taken up; but I frowned
directly after, as I thought of what a little credit I was getting for
it all, and that the captain or Mr Reardon might have said an
encouraging word or two to show that they appreciated my efforts.

It was laughable, too, the way in which I had heard the captain's dodge
discussed by Barkins and Smith, who never once associated my summons to
the cabin with all that had been done.

The time was going along slowly, and I was beginning to feel very
drowsy, so I had a walk up and down a few times, and then came suddenly
upon something like a big bundle under the weather bulwark.

"Why, Ching," I said, "you here?"

"Yes; velly hot down below, no sleepee sleepee. Come on deck, nicee
cool. You have fightee morrow?"

"I hope so," I said; but asked myself the next moment whether I really
did hope so.

"Velly bad fightee, bad pilates come, and captain killee whole lot.
Allee velly bad man, killee evelybody."

"Do you think they will come out of hiding?"

"Ching don'tee know. Ching thinkee muchee so. Now go sleepee. Velly
much tire."

He curled himself up, drawing his tail round out of the way, and seemed
to go off directly; while I rejoined the officer of the watch, who
happened to be Mr Brooke, and we walked right forward to the bows, and
saw that the men were keeping a bright look-out.

"Well, Herrick," he said, "got your dirk sharp?"

"No," I said. "Don't laugh at me, please, Mr Brooke."

"Oh no, I will not laugh at you, my lad," he said; "but as it is quite
likely that we may have a bit of a scrimmage to-morrow, if the
scoundrels are lured out of their holes, and grow desperate on finding
that they have made a mistake, you had better keep out of the way."

"But--"

"Oh yes, I know what you are going to say; but you are very young yet,
and what chance would you have against a great strong savage Chinaman--
for there are plenty of powerful fellows among these scoundrels. You
must wait a bit before you take to fighting."

I felt uncomfortable. He seemed to be looking down upon me so, in spite
of my being an officer; but I could not boast of my strength, and
remained silent for a time.

"Do you think they are likely to get on board, sir?"

"Oh no," he said. "We shall not give them a chance. Once the captain
is sure that they are the pirates, if we are lucky enough to lure them
well out from the shore, the men will be ordered up to the guns, and we
shall give them a few broa