“Nothing to show,” cried the former. “I say, Ned, you got too far away. I thought at one time I’d lost you. Why, where’s your hat?”
“Lost it,” replied the boy, looking toward Frank as he spoke.
That young gentleman was laughing at him, and this so roused Ned’s ire, sore and smarting as he was, that he did not attempt to make any explanation of his mishap, feeling assured that he would only be laughed at the more, for not looking which way he went.
They were all beginning to feel the effect of their walk in the hot sun, and in consequence they trudged back rather silently to where the peacock had been hung, and this was borne in triumph back to the boat, where the rest of the men were patiently awaiting their return.
“Wonder what they’ve got ready for us,” said Frank, rousing up a little as they came near the river.
“Got ready? What, refreshments? Will they have anything?”
“There’ll be a tremendous uproar if they have not,” cried Frank. “The rajah is a regular old pirate, as my father says, and he helps himself to whatever he fancies from everybody round, but there’s nothing stingy about him as you’ll find.”
The lad was quite right in his surmises respecting refreshments, for the men had quite a pleasant little repast spread, and most welcome of all, a great piece of bamboo, about five feet long, hanging from the side of the boat in the full sunshine, with one end swaying in the river.
“Look at that!” cried Frank. “Know what that is?”
“A very thick piece of bamboo.”