oward Amy, and placed
it upon her hand, after which he made a profound obeisance and moved
toward the door.

"One moment, your highness," said the doctor. "We are your old servants
and friends. You treat us as prisoners."

"No, no," he said, on Mr Braine repeating the words. "I honour you.
It is a guard for my wife. Not prisoners. After to-morrow, no."

"But our English friend, Murray. Your highness will let him join us?"

The rajah, caught the name Murray, and his face grew black as night, and
without waiting for the interpretation, he made an angry gesture in the
negative.

"But my son and his young friend," said Mr Braine, watching him
narrowly, to ascertain whether the flight was known.

The rajah gave him a meaning look, and laughed.

"After to-morrow," he said, "they will come back."

His face was all smiles once again, and he bowed to Amy, passed into the
veranda, descended, and the little cortege moved out of the shady
grounds. The lights slowly disappeared among the trees, while the
doctor dropped the matting hangings over the door to hide the interior
of the house from their guard, after which he turned to encounter the
pleading face of his wife as Amy threw herself sobbing upon his breast.

Mr Braine stood looking on for a few moments in silence. Then, in a
cold, stern voice, he said:

"Go back to the inner room and pray for our success. Then you have
sarongs, make yourselves as much like the Malay women as you can."

"Then we shall escape?" cried Amy, joyously.

"Heaven knows!" said the Resident. "We shall try. Ah, thank goodness,
here are the Greigs;" and unchallenged by the guards, Mr Greig and his
wife came up to the house.

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO.

TIM'S HAPPY IDEA.

"Come up here, Driscol," said the doctor; and as Tim appeared Frank came
to the inner doorway to creep into a corner, where he was in shadow, and
could listen to what was said.

"Now, Braine," said the doctor. "We are all waiting, what do you
propose?"

"I have nothing to propose. We have a guard of sixteen outside. If we
could get by them, we might reach the river in the darkness. Can you
tell me how to proceed?" The doctor was silent. "Frank, can you
suggest anything?"

"No, father; only to fight."

"Madness, boy. Help would come directly."

"I have an idea," said the doctor, "if it would act. I should do it
unwillingly, but it is our only hope that I see. Stop!--Driscol, can
you help us?"