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Here and there, though, an officer had a shooting-trip, but it was thought better to wait until the confidence of the natives had been more thoroughly won, and the disaffected party of Rajah Gantang dismissed. The sultan seemed to have quite forgotten his rejection by the ladies, and was most liberal in his presentations of fruit and fresh provisions.
For in a very short time in the settlement of the country under British protection, the rank of sultan had been offered to the Tumongong, who refused it in favour of his son Ali, and this was ratified by the Governor of the Straits Sultan Hamet dying a victim to excess, and the piratical Rajah Gantang of his wounds.
"I tell you what," cried Bob Roberts, enthusiastically, "we'll whop old Hamet and Rajah Gantang out of their skins, and you shall be sultan instead, or your father first and you afterwards." Ali's eyes flashed as he turned them upon the speaker. "You could be chief banjo, you know," said Bob. "Chief banjo?" said Ali, wonderingly. "No, no; I mean gong Tumongong," cried Bob.
Which was, so said old Dick in confidence to the two young officers, "a blessing to everybody consarned, for that there Rajah Gantang was about the wussest nigger as ever suffered from the want of soap." The last the writer heard of Dick was, that he was the oldest boatswain in the service, and that he was on board that rapid gunboat the "Peregrine," commanded by Lieutenant Robert Roberts, RN.
But only think of two big bits of Her Majesty's army and navy like us being set at nought by this here savage prince." "Wait a bit, Dick, and you'll see," said Bob. "It strikes me that I'm the man for settling Mr Rajah Gantang; and if it does come to me to do so, why let him look out." "Ay, ay, sir; and his men too. I owe 'em one for that boat affair. The cowards! when a fellow was asleep!"
"I tell you what," he said again, "nothing would give me greater pleasure than for Mr Rajah Gantang to bring down his prahus some time to-day, Lieutenant Roberts. I could blow that fellow out of the water with the greatest pleasure in life." "Captain Johnson," said Bob, solemnly, "I could blow him in again with greater pleasure, for I haven't forgotten my swim for life."
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