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Middy and Ensign, a fiction by George Manville Fenn |
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Chapter 49. How Ali Went To Spy Out The Land |
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_ CHAPTER FORTY NINE. HOW ALI WENT TO SPY OUT THE LAND A tremor of excitement seemed to run through the attacking party; men hurried here and there; the bearers of the dammar-torches paused irresolute, and it was evident to the besieged that contrary orders were being given. It was also evident to them that the danger signal they were flying was plainly understood upon the steamer, for the noise of the engine had not been heard a minute before there was the heavy report of one of the guns, and almost simultaneously the crash of a shell, which burst over the heads of the thronging Malays, about fifty yards in front of the fort. No one seemed to be injured, but this dire instrument of warfare caused a complete scare amidst the attacking party: men running in all directions, and then seeming to go over the same ground once again, as a second shell burst with its harsh tearing metallic-sounding crack. Again came the report of a gun, and the shell burst where the Malays were thickest, sending them scurrying like wild rabbits to the nearest cover, while the steamer now glided slowly down, closer and closer in shore, till at last she covered the river-face of the fort like an outwork, and a cheer rose from the little garrison, and was answered from the "Startler" as the forces, so to speak, combined, ready to act together for their mutual defence. As the steamer was rapidly moored in her new position, men being sent ashore with cables from head and stern to make fast to the great trees a few yards from the bank, a rush at them was made by the Malays, but a few well-directed shots from the marines' rifles were sufficient to keep them at bay till the task was done; and the little garrison now joined hands with the steamer's crew in clearing the space between them. The first step taken by Captain Smithers was to regain possession of the outworks--the portion he had given up from being so short of defenders. This was accomplished without bloodshed; for upon the Malays gathering in force to withstand his efforts, they were scattered by a shell from the steamer, which cleared the way at once. This being done, and a meeting effected full of hearty congratulations, both soldiers and sailors set to work, armed with spades, to throw up a trench from the outworks of the fort to the river, the ditch being so arranged that it took in for safety the trees to which the steamer was moored, and this latter now became as it were the river-face of the fort. Night had fallen long before the work was left, and this rendered it necessary for a retreat to fort and steamer, for the hours intervening till daybreak, when, no interruption having occurred, the digging was resumed, every man toiling with his rifle at his side till the task was done. The next question was whether it would not be safer for all to take possession of the steamer, even though the extra defences had been made. Lieutenant Johnson argued that this would be the better plan, as then they could at any time effect a retreat down the river, and make for Singapore or Penang. But Captain Smithers refused to listen to this proposal. "No," he said, "it was quite open to the ladies to take up their abode on board, and probably they would be more secure there than on shore; but so far," he said, "all was surmise about the expeditionary party. For all they knew, Captain Horton, Major Sandars, and their men, might have met with the best of treatment, and at the end of a few days they might return, to find the station abandoned by those left in charge." "I only hope they may," said the lieutenant. "For my part, I feel certain that the whole of the people hereabouts are under the influence of the rajah, sultan included. But I will not oppose you, Captain Smithers, until matters come to such an extremity that it seems to me that we are uselessly risking life, then I must insist on an evacuation of the fort." "I will not oppose you then," said Captain Smithers; "but you see that now it is as if I asked you to resign your ship." Lieutenant Johnson nodded; and it having been resolved to hold out to the last, hoping the while that the expedition might return, the next proceeding seemed to be that of sending out a trustworthy spy or two, into the country and amongst the people. Both Bob Roberts and Tom Long were present at what the latter had importantly called the council of war, but nothing definite was decided upon; and, soon after, the two friends were sitting beneath the shade of one of the trees, the Malays having withdrawn to a distance, and hostilities being for the present suspended. "I think," said Tom Long, importantly, "that the ladies are quite right in declining to leave the fort. They are much safer there." Bob Roberts laughed, gazed in his companion's face, and laughed again heartily; to the very great disgust of Tom Long. "Yes," he said, gruffly, "I dare say it is very funny, and anybody can laugh like a buffoon about such an arrangement; but how are they going to be safe on board a vessel whose officers cannot keep her from running aground." "Well that's a facer, certainly," said Bob, rather warmly; "but if you come to that, where would you have been if we hadn't come to your help-- burnt