"Yes, I see," I whispered; "they must have killed them all."

"But I mean this—there, I mean."

I looked at him wonderingly as he pointed to the floor, for I did not understand.

The next moment, though, I grasped his meaning, and saw plainly enough what must have happened, for from where we stood to the open stern windows there were long parallel streaks, and I knew that, though they were partially trampled out by naked feet, as if they had been passed over dozens of times since, the savage wretches must have dragged their victims to the stern windows and thrust them out; any doubt thereon being cleared away by the state of the lockers and the sills of the lights.

Just then a peculiar hissing sound came to my ears, and I faced round quickly, as did Mr Brooke, for I felt startled.

For there behind me was one of our men—a fine handsome Yorkshire lad of three or four and twenty—standing glaring and showing his set teeth, and his eyes with the white slightly visible round the iris. His left fist was firmly clenched, and in his right was his bare cutlass, with the blade quivering in his strong hand.

"Put up your cutlass, my lad," said Mr Brooke sternly; and the man started and thrust it back. "Wait a bit—but I don't know how I am to ask you to give quarter to the fiends who did all this. No wonder the place is so silent, Herrick," he added bitterly. "Come away."

He led us out, but not before we had seen that the cabins had been completely stripped.

We did not stay much longer, but our time was long enough to show us that everything of value had been taken, and nothing left in the way of log or papers to tell how the barque had fallen in with the wretches. The crew had probably been surprised, and after a desperate resistance, when driven back into the cabin, fought to the last with the results we had seen.

"But surely they must have killed or wounded some of the pirates?" I said.

"Possibly," replied Mr Brooke; "but there has been rain since; perhaps a heavy sea, too, has washed over the deck and swept away all traces here. Let's hope they made some of them pay dearly for their work."

A short inspection below showed that the barque's planking was crushed in, and that she was hopelessly damaged, even if she could have been got off, so soon after Mr Brooke gave the word to return to the boat.

"I shall not touch the fire," he said. "If the captain has any wishes the boat can return. For my part I should say, let her burn."

The captain listened with his brow contracted to Mr Brooke's recital, when we were back on board; I being close at hand, ready to answer a few questions as well.

"Yes, let her burn," said the captain; and then he turned his back to us, but seemed to recollect himself directly, for he turned again.

"Thank you, Mr Brooke," he said. "Very clear and concise. You could not have done better."

Then turning to the first lieutenant, he said in a low voice—

"Reardon, I'm at my wit's end. The wretches are too cunning for us. What are we to do?"



CHAPTER SEVEN.

BEING PRIMED.

There was a consultation in the cabin that evening, as we lay there about four miles from the stranded barque. It had fallen calm, and, as there was no urgency, the captain preferred to spare the coals, and we waited for a breeze.

I heard afterwards from Mr Brooke all that took place during the discussion, during which the captain heard the principal officers' opinions, and then decided what he would do.

There had been doubts before as to whether we were on the right track for the pirates, who might be carrying on their murderous business elsewhere, but the day's discovery had cleared away the last doubt; it was plain that the information which had sent us up in the neighbourhood of Amoy was perfectly correct, that the wretches were there, and that our presence had kept them quiet till now.

The great difficulty, it was decided, lay in the manner of dealing with people who without doubt had plenty of spies out in native craft, who were passed unnoticed by us, and thus every movement was carefully conveyed to the enemy. As, then, the appearance of the gunboat was sufficient to keep them in hiding, and also as the moment we were out of sight the pirates issued from their lair, only two ways of dealing with the fiends remained to us, and these means, after due consultation, were to be adopted—one or both.

Then it had been arranged that the next morning at daybreak a couple of boats were to be despatched to the Scotch barque, for a more thorough investigation as to whether, in Mr Brooke's rather hurried visit, he had passed over any cargo worthy of salvage, and to collect material for a full report for the authorities and the owners.

This had just been decided upon, when there was a shout from one of the look-out men. It was quite unnecessary, for nearly every one on deck saw the cause of the cry.

We three companions had been watching the wreck with its spiral of smoke, which in the calm air rose up like the trunk of a tall tree, and then all at once spread out nearly flat to right and left, giving it quite the appearance of a gigantic cedar. Then, as one of the witnesses of the horrors on board, I had had to repeat my story again; and, while matters were being discussed below, we in a low tone had our debate on the question, and saw too how the men gathered in knots, and talked in whispers and watched the barque. And to us all one thing was evident, that could our lads only get a chance at the pigtailed, ruffianly scum of the east coast, it would go pretty hard with them.

"I'll bet many of 'em wouldn't go pirating again in a hurry," Barkins said; and we agreed.

Then we fell to wondering how many poor creatures had been murdered by them in their bloodthirsty career, and why it was that there should be such indifference to death, and so horrible a love of cruelty and torture, in the Chinese character. All at once came the shout, and we were gazing at the cause.

For a bright, clear burst of flame suddenly rose from the direction of the ship—not an explosion, but a fierce blaze—and it was evident that the parts around the little fire had grown more and more heated and dry, and that the smouldering had gone on till some part of the cargo beneath, of an inflammable nature, had caught at last, and was burning furiously.

We expected that orders would be given for boats to be lowered, but we had drifted in the current so far away that there was a risky row amongst shoals, so no orders were given, the men gathering on deck to watch the light glow which lit up the cloud of smoke hovering overhead.

We three watched it in silence for some time, with the other officers near, and at last Smith said—

"I don't think I'm a cruel sort of fellow, but I feel as if I should like to kill some one now."

He did not say a Chinese pirate, but he meant it; and I must confess to feeling something of the kind, for I thought how satisfactory it would be to aim one of our big guns at a pirate junk taken in some cruel act, and to send a shot between wind and water that would sink her and rid the seas of some of the fiends.

I quite started the next moment, for Barkins said, in a low, thoughtful voice—

"How do you feel about it, Gnat? Shouldn't you like to kill some of 'em?"

The question was so direct, and appealed to my feelings so strongly, that for some moments I was silent.

"Not he," said Smith; "old Gnat wouldn't stick a pin in a cockroach."

"Of course I wouldn't," I said stoutly, "but I'd crush it under my foot if I found one in the cabin."

"One for you, Blacksmith," said Barkins. "Look here, Gnat, you would like to kill some of the piratical beggars, wouldn't you?"

I remained silent again.

"There," said Smith, "I told you so. If we caught a lot, Gnat would give them a lecture, and tell them they had been very naughty, and that they mustn't do so any more or he would be very angry with them indeed."

"Punch his head, Gnat."

I made no reply to their flippant remarks, for just then I felt very solemn and thoughtful. I hope I was not priggish. No, I am sure I was not; every word I uttered was too sincere, though they chaffed me afterwards, and I have thought since that they felt more seriously than they spoke.

"You chaps didn't go on board that barque," I said quietly; "I did."

"Yes; old Dishy's making a regular favourite of you, Gnat," said Barkins.

But I went on without heeding, my eyes fixed on the burning vessel whose flames shone brightly in the clear air.

"And when I saw the splintered wood and chopped doorway, and the smears and marks of blood, it all seemed to come to me just as it must have been when the poor fellows shut themselves up in the cabin."

"Did they?" said Smith eagerly.

"Yes, that was plain enough," I said; "and they must have fought it out there till the pirates got the upper hand."

"I bet tuppence the beggars pitched stinkpots down through the cabin skylight, and half-smothered them," said Barkins excitedly.

"I daresay they did," I replied thoughtfully, "for I did see one of the lockers all scorched and burned just by the deck. Yes, it all seemed to come to me, and I felt as if I could see all the fighting, with the Chinamen hacking and chopping at them with their long swords, the same as those brutes did at us; and all those poor fellows, who were quietly going about their business, homeward bound with their cargo, must have had friends, wives or mothers or children; and it gets horrible when you think of how they must have been in despair, knowing that those wretches would have no mercy on them."

"Yes, but how it must have made 'em fight," cried Smith. "I think I could have done something at a time like that."

"Yes, it would make any fellow fight; even you, Gnat."

"I suppose so," I said, "for it made me feel as if there wasn't any room in the world for such people."

"There ain't," said Barkins. "Oh, if our chaps could only get a good go at 'em!"

"And then I felt," I went on, "as if it couldn't all be real, and that it was impossible that there could be such wretches on the face of the earth, ready to kill people for the sake of a bit of plunder."

"But it's just precious possible enough," said Smith slowly. "Why, out here in China they do anything."

"Right," said Barkins; "and I hope the skipper will pay them in their own coin. My! how she burns."

"Yes," assented Smith, as the barque, after smouldering so long, now blazed, as if eager to clear away all traces of the horrible tragedy.

"You'll recollect all about that cabin, Gnat, if we do get at the beggars—won't you?"

"Recollect?" I said, with a shiver; "I shall never be able to forget it."

Then we relapsed into silence, and stood resting our arms over the bulwarks, gazing at the distant fire, in which I could picture plainly all the horrors and suggestions of the wrecked cabin. I even seemed to see the yellow-faced wretches, all smeared with blood, dragging their victims to the stern windows. And my imagination then ran riot for a time, as I fancied I saw them seizing men not half-dead, but making a feeble struggle for their lives, and begging in agonising tones for mercy, but only to be struck again, and pitched out into the sea.

I fancy that I must have been growing half hysterical as the scene grew and grew before me, till I had pictured one poor wretch clinging in his despair to the edge of the stern window, and shrieking for help. There was a curious sensation as if a ball was rising in my throat to choke me, and I was forgetting where I stood, when I was brought back to myself by the voice of my messmate Smith, who said in a husky whisper—

"Think we shall come across any of the poor fellows floating about?"

"Not likely," replied Barkins. "Too many sharks in these seas."

My throat felt dry at this horrible suggestion, but I knew how true it was. And then once more there was silence, and, like the rest—officers and men—we stood there watching the burning wreck hour after hour, not a soul on board feeling the slightest disposition to go below.

It must have been quite a couple of hours later, when I started in the darkness, for something touched my arm, and, looking sharply to my right, I could just make out the figure of Ching close to me, while on looking in the other direction I found that I was alone, for Barkins and Smith had gone forward to a group close to the bows.

"You, Ching?" I said, "looking at the mischief your friends have done?"

"Fliends burnee ship? No fliends. Velly bad men. Ching feel allee shame. Velly bad men evelywhere. Killee, get dollar. No velly bad men, London?"

"I'm afraid there are," I said sadly.

"Yes; velly bad men, London. Killee get dollar. You choppee off bad men head?"

"No," I said; "but they kill them if they commit murder."

"Commit murder? You mean killee get dollar?"

"Yes."

"Allee light. Plenty bad men evelywhere. Captain going kill pilate?"

