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diff --git a/old/8tdar10h.htm b/old/8tdar10h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..a25d9c2 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/8tdar10h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,4531 @@ +<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?> +<!DOCTYPE html + PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"> + +<html> + +<head> +<title>Tales of Daring and Danger, by G. A. Henty</title> + +<style type="text/css"> + <!-- + h1,h2,h3,h4 { text-align: center; font-weight: bold; font-variant: small-caps } + h1 { margin-top: 2em } + .smallcaps, li { font-variant: small-caps } + --> +</style> +</head> + +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Tales of Daring and Danger, by G. A. Henty +#22 in our series by G. A. Henty + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world. Be sure to check the +copyright laws for your country before downloading or redistributing +this or any other Project Gutenberg eBook. + +This header should be the first thing seen when viewing this Project +Gutenberg file. Please do not remove it. Do not change or edit the +header without written permission. + +Please read the "legal small print," and other information about the +eBook and Project Gutenberg at the bottom of this file. Included is +important information about your specific rights and restrictions in +how the file may be used. You can also find out about how to make a +donation to Project Gutenberg, and how to get involved. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**eBooks Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*****These eBooks Were Prepared By Thousands of Volunteers!***** + + +Title: Tales of Daring and Danger + +Author: G. A. Henty + +Release Date: April, 2005 [EBook #7870] +[Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule] +[This file was first posted on May 28, 2003] + +Edition: 10 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-Latin-1 + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TALES OF DARING AND DANGER *** + + + + +Produce by Juliet Sutherland, Thomas Hutchinson +and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team + + + + + + +</pre> + + + +<h1>Tales of Daring and Danger</h1> + +<h2>by G. A. Henty</h2> + +<h1>Contents</h1> + +<ul> + <li><a href="#story_01">Bears and Dacoits</a></li> + <li><a href="#story_02">The Paternosters</a></li> + <li><a href="#story_03">A Pipe of Mystery</a></li> + <li><a href="#story_04">White-Faced Dick</a></li> + <li><a href="#story_05">A Brush with the Chinese</a></li> +</ul> + + +<h1><a name="story_01"></a>Bears and Dacoits.</h1> +<h2>A Tale of the Ghauts</h2> + +<h3>Chapter I.</h3> + +<p>A merry party were sitting in the verandah of one +of the largest and handsomest bungalows of Poonah. +It belonged to Colonel Hastings, colonel of a native +regiment stationed there, and at present, in virtue +of seniority, commanding a brigade. Tiffin was on, +and three or four officers and four ladies had taken +their seats in the comfortable cane lounging chairs +which form the invariable furniture of the verandah +of a well-ordered bungalow. Permission had been duly +asked, and granted by Mrs. Hastings and the cheroots +had just begun to draw, when Miss Hastings, a niece +of the colonel, who had only arrived the previous week +from England, said,–</p> + +<p>“Uncle, I am quite disappointed. Mrs. Lyons +showed me the bear she has got tied up in their compound, +and it is the most wretched little thing, not bigger +than Rover, papa’s retriever, and it’s +full-grown. I thought bears were great fierce creatures, +and this poor little thing seemed so restless and +unhappy that I thought it quite a shame not to let +it go.”</p> + +<p>Colonel Hastings smiled rather grimly.</p> + +<p>“And yet, small and insignificant as that bear +is, my dear, it is a question whether he is not as +dangerous an animal to meddle with as a man-eating +tiger.”</p> + +<p>“What, that wretched little bear, Uncle?”</p> + +<p>“Yes, that wretched little bear. Any experienced +sportsman will tell you that hunting those little +bears is as dangerous a sport as tiger-hunting on +foot, to say nothing of tiger-hunting from an elephant’s +back, in which there is scarcely any danger whatever. +I can speak feelingly about it, for my career was +pretty nearly brought to an end by a bear, just after +I entered the army, some thirty years ago, at a spot +within a few miles from here. I have got the scars +on my shoulder and arm still.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, do tell me all about it,” Miss Hastings +said, and the request being seconded by the rest of +the party, none of whom, with the exception of Mrs. +Hastings, had ever heard the story before–for the +colonel was somewhat chary of relating this special +experience–he waited till they had all drawn up their +chairs as close as possible, and then giving two or +three vigorous puffs at his cheroot, began as follows–</p> + +<p>“Thirty years ago, in 1855, things were not +so settled in the Deccan as they are now. There was +no idea of insurrection on a large scale, but we were +going through one of those outbreaks of Dacoity, which +have several times proved so troublesome. Bands of +marauders kept the country in confusion, pouring down +on a village, now carrying off three or four of the +Bombay money-lenders, who were then, as now, the curse +of the country; sometimes making an onslaught upon +a body of traders; and occasionally venturing to attack +small detachments of troops or isolated parties of +police. They were not very formidable, but they were +very troublesome, and most difficult to catch, for +the peasantry regarded them as patriots, and aided +and shielded them in every way. The head-quarters +of these gangs of Dacoits were the Ghauts. In the thick +bush and deep valleys and gorges there they could always +take refuge, while sometimes the more daring chiefs +converted these detached peaks and masses of rock, +numbers of which you can see as you come up the Ghaut +by railway, into almost impregnable fortresses. Many +of these masses of rock rise as sheer up from the +hillside as walls of masonry, and look at a short +distance like ruined castles. Some are absolutely +inaccessible, others can only be scaled by experienced +climbers, and, although possible for the natives with +their bare feet, are impracticable to European troops. +Many of these rock fortresses were at various times +the headquarters of famous Dacoit leaders, and unless +the summits happened to be commanded from some higher +ground within gunshot range they were all but impregnable +except by starvation. When driven to bay, these fellows +would fight well.</p> + +<p>“Well, about the time I joined, the Dacoits +were unusually troublesome; the police had a hard +time of it, and almost lived in the saddle, and the +cavalry were constantly called up to help them, while +detachments of infantry from the station were under +canvas at several places along the top of the Ghauts +to cut the bands off from their strongholds, and to +aid, if necessary, in turning them out of their rock +fortresses. The natives in the valleys at the foot +of the Ghauts, who have always been a semi-independent +race, ready to rob whenever they saw a chance, were +great friends with the Dacoits, and supplied them with +provisions whenever the hunt on the Deccan was too +hot for them to make raids in that direction.</p> + +<p>“This is a long introduction, you will say, +and does not seem to have much to do with bears; but +it is really necessary, as you will see. I had joined +about six months when three companies of the regiment +were ordered to relieve a wing of the 15th, who had +been under canvas at a village some four miles to +the north of the point where the line crosses the +top of the Ghauts. There were three white officers, +and little enough to do, except when a party was sent +off to assist the police. We had one or two brushes +with the Dacoits, but I was not out on either occasion. +However, there was plenty of shooting, and a good many +pigs about, so we had very good fun. Of course, as +a raw hand, I was very hot for it, and as the others +had both passed the enthusiastic age, except for pig-sticking +and big game, I could always get away. I was supposed +not to go far from camp, because, in the first place, +I might be wanted; and, in the second, because of +the Dacoits; and Norworthy, who was in command, used +to impress upon me that I ought not to go beyond the +sound of a bugle. Of course we both knew that if I +intended to get any sport I must go further afoot +than this; but I merely used to say ‘All right, +sir, I will keep an ear to the camp,’ and he +on his part never considered it necessary to ask where +the game which appeared on the table came from. But +in point of fact, I never went very far, and my servant +always had instructions which way to send for me if +I was wanted; while as to the Dacoits I did not believe +in their having the impudence to come in broad daylight +within a mile or two of our camp. I did not often +go down the face of the Ghauts. The shooting was good, +and there were plenty of bears in those days, but +it needed a long day for such an expedition, and in +view of the Dacoits who might be scattered about, +was not the sort of thing to be undertaken except with +a strong party. Norworthy had not given any precise +orders about it, but I must admit that he said one +day:–</p> + +<p>“’Of course you won’t be fool enough +to think of going down the Ghauts, Hastings?’ +But I did not look at that as equivalent to a direct +order–whatever I should do now,” the colonel +put in, on seeing a furtive smile on the faces of +his male listeners.</p> + +<p>“However, I never meant to go down, though I +used to stand on the edge and look longingly down +into the bush and fancy I saw bears moving about in +scores. But I don’t think I should have gone +into their country if they had not come into mine. +One day the fellow who always carried my spare gun +or flask, and who was a sort of shekarry in a small +way, told me he had heard that a farmer, whose house +stood near the edge of the Ghauts, some two miles +away, had been seriously annoyed by his fruit and +corn being stolen by bears.</p> + +<p>“‘I’ll go and have a look at the +place tomorrow,’ I said, ’there is no +parade, and I can start early. You may as well tell +the mess cook to put up a basket with some tiffin +and a bottle of claret, and get a boy to carry it +over.’</p> + +<p>“‘The bears not come in day,’ Rahman +said.</p> + +<p>“‘Of course not,’ I replied, ’still +I may like to find out which way they come. Just do +as you are told.’</p> + +<p>“The next morning, at seven o’clock, I +was at the farmer’s spoken of, and there was +no mistake as to the bears. A patch of Indian corn +had been ruined by them, and two dogs had been killed. +The native was in a terrible state of rage and alarm. +He said that on moonlight nights he had seen eight +of them, and they came and sniffed around the door +of the cottage.</p> + +<p>“‘Why don’t you fire through the +window at them?’ I asked scornfully, for I had +seen a score of tame bears in captivity, and, like +you, Mary, was inclined to despise them, though there +was far less excuse for me, for I had heard stories +which should have convinced me that, small as he is, +the Indian bear is not a beast to be attacked with +impunity. Upon walking to the edge of the Ghauts there +was no difficulty in discovering the route by which +the bears came up to the farm. For a mile to the right +and left the ground fell away as if cut with a knife, +leaving a precipice of over a hundred feet sheer down; +but close by where I was standing was the head of +a water-course, which in time had gradually worn a +sort of cleft in the wall, up or down which it was +not difficult to make one’s way. Further down +this little gorge widened out and became a deep ravine, +and further still a wide valley, where it opened upon +the flats far below us. About half a mile down where +the ravine was deepest and darkest was a thick clump +of trees and jungle.</p> + +<p>“‘That’s where the bears are?’ +I asked Rahman. He nodded. It seemed no distance. +I could get down and back in time for tiffin, and perhaps +bag a couple of bears. For a young sportsman the temptation +was great. ’How long would it take us to go +down and have a shot or two at them?’</p> + +<p>“’No good go down. Master come here at +night, shoot bears when they come up.’</p> + +<p>“I had thought of that; but, in the first place, +it did not seem much sport to shoot the beasts from +cover when they were quietly eating, and, in the next +place, I knew that Norworthy could not, even if he +were willing, give me leave to go out of camp at night. +I waited, hesitating for a few minutes, and then I +said to myself, ’It is of no use waiting. I +could go down and get a bear and be back again while +I am thinking of it;’ then to Rahman, ’No, +come along; we will have a look through that wood +anyhow.’</p> + +<p>“Rahman evidently did not like it.</p> + +<p>“‘Not easy find bear, sahib. He very cunning.’</p> + +<p>“‘Well, very likely we sha’n’t +find them,’ I said, ’but we can try anyhow. +Bring that bottle with you; the tiffin basket can wait +here till we come back.’ In another five minutes +I had begun to climb down the watercourse–the shekarry +following me. I took the double-barrelled rifle and +handed him the shot-gun, having first dropped a bullet +down each barrel over the charge. The ravine was steep, +but there were bushes to hold on by, and although +it was hot work and took a good deal longer than I +expected, we at last got down to the place which I +had fixed upon as likely to be the bears’ home.</p> + +<p>“‘Sahib, climb up top,’ Rahman said; +’come down through wood; no good fire at bear +when he above.’</p> + +<p>“I had heard that before; but I was hot, the +sun was pouring down, there was not a breath of wind, +and it looked a long way up to the top of the wood.</p> + +<p>“’Give me the claret. It would take too +long to search the wood regularly. We will sit down +here for a bit, and if we can see anything moving +up in the wood, well and good; if not, we will come +back again another day with some beaters and dogs.’ +So saying, I sat down with my back against a rock, +at a spot where I could look up among the trees for +a long way through a natural vista. I had a drink of +claret, and then I sat and watched till gradually +I dropped off to sleep. I don’t know how long +I slept, but it was some time, and I woke up with a +sudden start. Rahman, who had, I fancy, been asleep +too, also started up.</p> + +<p>“The noise which had aroused us was made by +a rolling stone striking a rock; and looking up I +saw some fifty yards away, not in the wood, but on +the rocky hillside on our side of the ravine, a bear +standing, as though unconscious of our presence, snuffing +the air. As was natural, I seized my rifle, cocked +it, and took aim, unheeding a cry of ’No, no, +sahib,’ from Rahman. However, I was not going +to miss such a chance as this, and I let fly. The +beast had been standing sideways to me, and as I saw +him fall I felt sure I had hit him in the heart. I +gave a shout of triumph, and was about to climb up, +when, from behind the rock on which the bear had stood, +appeared another growling fiercely; on seeing me, it +at once prepared to come down. Stupidly, being taken +by surprise, and being new at it, I fired at once +at its head. The bear gave a spring, and then–it +seemed instantaneous–down it came at me. Whether it +rolled down, or slipped down, or ran down, I don’t +know, but it came almost as if it had jumped straight +at me.</p> + +<p>[Illustration: “My Gun, Rahman,” I Shouted.]</p> + +<p>“‘My gun, Rahman,’ I shouted, holding +out my hand. There was no answer. I glanced round, +and found that the scoundrel had bolted. I had time, +and only just time, to take a step backwards, and to +club my rifle, when the brute was upon me. I got one +fair blow at the side of its head, a blow that would +have smashed the skull of any civilized beast into +pieces, and which did fortunately break the brute’s +jaw, then in an instant he was upon me, and I was +fighting for life. My hunting-knife was out, and with +my left hand I had the beast by the throat; while +with my right I tried to drive my knife into its ribs. +My bullet had gone through his chest. The impetus +of his charge had knocked me over, and we rolled on +the ground, he tearing with his claws at my shoulder +and arm, I stabbing and struggling, my great effort +being to keep my knees up so as to protect my body +with them from his hind claws. After the first blow +with his paw, which laid my shoulder open, I do not +think I felt any special pain whatever. There was a +strange faint sensation, and my whole energy seemed +centered in the two ideas–to strike and to keep my +knees up. I knew that I was getting faint, but I was +dimly conscious that his efforts, too, were relaxing. +His weight on me seemed to increase enormously, and +the last idea that flashed across me was that it was +a drawn fight.</p> + +<p>“The next idea of which I was conscious was +that I was being carried. I seemed to be swinging +about, and I thought I was at sea. Then there was +a little jolt and a sense of pain. ‘A collision,’ +I muttered, and opened my eyes. Beyond the fact that +I seemed in a yellow world–a bright orange-yellow–my +eyes did not help me, and I lay vaguely wondering +about it all, till the rocking ceased. There was another +bump, and then the yellow world seemed to come to +an end; and as the daylight streamed in upon me I +fainted again. This time when I awoke to consciousness +things were clearer. I was stretched by a little stream. +A native woman was sprinkling my face and washing +the blood from my wounds; while another, who had with +my own knife cut off my coat and shirt, was tearing +the latter into strips to bandage my wounds. The yellow +world was explained. I was lying on the yellow robe +of one of the women. They had tied the ends together, +placed a long stick through them, and carried me in +the bag-like hammock. They nodded to me when they saw +I was conscious, and brought water in a large leaf, +and poured it into my mouth. Then one went away for +some time, and came back with some leaves and bark. +These they chewed and put on my wounds, bound them +up with strips of my shirt, and then again knotted +the ends of the cloth, and lifting me up, went on +as before.