breakfast
with me in the cabin, and we'll talk matters over."

Bob flushed with pleasure, and if the lieutenant had asked him to jump
overboard just then, or stand on his head on the main truck, Bob would
have tried to oblige him.

As it was, however, he followed his officer into the cabin, and made a
hearty breakfast.

"I tell you what," said the lieutenant, who was a very quiet stern young
officer--and he stopped short.

"Yes, captain," said Bob.

Lieutenant Johnson smiled.

"I tell you what," he said again, "nothing would give me greater
pleasure than for Mr Rajah Gantang to bring down his prahus some time
to-day, Lieutenant Roberts. I could blow that fellow out of the water
with the greatest pleasure in life."

"Captain Johnson," said Bob, solemnly, "I could blow him in again with
greater pleasure, for I haven't forgotten my swim for life."

"You feel quite a spite against him then, Roberts?"

"Spite's nothing to it," said Bob. "Didn't he and his people force me,
a harmless, unoffending young fellow--"

"As ever contrived to board a prahu," said the lieutenant.

"Ah, well, that wasn't my doing," said Bob. "I was ordered to do my
duty, and tried to do it. That was no reason why those chicory-brown
rascals should cause me to be pitched into the river to the tender
mercies of the crocodiles, who, I believe, shed tears because they
couldn't catch me."

"Well, Roberts," said the lieutenant, "you need not make yourself
uncomfortable, nor set up the bantam cock hackles round your neck, and
you need not go to the grindstone to sharpen your spurs, for we shall
not have the luck to see anything of the rajah, who by this time knows
that it is his best policy to keep out of the way. Will you take any
more breakfast?"

"No, thank you, sir," said Bob, rising, for this was a hint to go about
his business; and he went on deck.

"Mornin', sir," said old Dick, pulling at his forelock, and giving one
leg a kick out behind.

"Morning, Dick. Don't you wish you were along with the hunting-party?"

Old Dick walked to the side, sprinkled the water with a little tobacco
juice, and came back.

"That's the same colour as them Malay chaps, sir," he said, "nasty dirty
beggars."

"Dirty, Dick? Why they are always bathing and swimming."

"Yes," said Dick in a tone of disgust, "but they never use no soap."

"Well, what of that?" said Bob. "You don't suppose that makes any
difference?"

"Makes no difference?" s