pany! Look at the crowd."

"Well, we shall keep them back so as to allow plenty of room for the
evolutions."

"Yes; but, let alone the country-people, every man with his kris, there
are the military followers of those two Rajahs in full array."

"Military! Phit! My dear Dallas!"

"Ah, you laugh, sir. Why, roughly speaking, each of those two chiefs
has got a following of about five hundred men--say a thousand."

"Yes, I dare say," said the Major; "but they are not all together."

"No, they are divided so that we have a strong force on either side.
You despise them; but have you thought of the consequences that might
follow our being enclosed by two such bodies of men?"

"Oh yes," said the Major coolly. "Might. But, my dear boy, have you
thought of the consequences that might follow if I told my lads to close
up and face outwards, and began to deal with our visitors? Look at
them," he continued, as he pointed towards the perfectly drilled
detachment drawn up in the centre of the parade-ground waiting for the
order to commence the evolutions connected with the military display.

"Oh yes, they are everything that could be expected from a handful of
British infantry."

"Handful, sir! Why, I've got three hundred men on the ground. Every
fellow's under arms, and we are going to show these niggers what we
could do if ever we were called upon. Error of judgment, sir! The
whole thing's a grand idea; and after it's over, these Malays will go
away with a ten times higher idea of England's strength than they had
before."

"I don't know," said the Resident. "Look at those fierce-looking
fellows there gathered round the elephants and their gaudily dressed
chiefs. Look at that haughty fellow Suleiman, with his chiefs and
spearmen clustering round him looking as if they were awaiting their
prince's order to charge down upon us and sweep us all out of the
district."

"Oh yes, I see," said the Major, chuckling.

"And here on the other side, right away to the river, there is this
doubtful fellow Hamet with his lot of elephants and men, a stronger
party than Suleiman's."

"I see. I hope there won't be any row."

"Oh, don't suggest such a thing!"

"Why not? They are in touch with the others."

"Yes; and at a word could combine."

"Ah, I am not afraid of that," said the Major. "I was thinking about
their jealousy, and the possibility of a row between them."

"I don't believe in the jealousy. I believe i