</p> + +<p>“I was sure that we were much lower down the +Ghaut than we had been when I was watching for the +bears, and we were now going still lower. However, +I knew very little Hindustani, nothing of the language +the women spoke. I was too weak to stand, too weak +even to think much, and I dozed and woke, and dozed +again, until, after what seemed to me many hours of +travel, we stopped again, this time before a tent. +Two or three old women and four or five men came out, +and there was great talking between them and the young +women–for they were young–who had carried me down. +Some of the party appeared angry, but at last things +quieted down, and I was carried into the tent. I had +fever, and was, I suppose, delirious for days. I afterwards +found that for fully a fortnight I had lost all consciousness, +but a good constitution and the nursing of the women +pulled me round. When once the fever had gone, I began +to mend rapidly. I tried to explain to the women that +if they would go up to the camp and tell them where +I was they would be well rewarded, but although I +was sure they understood, they shook then heads, and +by the fact that as I became stronger two or three +armed men always hung about the tent, I came to the +conclusion that I was a sort of prisoner. This was +annoying, but did not seem serious. If these people +were Dacoits, or as was more likely, allies of the +Dacoits, I could be kept only for ransom or exchange. +Moreover, I felt sure of my ability to escape when +I got strong, especially as I believed that in the +young women who had saved my life, both by bringing +me down and by their careful nursing, I should find +friends.”</p> + +<p>“Were they pretty, uncle?” Mary Hastings +broke in.</p> + +<p>“Never mind whether they were pretty, Mary; +they were better than pretty.”</p> + +<p>“No; but we like to know, uncle.”</p> + +<p>“Well, except for the soft, dark eyes, common +to the race, and the good temper and lightheartedness, +also so general among Hindu girls, and the tenderness +which women feel towards a creature whose life they +have saved, whether it is a wounded bird or a drowning +puppy, I suppose they were nothing remarkable in the +way of beauty, but at the time I know that I thought +them charming.”</p> + +<h3>Chapter II.</h3> + +<p>“Just as I was getting strong enough to walk, +and was beginning to think of making my escape, a +band of five or six fellows, armed to the teeth, came +in, and made signs that I was to go with them. It was +evidently an arranged thing, the girls only were surprised, +but they were at once turned out, and as we started +I could see two crouching figures in the shade with +their cloths over their heads. I had a native garment +thrown over my shoulders, and in five minutes after +the arrival of the fellows found myself on my way. +It took us some six hours before we reached our destination, +which was one of those natural rock citadels. Had I +been in my usual health I could have done the distance +in an hour and a half, but I had to rest constantly, +and was finally carried rather than helped up. I had +gone not unwillingly, for the men were clearly, by +their dress, Dacoits of the Deccan, and I had no doubt +that it was intended either to ransom or exchange +me.</p> + +<p>“At the foot of this natural castle were some +twenty or thirty more robbers, and I was led to a +rough sort of arbour in which was lying, on a pile +of maize straw, a man who was evidently their chief. +He rose and we exchanged salaams.</p> + +<p>“‘What is your name, sahib?’ he +asked in Mahratta.</p> + +<p>“‘Hastings–Lieutenant Hastings,’ +I said. ‘And yours?’</p> + +<p>“‘Sivajee Punt!’ he said.</p> + +<p>“This was bad. I had fallen into the hands of +the most troublesome, most ruthless, and most famous +of the Dacoit leaders. Over and over again he had +been hotly chased, but had always managed to get away; +and when I last heard anything of what was going on +four or five troops of native police were scouring +the country after him. He gave an order which I did +not understand, and a wretched Bombay writer, I suppose +a clerk of some money-lender, was dragged forward. +Sivajee Punt spoke to him for some time, and the fellow +then told me in English that I was to write at once +to the officer commanding the troops, telling him that +I was in his hands, and should be put to death directly +he was attacked.</p> + +<p>“‘Ask him,’ I said, ‘if he +will take any sum of money to let me go?’</p> + +<p>“Sivajee shook his head very decidedly.</p> + +<p>“A piece of paper was put before me, and a pen +and ink, and I wrote as I had been ordered, adding, +however, in French, that I had brought myself into +my present position by my own folly, and would take +my chance, for I well knew the importance which Government +attached to Sivajee’s capture. I read out loud +all that I had written in English, and the interpreter +translated it. Then the paper was folded and I addressed +it, ‘The Officer Commanding,’ and I was +given some chupattis and a drink of water, and allowed +to sleep. The Dacoits had apparently no fear of any +immediate attack.</p> + +<p>“It was still dark, although morning was just +breaking, when I was awakened, and was got up to the +citadel. I was hoisted rather than climbed, two men +standing above with a rope, tied round my body, so +that I was half-hauled, half-pushed up the difficult +places, which would have taxed all my climbing powers +had I been in health.</p> + +<p>“The height of this mass of rock was about a +hundred feet; the top was fairly flat, with some depressions +and risings, and about eighty feet long by fifty wide. +It had evidently been used as a fortress in ages past. +Along the side facing the hill were the remains of +a rough wall. In the centre of a depression was a +cistern, some four feet square, lined with stone-work, +and in another depression a gallery had been cut, +leading to a subterranean store-room or chamber. This +natural fortress rose from the face of the hill at +a distance of a thousand yards or so from the edge +of the plateau, which was fully two hundred feet higher +than the top of the rock. In the old days it would +have been impregnable, and even at that time it was +an awkward place to take, for the troops were armed +only with Brown Bess, and rifled cannon were not thought +of. Looking round, I could see that I was some four +miles from the point where I had descended. The camp +was gone; but running my eye along the edge of the +plateau I could see the tops of tents a mile to my +right, and again two miles to my left; turning round, +and looking down into the wide valley, I saw a regimental +camp.</p> + +<p>“It was evident that a vigorous effort was being +made to surround and capture the Dacoits, since troops +had been brought up from Bombay. In addition to the +troops above and below, there would probably be a strong +police force, acting on the face of the hill. I did +not see all these things at the time, for I was, as +soon as I got to the top, ordered to sit down behind +the parapet, a fellow armed to the teeth squatting +down by me, and signifying that if I showed my head +above the stones he would cut my throat without hesitation. +There were, however, sufficient gaps between the stones +to allow me to have a view of the crest of the Ghaut, +while below my view extended down to the hills behind +Bombay. It was evident to me now why the Dacoits did +not climb up into the fortress. There were dozens +of similar crags on the face of the Ghauts, and the +troops did not as yet know their whereabouts. It was +a sort of blockade of the whole face of the hills +which was being kept up, and there were, probably +enough, several other bands of Dacoits lurking in +the jungle.</p> + +<p>“There were only two guards and myself on the +rock plateau. I discussed with myself the chances +of my overpowering them and holding the top of the +rock till help came, but I was greatly weakened, and +was not a match for a boy, much less for the two stalwart +Mahrattas; besides, I was by no means sure that the +way I had been brought up was the only possible path +to the top. The day passed off quietly. The heat on +the bare rock was frightful, but one of the men, seeing +how weak and ill I really was, fetched a thick rug +from the storehouse, and with the aid of a stick made +a sort of lean-to against the wall, under which I lay +sheltered from the sun.</p> + +<p>“Once or twice during the day I heard a few +distant musket-shots, and once a sharp heavy outburst +of firing. It must have been three or four miles away, +but it was on the side of the Ghaut, and showed that +the troops or police were at work. My guards looked +anxiously in that direction, and uttered sundry curses. +When it was dusk, Sivajee and eight of the Dacoits +came up. From what they said, I gathered that the +rest of the band had dispersed, trusting either to +get through the line of their pursuers, or, if caught, +to escape with slight punishment, the men who remained +being too deeply concerned in murderous outrages to +hope for mercy. Sivajee himself handed me a letter, +which the man who had taken my note had brought back +in reply. Major Knapp, the writer, who was the second +in command, said that he could not engage the Government, +but that if Lieutenant Hastings was given up the act +would certainly dispose the Government to take the +most merciful view possible; but that if, on the contrary, +any harm was suffered by Lieutenant Hastings, every +man taken would be at once hung. Sivajee did not appear +put out about it. I do not think he expected any other +answer, and imagine that his real object in writing +was simply to let them know that I was a prisoner, +and so enable him the better to paralyse the attack +upon a position which he no doubt considered all but +impregnable.</p> + +<p>“I was given food, and was then allowed to walk +as I chose upon the little plateau, two of the Dacoits +taking post as sentries at the steepest part of the +path, while the rest gathered, chatting and smoking, +in the depression in front of the storehouse. It was +still light enough for me to see for some distance +down the face of the rock, and I strained my eyes +to see if I could discern any other spot at which +an ascent or descent was possible. The prospect was +not encouraging. At some places the face fell sheer +away from the edge, and so evident was the impracticability +of escape that the only place which I glanced at twice +was the western side, that is the one away from the +hill. Here it sloped gradually for a few feet. I took +off my shoes and went down to the edge. Below, some +ten feet, was a ledge, on to which with care I could +get down, but below that was a sheer fall of some fifty +feet. As a means of escape it was hopeless, but it +struck me that if an attack was made I might slip +away and get on to the ledge. Once there I could not +be seen except by a person standing where I now was, +just on the edge of the slope, a spot to which it +was very unlikely that anyone would come.</p> + +<p>“The thought gave me a shadow of hope, and, +returning to the upper end of the platform, I lay +down, and in spite of the hardness of the rock, was +soon asleep. The pain of my aching bones woke me up +several times, and once, just as the first tinge of +dawn was coming, I thought I could hear movements +in the jungle. I raised myself somewhat, and I saw +that the sounds had been heard by the Dacoits, for +they were standing listening, and some of them were +bringing spare fire-arms from the storehouse, in evident +preparation for attack.</p> + +<p>“As I afterwards learned, the police had caught +one of the Dacoits trying to effect his escape, and +by means of a little of the ingenious torture to which +the Indian police then frequently resorted, when their +white officers were absent, they obtained from him +the exact position of Sivajee’s band, and learned +the side from which the ascent must be made. That +the Dacoit and his band were still upon the slopes +of the Ghauts they knew, and were gradually narrowing +their circle, but there were so many rocks and hiding-places +that the process of searching was a slow one, and +the intelligence was so important that the news was +off at once to the colonel, who gave orders for the +police to surround the rock at daylight and to storm +it if possible. The garrison was so small that the +police were alone ample for the work, supposing that +the natural difficulties were not altogether insuperable.</p> + +<p>“Just at daybreak there was a distant noise +of men moving in the jungle, and the Dacoit halfway +down the path fired his gun. He was answered by a +shout and a volley. The Dacoits hurried out from the +chamber, and lay down on the edge, where, sheltered +by a parapet, they commanded the path. They paid no +attention to me, and I kept as far away as possible. +The fire began–a quiet, steady fire, a shot at a time, +and in strong contrast to the rattle kept up from +the surrounding jungle; but every shot must have told, +as man after man who strove to climb that steep path, +fell. It lasted only ten minutes, and then all was +quiet again.</p> + +<p>“The attack had failed, as I knew it must do, +for two men could have held the place against an army; +a quarter of an hour later a gun from the crest above +spoke out, and a round shot whistled above our heads. +Beyond annoyance, an artillery fire could do no harm, +for the party could be absolutely safe in the store +cave. The instant the shot flew overhead, however, +Sivajee Punt beckoned to me, and motioned me to take +my seat on the wall facing the guns. Hesitation was +useless, and I took my seat with my back to the Dacoits +and my face to the hill. One of the Dacoits, as I +did so, pulled off the native cloth which covered my +shoulders, in order that I might be clearly seen.</p> + +<p>“Just as I took my place another round shot +hummed by; but then there was a long interval of silence. +With a field-glass every feature must have been distinguishable +to the gunners, and I had no doubt that they were +waiting for orders as to what to do next.</p> + +<p>“I glanced round and saw that with the exception +of one fellow squatted behind the parapet some half-dozen +yards away, clearly as a sentry to keep me in place, +all the others had disappeared. Some, no doubt, were +on sentry down the path, the others were in the store +beneath me. After half an hour’s silence the +guns spoke out again. Evidently the gunners were told +to be as careful as they could, for some of the shots +went wide on the left, others on the right. A few +struck the rock below me. The situation was not pleasant, +but I thought that at a thousand yards they ought +not to hit me, and I tried to distract my attention +by thinking out what I should do under every possible +contingency.</p> + +<p>“Presently I felt a crash and a shock, and fell +backwards to the ground. I was not hurt, and on picking +myself up saw that the ball had struck the parapet +to the left, just where my guard was sitting, and he +lay covered with its fragments. His turban lay some +yards behind him. Whether he was dead or not I neither +knew nor cared.</p> + +<p>“I pushed down some of the parapet where I had +been sitting, dropped my cap on the edge outside, +so as to make it appear that I had fallen over, and +then picking up the man’s turban, ran to the +other end of the platform and scrambled down to the +ledge. Then I began to wave my arms about–I had nothing +on above the waist–and in a moment I saw a face with +a uniform cap peer out through the jungle, and a hand +was waved. I made signs to him to make his way to +the foot of the perpendicular wall of rock beneath +me. I then unwound the turban, whose length was, I +knew, amply sufficient to reach to the bottom, and +then looked round for something to write on. I had +my pencil still in my trousers pocket, but not a scrap +of paper.</p> + +<p>“I picked up a flattish piece of rock and wrote +on it, ’Get a rope-ladder quickly, I can haul +it up. Ten men in garrison. They are all under cover. +Keep on firing to distract their attention.”</p> + +<p>“I tied the stone to the end of the turban, +and looked over. A non-commissioned officer of the +police was already standing below. I lowered the stone; +he took it, waved his hand to me, and was gone.</p> + +<p>“An hour passed: it seemed an age. The round +shots still rang overhead, and the fire was now much +more heavy and sustained than before. Presently I +again saw a movement in the jungle, and Norworthy’s +face appeared, and he waved his arm in greeting.</p> + +<p>“Five minutes more and a party were gathered +at the foot of the rock, and a strong rope was tied +to the cloth. I pulled it up. A rope-ladder was attached +to it, and the top rung was in a minute or two in my +hands. To it was tied a piece of paper with the words: +’Can you fasten the ladder?” I wrote on +the paper: ’No; but I can hold it for a light +weight.’</p> + +<p>“I put the paper with a stone in the end of +the cloth, and lowered it again. Then I sat down, +tied the rope round my waist, got my feet against +two projections, and waited. There was a jerk, and +then I felt some one was coming up the rope-ladder. +The strain was far less than I expected, but the native +policeman who came up first did not weigh half so +much as an average Englishman. There were now two of +us to hold. The officer in command of the police came +up next, then Norworthy, then a dozen more police. +I explained the situation, and we mounted to the upper +level. Not a soul was to be seen. Quickly we advanced +and took up a position to command the door of the +underground chamber; while one of the police waved +a white cloth from his bayonet as a signal to the +gunners to cease firing. Then the police officer hailed +the party within the scave.</p> + +<p>“’Sivajee Punt! you may as well come out +and give yourself up! We are in possession, and resistance +is useless!’</p> + +<p>“A yell of rage and surprise was heard, and +the Dacoits, all desperate men, came bounding out, +firing as they did so. Half of their number were shot +down at once, and the rest, after a short, sharp struggle, +were bound hand and foot.</p> + +<p>“That is pretty well all of the story, I think. +Sivajee Punt was one of the killed. The prisoners +were all either hung or imprisoned for life. I escaped +my blowing-up for having gone down the Ghauts after +the bear, because, after all, Sivajee Punt might have +defied their force for months had I not done so.</p> + +<p>“It seemed that that scoundrel Rahman had taken +back word that I was killed. Norworthy had sent down +a strong party, who found the two dead bears, and +who, having searched everywhere without finding any +signs of my body, came to the conclusion that I had +been found and carried away, especially as they ascertained +that natives used that path. They had offered rewards, +but nothing was heard of me till my note saying I was +in Sivajee’s hands arrived.”