out by this time, with your precious fort." "Bob Roberts," said Tom Long, solemnly, "or rather I suppose I ought to say _Mr_ Roberts--you are about the most quarrelsome fellow I ever met." "You couldn't meet yourself," said Bob, "or you would run against one ten times as quarrelsome." "If you want to fall out," said the ensign, "you might do it in a gentlemanly way." "If you want me to punch your head, Tom Long, just say so," cried Bob, hotly. "I repeat my words," said Tom Long, with hauteur. "If you wish to quarrel, sir, you might do it in a gentlemanly manner." "Gentlemanly be hanged!" cried Bob. "There's nothing gentlemanly in quarrelling or fighting." "And refer the matter to friends," continued the young military officer. Bob's face was red as that of a turkey-cock the moment before, but at these words the anger seemed to pass away like a cloud from before the sun, and he burst into a hearty fit of laughter. "Oh!" he said, "that's what you mean is it? Swords, or pistols, and seconds, early in the morning, with a doctor on the ground. Oh, I say, Tom Long, this is too delicious." "Sir!" exclaimed Tom Long. "I say it's too delicious. Duelling be hanged; it's fools' work; and I'm not quite fool enough to let a friend make a hole, or try to make a hole, in my precious carcase." "Sir, none but a coward would speak as you are speaking," cried Tom Long, indignantly. "Oh, wouldn't he?" said Bob. "Well, then, I suppose I'm a coward, for hang me if we don't get running risks enough from these coffee-coloured fellows, without trying it on among ourselves." "I thought you more of a gentleman," said Tom Long, contemptuously. "Oh, you did, did you?" said Bob; "and I'm a coward, am I? Well, look here, my lad, it's too hot now, but if you like to come on board to-night, or to-morrow morning, and take off your jacket like a man, I'll have it out with you in the gun-room, and old Dick to see fair, and you can bring Private Gray or Sergeant Lund." "What do you mean?" said Tom Long, haughtily; "swords or pistols, sir?" "Do I mean swords or pistols, sir?" said Bob, imitating the other's pompous way; "no, sir, I don't mean either. I reserve those lethal weapons, sir, for Her Majesty's enemies, sir, as an officer and a gentleman should; and when I fall out with a friend, I punch his head with my fist--like a man." "Like a man!" said Tom Long, in tones of disgust; "like a schoolboy or a blackguard." "No, sir," said Bob, still mimicking his companion; "the schoolboy or man who uses his fists is to my mind not half such a blackguard as the _gentleman_ who tries to kill a fellow in cold blood, and calls it on account of his honour." "The old contemptible argument," said Tom Long, sneering. "No one but a coward would take refuge behind such excuses." "Then I'm a coward!" said Bob, cocking his heels up on a chair, and sticking his hands in his pockets. "All right: I'm a coward; and as we used to say at school, 'give me the coward's blow,' and if you do, Tom Long, you see if I don't punch your head." Tom Long rose, and came at him menacingly, and Bob laughed in his face. "I say, Long, old man," he said, "what a jolly pair of fools we are to quarrel about nothing at all." "I never want to quarrel," said Tom Long, stiffly, for the other's mirth took him aback, "but when a fellow behaves like a coward--" "In the face of the enemy," interposed Bob, "kick him out of the service, military or naval, eh? Look here, Tommy." "For goodness' sake, sir, don't call me by that objectionably childish name," cried the ensign. "How should you like to be called Bobby?" "Not much, old boy," said the middy; "but I don't much care. Never mind, shake hands. No, don't. Let's do it mentally. Here's old Ali coming, looking as black as a civilian's hat. Hallo, Ali, old chap, ain't you precious proud of your dear fellow-countrymen?" "Poor fellows; poor fellows!" said Ali, sadly, as he looked from one to the other. "Poor fellows!" said Long. "They're a jolly set of sharks, with stings in their tails, that's what they are," said Bob. "The poor fellows have been crushed down by cruel governments, and made the slaves of piratical rajahs and cowardly sultans," cried Ali, indignantly. "They are a brave set of fellows, and they are only fighting against you because they are set on by their leaders." "Then all I can say is," said Bob, "that I should like to have a pop at their leaders. But cheer up, old chap, you needn't look so down-hearted." "Not look down-hearted," cried Ali, passionately, "how can I look otherwise? Where is my father? Where are our friends? What is my position here? Do you think it gives me pleasure to see the poor brave men who are fighting against you shot down by your guns? It makes me wretched." "Well, never mind," cried Bob, kindly, as he rose and clapped the young chief on the shoulder. "It will all come right in the end." "I hope so," said Ali; "but tell me, what have you decided to do?" "Well, that's announcing the secrets of the council of war," said Bob. "Shall I tell him, Long?" "Oh, yes, we can trust him," replied the ensign. "We are going to stay and fight it out." "Of course, of course," said Ali, nodding. "You could not give up. You must not give up." "But we want to get some news of the expedition party, by sending a trustworthy spy," said Bob. "Can you get us a man whom you can trust?" Ali stood thinking for a few moments, and then shook his head sadly. "They would all say the risk is too great. They would