me this: those two boys, my son and his young companion--
where are they?"

Dark as it was, Murray saw the Malay start, but he was perfectly calm
the next moment.

"I do not know," he said.

"Is this the truth?"

"I do not know where they are," replied the Malay.

"Have they been seized by the rajah's orders?"

"I do not know. The rajah, our master, is king, and does what seems
good to him."

Mr Braine made an impatient gesture, but masking his anger, he said
appealingly:

"Tumongong, you have always been my friend, and the friend of my boy. I
am in agony about his fate. He and his young friend have disappeared
since we left the rajah's to-night. Tell me where he is."

"I do not know."

"Is he safe?"

"I do not know."

"You do know, and you will not speak," cried Mr Braine passionately.
"The rajah has had them seized."

"The rajah is my master, and does what is good in his own eyes. If he
has done this thing, it is wise and good. I do not know."

"Then I will go to the rajah himself, and he shall tell me.--Ah!"

Murray had been standing listening impatiently to this conversation, a
portion of which was translated to him, but he had now suddenly grasped
his companion's arm, and drawn his attention to the open place or
veranda at the top of the steps, and upon Mr Braine looking up, he
dimly saw that there was a figure standing there with a group of others
behind, and in spite of the gloom he had no difficulty in seeing who the
foremost figure was, and comprehending why the Tumongong had been so
guarded in his replies to them.

Mr Braine addressed himself to the dimly-seen figure at once, speaking
now in the Malay tongue.

"Your highness has heard all I have said," he cried. "Tell me, has some
accident befallen those two boys, or have they been taken away by your
orders?"

It seemed to be a different man entirely who was now speaking, and
though Murray could not comprehend a word, he grasped the rajah's
meaning plainly enough, as he uttered what was evidently a command, to
which Mr Braine spoke again sharply now.

The rajah uttered a low guttural word, and Murray now cried: "What does
he say?"

"Go!"

"But I insist," cried Murray.

The rajah spoke again, and a dozen armed men ran from behind and leaped
actively to the ground.

Murray's hand darted to his breast, but Mr Braine caught his wrist.

"Madness!" he said. "Wait."

"But--"

"Do you want to throw away two lives that are