al junks had been carried somewhat up the creek
by the tide that was sweeping inward, and could not for the moment take
part in the fight.

"Mr. Oliphant is hard pressed, sir." He asked the master: "Shall we take
to the boats?"

"That will be the best plan," Mr. Bellew replied. "Quick, lads, get the
boats alongside and tumble in; there is not a moment to be lost."

The crew at once sprang to the boats and rowed to the other junk, which
was but some thirty yards away.

The Chinese, absorbed in their contest with the crew of the pinnace, did
not perceive the new-comers until they gained the deck, and with a shout
fell furiously upon them. In their surprise and consternation the
pirates did not pause to note that they were still five to one superior
in number, but made a precipitate rush for their own vessels. The
English at once took the offensive. The first lieutenant with his party
boarded one, while the new-comers leapt on to the deck of the other. The
panic which had seized the Chinese was so complete that they attempted
no resistance whatever, but sprang overboard in great numbers and swam
to the shore, which was but twenty yards away, and in three minutes the
English were in undisputed possession of both vessels.

"Back again, Mr. Fothergill, or you will lose the craft you captured,"
Lieutenant Oliphant said; "they have already cut her free."

The Chinese, indeed, who had been beaten below by the boarding party,
had soon perceived the sudden departure of their captors, and gaining
the deck again had cut the lashings which fastened them to the other
junk, and were proceeding to hoist their sails. They were too late,
however. Almost before the craft had way on her Fothergill and his crew
were alongside. The Chinese did not wait for the attack, but at once
sprang overboard and made for the shore. The other three junks, seeing
the capture of their comrades, had already hoisted their sails and were
making up the creek. Fothergill dropped an anchor, left four of his men
in charge, and rowed back to Mr. Oliphant.

"What shall we do next, sir?"

"We will give those fellows on shore a lesson, and silence their
battery. Two men have been killed since you left. We must let the other
junks go for the present. Four of my men were killed and eleven wounded
before Mr. Bellew and you came to our assistance. The Chinese were
fighting pluckily up to that time, and it would have gone very hard with
us if you had not been at h