abruptly. "You will please to give the assurances of my high esteem
to Lord Mornington."

Harry bowed and, without another word, the Dutch officials
descended the accommodation ladder, and returned to shore. When
they were out of hearing, Fairclough burst into a hearty laugh.

"That was a severe broadside you poured into him, Lindsay. I could
see that they were absolutely flabbergasted, when you told them
about Mysore. Their manner, before that, had been almost insolent.
But you cut their comb finely."

"I knew that it would be a heavy blow for them. Of course, they
view with intense disgust the spread of our power in India. Not
only has it destroyed their dream of empire there but, in case of
war with them, their islands here will be absolutely at our mercy.
If we are strong enough to win kingdom after kingdom in India,
there should be no difficulty in turning out the small bodies of
troops they have, in their various possessions."

"Yes, I see that; and the time may come very shortly, for the
French are likely to lay hands on Holland, before long and, as soon
as they do so, we shall be ready to pop down upon them, here. The
days of Van Tromp are long passed, and the Dutch navy has become
absolutely insignificant.

"Well, I am glad that this is over. The sooner we are off, the
better."

Half an hour after the Dutch Governor had left, orders were given
to get up the anchor and loosen the sails, and the brig was shortly
on her way north.

"Now, what is your next move?" Fairclough asked, as the bustle of
getting under way subsided.

"The Malay tells me that there is a small town on the east coast,
and that this would be the most handy for landing, as from there to
Johore's town is not more than some twenty miles. Whether the road
is open, he cannot say. The news he learned, from the tumangong's
people, was that there was a great deal of fighting going on
between Johore and some of the petty rajahs. What the position is,
at the present, moment he could not discover.

"I should propose that we drop anchor off the place; and that, if
we find the natives well disposed, the interpreter should make an
arrangement, with a couple of natives, to carry up a letter from me
to the rajah, saying that I have come on a matter of business from
the Governor of India; and asking if he is willing to receive me,
and to guarantee my safety. If he says no, there is an end to it.
If he says yes, I shall start as soon as the answer