wing days were very
unsatisfactory. Not an ounce of tobacco nor a drop of drink was sold, in
spite of the fact that several fishing-boats were met. Growing reckless,
the skipper determined to approach the English coast, so as to meet the
boats coming out of the Humber.

'Now you will soon be able to transfer us to a Grimsby-bound boat,'
Charlie said to the skipper, when they were about two miles from land.

'I have come here to look after outward-bound boats,' the skipper
answered, sharply, 'and I can't bother about you. I have quite enough to
think about.'

A few minutes later, Charlie understood what the skipper meant. He was
in British waters, and to sell tobacco or drink there would render him
liable to be seized by a cruiser or revenue cutter. Every sailing ship
that came out of the Humber the captain watched closely through his
marine glasses, and not until he had satisfied himself that she was
harmless did he approach her.

The skipper was well pleased with his work at the end of the day, and
when darkness came on he sailed out of British waters, with the
intention of returning at daybreak. Charlie and Ping Wang, however,
considered that the day had been a most unsatisfactory one.

'I can't stand another day of this,' Charlie said to Ping Wang, when the
two were alone. 'I mean to get ashore to-morrow somehow or other. Shall
we jump overboard, and swim to the nearest ship making for the Humber?'

'I have lost confidence in my swimming powers,' Ping Wang answered.

'But there will be no necessity for us to have such a long swim as our
last one. Besides, there will be plenty of boats about, and some of them
are sure to come to our help.'

'When do you mean to start?'

'As soon as we are again in British waters. That will be to-morrow
morning. To-morrow night we shall be in Grimsby, or perhaps at my home.
You agree, don't you?'

'Oh, yes. But now let us get to sleep. We ought to start as fresh as
possible.'

They lay down almost immediately, and slept soundly until about six
o'clock. Then they were awakened rather suddenly by hearing a gun fired.

'What's the meaning of that?' Charlie asked, as he sat up and listened.

Ping Wang shook his head, and in a few minutes was again asleep.
Charlie, a little later, lay down and slept; but in about a quarter of
an hour they were again awakened, this time by men descending into the
saloon. Looking up over the saloon table, they saw two bluejackets, with
cutlass