Part 9 (2/2)

”Set a vicar to talk to them, Mr Smith? No, I do not. I mean, as we have very good information about three or four piratical junks being in the straits between here and Amoy, we must come down heavily upon them, and administer the punishment there.”

Mr Reardon nodded, and rubbed his hands.

”This sc.r.a.pe of yours, though, will be a most severe lesson to me,”

continued the captain. ”It was very weak and easy of me to give you all leave for a run ash.o.r.e. I ought to have referred you to Mr Reardon.

But you may take it for granted that I shall not err again in this way.

You can return on deck.”

”Oh, what a jolly shame!” grumbled Barkins. ”And there was old Reardon chuckling over it, and looking as pleased as Punch. Who'd be a middy?

It's like being in a floating prison.”

But it was a very pleasant floating prison all the same, I could not help thinking, as we gradually got farther out from the land, over which the sun was sinking fast, and lighting up the mountain-tops with gold, while the valleys rapidly grew dark. Every one on the clean white deck was full of eager excitement, and the look-out most thoroughly on the _qui vive_. For the news that we were going up northward in search of some piratical junks sent a thrill through every breast. It meant work, the showing that we were doing some good on the China station, and possibly prize-money, perhaps promotion for some on board, though of course not for us.

We had been upon the station several months, but it had not been our good fortune to capture any of the piratical scoundrels about whose doings the merchants--Chinese as well as European--were loud in complaint. And with justice, for several cruel ma.s.sacres of crews had taken place before the s.h.i.+ps had been scuttled and burned; besides, quite a dozen had sailed from port never to be heard of more; while the only consolation Captain Thwaites had for his trips here and there, and pursuit of enemies who disappeared like Flying Dutchmen, was that the presence of our gunboat upon the coast no doubt acted as a preventative, for we were told that there used to be three times as many acts of piracy before we came.

And now, as we glided along full sail before a pleasant breeze, with the topgallant sails ruddy in the evening light, there seemed at last some prospect of real business, for it had leaked out that unless Captain Thwaites' information was very delusive, the Chinamen had quite a rendezvous on one of the most out-of-the-way islands off Formosa, from whence they issued, looking like ordinary trading-boats, and that it was due to this nest alone that so much mischief had been done.

A good meal down below, without dog or rat, as Barkins put it, had, in addition to a comfortable wash and change, made us forget a good deal of our weariness; and, as we were still off duty, we three loitered about the deck, picking up all the information we could regarding the way in which the news had been brought, in exchange for accounts of our own adventures, to insure credence in which Barkins carried about the nearly-divided telescope which had stood us in such good stead.

It was rapidly growing dark, when, close under the bulwarks, and in very near neighbourhood to one of our big bow guns, we came upon what looked in the gloom like a heap of clothes.

”What's that?” I said.

”Chine-he, sir,” said one of the sailors. ”We give him a good tuck-out below, and he come up then for a snooze. Hi, John! The gents want to speak to you.”

There was a quick movement, and a partly bald head appeared from beneath two loose sleeves, which had been folded over it like the wings of a flying fox, and Ching's familiar squeaky voice said--

”You wantee me. Go sh.o.r.e?”

”No, no; not to-night,” cried Smith. ”We shall set you ash.o.r.e when we come back.”

”You go velly far--allee way Gleat Blitain?”

”No, not this time, Ching,” cried Barkins, as we all laughed.

”No go allee way London? Ching wantee go London, see Queen Victolia and Plince o' Wales.”

”Some other time, Ching,” I said. ”But I say, how about the fancy shop?”

”Allee light. Ching go back.”

”And how are you after our fight to-day?”

”Velly angly. Allee muchee quite 'shame of mandalin men. Big lascal, evely one.”

”So they are,” said Barkins. ”But I say, Ching, are you a good sailor?”

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