Among Malay Pirates

re all down on the coast, trading with the natives; but it was so improbable that they should have been sent

nning into it. One day the gig and cutter had proceeded farther than usual; they had started at daybreak, and had turned off into what seemed a very small creek, that had hitherto been unexplored, as from the width of its mouth it was supposed to extend but a short distance into the forest. The master's mate was in command of one

long as noiselessly as possible. If we were to come upon them suddenly they might fire upon us, and that would bring on a gene

cease rowing until t

ing ourselves seen; therefore have all the oars, except four, laid in, and let the men muffle those with their stockings, and be most careful to dip them into t

sir!" the m

d noiselessly. Presently the stream narrowed again, until it seemed t

nd of it, Mr. Morrison," the l

or the oars, and we shall either have to pun

e is a current, sir. I have had my eye upon that root, and we have drifted backward

"You are right, my lad, there is a current, and, as you say, there must be a stretch of water above us. Lay i

creek widened, and the

ur hand the instant you see anything unusual, and do you,

d the creek widened into a broad sheet of water. The lieutenant stopped the gig by holding up his hand, passed the order for the men to lay in their oars noiselessly, and told the coxswain to keep in well under the b

seemed that their broadsides were directed to the opposite side of the pool, for the other two boats were in the way of their firing at the creek. They were long, low vessels, rowing some twenty oars on each side. Each carried a number of small brass guns, and they were evidently full of men, for numbers could be seen on deck, and boats were passing to and fro between them a

in their rear, and rowed as noiselessly as before down the creek,

g place, Mr. Morrison

ey lay up this narrow creek, which I have passed half a dozen times and never thought wor

pposite to them, while the other two guarded them against any attack from this side. Naturally, they thought it unlikely that any boat would come up here, and so directed their main attention to the other opening. The next thing to find out will be where the other stream joins the river, otherwise, as soon as we make our appearance, they will escape that way

the lieutenant made his report o

ht desperately. I do not say that we might not succeed, but we should lose a lot of men in the attempt; it would be hot work even with the ship, attacked by six of these fellows at once. If it was in the night, we might fail to see any of them before they were upon us, and we should have hard work to beat back four or five hundred of them if

the boats, to keep their mouths shut. I have no reason to believe that the interpreter is not faithful to our interests, but it is just as well not to trust anyone. Moreover, it may be that some of

," Dick Balderson said to his chum one day, after

e himself with some of his neighbors, or he may have tried to exert himself too soon and done himself damage. I am quite convinced that h

en if I were sure he would, for we may get to blows with the rajah any day; he cannot put off givi

native sampan stole silently out from the shadow of the shore and dropped down alongside the Serpent. So noiseless was the movement that the two men on the loo

must not come alongside li

Doctor; come

ched out his hand to the native, who seized it, and in a moment stood b

wn to the wardroom, and tell the doctor, with my compliments, that I shall be

, and if you have not an uncommonly good reason for calling me up I will make y

m Hassan; he mentioned

r; "they have been chaffing me in the wardroom about it, and prophe

n't suppose he knows any more English, and I thought we had better consult you, whether

ptain first. It may only be a message to say why he has not come,

him to the captain's cabin. Here, Davis, pass the word f

tly by his side, and signed him to accompany them, a

tain Forest said. "I am glad of that, for I own that

t the Malay language, with the interpreter, since he had arrived at t

lord,"

he w

ef is qu

ltogether of his message. Now, Soh Hay," he broke off as the interpreter entered, "you will ask this man the questions exactly as I put th

nds his greeting to his three friends, Harry, Dick, and Doctor, also to Captain. He is well in body; he is cured, and can throw a spear and lead his

rived until now," the captain said

en to kill him and destroy tribe when warship go away. Two of Rajah Sehi's prahus go up and down river; stop all boats. Sehi send message to all chiefs; say that English war boat here. English come take his country, and after they done that take the countries of the others; make themselves kings of the

them. Hassan says he will do what he can. He has eight war canoes, but no good against prahus-they run at canoes, and cut them in half; but will come to help if English attack. He does not know where prahus are. Begs Captain to attack these first; it is they that make Sehi

oing back to his chie

tch ship night and day to see that no message comes, or any word of what rajah is doing. He float down stream in sampan som

rahus, and will make short work of them when we get a chance. Tell him we will take great care, and not let ourselves be surprised, and that when we have finished with this fellow here, the ship will come as far up the river as

a boatman, and has worked for some years with a trader, wh

er four or five miles above this; it is a very small one

n the question was put, the

d not know that a boat could get through. He has been there by a large creek that runs into the other branch of the r

ow the entrance?"

it. It is just wide enough for a large craft to go in and out. There is a village stands a hundred yards below the entrance; it would be known by a big tree that grows before a large house close to the bank. The water is de

you tell the chief that I say you h

ded for the chiefs, and took out a brace of hand

ndered. When I see your chief, you shall be well recompense

stols, and then said, "I came by ord

for that service, but for the information that you have given m

fficult for us to fight against Sehi. He is master of the water, and we cannot attack him without first crossing that creek. We should have to carry canoes with us, to

d when this was t

k. As soon as he became master of the river, he could hardly be assailed, while at any time he coul

his journey back. A few minutes later he took his place in the little