pon, he made a shambling, limping
charge at the crowd, which wavered, broke, and fled in every direction,
the majority rushing into the enclosure of Tungku Ngah's compound, the
door of which they barred.

One of the hindermost was a man named Genih, and to him To' Kaya
shouted:

'Genih! it profits the _Raja_ little that he gives thou and such as thee
food both morning and evening! Thou art indeed a _bitter_ coward.[10] If
thou fearest me so greatly, go seek for guns and kill me from afar off!'

[Footnote 10: _Pen-akut pahit._]

Genih took To' Kaya's advice. He rushed to the _Balai_, or State Hall,
and cried to Tungku Musa, the Sultan's uncle and principal adviser:

'Thy servant To' Kaya bids us bring guns wherewith to slay him.'

Now, all was not well in the _Balai_ at this moment. When the first news
of the _amok_ had reached the Sultan, all the Chiefs had assembled in
the palace, and it had been unanimously decided that no action could be
taken until the day broke. At dawn, however, it was found that all the
Chiefs except Tungku Panglima, To' Kaya Duyong, Panglima Dalam, Imam
Prang Losong, and Pahlawan, had sneaked away under the cover of the
darkness. Tungku Musa, the Sultan's great uncle, was there to act as the
King's mouthpiece, but he was in as great fear as any of them.

At last the Sultan said:

'Well, the day has dawned, why does no one go forth to kill To' Kaya
Biji Derja?'

Tungku Musa turned upon Tungku Panglima, 'Go thou and slay him,' he
said.

Tungku Panglima said, 'Why dost thou not go thyself or send Pahlawan?'

Pahlawan said, 'Thy servant is not the only Chief in Trengganu. Many eat
the King's mutton in the King's _Balai_, why then should thy servant
alone be called upon to do this thing?'

Tungku Musa said: 'Imam Prang Losong, go thou then and kill To' Kaya.'

'I cannot go,' said Imam Prang, 'for I have no trousers.'

'I will give thee some trousers,' said Tungku Musa.

'Nevertheless I cannot go,' said Imam Prang, 'for my mother is sick, and
I must return to tend her.'

Then the Sultan stood upon his feet and stamped.

'What manner of a warrior is this?' he asked, pointing at Tungku
Panglima. 'He is a warrior made out of offal!'

Thus admonished, Tungku Panglima sent about a hundred of his men to kill
To' Kaya, but after they had gone some fifty yards they came back to
him, and though he bade them go many times, the same thing occurred over
and over again.

Suddenly, old T