whose
engines kept up a regular pulsation as the screw-propeller churned the
water astern into golden and orange foam. The dappled sky and the
rippled sea were a blaze of colour; crimson, scarlet, burnished copper,
orange chrome, dead, and flashing gold,--all were there, on cloud edge
and wave slope, mingled with purples, and greens, and blues, as the sun
slowly descended to his rest.

There had been a general disposition all day long to lie under awnings,
and pant "like tired dogs," so Bob Roberts the midshipman said; but now
officers and men, in the lightest of garments, were eagerly looking for
the cool evening breeze, and leaning over the bulwarks, gazing at the
wondrous sunset sky and gorgeous sea.

The deck of the clean, smart-looking vessel had a very picturesque
aspect, dotted as it was with groups of officers and men; for in
addition to the crew, the "Startler" carried four companies of Her
Majesty's somethingth foot, the escort of the British Resident and his
suite, bound for Campong Allee, the chief town of Rajah Hamet, on the
Parang River, west coast of the Malay peninsula.

The Resident was to be the help and adviser of the Mohammedan potentate,
who had sought the protection of the British Government; and to fix him
in his position, and save him from the assaults of the various inimical
petty rajahs around, the corvette was to lie for some months in the
river, and the residency was to be turned into a fort, garrisoned by the
troops under Major Sandars.

Bob Roberts, a fair, good-looking, curly-headed lad of sixteen, was
standing with his back leaned against the bulwarks, his cap thrust back,
and his hands deep in his pockets, staring defiantly across the deck at
a lad of about a year or so older, who, as he stood very stiff and
upright by the cabin ladder, returned the stare with interest.

The latter had just buckled on his sword, and, in spite of the heat,
buttoned up his undress coatee to the chin, ready for the short spell of
drill which he knew would take place before the officers dined; and
after giving the finishing-touch to his gloves, he rather ostentatiously
raised his sword, then hanging to the full length of its slings, and
hooked it on to his belt.

"What a jolly shame it is that we should only carry a beggarly little
dirk," said Bob Roberts to himself, as he tried to look sneeringly at
the young ensign before him; for the latter came across the deck with
rather a swaggering stride, and