"I shall only be too glad to entertain you," replied the Princess, "if I am in a position to do so. Who knows? You English refuse to help me; and perhaps by another month I may be poor, and little better than a slave." "But with plenty of friends in Sindang," said the little doctor, warmly. "Here is one." "I know it doctor," she replied, taking his outstretched hand. "Grey, my child," whispered Mrs Doctor, who was some distance away, "I'm sure that is a very dreadful woman! It does not take so long as that to shake hands!" "I think it is only the Princess's manner," replied Grey, smiling. "And very bad manners too," said the little lady. "Now, where is Arthur?" "That is he," said Grey, "following Helen with her cloak." "Now, there!" cried the little lady, angrily, "now is my brother Arthur the man to be carrying Helen Perowne's cloak? Oh, dear me! I do wish we were safe back at home! I don't like these picnics in savage lands at all!" "Good-bye, if I don't have a chance to speak to you again, Mr Chumbley," said the Princess. "Is not your friend coming to say good-bye? Ah, I see! he is in attendance with your Mr Chaplain upon the beauty." "I'd go and say good-night to Madame Inche Maida, Hilton," whispered Chumbley, the next minute to his friend, and the latter went up and shook hands, thanking the Princess for the pleasant evening they had had, and hoping soon to see her again. "I thank you," said the Princess, coldly. "I hope you have enjoyed yourself; but, you are keeping Mr Perowne's little girl waiting. Good-night." That was imagination on the Princess's part, for Helen was talking to the chaplain, and had her back to them. "She's a curious woman," said Hilton; "and I don't like her a bit!" And then, taking advantage of his dismissal, he bowed, and went to where Grey Stuart was talking to Mrs Bolter, as a half-way house to Helen, at whose side he was soon after. Half an hour later the whole party were safely embarked. The boats were hung with lanterns, the full moon was above the black jungle-trees, and the river looked like molten silver as the oars dipped in regular cadence to the rowers' song. Then on and on floated the two great nagas; the whole scene, as they glided between the two black banks of trees, being so weirdly beautiful, so novel, and so strange, that it affected all present, though in different ways. Helen was hot and peevish; Mrs Bolter was petulant and fretting about the doctor stopping so long away; while Grey Stuart felt as if at the smallest provocation she would burst into tears. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ "I say, Chum, old fellow," said Hilton, as they stood outside their quarters in the brilliant moonlight smoking a cigar before turning in for the night, and after a chat about their pleasant passage down to the landing-stage--"I say, Chum, old fellow." "Hullo!" "She doesn't seem to like me, but not a bad sort of woman that Princess."