"Like winking," said Bob, "and threw themselves on their knees, and clung to our legs, and wouldn't let go. Then up came half-a-dozen of the niggers--" "I think, Mr Roberts, we will call people by their right names," said the resident, quietly; "suppose we say Malays." "Yes, sir, Malays; and laid hold of the girls to drag them away. They screamed out, and that roused us, and we sent the nig--Malays staggering back. For you see, sir, as Englishmen--" "English what--Mr Roberts?" said Captain Horton. "Men, sir. I'm a midshipman, sir," said Bob, sharply; and the captain grunted out something that sounded like "impudent young puppy!" but he did not look angry. "Go on, Mr Roberts," said the resident. "Well, sir, being English--boys--big boys, who felt like men just then--" said Bob, rather sarcastically. "That's not bad, Mr Roberts," said Major Sandars, with a glance at the naval captain. "Well, sir, as the poor girls had regularly appealed to us to protect them, and the nig--Malays, sir, whipped out their krises, we presented arms, and would have given them a peppering of snipe shot, if they hadn't sheered off when we brought the two poor weeping slave girls under the protection of the British flag, and set them free. Didn't we, Tom?" "Yes," said Tom Long, looking nervously at the resident, and wondering what Rachel Linton thought about their feat. There was a dead silence for a few moments, during which Bob Roberts wiped his streaming forehead, for he felt uncomfortably hot. Then the resident began-- "I think I am speaking the sentiments of my friends here, young gentlemen, when I say that you both behaved just as two brave British lads would be expected to behave under the circumstances." "Yes," said Major Sandars, "Ensign Long, I felt sure, would not be wanting, if called upon." Tom Long's face grew the colour of his best uniform. "Very plucky act," said Captain Horton; and he nodded in so friendly a way at the middy, that Bob felt quite beaming. "But," continued the resident, speaking very slowly, and as if weighing every word he said, "what is very beautiful in sentiment, and very brave and manly if judged according to our own best feelings, young gentlemen, becomes very awkward sometimes if viewed through the spectacles of diplomacy." "I--I don't understand you, sir," faltered Bob. "Let me be explicit then, young gentlemen. You both were, it seems, granted leave of absence to-day, for indulging in a little innocent sport, but by your brave, though very indiscreet conduct, you have, I fear, completely overset the friendly relations that we have been trying so hard to establish with these extremely sensitive people." "But, sir," began Bob, "the poor girls--" "Yes, I know all that," said the resident quietly; "but slavery is a domestic institution among these people, and to-morrow I feel sure that I shall have a visit from some of the sultan's chief men, demanding that these poor girls be given up."