"No, I think she dislikes her," replied Grey; "but she could not be guilty of such a crime as you suggest." "I am suspicious," said the Resident. "Why does she stay away? She must have heard something by this time. Did you see her very late last night?" "Yes, till very late--till after the disappearance. She was wondering where Helen had gone." "Yes," said the Resident, "that is all in her favour, my dear child; but still she stops away." "No," said Grey, quietly, "she is not staying away. See: here she comes, with her servants. I think she has arrived to offer her services in this time of trouble." Grey Stuart was right, for directly after the Malay princess entered the large drawing-room, eager with her offers of help, as her English friend had said. "I did not know till a messenger came in," she exclaimed, excitedly. "I was home late, and I was asleep. When I heard of the trouble at the station, I came and brought my servants. What shall I do?" She was most affectionate and full of pity for Mr Perowne. To the Resident she was friendly in the extreme, and in a frank, genial way, utterly free from effusiveness; while to Grey Stuart she was tenderness itself, kissing her and talking to her in a low voice of the trouble, and keeping her all the time at her side. "Henry," said little Mrs Bolter, suddenly. "Yes, my dear." "I don't trust these black people a bit. They are very friendly and full of offers of service, but I cannot help thinking that they are at the bottom of all this trouble. Do you hear?" "Yes, my dear, I hear," said the doctor; "but I cannot say that you are right. It's as puzzling as the real site of Ophir; but I hope it will all come right in the end." Suspicious as Mrs Bolter felt, she did not show her feelings, but joined in the conversation; and she was obliged to own that the conduct of the Inche Maida seemed to be quite that of an English lady eager to help her friends in a terrible time of trial. In the midst of the conversation that ensued there was the sound of voices outside, and the Resident, closely followed by Mr Perowne and the Rajah, hurried out to see if there was any news. One of the sergeants, with a private of Hilton's company, had just arrived on the lawn, these being two of the men who had gone down the river in a sampan. "Ah! Harris," exclaimed the Resident, eagerly, on seeing something in the sergeant's face which told of tidings, "what news?" The sergeant glanced at Mr Perowne in rather a troubled manner, and hesitated. "Speak out, my man, for Heaven's sake!" exclaimed the latter, "and let me know the worst." "It mayn't be the worst, sir," replied the sergeant, with rough sympathy. "I hope it isn't, sir; but we found a boat, sir--one of our own boats--left by the `Penguin' for our use at the island." "Yes--yes, I know!" exclaimed Mr Perowne. "Quick! speak out, Harris. What of her?" cried the Resident.