her ten minutes he had finished, and rose from his knees.

"There, Mr Herrick," he said; "do you call that horrible? because I
call it grand. If those three ill-looking scoundrels had been left
another hour they would have died. Now, with their hardy constitutions,
they will rapidly get well, perhaps escape and begin pirating again.
Possibly, when we give them up--oh my knees! how hard that deck is!--the
authorities will--"

"Chop off all head. Velly bad men--velly bad men indeed."

The doctor laughed, and hurried away while the last prisoner was carried
down below.

"There," said the boatswain, when all was over, "that job's done, Mr
Herrick. Nice fellows your countrymen, Ching."

"Not allee nice fellow," replied Ching seriously. "Pilate velly bad
man. No use. Why captain save him up?"

"Ah, that's a question you had better ask him. But I say, Ching, those
fellows came up here with cargo, didn't they?"

"Calgo?" said Ching.

"Yes; plunder out of the ships they took."

"Yes," said Ching.

"Then where is it? There was none on board the junks."

"Ching know," said the interpreter, laying his finger to the side of his
nose. "You likee Ching show?"

"Yes, of course. Prize-money, and you'd share."

"Ching likee plize-money. You bling ship along, and Ching show."

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE.

IN THE CREEK.

Ching's announcement cleared up what had been somewhat of a mystery. It
had appeared strange to everybody that the junks had been up this river
apparently for no purpose, and more strange that they should have been
light, and not laden with the plunder of the vessels they had taken.
And now, as without any need for taking soundings the _Teaser_ slowly
steamed back, Ching pointed out a kind of landing-place in a little
creek hidden amongst dense growth, so that it had been passed unnoticed
on our way up.

The country here on both sides of the river was wild, and no trace of a
dwelling could be seen; but about half a mile from the shore there was a
low ridge, round one end of which the creek wound, and toward this ridge
Ching pointed, screwing his eyes up into narrow slits, and wrinkling up
his face in all directions.

"Velly bad man live along-along there. Plenty plize-money; plenty tea,
lice, silk; plenty evelyting. Come and see."

The _Teaser_ was moored, and a couple of boats manned with well-armed
crews, Ching looking on the while and cunningly shaking his head.

"No wantee big piece