"Oh, Chumbley," said the doctor, looking up and following his wife's eyes to where a great broad-shouldered fellow was bending down talking to Helen Perowne, who seemed to be listening eagerly to his words, as if on purpose to annoy the half-dozen gentlemen forming her court. He was a fine, well-set-up young fellow, looking like a lifeguardsman picked from among a selection of fair, curly-haired Saxons, and, evidently flattered by the lady's notice, he was doing his best to make himself agreeable. "You may call it what you like," said Mrs Doctor. "I call it scandalous! Here's the very last arrival in the ship." "Regularly subjugated," laughed the doctor. "It is nothing to laugh at," said the lady, indignantly. "I declare I have a good mind to go and interfere." "No, no, don't," said the doctor earnestly. "She means no harm, and you may only make a breach between you." "I don't care, Henry; it is for the girl's sake that I should interfere; and as to the breach, she utterly detests me as it is for what I have said. I think she hates me as much as I do her." "Oh, nonsense, nonsense, Mary, you could not hate anyone; and as to Helen Perowne's foolish coquetry, it will all settle down into the love of some stout brave fellow." "Such as that of Lieutenant Chumbley." "Perhaps so." "Well I hope so, I'm sure. One ought to have a big strong man to keep all the others away, for if ever there was a heartless coquette it is she; and the sooner we can place her in her father's hands the happier I shall be." "Would you mind whisking a fly off now and then with your handkerchief, Mary," said the little doctor, drowsily, as he settled himself for his nap. "I know there'll be some mischief come out of it all," said the little lady, as she drove a couple of flies from her husband's nose. "Only--few days--old Perowne--sure to meet us, and--" The handkerchief was kept busily whisking about, for the flies were tiresome, and the doctor was fast asleep, only turning restlessly now and then, when in her eagerness to watch Helen Perowne and Lieutenant Chumbley--the young officer coming out to join the regiment into which he had exchanged with the hope of getting variety and sport--Mrs Doctor forgot to act as guardian against the flies. VOLUME ONE, CHAPTER SIXTEEN. A DANGEROUS CREATURE. At last Mrs Bolter's troubles were, as she said, at an end, for the great steamer had transferred a portion of her passengers to the station gunboat at the mouth of the Darak river. There had been a quick run up between the low shores dense with their growth of mangrove and nipah palm. The station had been reached, and the ladies transferred to the arms of their fathers, both waiting anxiously for the coming boat upon the Resident's island, where in close connection with the fort Mr Harley's handsome bungalow had been built.