Part 22 (1/2)

And then, our previous ht round oncefor Pulo Sapata to the northwards-- the name of this place, I”island” and the other sapatu ”shoe,” and the entire compound word, consequently, ”Shoe Island,” or the island of the shape of one

We did not see anything more of the suspicious craft that day; so we all believed that our feint of overhauling them had effectually scared the iood deal of importance to the talk we had overheard between Rooney and Ada in his bunk close by the boatswain's cabin at the ti to the two old tars as they confabbed together

Weeks, though, was of a contrary opinion, and Master Saed if he pleased on any point

”I'll tell you what, my boys,” said he, with soenerally was as expressionless as a vegetable- marroe haven't seen the last of them yet”

”Much you know of it, little un,” sneered Toer experience of the sea ”Why this is only the second voyage you've ever taken out here, or indeed been in a shi+p at all; and on our last trip we never tuued Weeks; ”but if I areen hand, as you make out, like Graham here, my father was in a China clipper for years, and he has told me more than you'll ever learn in all your life, Mister Jerrold, I tell you Why, he was once chased all the way from Hainan to S by pirates”

”Was he?” I cried, excited too at this ”Do tell us, Weeks, all about it”

”There ain't anything to tell,” said he nonchalantly, but pleased, I could see, at putting Tom Jerrold into the shade for theto board father's shi+p off Shen a vessel of war, that was just then coars in the very act of piracy, before they could run ashore and escape up the hills--as they always do, my dad said, whenever our blue-jackets are after the at this interesting point, after rousing Jerrold's andwith Sa naturally an exasperating one, to other people, that is,--”what happened then?”

”Oh, nothing,” he replied coolly; adding after another tantalising pause, ”I recollect, though, now, dad said as how the beggars were all taken to Canton and given over to the mandarins for trial”

”Yes,” said I, ”and--”

”Well, soes, he told ony,” Weeks continued, his face looking as if he enjoyed the reminiscence; ”while the others, twenty in nuround, with their pigtails tied up over their heads so as to leave their necks bare, and the executioner who had a double-bladed sword like a butcher's cleaver, sliced off their heads as if they were soon the ground”

”You cold-blooded brute!” exclai ”You seem to revel in it!”

”If you'd heard all ars do to the people they capture, so the theht! I only hope they won't seize our vessel; but, I tell you what, I'm certain we haven't seen the last of those two craft yet They'll cohtfall, just you see!”

”By Jove, I hope not!” said Tom, impressed by Weeks' coenerally talkative, always ”keeping hioes ”I hope you won't prove a true prophet, Sammy, most devoutly”

I could see, also, froh neither said anything further about the matter, that their fears were not allayed There was no doubt that they shared the same impression as that of Sam Weeks; for as we bore away now nor'-nor'- west, with the south-ind on our quarter,current running in the saht knots when the log was hove at six bells, just before dinner-ti up and down the poop and rubbing his hands and sniffing with his long nose in the air to catch the breeze, as was his hen the Silver Queen was travelling through the water

”By Jingo, we'll weather 'em yet!” he said to Mr Mackay, who also seemed more relieved in his mind; ”we'll weather 'em yet”

”Yes, I think so, too,” said the latter, scanning the horizon with the big telescope away to ard ”There isn't a trace of them anywhere out there now, and there are no islands for thehted them; so, if we can only carry-on like this, perhaps we'll be able to give therumbled the other, ”so I told you, Mackay; and, you knohen I say a thing I always !”

The afternoon passed without any further appearance of the proa or junk, and then the evening ca us brace up ht be i was to be seen of our whiloht er appeared , however, told a different tale

At the early dahen I ith Mr Mackay on the poop, the port watch co on deck just then in their turn of duty, we could see nothing of the suspicious strangers; however as the sun rose higher up, his rays lit a e of sea, and then, far-away off on the horizon to ard, could be seen two tiny white sails in the distance dead astern of us

”Sail ho!” shouted I froone to look out, To sent up aloft forward for the same purpose

”Sail ho!”

”Where away?” cried Mr Mackay, clutching the glass and cli as spry as a cat ”What do you make out?”

”Two of theain They're on our weather quarter, hull down to ard”