"If we can catch them," I said.

"Yes, velly hard catchee catchee. Captain never catchee in ship. Pilate allee lun away. 'Flaid of big gun. Get two big junk, put plenty sailor boy where pilate can't see. Then pilate come along kill and burnee. Junk steal all along. Jolly sailor jump up and cut allee pilate head off."

"Send that boy forward!" cried a stern voice, which made me jump again. "Who's that?"

"Herrick, sir," I said, touching my cap, for the captain came forward out of the darkness.

"Then you ought to know better, sir. The scoundrel has no business in this part of the ship. What does he want?"

"I beg pardon, sir; he came up to propose a way of trapping the pirates."

"Eh, what?" said the captain eagerly. "Bah! absurd. Send him below; I hate to see the very face of a Chinaman. No; stop! He ought to know something of their tricks. What does he say?"

I told him, and he stood there as if thinking.

"Well, I don't know, Mr Herrick. We might perhaps lure them out of their hiding-places in that way, with a couple of Chinese crews to work the junks. But no; the wretches would be equally strong, and would fight like rats. Too many of my poor lads would be cut down. They would have us at a terrible disadvantage. We must keep to the ship. I can only fight these wretches with guns."

He was turning away, when a thought struck me, and, forgetting my awe of the captain, and the fact that a proposal from a midshipman to such a magnate might be resented as an unheard-of piece of impertinence, I exclaimed excitedly—

"I beg pardon, sir."

"Yes?"

"I think I know how it could be done."

"Eh? You, Mr Herrick! Pooh! Stop," he said sharply, as, feeling completely abashed, I was shrinking away, when he laid his hand kindly on my shoulder. "Let's hear what you mean, my boy. The mouse did help the lion in the fable, didn't he?"

"Yes, sir."

"Not that I consider myself a lion, Mr Herrick," he said good-humouredly, "and I will not insult you by calling you a mouse; but these Chinese fiends are too much for me, and I really am caught in the net. Here, send that man forward, and come into my cabin."

"Ching, go right up to the forecastle," I said.

"No wantee go s'eep," he said angrily. "Makee Ching bad see ship burned."

"Never mind now; go and wait," I whispered; and he nodded and went off, while I walked hurriedly back to the captain, who led the way to his cabin.

Before I had gone many steps I had to pass Smith, who came quickly up to me.

"Hallo! old chap," he whispered, "what have you been up to now? Wigging from the skipper? I'll go and tell the Tanner, and we'll get clean handkerchiefs for a good cry."



CHAPTER EIGHT.

MY PLAN.

"Shut the door, Mr Herrick," said the captain, as he threw himself into a chair, and I obeyed and remained standing there.

"Come close up to the table, my lad, and I'll hear what you have to say, for I should be sorry to discourage a young officer who was in earnest about his profession, as I have noted that you seem to be."

"Thank you, sir," I faltered, as I walked forward to where the swinging lamp cast its full light on my face, making my eyes ache, after being so many hours in the darkness, while I noticed that the captain sat in the shade.

"Now, Mr Herrick," he said, "I talked of one fable, let me say a word about another. I hope this is not going to be a case of the mountain in labour, and out crept a mouse."

This put me quite out of heart, my hands grew damp, and I felt a tickling sensation of dew forming upon my temples and at the sides of my nose. My throat felt dry, and my lips parted, but no words came.

"There, there," he said kindly, "don't be afraid. Speak out."

"Yes, sir," I said hastily. "It was only this. I think I read somewhere once, in a paper, about a Malay prahu being taken by the captain of a ship pretending to be helpless, and this made the prahu, which could sail twice as fast as his ship, come close up to attack him."

"Yes; and what then?"

"The captain sunk the prahu, sir."

"Humph!" said Captain Thwaites, frowning and leaning back in his chair. "That's what I should like to do to the piratical junks, Mr Herrick. But—"

He stopped, and I saw that he was watching me keenly. But he had not ordered me out of the cabin, nor called me an impertinent puppy, so I felt better. The plunge had been made, and I waited not quite so nervously for his next words.

"Yes—what I should like to do, Mr Herrick; but I am dealing with cunning Chinese, and not with bold Malays."

"No, sir," I said; "but could not we—you—I mean we—I mean—" I stammered.

"Come, come, Mr Herrick, there is no need for all this tremor. Sit down, my lad."

"Thank you, sir; I would rather stand, please. I think I could talk better."

"Very well, then," he said, smiling; "stand. You have some notion in your head, then?"

"Yes, sir," I said eagerly, for the nervousness all passed away in the excitement I felt. "I thought that if I could do as I liked, I'd take the Teaser up some creek where she couldn't be watched, and then I'd close all the ports, send the men over the side to paint out the streak, and I'd paint the funnel another colour, and get yards all anyhow, and hide all the guns. I'd make her look like one of the tea-screws, and get a lot of Chinamen on board for sailors."

I saw that he kept on bowing his head, and I was so excited that I went on.

"No, I know. If you tried to get some Chinese sailors on board, it would be talked about, and perhaps the pirates would get to know, for they must have friends in some of the ports."

"Then down go some of your baits, my lad."

"No, sir. I know. You could make Ching—"

"That Chinese interpreter?"

"Yes, sir. Make him do up some of our lads with pigtails made of blackened oakum, and in duck-frocks they'd do at a distance."

"Heads not shaven?"

"No, sir; but they could have their hair cut very short, and then painted white—I mean yellow, so that the pirates wouldn't know at a distance."

"Humph! anything else?" said the captain drily, but I did not notice it; I was too much taken up by my ideas.

"Yes, sir. Ching could be going about very busily in all directions, showing himself a great deal, and there's no mistake about him."

"No," said the captain, "there is no mistake about him."

"And it wouldn't be a bad plan to be at anchor near the place where you thought they were, sir, with some of the spars down as if you were repairing damages. That would make them feel sure that they were safe of a prize, and they'd come off in their boats to attack."

"And then you would let them board us and find out their mistake?"

"That I wouldn't, sir!" I cried eagerly; and, oddly enough, my side began to ache where I had had that blow. "I wouldn't risk any of our poor fellows being hurt. I'd sink them before they got alongside."

"Humph! Well, you're pretty bloodthirsty for your time of life, young gentleman," said the captain quietly.

"No, sir," I replied in confusion; "but I was with Mr Barkins and Mr Smith, and nearly killed by these people, and yesterday I saw what they had done aboard that barque."

"There? So you did, my lad. Well," he said, "what more have you got to suggest?"

"I think that's all, sir," I said, beginning to grow confused again, for my enthusiasm was dying out before his cool, matter-of-fact way of taking matters.

"Then we will bring this meeting to an end, Mr Herrick."

"Yes, sir," I said dolefully, for I was wishing intensely that I had not said a word. "Shall I go now?"

"If you please, Mr Herrick."

"Good-night, sir."

"Good-night, Mr Herrick; and the sooner you are in your berth the better."

"Yes, sir," I said; and then to myself, as I reached the door, "and I wish I had gone there at once, instead of stopping on deck."

"Stop!"

I turned with the door-handle in my fingers.

"You had better not say anything about the communication you have made to me—I mean to your messmates."

"No, sir, I will not," I replied.

"Nor to any one else, least of all to that Chinaman."

"Oh no, sir, I'll be careful."

He nodded, and I slipped out, feeling, to use an old expression, "horrid."

"Tell anybody about what a stupid donkey I've been," I said angrily—"likely." Then to myself, as soon as I was past the marine sentry, "Why, it would be nuts for Tanner and Blacksmith, and they'd go on cracking them for ever. There was I all red-hot with what I thought was a good thing, and he was just like a cold codfish laughing at me."

I could not help smiling at the absurdity of my idea, for I recalled that I had never seen a cold codfish laughing.

I had no more time for musing then, for I received a sharp slap on the back from Barkins.

"Never mind, Gnat; we all get it some time."

I saw that Smith was hurrying up, for I caught sight of him by the light of one of the swinging lanterns, and had to be on my guard.

I did not want to deceive my messmates nor to be untruthful, but I could not open my heart to them and tell them all that had passed.

"What cheer, messmet?" whispered Smith. "Had a wigging?"

I nodded my head sulkily.

"What had you been up to? Skipper had you into the cabin, didn't he?"

"Let him alone, will you," cried Barkins. "What do you want to worry the poor chap for? The skipper's had him over the coals."

"Well, I know that, Bark. But what for?"

"What's that to you? Let him alone."

"But he might tell."

"Well, he isn't going to tell. If you must know, the Grand Panjandrum came and catched him talking to Squeezums, hanging over the bulwarks together."

"Talking to who?"

"Well then, to Teapot, old Chinese Ching, and snubbed him for having the Yellow-skin so far aft. Didn't he, Gnat?"

"Yes," I said, quite truthfully.

"Then I say it's too bad," cried Smith. "As the snob speakers say, are we—er—serlaves? Besides, 'a man's a man for a' that,' ain't he, Tanner?"

"Chinamen have no business abaft the funnel," said Barkins. "Did he give it to you very warmly, Gnat?"

"Pretty well," I said, glad to escape Smith's examination. "I wasn't sorry to get out of the cabin."

"No, I should think not. Why, what's come to the old boy—taking to bully us himself? I thought he always meant to leave that to Dishy."

"He's getting wild at not catching the pirates, I suppose," said Barkins. "Then all that badger gets bottled up in him, and he lets it off at us. Well, I don't see any fun in watching the fire; I'm going down for a snooze."

"Wish I could," said Smith. "The fellow who invented night-watches ought to have been smothered. I daresay he was a man who had something the matter with him and couldn't sleep. I hate it."

"Pooh!" cried Barkins, laughing. "You haven't got used to it yet, old chap. It's an acquired taste. After a bit you won't care a dump for a regular night's rest, but'll want to get up and take your turn. Won't he, Gnat?"

I laughed.

"I haven't got the right taste yet," I said.

"And never will," grumbled Smith, as we turned to have another look at the burning barque.

"How long will a ship like that be burning, Jecks?" I said to one of the watch.

The man scratched his head, and had a good stare at the glowing object in the distance, as if he were making a careful calculation.

"Well," said Barkins, "out with it, Tom Jecks; we don't want to know to two minutes and a half."

"Well, sir," said the man very deliberately, "I should say as a wessel o' that size—"

"There goes her mainmast!" some one shouted, as a portion of the fire fell off to our left, and lay in the sea.

We stood gazing at this part for a few minutes, during which the light faded slowly out, quenched in the waves.

Then Jecks began again, speaking very oracularly—

"I should say as a wessel o' that size—"

"Yes," said Barkins, imitating him; "a wessel o' that size—"

"Yes, sir—might go on burning till 'bout eight bells."