</p> + +<p>“And did you ever see the women who carried +you off?”</p> + +<p>“No, Mary, I never saw them again. I did, however, +after immense trouble, succeed in finding out where +it was that I had been taken to. I went down at once, +but found the village deserted. Then after much inquiry +I found where the people had moved to, and sent messages +to the women to come up to the camp, but they never +came; and I was reduced at last to sending them down +two sets of silver bracelets, necklaces, and bangles, +which must have rendered them the envy of all the women +on the Ghauts. They sent back a message of grateful +thanks, and I never heard of them afterwards. No doubt +their relatives, who knew that their connection with +the Dacoits was now known, would not let them come. +However, I had done all I could, and I have no doubt +the women were perfectly satisfied. So you see, my +dear, that the Indian bear, small as he is, is an +animal which it is as well to leave alone, at any +rate when he happens to be up on the side of a hill +while you are at the foot.”</p> + +<h1><a name="story_02"></a>The Paternosters.</h1> + +<h2>A Yachting Story.</h2> + +<p>And do you really mean that we are to cross by the +steamer, Mr. Virtue, while you go over in the <i>Seabird</i>? +I do not approve of that at all. Fanny, why do you +not rebel, and say we won’t be put ashore? I +call it horrid, after a fortnight on board this dear +little yacht, to have to get on to a crowded steamer, +with no accommodation and lots of sea-sick women, +perhaps, and crying children. You surely cannot be +in earnest?”</p> + +<p>“I do not like it any more than you do, Minnie; +but, as Tom says we had better do it, and my husband +agrees with him, I am afraid we must submit. Do you +really think it is quite necessary, Mr. Virtue? Minnie +and I are both good sailors, you know; and we would +much rather have a little extra tossing about on board +the <i>Seabird</i> than the discomforts of a steamer.”</p> + +<p>’I certainly think that it will be best, Mrs. +Grantham. You know very well we would rather have +you on board, and that we shall suffer from your loss +more than you will by going the other way; but there’s +no doubt the wind is getting up, and though we don’t +feel it much here, it must be blowing pretty hard +outside. The <i>Seabird</i> is as good a sea-boat +as anything of her size that floats, but you don’t +know what it is to be out in anything like a heavy +sea in a thirty-tonner. It would be impossible for +you to stay on deck, and we should have our hands +full, and should not be able to give you the benefit +of our society. Personally, I should not mind being +out in the <i>Seabird</i> in any weather, but I would +certainly rather not have ladies on board.”</p> + +<p>“You don’t think we should scream, or +do anything foolish, Mr. Virtue?” Minnie Graham +said indignantly.</p> + +<p>“Not at all, Miss Graham. Still, I repeat, the +knowledge that there are women on board, delightful +at other times, does not tend to comfort in bad weather. +Of course, if you prefer it, we can put off our start +till this puff of wind has blown itself out. It may +have dropped before morning. It may last some little +time. I don’t think myself that it will drop, +for the glass has fallen, and I am afraid we may have +a spell of broken weather.”</p> + +<p>“Oh no; don’t put it off,” Mrs. +Grantham said; “we have only another fortnight +before James must be back again in London, and it would +be a great pity to lose three or four days perhaps; +and we have been looking forward to cruising about +among the Channel Islands, and to St. Malo, and all +those places. Oh no; I think the other is much the +better plan–that is, if you won’t take us with +you.”</p> + +<p>“It would be bad manners to say that I won’t, +Mrs. Grantham; but I must say I would rather not. +It will be a very short separation. Grantham will +take you on shore at once, and as soon as the boat +comes back I shall be off. You will start in the steamer +this evening, and get into Jersey at nine or ten o’clock +to-morrow morning; and if I am not there before you, +I shall not be many hours after you.”</p> + +<p>“Well, if it must be it must,” Mrs. Grantham +said, with an air of resignation. “Come, Minnie, +let us put a few things into a hand-bag for to-night. +You see the skipper is not to be moved by our pleadings.”</p> + +<p>“That is the worst of you married women, Fanny,” +Miss Graham said, with a little pout. “You get +into the way of doing as you are ordered. I call it +too bad. Here have we been cruising about for the last +fortnight, with scarcely a breath of wind, and longing +for a good brisk breeze and a little change and excitement, +and now it comes at last, we are to be packed off +in a steamer. I call it horrid of you, Mr. Virtue. +You may laugh, but I do”</p> + +<p>Tom Virtue laughed, but he showed no signs of giving +way, and ten minutes later Mr. and Mrs. Grantham and +Miss Graham took their places in the gig, and were +rowed into Southampton Harbour, off which the <i>Seabird</i> +was lying.</p> + +<p>The last fortnight had been a very pleasant one, and +it had cost the owner of the <i>Seabird</i> as much +as his guests to come to the conclusion that it was +better to break up the party for a few hours.</p> + +<p>Tom Virtue had, up to the age of five-and-twenty, +been possessed of a sufficient income for his wants. +He had entered at the bar, not that he felt any particular +vocation in that direction, but because he thought +it incumbent upon him to do something. Then, at the +death of an uncle, he had come into a considerable +fortune, and was able to indulge his taste for yachting, +which was the sole amusement for which he really cared, +to the fullest.</p> + +<p>He sold the little five-tonner he had formerly possessed, +and purchased the <i>Seabird</i>. He could well have +afforded a much larger craft, but he knew that there +was far more real enjoyment in sailing to be obtained +from a small craft than a large one, for in the latter +he would be obliged to have a regular skipper, and +would be little more than a passenger, whereas on +board the <i>Seabird</i>, although his first hand was +dignified by the name of skipper, he was himself the +absolute master. The boat carried the aforesaid skipper, +three hands, and a steward, and with them he had twice +been up the Mediterranean, across to Norway, and had +several times made the circuit of the British Isles.</p> + +<p>He had unlimited confidence in his boat, and cared +not what weather he was out in her. This was the first +time since his ownership of her that the <i>Seabird</i> +had carried lady passengers. His friend Grantham, an +old school and college chum, was a hard-working barrister, +and Virtue had proposed to him to take a month’s +holiday on board the <i>Seabird</i>.</p> + +<p>“Put aside your books, old man,” he said. +“You look fagged and overworked; a month’s +blow will do you all the good in the world”</p> + +<p>“Thank you, Tom; I have made up my mind for +a month’s holiday, but I can’t accept +your invitation, though I should enjoy it of all things. +But it would not be fair to my wife; she doesn’t +get very much of my society, and she has been looking +forward to our having a run together. So I must decline.”</p> + +<p>Virtue hesitated a moment. He was not very fond of +ladies’ society, and thought them especially +in the way on board a yacht; but he had a great liking +for his friend’s wife, and was almost as much +at home in his house as in his own chambers.</p> + +<p>“Why not bring the wife with you?” he +said, as soon as his mind was made up. “It will +be a nice change for her too; and I have heard her +say that she is a good sailor. The accommodation is +not extensive, but the after-cabin is a pretty good +size, and I would do all I could to make her comfortable. +Perhaps she would like another lady with her; if so +by all means bring one. They could have the after-cabin, +you could have the little state-room, and I could +sleep in the saloon.”</p> + +<p>“It is very good of you, Tom, especially as +I know that it will put you out frightfully; but the +offer is a very tempting one. I will speak to Fanny, +and let you have an answer in the morning.”</p> + +<p>“That will be delightful, James,” Mrs. +Grantham said, when the invitation was repeated to +her. “I should like it of all things; and I +am sure the rest and quiet and the sea air will be +just the thing for you. It is wonderful, Tom Virtue +making the offer; and I take it as a great personal +compliment, for he certainly is not what is generally +called a lady’s man. It is very nice, too, of +him to think of my having another lady on board. Whom +shall we ask? Oh, I know,” she said suddenly; +“that will be the thing of all others. We will +ask my cousin Minnie; she is full of fun and life, +and will make a charming wife for Tom!”</p> + +<p>James Grantham laughed.</p> + +<p>“What schemers you all are, Fanny! Now I should +call it downright treachery to take anyone on board +the <i>Seabird</i> with the idea of capturing its +master.”</p> + +<p>“Nonsense, treachery!” Mrs. Grantham said +indignantly; “Minnie is the nicest girl I know, +and it would do Tom a world of good to have a wife +to look after him. Why, he is thirty now, and will +be settling down into a confirmed old bachelor before +long. It’s the greatest kindness we could do +him, to take Minnie on board; and I am sure he is the +sort of man any girl might fall in love with when +she gets to know him. The fact is, he’s shy! +He never had any sisters, and spends all his time in +winter at that horrid club; so that really he has never +had any women’s society, and even with us he +will never come unless he knows we are alone. I call +it a great pity, for I don’t know a pleasanter +fellow than he is. I think it will be doing him a +real service in asking Minnie; so that’s settled. +I will sit down and write him a note.”</p> + +<p>“In for a penny, in for a pound, I suppose,” +was Tom Virtue’s comment when he received Mrs. +Grantham’s letter, thanking him warmly for the +invitation, and saying that she would bring her cousin, +Miss Graham, with her, if that young lady was disengaged.</p> + +<p>As a matter of self-defence he at once invited Jack +Harvey, who was a mutual friend of himself and Grantham, +to be of the party.</p> + +<p>“Jack can help Grantham to amuse the women,” +he said to himself; “that will be more in his +line than mine. I will run down to Cowes to-morrow +and have a chat with Johnson; we shall want a different +sort of stores altogether to those we generally carry, +and I suppose we must do her up a bit below.”</p> + +<p>Having made up his mind to the infliction of female +passengers, Tom Virtue did it handsomely, and when +the party came on board at Ryde they were delighted +with the aspect of the yacht below. She had been repainted, +the saloon and ladies’ cabin were decorated in +delicate shades of gray, picked out with gold; and +the upholsterer, into whose hands the owner of the +<i>Seabird</i> had placed her, had done his work with +taste and judgment, and the ladies’ cabin resembled +a little boudoir.</p> + +<p>“Why, Tom, I should have hardly known her!” +Grantham, who had often spent a day on board the <i>Seabird</i>, +said.</p> + +<p>“I hardly know her myself,” Tom said, +rather ruefully; “but I hope she’s all +right, Mrs. Grantham, and that you and Miss Graham +will find everything you want.”</p> + +<p>“It is charming!” Mrs. Grantham said enthusiastically. +“It’s awfully good of you, Tom, and we +appreciate it; don’t we, Minnie? It is such a +surprise, too; for James said that while I should find +everything very comfortable, I must not expect that +a small yacht would be got up like a palace.”</p> + +<p>So a fortnight had passed; they had cruised along +the coast as far as Plymouth, anchoring at night at +the various ports on the way. Then they had returned +to Southampton, and it had been settled that as none +of the party, with the exception of Virtue himself, +had been to the Channel Islands, the last fortnight +of the trip should be spent there. The weather had +been delightful, save that there had been some deficiency +in wind, and throughout the cruise the <i>Seabird</i> +had been under all the sail she could spread. But +when the gentlemen came on deck early in the morning +a considerable change had taken place; the sky was +gray and the clouds flying fast overhead.</p> + +<p>“We are going to have dirty weather,” +Tom Virtue said at once. “I don’t think +it’s going to be a gale, but there will be more +sea on than will be pleasant for ladies. I tell you +what, Grantham; the best thing will be for you to +go on shore with the two ladies, and cross by the boat +to-night. If you don’t mind going directly after +breakfast I will start at once, and shall be at St. +Helier’s as soon as you are.”</p> + +<p>And so it had been agreed, but not, as has been seen, +without opposition and protest on the part of the +ladies.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Grantham’s chief reason for objecting had +not been given. The little scheme on which she had +set her mind seemed to be working satisfactorily. +From the first day Tom Virtue had exerted himself to +play the part of host satisfactorily, and had ere long +shaken off any shyness he may have felt towards the +one stranger of the party, and he and Miss Graham +had speedily got on friendly terms. So things were +going on as well as Mrs. Grantham could have expected.</p> + +<p>No sooner had his guests left the side of the yacht +than her owner began to make his preparations for +a start.</p> + +<p>“What do you think of the weather, Watkins?” +he asked his skipper.</p> + +<p>“It’s going to blow hard, sir; that’s +my view of it, and if I was you I shouldn’t +up anchor today. Still, it’s just as you likes; +the <i>Seabird</i> won’t mind it if we don’t. +She has had a rough time of it before now; still, +it will be a case of wet jackets, and no mistake.”</p> + +<p>“Yes, I expect we shall have a rough time of +it, Watkins, but I want to get across. We don’t +often let ourselves be weather-bound, and I am not +going to begin it to-day. We had better house the topmast +at once, and get two reefs in the main-sail. We can +get the other down when we get clear of the island. +Get number three jib up, and the leg-of-mutton mizzen; +put two reefs in the foresail.”</p> + +<p>Tom and his friend Harvey, who was a good sailor, +assisted the crew in reefing down the sails, and a +few minutes after the gig had returned and been hoisted +in, the yawl was running rapidly down Southampton waters.</p> + +<p>“We need hardly have reefed quite so closely,” +Jack Harvey said, as he puffed away at his pipe.</p> + +<p>“Not yet, Jack; but you will see she has as +much as she can carry before long. It’s all +the better to make all snug before starting; it saves +a lot of trouble afterwards, and the extra canvas +would not have made ten minutes’ difference +to us at the outside. We shall have pretty nearly a +dead beat down the Solent. Fortunately tide will be +running strong with us, but there will be a nasty +kick-up there. You will see we shall feel the short +choppy seas there more than we shall when we get outside. +She is a grand boat in a really heavy sea, but in +short waves she puts her nose into it with a will. +Now, if you will take my advice, you will do as I +am going to do, put on a pair of fisherman’s +boots and oilskin and sou’-wester. There are +several sets for you to choose from below.”</p> + +<p>As her owner had predicted, the <i>Seabird</i> put +her bowsprit under pretty frequently in the Solent; +the wind was blowing half a gale, and as it met the +tide it knocked up a short, angry sea, crested with +white heads, and Jack Harvey agreed that she had quite +as much sail on her as she wanted. The cabin doors +were bolted, and all made snug to prevent the water +getting below before they got to the race off Hurst +Castle; and it was well that they did so, for she +was as much under water as she was above.</p> + +<p>“I think if I had given way to the ladies and +brought them with us they would have changed their +minds by this time, Jack,” Tom Virtue said, +with a laugh.</p> + +<p>“I should think so,” his friend agreed; +“this is not a day for a fair-weather sailor. +Look what a sea is breaking on the shingles!”</p> + +<p>“Yes, five minutes there would knock her into +matchwood. Another ten minutes and we shall be fairly +out; and I sha’n’t be sorry; one feels +as if one was playing football, only just at present +the <i>Seabird</i> is the ball and the waves the kickers.”</p> + +<p>Another quarter of an hour and they had passed the +Needles.</p> + +<p>“That is more pleasant, Jack,” as the +short, chopping motion was exchanged for a regular +rise and fall; “this is what I enjoy–a steady +wind and a regular sea. The <i>Seabird</i> goes over +it like one of her namesakes; she is not taking a +teacupful now over her bows.</p> + +<p>“Watkins, you may as well take the helm for +a spell, while we go down to lunch. I am not sorry +to give it up for a bit, for it has been jerking like +the kick of a horse.</p> + +<p>“That’s right, Jack, hang up your oilskin +there. Johnson, give us a couple of towels; we have +been pretty well smothered up there on deck. Now what +have you got for us?”</p> + +<p>“There is some soup ready, sir, and that cold +pie you had for dinner yesterday.”</p> + +<p>“That will do; open a couple of bottles of stout.”</p> + +<p>Lunch over, they went on deck again.</p> + +<p>“She likes a good blow as well as we do,” +Virtue said, enthusiastically, as the yawl rose lightly +over each wave. “What do you think of it, Watkins? +Is the wind going to lull a bit as the sun goes down?”</p> + +<p>“I think not, sir. It seems to me it’s +blowing harder than it was.”</p> + +<p>“Then we will prepare for the worst, Watkins; +get the try-sail up on deck. When you are ready we +will bring her up into the wind and set it. That’s +the comfort of a yawl, Jack; one can always lie to +without any bother, and one hasn’t got such +a tremendous boom to handle.”</p> + +<p>The try-sail was soon on deck, and then the <i>Seabird</i> +was brought up into the wind, the weather fore-sheet +hauled aft, the mizzen sheeted almost fore and aft, +and the <i>Seabird</i> lay, head to wind, rising and +falling with a gentle motion, in strong contrast to +her impetuous rushes when under sail.