nning to feel the effect of their walk in the hot sun,
and in consequence they trudged back rather silently to where the
peacock had been hung, and this was borne in triumph back to the boat,
where the rest of the men were patiently awaiting their return.

"Wonder what they've got ready for us," said Frank, rousing up a little
as they came near the river.

"Got ready? What, refreshments? Will they have anything?"

"There'll be a tremendous uproar if they have not," cried Frank. "The
rajah is a regular old pirate, as my father says, and he helps himself
to whatever he fancies from everybody round, but there's nothing stingy
about him as you'll find."

The lad was quite right in his surmises respecting refreshments, for the
men had quite a pleasant little repast spread, and most welcome of all,
a great piece of bamboo, about five feet long, hanging from the side of
the boat in the full sunshine, with one end swaying in the river.

"Look at that!" cried Frank. "Know what that is?"

"A very thick piece of bamboo."

"Yes, but what's in it?"

"I did not know anything was in it."

"But you will know directly. That's the big decanter, with a whole lot
of deliriously cool drink in it. I don't know what it is, only that
it's the old chap's favourite tipple, and it's precious good."

"Is it wine?"

"Oh no; at least perhaps they call it wine. It's somehow made with the
sap out of the palm-trees, with cocoa-nut milk and fruit juice. I don't
know, and it doesn't matter. As soon as you get your lips to a cup of
it, you don't want anybody to talk to you till it's done."

Ned soon had an opportunity of putting the contents of the bamboo to the
test, and he quite agreed with Frank's description, for it was delicious
after the long hot walk, and they all sat enjoying their meal as the
boat glided rapidly down stream now, the men merely dipping their oars
from time to time to keep her head straight. They had spent a far
longer time than Ned had expected, and the sun was sinking behind the
jungle as the village was reached, and they disembarked, Hamet being
ready to bear the spoils of the day up to the house, where Murray
intended to commence preparing the skins at once, but found that Mr
Braine was in waiting to insist upon the two newcomers dining with him
at his place.

"Never mind them," he cried, as Murray pointed to his specimens; "you
can get hundreds more at any time, and Barnes and his people will be
horri