“Call your mates,” ordered Lim Ho. In an instant the whole boat’s crew was present.
“Tie me up those scoundrels,” cried Lim Ho, “make them fast,” he said, as he pointed to Liem King and Than Khan. “Tie them up, and securely too, do you hear me!”
The men readily obeyed, it was the work of an instant. Nothing in this world gave these fellows greater delight than to be allowed to lay their hands upon a Chinaman. They set to work as roughly, as brutally as they could. The knots were tied and they hauled upon the ropes with a will. The wretched victims groaned with the pain.
Oh! if ever it should come to an outbreak, then woe to the Celestials in Java, they would find but little mercy. Who knows—were such a catastrophe to take place they might not be the only race to suffer. There are others who might get into trouble too!
When both the Chinese spies were firmly secured, Lim Ho called to his men.
“Now, my lads, now for a hunt! A girl—little Dalima—has escaped from us and we must get her back. Five hundred ‘ringgiets’ six dollars to the man who finds her and brings her in!”
With a ringing cheer the boat’s crew dashed from the hut.
When they had left, Lim Ho ordered one of his followers to hand him his pipe. He filled the small bowl with the slender bamboo stem with extremely fine-cut tobacco, then he lit the pipe and began to blow the smoke from his nostrils. Thereupon he took a seat on the only chair the hut contained. It was a rough and clumsy piece of furniture, cut out of the wood with a clasp-knife. The other Chinamen sat down cross-legged on the floor, while their captain once again turned to Ardjan.
“Come now,” said he, “just you tell us how you managed to get Dalima out of the Kiem Ping Hin. You knew well enough, did you not, that I wanted the girl? But, look you, no lies! No lies, mind you! Your life is in my hands; you are aware of that, I hope.”
Ardjan could but utter a deep sigh. He begged that his hands might be slackened if but a little. “To be trussed up like this,” said he, “is unbearable torture.”