Sehi killed, prahu taken. Must go home.
Others angry because Hassan not join. May come and fight Hassan.
Ask captain bring ship up river; messenger show channel, tell how
far can go, then come in boats, hold great meeting, make peace."
The lads were well satisfied. They had a longing to see Hassan's
home, and, perhaps, to do some shooting; and they thought that a
few days' holiday before rejoining would be by no means unpleasant.
They wished, however, that they had known that the sampan was
leaving, so that they could have written a line to the captain,
saying what had taken place, and that they could not rejoin. There
was at first some splashing of the oars, for many of Hassan's men
had had no prior experience except with sampans and large canoes.
However, it was not long before they fell into the swing, and the
boat proceeded at a rapid pace. Several times, as they went, natives
appeared on the bank in considerable numbers, and receiving no
answer to their hails, sent showers of lances. Harry, however, with
the aid of two or three Malays, soon loaded the guns of the prahu.
"No kill," Hassan said. "We want make friends. No good kill."
Accordingly the guns were fired far over the heads of the assailants,
who at once took to the bushes.
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