not to go
unpunished for this last proceeding. As soon as the troops can be
collected and the ships are ready, we expect to go back to Peiho to
capture the Taku Forts and proceed on by land and water to Pekin, which,
if the emperor will not give up, we are to bombard and take possession
of. So you see you fellows have plenty of work before you. You need
not be afraid of that."

Tom and Desmond, in return for the information they had received, had a
still longer yarn to spin of the adventures they had gone through.
Billy occasionally put in a word.

"The worst part of the business was when we were nearly starving and had
to live on rotten yams and train oil. How would you fellows have liked
that?" he asked.

"Not very pleasant," observed Charley Roy. "But you, Billy, don't
appear to have suffered much from the fare you describe."

"I have had time to pick up again," answered Billy; "but I assure you
that for many weeks afterwards I was as thin as a whipping-post."

CHAPTER SEVEN.

A VISIT TO THE TAILOR'S, AND A WALK ROUND VICTORIA--TRICKS OF THE
COOLIES--A CHINESE FESTIVAL--SAIL FOR SHANGHAI--AN UNEXPECTED MEETING--
ADVENTURES OF THE DRAGON'S CREW--A WALK THROUGH SHANGHAI--THE
MIDSHIPMEN'S RIDE INTO THE COUNTRY--THEIR PLEASURE DISAGREEABLY
INTERRUPTED--A RIDE FOR LIFE, AND A NARROW ESCAPE--BRING NEWS OF THE
APPROACH OF THE REBELS--REGAIN THEIR HOTEL--AROUSED BY THE SOUND OF
FIRING--SHANGHAI ATTACKED BY THE REBELS--THE BLUE JACKETS TAKE PART IN
THE DEFENCE--TREACHERY DEFEATED--JERRY SAVES TOM'S LIFE--THE REBELS
DEFEATED--RETURN ON BOARD THE EMPRESS--THE ORION, CAPTAIN ADAIR, ARRIVES
FROM ENGLAND--ADAIR COMES ON BOARD THE EMPRESS--GERALD'S ANXIETY--AN
ASTOUNDING REQUEST--CAPTAIN ADAIR COMMUNICATES SOME INTERESTING
INFORMATION TO DESMOND--THE FLEET ASSEMBLES, AND THE ARMY LANDS ON THE
SHORES OF CHINA.

The fleet lay in readiness to proceed to Pe-chili, where it was expected
that they would find work to do, as the Taku Forts had to be captured
before the troops, now assembling in strong force, could march on Pekin.
In the mean time Captain Rogers took the midshipmen on shore to obtain
an outfit for them, which they much required. With this object they
repaired to the shop of Tung-Cheong, the Buckmaster, of Victoria.

Mr Tung-Cheong came forward with a smiling countenance, guessing, as he
surveyed the tattered uniforms of the three midshipmen, what they
required.

"Me thinkee greatest tailor in the world