CHAPTER IV.


Neither of the midshipmen was present at the interview between the
captain and the rajah. The second lieutenant, the captain of the
marines, and the doctor alone accompanied him, with an escort of
twenty bluejackets and as many marines. A large crowd of people had
collected to see them pass along to the palace, which was a bare,
barn-like structure, but they looked on sullenly and silently as
the party passed through them on their way. They were kept waiting
some little time outside the building, then entered through a
doorway which led them into a large, unfurnished room, at the end
of which the rajah was seated. He rose when the officers entered,
and received them with an appearance of great cordiality, his chiefs
standing behind him.

The conversation was wholly of a complimentary character; the
subject of the business on which the British ship had come was not
even touched upon; refreshments, consisting of native sweets and
palm wine, were then passed round, and the captain, seeing that
all business talk was to be deferred, took his leave.

The doctor, who was fond of the two midshipmen, was always ready
to chat freely with them.

"What did you think of our ally, Dr. Horsley?" Dick asked him, when,
having changed his full uniform for a suit of undress, he came up
on deck.