"Or perhaps a little longer, Tom?"

"Well, yes, sir; little longer, perhaps. 'Morrow night, say."

"Or 'morrow morning, Tom?"

"Well, no, sir; because you see it's 'morrow morning now."

"I meant t'other 'morrow morning, Tom. Nex' day."

"Well, yes, sir; she might last till then."

"Or even next day?"

"Well, sir, I hayve knowed 'em go on mouldering and smouldering for days and days."

"A week, perhaps?"

"Oh yes, sir, quite a week."

"Thankye, Tom," said Barkins, giving me a nudge with his elbow. "I thought you'd know. Nothing like going to a man who has had plenty of experience."

"No, sir, there ain't nothin' like it; and I should say as if you young gen'lemen was to stand here and watch, you'd finally see that there wessel give a bit of a roll to starboard and one to port, and then settle down and go out of sight all to oncet, like putting a stingwisher on a candle; and there! what did I tell yer?"

For all at once the blaze rose quite high, as if it were driven upwards by some explosion below. We saw what looked like tiny sparks falling all around, and some of them floating upon the sea, and then there was the sound as of a puff of wind—heavy and short; and, where the barque had lain blazing and sending up its great waving tongue of fire, there was now darkness, save here and there a few dull specks of light, which went out one by one.

"The last act of a tragedy," said a voice close by us; and Mr Brooke, who had the watch, stood gazing at the dark waters for a few moments. Then in his quiet, decided tones—

"Now, Mr Barkins—Mr Herrick, it is not your watch. You had better go below."

"Yes, sir; good-night, sir."

"Good-morning, you mean," he replied; and we two went down and turned in.

"I say, Gnat," cried Barkins in a sleepy voice; "old Tom Jecks'll be more chuckle-bumptious than ever."

"Yes," I said; "that happened just right for him."

"Yes, that's the luck that kind of bumble-head always gets. He'll set up—now—for—snore—set up for—oh, how sleepy I am! What say?"

"I didn't speak," I replied drowsily.

"Who said you did? Oh, I remember now. Tom Jecks'll set up for boss— know—all now. Look here—you help me, and we'll gammon him into—be— believing—he ought to make an alma—alma—nick—nack,"—snore.

Barkins was fast asleep, and I was just thinking how suddenly a drowsy person dropped off, when all at once I seemed to be back in the cabin of the burned ship, where I was searching the lockers for pirates, and then some one hauled me out of my berth by one leg, and I raised myself on my elbow to stare wildly at Smith.



CHAPTER NINE.

PREPARATIONS.

"At last!" he cried. "I began to think your eyelids were sewed up. Dress yourself, sir; do you hear? Do you suppose that the junior officers of the Teaser are kept here on purpose to set a bad example to the men?"

"Breakfast ready?" I said, yawning.

"Of course it is, sir. Kidneys and fried soles done to a shade. Fresh water-cresses, hot rolls, and all kinds of don't-you-wish-you-may-get-'ems, waiting. I say, look at old Tanner. Let's rouse him up."

I rose slowly, and, with the customary malignity of one rudely wakened from sleep, began to feel a grim satisfaction in seeing my messmate robbed of his repose in turn.

"Cold pig?" suggested Smith.

"No, no; don't," I said. "It makes the place so wet."

"All right. Come here, then."

I was about to join him, when the peculiar vibration going on made me turn sharply to Smith.

"Hallo!" I said.

"What's the matter?"

"Under steam again?"

"Yes. Orders came soon after daylight, and we're going south with our tail between our legs. Skipper seems to think it's of no use trying any longer; and you mark my words, as soon as we're gone those beggars will come out of their creeks and begin murdering and burning every trading vessel they can catch."

"I am sorry," I said, as I recalled my interview with the captain.

"Sorry! I should think you are. So are we all. It's a shame, that's what it is, Gnat."

"It seems to be a pity, because we might run against them some time."

"Run against them! Why, of course. The scent's hot now. Oh, I only wish I was captain of this ship!"

"Wish you were, Smithy," said Barkins, yawning.

"Oh, you're awake at last, are you?"

"Of course I am. Who's to sleep with you yelping about like that. I say, if you were skipper, we'd share the cabin with you, and have a jolly time of it—eh?"

"Oh, would you?" cried Smith. "We'd see about that. I tell you what, though, if I was skipper, this gunboat shouldn't leave the station while there was a pirate on the east coast."

"Well, there won't be when we've done. I say—oh dear me!—how is it the legs of your trousers will get tangled when you want to put 'em on in a hurry."

"'Cause you put 'em on with your eyes tangled up. Hear that?"

"What, you gabbling?"

"No; the screw at work."

"Eh? Yes. What does it mean?"

"We're going back."

"No!"

"We are—full speed."

"Without yard-arming the beggars who took that ship."

"Yes; ain't it a shame?"

Barkins made no answer, but kept on dressing—snatching on his clothes, so to speak; and when we went on deck that bright, fine morning, there was a lowering look upon every face; and the officers were all snappish, the men discontented, and scowling at the two figures marching up and down the quarter-deck side by side.

I felt disappointed, for we had been looking forward to the exciting moments when we should first overhaul some piratical junk. Of course I knew that there might be some danger, but I foresaw very little: our well-armed ship, with its strong, highly-disciplined crew, would over-ride every opposition offered by the half-savage Chinamen, I felt sure; and, like most people in the service, I felt that, if any one was hurt, it would be some one else. And now there was to be no further search for the pirates. We were going south again, probably to Hong-Kong; and I was sick of hot Hong-Kong, and doing nothing but drill.

I partook, then, of the general feeling of dissatisfaction that morning; and, feeling quite glum and vexed with myself, I leaned over the taffrail and gazed down at the bright, clear water in search of fish.

"I wish I hadn't spoken as I did last night," I said to myself later on; and I was going over the whole scene in the cabin, and thinking of what a noodle I must have looked, when I heard my name uttered in the captain's short, sharp voice.

I turned and saluted, to find that Mr Reardon had gone forward.

"I only want to repeat my caution to you, Mr Herrick," said the captain. "You will not say a word to any one about your visit to me last night."

"No, sir," I said.

"You have not spoken to your messmates?"

"No, sir; not a word."

"But they asked you why I summoned you to my cabin?"

"Yes, sir; but they think it was to snub—reprove me, sir, for making so much of the Chinaman."

"Oh, I see. But snub would have done, Mr Herrick. Reprove sounds pedantic. That will do, but bear in mind my wishes."

"Oh, there you are, Mr Herrick," said the first lieutenant, a few minutes later. "I want you. Find that Chinaman and the ship's tailor, and bring them both to my cabin."

"Yes, sir," I said, wondering; and I hunted them out, told them to follow me, and led the way to Mr Reardon's cabin.

"Shut the door," he said sharply.

I obeyed, and the lieutenant consulted a scrap of paper upon which he had pencilled a few memoranda.

"Now, tailor," he said, "you will have an order for a sufficiency of white duck."

"Yes, sir."

"And by this time to-morrow I want twenty loose frocks cut and made after the fashion of this man's blue cotton blouse thing."

"Couldn't be done, sir, in the time," said the tailor respectfully.

"They must be done, my man. I don't care how roughly they are made, nor how badly sewn, but they must be cut to this pattern. Get as many men as you require to sew, and begin work at once. I'll send this boy to you soon, for you to get the pattern of his garment."

The tailor saluted, and went off wondering; while I wondered no less, as I stood waiting with Ching for what was to come; but for some moments Mr Reardon sat there studying his notes.

All at once he looked up sharply.

"Now, Ching," he said, "can you understand all I say?"

The Chinaman nodded.

"Then look here: I have ordered twenty duck-frocks, as you heard."

"Yes, sir. Velly like Chinaman."

"Exactly. Well, these are for twenty of our men to wear. I want them to look like Chinese."

Ching shook his head.

"Blue flock," he said; "all blue, no white."

"We have no blue, and the white must do."

"Velly well."

"That point is settled, then. Now, then, about their heads."

"Cut hair all off, and glow pigtail."

"That would take years, my man, and I wanted them ready to-morrow."

"How glow pigtail one day?" cried Ching scornfully; and pulling round his own, he held it out, fully four feet in length—a long black plait, with a bit of ribbon tying it at the end.

"Thi'ty yea' long," said Ching. "No one day."

"You must get some oakum, and dye it black. Plait it up, and fasten that on the men's heads."

"With bit o' stling," said Ching, nodding his head. "Go act play—make fleatre 'board ship?"

"Yes, we are going to act a play," said the lieutenant sternly; and I felt the blood come into my face with excitement.

"Shave men's head—shave face; makee look allee same Chinaman."

"Oh, we can manage that," said Mr Reardon, giving me a meaning look. "You can pick out men and boys enough, Mr Herrick, to make twenty smooth-faced ones."

"Yes, sir, I think so," I said.

"Then something must be mixed up, whiting and tallow ought to do it."

"Yes, Ching see; makee head velly white."

"That will do, then."

"No," said Ching sharply. "No tlouser, no boot?"

"That will not matter, my man, so long as they are right in their upper rigging."

"Light in upper ligging!" said Ching. "Ah, you go cheat, gammon pilate?"

Mr Reardon gave him an angry look.

"You go and do—no, stop. You are quite right, my man, but don't talk about it. Get the work done."

"Ching see. Make nineteen twenty men look like Chinese boy. Pilate come along, say, 'Big tea-ship. Come aboard,' and get catchee likee lat in tlap."

"Yes, that's it, my man. Do you think it a good plan, Mr Herrick?" he added drily.

"Oh yes, sir," I cried excitedly. "May we begin at once?"

"Ye-es," said the lieutenant thoughtfully. "I think that's all you can do. Yes," he said decidedly; "take the job in hand, Mr Herrick, and help it along. I want to have twenty men looking like a Chinese crew by to-morrow."

"Come along, Ching."

"Yes," he said. "Do it velly well. Chinese pilate velly cunning fellow. You go gettee two junk, put men on board."

"You go and get the men ready," said Mr Reardon shortly. "That will do."

Directly after I had Ching supplied from the purser's stores with plenty of fine oakum and a couple of bottles of ink. This latter he made boiling hot and poured over the oakum, hanging it to dry by the cook's fire; and while he was doing this I arranged with the cook to have a bucket of tallow and whiting mixed ready for use when required, so that then all necessary would be to warm it up.

I was just going aft again when "Herrick" was shouted, and I turned, to see Barkins and Smith coming after me. But Mr Reardon heard the hail, and came striding after us.

"You leave Mr Herrick to the business he is on, young gentlemen, and attend to your own," he cried. "Go on, Mr Herrick. This is no time for gossiping."

