.

CHAPTER NINE.

TOM IN THE HANDS OF THE PIRATES--ABOUT TO BE KILLED WHEN RESCUED BY
JULL'S YOUNG WIFE--TOM WITNESSES THE FIGHT FROM THE ROCK--THE FORT TAKEN
AND JULL KILLED--FUGITIVES BRING THE NEWS--THE YOUNG WIDOW'S
PHILOSOPHY--SHE MAKES TOM AN OFFER, WHO SAYS HE MUST ASK HIS CAPTAIN--
TOM ESCORTS THE WIDOW ON BOARD THE GNAT--JACK FORBIDS THE BANNS--BOOTY
REMOVED--THE WIDOW ENGAGED BY PO-HO--THE SQUADRON REACHES YOKOHAMA--
CURIOUS SIGHTS ON SHORE--EXPECTED ATTACK ON PRINCE SATSUMA--SQUADRON
SAILS--THE PRINCE'S TOWN BOMBARDED AND HIS FLEET CAPTURED, PROCEEDINGS
WHICH BRING HIM TO REASON AND ESTABLISH FRIENDLY RELATIONS BETWEEN THE
TWO COUNTRIES.

We must now return to Tom Rogers. On finding himself in the hands of
the pirates, he expected nothing but instant death. His uniform,
however, showed them that they had got hold of an officer, and always
having an eye to business, they probably considered that they might
obtain a high ransom for him, or that if hard pressed, he would prove a
valuable hostage in their hands, and compel their enemies to come to
terms. On hearing the shouts of his companions in the rear, he made
several desperate efforts to escape, but, on calmer reflection, the
sight of a sword-blade held to the level of his throat made him see the
wisdom of desisting from any such attempts.

On they dragged him to the rear of the fort; it was already in sight,
when the party were joined by the fugitives of the other two junks which
had been destroyed. They came boiling with rage at their defeat, and on
seeing an English officer in the power of their companions, instantly
prepared to kill him. A fierce-looking Malay, whom Tom guessed was
their captain, drew his sword and was about to cut him down, when
another party who had come out of the fort, appeared on the scene. They
were escorting, so it seemed, a young female to a place of greater
safety than the fort, which, although the pirates might be victorious,
would they knew be exposed to showers of shot and shell. Tom instantly
recognised the girl as the young Malay wife of Jonathan Jull, their
guest on board the _Bellona_. As he had no desire to die, he
immediately shouted out to her, imploring her protection, and letting
her know who he was. In another moment the savage Malay would have
cloven his head in two, had not the Malay girl, answering to his appeal,
sprung forward and placed herself in front of him, making violent
gestures and voci