</p> + +<p>“She would ride out anything like that,” +her owner said. “Last time we came through the +Bay on our way from Gib., we were caught in a gale +strong enough to blow the hair off one’s head, +and we lay to for nearly three days, and didn’t +ship a bucket of water all the time. Now let us lend +a hand to get the mainsail stowed.”</p> + +<p>Ten minutes’ work and it was securely fastened +and its cover on; two reefs were put in the trysail. +Two hands went to each of the halliards, while, as +the sail rose, Tom Virtue fastened the toggles round +the mast.</p> + +<p>“All ready, Watkins?”</p> + +<p>“All ready, sir.”</p> + +<p>“Slack off the weather fore-sheet, then, and +haul aft the leeward. Slack out the mizzen-sheet a +little, Jack. That’s it; now she’s off +again, like a duck.”</p> + +<p>The <i>Seabird</i> felt the relief from the pressure +of the heavy boom to leeward and rose easily and lightly +over the waves.</p> + +<p>“She certainly is a splendid sea-boat, Tom; +I don’t wonder you are ready to go anywhere +in her. I thought we were rather fools for starting +this morning, although I enjoy a good blow; but now +I don’t care how hard it comes on.”</p> + +<p>By night it was blowing a downright gale.</p> + +<p>“We will lie to till morning, Watkins. So that +we get in by daylight to-morrow evening, that is all +we want. See our side-lights are burning well, and +you had better get up a couple of blue lights, in case +anything comes running up Channel and don’t see +our lights. We had better divide into two watches; +I will keep one with Matthews and Dawson, Mr. Harvey +will go in your watch with Nicholls. We had better +get the try-sail down altogether, and lie to under +the foresail and mizzen, but don’t put many +lashings on the trysail, one will be enough, and have +it ready to cast off in a moment, in case we want to +hoist the sail in a hurry. I will go down and have +a glass of hot grog first, and then I will take my +watch to begin with. Let the two hands with me go +down; the steward will serve them out a tot each. Jack, +you had better turn in at once.” Virtue was +soon on deck again, muffled up in his oilskins.</p> + +<p>“Now, Watkins, you can go below and turn in.”</p> + +<p>“I sha’n’t go below to-night, sir–not +to lie down. There’s nothing much to do here, +but I couldn’t sleep, if I did lie down.”</p> + +<p>“Very well; you had better go below and get +a glass of grog; tell the steward to give you a big +pipe with a cover like this, out of the locker; and +there’s plenty of chewing tobacco, if the men +are short.”</p> + +<p>“I will take that instead of a pipe,” +Watkins said; “there’s nothing like a +quid in weather like this, it ain’t never in +your way, and it lasts. Even with a cover a pipe would +soon be out.”</p> + +<p>“Please yourself, Watkins; tell the two hands +forward to keep a bright look-out for lights.”</p> + +<p>The night passed slowly. Occasionally a sea heavier +than usual came on board, curling over the bow and +falling with a heavy thud on the deck, but for the +most part the <i>Seabird</i> breasted the waves easily; +the bowsprit had been reefed in to its fullest, thereby +adding to the lightness and buoyancy of the boat. +Tom Virtue did not go below when his friend came up +to relieve him at the change of watch, but sat smoking +and doing much talking in the short intervals between +the gusts.</p> + +<p>The morning broke gray and misty, driving sleet came +along on the wind, and the horizon was closed in as +by a dull curtain.</p> + +<p>“How far can we see, do you think, Watkins?”</p> + +<p>“Perhaps a couple of miles, sir.”</p> + +<p>“That will be enough. I think we both know the +position of every reef to within a hundred yards, +so we will shape our course for Guernsey. If we happen +to hit it off, we can hold on to St Helier; but if +when we think we ought to be within sight of Guernsey +we see nothing of it, we must lie to again, till the +storm has blown itself out or the clouds lift. It +would never do to go groping our way along with such +currents as run among the islands. Put the last reef +in the try-sail before you hoist it. I think you had +better get the foresail down altogether, and run up +the spit-fire jib.”</p> + +<p>The <i>Seabird</i> was soon under way again.</p> + +<p>“Now, Watkins, you take the helm; we will go +down and have a cup of hot coffee, and I will see +that the steward has a good supply for you and the +hands, but first, do you take the helm, Jack, whilst +Watkins and I have a look at the chart, and try and +work out where we are, and the course we had better +lie for Guernsey.”</p> + +<p>Five minutes were spent over the chart, then Watkins +went up and Jack Harvey came down.</p> + +<p>“You have got the coffee ready, I hope, Johnson?”</p> + +<p>“Yes, sir, coffee and chocolate. I didn’t +know which you would like.”</p> + +<p>“Chocolate, by all means. Jack, I recommend +the chocolate. Bring two full-sized bowls, Johnson, +and put that cold pie on the table, and a couple of +knives and forks; never mind about a cloth; but first +of all bring a couple of basins of hot water, we shall +enjoy our food more after a wash.”</p> + +<p>The early breakfast was eaten, dry coats and mufflers +put on, pipes lighted, and they then went up upon +deck. Tom took the helm.</p> + +<p>“What time do you calculate we ought to make +Guernsey, Tom?”</p> + +<p>“About twelve. The wind is freer than it was, +and we are walking along at a good pace. Matthews, +cast the log, and let’s see what we are doing. +About seven knots, I should say.”</p> + +<p>“Seven and a quarter, sir,” the man said, +when he checked the line.</p> + +<p>“Not a bad guess, Tom; it’s always difficult +to judge pace in a heavy sea.”</p> + +<p>At eleven o’clock the mist ceased.</p> + +<p>“That’s fortunate,” Tom Virtue said; +“I shouldn’t be surprised if we get a +glimpse of the sun between the clouds, presently. Will +you get my sextant and the chronometer up, Jack, and +put them handy?”</p> + +<p>Jack Harvey did as he was asked, but there was no +occasion to use the instruments, for ten minutes later, +Watkins, who was standing near the bow gazing fixedly +ahead, shouted:</p> + +<p>“There’s Guernsey, sir, on her lee bow, +about six miles away, I should say.”</p> + +<p>“That’s it, sure enough,” Tom agreed, +as he gazed in the direction in which Watkins was +pointing. “There’s a gleam of sunshine +on it, or we shouldn’t have seen it yet. Yes, +I think you are about right as to the distance. Now +let us take its bearings, we may lose it again directly.”</p> + +<p>Having taken the bearings of the island they went +below, and marked off their position on the chart, +and they shaped their course for Cape Grosnez, the +north-western point of Jersey. The gleam of sunshine +was transient–the clouds closed in again overhead, +darker and grayer than before. Soon the drops of rain +came flying before the wind, the horizon closed in, +and they could not see half a mile away, but, though +the sea was heavy, the <i>Seabird</i> was making capital +weather of it, and the two friends agreed that, after +all, the excitement of a sail like this was worth +a month of pottering about in calms.</p> + +<p>“We must keep a bright look-out presently,” +the skipper said; “there are some nasty rocks +off the coast of Jersey. We must give them a wide +berth. We had best make round to the south of the island, +and lay to there till we can pick up a pilot to take +us into St. Helier. I don’t think it will be +worth while trying to get into St. Aubyn’s Bay +by ourselves.”</p> + +<p>“I think so, too, Watkins, but we will see what +it is like before it gets dark; if we can pick up +a pilot all the better; if not, we will lie to till +morning, if the weather keeps thick; but if it clears +so that we can make out all the lights we ought to +be able to get into the bay anyhow.”</p> + +<p>An hour later the rain ceased and the sky appeared +somewhat clearer. Suddenly Watkins exclaimed, “There +is a wreck, sir! There, three miles away to leeward. +She is on the Paternósters.”</p> + +<p>“Good heavens! she is a steamer,” Tom +exclaimed, as he caught sight of her the next time +the <i>Seabird</i> lifted on a wave. “Can she +be the Southampton boat, do you think?”</p> + +<p>“Like enough, sir, she may have had it thicker +than we had, and may not have calculated enough for +the current.”</p> + +<p>“Up helm, Jack, and bear away towards her. Shall +we shake out a reef, Watkins?”</p> + +<p>“I wouldn’t, sir; she has got as much +as she can carry on her now. We must mind what we +are doing, sir; the currents run like a millstream, +and if we get that reef under our lee, and the wind +and current both setting us on to it, it will be all +up with us in no time.”</p> + +<p>“Yes, I know that, Watkins. Jack, take the helm +a minute while we run down and look at the chart.</p> + +<p>“Our only chance, Watkins, is to work up behind +the reef, and try and get so that they can either +fasten a line to a buoy and let it float down to us, +or get into a boat, if they have one left, and drift +to us.”</p> + +<p>“They are an awful group of rocks,” Watkins +said, as they examined the chart; “you see some +of them show merely at high tide, and a lot of them +are above at low water. It will be an awful business +to get among them rocks, sir, just about as near certain +death as a thing can be.”</p> + +<p>“Well, it’s got to be done, Watkins,” +Tom said, firmly. “I see the danger as well +as you do, but whatever the risk, it must be tried. +Mr. Grantham and the two ladies went on board by my +persuasion, and I should never forgive myself if anything +happened to them. But I will speak to the men.”</p> + +<p>He went on deck again and called the men to him. “Look +here, lads; you see that steamer ashore on the Paternósters. +In such a sea as this she may go to pieces in half +an hour. I am determined to make an effort to save +the lives of those on board. As you can see for yourselves +there is no lying to weather of her, with the current +and wind driving us on to the reef; we must beat up +from behind. Now, lads, the sea there is full of rocks, +and the chances are ten to one we strike on to them +and go to pieces; but, anyhow I am going to try; but +I won’t take you unless you are willing. The +boat is a good one, and the zinc chambers will keep +her afloat if she fills; well managed, you ought to +be able to make the coast of Jersey in her. Mr. Harvey, +Watkins, and I can handle the yacht, so you can take +the boat if you like.”</p> + +<p>The men replied that they would stick to the yacht +wherever Mr. Virtue chose to take her, and muttered +something about the ladies, for the pleasant faces +of Mrs. Grantham and Miss Graham had, during the fortnight +they had been on board, won the men’s hearts.</p> + +<p>“Very well, lads, I am glad to find you will +stick by me; if we pull safely through it I will give +each of you three months’ wages. Now set to +work with a will and get the gig out. We will tow her +after us, and take to her if we make a smash of it.”</p> + +<p>They were now near enough to see the white breakers, +in the middle of which the ship was lying. She was +fast breaking up. The jagged outline showed that the +stern had been beaten in. The masts and funnel were +gone, and the waves seemed to make a clean breach over +her, almost hiding her from sight in a white cloud +of spray.</p> + +<p>“Wood and iron can’t stand that much longer,” +Jack Harvey said; “another hour and I should +say there won’t be two planks left together.”</p> + +<p>“It is awful, Jack; I would give all I have +in the world if I had not persuaded them to go on +board. Keep her off a little more, Watkins.”</p> + +<p>The <i>Seabird</i> passed within a cable’s-length +of the breakers at the northern end of the reef.</p> + +<p>“Now, lads, take your places at the sheets, +ready to haul or let go as I give the word.” +So saying, Tom Virtue took his place in the bow, holding +on by the forestay.</p> + +<p>The wind was full on the <i>Seabird’s</i> beam +as she entered the broken water. Here and there the +dark heads of the rocks showed above the water. These +were easy enough to avoid, the danger lay in those +hidden beneath its surface, and whose position was +indicated only by the occasional break of a sea as +it passed over them. Every time the <i>Seabird</i> +sank on a wave those on board involuntarily held their +breath, but the water here was comparatively smooth, +the sea having spent its first force upon the outer +reef. With a wave of his hand Tom directed the helmsman +as to his course, and the little yacht was admirably +handled through the dangers.</p> + +<p>“I begin to think we shall do it,” Tom +said to Jack Harvey, who was standing close to him. +“Another five minutes and we shall be within +reach of her.”</p> + +<p>It could be seen now that there was a group of people +clustered in the bow of the wreck. Two or three light +lines were coiled in readiness for throwing.</p> + +<p>“Now, Watkins,” Tom said, going aft, “make +straight for the wreck. I see no broken water between +us and them, and possibly there may be deep water +under their bow.”</p> + +<p>It was an anxious moment, as, with the sails flattened +in, the yawl forged up nearly in the eye of the wind +towards the wreck. Her progress was slow, for she +was now stemming the current.</p> + +<p>Tom stood with a coil of line in his hand in the bow.</p> + +<p>“You get ready to throw, Jack, if I miss.”</p> + +<p>Nearer and nearer the yacht approached the wreck, +until the bowsprit of the latter seemed to stand almost +over her. Then Tom threw the line. It fell over the +bowsprit, and a cheer broke from those on board the +wreck and from the sailors of the <i>Seabird</i>. +A stronger line was at once fastened to that thrown, +and to this a strong hawser was attached.</p> + +<p>“Down with the helm, Watkins. Now, lads, lower +away the try-sail as fast as you can. Now, one of +you, clear that hawser as they haul on it. Now out +with the anchors.”</p> + +<p>These had been got into readiness; it was not thought +that they would get any hold on the rocky bottom, +still they might catch on a projecting ledge, and +at any rate their weight and that of the chain cable +would relieve the strain upon the hawser.</p> + +<p>Two sailors had run out on the bowsprit of the wreck +as soon as the line was thrown, and the end of the +hawser was now on board the steamer.</p> + +<p>“Thank God, there’s Grantham!” Jack +Harvey exclaimed; “do you see him waving his +hand?”</p> + +<p>“I see him,” Tom said, “but I don’t +see the ladies.”</p> + +<p>“They are there, no doubt,” Jack said, +confidently; “crouching down, I expect. He would +not be there if they weren’t, you may be sure. +Yes, there they are; those two muffled-up figures. +There, one of them has thrown back her cloak and is +waving her arm.”</p> + +<p>The two young men waved their caps.</p> + +<p>“Are the anchors holding, Watkins? There’s +a tremendous strain on that hawser.”</p> + +<p>“I think so, sir; they are both tight.”</p> + +<p>“Put them round the windlass, and give a turn +or two, we must relieve the strain on that hawser.”</p> + +<p>Since they had first seen the wreck the waves had +made great progress in the work of destruction, and +the steamer had broken in two just aft of the engines.</p> + +<p>“Get over the spare spars, Watkins, and fasten +them to float in front of her bows like a triangle. +Matthews, catch hold of that boat-hook and try to +fend off any piece of timber that comes along. You +get hold of the sweeps, lads, and do the same. They +would stave her in like a nut-shell if they struck +her.</p> + +<p>“Thank God, here comes the first of them!”</p> + +<p>Those on board the steamer had not been idle. As soon +as the yawl was seen approaching slings were prepared, +and no sooner was the hawser securely fixed, than +the slings were attached to it and a woman placed +in them. The hawser was tight and the descent sharp, +and without a check the figure ran down to the deck +of the <i>Seabird</i>. She was lifted out of the slings +by Tom and Jack Harvey, who found she was an old woman +and had entirely lost consciousness.</p> + +<p>“Two of you carry her down below; tell Johnson +to pour a little brandy down her throat. Give her +some hot soup as soon as she comes to.”</p> + +<p>Another woman was lowered and helped below. The next +to descend was Mrs. Grantham.</p> + +<p>“Thank God, you are rescued!” Tom said, +as he helped her out of the sling.</p> + +<p>“Thank God, indeed,” Mrs. Grantham said, +“and thank you all! Oh, Tom, we have had a terrible +time of it, and had lost all hope till we saw your +sail, and even then the captain said that he was afraid +nothing could be done. Minnie was the first to make +out it was you, and then we began to hope. She has +been so brave, dear girl. Ah! here she comes.”</p> + +<p>But Minnie’s firmness came to an end now that +she felt the need for it was over. She was unable +to stand when she was lifted from the slings, and +Tom carried her below.</p> + +<p>“Are there any more women, Mrs. Grantham?”</p> + +<p>“No; there was only one other lady passenger +and the stewardess.”</p> + +<p>“Then you had better take possession of your +own cabin. I ordered Johnson to spread a couple more +mattresses and some bedding on the floor, so you will +all four be able to turn in. There’s plenty of +hot coffee and soup. I should advise soup with two +or three spoonfuls of brandy in it. Now, excuse me; +I must go upon deck.”</p> + +<p>Twelve men descended by the hawser, one of them with +both legs broken by the fall of the mizzen. The last +to come was the captain.</p> + +<p>“Is that all?” Tom asked.</p> + +<p>“That is all,” the captain said. “Six +men were swept overboard when she first struck, and +two were killed by the fall of the funnel. Fortunately +we had only three gentlemen passengers and three ladies +on board. The weather looked so wild when we started +that no one else cared about making the passage. God +bless you, sir, for what you have done! Another half-hour +and it would have been all over with us. But it seems +like a miracle your getting safe through the rocks +to us.”</p> + +<p>“It was fortunate indeed that we came along,” +Tom said; “three of the passengers are dear +friends of mine; and as it was by my persuasion that +they came across in the steamer instead of in the yacht, +I should never have forgiven myself if they had been +lost. Take all your men below, captain; you will find +plenty of hot soup there. Now, Watkins, let us be +off; that steamer won’t hold together many minutes +longer, so there’s no time to lose. We will +go back as we came. Give me a hatchet. Now, lads, +two of you stand at the chain-cables; knock out the +shackles the moment I cut the hawser. Watkins, you +take the helm and let her head pay off till the jib +fills. Jack, you lend a hand to the other two, and +get up the try-sail again as soon as we are free.”