I hurried off, and began my next task, that of selecting twenty men without beards; and there was no difficulty, for I soon picked sixteen and four big lads, upon whose heads the ship's barber was set to work to cut the hair pretty short, the men submitting with an excellent grace, Jack being ready enough to engage in anything fresh, and such as would relieve the monotony of shipboard life.

They were ready enough to ask questions, but I had nothing to tell; and the preparations went merrily on, but not without my having learned that we were steaming right away out of sight of land.

But long before we had reached this pitch, I found that orders had been given, and the men were busy up aloft, lowering down the main-topgallant mast, and then laying the maintop mast all askew, as if it were snapped off at the top. After which the yards were altered from their perfect symmetry to hang anyhow, as if the ship were commanded by a careless captain. The engine was set to work to squirt water thickened with cutch, and the beautiful white sails were stained in patches, and then roughly furled.

Towards evening, when the sea appeared to be without a sail in sight, we lay-to; platforms were got over the side, and men hung over with their paint-pots and brushes, working with all their might to paint out the streak, while others smeared over the gilding and name at the stern, but with a thin water-colour which would easily wash off.

Then came the turn of the great funnel, which was painted of a dirty black. The bright brass rails were dulled, ropes hung loosely, and in every way possible the trim gunboat was disfigured and altered, so that at a short distance even it would have been impossible to recognise her as the smart vessel that had started from the neighbourhood of the burned ship so short a time before.

But even then Mr Reardon did not seem to be satisfied, for he set the men to work hauling water casks from the hold, and make a pile of them amidships. Lastly, a couple of the boats were turned bottom upward on improvised chocks placed over the deck-house and galley.

I have not mentioned the guns, though. These were completely hidden, the lesser pieces being drawn back, and spare sails thrown over the two big guns forward.

"There," said Mr Reardon quietly to me; "what do you say to that, Mr Herrick? Think this will deceive them?"

"There's one more thing I should do, sir," I said, as I looked aloft.

"One more? Nonsense; there is nothing more to be done."

"Yes, sir," I said, smiling; "I'd have some shirts and trousers hung up in the rigging to dry, just as if the men had been having a wash."

"To be sure," he cried. "What else?"

"It wouldn't be bad if we could catch a few big fish, and let them be hanging over the stern rail as if to keep them fresh."

"I'll set Mr Barkins and Mr Smith to try and catch some," he said eagerly. "The idea's splendid, my lad; and if it turns out to be successful, I'll—there, I don't know what I won't do for you."

Soon after, I had the pleasure of seeing a lot of the men's garments hung on a couple of lines in the rigging, and Barkins and Smith hard at work fishing, in which they were so wonderfully successful that I longed to go and join them; but I was too busy over my task of disguising the twenty sailors, and consequently my two messmates had all the sport to themselves, dragging in, every few minutes, an abundance of good-sized fishes, which were at last strung upon a piece of stout line and hung over the stern rail.

That night the crew were all in an intense state of excitement, and roars of laughter saluted my party of sham Chinamen, some of whom were paraded in the newly-made frocks, two being in the full dress of whitened head and pigtail, and looked so exactly like the real thing at a short distance that no doubt was felt as to the success of this part of the proceedings.

Officers and men had been a little puzzled at first, but in a very short time they were all talking about the cleverness of the "captain's dodge," as they called it; and the low spirits of the morning gave place to eager talk about the adventures which all felt sure must come now.

The ship's head had been turned and laid for the islands we had so lately left; but our progress was purposely made exceedingly slow, the screw just revolving, and the water parting with a gentle ripple to right and left.

Meanwhile the tailor and his mates were hard at work by the light of the swinging lanterns, and, upon my being sent by Mr Reardon to make inquiries, the tailor answered that he should be up to time with the twenty Chinee gownds, and went on stitching again as if for his very life.

I was on the watch that night, and stood listening for long enough to the yarns of one of the men, who had not been in Chinese waters before, but "knowed a chap as had;" and he had some blood-curdling tales to tell of the cruelties perpetrated by the desperate gangs who haunted the coast in fast-sailing junks.

"But they're an awfully cowardly lot, arn't they, Billy?" said another.

"Well," said the man, "it's like this, messmet; they is and they arn't, if you can make that out. They'll scuttle away like rats if they can; but if they can't, they'll fight that savage that nothing's like it; and if it is to come to a fight, all I've got to say is, as the chap as hasn't got his cutlash as sharp as ever it can be made 'll be very sorry for it."

"Oh, I don't know," said another; "there won't be much cutlashing; 'tain't like it used to was in the old days. Most everything's done with the big guns now; and if they do get alongside to board, why, a man's cutlash is always stuck at the end of his rifle, just as if it was a jolly's bag'net growed out o' knowledge, and then it's all spick and spike."

"Maybe," said the man; "but you mark my words, they're a nasty lot when they gets wild, and you'll have to look pretty sharp if you don't want to get hurt."

It was not cheering, after a very wearying day and a very short night before, to listen to such talk, and I began to wonder whether the captain would take sufficient precautions to keep the Chinese off, for I felt that to properly carry out the plan, the fighting men must be kept well out of sight till the very last; but I soon came to the conclusion that I need not worry about that, from the spirited way in which everything possible to disguise the ship had been done.

Then, as I leaned over the side looking over the black water, in which a faint star could be seen from time to time, I began to smile to myself at the quiet, dry way in which my ideas had been taken up; but I frowned directly after, as I thought of what a little credit I was getting for it all, and that the captain or Mr Reardon might have said an encouraging word or two to show that they appreciated my efforts.

It was laughable, too, the way in which I had heard the captain's dodge discussed by Barkins and Smith, who never once associated my summons to the cabin with all that had been done.

The time was going along slowly, and I was beginning to feel very drowsy, so I had a walk up and down a few times, and then came suddenly upon something like a big bundle under the weather bulwark.

"Why, Ching," I said, "you here?"

"Yes; velly hot down below, no sleepee sleepee. Come on deck, nicee cool. You have fightee morrow?"

"I hope so," I said; but asked myself the next moment whether I really did hope so.

"Velly bad fightee, bad pilates come, and captain killee whole lot. Allee velly bad man, killee evelybody."

"Do you think they will come out of hiding?"

"Ching don'tee know. Ching thinkee muchee so. Now go sleepee. Velly much tire."

He curled himself up, drawing his tail round out of the way, and seemed to go off directly; while I rejoined the officer of the watch, who happened to be Mr Brooke, and we walked right forward to the bows, and saw that the men were keeping a bright look-out.

"Well, Herrick," he said, "got your dirk sharp?"

"No," I said. "Don't laugh at me, please, Mr Brooke."

"Oh no, I will not laugh at you, my lad," he said; "but as it is quite likely that we may have a bit of a scrimmage to-morrow, if the scoundrels are lured out of their holes, and grow desperate on finding that they have made a mistake, you had better keep out of the way."

"But—"

"Oh yes, I know what you are going to say; but you are very young yet, and what chance would you have against a great strong savage Chinaman— for there are plenty of powerful fellows among these scoundrels. You must wait a bit before you take to fighting."

I felt uncomfortable. He seemed to be looking down upon me so, in spite of my being an officer; but I could not boast of my strength, and remained silent for a time.

"Do you think they are likely to get on board, sir?"

"Oh no," he said. "We shall not give them a chance. Once the captain is sure that they are the pirates, if we are lucky enough to lure them well out from the shore, the men will be ordered up to the guns, and we shall give them a few broadsides, and sink them."

"It sounds horrid, sir," I said. "Then they'll never have a chance to fight us?"

"Not if we can help it, my lad. But, as you say, it does sound horrid, and rather cowardly; but what would you do with a poisonous snake? You would not give it a chance to strike at you first, if you met it and had a loaded gun in your hands?"

"Of course not, sir," I said quickly.

"Well, these wretches are as dangerous as venomous serpents, and, after what you saw on board that barque, you do not think we need be squeamish about ridding the earth of such monsters?"

"No, sir, not a bit," I said quickly.

"Neither do I, Herrick. I should like to aim the gun that sends a shot through them between wind and water."

"Light on the port bow!" announced the look-out forward; and, upon using his night-glass, Mr Brooke made out the vessel, which showed the light to be a large junk, with her enormous matting-sails spread, and gliding along faster than we were, and in the same direction.

As we watched the light, it gradually grew fainter, and finally disappeared, while all through our watch the screw kept on its slow motion, just sending the gunboat onward.

Toward what? I asked myself several times; and, in spite of my determination to acquit myself manfully if we did go into action, I could not help hoping that the next night would find us all as safe as we were then. But all the same the thoughts of our preparations were well in my mind, and never once did I hope that we should not encounter the enemy.

All the same, though, when my watch was at an end and I went below, perhaps it was owing to its being so hot, as Ching said, for it was a long time before I could get off to sleep.



CHAPTER TEN.

THE ENEMY.

"Oh, I say, do wake up and come on deck. It's such a lark."

"What is?" I said, rolling out of the berth, with my head feeling all confused and strange, to stare at Barkins.

"Why, everything. You never saw such a miserable old rag-bag of a ship in your life."

I hurriedly dressed and went on deck, to find the preparations complete, and I could not help thinking that, if the pirates mistook the Teaser for a man-of-war now, they must be clever indeed.

For on the previous day I had only seen the alterations in bits, so to speak, but now everything was done, even to having a quantity of coal on deck, and the clean white planks besmirched with the same black fuel. The paint-pots had altered everything; the figure-head was hidden with tarpaulin; the rigging, instead of being all ataunto, was what Smith called "nine bobble square," and one sail had been taken down and replaced by an old one very much tattered, so that up aloft we looked as if we had been having a taste of one of the typhoons which visit the Chinese seas. These preparations, with the men's clothes hanging to dry, the boats badly hauled up to the davits, and the fish hanging over the stern (after the fashion practised in west-country fishing-boats), completely altered the aspect of everything. Then I found that the officers were all in tweeds, with yachting or shooting caps; the bulk of the crew below, and my twenty men and lads all carefully got up with painted heads and pigtails complete, under the charge of Ching, who was bustling about importantly, and he came to me at once and began whispering—

"Captain say, Ching takee care allee men, and show himself evelywhere."

"Yes, of course," I said. "Yes. You wanted to say something?"

"Yes, Ching want say something."

"Well, what is it? Quick, I must go."

"Ching want you tell sailor boy be velly careful. Take care of Ching when pilate come."

"All right," I said; "but they haven't come yet."

"Think big junk pilate."

"Which one? where?" I said.

He pointed forward to where, about five miles off the lee-bow, a great junk was slowly sailing in the same direction as we were.

