n to the landing-place, to arrive
there just in time to see the barge with the captain and his escort
gliding rapidly away toward the ship.

"Too soon findee boat," said Ching. "Tellee man come when sun go out of
sight."

"Yes, and that means two hours good," said Barkins. "Look here, Ching,
hire a boat cheap. Get a fellow with a sailing-boat, if you can."

"Yes," said the Chinaman, nodding his head in a satisfied way, "Good
boat--velly nice boat--boat with velly big sail fly over water, eh?"

"Yes, that's it," said Barkins. "And look sharp, for there are a lot of
low blackguardly-looking fellows coming up, and we don't want another
row."

Barkins was quite right, for, as in our own seaports, there were plenty
of roughs about, and whether in blue frocks and pith boots or British
rags, the loafer is much the same. Ching saw at a glance that the
sooner we were off the better, and hurried us a little way along the
wharf till he saw a boat that seemed suitable.

"You all get in velly quick," he said.

"But we must make a bargain with the man."

"Plesently," he replied, as we hurried in, and he ordered the man in
charge to put off.

The man began to protest volubly, but Ching rose up, and with a fierce
look rustled his new coat and sat down again, with the result that the
man loosened the rope which held his boat to the side, and the swift
tide began to bear us away directly, the man hoisting up a small
matting-sail and then meekly thrusting an oar over, with which to steer.

"Why, what did you say to him, Ching?" I asked; and the interpreter
smiled, and wrinkled up his eyes till he resembled a piece of old china
on a chimney-piece.

"Ching say velly lit' bit; only shake his new coat till common man see
it silk. He feel velly much flighten all a same, as if big-button
mandalin get in him boat."

"And what shall we have to pay him?"

"P'laps nothing 'tall."

"Oh, nonsense!" I said. "We must pay him the proper fare."

"Velly well, pay him ploper money."

I anticipated trouble, but when we got to the side and a dollar was
handed to the man, his heavy round face lit up with pleasure, and he
said something aloud.

"What does he say, Ching?" I asked.

"Say velly glad, and didn't tink he get anything 'tall."

We made the best of our way below, fully expecting that, if the captain
and Mr Reardon saw us, they would take us to task for being at the
execution, and ask; us how we dared to follow them t