Page 146 - Malay sketches

MALAY SKETCHES
"
Let us burn it," said the Penglima. But Haji
Ali protested. "Are you mad," he urged, "already
our enemies are collecting outside, you would burn
the house down and these people in it, and then
what should we do ? Caught like fish in a basket,
without walls or roof to shelter us, what will
become of us ?"
The wisdom of this advice was apparent, and as
it was necessary to deal with those in the house
the leader set to work to devise another
quickly
plan.
An evil inspiration came to the Penglima, and he
told Haji Ali to get Haji Musah into conversation
while loaded with all manner of
again he, having
missiles a pivot-gun which he found under the
house, listened attentively to the sound of Haji
Musah's voice, and tying the gun to a post just
beneath the spot where he thought the Haji must be
standing, fired it.
A large hole was rent in the floor, and, the

various missiles scattering in all directions, one of
them struck Haji Musah in the thigh, seriously
wounding him and placing him hors de combat.
His wife was also hit, but only slightly injured.
The assailants realised the effects of the shot
from what they heard said within and again called
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