What then had been his fate?
“To the ‘djaga monjet!’ ”
Yes! It was indeed to that very same dismal hut in the mangrove swamp by the Moeara Tjatjing, to which we introduced our readers in our first chapters, that the band of horsemen was now riding at full speed.
They carefully avoided all the dessas which lay on the road, a thing which they could easily do as they were perfectly acquainted with all the bye-paths. They shunned even the guard-houses, not being certain that the watchmen stationed there could be implicitly trusted. Thus, without let or hindrance, the little troop rode on, and the day was just beginning to break when they reached the mangrove wood, in which the “djaga monjet” was situated.
When they carried van Gulpendam, still bound hand and foot, into the hut, they found Lim Ho there. He had been brought in some time before, and was lying stretched out at full length upon the wretched flooring. He also was bound so tightly that he could not move hand or foot. At a signal from a tall, slim Javanese, who appeared to be the leader of the band, the cords which bound the unhappy prisoners were loosened, and the gags were removed from their mouths.
Around them stood about twenty Javanese, all unrecognisable, with blackened faces and fully armed.
The Chinaman uttered not a word, he seemed prostrate with terror. The sudden shock appeared to have annihilated him.
But, as soon as the European felt that he was free, he stretched his limbs, and in a voice of conscious dignity he said:
“Are you aware that I am the kandjeng toean Resident?”
“Yes, kandjeng toean,” replied the leader in a tone of mock humility.