d at a boat some fifty yards ahead of them, where it had just shot
round a bend of the smooth stream, with a Malay boy paddling; while
another in bright sarong and gay-looking baju or jacket, and a natty
little military-looking cap on one side of his head, leaned back
trailing a line for some kind of fish.

"I say, you sir," cried Ned loudly, as he noted that the brown-looking
boy was about his own age, and that he was watching the newcomers
eagerly, "what's the Malay for what you are catching, and how many have
you caught?"

For answer the boy gave his line a snatch in, and let it go again,
showing his teeth, and laughing heartily.

"Well, you might be civil," said Ned flushing. "I say, Hamet, ask him
how many he has caught."

The boatman asked the required question, and received an answer in the
Malay tongue.

"He says he has only just begun."

"Well, ask him what sort of fish he catches."

But before the question could be asked, the boy shouted something.

"He says, sahib, are you fond of fishing?"

"Yes, of course," shouted Ned, forgetful of the apparent need of an
interpreter.

By this time, the boats had passed each other and the distance was
increasing, when there came in good plain English: "I say, where are you
going?"

"Up the river," cried Ned in astonishment. "Know any more English?
Where do you live? How far is it away from here, and what's your name?"

The boy in the boat threw out his line again, and burst into a shout of
laughter, greatly to Ned's annoyance, for it sounded derisive; but there
was no opportunity for further attempts at communication, for their boat
swept round the bend, and it was plain enough whence the fishers had
come, for, beautifully situated in a lake-like curve of the stream, they
could see quite a pretentious-looking village with what was evidently a
mosque, and just beyond it, a strong-looking stockade. The houses were
of exactly the same type as those they had before passed, but in
addition there were several of considerable size, whose sides were woven
in striking patterns, while dense groves of cocoa, betel, and nipah
palms added to the beauty of the scene.

Along the shore a dozen or two of boats were drawn up, while floating
alone and doubled in the mirror-like water was a large prahu on whose
deck several men were lolling about. Just then a naga or dragon, boat
came swiftly from behind it, propelled by a dozen men in yellow jackets
and scarlet caps, an