “Double;” while the last of all was more disturbing than anything that had taken place that day, for it was followed by a peculiar flickering of light as the brilliant sunplayed upon the glistening bayonets brought down sparkling in front of the line of men. The bugles now rang out “Charge!” followed by the good old British cheer given by wildly excited men with all the power left in them, and they bore the bristling bayonets on, racing down upon the spectators in front, as if the mimic advance were real.
The trumpeting that greeted the charge was not defiant, for the elephants turned simultaneously as upon a pivot and set the example of making for the nearest points of the jungle; and to the charging men it seemed as if they formed part of some immensely extended human hay-making machine, whose glittering spikes were about to sweep off a living crowd which, excited and yelling wildly, had turned and fled for safety.
The gaily coloured men of the two Rajahs, perhaps feeling in doubt as to their duty to fetch back the elephants—perhaps not: they may have been influenced otherwise—had dashed off after the huge quadrupeds at once, but the crowd of ordinary spectators were in nowise behind. Shrieking, yelling, and angry with each other as they dashed away, they made for shelter at full speed, and when the charge was at an end and the bugles rang out, the evolution had been so well driven home that a complete transformation had been effected.
Where the great gathering had spread from side to side of the parade, there was the long, halting line of panting and powder-blackened men, who, in spite of their breathlessness, had followed up their British cheer with a tremendous petillating roar of laughter, which ran along the line from end to end and back again—a roar of laughter so loud that hardly a man knew that the band was now playing in full force “God save the Queen,” with an additional obbligato from the drums—that one known as the “big” threatening collapse from the vigorous action of the stick-wielder’s sturdy arms.
It was only a few of the men who were cognisant of the fact that the Major was lying down exhausted, and wiping his eyes.
“Who’s that?” he panted. “Who’s that—you, Maine?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Oh dear! Oh dear! I can’t stop it! It’s quite hysterical. Give me a water-bottle;” and then, after an application to the unstoppered mouth, “Oh dear! How they did run! I hope poor Dallas has seen it all. I wish he had been here. Hah! I’m better now. Why, Maine, we’ve swept them clean away. Are they collecting farther on?”
“No, sir; I can’t see a single soul.”
“Who’s that?” said the Major again.
“Me, sir.”
“I didn’t know you, my man. What is it, Sergeant?”
“Well, sir, I was only going to say, as I was so near, what about them there squibs and crackers as was to be let off to-night?”
“Oh, the rockets and fireworks,” said the Major. “They haven’t gone off in the heat, have they? No accident?”
“No, sir; but there won’t be nobody left to see them pop.”
Chapter Twelve.See the conquering Heroes.The line closed up, and marched “easy” back towards the upper end of the parade-ground, with not a single stranger to represent the spectators, and, half ironically, they were received by the band with “See, the Conquering Hero Comes.” The review and sham-fight were over, and as the officers and weary men were dismissed, and the officers gathered where the ladies and others of the station were assembled, one of the first upon whom they set eyes was the young Rajah Hamet, who had just joined the Resident.“Well, Dallas,” said the Major, who was mopping his forehead, “what did you think of our charge?—Ah, Rajah Hamet,” he continued, as he caught sight of the young man, who approached to hold out his hand, “what didyouthink of our sham-fight? Did you see it all?”“Magnificent, sir; every bit.”“Where were you?”“Down yonder, sir, in front of my elephants and men.”“Then you didn’t run?”“No, sir; I have been to Aldershot and seen a review before.”“I am afraid we scared your men,” said Archie, to whom the young Rajah turned a few minutes later.“Well, wasn’t it quite enough to scare them?” replied the Prince. “It seems to me that a body of men, to whatever nation they belonged, would require a good deal of hardening before they would stand firm and receive a bayonet charge.”“Yes,” replied Archie. “As far as I know, there are not many who can. It was rather comic, though, to see your men run.”“Well,” replied the young Prince, “I don’t think my men ran any faster than Suleiman’s.”“Not a bit,” cried Archie hastily. “I say, I didn’t mean to insult you.”“Oh, I am not insulted,” said the young man quietly. “I should have run too if I had not known that your men would pull up at the last moment. Well, good-bye.”“You are not going?” cried Archie. “You will stop and be our guest to-night? You were invited, of course. There are all the sports to come, and the illuminations and fireworks.”“Oh no, I must go,” said the young Rajah. “I have got to rally my men, and see them safely back.”“Well, but some of your officers will do that, and bring them back.”“I doubt it,” said Hamet, smiling. “If I know my people, they will not stop till they get home.”“Oh, surely not! They will all come here again and see the rest of ourfile—and Rajah Suleiman’s too.”Hamet shook his head.“Some of your people from the campongs, who know you—they may come back, but none of the others.”“Well, you stop at any rate.”