ried off from their rice-fields, and at least a
dozen unfortunate Chinamen from the neighbourhood of some tin mines a
few miles away.

"I never meant to enter into such an extensive affair, gentlemen," said
the resident to Major Sandars and Captain Horton after dinner one day,
when they had all been entertained at the mess-room. "I almost think we
ought to draw back before it is too late."

"Well, I don't know," said Major Sandars. "It will please the sultan if
we take a lot of men, and this is rather a stagnating life. I frankly
tell you I should be very glad of the outing, and I am sure it would do
good to the men."

"I quite agree with you, Sandars," said Captain Horton; and Bob Roberts
and Tom Long, who were opposite one another at the bottom of the table,
exchanged glances. "I want a change, and I should be glad to give my
lads a turn up the country. Drill's all very well, but it gets
wearisome. What do you say, Smithers?"

"I must confess to being eager to go," was the reply. "It seems to me
the only gentleman who does not care for the trip is Mr Linton."

"My dear fellow, you never made a greater mistake in your life," said
Mr Linton, laughing. "Nothing would please me better than to be off
for a couple of months, with a brace of good rifles, and an elephant,
with plenty of beaters. I could even manage to exist for three months
without reading a report, or writing a despatch."

Here there was a hearty laugh, and Mr Linton went on,--"There is one
voice silent--the most important one, it seems to me. Come, doctor,
what do you say? may we all go up the country and live in tents?"

"Hah!" said Doctor Bolter, "now you have me on the hip. I want to go
myself; horribly."

"Ha, ha, ha, ha!" laughed every one in chorus.

"I want to see those black monkeys like our friend Mr Bob Roberts has
for a pet. I say I want to see them in their native state. I want to
get a specimen of the pink rhinoceros, and some of the _Longicorns_.
_Nymphalis Calydonia_ is to be found here, and I must shoot a few
specimens of _Cymbirhynchus Macrorhynchus_, besides supplying my _hortus
siccus_ with a complete series of _Nepenthes_."

"For goodness' sake, doctor, don't go on like that," cried Captain
Horton. "If you want to be cheerful to that extent, give us a
recitation in pure Malay."

"Ah, you may all laugh," said the doctor; "but I'm not ashamed of being
a modest naturalist."

"Modest!" said Major Sandars. "Do yo