“Make it kill people, of course,” said Bob, returning the rusty looking weapon to its scabbard.
“Kris kill people all same, no poison,” said the Kling, taking back his dagger. “’Tick kris through man, no want no poison, sahib.”
“He’s about right there, middy,” said Tom Long. “Here, let’s look at some fruit.”
This brought Bob Roberts back to the object of his mission; and realising at once that Tom Long’s object was a present, he, by what he considered to be a lucky inspiration, turned his attention to the flowers that were in the boat.
For the Malays are a flower-loving people, and there is nothing the dark beauties of this race like better than decking their jetty-black hair with white and yellow sweet-scented blossoms.
Bob was not long in securing a large bunch of arums, all soft and white, with the great yellow seed vessel within. To this he added a great bunch of delicately tinted lotus, and then sat down on the edge of the boat to see what Long would purchase.
Tom Long was hard to please; now he would decide on a bunch of delicious golden plantains, and then set them aside in favour of some custard apples. Then he wondered whether the ladies would not prefer some mangoes; but recollecting that they had had plenty of mangoes, and the delicious mangosteen in India, he decided upon some limes and a couple of cocoanuts, when the Kling exclaimed, “Why not sahib buy durian?”
“What the dickens is durian?” said Tom.
“Durian best nice fruit that grow, sahib.”
“Oh, is it?” said Tom. “Then let’s have a look.”