CHAPTER XIX.

A TERRIBLE MURDER AND A STRANGE REVELATION.

After letting the chief of the village know that the news just received rendered it necessary that they should proceed at once to the next town—­but carefully refraining from going into particulars lest Baderoon should by any means be led to suspect their intentions—­the party started off about daybreak under the guidance of the Malay youth Babu.

Anxious as he was that no evil should befall his friend, Nigel could not help wondering that a man of such a calm spirit, and such unquestionable courage, should be so anxious to escape from this pirate.

“I can’t understand it at all,” he said to Moses, as they walked through the forest together a little in rear of the party.

“No more kin I, Massa Nadgel,” answered the negro, with one of those shakes of the head and glares of solemn perplexity with which he was wont to regard matters that were too deep for him.

“Surely Van der Kemp is well able to take care of himself against any single foe.”

“Das true, Massa Nadgel,—­’gainst any half-dozen foes as well.”

“Fear, therefore, cannot be the cause.”

The negro received this with a quiet chuckle.

“No,” said he.  “Massa nebber knowed fear, but ob dis you may be bery sure, massa’s allers got good reasons for what he does.  One t’ing’s sartin, I neber saw him do nuffin for fear, nor revenge, nor anger, no, nor yet for fun; allers for lub—­and,” added Moses, after a moment’s thought, “sometimes for money, when we goes on a tradin’ ’spidition—­but he don’t make much account ob dat.”

“Well, perhaps the mystery may be cleared up in time,” said Nigel, as they closed up with the rest of the party, who had halted for a short rest and some refreshment.

This last consisted largely of fruit, which was abundant everywhere, and a little rice with water from sparkling springs to wash it down.

In the afternoon they reached the town—­a large one, with a sort of market-place in the centre, which at the time of their arrival was crowded with people.  Strangers, especially Europeans, were not often seen in that region, so that Van der Kemp and his friends at once attracted a considerable number of followers.  Among these was one man who followed them about very unobtrusively, usually hanging well in rear of the knot of followers whose curiosity was stronger than their sense of propriety.  This man wore a broad sun-hat and had a bandage round his head pulled well over one eye, as if he had recently met with an accident or been wounded.  He was unarmed, with the exception of the kriss, or long knife, which every man in that region carries.

This was no other than Baderoon himself, who had outwitted his enemies, had somehow discovered at least part of their plans, and had hurried on in advance of them to the town, where, disguising himself as described, he awaited their arrival.