"We've got a man stabbed just in the same way--"
and I told him of our adventures.

"They're nice ones," said Barkins sourly. "I don't think our chaps will
want to take many prisoners next time. But I say, what a crusher for
them--all four junks, and not a man to go back and tell the tale."

"It's glorious," I cried, forgetting the horrors in our triumph.

"For you," said Barkins sourly.

"Why for me? You and poor old Smith did your part. Don't be so jolly
envious."

"Envious? Come, I like that," he cried. "If you felt as if something
red-hot was being stuck in your leg you'd feel envious too. You're the
luckiest beggar that ever was, and never get hurt or anything."

"No more do you," I said, laughing.

"Oh, don't I? What do you call that, then?" he cried, swinging his legs
round, for he was sitting with one of them under the table.

To my horror and astonishment, I saw that his leg was bandaged, and a
red stain was showing through.

"Why, Tanner, old chap," I cried, catching his hand as my eyes were
blurred; "I didn't know you were hurt."

He looked quite pleased at my weakness, and the emotion I showed.

"Oh, it ain't much," he said, smiling and holding on to my hand very
tightly; "but it pringles and sticks a bit, I mean stingles--no, I
don't! My tongue's getting all in a knot, it tingles and pricks a bit.
I say, Gnat, old chap, you don't think those chaps carry poisoned
knives, do you?"

"What, like the Malays? Oh no."

"I'm glad of that, because it made me feel a bit funky. I thought this
stinging might mean the poison spreading."

"Oh no, don't think that," I cried; "and some one told me a Malay prince
said it was all nonsense about the knives being poisoned."

"He did?"

"Yes; he laughed, and said there was no need to poison them, they were
quite sharp enough to kill a man without."

"That depends on where you put it in," said Barkins grimly.

"Yes," I said; "but what did the doctor say?"

"What about?"

"Your leg."

"He hasn't seen it yet."

"Why, Tanner," I cried, "you haven't had it properly bandaged."

"No; I felt so sick when I got on board, that I sneaked off here to lie
down a bit. Besides, he had poor old Blacksmith to see to, and the
other chaps."

"But didn't he see the bandage when you went there?"

"No; there was no bandage then. It's only a bit of a scratch; I tied it
up myself."

"How was it?"

"I don't hardly know. It was done in a scuffle somehow,