ellows had been beaten, and the boats burned by
the stink-pots the pirates had thrown in.

The thought was almost too horrible to bear, and I stared hard through
the glass again, trying to make out the junks beyond the smoke, and
whether it was really our boats which where burning, and raising the
black cloud which hid all view.

"I can see a boat now, sir," I cried excitedly, as one of them seemed to
glide out of the end of the cloud; but my heart sank as I made the
announcement, for I saw only that which confirmed my fears.

"Well, go on, lad," cried Mr Reardon, stamping with impatience, "what
are they doing in her?"

"She's empty, sir, and floating away, with a cloud of black smoke rising
from her."

"Ah!" he exclaimed, with quite a savage snarl, and I saw the captain
stop short and raise his glass again, though I knew that from where he
stood he could see nothing.

"We're beaten," I said to myself. "Oh, our poor lads--our poor lads!"

A mist rose before my eyes, and I nearly dropped the glass, but I passed
my hand across my face and looked again, sweeping the telescope from the
left side, where the boat was gliding up-stream smoking more than ever,
to the right and the shore.

"Hooray!" I yelled.

"Yes! what?" roared the captain and Mr Reardon together.

"Chinese running in a regular stream away from the shore; making for the
woods. One down--another down."

At the same moment almost came a couple of volleys, then several men
went down, and the crackle of firing commenced again.

"Go on, Herrick!" cried Mr Reardon.

"Our fellows ashore, and running Jacks and jollies together, sir.
Stopping to fire. Running again."

"And the enemy?"

"Running like deer, sir. More of them down. Making for the wood."

"One man stopped, sir, and returning."

"Yes, yes, that's good. What now?"

"Boat out from the smoke, rowing after the other one, sir. They've got
it. Yes, I can see. They're throwing something out that smokes--now
something more."

"Bah! stink-pots!" roared Mr Reardon. "Now then, quick!--quick!
Don't, go to sleep, sir. What next?"

"I'll shy the spyglass at you directly," I muttered; and then aloud,
"Fire, sir; both junks blazing."

"Hurrah!" came from the deck as the rest of the crew set up a tremendous
cheer, for the smoke had suddenly grown less dense; and the junks
gradually grew visible as it floated away; while even in the bright
sunlight the flames were visible, and I could