"she don't
live here, young man."

Paying no attention to this pleasantry, the Chinaman closed the door
with an air of mystery, and, going up to Edgar, looked him inquiringly
in the face, as he said interrogatively:--

"I's pleeceman. You's Eggirbringting?"

"Not a bad attempt," exclaimed Edgar, with a laugh. "I suppose _that_
is my name translated into Chinese."

"Took me muchee--long--time for learn him from young missee," said the
Chinaman with a hurt look.

At the mention of a young lady Edgar's amused look changed into one of
anxiety, for he had, through an English acquaintance in the port, become
aware not only of Mr Hazlit's failure, but of his sudden departure for
England with his daughter and Miss Pritty, and a vague suspicion of bad
news flashed upon him.

"You bring a message, I see?" he said, rising and speaking hurriedly.
"Let me hear it. Quick."

Thus invoked, the Chinaman spoke so quickly and in such a miraculous
jumble of bad English, that Edgar could not comprehend him at all;--only
one thing he felt quite sure of, namely, that his anxiety was well
found.

"Ho! Chok-foo!" he shouted.

The domestic entered, and to him the Chinaman delivered his message,
which was to the following effect:--

He was a native policeman who had been captured on the coast when in
discharge of his duties. Many others had been taken by the same pirates
at different times, and among them an English gentleman named Hazlit,
with his daughter and a lady friend. These latter had been spared,
probably with a view to ransom, at the time the crew of their vessel was
massacred, and were at that moment in one of the strongholds belonging
to the pirates, up one of the intricate rivers on the coast of Borneo.
He, the policeman, having resolved to make his escape, and being, in
virtue of his wise, wily, and constabular nature, well able to do so,
had mentioned the circumstance to the young lady, and, under promise of
a handsome reward, had agreed to travel and voyage, night and day, by
boat or vessel, as fortune should favour him, in order to convey
immediate intelligence of these facts to a youth named "Eggirbringting,"
whom the young lady described as being very tall and stout, and
extremely handsome.

It may easily be imagined with what mingled feelings of anxiety and
impatience the "tall, stout, and extremely handsome young man" listened
to this narrative as it was volubly delivered by the "pleeceman" and
slowly t