a leaf out of the same bag."

"Sirih leaf; a kind of creeping pepper plant which runs up trees," said
the mate.

"And now he is opening a little brass box, which has something that
looks like a white paint."

"Lime," said the mate, "lime of a very fine kind, made by burning
shells."

"And he is spreading some of it with one finger upon the leaf."

"Yes! See what he does next."

"Rolled the piece of nut in it and put it in his mouth."

"Yes," said the mate; "all the Malays do this betel-chewing."

"What for?"

"It is a habit like our sailors chewing tobacco. The Malays think it is
good for them, and keeps off all choleraic attacks."

"Does it?" asked Jack.

"Ah, that I can't say. You must take the doctor's opinion."

But Jack was too much interested in watching the prahu, which, in spite
of only having matting sails, sped along over the calm water at a rapid
rate, and he went on questioning his companion.

"They seem fierce-looking fellows, and as if they could do a deal of
mischief. Are they such terribly bloodthirsty people?"

"Certainly not," said the mate. "I have always found the better-class
Malays simple, gentlemanly, and courteous if they are properly treated;
but if injured, I believe they can be treacherous and relentless."

"But I remember once reading how bloodthirsty the Malay pirates are."

"I don't think the English, Spanish, or French pirates were much
better," said the mate, laughing. "Pirates are generally the scum of
the ports they sail from; reckless, murderous ruffians. But I should
say that of all pirates out in the East, the gentle, placid,
mild-looking Chinaman makes the worst; for he thinks nothing of human
life, his own or any one else's."

"But there are no pirates now, of course," said Jack quietly.

The mate turned and looked him in the eyes.

"Do you want me to tell you some murderous narrative?"

"Oh no; I don't care for such things. I know, of course, that there
used to be plenty."

"So there are now," said the mate. "They have hard work to carry on
their piracies; but every now and then we have a bad case. They mostly
come from the Chinese coast; but they are made up of ruffians of all
kinds."

Jack was silent for a few moments.

"I heard Captain Bradleigh say that the men were all trained to use the
small-arms," he said at last quietly. "Would they fight if we were
attacked?"

The mate hummed over a bit of a once popular song, beginning, "We don'