"

"What! am I not surgeon to this force, and are not all officers under
me? Here, I will make him like it. You mind what I say--I give you
leave to go."

Just then Minnie and her aunt came to the door with the Doctor's bag,
and Archie hesitated.

"Look here, Minnie," he cried, hurrying to her side; "I am going to--No,
no," he said, giving his foot a stamp, "I can't! I will not, Doctor.
Here, I will run on and get back. Look here; you see how important it
is. Here's Down coming as hard as he can to see why I have been so
long."

"Confound you, sir!" cried the Doctor. "And when I'd settled the whole
thing!--Here, you, Down, what do you want?"

The Captain came up quickly, and the state of affairs was explained,
ending with the new-comer being introduced to the two Malay officers.

"Look here," said the Doctor, turning to the Captain; "you explain
everything to the Major, and tell him I am off at once to Palm-Tree
Palace, and am keeping Archie Maine here to take my place for an hour or
two. You understand?"

"Quite," said the Captain.

"Maine thinks, as the Major has sent him with a message to me, that he
ought to go back; but your coming and the answer I send by you, I
consider, will be sufficient to exonerate your subaltern. What do you
say?"

"Oh yes, sir; quite sufficient."

"Now, Archie, my lad, are you satisfied?"

Archie turned to the Captain.

"Give me your leave too."

"Certainly. I will make it right with the Major."

"All right, then, Doctor," said Archie; and, satisfied now by the
Captain going off with the required information, the lad stayed, busied
himself with Mrs Morley and Minnie; and after seeing the Doctor mount
the kneeling elephant with his bag and instruments, and then wishing him
good speed, they stood watching the great, slowly pacing beast till, as
it turned off to reach the forest path, there was a final wave of the
hand from the Doctor, and the next minute he was out of sight.

"That's being a doctor's wife, Minnie, my child; one never knows what to
expect. Well, there, your uncle has gone off to do good. I never liked
that Rajah's looks, but I hope he isn't badly hurt. Now then, what
about this trip on the water? I really don't like your going, my dear."

"Oh auntie, how can you be so nervous?"

"I didn't like your going even when your uncle was here."

"But, Mrs Morley, there's nothing to be nervous about," cried Archie.

"My dear boy--"

"I say, hang i