amount, and he looked
from one to the other as if he did not comprehend. Then he unwillingly
divided the sum.

"No light," he said. "Flee dollar."

"The other for the fight," I said, feeling pleased to have met a
Chinaman who was not dishonest and grasping.

"You wantee 'nother fight morrow?" he said, looking at me sharply.
"Don't know. Not aflaid."

"No, no; you don't understand," I cried, laughing. "We give you six
dollars instead of three."

Ching nodded, and the silver money disappeared up his sleeve. Then his
body writhed a little, and the arm and hand appeared again in the loose
sleeve.

"Sailor boy 'teal Ching dollar?"

"Oh no," I said confidently.

"No pullee tail?"

"Ah, that I can't answer for," I said. "Twist it up tightly."

"To be sure," said Barkins. "It don't do to put temptation in the poor
fellows' way. I'm afraid," he continued, "that if I saw that hanging
out of a hammock I should be obliged to have a tug."

Ching nodded, and stole away again into the darkness, for night had
fallen now, and we were beginning to feel the waves dancing under us.

An hour later I was in my cot fast asleep, and dreaming of
fierce-looking Chinamen in showy-patterned coats making cuts at me with
big swords, which were too blunt to cut, but which gave me plenty of
pain, and this continued more or less all night. In the morning I knew
the reason why, my left side was severely bruised, and for the next few
days I could not move about without a reminder of the terrible cut the
mandarin's retainer had made at me with his sword.

CHAPTER FIVE.

CHING HAS IDEAS.

Week had passed, during which we had cruised here and there, in the hope
of falling in with the pirates. Once in the right waters, it did not
much signify which course we took, for we were as likely to come across
them sailing north as south. So our coal was saved, and we kept
steadily along under canvas.

But fortune seemed to be still against us, and though we boarded junk
after junk, there was not one of which the slightest suspicion could be
entertained; and their masters, as soon as they realised what our
mission was, were only too eager to afford us every information they
could.

Unfortunately, they could give us none of any value. They could only
tell us about divers acts of horrible cruelty committed here and there
within the past few months, but could not point out where the pirates
were likely to be found.

Ching, in spi