as the gharry that brought him down disappeared up the long avenue of
dusty trees leading to the town, Lingard thought himself alone on the
quay. He roused up his sleeping boat-crew and stood waiting for them to
get ready, when he felt a tug at his coat and a thin voice said, very
distinctly--

"English captain."

Lingard turned round quickly, and what seemed to be a very lean boy
jumped back with commendable activity.

"Who are you? Where do you spring from?" asked Lingard, in startled
surprise.

From a safe distance the boy pointed toward a cargo lighter moored to
the quay.

"Been hiding there, have you?" said Lingard. "Well, what do you want?
Speak out, confound you. You did not come here to scare me to death, for
fun, did you?"

The boy tried to explain in imperfect English, but very soon Lingard
interrupted him.

"I see," he exclaimed, "you ran away from the big ship that sailed this
morning. Well, why don't you go to your countrymen here?"

"Ship gone only a little way--to Sourabaya. Make me go back to the
ship," explained the boy.