“No,” said the young Rajah. “If my people have forsaken me, I must not forsake them. Here, you promised, you know, to come and spend a few days with me, and have some tiger-shooting. When is it to be?”“When my major gives me leave. Stop! Stop now, and ask him. He or Sir Charles Dallas will put you up for the night.”“No, Maine; they don’t believe in me enough. Somehow they have no faith in me at all, and because I’m Suleiman’s enemy—or rather, he is mine, for I have no feeling for or against the fellow—they think that I am opposed to the English, with whom I want to be friends and to get their help to civilise my people. No, I must be off to my boat at once, and try to get in touch with my people as soon as possible. They will keep to the lower elephant-patch, as near to the river as they can. There, try and get leave, old chap. I want you to come. I say, you don’t mind my calling you ‘old chap’?”“Like it,” said Archie, holding out his hand. “I am disappointed, however, for I should have liked you to stay. But hadn’t you better try to bring some of your men back?”“No. They wouldn’t come now, for fear of being laughed at for being such cowards.”“Well, if you must go, you must; but, as I said, I should have liked you to stay. It would have looked so friendly to my people.”“I hope they will believe in me some day without that,” said the young Malay. “But tell me, if you had been in my place, and seen your people scared away by the English soldiers, would you have stayed?”“No; I’ll be hanged if I should,” said Archie with energy. “I should have felt too mad.”“Thank you,” said Hamet. “That sounds frank.”“It is frank,” said Archie. “But I say, now, tell me: has it made you feel mad against us?”“No–o; only sorry for my people. I want to train them up to know you better, and to be ready to fight with you.”“Fight with us?”“Yes; not against you—fight side by side with you, so that you may help me to civilise my folks more, and join us to put down the Malay chiefs like Suleiman.”“You don’t like Suleiman, then?”“Like him!” said the young man scornfully. “I like no man who cannot stretch out his hand to me and take mine in an honest grasp that I can trust.”“Of course,” cried Archie. “But then our Resident believes in Suleiman.”“Yes, and distrusts me,” said the young man rather bitterly. “Well, they think they are right; but we shall see. I say, though, I didn’t see that French gentleman with Suleiman’s people. I expected he would be mounted upon one of the elephants.”“No,” said Archie; “he has not been here for the last few days.”“Forbidden to come?” said the young man.“No–o,” said Archie; “he wouldn’t be. He is Rajah Suleiman’s friend.”“Yes,” said Hamet quietly. “That is why I thought he would be here. Do you like him?”“Not a bit,” said Archie. “Why?”“Oh, I suppose it was because I dislike him myself. That is all. Good-bye. As we Malays say,apa boleh booat.”“What is to be will be,” said Archie. “Good-bye.”The parade-ground remained deserted for quite an hour, and then some of the campong people had regained sufficient courage to begin dribbling back, to be followed by a few of the inhabitants of the neighbouring villages. But not one of the Malays who followed their Rajahs made their appearance. Consequently there was no attempt made to carry out the sports; but on being consulted, the Major gave orders that the illumination of the boats should be encouraged, and the display of rockets and coloured lights should follow; and as this news gradually spread, some of the nearest village people and fisher-folk joined in, to display their lanterns upon their boats, and a pretty fair gathering of the campong people were present as soon as it was dark, it taking very little in so effective a position to light up the river and jungle banks in a most attractive way.The Doctor and his wife and niece, in addition to several of the ladies of the station, dined at the mess that night, so that they might afterwards stroll down to the banks of the river and watch the rockets burst and sprinkle the jungle with their stars; and just as the enjoyment was at its height, and the simple Malay folk kept on bursting out with their ejaculations indicative of delight, the Major went up behind the Resident, who had been chatting with the Doctor and his ladies.“Well, Dallas,” he said, “you don’t feel nervous now, do you?”“Hush!” was the reply, as the gentleman addressed looked sharply round. “More so than ever. I hope you have got sentries out to command the river approaches to the station?”“Of course I have. But why?”“Because see what an opportunity is offered for those two chiefs to take revenge upon us for what they must consider an insult to their dignity.”“My dear sir, you are giving reins to your imagination. They are well on the way now to their homes.”“Perhaps so,” said the Resident in a low, nervous tone; “but suppose they have made a halt and are only waiting till their scouts have announced to them that we are quite unprepared?”“You are assuming, my dear Dallas, that those two princes are working hand and glove.”“Well, you are quite of my way of thinking over that.”“Humph! No,” said the Major. “I am beginning to think that our lavender-gloved young friend means well by us.”“Lavender-gloved young friend!” said the Resident. “Who knows but those soft kid gloves may not be worn to cover the tiger’s claws?”“Ah! who knows, my dear Dallas? But it is enough for us to know that if we can produce such an effect with blank cartridge and a sham charge, we have it in our power to protect the station and defend the honour of those we love, by using ball-cartridge and sending our bayonets home.”
