When they were dressed they fell to at their
breakfast, and then went out of doors. Hassan had evidently been
watching for them, for he came out of his house, which was next to
that which they occupied, holding his little girl's hand. She at
once ran up to them, saluting them by their names.
"Bahi very glad to see you," she said, "very glad to see good, kind
officers." The child had picked up, during her month on board the
ship, a great deal of English, from her constant communication with
the officers and crew.
"Bad men wound Dick," she went on pitifully. "Wicked men to hurt
him."
"Bahi, will you tell your father how much we are obliged to him
for having come to our rescue. We should have been killed if he
had not come."
The child translated the sentence. The chief smiled.
"Tell them," he said, "that Hassan is glad to have been able to
pay back a little of the obligation he was under to them. Besides,
Sehi Pandash was my enemy. Good thing to help friends and kill enemy
at the same time. Tell them that Hassan does not want thanks; they
did not like him to thank them for saving you."
The child translated this with some difficulty. Then he led the
midshipmen round the village, and showed them the strong palisade
which had evidently just been erected, and explained, through the
child, that it had only been built before he left, as but fifteen
men were available for guarding the place in his absence.
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