cided to
delay for a time the dispatch of a large armed force to Korea, and to
await further developments. This is grand news, for it gives us a
little longer in which to make our preparations; but our Minister also
advises us to be on our guard, for Japan means to force a quarrel,
sooner or later. Now, as regards yourself, news has recently been
brought that the river merchants of the Hoang-ho have been greatly
troubled lately by the excesses of a band of pirates, who are believed
to have their head-quarters somewhere near the place where the old bed
of the river leaves the present channel--that is, not far from the
village of Tchen-voun-hien, three hundred miles from here. I wish you
to take command of the gunboat _Su-chen_, and proceed in her to this
place. You will investigate the matter thoroughly; and, if the stories
are anything approaching truth, you will hunt down that band of pirates,
and destroy them and their head-quarters. No quarter must be shown, Mr
Frobisher; those criminals must be dealt with severely.

"The interpreter I mentioned to you shall be attached at once to your
person, and I shall be glad if you will enter upon your new duties
immediately. Oh, by the way, I have also had news of your friend,
Captain Drake. He was told of what had happened by a survivor from your
party; and he came round here in the _Quernmore_ to demand that we send
an expedition to rescue you. He appears to be very much attached to
you.

"Of course he was told that such a course was not to be thought of,
besides being quite useless; and he appeared to be very much cut up at
the news, so I am told. He accepted a contract from the Navy Department
for the supply of a cargo of arms, ammunition, and guns, and left in his
ship for England only a week before our own arrival here. When he
returns, should you not be here yourself, I shall of course inform him
of your rescue, and so ease his mind.

"Now, Captain Frobisher, I have little more to say. Get away as soon as
you can. Your crew is already aboard; and, if you need any stores or
ammunition, indent for them in the usual way; they will be duly
supplied. But there, I need not tell a British Navy man how to do his
business. Good-bye, my boy, and Heaven grant you a safe return!" he
concluded, affectionately.

The two men clasped hands, Wong-lih buried himself in a mass of papers,
and Frobisher departed to bed to refresh himself in readiness to
commence his duties