The line closed up, and marched “easy” back towards the upper end of the parade-ground, with not a single stranger to represent the spectators, and, half ironically, they were received by the band with “See, the Conquering Hero Comes.” The review and sham-fight were over, and as the officers and weary men were dismissed, and the officers gathered where the ladies and others of the station were assembled, one of the first upon whom they set eyes was the young Rajah Hamet, who had just joined the Resident.
“Well, Dallas,” said the Major, who was mopping his forehead, “what did you think of our charge?—Ah, Rajah Hamet,” he continued, as he caught sight of the young man, who approached to hold out his hand, “what didyouthink of our sham-fight? Did you see it all?”
“Magnificent, sir; every bit.”
“Where were you?”
“Down yonder, sir, in front of my elephants and men.”
“Then you didn’t run?”
“No, sir; I have been to Aldershot and seen a review before.”
“I am afraid we scared your men,” said Archie, to whom the young Rajah turned a few minutes later.
“Well, wasn’t it quite enough to scare them?” replied the Prince. “It seems to me that a body of men, to whatever nation they belonged, would require a good deal of hardening before they would stand firm and receive a bayonet charge.”
“Yes,” replied Archie. “As far as I know, there are not many who can. It was rather comic, though, to see your men run.”
“Well,” replied the young Prince, “I don’t think my men ran any faster than Suleiman’s.”
“Not a bit,” cried Archie hastily. “I say, I didn’t mean to insult you.”
“Oh, I am not insulted,” said the young man quietly. “I should have run too if I had not known that your men would pull up at the last moment. Well, good-bye.”
“You are not going?” cried Archie. “You will stop and be our guest to-night? You were invited, of course. There are all the sports to come, and the illuminations and fireworks.”
“Oh no, I must go,” said the young Rajah. “I have got to rally my men, and see them safely back.”
“Well, but some of your officers will do that, and bring them back.”
“I doubt it,” said Hamet, smiling. “If I know my people, they will not stop till they get home.”
“Oh, surely not! They will all come here again and see the rest of ourfile—and Rajah Suleiman’s too.”
Hamet shook his head.
“Some of your people from the campongs, who know you—they may come back, but none of the others.”
“Well, you stop at any rate.”
“No,” said the young Rajah. “If my people have forsaken me, I must not forsake them. Here, you promised, you know, to come and spend a few days with me, and have some tiger-shooting. When is it to be?”
“When my major gives me leave. Stop! Stop now, and ask him. He or Sir Charles Dallas will put you up for the night.”
“No, Maine; they don’t believe in me enough. Somehow they have no faith in me at all, and because I’m Suleiman’s enemy—or rather, he is mine, for I have no feeling for or against the fellow—they think that I am opposed to the English, with whom I want to be friends and to get their help to civilise my people. No, I must be off to my boat at once, and try to get in touch with my people as soon as possible. They will keep to the lower elephant-patch, as near to the river as they can. There, try and get leave, old chap. I want you to come. I say, you don’t mind my calling you ‘old chap’?”
