by
the workmanship of the craft.

"No, no!" said Ali angrily, as his eyes wandered suspiciously about
amidst the reeds; "burn her, burn her! the decks have been stained with
blood, and many a poor, innocent creature has suffered outrage at the
owner's hands. Rajah Gantang was a cruel, bloodthirsty pirate. Let the
river be purified from his boats!"

"But," said Bob, laughing, "we might give it a good washing down, and
fumigate it below decks, and afterwards give it a coat of paint. It
would be purified enough then, and it might be useful."

"I do not understand you," said Ali seriously; "but let your men be
quick; I fear danger."

"What a suspicious chap you are, to be sure, Ali," replied Bob. "I'll
be bound to say, if the truth was known, there isn't a nigger within a
mile of us. Here, look alive, my lads; it seems a pity to burn such a
boat; but orders are orders, and we shall have a gun fired directly, by
way of recall. There, that will do; lay the oakum there, and pour the
spirits over it. She'll burn like a firework."

The men obeyed in a quiet leisurely manner, quite satisfied of there
being no danger if their officer saw none; so the oakum and yarn they
had brought were heaped up on the bamboo deck, and another lot thrust
into a kind of cabin, plenty of the spirit poured on each, and nothing
was needed but the application of a match or two for the work of
destruction to begin.

Still Bob seemed loth to fire so well-built a vessel, and he stood
pointing out good points in the make of the long light boat, counting
the number of sweeps she had carried, examining the shot holes and the
like--partly in a bravado spirit, for Ali was all anxiety to get on
board the steamer again, scenting danger as he did on every breath of
wind, while Bob wanted to show him how matter-of-fact and cool a British
officer could be.

"Look!" said Ali suddenly, and he laid his hand upon Bob's shoulder.

"Which way?" said Bob quietly. "I can see nothing."

"You will not see," said Ali in a low passionate voice. "You are so
brave, but you are so foolish too. Why risk life when there is danger."

"I don't," said Bob coolly.

"You do; there is great danger now," said Ali. "Gantang's men are
creeping through the reeds to spear us."

"Jump down in the cutter then," said Bob, "and you will be all right."

Ali drew himself up angrily.

"A Malay chief never knows fear," he said, as he leaned his hands upon
the muzzle of t