</p> + +<p>In a moment all were at their stations. The helm was +put on the yacht, and she payed off on the opposite +tack to that on which she had before been sailing. +As soon as the jib filled, Tom gave two vigorous blows +with his hatchet on the hawser, and, as he lifted his +hand for a third, it parted. Then came the sharp rattle +of the chains as they ran round the hawser-holes. +The try-sail was hoisted and sheeted home, and the +<i>Seabird</i> was under way again. Tom, as before, +conned the ship from the bow. Several times she was +in close proximity to the rocks, but each time she +avoided them. A shout of gladness rose from all on +deck as she passed the last patch of white water. +Then she tacked and bore away for Jersey.</p> + +<p>Tom had now time to go down below and look after his +passengers. They consisted of the captain and two +sailors–the sole survivors of those who had been +on deck when the vessel struck–three male passengers, +and six engineers and stokers.</p> + +<p>“I have not had time to shake you by the hand +before, Tom,” Grantham said, as Tom Virtue entered; +“and I thought you would not want me on deck +at present. God bless you, old fellow! we all owe you +our lives.”</p> + +<p>“How did it happen, captain?” Tom asked, +as the captain also came up to him.</p> + +<p>“It was the currents, I suppose,” the +captain said; “it was so thick we could not +see a quarter of a mile any way. The weather was so +wild I would not put into Guernsey, and passed the +island without seeing it. I steered my usual course, +but the gale must have altered the currents, for I +thought I was three miles away from the reef, when +we saw it on our beam, not a hundred yards away. It +was too late to avoid it then, and in another minute +we ran upon it, and the waves were sweeping over us. +Every one behaved well. I got all, except those who +had been swept overboard or crushed by the funnel, +up into the bow of the ship, and there we waited. +There was nothing to be done. No boat would live for +a moment in the sea on that reef, and all I could +advise was, that when she went to pieces every one +should try to get hold of a floating fragment; but +I doubt whether a man would have been alive a quarter +of an hour after she went to pieces.”</p> + +<p>“Perhaps, captain, you will come on deck with +me and give me the benefit of your advice. My skipper +and I know the islands pretty well, but no doubt you +know them a good deal better, and I don’t want +another mishap.”</p> + +<p>But the <i>Seabird</i> avoided all further dangers, +and as it became dark, the lights of St. Helier’s +were in sight, and an hour later the yacht brought +up in the port and landed her involuntary passengers.</p> + +<p>A fortnight afterwards the <i>Seabird</i> returned +to England, and two months later Mrs. Grantham had +the satisfaction of being present at the ceremony +which was the successful consummation of her little +scheme in inviting Minnie Graham to be her companion +on board the <i>Seabird</i>.</p> + +<p>“Well, my dear,” her husband said, when +she indulged in a little natural triumph, “I +do not say that it has not turned out well, and I am +heartily glad for both Tom and Minnie’s sake +it has so; but you must allow that it very nearly +had a disastrous ending, and I think if I were you +I should leave matters to take their natural course +in future. I have accepted Tom’s invitation +for the same party to take a cruise in the <i>Seabird</i> +next summer, but I have bargained that next time a +storm is brewing up we shall stop quietly in port.”</p> + +<p>“That’s all very well, James,” Mrs. +Grantham said saucily; “but you must remember +that Tom Virtue will only be first-mate of the <i>Seabird</i> +in future.”</p> + +<p>“That I shall be able to tell you better, my +dear, after our next cruise. All husbands are not +as docile and easily led as I am.”</p> + +<h1><a name="story_03"></a>A Pipe of Mystery</h1> + +<p>A jovial party were gathered round a blazing fire +in an old grange near Warwick. The hour was getting +late; the very little ones had, after dancing round +the Christmas-tree, enjoying the snapdragon, and playing +a variety of games, gone off to bed; and the elder +boys and girls now gathered round their uncle, Colonel +Harley, and asked him for a story–above all, a ghost +story.</p> + +<p>“But I have never seen any ghosts,” the +colonel said, laughing; “and, moreover, I don’t +believe in them one bit. I have travelled pretty well +all over the world, I have slept in houses said to +be haunted, but nothing have I seen–no noises that +could not be accounted for by rats or the wind have +I ever heard. I have never”–and here he paused–“never +but once met with any circumstances or occurrence that +could not be accounted for by the light of reason, +and I know you prefer hearing stories of my own adventures +to mere invention.”</p> + +<p>“Yes, uncle. But what was the ‘once’ +when circumstances happened that you could not explain?”</p> + +<p>“It’s rather a long story,” the +colonel said, “and it’s getting late.”</p> + +<p>“Oh! no, no, uncle; it does not matter a bit +how late we sit up on Christmas Eve, and the longer +the story is, the better; and if you don’t believe +in ghosts, how can it be a story of something you could +not account for by the light of nature?”</p> + +<p>“You will see when I have done,” the colonel +said. “It is rather a story of what the Scotch +call second sight, than one of ghosts. As to accounting +for it, you shall form your own opinion when you have +heard me to the end.</p> + +<p>“I landed in India in ’50, and after going +through the regular drill work, marched with a detachment +up country to join my regiment, which was stationed +at Jubbalpore, in the very heart of India. It has become +an important place since; the railroad across India +passes through it, and no end of changes have taken +place; but at that time it was one of the most out-of-the-way +stations in India, and, I may say, one of the most +pleasant. It lay high, there was capital boating on +the Nerbudda, and, above all, it was a grand place +for sport, for it lay at the foot of the hill country, +an immense district, then but little known, covered +with forests and jungle, and abounding with big game +of all kinds.</p> + +<p>“My great friend there was a man named Simmonds. +He was just of my own standing; we had come out in +the same ship, had marched up the country together, +and were almost like brothers. He was an old Etonian, +I an old Westminster, and we were both fond of boating, +and, indeed, of sport of all kinds. But I am not going +to tell you of that now. The people in these hills +are called Gonds, a true hill tribe–that is to say, +aborigines, somewhat of the negro type. The chiefs +are of mixed blood, but the people are almost black. +They are supposed to accept the religion of the Hindus, +but are in reality deplorably ignorant and superstitious. +Their priests are a sort of compound of a Brahmin priest +and a negro fetish man, and among their principal duties +is that of charming away tigers from the villages +by means of incantations. There, as in other parts +of India, were a few wandering fakirs, who enjoyed +an immense reputation for holiness and wisdom. The +people would go to them from great distances for charms +or predictions, and believed in their power with implicit +faith.</p> + +<p>“At the time when we were at Jubbalpore, there +was one of these fellows, whose reputation altogether +eclipsed that of his rivals, and nothing could be +done until his permission had been asked and his blessing +obtained. All sorts of marvellous stories were constantly +coming to our ears of the unerring foresight with +which he predicted the termination of diseases, both +in men and animals; and so generally was he believed +in that the colonel ordered that no one connected with +the regiment should consult him, for these predictions +very frequently brought about their own fulfilment; +for those who were told that an illness would terminate +fatally, lost all hope, and literally lay down to die.</p> + +<p>“However, many of the stories that we heard +could not be explained on these grounds, and the fakir +and his doings were often talked over at mess, some +of the officers scoffing at the whole business, others +maintaining that some of these fakirs had, in some +way or another, the power of foretelling the future, +citing many well authenticated anecdotes upon the +subject.</p> + +<p>“The older officers were the believers, we young +fellows were the scoffers. But for the well-known +fact that it is very seldom indeed that these fakirs +will utter any of their predictions to Europeans, some +of us would have gone to him, to test his powers. +As it was, none of us had ever seen him.</p> + +<p>“He lived in an old ruined temple, in the middle +of a large patch of jungle at the foot of the hills, +some ten or twelve miles away.</p> + +<p>“I had been at Jubbalpore about a year, when +I was woke up one night by a native, who came in to +say that at about eight o’clock a tiger had +killed a man in his village, and had dragged off the +body.</p> + +<p>“Simmonds and I were constantly out after tigers, +and the people in all the villages within twenty miles +knew that we were always ready to pay for early information. +This tiger had been doing great damage, and had carried +off about thirty men, women, and children. So great +was the fear of him, indeed, that the people in the +neighbourhood he frequented scarcely dared stir out +of doors, except in parties of five or six. We had +had several hunts after him, but, like all man-eaters, +he was old and awfully crafty; and although we got +several snap shots at him, he had always managed to +save his skin.</p> + +<p>“In a quarter of an hour after the receipt of +the message, Charley Simmonds and I were on the back +of an elephant, which was our joint property, our +shekarry, a capital fellow, was on foot beside us, +and with the native trotting on ahead as guide we +went off at the best pace of old Begaum, for that +was the elephant’s name. The village was fifteen +miles away, but we got there soon after daybreak, and +were received with delight by the population. In half +an hour the hunt was organized; all the male population +turned out as beaters, with sticks, guns, tom-toms, +and other instruments for making a noise.</p> + +<p>“The trail was not difficult to find. A broad +path, with occasional smears of blood, showed where +he had dragged his victim through the long grass to +a cluster of trees a couple of hundred yards from the +village.</p> + +<p>“We scarcely expected to find him there, but +the villagers held back, while we went forward with +cocked rifles. We found, however, nothing but a few +bones and a quantity of blood The tiger had made off +at the approach of daylight into the jungle, which +was about two miles distant We traced him easily enough, +and found that he had entered a large ravine, from +which several smaller ones branched off.</p> + +<p>“It was an awkward place, as it was next to +impossible to surround it with the number of people +at our command. We posted them at last all along the +upper ground, and told them to make up in noise what +they wanted in numbers. At last all was ready, and +we gave the signal. However, I am not telling you +a hunting story, and need only say that we could neither +find nor disturb him. In vain we pushed Begaum through +the thickest of the jungle which clothed the sides, +and bottom of the ravine, while the men shouted, beat +their tom-toms, and showered imprecations against +the tiger himself and his ancestors up to the remotest +generations.</p> + +<p>“The day was tremendously hot, and, after three +hours’ march, we gave it up for a time, and +lay down in the shade, while the shekarries made a +long examination of the ground all round the hillside, +to be sure that he had not left the ravine. They came +back with the news that no traces could be discovered, +and that, beyond a doubt, he was still there. A tiger +will crouch up in an exceedingly small clump of grass +or bush, and will sometimes almost allow himself to +be trodden on before moving. However, we determined +to have one more search, and if that should prove +unsuccessful, to send off to Jubbalpore for some more +of the men to come out with elephants, while we kept +up a circle of fires, and of noises of all descriptions, +so as to keep him a prisoner until the arrival of +the reinforcements. Our next search was no more successful +than our first had been; and having, as we imagined, +examined every clump and crevice in which he could +have been concealed, we had just reached the upper +end of the ravine, when we heard a tremendous roar, +followed by a perfect babel of yells and screams from +the natives.</p> + +<p>“The outburst came from the mouth of the ravine, +and we felt at once that he had escaped. We hurried +back to find, as we had expected, that the tiger was +gone. He had burst out suddenly from his hiding-place, +had seized a native, torn him horribly, and had made +across the open plain.</p> + +<p>“This was terribly provoking, but we had nothing +to do but follow him. This was easy enough, and we +traced him to a detached patch of wood and jungle, +two miles distant. This wood was four or five hundred +yards across, and the exclamations of the people at +once told us that it was the one in which stood the +ruined temple of the fakir of whom I have been telling +you. I forgot to say, that as the tiger broke out one +of the village shekarries had fired at, and, he declared, +wounded him.</p> + +<p>“It was already getting late in the afternoon, +and it was hopeless to attempt to beat the jungle +that night. We therefore sent off a runner with a +note to the colonel, asking him to send the work-elephants, +and to allow a party of volunteers to march over at +night, to help surround the jungle when we commenced +beating it in the morning.</p> + +<p>“We based our request upon the fact that the +tiger was a notorious man-eater, and had been doing +immense damage. We then had a talk with our shekarry, +sent a man off to bring provisions for the people out +with us, and then set them to work cutting sticks +and grass to make a circle of fires.</p> + +<p>“We both felt much uneasiness respecting the +fakir, who might be seized at any moment by the enraged +tiger. The natives would not allow that there was +any cause for fear, as the tiger would not dare to +touch so holy a man. Our belief in the respect of +the tiger for sanctity was by no means strong, and +we determined to go in and warn him of the presence +of the brute in the wood. It was a mission which we +could not intrust to anyone else, for no native would +have entered the jungle for untold gold; so we mounted +the Begaum again, and started. The path leading towards +the temple was pretty wide, and as we went along almost +noiselessly, for the elephant was too well trained +to tread upon fallen sticks, it was just possible +we might come upon the tiger suddenly, so we kept +our rifles in readiness in our hands.</p> + +<p>“Presently we came in sight of the ruins. No +one was at first visible; but at that very moment +the fakir came out from the temple. He did not see +or hear us, for we were rather behind him and still +among the trees, but at once proceeded in a high voice +to break into a sing-song prayer. He had not said +two words before his voice was drowned in a terrific +roar, and in an instant the tiger had sprung upon him, +struck him to the ground, seized him as a cat would +a mouse, and started off with him at a trot. The brute +evidently had not detected our presence, for he came +right towards us. We halted the Begaum, and with our +fingers on the triggers, awaited the favourable moment. +He was a hundred yards from us when he struck down +his victim; he was not more than fifty when he caught +sight of us. He stopped for an instant in surprise. +Charley muttered, ‘Both barrels, Harley,’ +and as the beast turned to plunge into the jungle, +and so showed us his side, we sent four bullets crashing +into him, and he rolled over lifeless.</p> + +<p>“We went up to the spot, made the Begaum give +him a kick, to be sure that he was dead, and then +got down to examine the unfortunate fakir. The tiger +had seized him by the shoulder, which was terribly +torn, and the bone broken. He was still perfectly +conscious.</p> + +<p>“We at once fired three shots, our usual signal +that the tiger was dead, and in a few minutes were +surrounded by the villagers, who hardly knew whether +to be delighted at the death of their enemy, or to +grieve over the injury to the fakir. We proposed taking +the latter to our hospital at Jubbalpore, but this +he positively refused to listen to. However we finally +persuaded him to allow his arm to be set and the wounds +dressed in the first place by our regimental surgeon, +after which he could go to one of the native villages +and have his arm dressed in accordance with his own +notions. A litter was soon improvised, and away we +went to Jubbalpore, which we reached about eight in +the evening.</p> + +<p>“The fakir refused to enter the hospital, so +we brought out a couple of trestles, laid the litter +upon them, and the surgeon set his arm and dressed +his wounds by torch-light, when he was lifted into +a dhoolie, and his bearers again prepared to start +for the village.</p> + +<p>“Hitherto he had only spoken a few words; but +he now briefly expressed his deep gratitude to Simmonds +and myself. We told him that we would ride over to +see him shortly, and hoped to find him getting on +rapidly. Another minute and he was gone.</p> + +<p>“It happened that we had three or four fellows +away on leave or on staff duty, and several others +knocked up with fever just about this time, so that +the duty fell very heavily upon the rest of us, and +it was over a month before we had time to ride over +to see the fakir.</p> + +<p>“We had heard he was going on well; but we were +surprised, on reaching the village, to find that he +had already returned to his old abode in the jungle. +However, we had made up our minds to see him, especially +as we had agreed that we would endeavour to persuade +him to do a prediction for us, so we turned our horses’ +heads towards the jungle. We found the fakir sitting +on a rock in front of the temple, just where he had +been seized by the tiger. He rose as we rode up.</p> + +<p>“’I knew that you would come to-day, sahibs, +and was joyful in the thought of seeing those who +have preserved my life.’</p> + +<p>“’We are glad to see you looking pretty +strong again, though your arm is still in a sling,’ +I said, for Simmonds was not strong in Hindustani.