“Oh, we know why you come here, Dicky,” said another of the firemen, who had just been stoking a furnace, and whose face shone with perspiration. “You said to yourself, you did, there’s them poor chaps down there in the engine-room getting half-roasted, and with their throats as dry as brown paper; now, being a good-hearted sort of fellow as I am, I’ll just go down below and say to ’em, a nice cooling drink o’ lime juice and water with a dash o’ rum in it, is what you all wants in a big tin can. Shall I get it for you? That’s what you come down here to say.”
“Blest if ever I see such a clever chap as you are, Sam Walsh,” cried Dick, slapping his leg and laughing. “You can read a fellow just as if he was made up o’ large print and big leaves. You’ve really hit it, but you see a drink like that wants mixing; and don’t you see, though you may drink it cold it wants hot water to mix it? and that’s what I did come about—more hot water.”
“To mix up for us, Dick?” said the engineer, laughing.
“No,” said Dick, “I didn’t say that, my lad,” and a bigger grin came over his face; “what I want is the hot water to mix the grog for the niggers, as it seems they liked the last dose so much, that I’m to get ready some more.”
“There’s plenty—hot enough for anything, Dick,” said the engineer, “and I’ll keep up the supply.”
“Silence below there!” cried a voice; and the engineer gave his subordinates a nod.
“You’d better get on deck, Dick, old man,” he said quietly; and then in response to a signal from above, he seized and altered a couple of handles, listened for a fresh order, and slackened the speed of the engine; while Dick went back on deck, satisfied that there was an abundant supply of hot water ready for the next action, and seeing that the island was once more in sight.
A party of Malays were at the head, but they disappeared amidst the trees as the steamer came steadily down stream, while now as they drew nearer the sounds of smart firing could be heard, telling that an engagement was in progress. Smoke, too, was rising slowly above the feathery palm-trees, but not in such dense volumes as that which could still be seen spreading out like a cloud above the jungle, where the prahu was burning.
A sharp series of orders followed, and every man stood at his post; for boats could be seen going to and from the island, and it was plain enough to the meanest comprehension on deck that if they meant to aid the occupants of the fort they had come none too soon.