Page 150 - Malay sketches

MALAY SKETCHES

have been impossible to seize them without being
exposed to fire from the house, to which no reply
could be made.
A month went by, and in that time Haji Musah,
his wife, and son-in-law had fairly recovered from
Meanwhile the means
their injuries. Shabandar, by
learned that the
of spies, prisoners occupied a side
of the house where there was but one window, and
that always guarded at night by the same man.
Through this man there was the best chance of
escape for the prisoners, if only he could be bought
over.
This sentry, who had some authority over part of
the band, was a foreigner, he was getting tired of
the game and probably did not altogether like the
outlook or see how his party was to turn the
situation to their own advantage. At any rate
communications were opened between the Shabandar
and for a sum of two thousand dollars he
and him,
promised to get the prisoners out of the window
and through the lines to their friends.
In the dead of a dark night (and moonless Eastern
can be black as a he assisted the
nights sepulchre)
to make their the
four prisoners escape through
window, while the Penglima, Haji Ali, and a number
of their men slept peacefully on the other side of