"Is that the one which passed us in the night?" I said.

"Yes."

"Why do you think she is a pirate?"

"Ching tink why she no sail light away and not stop while man-o'-war clawl along velly slow. You tellee captain."

I nodded, and found that there was no need, for the captain was carefully observing the junk from where he was hidden by a pile of casks, and Mr Reardon was with him.

"Here, Mr Herrick," he cried, "your eyes are young. Have a look at that junk. Take your uniform cap off, my lad, and, as soon as you have done, take off your jacket and put on a coloured suit."

I had a good look through the glass at the junk, and made my report.

"I think it's only a big trader, sir," I said. "Looks like the boats we saw at Amoy, and as if she were going up to Wanghai."

"Yes, that's it, I think," said Captain Thwaites to Mr Reardon. Then he sharply turned to me and gave me a dry look. "Well, Mr Herrick, you see I have taken your advice, and put my ship in this disgraceful state."

"Yes, sir," I said eagerly; "and I hope it will prove successful."

"So do I," he said drily. "That will do, Herrick. Now, Mr Reardon, I think we will keep on just as we are, just about four knots an hour. It gives the idea of our being in trouble; and if we keep on close outside the islands, it may draw the scoundrels—that is, if they are there."

"Yes, sir, if they are there," said the lieutenant.

"How long do you reckon it will take us to get abreast of the reef where that barque lay?"

"We ought to be there by noon, sir, I should say."

"That will do. We shall seem to be making for Wanghai."

I heard no more, but went below, and directly after breakfast reappeared in white flannels and a cricketing cap, a transformation which satisfied the first lieutenant, but displeased Barkins and Smith, who had orders to keep below in uniform.

"I hate so much favouritism," grumbled Barkins. "Who are you, Gnat? You're our junior; and here are we kept below, and my lord you parading about the deck, and seeing everything."

"Why, you're in the reserve," I said banteringly, "and will have all the fighting to do."

"Who wants all the fighting to do?" cried Smith. "I don't. I suppose if we do take a lot of pirate junks, you'll be promoted, and we shan't get a word."

"Stuff!" I said. "How can I get promoted?"

"But I want to know why you're to be picked out," cried Barkins.

"Go and ask the skipper," I said. "Now, look here both of you; if you're not civil, I won't come and report everything. If you are, I'll come down as often as I can to tell you all that is going on."

"Oh then, I suppose we must be civil, Smithy," said Barkins sourly, "but we'll serve the beggar out afterwards."

I went up on deck again to find that our speed had been slightly increased, but we drew no nearer to the junk, which sailed on exactly in the same course as we were taking, and that seemed strange; but beyond watching her through the telescopes, and seeing that she had only about a dozen men on board—all blue-frocked Chinamen—no further notice was taken of her.

Ching was seated right forward, with his blue frock showing well up against the grey white of one of the hanging-down sails, and he had been furnished with a pipe, which he smoked slowly and thoughtfully; half-a-dozen men were in the fore-rigging, making believe to repair damages up aloft; and soon after four more were sent up to begin tinkering at the topmast, which they made great efforts to lower down on deck, but of course got no further.

They had orders from the first lieutenant to take it coolly, and coolly they took it, looking like a lazy, loafing set of Chinese sailors, whose intentions were to do as little as they could for their pay.

Mr Reardon, in a shooting-suit and straw hat, went about giving orders, and the captain and Mr Brooke had cane seats on the quarter-deck, with a bottle and glasses, and sat sipping beer and smoking cigars, as if they were passengers.

Then came long hours of patient—I should say impatient—crawling along over the same course as we had followed the previous day, with no sail in sight but the big junk, which took not the slightest notice of us, nor we of it.

There was no doubt whatever, though, of her actions. She kept sailing on at about the same rate as we steamed, evidently for the sake of being in company, and to have a European vessel close at hand to close up to in case of danger from the shores of the mainland, or one of the islands we should pass, for it was an established fact that the pirates seldom attacked ships that were in company.

All through the early part of the morning the novelty of the affair interested the men, and there was a constant burst of eager conversation going on, but as noon came, and matters were in the same position, and we still far away from the spot where the barque had been burned, every one grew weary, and I fidgeted myself into a state of perspiration.

"It will all turn out wrong," I thought, "and then they will blame me."

With these fancies to worry me, I kept away from my messmates as much as I could; and when by accident I encountered either of my superiors, I saw that they looked—or I fancied they did—very stern.

"All these preparations for nothing," I said to myself, as I saw the guns all ready, but covered over with tarpaulins, cartridges and shells waiting, and the crews armed and impatient.

Dinner had been long over, and I need hardly say that I did not enjoy mine. Some of the men were having a nap, and the heat below must have been very great, for it was scorching on deck.

At last we were abreast of the rocky islands dotted here and there, and upon the reef I could just make out a few pieces of the burned vessel.

But as I swept the rocky islets and channels and then the horizon, I could not make out a sail, only our companion the junk, with her bows and stern high out of the water, sailing easily along that fine afternoon.

Another hour passed, and there were rocky islands on our starboard bow and two astern, but not a sign of inhabitant, only high bluffs, rugged cliffs, and narrow channels between reefs whitened by the constant breaking upon them of a heavy swell.

"Rather slow work, Reardon," said the captain, as they two came by where I was at the bulwark, using a small glass. "See anything, Mr Herrick?"

"No, sir," I said.

"No, sir, indeed; of course you don't," cried the captain impatiently. "Nice trick you've played me, sir. Made me dress up my men and the ship in this tomfool way. There you are using your glass. What have you got to say for yourself, eh?"

I could not tell whether he was speaking banteringly or really angrily, and, keeping my glass to my eye in the hope of seeing something to report, I mumbled out some excuse about meaning it for the best.

"Best, indeed!" he said pettishly. "Nice objects we look. What do you think the First Lords of the Admiralty would say to me if they could see Her Majesty's gunboat—the finest clipper in the service—in this state? Eh? Why don't you answer, sir?"

"I suppose, sir," I cried desperately, "that they would say you were doing your best for the sake of trying to catch the pirates."

"Humph! do you, indeed? Well? Anything to report? What's the use of holding that glass to your eye if you can't see anything? Anything to report, I say?"

"Yes, sir," I cried breathlessly, and with my heart throbbing heavily, "the junk has run up a little pennon to her mast-head."

"She has?" cried Mr Reardon excitedly, and he raised his own glass. "Yes, you're right. Well done, Herrick! There, sir, I told you the lad was right."

"Right? when they are signalling to us for water or a bag of rice."

"When they have only to heave-to and let us overhaul them, sir," cried Mr Reardon, swinging his glass round and narrowly missing my head. "No, sir, they're signalling to the shore; and before long we shall see another junk come swooping out from behind one of those headlands, to take us in the rear. If they don't, I'm a Dutchman."

"Then Dutchman you are, Reardon," said the captain, smiling. "I only wish they would."

"Here they come, sir," I cried excitedly—"one—two—yes, there are three."

"What? Where?"

"You can only see the tops of their sails, sir, over that flat, low island this side of the big cliffs."

"Eh! yes."

Only those two words, as the captain sighted the slowly-moving objects just indistinctly seen, but they were enough to send a thrill all through the ship.

For there was no mistaking the matter. The junk that had been hanging by us all night was a pirate after all, and she had signalled to companions on shore. I could see, too, that she was slightly altering her course.

The enemy was at last in sight.



CHAPTER ELEVEN.

THE FIGHT.

"Oh, if I only dared hooray!" I said to myself; and then a flush of pride rose to my cheeks, for the captain gave me a smart clap on the shoulder.

"Bravo, Herrick!" he said in quite a whisper. "I thought you were right, my lad, or I shouldn't have done all this. Mr Reardon and I will make a fine officer of you before we have done."

"Shall I pass the word down for the men to be on the qui vive?" said the lieutenant.

The captain laughed, and nodded his head in the direction of the hatches, which were black with peeping heads.

"No need, Mr Reardon; there is not a soul on board who does not know. It is no time for making fresh arrangements. We'll keep exactly to our plans. Don't let a man show on deck, for depend upon it they will have a look-out aloft ready to give warning of danger, and we must not give them an excuse for signalling to their confederates to sheer off."

"Keep steadily on, then, sir?"

"Yes, steadily and stupidly. Let the men go on as before up aloft, and let the rest of the men show their white heads and pigtails at the bulwarks as if they were wondering who the strangers were. Good pressure of steam below?"

"Yes, sir, almost too much," said the lieutenant, after communication with the engine-room.

"Not a bit," said the captain, rubbing his hands. "We shall want it soon."

My heart began to beat as they passed on, and I wondered what would be the first steps taken. But I did not forget my promise. My duties were about nil, and as soon as I had seen the men staring over the bulwarks, and noted that the sham repairs to the rigging were steadily going on, I ran down the companion-way, and breathlessly told Barkins and Smith.

"Then there are four of them, Smithy," cried Barkins. "Look here, Gnat; he stuck out that there were only three. But well done, old chap, you are a good one to come and tell us. Here, don't go yet; I want to—"

I never heard what he wanted to, for there was too much exciting attraction on the deck, to which, being as it were licensed, I at once returned.

The captain and Mr Reardon were on the quarter-deck, conscious that savages as the Chinese or Formosan pirates were, they probably did not despise the barbarian instruments known as telescopes, and that most likely every movement on board the Teaser was being watched. Any suspicious act would be quite sufficient to make them sheer off, and consequently the strictest orders were given to the men to play their parts carefully, and make no movement that was not required.

Dressed as I was in flannels, my appearance was thoroughly in keeping with the assumed peaceful character of the ship, and hence I heard and saw nearly everything.

Just as I went on the quarter-deck the captain was saying to the first lieutenant—

"Don't be so excitable, man. When I ask you a question, or give an order, take it deliberately, and dawdle off to see it done."

"Right through, sir?" said Mr Reardon petulantly.

"No," said the captain quietly. "When I give the order, 'Full speed ahead,' then you can act. Till then you are mate or passenger, whichever you like, of this dirty-looking trader. Ah, those three low junks, or whatever they are, can creep through the water pretty quickly."

"Yes; and the big junk too," said Mr Reardon, using his glass. "It is astonishing how rapidly those great heavily-sailed craft can go. She's full of men, sir," he continued; "I can see more and more beginning to show themselves. Not much appearance of dishipline, though."

"So much the better for us," muttered Captain Thwaites, turning in his cane arm-chair, and looking in the direction of the islands again, from which the three smaller vessels were coming on rapidly. "Yes,"—he said, as if to himself, "a head keeps showing here and there; they are full of men too."

