e armourer fitted on the irons, I could see their
wild-beast-like eyes rolling in different directions, and then become
fixed with a look of savage hate on our men, who were certainly none too
tender with a set of wretches who only waited an opportunity to destroy
life without the slightest compunction.

At last they were all lying on the deck--nine with serious wounds, the
other half for the most part injured, but only to a very slight extent,
and these were soon after taken one by one between a file of marines to
the place in the hold appointed once more for their prison.

Then the doctor came up for ten minutes, and, after a few words with the
sergeant of marines, examined the nine prisoners, passing over six to
the sergeant with orders, and having three laid aside for his own
ministrations.

We three lads stood watching the sergeant, who had evidently had some
practice in ambulance work, and skilfully enough he set to work sponging
and bandaging injuries. But all the time a couple of marines stood, one
on either side, ready to hold the prisoners down, for each seemed to
look upon the dressing of his wounds as a form of torture which he was
bound to resist with all his might.

"Nice boys, Mr Herrick," said the boatswain drily. "Do you know why we
are taking all this pains?"

"To save their lives and give them up to the authorities at Tsin-Tsin, I
suppose."

"Yes, sir."

"For them to be put on their trial for piracy on the high seas."

"Yes, sir, that's it; but it would be a greater kindness to let the
wretches die out of their misery."

"But some of them mayn't be guilty," I said.

The boatswain laughed.

"I don't think there's much doubt about that, sir," he said. Just then,
as the last man was treated by the sergeant, the doctor came on deck
with his assistants, both in white aprons and sleeves--well, I'm a
little incorrect there--in aprons and sleeves that had been white.

"I've no business here," said the doctor hurriedly; "but these men
cannot be left. Keep an eye on them, my men, and don't let them do me
any mischief. I can't be spared just now."

The next moment he was down on his knees by the side of one of the
prisoners, who, in his eyes for a few minutes, was neither enemy nor
piratical Chinaman, but a patient to whom he devoted himself to the full
extent of his skill, performing what was needful, and leaving his
assistant to finish the bandaging while he went on to the next.

In anot