We said nothing. We did not know whether to be scandalized, amused, or
relieved. Hollis advanced towards Karain, who stood up as if startled,
and then, holding the coin up, spoke in Malay.

"This is the image of the Great Queen, and the most powerful thing the
white men know," he said, solemnly.

Karain covered the handle of his kriss in sign of respect, and stared at
the crowned head.

"The Invincible, the Pious," he muttered.

"She is more powerful than Suleiman the Wise, who commanded the genii,
as you know," said Hollis, gravely. "I shall give this to you."

He held the sixpence in the palm of his hand, and looking at it
thoughtfully, spoke to us in English.

"She commands a spirit, too--the spirit of her nation; a masterful,
conscientious, unscrupulous, unconquerable devil . . . that does a lot
of good--incidentally . . . a lot of good . . . at times--and wouldn't
stand any fuss from the best ghost out for such a little thing as our
friend's shot. Don't look thunderstruck, you fellows. Help me to make
him believe--everything's in that."

"His people will be shocked," I murmured.

Hollis looked fixedly at Karain, who was the incarnation of the very
essence of still excitement. He stood rigid, with head thrown back; his