they
would tear us into little bits.

"Well done, my lads," cried Mr Brooke. "Splendid, splendid. Couldn't
have been better. Excellent, Mr Herrick; ease her a little, ease her.
We must have a reef in that sail. All left behind, then; no pursuit?"
and he looked astern as our boat rushed through the water, and then he
frowned, for one of the men said--

"Yes, sir; here's one on 'em from the shore coming arter us full sail,
and she's going as fast as we."

And once more, as I looked behind me, holding on the while by the
tiller, I seemed to see the inside of a Chinese prison after we had been
pretty well stoned to death; for it was a good-sized boat that was
gliding after us at a rapid rate, and threatening to overtake us before
long.

CHAPTER THIRTY FIVE.

MR. BROOKE'S ERROR.

"I did not see either of those craft with sails," I said to Tom Jecks,
as we stood watching the following boat, which was evidently making
every possible effort to come up with us.

"No, sir, 'twarn't neither o' them. I see 'em put off from a bit higher
up," said Jecks. "My hye! they are in a hurry, sir. You'd better tell
Mr Brooke he must shake out a reef instead o' taking one up."

"No; leave it to him, he doesn't like interference."

"No, sir, orficers don't, and it is their natur' to. But I say, sir,
what a--_murder_!--what a wrench I give my shoulder."

"How?"

"Hitting one o' them pudding-headed Teapots, sir. Didn't hurt my
knuckles, because his head was soft. Just like punching a bladder o'
lard, but the weight on him wrenched the jynte."

"Wait till we get on board," I said, "and Mr Price will soon put you
right."

"Bah! not him, sir," said the man scornfully. "I shouldn't think o'
going to a doctor for nothing less than losing my head. It'll soon get
right. Exercise is the thing, sir, for a hurt o' that sort. You and
Mr Brooke give us a good job at them pirates out yonder, and I shall
forget all about my shoulder."

"We'll try," I said laughingly. "But what were you going to say just
now?"

"I, sir? nothin', sir."

"Oh yes; when you broke off."

"I broke off, sir?"

"Yes."

"To be sure. Yes, sir, I was going to say what a lesson it is for you,
sir, as a young orficer, not to go pickling and stealing other folkses'
boats. This here all comes o' taking boats as don't belong to you."

"Better than sitting in another till she sinks, Tom Jecks."

"Not so honest, sir."

"Rubbish! We haven't s