ir bows round, partly forcing them under
water, and the flimsily-built boat began rapidly to fill.

The second party held a little aloof, too much startled by the boldness
of our manoeuvre to attempt to help their companions, so that we had
only the first boat to tackle, as such of the men as could trampled over
one another in their struggle to get on board us.

But the moment the crash had come our lads sprang up with a cheer, and,
forgetting their proper weapons, let go at the enemy with their oars,
using them as spears and two-handed swords, and with such effect that in
less than a minute the wretches were driven back or beaten into the
water, to swim to and cling to their half-sunken boat, whose light
bamboos refused to go right down.

"Now pull--down with you--pull!" roared Mr Brooke, and, thanks to Mr
Reardon's grand "dishipline," every man dropped into his place, and the
boat, which had come to a standstill, now began to move forward, while
the tide carried the enemy towards their junks, from whence came now as
savage a yelling as that from the boats.

"Without firing a shot," cried Mr Brooke exultantly. "Pull, boys.
Now, a cheer! they can't follow us against this tide."

The men sent up a triumphant shout, and, as we swept round the next
bend, we lost sight of the junks, and directly after of the two boats,
the last I saw of them being that the crew of the second were dragging
their companions of the first out of the water, and loading their own
down to the gunwale edge.

"Now," cried Mr Brooke, "who's hurt?"

There was no answer for a moment or two. Then one of the men said, with
a grin--

"I arn't drownded, sir; but I shall ketch cold if something arn't done--
my feet's wet."

"Yes, so velly wet," cried a plaintive voice, and Ching struggled up
from the bottom of the boat, and stood up, showing his blue cotton
garments to be drenched with water.

"What, have we sprung a leak?" cried Mr Brooke.

"Yes, sir," said Tom Jecks, "she's got a hole in her skin here forrard;
but if I might be so bold, sir, if you was to send Mr Ching to lean up
agin it, we shouldn't hurt much."

"Pull--pull steady," cried Mr Brooke. "Here, take the tiller, Mr
Herrick."

He laid his gun behind us and handed me the rudder, before going right
forward to the coxswain, while I sat envying the men their coolness as
they sat pulling away nonchalantly enough, though the water was rising
fast and nearly covered their bare fee