"That's right; chaff away," cried Smith. "Look at the place we're in!

There isn't a sign of a town. What would bring pirates up here?"

"Pirates don't want towns, do they, stupid?" cried Barkins; "they want a place to lay up their ships in, and here it is. I'll bet anything those are pirates, but we shan't catch 'em."

"Why?" I asked. "Think they'll go up higher where we can't follow?"

"Could follow 'em in the boats, couldn't we, clever? Hi! look! they're on the move! They're pirates, and are going up higher because they see us. But we shan't catch 'em. If they are getting the worst of it, they'll run themselves aground, and get ash.o.r.e to make a dash for it."

Barkins was right; they were on the move, as we could distinctly see now, and my messmate said again--

"Yes, it's all over; they'll follow this river right away to the other side, and come out in the Black Sea, or somewhere else. We draw too much water to follow them farther."

But we did follow them a great deal farther, and found that on the whole, in spite of our careful progress, we gained upon the junks, getting so near them once from their position across a bend of the river that a discussion took place as to whether it would not be advisable to open fire at long range.

But no gun spoke, and we kept on slowly, carried by the tide, and with the screw revolving just sufficiently for steering purposes, till once more the course of the river grew pretty straight, and the junks were in full view, our gla.s.ses showing the men toiling away at the long sweeps, and that the decks were crowded.

This last was intensely satisfactory, for it swept away the last doubts as to the character of the vessels. Up to this point it was possible that they might have been trading junks whose skippers had taken alarm, but no mercantile junks would have carried such crews as we could see, with their bald heads shining in the sun.

Just about that time Smith and I pa.s.sed Tom Jecks, who gave me a peculiar look.

"What is it?" I said, stopping to speak.

"Can't you put in a word to the skipper, sir, and get him to stir up the engyneers?"

"What for, Tom?"

"To go faster, sir. It's horrid, this here. Why, I could go and ketch 'em in the dinghy."

"Do you want the _Teaser_ stuck in the mud?" I said.

"No, sir, o' course not; but I say, sir, do you think it's all right?"

"What do you mean, Jecks?"

"This here river, sir. I ayve read in a book about Chinee Tartars and magicians and conjurors. There was that chap in 'Aladdin' as left the boy shut up down below. He were a Chinee, wasn't he?"

"I think so, Tom; but what have the _Arabian Nights_ got to do with our hunting these pirates?"

"Well, that's what I want to know, sir. If there was magic in them days in China, mayn't there be some left now?"

"No, Tom," I said. "We've got more magic on board the _Teaser_ in the shape of steam, than there is of the old kind in all China."

"Well, sir, you've had more schooling than ever I've had, but if it ain't a bit magicky about them boats, I should like to know what it is."

"What's he talking about?" said Smith. "What do you mean?"

"They're will-o'-the-wispy sort o' boats, sir," replied Jecks. "Don't you see how they keep dodging on us? Just now they was in easy shot, now they're two mile away. What does that mean?"

"Physical conformation of the road," said Smith importantly.

"Oh, is it, sir?" said Jecks, scratching his head, with a dry smile on his face. "Well, I shouldn't have thought as physic had anything to do with that, but I daresay you're right, sir. Wish we could give them junks physic."

"I don't believe we shall get near enough to give them a dose," said Smith discontentedly. "If I were the skipper, I'd--"

Smith did not say what he would, for just then there was a shout from the boat, the man with the lead giving such shallow soundings that we heard the gongs sound in the engine-room, and the clank of the machinery as it was stopped and reversed.

Then orders were given for soundings to be taken right across the river, but the result was always the same; the stream had suddenly shallowed, and it was at first supposed to be a bar; but sounding higher up proved that the shoal water was continuous, and though the lighter-draft junks had gone on, they had now come to a standstill, which suggested that they too had been stopped.

"Told you so," grumbled Barkins, joining us. "All this trouble for nothing. Why didn't the skipper open fire and blow 'em out of the water when he had a chance?"

"Go and ask him, Mr Barkins," said Mr Brooke, who overheard his remark. "And if I were you, I'd ask him at the same time why it is amateurs can always manage better than the leader."

Mr Brooke nodded, and I saw that he looked very serious as he walked aft, and a minute later I knew why.

"Bah!" growled Smith, as soon as he was out of hearing. "Shouldn't have listened."

"No," said Barkins. "It isn't quite manly to play the spy. Talk about snubbing, why is it officers should think it so precious fine to be always dropping on to their juniors? Now, then, look out! there's orders coming. The old _Teaser's_ going to waggle her tail between her legs, and we're going back again. More waste of Her Majesty's coals."

"If we don't lie-to till the tide turns," I said. "Oh, I say, you two look sharp and get quite well again; I didn't know that having wounds would make fellows so sour."

"Who's sour. Here, let's get aft; quick, or we shall be out of the fun."

For the whistles were going, and the men springing to the boats, three of which were manned, and the one lying alongside being filled with a strong, well-armed crew.

We all three did press forward, in the full hope of being sent as well, and made ourselves so prominent that I saw Mr Reardon frown. But no orders came; and at last, in a great state of excitement, Barkins seized the opportunity to speak.

"May I go in the longboat, sir?"

"You--lame still from your wound, sir? Absurd! No, nor you neither, Mr Smith."

He caught my eye just then, but turned away, and I could not help feeling disappointed, though I knew well enough that the risk would have been great.

"Oh, I do call it a shame," grumbled Barkins, as the order was given, the men cheered, and, under the command of Mr Brooke, the four boats pushed off, the oars dropped, the oily water splashed in the bright sunshine, and each boat with its colours trailing astern glided rapidly up-stream.

"Yes, it's too bad," grumbled Smith in turn, who unconsciously began nursing his arm as if it pained him.

"Why, it's worse for me," I cried. "I'm quite strong and well. I ought to have gone."

Barkins exploded with silent laughter, laid his hand on Smith's shoulder, and said huskily, as if he were choking with mirth--

"I say, hark at him! What for? There'll be plenty of mosquitoes up there to sting the poor fellows; they don't want a gnat to tickle them and make them fight."

"No," said Smith. "Never mind, little boy, be good, and we'll take you on an expedition some day."

"All right," I replied; "I don't mind your chaff, only you needn't be so nasty because you are disappointed."

"Mr Herrick! Where's Mr Herrick?" cried the first lieutenant.