The Rajah of Dah Part 7

"Not a bad shot, sor. Make it Oirish, and ye'll be right."

"I beg your pardon," cried Murray, hastily raising his hat, and the salute was returned. "What place is this?"

"Dirthy Bucket, sor. Campong Bukit they call it. Are ye from home lately?"

"From England? Yes."

All this was said as the boat glided along by the bamboo posts, and Murray added hastily: "Perhaps you would not mind helping us. We want to buy some provisions--something to eat."

"Buy something to ate?" said the man, smiling. "Whisht, here's the masther and the ladies.--Here's an English gentleman, sor."

There was rather an angry buzzing here from the dragon boat, as the gentleman with the white umbrella came on to the jetty, the two ladies with him remaining behind, while quite a little crowd of Malays began to collect on the river-bank.

"English gentleman?" said the newcomer. "Glad to see you, sir. From Singapore, I presume!"

"Not just lately; we have been staying at Dindong. We were on our way up the river, and this place seemed a likely one to lay in a store of fresh provisions. Am I right?"

"Perfectly. Come ash.o.r.e, my dear sir. Your son?"

"Nephew," replied Murray, and Ned bowed stiffly.

"Just as welcome in this savage place. This way; my bungalow is a very little way off."

"But my boat, guns, and the like?"

"Be safe? Tim, jump in and take charge, while the gentlemen come up to tiffin."

"But, sor, there'll be n.o.body to--"

"Oh, never mind; we'll manage. My factotum, butler, footman, groom, everything," continued the stranger. "Did those fellows bring you in?"

"Not exactly. They showed us the way."

"Hem!" said the stranger, with a dry cough; and he put up his white umbrella again. "Mind the sun?"

"Oh, no; we are getting a bit acclimatised."

"You're lucky then; I'm not. My dears, gentlemen from home. Mr-- Mr--?"

"Murray."

"Mr Murray. My wife and daughter. Oh, by the way, forgot to introduce myself: Barnes, Doctor Barnes, resident physician to His Highness the Rajah of Dah, in whose capital you stand. My dear, Mr Murray and his nephew have kindly consented to take tiffin with us."

"You are very kind," said Murray, hesitating.

"No apologies are necessary," said the elder of the two ladies, rather a yellow, quick-spoken body; and she made as if to take the newcomer's arm. "We are only too glad to see a fresh face--a white one, are we not, Amy?"

"Indeed we are, mamma," said the bright-looking girl addressed, and in a half-amused way, she took Ned's arm as her father went on in front.

"I little thought of seeing English visitors," she continued. "Shall I be impertinent if I ask why you have come so far?"

"Oh no!" said Ned rather brusquely, for he resented the questioning.

"Uncle and I have come up on a sporting and natural history trip. We are going on directly."

"Indeed! Then the rajah has given you leave?"

"What rajah? The man here?"

"Yes," said the girl, smiling.

"Oh no! We did not know it was necessary. Uncle will ask him then, I suppose. Does he call it his property?"

The girl looked round at him in surprise,--

"Oh yes; he is the rajah or prince of the country."

"Yes; but I thought all this belonged to the Queen."

"Well, I suppose it does, but our prince here thinks he is as important a person as the queen of England, and does exactly as he likes."

"Oh!"

"You must recollect that we are a very very long way from Singapore here, and, excepting what he has been told of England and her power, the rajah knows very little about our country, and laughs at my father as if he were telling him romances when he talks of our army and s.h.i.+ps of war."

"He must be awfully conceited, then."

"He is," said the girl laughing. "I believe he thinks he is the greatest monarch upon earth."

"Then you are the only English people here?"

"Oh no. We have Mr and Mrs Braine and their son, and Mr and Mrs Greig."

"Who are they?"

"Mr Braine is a gentleman papa recommended to the rajah. He wanted some one to advise him and help him to introduce English customs, and to drill his army. Mr Greig is a merchant who lives here to purchase the produce of the country to send down to Singapore. You will see them, I daresay, for they are sure to come in as soon as they know that you are here."

"It all seems very funny. I thought we were coming into quite a wild place where there were elephants and tigers, and great snakes and birds that we could collect."

"Well, it could not be much more wild," said the girl, smiling.

"Directly you get past our house the dense jungle begins. We are completely shut in by it, except in the front here by the river. Wild?

You will hear the tigers as soon as it is dark."

"But I shall not be here," said Ned, laughing.

"I think you will," said the girl, looking at him curiously.

"Oh no; my uncle has quite made up his mind about what he intends to do, and nothing can change him."