'I will go with you,' Captain Thorne replied, 'and will take my second officer and the apprentice. They can corroborate my statements.'
The barque was re-anchored, all her canvas was stowed, and, leaving Mr. Sennit in charge, the 'prisoners' were conveyed to the British wardship then in port. The Dutch consul had also arrived.
After explanations and some discussion the court adjudged the 'prisoners' free of blame, but at the same time expressed a hope that greater care in mixing with the natives should be observed.
'What more could I have done?' Captain Thorne sharply observed. 'We were at the mercy of those scoundrels, and thanked our stars when clear of them.'
It appeared that Kalli Lal and his followers had boarded the steamer, which was known to contain considerable specie for Batavia, and when surprised they made desperate resistance, till all were slain.
After this the Dutchmen turned their attention to the island community and its chief. The latter stoutly denied all knowledge of the affair, and being unable to bring any further charges of piracy against him the Dutchmen spared his life, but kept him close prisoner at Batavia.
Thus ended the strange adventure of Jack Clewlin among Malay pirates; yet he was not to quit that part of the world without another, but wholly different, experience of life in Eastern waters.
The moment Captain Thorne returned to his vessel orders to sail were issued. With a fresh but contrary wind the 'Alert' got under way, and throughout the remainder of that day beat up through the Malacca Strait for Hong Kong. Toward sundown the wind failed, and within an hour she was scarcely moving, while a small island loomed darkly five miles off the port bow.
From the forecastle-head Mr. Sennit reported the stealthy approach of what looked like two large canoes filled with men. Captain Thorne peered at them through his glasses, and believed that under cover of night the natives intended to attack the vessel, or, at anyrate, to steal whatever they could handle.
'They don't seem in much of a hurry, sir,' the mate said.