I was not experienced, of course, that only being my third voyage, but I knew enough of navigating tactics to grasp the fact that the four vessels were carefully timing themselves so as to reach us together, and this evidently was their customary mode of procedure, and no doubt accounted for ship after ship being taken and plundered. I felt startled, too, as I realised the strength of the crews, and what a simultaneous attempt to board might mean. With an ordinary merchantman, even with a strong crew, undoubtedly death and destruction, while even with our well-armed men and guns I began to have doubts. A slip in the manoeuvres, ever so slight a mistake on Captain Thwaites' part, or a blunder in the carrying out of his orders, might give one vessel the chance to make fast, and while we were arresting their onslaught there would be time for the others to get close in and throw their scores of bloodthirsty savages upon our decks.

Mr Reardon had strolled forward, and returned just as the captain said to me—

"You may as well fetch me my sword and cap from the cabin, Mr Herrick."

"Yes, sir," I said quickly, and I was off, but he stopped me.

"Not now, boy," he cried impatiently; "when the first gun is fired will be time enough. Well, Reardon, men all ready?"

"Ready, sir? they want wiring down. I'm only afraid of one thing."

"What is that?"

"That they will jam one another in the hatches in their excitement."

"Give fresh stringent orders, sir," said the captain sternly; "every man is to go quickly and silently to his post, as if on an ordinary drill. By George! they are coming on quickly; we shall have it all over by daylight."

"And they'll plunder the ship by lamplight, eh?" said Mr Reardon drily.

"Of course. I think there is no need to feel any doubt now as to these being the men we want?"

"I don't know, sir," said the lieutenant quietly; "but there is no doubt about their meaning to try and take this peaceful merchantman. Look, they feel sure of us, sir, and are showing themselves. Why, they swarm with men."

"Poor wretches!" said the captain gravely. "I don't like shedding blood, but we must do it now, to the last drop."

The enemy were now less than a mile away, and coming on rapidly, the smaller vessels helping their progress with long, heavy sweeps; and as I stood behind the captain's chair, and looked round the deck from the wheel, where one of our sham Chinamen stood, with another seated under the bulwarks apparently asleep, but ready to spring up and join his messmate at a word; round by the bulwarks where four or five stood stupidly looking over the side; and then up aloft to the men making believe to work very hard at the damaged spar—all looked peaceful enough to tempt the wretches, without counting the most prominent figure of all, Ching, as he sat high up, smoking placidly, and looking as calm and contemplative as a figure of Buddha.

"The men ought to be called up now, and the guns set to work," I said to myself, as every pulse throbbed with excitement, and in imagination I saw, from the captain's neglect or dilatoriness, our deck running with blood.

But I had to master these thoughts.

"They know better than I do when to begin," I said to myself, and, after a sharp glance at the coming vessels, I began to pity my two messmates who were cooped up below, and I thought of how excited they must be. Then I thought of Mr Brooke, and hoped he would not be hurt; and shuddered a little as I remembered the doctor, who would be all ready below, waiting to attend upon the first wounded man.

"See that, sir?" said Mr Reardon quickly.

"What?" said Captain Thwaites in the most unmoved way.

"That smoke on board two of them."

"On board all," said the captain. "I noticed it a minute ago. They are getting the stinkpots ready for us, I suppose."

"Yes, that's it, sir. Do you think it necessary to have the hose ready in case of fire?"

"No; if any come on board, the firemen can be called up from the stokehole with their shovels. I think we'll go now upon the bridge. You can come too, Mr Herrick. I may want you to take an order or two."

And as he walked quietly towards the bridge, where the speaking-tubes and signals joined with the engine-room were, he was as calm and deliberate as if there was not the slightest danger menacing the Teaser; while for my part I could not help feeling that the position there upon the bridge was a highly-exposed one, and that I should have been much safer in the shelter of the bulwarks, or down below.

All this time we were gently forging ahead, and the junk was quietly manoeuvring so that we should pass her so close that she could just avoid our prow, and then close and grapple with us, for they were busy on her starboard quarter, and through my glass I could make out great hooks.

"Won't they think we are taking it too coolly, and grow suspicious, sir?" whispered Mr Reardon excitedly.

"I hope not," said the captain. "Perhaps one might show fight now, but I am trusting to their believing that we are stupid, for I want to get them all, Reardon, if I can. Now, silence, if you please."

Mr Reardon drew back a step or two and waited during those terrible minutes which followed, and I gave quite a start, for the enemy suddenly threw off all reserve as a yell came from the junk, which was answered from the other vessels, and, with their decks crowded with savage-looking desperadoes, they swept down upon us literally from both sides, bow and stern.

But still the captain did not make a sign; and, in the midst of the horrible silence on board, I saw the dressed-up men turning their heads to gaze at us anxiously, as if the suspense was greater than they could bear, and their eyes implored their commander to give the word before the wretches began swarming on board.

I glanced at Mr Reardon, whose face was white, and the great drops of perspiration stood upon his cheeks, while his eyes, which were fixed upon the captain between us, looked full of agony; for the great junk with its wild crew was apparently only a hundred yards ahead, and the others not much farther, coming rapidly on.

"It's all over," I thought, in my horror, "he will be too late;" and that I was not alone in my thoughts obtained confirmation, for, though the crew to a man stood fast, I saw Ching suddenly drop from his perch and look round for a place of retreat.

At the same moment the captain moved his hand; there was a sharp tinging of the gong in the engine-room, which meant full speed ahead; and, as the vibration rapidly increased, he then gave a sharp order or two, and in an instant almost the men came pouring up from the various hatches upon deck, but so quickly and quietly that the transformation was almost magical.

I don't think my eyes are peculiarly made, but I saw the various crews muster round the guns, and the marines range up, and the men with their rifles at their various posts, with each officer in his place, although all the time I was standing with my gaze fixed upon the great junk.

I saw, too, my twenty pigtailed men come sliding down the ropes from above, and snatch up the cutlasses and rifles laid ready beneath a tarpaulin; but all the time I was seeing, in obedience to orders, two parties of the crew going forward at the double, and I knew that the captain was communicating with the two men at the wheel.

Quick as lightning there was another order as we began to leave the three low vessels behind, and I involuntarily grasped the rail before me as all the men on board lay down—crews of the guns, marines, and those who had doubled forward under the command of Mr Brooke.

Hardly was the evolution performed, when there, right before us, were the lowering mat-sails of the great junk, and then, crash! there was a wild despairing yell, and we were into her amidships, the ponderous gunboat literally cutting her down and going right over her; while at a second command every man sprang up again, and for the next minute or two bayonet and cutlass were flashing in the evening sunlight as the wretches who climbed on board were driven back.

While this was going on, the bell in the engine-room rang out again and again, and we began to move astern to meet the three low junks, which, undismayed by the fate of their comrade, came at us with their crews yelling savagely.

Then there was a deep roar as the first gun belched forth its flame and smoke, with the huge shell hurtling through the air, dipping once in the calm sea, and crashing through one of the junks, to explode with a report like the echo of the first, far beyond.

Captain Thwaites turned quietly and looked at me.

"Yes, sir?" I stammered.

"I said when the first gun was fired you could fetch my cap and sword, Mr Herrick," he said quietly, and I ran down just as the second big gun bellowed, but I did not see with what result. I heard the sharp, short order, though, and another gun roared, and another, and another, as the junks came well into sight; for each gun I heard the crash of the shell hitting too, and the fierce yells of the men, as I dashed into the cabin, seized cap and sword, and then ran back to the bridge, eager to see the fight, and in my excitement forgetting to feel afraid.

But a heavy smoke was gathering over us and the junks,—two were indistinct, though they were close aboard of us. Then, as the Teaser glided astern, I saw that the third was smoking, while crash, crash, the others struck our sides, and their crews grappled, hurled their stinkpots on board, and began to swarm over the bulwarks.

But the guns were being steadily served with terrible effect; the few poor wretches who reached the deck were bayoneted, and in how long or how short a time I cannot tell, for everything seemed to be swept away in the excitement; we steamed away out of the smoke into the ruddy sunset, and there I saw in one place a mass of tangled bamboo and matting, with men clustering upon it, and crowding one over the other like bees in a swarm. There was another mass about a quarter of a mile away, and I looked in vain for the third junk; but a number of her crew clinging to bamboos, sweeps, spars, and what looked to be wicker crates, showed where she had been. The last of the four, with her great matting-sails hauled up to the fullest extent, was sailing away toward the nearest island, and on either side they had sweeps over with two or three men to each, tugging away with all their might to help their vessel along.

"The brutes!" I thought to myself, as I watched the glint of the ruddy sun upon their shiny heads and faces, with their pig tails swinging behind, as they hung back straining at the great oars. For their sole idea seemed to be escape, and not the slightest effort was made to pick up any of their comrades struggling in the water.

It was wonderful how quickly they went, and I began to think that the junk would escape. Three miles would be enough to place her all amongst the reefs and shoals, where the gunboat dare not follow; and I was thinking, as we glided rapidly in her wake, that the Teaser would chase her swiftly for about half the distance, and then lower the boats to continue the pursuit, but I was wrong; I saw that the captain gave Mr Reardon some order, then the gong rang in the engine-room, the way of the Teaser was checked, a turn of the wheel made her describe a curve, and she slowly came to a standstill broadside on to the flying junk.

The next minute the crews were piped away to the boats with their complement of marines to each; and as they were lowered down a steady fire was maintained with shell upon the junk.

I stood watching the shots, and saw the first of the broadside from one heavy and three smaller guns strike the water close to the junk's hull, fly up, dip again, and then burst over the cliffs.

The second went wide to the left, while the third also missed; and I saw the captain stamp impatiently as the fourth went right over her.

"She'll get away," I thought; and it seemed a pity for this junk to escape and form a nucleus for another strong pirate gang.

The firing continued, another broadside being directed at the flying pirates, who seemed to be certain now of escape, for the junk was end-on to us, and moving rapidly, forming a very difficult object for our marksmen; the gunboat, of course, rising and falling all the time upon the heaving sea.

In the intervals between the shots I had caught a glimpse of Barkins and Smith climbing into two of the boats, but it was only a glimpse; and then I was watching the effects of the fire again, as the boats pushed off to go to the help of the floating men.

Shot after shot had been fired most ineffectively, and I heard expostulations and angry words used to the captains of the guns; while at every ineffective shell that burst far away a derisive yell rose from the crowded junk—the shouts increasing each time.

"Another broadside, Reardon," cried the captain; "and then we must run in as far as we dare. Pick out half-a-dozen of the best men with the rifle to place on the bows to pick off the steersman."

"Ay, ay, sir," cried Mr Reardon; then directly, "All gone in the boats, sir."

