He'd never have
forgiven you. Had he got on his grand uniform? Yes, he would have, to
show himself off, and he does look comic in it too. You see it was made
for him at a guess in London; and, my! it is rum to see him straddling
about in it sometimes. He's just like a peacock, and as proud of his
feathers. But if you had laughed it would have been horrible. So mind
what you are about, for he's sure to ask you some day, and he'll call
you `goo-ood boy' if you eat enough. I taught the old cock parrot to
say that. But, I say, aren't you getting hungry?"

"Yes," said Ned, quickly, for that seemed to account for a faint feeling
from which he suffered.

"So am I. Daresay the old croc is," said the lad, grinning.

"Oh!" cried Ned, offering his hand, "I am grateful to you for that."

"Stuff! That's all right."

"I shall never be able to repay you."

"How do you know? Some day you'll catch an elephant putting me in his
trunk, or one of our prize striped torn tigers carrying me off, like a
cat and a mouse. Then it will be your turn. Come on and have breakfast
with us."

"No, I can't leave my uncle."

"Then I'll come and have breakfast with you. Old Jamjah will send you
your rations, and they will be good till you offend him. Then you'd
better look out for squalls."

"What do you mean?"

"Poison. But old Barnes will put you up to some dodges to keep that
off, I daresay. Yes, I am hungry. Come on."

CHAPTER NINE.

NED LOSES HIS HAT.

The two lads had grown in an hour as intimate as if they had been
friends for months, and they were chatting away together as they
approached Murray's house, where Hamet was standing looking out.

"Hah!" he cried; "you are here. The master has been looking for you,
and is gone again."

"Here he comes!" cried Ned's new companion, taking off and waving his
cap as Murray came striding up, looked strangely at the Resident's son,
and then turned to his nephew.

"I was getting anxious about you," he said. "Keep by me, my boy. Come
along to breakfast. We are going up the river directly after. Mr
Braine has been to say we are to go on with our work at once, and land
and examine some hills about ten miles up."

"I know," said Ned's companion, "Gunong Bu."

Murray turned upon him sharply, but the lad was in nowise abashed.

"I'll go with you, and show you. I know the way through the jungle.
There's an old path. I've been--"

"Thank you," said Murray, coldl