THE PIRATES' STRONGHOLD
"But massa may happen to be seen," interrupted Li Sung, who had listened intently. "Supposing Malay or sea Dyak come suddenly up while huntin' in de forest, and see de white man? Den him runee for him life, and shout dat de enemy am near. And velly soon de white man havee him head right off—a-a-ah!"
Li Sung grasped at his pigtail, and, lifting it well above his head, made as if to sever his neck with the long blade which dangled from his belt.
"Not nicee, dat," he went on with a grimace. "Dis Dutchman wantee de head of massa, and massa him likee to choppee de head of de pirate leader. Velly fine, but massa must havee plenty care. Suppose you go like de Dyak? Den if de pirates see you dey tink you one of demselves and not shout and try to takee de head."
Li Sung cocked his head knowingly on one side and looked at Tyler anxiously, for he thought much of the young Englishman who had so suddenly come into his life, and was fearful for his safety.
"Den p'r'aps you be able to takee plenty fine sight of de stockade," he added eagerly. "Besides, Li Sung him knowee de river, and draw him for you so."
Reminding Tyler that he had once been one of the pirates, though much against his will, and had been with them into the Sarebus river, the Chinaman again dragged his sword from his belt, and, clearing a wide patch of sandy ground from fallen leaves, began to roughly outline the course of the river and the position of the Malay towns and stockades.
As for our hero, the suggestion which Li Sung had just made occupied his thoughts almost to the exclusion of all others, though when the sketch was completed he followed each line with the utmost attention, and, not satisfied with that, transferred the drawing to a scrap of crinkled and dirty paper which he happened by good chance to have with him. But he did not allow the question of disguise to escape him, and at once returned to it.
"There is no doubt that the sight of a white man other than the Dutchman or a European who is in league with him would at once raise the neighbourhood. Hanns Schlott and his men would immediately guess that I was near at hand, and that would put them on their guard and ruin our plans. Besides, there is no doubt that it would mean the destruction of the tribe who have selected me as leader, for our numbers are ridiculously small when compared with the pirates, while we are practically unarmed. We should be cut to pieces in the jungle, and that would be the end of our journey. No, I must go as a Dyak or as a Malay, and in that way escape observation."