Part 19 (2/2)

”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 oak.u.m, 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 s.h.i.+p?”

”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-s.h.i.+p. 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.”

<script>