</p> + +<p>“‘How did you know that we were coming?’ +I asked, when we had tied up our horses.</p> + +<p>“‘Siva has given to his servant to know +many things,’ he said quietly.</p> + +<p>“‘Did you know beforehand that the tiger +was going to seize you?’ I asked.</p> + +<p>“’I knew that a great danger threatened, +and that Siva would not let me die before my time +had come.</p> + +<p>“‘Could you see into our future?’ +I asked.</p> + +<p>“The fakir hesitated, looked at me for a moment +earnestly to see if I was speaking in mockery, and +then said:</p> + +<p>“’The sahibs do not believe in the power +of Siva or of his servants. They call his messengers +impostors, and scoff at them when they speak of the +events of the future.’</p> + +<p>“‘No, indeed,’ I said. ’My +friend and I have no idea of scoffing. We have heard +of so many of your predictions coming true, that we +are really anxious that you should tell us something +of the future.’</p> + +<p>“The fakir nodded his head, went into the temple, +and returned in a minute or two with two small pipes +used by the natives for opium-smoking, and a brazier +of burning charcoal. The pipes were already charged. +He made signs to us to sit down, and took his place +in front of us. Then he began singing in a low voice, +rocking himself to and fro, and waving a staff which +he held in his hand. Gradually his voice rose, and +his gesticulations and actions became more violent. +So far as I could make out, it was a prayer to Siva +that he would give some glimpse of the future which +might benefit the sahibs who had saved the life of +his servant. Presently he darted forward, gave us each +a pipe, took two pieces of red-hot charcoal from the +brazier in his fingers, without seeming to know that +they were warm, and placed them in the pipes; then +he recommenced his singing and gesticulations.</p> + +<p>“A glance at Charley, to see if, like myself, +he was ready to carry the thing through, and then +I put the pipe to my lips. I felt at once that it +was opium, of which I had before made experiment, but +mixed with some other substance, which was, I imagine, +haschish, a preparation of hemp. A few puffs, and +I felt a drowsiness creeping over me. I saw, as through +a mist, the fakir swaying himself backwards and forwards, +his arms waving, and his face distorted. Another minute, +and the pipe slipped from my fingers, and I fell back +insensible.</p> + +<p>“How long I lay there I do not know. I woke +with a strange and not unpleasant sensation, and presently +became conscious that the fakir was gently pressing, +with a sort of shampooing action, my temples and head. +When he saw that I opened my eyes he left me, and performed +the same process upon Charley. In a few minutes he +rose from his stooping position, waved his hand in +token of adieu, and walked slowly back into the temple.</p> + +<p>“As he disappeared I sat up; Charley did the +same.</p> + +<p>“We stared at each other for a minute without +speaking, and then Charley said:</p> + +<p>“‘This is a rum go, and no mistake, old +man.’</p> + +<p>“’You’re right, Charley. My opinion +is, we’ve made fools of ourselves. Let’s +be off out of this.’</p> + +<p>“We staggered to our feet, for we both felt +like drunken men, made our way to our horses, poured +a mussuk of water over our heads, took a drink of +brandy from our flasks, and then feeling more like +ourselves, mounted and rode out of the jungle.</p> + +<p>“’Well, Harley, if the glimpse of futurity +which I had is true, all I can say is that it was +extremely unpleasant.’</p> + +<p>“‘That was just my case, Charley.’</p> + +<p>“’My dream, or whatever you like to call +it, was about a mutiny of the men.’</p> + +<p>“’You don’t say so, Charley; so +was mine. This is monstrously strange, to say the +least of it. However, you tell your story first, and +then I will tell mine.’</p> + +<p>“‘It was very short,’ Charley said. +’We were at mess–not in our present mess-room–we +were dining with the fellows of some other regiment. +Suddenly, without any warning, the windows were filled +with a crowd of Sepoys, who opened fire right and +left into us. Half the fellows were shot down at once; +the rest of us made a rush to our swords just as the +niggers came swarming into the room. There was a desperate +fight for a moment. I remember that Subadar Pirán–one +of the best native officers in the regiment, by the +way–made a rush at me, and I shot him through the +head with a revolver. At the same moment a ball hit +me, and down I went. At the moment a Sepoy fell dead +across me, hiding me partly from sight. The fight +lasted a minute or two longer. I fancy a few fellows +escaped, for I heard shots outside. Then the place +became quiet. In another minute I heard a crackling, +and saw that the devils had set the mess-room on fire. +One of our men, who was lying close by me, got up and +crawled to the window, but he was shot down the moment +he showed himself. I was hesitating whether to do +the same or to lie still and be smothered, when suddenly +I rolled the dead sepoy off, crawled into the ante-room +half-suffocated by smoke, raised the lid of a very +heavy trap-door, and stumbled down some steps into +a place, half store-house half cellar, under the mess-room. +How I knew about it being there I don’t know. +The trap closed over my head with a bang. That is all +I remember.’</p> + +<p>“’Well, Charley, curiously enough my dream +was also about an extraordinary escape from danger, +lasting, like yours, only a minute or two. The first +thing I remember–there seems to have been something +before, but what, I don’t know–I was on horseback, +holding a very pretty but awfully pale girl in front +of me. We were pursued by a whole troop of Sepoy cavalry, +who were firing pistol-shots at us. We were not more +than seventy or eighty yards in front, and they were +gaining fast, just as I rode into a large deserted +temple. In the centre was a huge stone figure. I jumped +off my horse with the lady, and as I did so she said, +’Blow out my brains, Edward; don’t let +me fall alive into their hands.’</p> + +<p>“’Instead of answering, I hurried her +round behind the idol, pushed against one of the leaves +of a flower in the carving, and the stone swung back, +and showed a hole just large enough to get through, +with a stone staircase inside the body of the idol, +made no doubt for the priest to go up and give responses +through the mouth. I hurried the girl through, crept +in after her, and closed the stone, just as our pursuers +came clattering into the courtyard. That is all I remember.’</p> + +<p>“‘Well, it is monstrously rum,’ +Charley said, after a pause. ’Did you understand +what the old fellow was singing about before he gave +us the pipes?’</p> + +<p>“’Yes; I caught the general drift. It +was an entreaty to Siva to give us some glimpse of +futurity which might benefit us.’</p> + +<p>“We lit our cheroots and rode for some miles +at a brisk canter without remark. When we were within +a short distance of home we reined up.</p> + +<p>“‘I feel ever so much better,’ Charley +said. ’We have got that opium out of our heads +now. How do you account for it all, Harley?’</p> + +<p>“’I account for it in this way, Charley. +The opium naturally had the effect of making us both +dream, and as we took similar doses of the same mixture, +under similar circumstances, it is scarcely extraordinary +that it should have effected the same portion of the +brain, and caused a certain similarity in our dreams. +In all nightmares something terrible happens, or is +on the point of happening; and so it was here. Not +unnaturally in both our cases, our thoughts turned +to soldiers. If you remember there was a talk at mess +some little time since, as to what would happen in +the extremely unlikely event of the sepoys mutinying +in a body. I have no doubt that was the foundation +of both our dreams. It is all natural enough when +we come to think it over calmly. I think, by the way, +we had better agree to say nothing at all about it +in the regiment.’</p> + +<p>“‘I should think not,’ Charley said. +’We should never hear the end of it; they would +chaff us out of our lives.’</p> + +<p>“We kept our secret, and came at last to laugh +over it heartily when we were together. Then the subject +dropped, and by the end of a year had as much escaped +our minds as any other dream would have done. Three +months after the affair the regiment was ordered down +to Allahabad, and the change of place no doubt helped +to erase all memory of the dream. Four years after +we had left Jubbalpore we went to Beerapore. The time +is very marked in my memory, because the very week +we arrived there, your aunt, then Miss Gardiner, came +out from England, to her father, our colonel. The +instant I saw her I was impressed with the idea that +I knew her intimately. I recollected her face, her +figure, and the very tone of her voice, but wherever +I had met her I could not conceive. Upon the occasion +of my first introduction to her, I could not help telling +her that I was convinced that we had met, and asking +her if she did not remember it. No, she did not remember, +but very likely she might have done so, and she suggested +the names of several people at whose houses we might +have met. I did not know any of them. Presently she +asked how long I had been out in India?</p> + +<p>“‘Six years,’ I said.</p> + +<p>“‘And how old, Mr. Harley,’ she +said, ‘do you take me to be?’</p> + +<p>“I saw in one instant my stupidity, and was +stammering out an apology, when she went on,–</p> + +<p>“’I am very little over eighteen, Mr. +Harley, although I evidently look ever so many years +older, but papa can certify to my age, so I was only +twelve when you left England.’</p> + +<p>“I tried in vain to clear matters up. Your aunt +would insist that I took her to be forty, and the +fun that my blunder made rather drew us together, +and gave me a start over the other fellows at the station, +half of whom fell straightway in love with her. Some +months went on, and when the mutiny broke out we were +engaged to be married. It is a proof of how completely +the opium-dreams had passed out of the minds of both +Simmonds and myself, that even when rumours of general +disaffection among the Sepoys began to be current, +they never once recurred to us; and even when the +news of the actual mutiny reached us, we were just +as confident as were the others of the fidelity of +our own regiment. It was the old story, foolish confidence +and black treachery. As at very many other stations, +the mutiny broke out when we were at mess. Our regiment +was dining with the 34th Bengalees. Suddenly, just +as dinner was over, the window was opened, and a tremendous +fire poured in. Four or five men fell dead at once, +and the poor colonel, who was next to me, was shot +right through the head. Every one rushed to his sword +and drew his pistol–for we had been ordered to carry +pistols as part of our uniform. I was next to Charley +Simmonds as the Sepoys of both regiments, headed by +Subadar Pirán, poured in at the windows.</p> + +<p>“‘I have it now,’ Charley said; +‘it is the scene I dreamed.’</p> + +<p>“As he spoke he fired his revolver at the subadar, +who fell dead in his tracks.</p> + +<p>“A Sepoy close by levelled his musket and fired. +Charley fell, and the fellow rushed forward to bayonet +him. As he did so I sent a bullet through his head, +and he fell across Charley. It was a wild fight for +a minute or two, and then a few of us made a sudden +rush together, cut our way through the mutineers, +and darted through an open window on to the parade. +There were shouts, shots, and screams from the officers’ +bungalows, and in several places flames were already +rising. What became of the other men I knew not, I +made as hard as I could tear for the colonel’s +bungalow. Suddenly I came upon a sowar sitting on his +horse watching the rising flames. Before he saw me +I was on him, and ran him through. I leapt on his +horse and galloped down to Gardiner’s compound. +I saw lots of Sepoys in and around the bungalow, all +engaged in looting. I dashed into the compound.</p> + +<p>“’May! May”! I shouted. ‘Where +are you?’</p> + +<p>“I had scarcely spoken before a dark figure +rushed out of a clump of bushes close by with a scream +of delight.</p> + +<p>“In an instant she was on the horse before me, +and shooting down a couple of fellows who made a rush +at my reins, I dashed out again. Stray shots were +fired after us. But fortunately the Sepoys were all +busy looting, most of them had laid down their muskets, +and no one really took up the pursuit. I turned off +from the parade-ground, dashed down between the hedges +of two compounds, and in another minute we were in +the open country.</p> + +<p>“Fortunately, the cavalry were all down looting +their own lines, or we must have been overtaken at +once. May happily had fainted as I lifted her on to +my horse–happily, because the fearful screams that +we heard from the various bungalows almost drove me +mad, and would probably have killed her, for the poor +ladies were all her intimate friends.</p> + +<p>“I rode on for some hours, till I felt quite +safe from any immediate pursuit, and then we halted +in the shelter of a clump of trees.</p> + +<p>“By this time I had heard May’s story. +She had felt uneasy at being alone, but had laughed +at herself for being so, until upon her speaking to +one of the servants he had answered in a tone of gross +insolence, which had astonished her. She at once guessed +that there was danger, and the moment that she was +alone caught up a large, dark carriage rug, wrapped +it round her so as to conceal her white dress, and +stole out into the verandah. The night was dark, and +scarcely had she left the house than she heard a burst +of firing across at the mess-house. She at once ran +in among the bushes and crouched there, as she heard +the rush of men into the room she had just left. She +heard them searching for her, but they were looking +for a white dress, and her dark rug saved her. What +she must have suffered in the five minutes between +the firing of the first shots and my arrival, she +only knows. May had spoken but very little since we +started. I believe that she was certain that her father +was dead, although I had given an evasive answer when +she asked me; and her terrible sense of loss, added +to the horror of that time of suspense in the garden, +had completely stunned her. We waited in the tope +until the afternoon, and then set out again.</p> + +<p>“We had gone but a short distance when we saw +a body of the rebel cavalry in pursuit. They had no +doubt been scouring the country generally, and the +discovery was accidental. For a short time we kept +away from them, but this could not be for long, as +our horse was carrying double. I made for a sort of +ruin I saw at the foot of a hill half a mile away. +I did so with no idea of the possibility of concealment. +My intention was simply to get my back to a rock and +to sell my life as dearly as I could, keeping the +last two barrels of the revolver for ourselves. Certainly +no remembrance of my dream influenced me in any way, +and in the wild whirl of excitement I had not given +a second thought to Charley Simmonds’ exclamation. +As we rode up to the ruins only a hundred yards ahead +of us, May said,–</p> + +<p>“‘Blow out my brains, Edward; don’t +let me fall alive into their hands.’</p> + +<p>“A shock of remembrance shot across me. The +chase, her pale face, the words, the temple–all my +dream rushed into my mind.</p> + +<p>“‘We are saved,’ I cried, to her +amazement, as we rode into the courtyard, in whose +centre a great figure was sitting.</p> + +<p>“I leapt from the horse, snatched the mussuk +of water from the saddle, and then hurried May round +the idol, between which and the rock behind, there +was but just room to get along.</p> + +<p>“Not a doubt entered my mind but that I should +find the spring as I had dreamed. Sure enough there +was the carving, fresh upon my memory as if I had +seen it but the day before. I placed my hand on the +leaflet without hesitation, a solid stone moved back, +I hurried my amazed companion in, and shut to the +stone. I found, and shot to, a massive bolt, evidently +placed to prevent the door being opened by accident +or design when anyone was in the idol.</p> + +<p>“At first it seemed quite dark, but a faint +light streamed in from above; we made our way up the +stairs, and found that the light came through a number +of small holes pierced in the upper part of the head, +and through still smaller holes lower down, not much +larger than a good-sized knitting-needle could pass +through. These holes, we afterwards found, were in +the ornaments round the idol’s neck. The holes +enlarged inside, and enabled us to have a view all +round.</p> + +<p>“The mutineers were furious at our disappearance, +and for hours searched about. Then, saying that we +must be hidden somewhere, and that they would wait +till we came out, they proceeded to bivouac in the +courtyard of the temple.</p> + +<p>“We passed four terrible days, but on the morning +of the fifth a scout came in to tell the rebels that +a column of British troops marching on Delhi would +pass close by the temple. They therefore hastily mounted +and galloped off.</p> + +<p>“Three quarters of an hour later we were safe +among our own people. A fortnight afterwards your +aunt and I were married. It was no time for ceremony +then; there were no means of sending her away; no place +where she could have waited until the time for her +mourning for her father was over. So we were married +quietly by one of the chaplains of the troops, and, +as your story-books say, have lived very happily ever +after.”</p> + +<p>“And how about Mr. Simmonds, uncle? Did he get +safe off too?”</p> + +<p>“Yes, his dream came as vividly to his mind +as mine had done. He crawled to the place where he +knew the trap-door would be, and got into the cellar. +Fortunately for him there were plenty of eatables there, +and he lived there in concealment for a fortnight. +After that he crawled out, and found the mutineers +had marched for Delhi. He went through a lot, but +at last joined us before that city. We often talked +over our dreams together, and there was no question +that we owed our lives to them. Even then we did not +talk much to other people about them, for there would +have been a lot of talk, and inquiry, and questions, +and you know fellows hate that sort of thing. So we +held our tongues. Poor Charley’s silence was +sealed a year later at Lucknow, for on the advance +with Lord Clyde he was killed.