," he shouted, "surrender."

For answer they bared their knives and defied us to come on, yelling and
striking at us with them.

Mr Grey looked round at me half-laughingly.

"Cheerful sort of prisoners to make. If we go close in, some of us will
get knifed."

"You can't go close," I said.

"If I don't they'll drown," he cried; "and the captain will ask me what
I've been about."

"Hadn't you better let the jollies put 'em out of their misery, Mr
Grey, sir?" cried one of the men. "They arn't fit to live."

"No," cried another fiercely. "They arn't men; they're tigers."

"Silence!" said the officer sternly. "There is a man yonder about to
sink; give way," he cried.

This man had left a barrel, to which he had vainly tried to cling, but
it kept on turning round; and at last, in his despair, he had left it to
try and swim to the nearest rocks.

His strength was failing, though, and he began to paddle like a dog, too
much frightened to try and swim.

A few strokes of the oar took us within reach, and this time the
coxswain succeeded in hooking his loose cotton jacket, and drawing him
to the side.

Hands seized him directly, and he was hauled in to lie down trembling,
and looking wildly from one to the other.

"Come; he's a quiet one," said the coxswain. "Mind, sir!"

"Mind! look out!" roared the boatswain.

But he was too late. One moment the Chinaman crouched, limp and
helpless, in the bottom of the boat forward, with his hands hidden in
his wet sleeves, the next he had made a frog-like leap at the coxswain,
driven a sharp knife in the muscles of his back, and leaped overboard.
Not into safety, though; for one of the men stood ready, and, as the
wretch rose, brought down the blade of his oar with a tremendous chop
across the head, and the pirate went down to rise no more.

I heard the boatswain utter a low fierce growl as he crept forward, and
I followed to try and help, for the injured man had sunk upon his knees,
with the boat-hook across the bows, and began to wipe the perspiration
from his forehead.

"Much hurt, my lad?" cried Mr Grey.

"Tidy, sir, tidy; makes one feel a bit sicky-like. Any one like to have
the next turn with the boat-hook? I'm going to miche a bit.--Do it
bleed?"

All thought of saving the pirates was given up till the wound, which
bled sharply, was carefully bandaged, and the man laid down in the
bottom of the boat. Then the crew looked at their officer.

"Hadn't we