, sir; but we shall know them by their sailing at once, and I should
say by boats coming off to them with extra men directly after."

"Yes, that's good, Herrick--very good. But you have no other
information about them?"

"Only, sir, that they are just off on a cruise, and if we could catch
them--"

"We will catch them, my lad. But is that all?"

"Yes, sir, that's all; I thought it rather big news."

"So it is, Herrick--very big news. Just what we wanted. It's time we
made another capture. And to Ching has a friend on shore who sent this
information?"

"Yes, sir."

"Not a trap, is it--to get us away?"

"Oh no, sir; Ching is as honest as the day."

"Humph, yes," said Mr Reardon, with his fingers to his lips. "I think
he is, for he seems to have taken to us and to be working hard in our
service. But he may have been deceived. He is cunning enough; but so
are his countrymen, and they would glory in tricking the man who has
taken up with the English. I don't know what to say to it, Herrick."

"But suppose we see two big junks setting sail, watch them with a boat,
sir, and find that they take others on board, there could be no mistake
then."

"Oh yes, there could, my boy. We might follow these junks, seize them,
and spend a long time in their capture and bringing back into port.
Then we should apply to the authorities, and find that we had got into
sad trouble, for we had seized two vessels which the occupants could
prove were intended for peaceable pursuits. We could not contradict
them possibly, and all the time the scoundrels we wanted to take had
sailed off upon a piratical expedition, consequent upon our absence.
Now, sir, what do you say to that?"

I shook my head.

"I think Ching ought to know best," I said.

"Perhaps so," he replied. "We shall see. Come on now to the captain."

He opened the door, and I followed. I had forgotten all about Barkins
and Smith for the time, but now all that had passed occurred to my mind,
and I felt certain that they would be waiting somewhere to meet me and
make sport of the tremendous setting-down which I had had.

I was not wrong: they were talking together amidships, just where they
could command the companion-way, and as soon as we appeared I saw
Smith's features expand into a malicious grin, while Barkins remained
perfectly stolid.

As we passed to the ladder Smith looked after us wonderingly, and I saw
him turn and whisper something, which I felt