they were no more numerous than
the prahu's crew, and that it was only the advantage of surprise that
had enabled them to overcome so easily both those on board the prahu
and the rajah's followers in the village. The oars were got out, and the
prahu proceeded up the creek, in the opposite direction to which it had
entered it. "Going to ship?" Harry asked, pointing forward.

Hassan shook his head. "Going home," he said. "Sent messenger sampan
tell captain both safe. Sehi killed, prahu taken. Must go home. Others
angry because Hassan not join. May come and fight Hassan. Ask captain
bring ship up river; messenger show channel, tell how far can go, then
come in boats, hold great meeting, make peace."

The lads were well satisfied. They had a longing to see Hassan's home,
and, perhaps, to do some shooting; and they thought that a few days'
holiday before rejoining would be by no means unpleasant. They wished,
however, that they had known that the sampan was leaving, so that they
could have written a line to the captain, saying what had taken place,
and that they could not rejoin. There was at first some splashing of the
oars, for many of Hassan's men had had no prior experience except with
sampans and large canoes. However, it was not long before they fell into
the swing, and the boat proceeded at a rapid pace. Several times, as
they went, natives appeared on the bank in considerable numbers, and
receiving no answer to their hails, sent showers of lances. Harry,
however, with the aid of two or three Malays, soon loaded the guns of
the prahu.

"No kill," Hassan said. "We want make friends. No good kill."

Accordingly the guns were fired far over the heads of the assailants,
who at once took to the bushes. After three hours' rowing they entered
the river, and continued their course up it until long into the night,
for the rowers were as anxious as was Hassan himself to reach their
village. They were numerous enough to furnish relays at the oars, and
the stroke never flagged until, an hour before midnight, fires were seen
burning ahead, as they turned a bend of the river. The Malays raised
a yell of triumph, which was answered from the village, and in a few
minutes the prahu was brought up to the bank. A crowd, composed
mostly of women and children, received them with shouts of welcome and
gladness. Hassan at once led the midshipmen to a large hut that had
evidently been prepared in readiness for them. Piles of skins lay in