"That is better," Dick said, "as far as it goes. How was it these
fellows did not kill us at once?"
"I expect the rajah has ordered that all officers who may fall
into their hands are to be kept as hostages, so that he can open
negotiations with the skipper. If he gets what he wants, he hands
us back; if not, there is no manner of doubt that he will put us
out of the way without compunction."
The men were still working at the oars, and for four hours rowed
without intermission through a labyrinth of creeks. At last they
stopped before a small village, tied the prahu up to a tree, and
then the man who seemed to be the captain went ashore with two or
three others. The lads heard a loud outburst of anger, and a voice
which they recognized as that of the rajah storming and raging for
some time; then the hubbub ceased. An hour later the rajah himself
came on board with two or three attendants, and a man whom they
recognized as speaking a certain amount of English. The rajah scowled
at them, and from the manner in which he kept fingering his kris
they saw that it needed a great effort on his part to abstain from
killing them at once. He spoke for some time in his own language,
and the interpreter translated it.
"You are dogs--you and all your countrymen.
Pages:
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126