, gay of aspect, proceeded down
to the bamboo landing-stage, where the visitor embarked with his
following, and seated himself beneath the reed awning of his boat. Word
was given, and the yellow and scarlet rowers bent to their oars, sending
the long light naga vigorously up stream, one blaze of brilliant colour
in the morning sun, till it disappeared round a verdant point about
half-a-mile ahead.

"Well, Linton," said Major Sandars, "what do you say to it now?"

"Ah, to be sure," said Captain Horton. "Isn't the storm blown over?"

"Really, gentlemen, it looks like it," said the resident, "and I must
confess that I am heartily glad to find that I have been wrong."

"Wrong? yes," said the Major. "Those fellows are no more fools than we
are, and knowing what they do of the strength of our guns, and the
discipline of our men, they would as soon think of measuring force with
us, as of flying. Smithers, march the men back into quarters out of
this raging sunshine, and to-night only put on the usual guard. What
shall you do, Horton?"

"Only have the customary watch," was the reply.

Tom Long conveyed to Bob Roberts an account of what had taken place, and
the reduction of the guard at night; to which that sage young midshipman
replied, that the British Lion was only going to withdraw his claws
within their sheaths, but the claws were there still; and that it would
be exceedingly uncomfortable for any Malay gentleman on shore if the
said BL was to put his claws out once more.

"But I say, Tom," he exclaimed, "get the major to let you go to the
tiger-hunt."

"Do you think you can get leave?" said the ensign.

"I mean to try it on, my boy. The cap is sure to be huffy, on account
of our last affair; but nothing venture, nothing gain, and I mean to go,
somehow or another, so tigers beware. What are you laughing at?"

"The idea of you shooting a tiger," said Tom Long. "That's all."

"I daresay I could if I tried," said Bob shortly.

"I daresay you could," said Long, "but we'll see. We have to get leave
first."

"That's soon got," said Bob Roberts. "Depend upon it, I shall be
there."

"And I, too," said Tom Long; and the young fellows parted, each of them
in secret vowing that he would have the skin of the tiger he meant to
shoot, carefully dressed, lined with blue satin and scarlet cloth, and
present it to Rachel Linton as a tribute of respect.

But the tiger had first of all to be shot.

CHAPTER TW