Part 71 (1/2)

The men sent up a triumphant shout, and, as we swept round the next bend, we lost sight of the junks, and directly after of the two boats, the last I saw of them being that the crew of the second were dragging their companions of the first out of the water, and loading their own down to the gunwale edge.

”Now,” cried Mr Brooke, ”who's hurt?”

There was no answer for a moment or two. Then one of the men said, with a grin--

”I arn't drownded, sir; but I shall ketch cold if something arn't done-- my feet's wet.”

”Yes, so velly wet,” cried a plaintive voice, and Ching struggled up from the bottom of the boat, and stood up, showing his blue cotton garments to be drenched with water.

”What, have we sprung a leak?” cried Mr Brooke.

”Yes, sir,” said Tom Jecks, ”she's got a hole in her skin here forrard; but if I might be so bold, sir, if you was to send Mr Ching to lean up agin it, we shouldn't hurt much.”

”Pull--pull steady,” cried Mr Brooke. ”Here, take the tiller, Mr Herrick.”

He laid his gun behind us and handed me the rudder, before going right forward to the c.o.xswain, while I sat envying the men their coolness as they sat pulling away nonchalantly enough, though the water was rising fast and nearly covered their bare feet and ankles, while it soon invaded the grating upon which my own boot-covered feet were placed.

”Much injured, sir?” I shouted; and Mr Brooke gave me back poor Mercutio's answer to his friend, in _Romeo and Juliet_--

”'Tis not so deep as a well, nor so wide as a church door: but 'tis enough; 'twill serve.”

”Here, my lads, one of you; I must have a frock.”

”Right, sir, mine'll do,” said the c.o.xswain, unfastening and dragging his white duck garment over his head.

This was soaked and wrung out to make it softer, and then thrust into the hole in our bows.

”There, you must sit forward here, and plant both feet against it, my lad,” said Mr Brooke.

”Ay, ay, sir. Men never knows what he may come to. Fancy my toots being used to caulk a leak!”

He, laughing, sat down on the forward thwart, and pressed his feet against the jacket.

”Now then, a man to bale,” cried Mr Brooke, and the c.o.xswain fished the tin baler out of the locker forward. ”No; pa.s.s it here,” continued our leader. ”Pull away, my lads, and Mr Herrick and I will take it in turns to bale. We must get out of this narrow creek as soon as we can.”

”Me balee water out,” squeaked Ching, who looked very wet and miserable.

”No, thank you,” said Mr Brooke coldly.

”Beg pardon, sir; I've got nothin' to do but sit here like a himage,”

said the c.o.xswain; ”I can reach down and bale.”

”Without s.h.i.+fting your feet?”

”Yes, sir; look here.”

The man took the baler, and began to send the water, which still came in but slowly, over the side; while, after satisfying myself that we should not be obliged to run our boat ash.o.r.e and tramp back to the city, I kept on directing anxious glances backward to see if we were pursued.

”We shan't sink, Herrick,” said Mr Brooke, returning to my side; while, after glancing at my very serious, and at the young lieutenant's stern countenance, Ching crept forward under the oars to where the c.o.xswain was baling, and, getting a second tin from the locker, he seated himself, tucked his loose things out of the way, and began meekly to toss out the water as fast as he could scoop it up.