</p> + +<p>“And now, boys and girls, you must run off to +bed. Five minutes more and it will be Christmas-day +So you see, Frank, that although I don’t believe +in ghosts, I have yet met with a circumstance which +I cannot account for.”</p> + +<p>“It is very curious anyhow, uncle, and beats +ghost stories into fits.”</p> + +<p>“I like it better, certainly,” one of +the girls said, “for we can go to bed without +being afraid of dreaming about it.”</p> + +<p>“Well, you must not talk any more now Off to +bed, off to bed,” Colonel Harley said, “or +I shall get into terrible disgrace with your fathers +and mothers, who have been looking very gravely at +me for the last three quarters of an hour.”</p> + +<h1><a name="story_04"></a>White-Faced Dick</h1> + +<h2>A Story of Pine-Tree Gulch.</h2> + +<p>How Pine-tree Gulch got its name no one knew, for +in the early days every ravine and hillside was thickly +covered with pines. It may be that a tree of exceptional +size caught the eye of the first explorer, that he +camped under it, and named the place in its honour; +or, may be, some fallen giant lay in the bottom and +hindered the work of the first prospectors. At any +rate, Pine-tree Gulch it was, and the name was as +good as any other. The pine-trees were gone now. Cut +up for firing, or for the erection of huts, or the +construction of sluices, but the hillside was ragged +with their stumps.</p> + +<p>The principal camp was at the mouth of the Gulch, +where the little stream, which scarce afforded water +sufficient for the cradles in the dry season, but +which was a rushing torrent in winter, joined the +Yuba. The best ground was at the junction of the streams, +and lay, indeed, in the Yuba valley rather than in +the Gulch. At first most gold had been found higher +up, but there was here comparatively little depth +down to the bed-rock, and as the ground became exhausted +the miners moved down towards the mouth of the Gulch. +They were doing well as a whole, how well no one knew, +for miners are chary of giving information as to what +they are making; still, it was certain they were doing +well, for the bars were doing a roaring trade, and +the store-keepers never refused credit–a proof in +itself that the prospects were good.</p> + +<p>The flat at the mouth of the Gulch was a busy scene, +every foot was good paying stuff, for in the eddy, +where the torrents in winter rushed down into the +Yuba, the gold had settled down and lay thick among +the gravel. But most of the parties were sinking, +and it was a long way down to the bed-rock; for the +hills on both sides sloped steeply, and the Yuba must +here at one time have rushed through a narrow gorge, +until, in some wild freak, it brought down millions +of tons of gravel, and resumed its course seventy +feet above its former level.</p> + +<p>A quarter of a mile higher up a ledge of rock ran +across the valley, and over it in the old time the +Yuba had poured in a cascade seventy feet deep into +the ravine. But the rock now was level with the gravel, +only showing its jagged points here and there above +it. This ledge had been invaluable to the diggers: +without it they could only have sunk their shafts +with the greatest difficulty, for the gravel would +have been full of water, and even with the greatest +pains in puddling and timber-work the pumps would +scarcely have sufficed to keep it down as it rose in +the bottom of the shafts. But the miners had made +common cause together, and giving each so many ounces +of gold or so many day’s work had erected a +dam thirty feet high along the ledge of rock, and had +cut a channel for the Yuba along the lower slopes +of the valley. Of course, when the rain set in, as +everybody knew, the dam would go, and the river diggings +must be abandoned till the water subsided and a fresh +dam was made; but there were two months before them +yet, and every one hoped to be down to the bed-rock +before the water interrupted their work.</p> + +<p>The hillside, both in the Yuba Valley and for some +distance along Pine-tree Gulch, was dotted by shanties +and tents; the former constructed for the most part +of logs roughly squared, the walls being some three +feet in height, on which the sharp sloping roof was +placed, thatched in the first place with boughs, and +made all snug, perhaps, with an old sail stretched +over all. The camp was quiet enough during the day. +The few women were away with their washing at the pools, +a quarter of a mile up the Gulch, and the only persons +to be seen about were the men told off for cooking +for their respective parties.</p> + +<p>But in the evening the camp was lively. Groups of +men in red shirts and corded trousers tied at the +knee, in high boots, sat round blazing fires, and +talked of their prospects or discussed the news of +the luck at other camps. The sound of music came from +two or three plank erections which rose conspicuously +above the huts of the diggers, and were bright externally +with the glories of white and coloured paints. To +and from these men were always sauntering, and it needed +not the clink of glasses and the sound of music to +tell that they were the bars of the camp.</p> + +<p>Here, standing at the counter, or seated at numerous +small tables, men were drinking villainous liquor, +smoking and talking, and paying but scant attention +to the strains of the fiddle or the accordion, save +when some well-known air was played, when all would +join in a boisterous chorus. Some were always passing +in or out of a door which led into a room behind. +Here there was comparative quiet, for men were gambling, +and gambling high.</p> + +<p>Going backwards and forwards with liquors into the +gambling-room of the Imperial Saloon, which stood +just where Pine-tree Gulch opened into Yuba valley, +was a lad, whose appearance had earned for him the +name of White-faced Dick.</p> + +<p>White-faced Dick was not one of those who had done +well at Pine-tree Gulch; he had come across the plains +with his father, who had died when half-way over, +and Dick had been thrown on the world to shift for +himself. Nature had not intended him for the work, +for he was a delicate, timid lad; what spirits he +originally had having been years before beaten out +of him by a brutal father. So far, indeed, Dick was +the better rather than the worse for the event which +had left him an orphan.</p> + +<p>They had been travelling with a large party for mutual +security against Indians and Mormons, and so long +as the journey lasted Dick had got on fairly well. +He was always ready to do odd jobs, and as the draught +cattle were growing weaker and weaker, and every pound +of weight was of importance, no one grudged him his +rations in return for his services, but when the company +began to descend the slopes of the Sierra Nevada they +began to break up, going off by twos and threes to +the diggings, of which they heard such glowing accounts. +Some, however, kept straight on to Sacramento, determining +there to obtain news as to the doings at all the different +places, and then to choose that which seemed to offer +the best prospects of success.</p> + +<p>Dick proceeded with them to the town, and there found +himself alone. His companions were absorbed in the +busy rush of population, and each had so much to provide +and arrange for, that none gave a thought to the solitary +boy. However, at that time no one who had a pair of +hands, however feeble, to work need starve in Sacramento; +and for some weeks Dick hung around the town doing +odd jobs, and then, having saved a few dollars, determined +to try his luck at the diggings, and started on foot +with a shovel on his shoulder and a few day’s +provisions slung across it.</p> + +<p>Arrived at his destination, the lad soon discovered +that gold-digging was hard work for brawny and seasoned +men, and after a few feeble attempts in spots abandoned +as worthless he gave up the effort, and again began +to drift; and even in Pine-tree Gulch it was not difficult +to get a living. At first he tried rocking cradles, +but the work was far harder than it appeared. He was +standing ankle deep in water from morning till night, +and his cheeks grew paler, and his strength, instead +of increasing, seemed to fade away. Still, there were +jobs within his strength. He could keep a fire alight +and watch a cooking-pot, he could carry up buckets +of water or wash a flannel shirt, and so he struggled +on, until at last some kind-hearted man suggested to +him that he should try to get a place at the new saloon +which was about to be opened.</p> + +<p>“You are not fit for this work, young ’un, +and you ought to be at home with your mother; if you +like I will go up with you this evening to Jeffries. +I knew him down on the flats, and I daresay he will +take you on. I don’t say as a saloon is a good +place for a boy, still you will always get your bellyful +of victuals and a dry place to sleep in, if it’s +only under a table. What do you say?”</p> + +<p>Dick thankfully accepted the offer, and on Red George’s +recommendation was that evening engaged. His work +was not hard now, for till the miners knocked off +there was little doing in the saloon; a few men would +come in for a drink at dinner-time, but it was not +until the lamps were lit that business began in earnest, +and then for four or five hours Dick was busy.</p> + +<p>A rougher or healthier lad would not have minded the +work, but to Dick it was torture; every nerve in his +body thrilled whenever rough miners cursed him for +not carrying out their orders more quickly, or for +bringing them the wrong liquors, which, as his brain +was in a whirl with the noise, the shouting, and the +multiplicity of orders, happened frequently. He might +have fared worse had not Red George always stood his +friend, and Red George was an authority in Pine-tree +Gulch–powerful in frame, reckless in bearing and +temper, he had been in a score of fights and had come +off them, if not unscathed, at least victorious. He +was notoriously a lucky digger, but his earnings went +as fast as they were made, and he was always ready +to open his belt and give a bountiful pinch of dust +to any mate down on his luck.</p> + +<p>One evening Dick was more helpless and confused than +usual. The saloon was full, and he had been shouted +at and badgered and cursed until he scarcely knew +what he was doing. High play was going on in the saloon, +and a good many men were clustered round the table. +Red George was having a run of luck, and there was +a big pile of gold dust on the table before him. One +of the gamblers who was losing had ordered old rye, +and instead of bringing it to him, Dick brought a +tumbler of hot liquor which someone else had called +for. With an oath the man took it up and threw it +in his face.</p> + +<p>“You cowardly hound!” Red George exclaimed. +“Are you man enough to do that to a man?”</p> + +<p>“You bet,” the gambler, who was a new +arrival at Pine-tree Gulch, replied; and picking up +an empty glass, he hurled it at Red George. The by-standers +sprang aside, and in a moment the two men were facing +each other with outstretched pistols. The two reports +rung out simultaneously: Red George sat down unconcernedly +with a streak of blood flowing down his face, where +the bullet had cut a furrow in his cheek; the stranger +fell back with the bullet hole in the centre of his +forehead.</p> + +<p>The body was carried outside, and the play continued +as if no interruption had taken place. They were accustomed +to such occurrences in Pine-tree Gulch, and the piece +of ground at the top of the hill, that had been set +aside as a burial place, was already dotted thickly +with graves, filled in almost every instance by men +who had died, in the local phraseology, “with +their boots on.”</p> + +<p>Neither then nor afterwards did Red George allude +to the subject to Dick, whose life after this signal +instance of his championship was easier than it had +hitherto been, for there were few in Pine-tree Gulch +who cared to excite Red George’s anger; and strangers +going to the place were sure to receive a friendly +warning that it was best for their health to keep +their tempers over any shortcomings on the part of +White-faced Dick.</p> + +<p>Grateful as he was for Red George’s interference +on his behalf, Dick felt the circumstance which had +ensued more than anyone else in the camp. With others +it was the subject of five minutes’ talk, but +Dick could not get out of his head the thought of +the dead man’s face as he fell back. He had +seen many such frays before, but he was too full of +his own troubles for them to make much impression upon +him. But in the present case he felt as if he himself +was responsible for the death of the gambler; if he +had not blundered this would not have happened. He +wondered whether the dead man had a wife and children, +and, if so, were they expecting his return? Would +they ever hear where he had died, and how?</p> + +<p>But this feeling, which, tired out as he was when +the time came for closing the bar, often prevented +him from sleeping for hours, in no way lessened his +gratitude and devotion towards Red George, and he felt +that he could die willingly if his life would benefit +his champion. Sometimes he thought, too, that his +life would not be much to give, for in spite of shelter +and food, the cough which he had caught while working +in the water still clung to him, and, as his employer +said to him angrily one day–</p> + +<p>“Your victuals don’t do you no good, Dick; +you get thinner and thinner, and folks will think +as I starve you. Darned if you ain’t a disgrace +to the establishment.”</p> + +<p>The wind was whistling down the gorges, and the clouds +hung among the pine-woods which still clothed the +upper slopes of the hills, and the diggers, as they +turned out one morning, looked up apprehensively.</p> + +<p>“But it could not be,” they assured each +other. Every one knew that the rains were not due +for another month yet; it could only be a passing +shower if it rained at all.</p> + +<p>But as the morning went on, men came in from camps +higher up the river, and reports were current that +it had been raining for the last two days among the +upper hills; while those who took the trouble to walk +across to the new channel could see for themselves +at noon that it was filled very nigh to the brim, +the water rushing along with thick and turbid current. +But those who repeated the rumours, or who reported +that the channel was full, were summarily put down. +Men would not believe that such a calamity as a flood +and the destruction of all their season’s work +could be impending. There had been some showers, no +doubt, as there had often been before, but it was +ridiculous to talk of anything like rain a month before +its time. Still, in spite of these assertions, there +was uneasiness at Pine-tree Gulch, and men looked at +the driving clouds above and shook their heads before +they went down to the shafts to work after dinner.</p> + +<p>When the last customer had left and the bar was closed, +Dick had nothing to do till evening, and he wandered +outside and sat down on a stump, at first looking +at the work going on in the valley, then so absorbed +in his own thoughts that he noticed nothing, not even +the driving mist which presently set in. He was calculating +that he had, with his savings from his wages and what +had been given him by the miners, laid by eighty dollars. +When he got another hundred and twenty he would go; +he would make his way down to San Francisco, and then +by ship to Panama and up to New York, and then west +again to the village where he was born. There would +be people there who would know him, and who would give +him work, for his mother’s sake. He did not +care what it was; anything would be better than this.</p> + +<p>Then his thoughts came back to Pine-tree Gulch, and +he started to his feet. Could he be mistaken? Were +his eyes deceiving him? No; among the stones and boulders +of the old bed of the Yuba there was the gleam of +water, and even as he watched it he could see it widening +out. He started to run down the hill to give the alarm, +but before he was half-way he paused, for there were +loud shouts, and a scene of bustle and confusion instantly +arose.</p> + +<p>The cradles were deserted, and the men working on +the surface loaded themselves with their tools and +made for the high ground, while those at the windlasses +worked their hardest to draw up their comrades below. +A man coming down from above stopped close to Dick, +with a low cry, and stood gazing with a white scared +face. Dick had worked with him; he was one of the +company to which Red George belonged.</p> + +<p>“What is it, Saunders?”</p> + +<p>“My God! they are lost,” the man replied. +“I was at the windlass when they shouted up +to me to go up and fetch them a bottle of rum. They +had just struck it rich, and wanted a drink on the +strength of it.”</p> + +<p>Dick understood at once. Red George and his mates +were still in the bottom of the shaft, ignorant of +the danger which was threatening them.</p> + +<p>“’Come on,” he cried; “we +shall be in time yet,” and at the top of his +speed dashed down the hill, followed by Saunders.</p> + +<p>“What is it, what is it?” asked parties +of men mounting the hill. “Red George’s +gang are still below.”</p> + +<p>Dick’s eyes were fixed on the water. There was +a broad band now of yellow with a white edge down +the centre of the stony flat, and it was widening +with terrible rapidity. It was scarce ten yards from +the windlass at the top of Red George’s shaft +when Dick, followed closely by Saunders, reached it.</p> + +<p>“Come up, mates; quick, for your lives! The +river is rising; you will be flooded out directly. +Every one else has gone!”</p> + +<p>As he spoke he pulled at the rope by which the bucket +was hanging, and the handles of the windlass flew +round rapidly as it descended. When it had run out. +Dick and he grasped the handles.</p> + +<p>“All right below?”</p> + +<p>An answering call came up, and the two began their +work, throwing their whole strength into it. Quickly +as the windlass revolved, it seemed an endless time +to Dick before the bucket came up, and the first man +stepped out. It was not Red George. Dick had hardly +expected it would be. Red George would be sure to +see his two mates up before him, and the man uttered +a cry of alarm as he saw the water, now within a few +feet of the mouth of the shaft.