“Like it,” said Archie, holding out his hand. “I am disappointed, however, for I should have liked you to stay. But hadn’t you better try to bring some of your men back?”
“No. They wouldn’t come now, for fear of being laughed at for being such cowards.”
“Well, if you must go, you must; but, as I said, I should have liked you to stay. It would have looked so friendly to my people.”
“I hope they will believe in me some day without that,” said the young Malay. “But tell me, if you had been in my place, and seen your people scared away by the English soldiers, would you have stayed?”
“No; I’ll be hanged if I should,” said Archie with energy. “I should have felt too mad.”
“Thank you,” said Hamet. “That sounds frank.”
“It is frank,” said Archie. “But I say, now, tell me: has it made you feel mad against us?”
“No–o; only sorry for my people. I want to train them up to know you better, and to be ready to fight with you.”
“Fight with us?”
“Yes; not against you—fight side by side with you, so that you may help me to civilise my folks more, and join us to put down the Malay chiefs like Suleiman.”
“You don’t like Suleiman, then?”
“Like him!” said the young man scornfully. “I like no man who cannot stretch out his hand to me and take mine in an honest grasp that I can trust.”
“Of course,” cried Archie. “But then our Resident believes in Suleiman.”
“Yes, and distrusts me,” said the young man rather bitterly. “Well, they think they are right; but we shall see. I say, though, I didn’t see that French gentleman with Suleiman’s people. I expected he would be mounted upon one of the elephants.”
“No,” said Archie; “he has not been here for the last few days.”
“Forbidden to come?” said the young man.
“No–o,” said Archie; “he wouldn’t be. He is Rajah Suleiman’s friend.”
“Yes,” said Hamet quietly. “That is why I thought he would be here. Do you like him?”
“Not a bit,” said Archie. “Why?”
“Oh, I suppose it was because I dislike him myself. That is all. Good-bye. As we Malays say,apa boleh booat.”
“What is to be will be,” said Archie. “Good-bye.”
The parade-ground remained deserted for quite an hour, and then some of the campong people had regained sufficient courage to begin dribbling back, to be followed by a few of the inhabitants of the neighbouring villages. But not one of the Malays who followed their Rajahs made their appearance. Consequently there was no attempt made to carry out the sports; but on being consulted, the Major gave orders that the illumination of the boats should be encouraged, and the display of rockets and coloured lights should follow; and as this news gradually spread, some of the nearest village people and fisher-folk joined in, to display their lanterns upon their boats, and a pretty fair gathering of the campong people were present as soon as it was dark, it taking very little in so effective a position to light up the river and jungle banks in a most attractive way.
The Doctor and his wife and niece, in addition to several of the ladies of the station, dined at the mess that night, so that they might afterwards stroll down to the banks of the river and watch the rockets burst and sprinkle the jungle with their stars; and just as the enjoyment was at its height, and the simple Malay folk kept on bursting out with their ejaculations indicative of delight, the Major went up behind the Resident, who had been chatting with the Doctor and his ladies.
“Well, Dallas,” he said, “you don’t feel nervous now, do you?”
“Hush!” was the reply, as the gentleman addressed looked sharply round. “More so than ever. I hope you have got sentries out to command the river approaches to the station?”
“Of course I have. But why?”
“Because see what an opportunity is offered for those two chiefs to take revenge upon us for what they must consider an insult to their dignity.”
“My dear sir, you are giving reins to your imagination. They are well on the way now to their homes.”
“Perhaps so,” said the Resident in a low, nervous tone; “but suppose they have made a halt and are only waiting till their scouts have announced to them that we are quite unprepared?”
“You are assuming, my dear Dallas, that those two princes are working hand and glove.”
“Well, you are quite of my way of thinking over that.”
“Humph! No,” said the Major. “I am beginning to think that our lavender-gloved young friend means well by us.”
“Lavender-gloved young friend!” said the Resident. “Who knows but those soft kid gloves may not be worn to cover the tiger’s claws?”
“Ah! who knows, my dear Dallas? But it is enough for us to know that if we can produce such an effect with blank cartridge and a sham charge, we have it in our power to protect the station and defend the honour of those we love, by using ball-cartridge and sending our bayonets home.”