A few shots from the rifles of the rescue party were sufficient though, to turn the tables, the prahu, after the loss of about a dozen men, beating a retreat up stream.
Two days later the sultan sent a couple of prahus full of armed men to demand the return of his wives.
Hollins and Beecher were both present when the sultan's officers were received in audience, and Beecher, whose arm was in a sling, acted as interpreter between them and the major.
"If I did what I liked, sir," said the young officer, "I'd bid them tell their master to come and fetch the girls."
"Well, that's not a bad message, Beecher," said the major, smiling; "it sounds British. Tell them that."
Beecher spoke out at once, and the embassy went off, as Hollins said, "with a flea in its ear."
THE END
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