o and ask him?"

"By-and-by. Look at your friend."

"Why? What do you mean?"

"He looks as if he felt that he was being left out in the cold."

Archie glanced at the young Rajah, who was sitting back picking his
cigarette to pieces; and then his attention was taken up by seeing the
big, bluff Sergeant of the regiment making his way behind the chairs to
where the Doctor was seated.

"It's all right, Maine," said the Captain; "you needn't go. The Major's
sent Patient Job, as the lads call him, to ask old Bolus what he means
by insulting the French guest."

"Get out! Somebody taken ill. I hope it's none of the ladies."

The Doctor nodded, and left his chair, to follow the Sergeant, just as
the Major rose again to propose the health of the regiment's other guest
that evening, Maharajah Hamet, another of the chiefs, who had declared
himself the friend of their Queen and country.

The toast was quietly received, and quietly replied to in a few
well-spoken words by the young Prince, not without eliciting some
remarks at his mastery of English; and soon after the party broke up in
smoke, the officers strolling down to the banks of the river, where the
landing-place was gay with Chinese lanterns hung here and there and
ornamenting the two nagas of the Rajahs lying some distance apart and
filled by the well-armed followers of the chiefs, one of whom was
heartily cheered by those assembled as he slowly walked in company with
his French companion to take his seat, before, in response to three or
four sonorous notes from a gong, the yellow-uniformed rowers dipped
their oars lightly, to keep the dragon-boat in mid-stream so that it
might be borne swiftly onward.

The young Rajah Hamet remained some few minutes longer, after taking his
leave of the Major and officers, and then, accompanied by Captain Down
and Archie, he walked slowly along to where a guard of the English
infantry was drawn up, the chief's men being waiting in their places,
ready to push off.

"Don't take this as a compliment," said the young Malay. "It is all
sincere, and I can make you very welcome in good old English fashion as
long as you like to stay--you, Captain Down, and you, Maine. You make
the Captain come too. I promise you plenty of sport. My shikaris know
their business. Once more, good-night."

He stepped back, the long, live-looking boat glided off, and the rowers'
oars dipped with the vim and accuracy of an eight-oared racer on th