"He is the new king of all this land," said Rain. "He is ever so busy shooting robbers, saving English sailors who are war slaves of the chiefs, opening old mines of stuff called diamonds and gold, which is not to eat, or to wear, or to keep the tipi warm."
Under the poop awnings Brooke of Sarawak sat at a table writing.
"He makes the power-message every day for his old mother. Peep over his shoulder and tell me. No? Of course—you say you are a chief. But what is the use of being a chief, a gent-le-man, when nobody can see you. Oh, do look!"
Gentleman though he was, being greatly tempted, Rising Wolf took one step, and read the words to Rain. "'I breathe peace,' he writes, 'and comfort to all who obey; and wrath and fury to the evil-doer.'"
"His medicine," said Rain, "is very strong this day; but sometimes my man or I must nurse him through the fever. Now he thinks about his friend whose name is so hard to say—Captainharry Keppel. We will go, see."
In Malacca Strait they found Harry Keppel's ship, H.M.S. Dido, having a fight with a number of pirate junks, one being afire and sinking. "I like fights best," said Rain, "don't you?"
"But I thought you set up as a holy woman!"
"That's to help my man, and other people, but I'm really and truly bad most of the time. Storm likes you, for instance, but I've always thought you hateful."
"We never met until yesterday!"
Rain chuckled. "Why, we've looked after you for years. My Secret Helper told me I must train myself by praying for some one I hated, so I took you. Then of course I had to help that other Stoneheart, No-man, who is poison. I loathe you both—like fruits and vegetables."