"It's all right, Maine," said the Captain; "you needn't go. The Major's sent Patient Job, as the lads call him, to ask old Bolus what he means by insulting the French guest."

"Get out! Somebody taken ill. I hope it's none of the ladies."

The Doctor nodded, and left his chair, to follow the Sergeant, just as the Major rose again to propose the health of the regiment's other guest that evening, Maharajah Hamet, another of the chiefs, who had declared himself the friend of their Queen and country.

The toast was quietly received, and quietly replied to in a few well-spoken words by the young Prince, not without eliciting some remarks at his mastery of English; and soon after the party broke up in smoke, the officers strolling down to the banks of the river, where the landing-place was gay with Chinese lanterns hung here and there and ornamenting the two nagas of the Rajahs lying some distance apart and filled by the well-armed followers of the chiefs, one of whom was heartily cheered by those a.s.sembled as he slowly walked in company with his French companion to take his seat, before, in response to three or four sonorous notes from a gong, the yellow-uniformed rowers dipped their oars lightly, to keep the dragon-boat in mid-stream so that it might be borne swiftly onward.

The young Rajah Hamet remained some few minutes longer, after taking his leave of the Major and officers, and then, accompanied by Captain Down and Archie, he walked slowly along to where a guard of the English infantry was drawn up, the chief's men being waiting in their places, ready to push off.

"Don't take this as a compliment," said the young Malay. "It is all sincere, and I can make you very welcome in good old English fashion as long as you like to stay--you, Captain Down, and you, Maine. You make the Captain come too. I promise you plenty of sport. My shikaris know their business. Once more, good-night."

He stepped back, the long, live-looking boat glided off, and the rowers'

oars dipped with the vim and accuracy of an eight-oared racer on the Thames. But she made head slowly against the swift stream, while, as the young men watched her, their eyes rested upon the fire-flies glittering amongst the overhanging trees upon the banks, and all at once there was a loud splash just ahead of where the naga was gliding.

"What's that--some one overboard?" said the Captain.

"No, sir," said a deep British voice from just behind where the young officers stood; "only one of them great, scaly varmints getting out of the way."

"Oh, it's you, Sergeant," said Archie quickly; and then, on the impulse of the moment, the lad laid his hand on the big non-com's arm and said hurriedly, "I've had it out with the Major, Ripsy, and it's all right now. But it was all my fault. Don't be too hard on poor Pegg."

The Sergeant's reply was checked by a question from the Captain:

"Whom was the Doctor fetched to see? Any one ill?"

The Sergeant chuckled.

"No, sir. It was them rival n.i.g.g.e.rs beginning to cut one another's throats; but I stopped it with my lads, and then fetched the Doctor. It gave him three or four little jobs. Some on them mean a row."

CHAPTER FOUR.

THE DOCTOR'S PATIENTS.

The looking-gla.s.s in Archie Maine's quarters often told him that he was rather a good-looking young fellow; that is to say, he gave promise of growing into a well-featured, manly youth without any foppish, effeminate, so-called handsomeness. But nature had been very kind to him, and, honestly, he scarcely knew anything about his own appearance; for when he looked in his gla.s.s for reasons connected with cleanliness-- putting his hair straight, smoothing over his curliness, and playing at shaving away, or, rather, sc.r.a.ping off, some very smooth down--he had a habit of contracting his nerves and muscles so that a pretty good display of wrinkles came into view all over his forehead and at the corners of his lips and eyes, presenting to him quite a different-looking sort of fellow from the one known to his friends.

The morning after the mess dinner, he had given a parting glance in his little mirror, looking very much screwed-up, for his mind was busy with rather troublous thoughts, among which were the events of the past day, especially those connected with his interview with the Major.

Then he had hurried off to take advantage of what little time he had before going on duty, and made for the Doctor's bungalow. It was not much of a place; but the glorious tropic foliage, the distant view of the river, and, above all, the flowers of the most brilliant colours that were always rushing into bloom or tumbling off to deck the ground made it a brilliant spot in the station, and as he neared it his face smoothed, his sun-browned forehead lost its wrinkles, and, just as he expected, he caught sight of the two reasons for the bungalow looking so bright and gay.

One reason was the Doctor's wife busy in the garden with a basket and a pair of scissors, snipping off bunch and cl.u.s.ter ready for filling vase and basin in the shaded rooms; the other was standing upon a chair helping climber to twine and tendril to catch hold of trellis and wire which made the front of the cottage-like structure one blaze of colour.

"Morning, ladies," cried the lad.

"Morning, Archie," cried the Doctor's wife, a pleasant, middle-aged, pink, sunshiny-looking lady, whose smooth skin seemed to possess the power of reflecting all sun-rays that played upon it so that they never fixed there a spot of tan. "Come to help garden?"

"Yes; all right. What shall I do?" cried the lad.

"Make Minnie jump down off that chair, and tuck up the wild tendrils of that climber."

"No, no, auntie; I don't want him," cried the owner of the busy hands, as she reached up higher to hook on one tendril, and failed; for the long strand laden with blossom missed the wire that ought to have held it, fell backwards, and, as if directed by invisible fairy hands, formed itself into a wreath over her hair, startling her so that she would have lost her footing upon the chair had she not made a quick leap to the floor of the veranda, bringing down another trailing strand.

"Ha, ha! Serve you right, Miss Independence!" cried Archie, running to her help.

"No, no, don't. I can do it myself," cried the girl. "Mind; that flower's so tender, and I know you will break it."

"Suppose I do," said Archie. "No, you don't; I'll take it off and twine it up myself, even if my fingers are so clumsy. I say, Minnie, it's lucky for you that it isn't that climbing rose, or there would be some scratches."

He sprang upon the chair, busied himself for a few minutes, and then leaped down again, to stand with brow wrinkled, gazing up at his work.

"There," he said; "won't that do?"

"Yes," said the girl, with a slight pout of two rather pretty lips. "It will do; but it isn't high enough."

"Oh, come, it's higher than you could have reached.--Don't say the Doctor's out, Mrs Morley?"

"No; but he's got somebody with him;" and the speaker glanced at her niece, who turned away and looked conscious. "I am not surprised,"

continued the Doctor's wife, and she looked fixedly now at her visitor.

"What at?" replied the lad wonderingly.

"How innocent!--What do you say, Minnie? Look at him!"

The girl turned sharply, fixed her eyes upon the young officer's face, and laughed merrily.

"What are you laughing at?" he cried, hurriedly taking out a handkerchief. "Have I made my face dirty?"

"No, sir.--We were quite right, auntie. I can't think how young men can be so stupid."

"'Tis their nature to," said Archie, laughing, as he replaced his handkerchief. "But what have I been doing stupid now, Minnie?"

"Sitting in a hot room and drinking what doesn't agree with you, sir."

"I couldn't help the room being hot," replied the lad, rather indignantly.

"No, sir; but you could have helped giving yourself a headache and coming here this morning to ask uncle for a cooling draught."

"Oh, that's it, is it, Miss Clever? Well, you are all wrong."

"I am glad to hear it, Archie," said Mrs Morley. "I thought you had come to see the Doctor."

"That's right," said the lad, s.c.r.e.w.i.n.g up his face again and nodding rather defiantly, boy and girl fashion, at the young lady gardener.

"Somebody ill?"

"No, my dear boy. It's only Sir Charles Dallas;" and as she spoke she glanced at her niece again, who had suddenly become busy over a fresh loose strand. "He's come to ask about the men who were wounded in that wretched quarrel last night."

"Why, that's what I came for.--Do you hear, Minnie?"