lose their lives if discovered." "Then what is to be done?" cried Bob. Ali stood thinking for a few moments in silence, and then he looked frankly from one to the other. "I will go myself," he said. The two young men stared at him. "You?" they exclaimed in one breath. "Why, just now you said the risk was too great." "That the men would lose their lives!" cried Bob Roberts. "If they were discovered!" exclaimed Tom Long. "Yes," said Ali, quietly, and he smiled back in their astonished faces. "And yet you would run that risk?" said Bob Roberts. "Yes: why not?" "But for us?" "Is one's life to be devoted to oneself?" said Ali calmly. "I am not as you are. You are Christians. I am a follower of the prophet. We call you dogs and giaours. You look upon us with contempt. But men are but men, the whole world over, and it seems to me that one's life cannot be better spent than in trying to do good to one's friends." "But," said Tom Long, "you would be fighting against your friends, the Malays." "No," said Ali, mournfully. "I should be fighting for them in doing anything that would free them from the rule of idle sensualists and pirates." "I tell you what," cried Bob Roberts, enthusiastically, "we'll whop old Hamet and Rajah Gantang out of their skins, and you shall be sultan instead, or your father first and you afterwards." Ali's eyes flashed as he turned them upon the speaker. "You could be chief banjo, you know," said Bob. "Chief--banjo?" said Ali, wonderingly. "No, no; I mean gong--Tumongong," cried Bob. "Oh, yes," said Ali, smiling. "But no, no: that is a dream. Let us be serious. One of your people could not go, it would be impossible; but I am a Malay, and if I dress myself as a common man--a slave--I could follow where the hunting-party went, and find out all you want to know." "No, no," cried Bob, earnestly, "I should not like that." "Like what, Mr Roberts?" said a voice that made them start; and turning sharply, they saw Captain Smithers standing by them, with Lieutenant Johnson. "Mr Ali here wants to dress up as a common Malay, sir, and go as a spy to get news of the hunting-party." "It would be excellent," cried the lieutenant. "Mr Ali, you would confer a lasting favour upon us." "But have you thought of the risk?" said Captain Smithers. "I have thought of everything," said the young man, quietly. They all sat down together under the shade of the great tree where they were, and the matter was talked over, it being decided that from time to time Ali was to send messengers with news of his progress, if he could find any trustworthy enough; and all being arranged, he left them, to make preparations for his departure, shaking hands warmly with all, and then going towards the barracks, but only to return directly. "As you may suppose," he said, "my success depends upon my not being apparently known to you; so if a strange Malay is seen leaving your lines, don't let him be fired at." "Of course not: I see," exclaimed Captain Smithers. "But shall we see you again?" "Not to speak to," replied Ali, smiling; and as soon as he had gone, Captain Smithers walked across the ground to give orders about a strange Malay being allowed to leave. Lieutenant Johnson returned on board the steamer with Bob Roberts; and Tom Long, after seating himself comfortably in one chair with his legs in another, went off fast asleep. Half an hour after, when all was very still in the burning heat of the sun, when not a breath of air rippled the river or rustled through the trees; when Englishman and Malay were resting, and the very sentries had hard work to keep from going to sleep at their posts, there was a soft rustling noise in the tree beneath which Tom Long was sleeping; and after this had been repeated several times a lithe Malay softly descended till he was within six or eight feet of the ground, when he slipped and fell, but regained his feet instantly, as Tom Long started into wakefulness and clapped his hand to his sword, upon seeing the strange Malay just before him. The Malay, however, raised one hand deprecatingly, and smiled a very significant smile as he turned to go. "Here, stop! surrender! Why--Oh! I say, Ali; that's capital," he said, as the Malay still smiled at him. "You quite took me in." The Malay smiled and nodded, and walked straight off to where a sentry was watching them both; and the man, seeing the Malay come straight from his officer, made way, saluted, and the dark figure passed from the fortified lines and walked away towards where the enemy lay amongst the trees. "That's a brave thing to do," muttered Tom Long, and resuming his seat he took another sleep, and was awakened the next time by Captain Smithers laying his hand upon his shoulder. "Ali has gone," he said. "Yes, I know," said Tom Long. "He quite took me in. It was a splendid disguise." "Capital!" said Captain Smithers. "The very sentries were puzzled." "Yes, of course they would be," replied Tom Long; and the captain walked away. "The sentries must have been puzzled before he came to me," said Tom Long to himself. "That man yonder, though, seemed to take it as a matter of course. I shall be very glad, though, when all this hiding and dodging is over, and the hunting-party are back, for I am not going to believe that they are in danger after all." And yet Tom Long did believe it, and was as uneasy as the rest; but it was his way of trying to put a good face upon matters. _ |
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