FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   32   33   34   35   36   37   38   39   40   41   42   43   44   45   46   47   48   49   50   51   52   53   54   55   56  
57   58   59   60   61   62   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75   76   77   78   79   80   81   >>   >|  
on for calling me up I will make you smart for it, the first time you get under my hands. Whom have we got here?" "He is a messenger from Hassan; he mentioned our names and yours." "Ah, I am glad of that," the doctor said, rubbing his hands together; "they have been chaffing me in the wardroom about it, and prophesying that I should never hear of him again. Well, what does he say?" "He has not said anything except our names, Doctor, and that he comes from Hassan. I don't suppose he knows any more English, and I thought we had better consult you, whether it would be best to send for Soh Hay; he may have brought some message of importance." "Right, lad. I think the most prudent thing will be to tell the captain first. It may only be a message to say why he has not come, or it may be a matter of some importance. I will go to him at once." Two or three minutes later he returned. "You are to bring him to the captain's cabin. Here, Davis, pass the word forward that the captain wants to see Soh Hay in his cabin." Harry touched the native, who had been standing quietly by his side, and signed him to accompany them, and with Dr. Horsley and Dick went direct to the cabin. "So your friend has sent a message at last, lad?" Captain Forest said. "I am glad of that, for I own that I had doubts whether we should hear any more of him." "You come from the chief Hassan?" the captain, who had been working at the Malay language, with the interpreter, since he had arrived at the mouth of the river, asked in that tongue. The man's face brightened. "Yes, my lord," he said. "Is he well?" "The chief is quite well." "I wish I knew enough to question him without Soh Hay's interference, but I shall only make a mess of it, and, perhaps, get a wrong idea altogether of his message. Now, Soh Hay," he broke off as the interpreter entered, "you will ask this man the questions exactly as I put them, and tell me his answer word for word. It may be of importance. Now ask him first what message he brings from his chief to the officers." The question was put, and the native, speaking slowly and quietly, and evidently repeating a lesson that he had learned by heart, said, "The chief sends his greeting to his three friends, Harry, Dick, and Doctor, also to Captain. He is well in body; he is cured, and can throw a spear and lead his men to battle. He has sent four messengers one after another, but none have returned with an answer;
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   32   33   34   35   36   37   38   39   40   41   42   43   44   45   46   47   48   49   50   51   52   53   54   55   56  
57   58   59   60   61   62   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75   76   77   78   79   80   81   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

message

 

captain

 
importance
 

Hassan

 

answer

 

question

 

returned

 
Doctor
 

interpreter

 

Captain


quietly

 

native

 

doubts

 
working
 
tongue
 

brightened

 

language

 
arrived
 

questions

 

friends


greeting
 

messengers

 
battle
 

learned

 

lesson

 

altogether

 

entered

 

slowly

 

evidently

 
repeating

speaking

 

brings

 

officers

 
interference
 

minutes

 
prophesying
 
thought
 

consult

 

English

 
suppose

wardroom

 
chaffing
 
calling
 

messenger

 

rubbing

 

doctor

 

mentioned

 
standing
 
signed
 

touched