his chin resting upon our messmate's shoulder, he gave me a friendly
nod.

"All right, old chap," he said; "I hope you'll enjoy yourself."

"And I hope the John Teapots 'll get hold of you, you miserable little
cad!" cried Smith. "I shan't be there to help you this time."

I burst out laughing and ran on deck, to find the men mustered ready,
and Mr Brooke standing there in sun helmet and gaiters, looking as
unlike a naval officer as he could be.

"Oh, there you are, Herrick," he said, giving me a look over. "Yes,
that will do."

"But the men," I whispered. "Oughtn't they to be armed?"

"All right, my lad; plenty of tackle in the boat under the thwarts."

"But my gun--I mean Mr Reardon's?"

"In the stern-sheets, with plenty of cartridges. Where's Ching?"

"I don't--down below, I suppose."

"Fetch him up; we're off at once."

There was no need, for the interpreter appeared smiling and happy,
looking as if he had not passed through such a terrible ordeal a short
time before.

The captain and Mr Reardon came up then.

"Ready, Mr Brooke?"

"Yes, sir."

"Order the crew into the boat, Mr Reardon."

As the men sprang in, the captain came close to us.

"You'll keep up the appearance of a sporting expedition, Mr Brooke," he
said in a low voice. "I expect you'll find the junks in the river off
some village. The rest I must leave to you."

"Take them, sir, if I feel pretty certain?"

Captain Thwaites knit his brows, and stood as if thinking for a few
moments.

"No," he said at last; "but that I leave all to your discretion. Don't
risk your men, if they are strong. I'm afraid some of these mandarins
are mixed up with the piratical expeditions, and share in the plunder,
and I am certain that every movement we make is watched. There, off
with you; don't let Mr Herrick get hurt. I trust you to do your best."

We sprang into the boat, which was lowered down; the falls were
unhooked; and as Tom Jecks, who was coxswain, gave us a shove off, the
tide, which was running up, bore us right aft; then the oars dropped
with a splash, the rudder lines were seized, and away we went up-stream
on as glorious a day as ever made a dirty Chinese city look lovely.

I looked back, and there were Barkins and Smith leaning over the side
watching us, but I hardly noticed them, for something else caught my
eye.

"Why, they're getting up steam, Mr Brooke!" I said.

"Yes, my lad, they're getting up steam, and I hope y