"Take the little thing to the doctor," Dick said. "Now, lads, row
on; let's pick up some of those Malay fellows."
A babel of shouts and sounds rose from the water; the bow of the
second canoe had been stove in, and she also had sunk to the water
level; a fierce fight was going on between several of the Malays;
the chief, who was being supported by two of his crew, was shouting
furiously; and others of his men, in obedience to his orders, were
diving under water. Harry turned to the gunboat, and called to the
men to bring Soh Hay, the interpreter, to the side. A minute later
the man was hustled to the rail.
"Tell that chief that we have got his child safely on board," Harry
shouted.
Again and again the interpreter called out; but it was some time
before he could make the chief pay attention to him. As the latter
caught the purport of his words his face changed at once, and, after
calling to his men to desist from their search, his head sank on
to the shoulder of one of the men supporting him, and he evidently
lost consciousness.
"He is badly hurt, Dick; we had better get him on board, too. Old
Horsley was wishing this morning that he had something to do beyond
administering doses of quinine to the men."
Taking the tiller, he brought the boat alongside the chief, and
four of the sailors, directed by Dick, gently raised him from the
water and laid him on the bottom of the boat.
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