y us, and thus every movement was carefully
conveyed to the enemy. As, then, the appearance of the gunboat was
sufficient to keep them in hiding, and also as the moment we were out of
sight the pirates issued from their lair, only two ways of dealing with
the fiends remained to us, and these means, after due consultation, were
to be adopted--one or both.

Then it had been arranged that the next morning at daybreak a couple of
boats were to be despatched to the Scotch barque, for a more thorough
investigation as to whether, in Mr Brooke's rather hurried visit, he
had passed over any cargo worthy of salvage, and to collect material for
a full report for the authorities and the owners.

This had just been decided upon, when there was a shout from one of the
look-out men. It was quite unnecessary, for nearly every one on deck
saw the cause of the cry.

We three companions had been watching the wreck with its spiral of
smoke, which in the calm air rose up like the trunk of a tall tree, and
then all at once spread out nearly flat to right and left, giving it
quite the appearance of a gigantic cedar. Then, as one of the witnesses
of the horrors on board, I had had to repeat my story again; and, while
matters were being discussed below, we in a low tone had our debate on
the question, and saw too how the men gathered in knots, and talked in
whispers and watched the barque. And to us all one thing was evident,
that could our lads only get a chance at the pigtailed, ruffianly scum
of the east coast, it would go pretty hard with them.

"I'll bet many of 'em wouldn't go pirating again in a hurry," Barkins
said; and we agreed.

Then we fell to wondering how many poor creatures had been murdered by
them in their bloodthirsty career, and why it was that there should be
such indifference to death, and so horrible a love of cruelty and
torture, in the Chinese character. All at once came the shout, and we
were gazing at the cause.

For a bright, clear burst of flame suddenly rose from the direction of
the ship--not an explosion, but a fierce blaze--and it was evident that
the parts around the little fire had grown more and more heated and dry,
and that the smouldering had gone on till some part of the cargo
beneath, of an inflammable nature, had caught at last, and was burning
furiously.

We expected that orders would be given for boats to be lowered, but we
had drifted in the current so far away that there was a risky row