mistake?" said the Captain. "Why, how come you here?"

"Only I have my lanterrne and collecting-box, and come down the river to
catch specimens of the beautiful moth for the naturalists at home in
France. I land from my boat, and the boat come to take me away; but
your sentry man re-fuse to let me go."

"Collecting--lantern!" said the Captain.

"Yes, sir. Look. I fear my beautiful specimens are spoiled in the
pannier here. He use me very bad."

"You mean that you were collecting moths?" said Archie dubiously, as he
recalled the rustling sounds he had heard below the veranda that night.

"Yes, sir," said Smithers gruffly. "I suppose it's right, what he says,
about collecting. Here's one of his tools;" and he handed the
beautifully finished little revolver to the young officer.

"Humph!" grunted the Captain.--"Well, sir, I'm sorry if our sentry
behaved roughly to you, but he was only obeying orders, and you ought to
know that you had no business here."

"All a mistake, Captain. You will please make signals for my boat to
come."

"All in good time, sir," said the Captain, in response to a nudge given
by his subaltern; "but you must come up first and make your explanation
to the Major."

"What! It is not necessary, sir."

"You think so, sir?" said Captain Down. "I and my brother officer think
it is."

Directly after the relief party and their prisoner were on their way to
headquarters.

CHAPTER NINE.

THE MAJOR ON HEDGING.

"Look here, Dallas," said the Major; "I think your diplomacy and arguing
and writing despatches is a great nuisance."

"You will think better of it some day, sir," said the Resident.

"Never!" said the Major warmly; and his ruddy, sun-browned face grew
redder, while his stiff, silvery-grey moustache and short-cut hair
seemed to bristle. "Of course I know you must have troubles, sir, with
other nations, and people like these Malays, who are subservient to us;
but when they come, let's fight and bring them to their senses.--What do
you say to that, Archie Maine?"

"Spoken like a soldier, sir," cried Archie quickly.

"Good!" cried the Major. "Your writing despatches and minutes and
red-tape and all the rest of it to a fellow like that Rajah Suleiman is
all waste of energy. Here you are supposed to be guiding him."

"I hope and believe I am guiding him, sir," said the Resident coldly.

"Bah! He and his people are growing more impudent every day. It's
bound to end