e."

"Wait a bit, Dick, and you'll see," said Bob. "It strikes me that I'm
the man for settling Mr Rajah Gantang; and if it does come to me to do
so, why let him look out."

"Ay, ay, sir; and his men too. I owe 'em one for that boat affair. The
cowards! when a fellow was asleep!"

"Ah," said Tom Long, discontentedly, "it's all very well to talk, but I
want my breakfast;" and he made haste off to his quarters as soon as the
steamer's boats had set the military part of the expeditionary party
ashore.

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE.

HOW ABDULLAH SHOWED THE SMOOTH SIDE OF HIS WAYS.

It was decided after this to wait patiently for an opportunity to
capture Rajah Gantang, or to destroy his prahus; and meanwhile life at
the residency went on very pleasantly. The men at the fort had settled
down into an easy-going existence, and under the doctor's guidance a
careful examination was made of the little island, to clear it of
everything in the shape of noxious reptile and insect, as far as was
possible.

The example of the Malays was followed by the construction of a large
bathing-place for the men, which being carefully stockaded round with
stout bamboos, allowed the free flow of the river-water, without the
addition of any four-footed creatures, in the shape of crocodiles, which
were far too common to be pleasant, especially where lower down the
river the salt water mingled with the fresh. In fact, it was dangerous
there for a hand to be dragged in the water beside a boat, the hideous
creatures being ready to make a dash at it, darting through the stream,
as they did with great velocity, by a stroke of their powerful tails.

The great desire on the part of the men was to go ashore, but, in the
majority of cases, this was sternly refused. Here and there, though, an
officer had a shooting-trip, but it was thought better to wait until the
confidence of the natives had been more thoroughly won, and the
disaffected party of Rajah Gantang dismissed.

The sultan seemed to have quite forgotten his rejection by the ladies,
and was most liberal in his presentations of fruit and fresh provisions.
Every morning a boat came off with a load, the fore part being
generally crammed with freshly-cut flowers; and later on in the day the
resident's boat would be sent ashore to return the compliment. Tom Long
generally had the honour of being the escort, and marching a fatigue
party up to the sultan's residence, with something likely to