Part 75 (1/2)

”Ching so velly mislable,” he whispered back. ”Mr Blooke think him velly bad man. Think Ching want to give evelybody to pilate man. Ching velly velly solly.”

”Hist! look out!”

I suppose our whispering had been heard, for just as we were being steered pretty close to the anch.o.r.ed junk, a deep rough voice hailed us something after this fas.h.i.+on, which is as near as I can get to the original--

”Ho hang wong hork ang ang ha?”

”Ning toe ing nipy wong ony ing!” cried Ching.

”Oh ony ha, how how che oh gu,” came from the junk again, and then we were right on ahead.

”Well,” whispered Mr Brooke, ”what does he say? Is it one of the pirate vessels?”

”No pilate. Big boat come down hong, sir. Capin fellow want to know if we pilate come chop off head, and say he velly glad we all good man.”

”Are you quite sure?” said Mr Brooke.

I heard Ching give a little laugh.

”If pilate,” he said, ”all be full bad men. Lightee lantern; thlow stink-pot; make noise.”

”Yes,” said Mr Brooke; ”this cannot be one of them. Here, hail the man again, and ask him where he is going.”

”How pang pong won toe me?” cried Ching, and for answer there came two or three grunts.

”Yes; what does he say?”

”Say he go have big long sleep, 'cause he velly tired.”

Mr Brooke said no more, but ran the boat down the river some little distance and then began to tack up again, running across from side to side, so as to make sure that the junks did not slip by us in the darkness. But hour after hour glided on, and the lights ash.o.r.e and on the boats gradually died out, till, with the exception of a few lanterns on vessels at anchor, river and sh.o.r.e were all alike one great expanse of darkness, while we had to go as slowly as possible, literally creeping along, to avoid running into craft moored in the stream.

And all this time perfect silence had to be kept, and but for the intense desire to give good account of the junks, the men would soon have been fast asleep.

”Do you think they will come down and try to put to sea, Ching?” I said at last, very wearily.

”Yes, allee 'flaid Queen Victolia's jolly sailor boy come steam up liver and send boat up cleek, fight and burn junks. Come down velly quick.”

”Doesn't seem like it,” I said, beginning at last to feel so drowsy I could not keep my eyes open.

”So velly dark, can't see.”

”Why, you don't think they will get by us in the darkness?” I said, waking up now with a start at his words, and the bad news they conveyed.

”Ching can't tell. So velly dark, plenty junk go by; n.o.body see if velly quiet. Ching hope not get away. Wantee Mr Brooke catchee both junk, and no think Ching like pilate man.”

”Here, I must go and have a talk to Mr Brooke,” I said; and I crept back to where he sat steering and sweeping the darkness he could not penetrate on either side.

”Well, Herrick,” he said eagerly. ”News?”