Just then, as I was thinking that the junk must escape, one of our big guns was fired with a crash which made the deck vibrate. There was a tremendous puff of smoke, which was drawn toward us so that I could not see the effect, but the shell seemed to burst almost directly with a peculiar dull crash, and another yell arose from the distant vessel. Only it was not a derisive cry like the last, but a faint startling chorus of long-continued shrieks, despairing and wild.

"That's got her, sir," cried Mr Reardon; and we waited impatiently for the smoke to float by. But it still shut out the junk from where we stood, while it passed away from the men forward at the gun, and they gave us the first endorsement of Mr Reardon's words by bursting out into a hearty cheer, which was taken up by the crews of the other guns. Then we were clear of the smoke, looking landward to see a crowd of men struggling in the water, swimming about to reach planks and pieces of the junk, which had been blown almost to pieces by our great shell, and had sunk at once, while yet quite a mile from the nearest rocks.

"Ha!" ejaculated the captain, "a good evening's work! Now, Reardon, down with the other two boats, and save every poor wretch you can."

"Only one left, sir," cried Mr Reardon; and in a few minutes, fully manned, she was about to be lowered down, when I looked quickly at the captain, and he read my meaning.

"Want to go?" he said, and then nodded sharply.

I dashed down, climbed upon the bulwark, seized the falls just as they were about to be cast off, and slid down into the stern to take my place. Then the oars fell with a splash, and away we went over the ruddy sea to try and save all we could of the wretches upon whom so terrible a retribution had come.

One of the warrant officers was in command; he gave me a grim nod.

"Want to see the fun?" he said.

"I want to see the men saved," I replied; "I don't know where the fun comes in."

"You soon will," he said. "Look out for yourself, my lad; and don't be too eager to help them."

"Why?"

"You'll soon see," he said gruffly. Then turning to the four marines in the stern-sheets—"fix bayonets, and keep a sharp look-out."

I looked at him wonderingly, for fixed bayonets did not seem very suitable things for saving drowning men. But I said nothing, only sheltered my eyes from the level rays of the sun as we rowed swiftly on, and gazed across the water at the despairing wretches fighting for their lives upon the blood-red surface of the water.

It was very horrible after a time, for, as I looked with my heart feeling contracted, I saw a man, who had been swimming hard, suddenly throw up his hands and sink.

It was too much for me.

"Row, my lads, row," I cried; "we may catch him as he comes up."

"No," said the warrant officer grimly, "we shall never see him again."

"But try, try!" I cried.

"Yes, we'll try our best," said the officer sternly; "but it's their turn now. Many a poor wretch have they seen drown, I know, and laughed at when he cried for help."

I knew it was true; but all the same there was only one thought besides in my breast, and that was to save all the poor wretches who were clinging to the pieces of wreck.

As we drew nearer, we came upon the first of quite thirty, clinging to a sweep which was under his left arm; while, to my horror, I had seen three more swimming without support go down without a cry, and not one rise again.

"Easy there," said the officer; "ready there, coxswain; can you reach him with the hook?"

The man who was standing in the bows reached out to hook the pirate, but just then the end of the floating sweep touched our boat, and turned right off, so that the coxswain missed his stroke, and the result was that the pirate glided aft.

The officer by my side leaned over, reached out, and, to my intense satisfaction, caught the Chinaman by his left sleeve to draw him to the boat; but in an instant the wretch threw his right arm out of the water, and I saw the flash of a long knife in his fingers, as, with his teeth grinning, he struck at my companion with all his might.

I was so taken by surprise that I sat as if paralysed; but I was conscious of a quick movement from behind, something red passed over me, and, all instantaneously, there was the flash of another blade, a horrible thud—the pirate was driven under water; and I wrenched, as it were, my eyes round from him to look up over my shoulder at the marine, who with a dexterous twist of his rifle withdrew his bayonet from the savage's chest.

"Hurt, sir?" he said.

"No thankye, marine. Very quick and well done of you. There, Mr Herrick; now you see why I told you to look out."

"The brutes!" I cried excitedly; "they're not worth trying to save."

"No," he said; "but we must do it. I suppose they don't believe much in the mercy they'll get from us; so there's no wonder. Look at that!"

I turned my head in the direction in which he pointed, and saw what he meant. Five men were clinging to a piece of floating wreck about fifty yards away, and three more left the plank to which they had been clinging as we approached, and swam to join them.

I looked at the first group, fully expecting to see them hold out their hands to help their comrades; but in place thereof, I saw one wretch, who occupied the best position on the floating mass of wreck, raise a heavy piece of bamboo with both hands, and bring it down with a crash upon the head of the first man who swam up.

"Yah, you cowardly beggar!" roared one of the boat's crew. "I've marked you."

"Nice wild-beasts to save, Mr Herrick," said the warrant officer. "I feel as if I should like to open fire on them with my revolver."

"It's too horrible," I panted. "Look, look, Mr Grey!"

"I'm looking, my lad," said my companion. "Give way, my boys; let's stop it somehow."

For there was a desperate fight going on at the piece of wreck; three men, knife in hand, were trying to get upon the floating wood, and those upon it stabbing at them to keep them off.

But, in their despair, the swimmers made a dash together, regardless of the blows, climbed on, and a terrible struggle began.

"Starn all!" roared Mr Grey; and the boat's progress was checked. We were backed away just in time, for the pirates were all now on one side of the piece of wreck, thinking of nothing but destroying each other's lives, and heaped together in what looked like a knot, when the side they were on slowly sank, the far portion rose up and completely turned over upon them, forcing them beneath the water, which eddied and boiled as the struggle still went on below the surface.

"Give way, my lads," said the officer sternly; "let's try and save some of the others."

"Ay, ay," cried the man who had shouted before. "These here arn't worth saving."

The boat swept round in a curve, and we pulled off for another group, kneeling and crouching upon what seemed to be a yard and a mass of matting-sail.

Mr Grey stood up.

"Now, my lads," he shouted, "surrender."

For answer they bared their knives and defied us to come on, yelling and striking at us with them.

Mr Grey looked round at me half-laughingly.

"Cheerful sort of prisoners to make. If we go close in, some of us will get knifed."

"You can't go close," I said.

"If I don't they'll drown," he cried; "and the captain will ask me what I've been about."

"Hadn't you better let the jollies put 'em out of their misery, Mr Grey, sir?" cried one of the men. "They arn't fit to live."

"No," cried another fiercely. "They arn't men; they're tigers."

"Silence!" said the officer sternly. "There is a man yonder about to sink; give way," he cried.

This man had left a barrel, to which he had vainly tried to cling, but it kept on turning round; and at last, in his despair, he had left it to try and swim to the nearest rocks.

His strength was failing, though, and he began to paddle like a dog, too much frightened to try and swim.

A few strokes of the oar took us within reach, and this time the coxswain succeeded in hooking his loose cotton jacket, and drawing him to the side.

Hands seized him directly, and he was hauled in to lie down trembling, and looking wildly from one to the other.

"Come; he's a quiet one," said the coxswain. "Mind, sir!"

"Mind! look out!" roared the boatswain.

But he was too late. One moment the Chinaman crouched, limp and helpless, in the bottom of the boat forward, with his hands hidden in his wet sleeves, the next he had made a frog-like leap at the coxswain, driven a sharp knife in the muscles of his back, and leaped overboard. Not into safety, though; for one of the men stood ready, and, as the wretch rose, brought down the blade of his oar with a tremendous chop across the head, and the pirate went down to rise no more.

I heard the boatswain utter a low fierce growl as he crept forward, and I followed to try and help, for the injured man had sunk upon his knees, with the boat-hook across the bows, and began to wipe the perspiration from his forehead.

"Much hurt, my lad?" cried Mr Grey.

"Tidy, sir, tidy; makes one feel a bit sicky-like. Any one like to have the next turn with the boat-hook? I'm going to miche a bit.—Do it bleed?"

All thought of saving the pirates was given up till the wound, which bled sharply, was carefully bandaged, and the man laid down in the bottom of the boat. Then the crew looked at their officer.

"Hadn't we better polish 'em off, sir?" growled one of the men.

"The captain's orders were to pick up all the drowning men we could," said the boatswain sternly.

"But they won't be picked up, sir."

"Give way."

The men rowed to another floating group of four, and I stood up and called to them to surrender.

For answer they sprang into the water, and began to swim to some of their comrades on the next piece of wreck.

"This is a puzzling job, Mr Herrick," said the boatswain. "I'm not a brute; I'd jump overboard to save any of the wretches, but it would be like giving my life, or the lives of any of the crew, to set them the job. Those wretches will begin upon their mates, you'll see."

He was quite right, for the possessors of the next floating piece of wreck yelled to their comrades to keep off, and, as they still swam on, a fresh fight began of the most bloodthirsty nature, and one of our men said drily—

"Take it coolly, sir. If we lay on our oars a bit, there won't be none to fish up."

The feeling of horror and pity for the drowning men began to wear off, and I was glad when Mr Grey suddenly ordered the men to row hard, and I saw him steer shoreward to cut off a little party of four, who, with a thick bamboo yard between them, were swimming for the rocks.

"They must be saved as prisoners or not at all," he said sternly; "not a man of them must land."

As soon as this last party saw us coming, we noticed that they drew their knives to keep us off, but energetic measures were taken this time. We got between them and the shore; and then a rope was made ready, one of the men stood up and dexterously threw it right over a pirate's head, snatched it tightly to him, dragged him from his hold, and he was at last drawn to the side half-drowned, hauled aboard, and his hands and feet tied.

This successful plan was followed out with the others, with the result that we had four prisoners lying safely in the bottom, and then turned to capture some more in the same way.

But we had been so excited and taken up by this work that we had not seen what was going on seaward, where a gun was fired for our recall.

"Where's the next of them?" said Mr Grey.

I did not answer, as I stood up looking round to see a few fragments of wreck floating here and there, but there was not another pirate left to save.



CHAPTER TWELVE.

REPAIRING DAMAGES.

For some moments I could not believe it true, and I stood on the thwart and gazed carefully round, scanning every fragment of the wreck in the expectation of seeing some trick to deceive us—men lying flat with only their faces above the surface of the water, and holding on by sweep or bamboo with one hand. But in a very short time we were all certain that not a living being was near; of the dead there were several, as we found on rowing here and there. One, as he was turned over, seemed to be perfectly uninjured, but the others displayed ghastly wounds in face, neck, and breast, showing how horribly fierce had been the encounter in which they had been engaged.

Satisfied at last that our task was at an end, the word was given, and the men began to row back to the Teaser, which still lay so transformed in appearance, as seen from a distance, that I was thinking that it was no wonder that the pirates had been deceived, when one of the men, forgetful of all the horrors through which we had passed, of his wounded comrade, and the dangerous prisoners under his feet, burst out into a merry fit of laughter.

