"'Do you intend to serve me always, and be a good sailor?' was the first question that Neptune addressed to the subject before him.
"As the man opened his mouth to answer, the shaving-brush was thrust into it. The brush was a swab made of yarn, and the lather consisted of coarse soap mixed with water from the tub where the grindstone stood. The shaving was performed with a rusty iron hoop, and without any tenderness or delicacy. The victims were made to go through the performance in spite of their struggles, and when it was over the majority of them found their faces covered with scratches that lasted for several days.
"The ceremony very rarely takes place nowadays on merchant-ships, and only occasionally on men-of-war. No rudeness is now allowed on the part of Neptune and his assistants, and the sport is confined to drenching the greenhorns by getting them under a sail filled with water, or playing some other harmless prank. Generally all the officers come on deck to meet Neptune on his arrival, and there is a partial relaxation of discipline for half an hour or so."
The subject was dropped, and the boys devoted themselves to studying the appearance of the water, and the varying light and shadow on the Sumatran coast, which was constantly in sight. Suddenly Frank said he had thought of something he wished to ask the Doctor.
His question had reference to the Malay pirates, of which he had often read, and he wished to know if he was not in the vicinity of those disagreeable men.
"We are in their neighborhood," said the Doctor; "but I don't think we need fear anything from them."
"Of course not," cried Fred; "they would never disturb a steamer like this."
"Not unless she was disabled, and in their power," responded Frank; "and then, I suppose, they would not show much mercy."
"As to that," remarked the Doctor, "it is difficult to lay down an invariable rule. The pirates pursue their trade for love of gain, and are not likely to rush to destruction. If they should get in the way of this vessel she would be likely to run their boats down, and that would be an end of them. They have a wholesome fear of a steamer, and are careful to keep out of her way.
"Twenty or thirty years ago there were a great many pirates all through the Malay Archipelago. They carried on their business as an American would deal in wheat or conduct a hotel, and there were whole towns and villages entirely supported by piracy. They attacked Chinese or other native boats, and they also overpowered European ships that were becalmed in the straits between the numerous islands. The crews were murdered, or sold into slavery in many instances, while in others they were released after much suffering. The evil became so great that some of the civilized nations sent ships of war to destroy the villages where the pirates had their resorts, and also to capture the pirate craft.