ish," said Bob. "Good
night, if I don't see you again."

"I say," said Bob, turning round and speaking out of the darkness.

"Well?"

"I don't wish 'em any harm; but I hope they won't see a blessed tiger
all the time they're away."

"So do I," said Tom. "Good night!"

"Good night!" And Bob found the major; borrowed the pair of canvas
leggings, with which he returned to the boat, and was rowed back to the
corvette, where he had the pleasure of going over the captain's shooting
gear, and helping him to fill his cartridge cases, and the like.

"You'll have to go on a trip yourself Roberts, by-and-by," said the
captain.

"Thank-ye, sir," said Bob. "When, sir, please?"

"When the soreness about rescuing those slave girls has worn off, Master
Bob Roberts," said the captain, smiling. "I can't afford to have one of
my most promising young officers krissed."

"All soft soap and flam," said Bob to himself, as he went out on deck.
"Promising officer, indeed. Well, he's a promising officer, and I'll
keep him to his promise, too; and old Ali, and Tom, and I will have
another day to ourselves."

CHAPTER THIRTY TWO.

HOW MR. LINTON BELIEVED IN A PRECIPICE.

It was a grand sight, and a stranger to the scene might have imagined
that a little army was about to set off, for the conquest of some petty
king, instead of to attack the striped tiger in his stronghold.

The two parties from the steamer and the island were ashore before
daybreak, to find an imposing gathering of the sultan's people coming
down to meet them. There were over thirty elephants, large and small,
with their attendants, and the beasts were furnished with showy cloths
under their rattan basket howdahs.

The sultan was there in English dress; and his chiefs made a gaudy
muster, wearing showy silken sarongs and bajus, as if it were to be a
review day instead of a hunting trip, while the following, to the extent
of several hundreds, were all armed with spear and kris. Here and there
a showily clad Malay was seen to be armed with a gun or rifle, but for
the most part their means of offence were confined to the native
weapons.

The meeting was most cordial; but the sultan and his followers seemed
somewhat taken aback to see the various officers in rough sporting
costume, and the soldiers and sailors in anything but stiff, ordinary
trim.

One thing, however, had been rigidly adhered to. Every man was
well-armed, and carried a good supply of