“But—”
“Do you want to throw away two lives that are valuable to our friends?” whispered the Resident. “Do as I do. It is folly to resist now.”
That moment the rajah spoke again, the men formed up around Murray and Mr Braine, and their leader said something to the latter.
“Come, Murray,” he said, bitterly. “I have drilled these men to some purpose. We are prisoners, I suppose.”
He took his companion’s arm, and they were marched off through the darkness.
“Where will they take us?” said Murray, who was raging with pain and indignation at his inability to struggle against such force.
“To a boat, I suppose, and then put us on board one of the prahus,” replied Mr Braine. “I might have known what would come of all these years of service.”
They marched on in silence for a minute or two, and then Mr Braine uttered an ejaculation full of surprise; for their guards faced round to the left, and marched the prisoners into the Resident’s own garden, where the leader said a few words and pointed up.
“Prisoner in my own place?” said Mr Braine to the officer.
“His highness commands that neither you nor the bird man leaves the house till he gives orders.”