The Rajah of Dah | Page 7

activity, making the Malays smile at his restlessness, as he
passed among them resting his hand first on one, then on another
brawny shoulder, to get right forward to the sharply-pointed prow, and
sit there looking up the river; while his uncle rearranged some of the
packages and impedimenta necessary for their long trip.
"There," he said, as he finished for the time, by hanging two guns in
slings from the roof, Ned having returned to sit down, and he began
wiping his face. "I think that will do. If we had designed a boat to suit
us for our trip, we couldn't have contrived anything better. That is the
beauty of travelling in a country where the rivers are the only roads.
You require no bearers, and you have no worry about men being
dissatisfied with their loads, and then having to set up a tent when the
day's journey is over. Here we are with a roof over us in our travelling
tent, and all we have to do at night is to tether the boat to the shore,
have a fire lit for cooking, and eat, sleep, and rest."
"But you will not always keep to the boat, uncle?"
"No; we shall make a few little expeditions when we can, but, from
what I have learned, the country farther north and east is nearly all
jungle, with only a few elephant tracks through the forest by way of
roads. Here, hadn't you better sit still for a bit out of the sun."
"Yes; coming back directly," was the reply; and, going forward, Ned
stood with his hands in his pockets gazing up the river. "I say, uncle,"

he cried at last; "I'm getting tired of these mangroves. Why, the shore's
all alike, and oh, how hot it is!"
The Malays rowed steadily on with their eyes half-closed, paying not
the slightest heed to the rays of the sun, which seemed now to be
pouring down with a fervour that was terrible. The tide still set up the
river, and very little exertion on their part kept a good way on the boat,
as they swung to and fro, keeping pretty well together, their eyes
half-closed, and their jaws working at the betel-nut each man had in his
cheek.
"Here, come into shelter till the heat of the day is past," said Murray.
"All right, uncle."
Ned was standing right up on the prow, intently watching the two
prominences over the eyes of one of the crocodiles which was gliding
slowly about in the tideway on the look-out for food, when the
summons came, and turning sharply, a peculiar sensation of giddiness
attacked him. He threw up his hands to his head, and in an instant lost
his balance, plunged in head foremost and was gone.
As the water splashed in over the bows, Hamet uttered a shout, the men
ceased rowing, and Murray rushed out from beneath the shelter, tearing
off his loose linen jacket, and eagerly scanning the water, ready to
plunge in as soon as Ned reappeared.
"No, no," cried Hamet, hoarsely; and then, giving a sharp order to his
companions, the course of the boat was changed, and he leaned over
the side, the men muttering excitedly to each other, for they had seen
the eyes of the crocodile sink beneath the water just as the loud splash
was made when the boy fell in.
It was a matter of only a few moments before there was a movement in
the dark water three or four yards away. The men on the side opposite
gave their oars a sudden dip and drag, the boat swung round across the
tide, and, reaching over, Hamet caught Ned's wrist, dragged him to the
side just as there was a sharp shock against the forward part of the boat,

a jerk, and a sensation communicated to the occupants as if they had
come into collision with the trunk of a tree, and it was passing under
the boat. While, as with Murray's help, Hamet hauled the boy into the
boat, there was a tremendous swirl in the water, just where he had been,
a great horny tail rose above the surface and struck it with a sharp
slapping sound, and disappeared.
"That was close!" exclaimed Murray, as the boat glided on, and the
Malays talked rapidly together, Hamet giving his employer a curiously
significant look.
At that moment Ned opened his eyes, sat up quickly, and then struggled
to his feet.
"Did I go overboard?" he said. "Yes; I remember," he continued
quickly. "I felt giddy all at once. Oh! my hat."
This had been forgotten, but there it was floating on the surface only a
short distance away, and a few strokes of the oars enabled him to
recover