“Why, our little cockatoo is trying to preserve himself by pickling!” cried Martin: then, looking very ferocious, he added, “But he is not scalded yet—bring hither the hog-tub and boiling water.”
“Oh! pray, good young gentlemen,” cried the little fellow, in great terror, “do not put me to so horrible a death; hang, shoot me, or anything else!”
“You wretched coward, come out, or you will die of fright, and rob us of the satisfaction of killing you,” cried Martin, helping him out of the tub.
Having thus recaptured the prahu, it became a difficulty to know what to do with our prisoners. Our Chinese allies very coolly proposed cutting off their heads, “for,” said they, “men without heads can’t make mischief.” When, however, these gentle advisers had quitted us, we put them ashore upon one of the islands, leaving with them a supply of pork, rice, and water.
Having thus got rid of the Dutchmen, and bent sail for Bali, upon the eastern extremity of Java, I told the story in detail of my recapture of the prahu. Prabu was very grateful, for I had saved him a very valuable cargo as well as vessel. Martin was delighted, calling it jolly fun, and regretted only that he had not been with me; but, observing that I looked gloomy, he said:
“Why, Claud, here are you—who have done a thing so monstrously plucky, that in the navy it would have earned you promotion—looking as glum as if you had lost, not gained, a ship.”
“Ah! Martin, that ‘in the navy’ makes all the difference; but, you see, if the Governor-General of Batavia catches me, the kind of promotion I shall get may be hanging. Yes,” I continued, looking angrily towards Prabu, “while we have been sailing about under the belief that we were simply honest nest-gatherers and traders, we have been pirates, rebels, or something of that kind, without knowing it.”
“Oh, bother!” exclaimed Martin, very seriously,—“that’s true, but I never thought of it. Prabu, old fellow, you have brought us into a pretty scrape with your fire-arms and your Pangerans; so the least you can do is to let us know what is likely to be the end of it. No secrets any longer, if you please.”
“The young sahibs sought their servant, and begged he would take them with him,” replied Prabu.
“Ay, that’s true enough,” cried Martin; “but we didn’t think we were taking service with a grim old pirate, you know!”