if they got under the guns
of any of their batteries. Still it was horribly annoying, and I do
think the captain might have remembered what beastly luck we had last
time, and given us a chance tomorrow."

"It is clear we could not all go," Fothergill said, "and naturally
enough the captain chose the three seniors. Besides, if you did have bad
luck last time, you had your chance, and I don't suppose we shall have
anything more exciting now; these fellows always set fire to their junks
and row for the shore directly they see us, after firing a shot or two
wildly in our direction."

"Well, Jack, if you don't expect any fun," Simmons replied, "perhaps you
wouldn't mind telling the first lieutenant you do not care for going,
and that I am very anxious to take your place. Perhaps he will be good
enough to allow me to relieve you."

"A likely thing that!" Fothergill laughed. "No, Tom, I am sorry you are
not going, but you must make the best of it till another chance comes."

"Don't you think, Jack," Percy Adcock said to his senior in a coaxing
tone later on, "you could manage to smuggle me into the boat with you?"

"Not I, Percy. Suppose you got hurt, what would the captain say then?
And firing as wildly as the Chinese do, a shot is just as likely to hit
your little carcass as to lodge in one of the sailors. No, you must just
make the best of it, Percy, and I promise you that next time there is
a boat expedition, if you are not put in, I will say a good word to the
first luff for you."

"That promise is better than nothing," the boy said; "but I would a deal
rather go this time and take my chance next."

"But you see you can't, Percy, and there's no use talking any more about
it. I really do not expect there will be any fighting. Two junks would
hardly make any opposition to the boats of the ship, and I expect we
shall be back by nine o'clock with the news that they were well on fire
before we came up."

Percy Adcock, however, was determined, if possible, to go. He was a
favorite among the men, and when he spoke to the bow oar of the gig
the latter promised to do anything he could to aid him to carry out his
wishes.

"We are to start at daybreak, Tom, so that it will be quite dark when
the boats are lowered. I will creep into the gig before that and hide
myself as well as I can under your thwart, and all you have got to do
is to take no notice of me. When the boat is lowered I think they will
hardly make me out from