ld at once be placed
for instruction under each of the men who had learned trades at Penang.

There was much regret on both sides when the Serpent again started
down the river; for it was known that she would not return, as in a few
months she would be sent to a Chinese station, and from there would
go direct to England. The composition of her crew was already somewhat
changed. Lieutenant Ferguson had received his promotion for the fight
with the prahus, and had been appointed to the command of a gunboat
whose captain had been invalided home. Lieutenant Hopkins was now the
Serpent's first lieutenant, and Morrison was second. Harry Parkhurst was
third lieutenant, Dick Balderson, to the regret of both, having left the
ship on his promotion, and having been transferred as third lieutenant
to Captain Ferguson's craft. Both have since kept up a correspondence
with Bahi, who has married a neighboring chief, and who tells them
that the river is prospering greatly, and that, although he assumes no
authority, her father is everywhere regarded as the paramount chief of
the district. From time to time each receives chests filled with spices,
silks, and other Malay products, and sends back in return European
articles of utility to the rajah, for such is the rank that Hassan has
now acquired on the river.

BEARS AND DACOITS A TALE OF THE GHAUTS

CHAPTER I

A merry party were sitting in the veranda of one of the largest and
handsomest bungalows of Poonah. It belonged to Colonel Hastings, colonel
of a native regiment stationed there, and at present, in virtue of
seniority, commanding a brigade. Tiffin was on, and three or four
officers and four ladies had taken their seats in the comfortable cane
lounging chairs which form the invariable furniture of the veranda of
a well ordered bungalow. Permission had been duly asked, and granted
by Mrs. Hastings, and the cheroots had just begun to draw, when Miss
Hastings, a niece of the colonel, who had only arrived the previous week
from England, said: "Uncle, I am quite disappointed. Mrs. Lyons showed
me the bear she has got tied up in their compound, and it is the most
wretched little thing, not bigger than Rover, papa's retriever, and it's
full grown. I thought bears were great fierce creatures, and this poor
little thing seemed so restless and unhappy that I thought it quite a
shame not to let it go."

Colonel Hastings smiled rather grimly.

"And yet, small and insignifi