He took my arm and marched me quickly to the ladder and down to his cabin. On the way I caught sight of Barkins and Smith watching us, and I gave them a nod.

"Now, my lad, sit down," cried Mr Reardon excitedly. "Let's hear."

I sat down, and he walked to and fro--two steps and turn.

"There's very little more to tell you, sir," I said; "but there are two very large junks a.s.suming to be merchantmen. They are anch.o.r.ed close by here somewhere."

"You don't know which two?"

"No, sir; but we shall know them by their sailing at once, and I should say by boats coming off to them with extra men directly after."

"Yes, that's good, Herrick--very good. But you have no other information about them?"

"Only, sir, that they are just off on a cruise, and if we could catch them--"

"We will catch them, my lad. But is that all?"

"Yes, sir, that's all; I thought it rather big news."

"So it is, Herrick--very big news. Just what we wanted. It's time we made another capture. And to Ching has a friend on sh.o.r.e who sent this information?"

"Yes, sir."

"Not a trap, is it--to get us away?"

"Oh no, sir; Ching is as honest as the day."

"Humph, yes," said Mr Reardon, with his fingers to his lips. "I think he is, for he seems to have taken to us and to be working hard in our service. But he may have been deceived. He is cunning enough; but so are his countrymen, and they would glory in tricking the man who has taken up with the English. I don't know what to say to it, Herrick."

"But suppose we see two big junks setting sail, watch them with a boat, sir, and find that they take others on board, there could be no mistake then."

"Oh yes, there could, my boy. We might follow these junks, seize them, and spend a long time in their capture and bringing back into port.

Then we should apply to the authorities, and find that we had got into sad trouble, for we had seized two vessels which the occupants could prove were intended for peaceable pursuits. We could not contradict them possibly, and all the time the scoundrels we wanted to take had sailed off upon a piratical expedition, consequent upon our absence.

Now, sir, what do you say to that?"

I shook my head.

"I think Ching ought to know best," I said.

"Perhaps so," he replied. "We shall see. Come on now to the captain."

He opened the door, and I followed. I had forgotten all about Barkins and Smith for the time, but now all that had pa.s.sed occurred to my mind, and I felt certain that they would be waiting somewhere to meet me and make sport of the tremendous setting-down which I had had.

I was not wrong: they were talking together amidships, just where they could command the companion-way, and as soon as we appeared I saw Smith's features expand into a malicious grin, while Barkins remained perfectly stolid.

As we pa.s.sed to the ladder Smith looked after us wonderingly, and I saw him turn and whisper something, which I felt sure was--

"Taking him to the skipper."

For the captain was not in his cabin, but walking up and down the quarter-deck with his hands clasped behind him, and the telescope which had made Mr Reardon so angry under his left arm.

As we reached the deck he was going aft, so we followed him, and timed our pace so that when he turned we had only a step or two to take to be facing him.

"Yes, Mr Reardon," he said in response to our salute, "anything fresh?"

"Yes, sir, something very fresh. Will you listen to what Mr Herrick has to say?"

"Certainly," he replied, and he made room for me on his right Mr Reardon placed himself on my right, and as I narrated all I had said before as nearly as I could, they marched me up and down between them, from the binnacle to the end of the quarter-deck, turned and marched me back again.

As we approached the rail I could see Barkins and Smith watching us with all their eyes, and as we came in sight again they were still watching intently, evidently in the full belief that I was being, as we should have called it, wigged tremendously. And certainly they had some excuse for this idea, for I had been summoned by the first lieutenant, taken into his cabin, talked to, and then marched off to the captain. It almost looked like being dismissed from the ship in their eyes, and now I could see them scanning my features with intense interest for sight of my breaking down.

The captain heard me out, and then listened to Mr Reardon's objections.

"Yes," he said quietly at last, "that's very true, Mr Reardon, but we must not let an opportunity slip. I was intending to sail to-morrow for the north; now we will sail which way the junks lead. That will do for the present, Mr Herrick, and I thank you for your diligence in Her Majesty's service."

I touched my cap and went to the ladder, and as I descended there were my two messmates coming towards me.

Trying to make my face as mobile as possible, I stretched it here and there into wrinkles, and was walking straight along the deck looking the image of despair, when they stopped me.

"Serve you right!" said Smith exultantly. "There, be off below, and don't let the men all see what a setting-down you have had."

I gave each of them a piteous look, turned as they had suggested, and hurried down to our cabin to have a good laugh all to myself.

To my surprise, though, they followed me, Barkins to seat himself on the table, and Smith to lean up against the door.

"Well, Skeeter," said the latter, "you've had it pretty hot. Serve you right for being sarcy; you'll behave better next time."

"I hope so," I said meekly.

"Dishy gave you his lecture, then, and walked you off to the skipper, eh?"

"Yes," I said.

"Well, it's of no use for you to be grumpy. You've had your lesson, and now you've got to behave yourself."

"Yes."

"And I am very glad to see you are so humble. Aren't you, Tanner?"

"Yes," said Barkins gruffly.

"You see it won't do for a little gnat of a fellow to think he is going to do what he likes on board one of Her Majesty's ships. It was quite time you were taken down a few pegs--wasn't it, Tanner?"

"I suppose so," said Barkins.

"Then I don't see that it's any use for us to jump upon him, and show bad blood."

"No, not a bit," cried Barkins, with more animation. "We won't."