me good.

And still we went on along the great river, with the country, save for
the distant mountains, looking wonderfully English, and making it hard
to believe that we were in China. In places where we were close to the
shore I could see forms of growth different to our own, but at a little
distance the trees, shrubs, and reeds looked much the same as those we
should have encountered at home, and I confess to feeling a little
disappointed. Then all at once, as if he too were suffering from the
same sensation, Mr Brooke spoke.

"They will laugh at us when we get back, Herrick," he said, "as far as
our birds are concerned, but I am beginning to think that we shall find
the pirate junks are somewhere up here."

"You think so, sir? Look, a flock coming this way!"

"Of pirate junks?" he said drily.

"No, sir, ducks."

"Give it them, then, my lad--both barrels."

I took aim and fired both barrels quickly one after the other, but as I
drew trigger I felt that I had done wrong, for I had aimed right in
front of the swiftly-flying flock.

"Umbrellas up!" shouted one of the men. "Rains geese!" and there was a
cheer and a roar of laughter, as one by one five geese fell with a
splash in the river, two to lie perfectly still while they were
retrieved--the others, poor birds, to make desperate efforts to swim
broken-winged away, but to be shot one by one by Mr Brooke, and after a
sharp row dragged into the boat.

"Velly nicee," said Ching, smiling.

"Yes, I must take lessons in shooting from you, Mr Herrick," said the
young lieutenant, smiling. "It's my turn next."

I felt hot and uncomfortable, for my success seemed to be the result of
pure accident, and I said so, but Mr Brooke laughed and shook his head.

"Never mind the birds, Herrick," he said; "I feel sure our other game is
close by somewhere."

"Yes, up cleek somewhere," said Ching.

"Why do you say that?"

"No pointee--no look. I tell you," said the Chinaman, taking up and
pretending to examine the mottled brown wing of the goose he opened out.
"Boat come behind, pilate fliend come see which way we go."

"Yes, I'm sure you are right," said Mr Brooke, taking up another of the
birds; "and if I'm not very much mistaken, that other boat you see ahead
has his eye upon us."

"Ching not velly sure, p'laps; only see one man look over side thlee
times."

"There's a bit of a river runs off here, sir, to the right," said one of
the men, nodding to his le