The midshipmen
had started to their feet, half bewildered at the sudden and desperate
struggle, when a hand was laid on each of their shoulders, and a
voice said, "English friends, Hassan has come."
The revulsion of feeling was so great that, for a minute, neither
could speak; then Dick said, "Chief, we thank you with all our
hearts. Tomorrow we should have been killed."
The chief shook hands with them both warmly, having seen that mode
of salutation on board ship.
"Hassan glad," he said. "Hassan watch all time; no let Sehi kill
friends. Friends save Hassan's child; he save them."
Torches were now lighted. The deck was thickly encumbered with
dead; for every one of the crew of the prahu had been killed.
"Sehi killed too," the chief said, "come and see." He swung himself
on shore; the boys followed his example, two of the Malays helping
Dick down. They went to the village, where a number of Malays were
moving about; torches had been brought from the ship, and a score
of these soon lit up the scene. Two of the rajah's men had been
killed outside their huts, but the majority had fallen inside. The
chief asked a question of one of his followers, who pointed to a
hut.
This they entered, and by the light of the torches saw the rajah
lying dead upon the ground.
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