and his colleagues had
been introduced to Williams.

'Certainly,' Williams replied; but when he saw how securely the gate had
been barricaded, he knew that the task would be more than the
half-starved defenders of the mission could accomplish.

'I'll call some of my men to do it,' he said, and in a few moments
twelve jovial, sun-burnt, travel-stained sailors had climbed the ladder
and entered the enclosure. Instantly the men, women, and children
surrounded them, grasping their hands, and showering blessings on them.

'Come along, men,' Williams shouted out. 'Down with that barricade, and
open the gates.'

The sailors started their work at once. In a few minutes the barricade,
which had taken the missionaries some days to build, was torn down, and
the gates thrown open. Number One was the first person to enter the
enclosure. He carried a big bowl of cooked rice, which was probably
loot, and, hurrying to the ladies and children, placed the tempting dish
before them.

'Welly good,' he declared, emphatically; 'makee plenty stlong.'

When every one had had as much as was safe after their long fast,
Williams drew Charlie, Fred, and Ping Wang aside. 'I suppose you haven't
succeeded in getting that treasure?' he said.

'No, but we got very close to it,' Charlie replied, and then told him of
their adventures in Kwang-ngan.

'You've been unfortunate,' Williams admitted. 'However, I'll see what I
can do. We expect some Japanese troops here to-morrow, and as soon as
they arrive we are all going to march on Kwang-ngan. Tell me exactly
where the idol is.'

'Let us go to Kwang-ngan with you,' Charlie suggested.

'But, my dear fellows,' Williams replied, 'you're not in a fit state for
any more fighting.'

'It's only sleep we want,' Charlie declared. 'We shall be as fit as any
one after we have had a good long rest.'

'If that's the case, I shall be glad of your company; but you must turn
in at once.'

'Before we do that we want to know how it is that you are here. When we
last saw you, you had no idea of going to China.'

'Well, I'll soon explain that. My capture of that coper on which I found
you and Ping Wang won the approval of the authorities, and, fortunately
for me, I was able to effect another capture, about three weeks later.
Soon afterwards I received orders to go up to London, and in less than a
week I was on my way to China to join my present ship.'

Charlie, Fred, and Ping Wang heartily congratulated thei