"Now, you likee go 'long see somethin' else?" said Ching, when he had really drunk tea enough.

"Yes," said Barkins, "I feel ready. What do you say to going to see the _Teaser_, lads?" he continued.

"I'm willing," said Smith. "I want to lie down."

"You ready, Gnat?"

"Oh yes," I replied. "I don't feel as if I could enjoy anything to-day."

"Right, then. No, Ching; back on board ship."

"You go velly soon? Now?"

"Yes, directly."

Ching smiled--he had a habit of smiling at everything nearly, and we paid our reckoning and followed him down 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-b.u.t.ton 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 antic.i.p.ated 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 there. But, as luck had it, they had been too much occupied by the horrible affair in progress, and our presence had escaped them. But it was a long while before I could get the scene out of my head or think of our trip ash.o.r.e that day as anything but a horrible mistake.

CHAPTER TWENTY SIX.

"MAN OVERBOARD."

It was a great relief to us all to find that our visit to the Chinese prison had not been noticed. We of course kept silence about it, not even telling Mr Brooke, who was the most friendly of our officers, and we had the satisfaction of finding that Ching obeyed our orders, and kept his peace.

I used to be rather sorry for him, his position being so solitary on board. For he could not make himself at home with the sailors in the forecastle, and though as frank, good-hearted fellows as ever lived, they seemed to look upon him only in one way, that of being a b.u.t.t for their sharp witticisms, an object upon whom they were to play practical jokes.

Consequently I used often, when I found him standing alone by the bulwarks watching the sh.o.r.e, to edge up to him, and stop to talk; our conversation being directed by me toward some little unpleasantry in the forecastle, which if he had complained about to the first lieutenant, there would have been a severe reprimand.

I remember one of these occasions, when Ching came flying up out of the hatch, followed by a roar of laughter, and as he reached the deck, _clang-clang_ went something against the sides of the hatch; but Ching paid no heed, running forward till he was right up by the side of the bowsprit.

I followed quickly, feeling angry on the man's behalf.

"What's the matter?" I cried. "What have they been doing?"

"No know," he said rather pitifully, as he stood there trembling. "Done something. Thlow tin-kettle after."

"But what for? What were you doing?"

"Doing? fa.s.s 'sleep, dleam 'bout big fly come and bite leg. Jump up and lun. Then thlow kettle after."

"Here, let's look," I said; for as he shook his head there was the same hollow sound again, just like that made by a tin sheep-bell.

"Why, they've tied it to you," I said sharply.

"Tie to Ching flock? Don't matter. Not bess blue silkee."

"Here, let me see," I cried. "Turn round."

He turned sharply, and something banged against the bulwark.

"What a shame!" I cried. "They've tied the old canister to your tail."

"Tie canny all along Ching tow-chang?" he cried.

"Yes, and it's a rascally shame."

"Yes, allee lascally shame," he said, nodding his head. "Not hurt velly. Only flighten velly much, makee lun fa.s.s."

"Stand still, and I'll soon have it off," I cried, whipping out my knife.