to explain things--pointed at my house, then down the
reach. Finally, just before sunset, they hove upon the cable and dredged
the ship down nearly half a mile to the junction of the two branches of
the river--where she is now, as you might have seen."

Lingard nodded.

"That evening, after dark--I was informed--Abdulla landed for the first
time in Sambir. He was entertained in Sahamin's house. I sent Ali to the
settlement for news. He returned about nine, and reported that Patalolo
was sitting on Abdulla's left hand before Sahamin's fire. There was a
great council. Ali seemed to think that Patalolo was a prisoner, but
he was wrong there. They did the trick very neatly. Before midnight
everything was arranged as I can make out. Patalolo went back to his
demolished stockade, escorted by a dozen boats with torches. It appears
he begged Abdulla to let him have a passage in the Lord of the Isles to
Penang. From there he would go to Mecca. The firing business was alluded
to as a mistake. No doubt it was in a sense. Patalolo never meant
resisting. So he is going as soon as the ship is ready for sea. He went
on board next day with three women and half a dozen fellows as old as
himself. By Abdulla's orders he was received with a salute of seven
guns, and he has been living on board ever since--five weeks. I doubt
whether he will leave the river alive. At any rate he won't live to
reach Penang. Lakamba took over all his goods, and gave him a draft on
Abdulla's house payable in Penang. He is bound to die before he gets
there. Don't you see?"

He sat silent for a while in dejected meditation, then went on:

"Of course there were several rows during the night. Various fellows
took the opportunity of the unsettled state of affairs to pay off old
scores and settle old grudges. I passed the night in that chair there,
dozing uneasily. Now and then there would be a great tumult and yelling
which would make me sit up, revolver in hand. However, nobody was
killed. A few broken heads--that's all. Early in the morning Willems
caused them to make a fresh move which I must say surprised me not a
little. As soon as there was daylight they busied themselves in setting
up a flag-pole on the space at the other end of the settlement, where
Abdulla is having his houses built now. Shortly after sunrise there was
a great gathering at the flag-pole. All went there. Willems was standing
leaning against the mast, one arm over that woman's shoulders.