The midshipmen had started to their feet, half bewildered at the sudden and desperate struggle, when a hand was laid on each of their shoulders, and a voice said, "English friends, Hassan has come." The revulsion of feeling was so great that, for a minute, neither could speak; then Dick said, "Chief, we thank you with all our hearts.
Tomorrow we should have been killed." The chief shook hands with them both warmly, having seen that mode of salutation on board ship.
"Hassan glad," he said.

"Hassan watch all time; no let Sehi kill friends.

Friends save Hassan's child; he save them." Torches were now lighted.

The deck was thickly encumbered with dead; for every one of the crew of the prahu had been killed.
"Sehi killed too," the chief said, "come and see." He swung himself on shore; the boys followed his example, two of the Malays helping Dick down.

They went to the village, where a number of Malays were moving about; torches had been brought from the ship, and a score of these soon lit up the scene.