“No–o; only sorry for my people. I want to train them up to know you better, and to be ready to fight with you.”
“Fight with us?”
“Yes; not against you—fight side by side with you, so that you may help me to civilise my folks more, and join us to put down the Malay chiefs like Suleiman.”
“You don’t like Suleiman, then?”
“Like him!” said the young man scornfully. “I like no man who cannot stretch out his hand to me and take mine in an honest grasp that I can trust.”
“Of course,” cried Archie. “But then our Resident believes in Suleiman.”
“Yes, and distrusts me,” said the young man rather bitterly. “Well, they think they are right; but we shall see. I say, though, I didn’t see that French gentleman with Suleiman’s people. I expected he would be mounted upon one of the elephants.”
“No,” said Archie; “he has not been here for the last few days.”
“Forbidden to come?” said the young man.
“No–o,” said Archie; “he wouldn’t be. He is Rajah Suleiman’s friend.”