Meanwhile, the country people grew less shy, and boats came with fruit and rice for sale, one of the first being visited by Bob Roberts--Tom Long, who had evidently meant to be there before him, coming directly after. The ladies had landed and taken possession of their new abode, where several of the soldiers were busy forming a garden; and it had struck both the admirers of Miss Linton that an offering or two of fruit and flowers would be very acceptable, after the long confinement on ship board. The sampan, or native boat, that the two lads had come to visit, was fastened to a rough bamboo landing-stage, that had been one of the first things fitted up at the island; and, to their great delight, they could see that the boat was stored with various vegetable productions, some of which were sufficiently attractive to make the lads' mouths water, to the forgetting of the main object of their visit. "Hallo, soldier!" said Bob Roberts, as he saw Tom Long come up, looking very aggressive. "Hallo, sailor boy!" said Tom Long, superciliously; and then they stood looking at each other, quite unconsciously like a couple of Malay game cocks in bamboo cages, on the afterpart of the sampan. These two pugnacious birds were evincing a strong desire for a regular duel; but as the bamboo bars of their cages prevented a near approach, they stood there ruffling their plumes, and staring hard in each other's faces. "Seems a strange thing that a man can't come down to buy a little fruit and some flowers, without your watching him," said Bob, at last. "I wasn't watching you, boy," said Tom Long, superciliously. "There, spend your penny, my man, and go about your business." "Look here, my stuck-up red herring," cried Bob, setting his teeth hard, "Captain Horton said that the naval officers were to set an example of gentlemanly behaviour before the natives, or I'll be blowed, Mr Tom Long, if I wouldn't punch your head." "Blowed--punch head," sneered Tom Long; "that's gentlemanly, certainly." "Look here," said Bob, who was stung to the quick by the truth of this remark; "do you want to fight, Mr Tom Long?" "Mr T. Long presents his compliments to the middy boy of the `Startler,' and begs to inform him that when her Majesty's officers fight, it is with some one worthy of their steel." "Ha, ha! Haw, haw! Ho, ho, ho!" laughed Bob, cutting a caper expressive of his great amusement. "Her Majesty's officers--some one worthy of their steel. Ha, ha, ha, ha! I say, Tom Long, how happy and contented her Majesty must feel, knowing as she does that the gallant officer, Ensign Long, is always ready to draw his sword in her defence. Here, you stop! I got here first." "Sahib wants my beautiful fruit," said one of the dark-faced men in the sampan, towards which Tom Long had stepped. "Hallo!" said Bob, going up. "You are not a Malay?" "No, sahib: I Kling, from Madras. Sell fruit--flowers. This Malaya man."