"Say, lads," he cried, "we shall have a nice job to-morrow, to wash the old girl's face."

The rest of the crew laughed in chorus, till the boatswain sternly bade them give way.

"I doubt it," he said in a low voice to me. "I should say that the captain will do a little more to make her less ship-shape, ready for the next lot."

"But you don't think there are any more pirates, do you?"

"More!" he said, looking at me in surprise. "Why, my lad, the coast swarms with them. We never hear a hundredth part of the attacks they make. It is not only European vessels they seize, but anything that comes in their way. It strikes me, Mr Herrick, that we have only just begun what may turn out a very successful cruise."

Ten minutes later we were nearing the Teaser, and I saw the reason why we could not see either of the other boats. They were swinging to the davits, and we were therefore the last.

Just then Mr Reardon hailed us.

"How many men hurt?" he shouted between his hands.

"Only one, sir; Barr—coxswain."

"Badly?"

"Oh no, sir," shouted the sufferer. "Bit of a scrat on the back."

"How many prisoners?"

"Four, sir."

Then we were alongside, the boat was run up, and, after our wounded man had been lifted out, I stepped on board, eager to know the result of the action on the part of the other boats, and to learn this I went below, and found Barkins alone.

"Well," I cried, "how many prisoners?"

"Round dozen," he cried.

"Any one hurt?"

"Round dozen."

"I know, twelve prisoners," I said impatiently. "I asked you how many were hurt."

"And I told you, stupid," he replied, "a round dozen."

"What! a man wounded for every prisoner?"

"That's it; and we shouldn't have taken any, the beggars were game for fighting to the last, if Mr Brooke hadn't given the word for them to be knocked on the head first with the thick end of the oars."

"To stun them?"

"Yes; and our lads got so savage after seeing their mates stabbed when trying to save the brutes' lives, that they hit as hard as they could. They killed two of 'em, or we should have had fourteen."

"How horrid!"

"Horrid? Why, I enjoyed it," said my messmate. "When I saw poor old Blacksmith—"

"What!" I cried excitedly, "he isn't hurt?"

"Not hurt? why, one yellow-faced savage, when poor old Smithy held out his hand to pull him aboard, took hold of his wrist, and then reached up and stuck his knife right through the poor old chap's arm, and left it there."

"Poor old Smithy!" I cried huskily, and a choking sensation rose in my throat. "I must go and see him."

"No, you mustn't. I've just been, and they sent me away."

"But where is he?"

"Doctor's got him, and been mending him up. He has gone to sleep now."

"Was he very bad?"

"Stick a stocking-needle through your arm, and then square it, cube it, add decimal nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one, and then see how you feel."

"Poor old boy!" I said; "I am sorry."

"Well, so am I," said Barkins sourly; "but I don't keep on howling."

"Did they take the blackguard prisoner?"

"Well, they did, and hauled him aboard, but he was no good, and they pitched him overboard again."

"Why?" I said wonderingly.

"Why! because he was dead. Bob Saunders, that red-haired chap, was in the stern-sheets helping to catch the beggars with hitches, and as soon as he saw the big yellow-faced wretch stick his knife into poor old Blacksmith, he let drive at the brute with the boat-hook, twisted it in his frock, and held him under water. He didn't mean to, but he was savage at what he had seen, for the lads like Smithy, and he held the beggar under water too long."

I shuddered, and thought of the man being bayoneted from our boat, and Mr Grey's narrow escape.

"Your fellows behaved better, I s'pose?" said Barkins.

"Not a bit," I said. "We've got a man stabbed just in the same way—" and I told him of our adventures.

"They're nice ones," said Barkins sourly. "I don't think our chaps will want to take many prisoners next time. But I say, what a crusher for them—all four junks, and not a man to go back and tell the tale."

"It's glorious," I cried, forgetting the horrors in our triumph.

"For you," said Barkins sourly.

"Why for me? You and poor old Smith did your part. Don't be so jolly envious."

"Envious? Come, I like that," he cried. "If you felt as if something red-hot was being stuck in your leg you'd feel envious too. You're the luckiest beggar that ever was, and never get hurt or anything."

"No more do you," I said, laughing.

"Oh, don't I? What do you call that, then?" he cried, swinging his legs round, for he was sitting with one of them under the table.

To my horror and astonishment, I saw that his leg was bandaged, and a red stain was showing through.

"Why, Tanner, old chap," I cried, catching his hand as my eyes were blurred; "I didn't know you were hurt."

He looked quite pleased at my weakness, and the emotion I showed.

"Oh, it ain't much," he said, smiling and holding on to my hand very tightly; "but it pringles and sticks a bit, I mean stingles—no, I don't! My tongue's getting all in a knot, it tingles and pricks a bit. I say, Gnat, old chap, you don't think those chaps carry poisoned knives, do you?"

"What, like the Malays? Oh no."

"I'm glad of that, because it made me feel a bit funky. I thought this stinging might mean the poison spreading."

"Oh no, don't think that," I cried; "and some one told me a Malay prince said it was all nonsense about the knives being poisoned."

"He did?"

"Yes; he laughed, and said there was no need to poison them, they were quite sharp enough to kill a man without."

"That depends on where you put it in," said Barkins grimly.

"Yes," I said; "but what did the doctor say?"

"What about?"

"Your leg."

"He hasn't seen it yet."

"Why, Tanner," I cried, "you haven't had it properly bandaged."

"No; I felt so sick when I got on board, that I sneaked off here to lie down a bit. Besides, he had poor old Blacksmith to see to, and the other chaps."

"But didn't he see the bandage when you went there?"

"No; there was no bandage then. It's only a bit of a scratch; I tied it up myself."

"How was it?"

"I don't hardly know. It was done in a scuffle somehow, when we had got the first prisoner in hand. He began laying about him with a knife, and gave it to two of our lads badly, and just caught me in the leg. It was so little that I didn't like to make a fuss about it. Here, stop, don't leave a chap. I want to talk to you."

"Back directly," I cried, and I hurried on deck so quickly that I nearly blundered up against Mr Reardon.

"Manners, midshipman!" he said sharply. "Stop, sir. Where are you going?"

"Doctor, sir."

"What, are you hurt, my lad?" he cried anxiously.

"No, sir, but poor Barkins is."

"Bless my soul, how unfortunate! Mr Smith down too! Where is he?"

I told him, and he hurried with me to the doctor, who was putting on his coat, after finishing the last dressing of the injured men.

"Here, doctor," cried Mr Reardon sharply, "I've another man down—boy, I mean."

"What, young Smith? I've dressed his wound."

"No, no; Barkins has been touched too."

"Tut, tut!" cried the doctor, taking up a roll of bandage. "Are they bringing him?"

"No, sir; he's sitting by his berth. He tied up the wound himself."

Without another word the doctor started off, and we followed to where Barkins sat by the table with his back leaning against the side of his berth, and as soon as he caught sight of us he darted a reproachful look at me.

"Oh, I say, Gnat," he whispered, "this is too bad." For the doctor had raised the leg, and, after taking off the handkerchief, roughly tied round just above the knee, made no scruple about slitting up the lad's trousers with an ugly-looking knife, having a hooky kind of blade.

"Bad?" said Mr Reardon anxiously.

"Oh dear, no," replied the doctor. "Nice clean cut. Sponge and water, youngster. Ha, yes," he continued, as he applied the cool, soft sponge to the bleeding wound, "avoided all the vessels nicely."

"Gnat, old chap," whispered Barkins, as I half supported him, "pinch me, there's a good fellow."

"What for?" I whispered back.

"Feel sicky and queer. Don't let me faint before him."

"Here, hallo! Barkins, don't turn like a great girl over a scratch— lower his head down, boy. That's the way. He'll soon come round. Ever see a wound dressed before?"

"No, sir," I said, repressing a shudder.

"Don't tease the boys, doctor," said Mr Reardon sharply; "get the wound dressed."

"Well, I am dressing it, arn't I?" said the doctor cheerily, and as if he enjoyed his task. "I must draw the edges together first."

He had taken what seemed to be a pocket-book from his breast and laid it open, and as I looked on, feeling sick myself, I saw him really put in three or four stitches, and then strap up and bandage the wound, just as Barkins came to and looked about wonderingly.

"I didn't faint, did I?" he said anxiously.

The doctor laughed.

"There, lie down in your berth," he said. "Let me help you."

He assisted my messmate gently enough, and then said laughingly—

"One can dress your wound without having three men to hold you. I say, Reardon, isn't it waste of good surgical skill for me to be dressing the prisoners' wounds, if you folk are going to hang them?"

"I don't know that we are going to hang them," said the lieutenant quietly. "Perhaps we shall deliver them over to the Chinese authorities at Wanghai."

"What? My dear fellow, go and beg the captain to hang 'em at once out of their misery. It will be a kindness. Do you know what a Chinese prison is?"

"No."

"Then I do. It would be a mercy to kill them."

"The Chinese authorities may wish to make an example of them so as to repress piracy."

"Let 'em make an example of some one else. Eh? Bandage too tight, my lad?"

"No, sir," said Barkins rather faintly. "The wound hurts a good deal."

"Good sign; 'tis its nature to," said the doctor jocosely.

"But—er—you don't think, sir—"

"'That you may die after it,' as we used to say over cut fingers at school. Bah! it's a nice clean honest cut, made with a sharp knife. Heal up like anything with your healthy young flesh."

"But don't these savage people sometimes poison their blades, sir?"

"Don't people who are wounded for the first time get all kinds of cock-and-bull notions into their heads, sir? There, go to sleep and forget all about it. Healthy smarting is what you feel. Why, you'll be able to limp about the deck with a stick to-morrow."

"Do you mean it, sir?"

"Of course."

Barkins gave him a grateful look, and Mr Reardon shook hands, nodded, and left us to ourselves for a moment, then the doctor thrust in his head again.

"Here, lads," he said, "Smith's all right, I've made a capital job of his arm. Your turn next, Herrick. Good-bye."

This time we were left alone.



CHAPTER THIRTEEN.

A WILD-BEASTS' CAGE.

All doubts as to our next destination were set at rest the next morning, for it was generally known that we were making for Tsin-Tsin, at the mouth of the Great Fo river, where the prisoners were to be delivered over to the Chinese authorities.

I had been pretty busy all the morning with Barkins and Smith, going from one to the other, to sit with them and give them what news I could, both looking rather glum when I went away, for they were feverish and fretful from their wounds. But I promised to return soon with news of the men, who were all together in a cool, well-ventilated part of the 'tween-decks, seeming restful and patient, the doctor having been round, and, in his short, decisive way, given them a few words of encouragement.