“Masther Frank,” he said, “will ye have the goodness to pinch me arm?”
“Certainly, Tim,” cried the boy.
“Aisy lad, aisy. Don’t take the pace out. Thank ye; it’s all right. I am wide awake.”
“Of course you are.”
“Oh, but I didn’t know. I thought perhaps the masther’s rat poison was still on me strong.”
“Go along; it was the wine!”
Tim’s eyes twinkled, and just then he heard himself called, and hurried in.
“It is a bit of a puzzle, Ned, isn’t it?” said Frank. “I could hardly believe it at first. Hallo! What now?”
A party of the rajah’s officers were at the gate to summon the doctor and Resident, with Murray and the boys, to an audience, both these gentlemen being at the doctor’s house.
His highness received them with a great display of genuine, manly dignity, and with a showy retinue about him. He then spoke to his visitors in the Malay tongue, the Resident translating as of old, and bade them welcome to his court, assuring them of his friendship and of that of his people as long as they would stay.