</p> + +<p>It was a torrent now, for not only was it coming through +the dam, but it was rushing down in cascades from +the new channel. Without a word the miner placed himself +facing Dick and the moment the bucket was again down, +the three grasped the handles. But quickly as they +worked, the edge of the water was within a few inches +of the shaft when the next man reached the surface, +but again the bucket descended before the rope tightened. +However, the water had began to run over the lip–at +first in a mere trickle, and then, almost instantaneously, +in a cascade, which grew larger and larger.</p> + +<p>The bucket was half-way up when a sound like thunder +was heard, the ground seemed to tremble under their +feet, and then at the turn of the valley above, a +great wave of yellow water, crested with foam, was +seen tearing along at the speed of a race-horse.</p> + +<p>“The dam has burst!” Saunders shouted. +“Run for your lives, or we are all lost!”</p> + +<p>The three men dropped the handles and ran at full +speed towards the shore, while loud shouts to Dick +to follow came from the crowd of men standing on the +slope. But the boy still grasped the handles, and with +lips tightly closed, still toiled on. Slowly the bucket +ascended, for Red George was a heavy man; then suddenly +the weight slackened, and the handle went round faster. +The shaft was filling, the water had reached the bucket, +and had risen to Red George’s neck, so that his +weight was no longer on the rope. So fast did the +water pour in, that it was not half a minute before +the bucket reached the surface, and Red George sprang +out. There was but time for one exclamation, and then +the great wave struck them. Red George was whirled +like a straw in the current, but he was a strong swimmer, +and at a point where the valley widened out, half +a mile lower, he struggled to shore.</p> + +<p>Two days later the news reached Pine-tree Gulch that +a boy’s body had been washed ashore twenty miles +down, and ten men, headed by Red George, went and +brought it solemnly back to Pine-tree Gulch. There, +among the stumps of pine-trees, a grave was dug, and +there, in the presence of the whole camp, White-faced +Dick was laid to rest.</p> + +<p>Pine-tree Gulch is a solitude now, the trees are growing +again, and none would dream that it was once a busy +scene of industry; but if the traveller searches among +the pine-trees, he will find a stone with the words:</p> + +<p>“Here lies White-faced Dick, who died to save +Red George. ’What can a man do more than give +his life for a friend?’”</p> + +<p>The text was the suggestion of an ex-clergyman working +as a miner in Pine-tree Gulch.</p> + +<p>Red George worked no more at the diggings, but after +seeing the stone laid in its place, went east, and +with what little money came to him when the common +fund of the company was divided after the flood on +the Yuba, bought a small farm, and settled down there; +but to the end of his life he was never weary of telling +those who would listen to it the story of Pine-tree +Gulch.</p> + +<h1><a name="story_05"></a>A Brush with the Chinese</h1> + +<h2>And What Came of It.</h2> + +<p>It was early in December that H.M.S. <i>Perseus</i> +was cruising off the mouth of the Canton River. War +had been declared with China in consequence of her +continued evasions of the treaty she had made with +us, and it was expected that a strong naval force would +soon gather to bring her to reason. In the meantime +the ships on the station had a busy time of it, chasing +the enemy’s junks when they ventured to show +themselves beyond the reach of the guns of their forts, +and occasionally having a brush with the piratical +boats which took advantage of the general confusion +to plunder friend as well as foe.</p> + +<p>The <i>Perseus</i> had that afternoon chased two Government +junks up a creek. The sun had already set when they +took refuge there, and the captain did not care to +send his boats after them in the dark, as many of +the creeks ran up for miles into the flat country; +and as they not unfrequently had many arms or branches, +the boats might, in the dark, miss the junks altogether. +Orders were issued that four boats should be ready +for starting at daybreak the next morning. The <i>Perseus</i> +anchored off the mouth of the creek, and two boats +were ordered to row backwards and forwards off its +mouth all night to insure that the enemy did not slip +out in the darkness.</p> + +<p>Jack Fothergill, the senior midshipman, was commanding +the gig, and two of the other midshipmen were going +in the pinnace and launch, commanded respectively +by the first lieutenant and the master. The three other +midshipmen of the <i>Perseus</i> were loud in their +lamentations that they were not to take share in the +fun.</p> + +<p>“You can’t all go, you know,” Fothergill +said, “and it’s no use making a row about +it; the captain has been very good to let three of +us go.”</p> + +<p>“It’s all very well for you, Jack,” +Percy Adcock, the youngest of the lads, replied, “because +you are one of those chosen; and it is not so hard +for Simmons and Linthorpe, because they went the other +day in the boat that chased those junks under shelter +of the guns of their battery, but I haven’t +had a chance for ever so long.”</p> + +<p>“’What fun was there in chasing the junks?” +Simmons said. “We never got near the brutes +till they were close to their battery, and then just +as the first shot came singing from their guns, and +we thought that we were going to have some excitement, +the first lieutenant sung out ‘Easy all,’ +and there was nothing for it but to turn round and +to row for the ship, and a nice hot row it was–two +hours and a half in a broiling sun. Of course I am +not blaming Oliphant, for the captain’s orders +were strict that we were not to try to cut the junks +out if they got under the guns of any of their batteries. +Still it was horribly annoying, and I do think the +captain might have remembered what beastly luck we +had last time, and given us a chance tomorrow.”</p> + +<p>“It is clear we could not all go,” Fothergill +said, “and naturally enough the captain chose +the three seniors. Besides, if you did have bad luck +last time, you had your chance, and I don’t suppose +we shall have anything more exciting now, these fellows +always set fire to their junks and row for the shore +directly they see us, after firing a shot or two wildly +in our direction.”</p> + +<p>“Well, Jack, if you don’t expect any fun,” +Simmons replied, “perhaps you wouldn’t +mind telling the first lieutenant you do not care for +going, and that I am very anxious to take your place. +Perhaps he will be good enough to allow me to relieve +you.”</p> + +<p>“A likely thing that!” Fothergill laughed. +“No, Tom, I am sorry you are not going, but +you must make the best of it till another chance comes.”</p> + +<p>“Don’t you think, Jack,” Percy Adcock +said to his senior in a coaxing tone later on, “you +could manage to smuggle me into the boat with you?”</p> + +<p>“Not I, Percy. Suppose you got hurt, what would +the captain say then? And firing as wildly as the +Chinese do, a shot is just as likely to hit your little +carcase as to lodge in one of the sailors. No, you +must just make the best of it, Percy, and I promise +you that next time there is a boat expedition, if +you are not put in, I will say a good word to the +first luff for you.”</p> + +<p>“That promise is better than nothing,” +the boy said; “but I would a deal rather go +this time and take my chance next.”</p> + +<p>“But you see you can’t, Percy, and there’s +no use talking any more about it. I really do not +expect there will be any fighting. Two junks would +hardly make any opposition to the boats of the ship, +and I expect we shall be back by nine o’clock +with the news that they were well on fire before we +came up.”</p> + +<p>Percy Adcock, however, was determined, if possible, +to go. He was a favourite among the men, and when +he spoke to the bow oar of the gig, the latter promised +to do anything he could to aid him to carry out his +wishes.</p> + +<p>“We are to start at daybreak, Tom, so that it +will be quite dark when the boats are lowered. I will +creep into the gig before that and hide myself as +well as I can under your thwart, and all you have got +to do is to take no notice of me. When the boat is +lowered I think they will hardly make me out from +the deck, especially as you will be standing up in +the bow holding on with the boat-hook till the rest +get on board.”</p> + +<p>“Well, sir, I will do my best, but if you are +caught you must not let out that I knew anything about +it.”</p> + +<p>“I won’t do that,” Percy said. “I +don’t think there is much chance of my being +noticed until we get on board the junks, and then they +won’t know which boat I came off in, and the +first lieutenant will be too busy to blow me up. Of +course I shall get it when I am on board again, but +I don’t mind that so that I see the fun. Besides, +I want to send home some things to my sister, and +she will like them all the better if I can tell her +I captured them on board some junks we seized and burnt.”</p> + +<p>The next morning the crews mustered before daybreak. +Percy had already taken his place under the bow thwart +of the gig. The davits were swung overboard, and two +men took their places in her as she was lowered down +by the falls. As soon as she touched the water the +rest of the crew clambered down by the ladder and +took their places, then Fothergill took his seat in +the stern, and the boat pushed off and lay a few lengths +away from the ship until the heavier boats put off. +As soon as they were under way Percy crawled out from +his hiding-place and placed himself in the bow, where +he was sheltered by the body of the oarsmen from Fothergill’s +sight.</p> + +<p>Day was just breaking now, but it was still dark on +the water, and the boat rowed very slowly until it +became lighter. Percy could just make out the shores +of the creek on both sides; they were but two or three +feet above the level of the water, and were evidently +submerged at high tide. The creek was about a hundred +yards wide, and the lad could not see far ahead, for +it was full of sharp windings and turnings. Here and +there branches joined it, but the boats were evidently +following the main channel. After another half-hour’s +rowing the first lieutenant suddenly gave the order, +“Easy all,” and the men, looking over their +shoulders, saw a village a quarter of a mile ahead, +with the two junks they had chased the night before +lying in front of it. Almost at the same moment a +sudden uproar was heard–drums were beaten and gongs +sounded.</p> + +<p>“They are on the look-out for us,” the +first lieutenant said. “Mr. Mason, do you keep +with me and attack the junk highest up the river; +Mr. Bellew and Mr. Fothergill, do you take the one +lower down. Row on, men.”</p> + +<p>The oars all touched the water together, and the four +boats leapt forward. In a minute a scattering fire +of gingals and matchlocks was opened from the junks, +and the bullets pattered on the water round the boats. +Percy was kneeling up in the bow now. As they passed +a branch channel three or four hundred yards from +the village, he started and leapt to his feet.</p> + +<p>“There are four or five junks in that passage, +Fothergill; they are poling out.”</p> + +<p>The first lieutenant heard the words.</p> + +<p>“Row on, men; let us finish with these craft +ahead before the others get out. This must be that +piratical village we have heard about, Mr. Mason, +as lying up one of these creeks; that accounts for +those two junks not going higher up. I was surprised +at seeing them here, for they might guess that we +should try to get them this morning. Evidently they +calculated on catching us in a trap.”</p> + +<p>Percy was delighted at finding that, in the excitement +caused by his news, the first lieutenant had forgotten +to take any notice of his being there without orders, +and he returned a defiant nod to the threat conveyed +by Fothergill shaking his fist at him. As they neared +the junks the fire of those on board redoubled, and +was aided by that of many villagers gathered on the +bank of the creek. Suddenly from a bank of rushes +four cannons were fired. A ball struck the pinnace, +smashing in her side. The other boats gathered hastily +round and took her crew on board, and then dashed +at the junks, which were but a hundred yards distant. +The valour of the Chinese evaporated as they saw the +boats approaching, and scores of them leapt overboard +and swam for shore.</p> + +<p>In another minute the boats were alongside and the +crews scrambling up the sides of the junks. A few +Chinamen only attempted to oppose them. These were +speedily overcome, and the British had now time to +look round, and saw that six junks crowded with men +had issued from the side creek and were making towards +them.</p> + +<p>“Let the boats tow astern,” the lieutenant +ordered. “We should have to run the gauntlet +of that battery on shore if we were to attack them, +and might lose another boat before we reached their +side. We will fight them here.”</p> + +<p>The junks approached, those on board firing their +guns, yelling and shouting, while the drums and gongs +were furiously beaten.</p> + +<p>“They will find themselves mistaken, Percy, +if they think they are going to frighten us with all +that row,” Fothergill said. “You young +rascal, how did you get on board the boat without +being seen? The captain will be sure to suspect I +had a hand in concealing you.”</p> + +<p>The tars were now at work firing the gingals attached +to the bulwarks and the matchlocks, with which the +deck was strewn, at the approaching junks. As they +took steady aim, leaning their pieces on the bulwarks, +they did considerable execution among the Chinamen +crowded on board the junks, while the shot of the +Chinese, for the most part, whistled far overhead; +but the guns of the shore battery, which had now been +slewed round to bear upon them, opened with a better +aim, and several shots came crashing into the sides +of the two captured junks.</p> + +<p>“Get ready to board, lads!” Lieutenant +Oliphant shouted. “Don’t wait for them +to board you, but the moment they come alongside lash +their rigging to ours and spring on board them.”</p> + +<p>The leading junk was now about twenty yards away, +and presently grated alongside. Half-a-dozen sailors +at once sprang into her rigging with ropes, and after +lashing the junks together leaped down upon her deck, +where Fothergill was leading the gig’s crew and +some of those rescued from the pinnace, while Mr. +Bellew, with another party, had boarded her at the +stern. Several of the Chinese fought stoutly, but the +greater part lost heart at seeing themselves attacked +by the “white devils,” instead of, as +they expected, overwhelming them by their superior +numbers. Many began at once to jump overboard, and +after two or three minutes’ sharp fighting, +the rest either followed their example or were beaten +below.</p> + +<p>Fothergill looked round. The other junk had been attacked +by two of the enemy, one on each side, and the little +body of sailors were gathered in her waist, and were +defending themselves against an overwhelming number +of the enemy. The other three piratical 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.</p> + +<p>“Mr. Oliphant is hard pressed, sir.” He +asked the master: “Shall we take to the boats?”</p> + +<p>“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.”</p> + +<p>The crew at once sprang to the boats and rowed to +the other junk, which was but some thirty yards away.</p> + +<p>The Chinese, absorbed in their contest with the crew +of the pinnace, did not perceive the newcomers 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.</p> + +<p>“Back again, Mr. Fothergill, or you will lose +the craft you captured,” Lieutenant Oliphant +said; “they have already cut her free.”</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>“What shall we do next, sir?”</p> + +<p>“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 hand; the beggars will fight when they +think they have got it all their own way. But before +we land we will set fire to the five junks we have +taken. Do you return and see that the two astern are +well lighted, Mr. Fothergill; Mr. Mason will see to +these three. When you have done your work take to +your boat and lay off till I join you; keep the junks +between you and the shore, to protect you from the +fire of the rascals there.”</p> + +<p>“I cannot come with you, I suppose, Fothergill?” +Percy Adcock said, as the midshipman was about to +descend into his boat again.</p> + +<p>“Yes, come along, Percy. It doesn’t matter +what you do now. The captain will be so pleased when +he hears that we have captured and burnt five junks, +that you will get off with a very light wigging, I +imagine.”</p> + +<p>“That’s just what I was thinking, Jack. +Has it not been fun?”</p> + +<p>“You wouldn’t have thought it fun if you +had got one of those matchlock balls in your body. +There are a good many of our poor fellows just at +the present moment who do not see anything funny in +the affair at all. Here we are; clamber up.”</p> + +<p>The crew soon set to work under Fothergill’s +orders. The sails were cut off the masts and thrown +down into the hold; bamboos, of which there were an +abundance down there, were heaped over them, a barrel +of oil was poured over the mass, and the fire then +applied.</p> + +<p>“That will do, lads. Now take to your boats +and let’s make a bonfire of the other junk.”</p> + +<p>In ten minutes both vessels were a sheet of flame, +and the boat was lying a short distance from them +waiting for further operations. The inhabitants of +the village, furious at the failure of the plan which +had been laid for the destruction of the “white +devils,” kept up a constant fusilade, which, +however, did no harm, for the gig was completely sheltered +by the burning junks close to her from their missiles.</p> + +<p>“There go the others!” Percy exclaimed +after a minute or two, as three columns of smoke arose +simultaneously from the other junks, and the sailors +were seen dropping into their boats alongside.</p> + +<p>The killed and wounded were placed in the other gig +with four sailors in charge. They were directed to +keep under shelter of the junks until rejoined by +the pinnace and Fothergill’s gig, after these +had done their work on shore.</p> + +<p>When all was ready the first lieutenant raised his +hand as a signal, and the two boats dashed between +the burning junks and rowed for the shore. Such of +the natives as had their weapons charged fired a hasty +volley, and then, as the sailors leapt from their boats, +took to their heels.</p> + +<p>“Mr. Fothergill, take your party into the village +and set fire to the houses; shoot down every man you +see. This place is a nest of pirates. I will capture +that battery and then join you.”</p> + +<p>Fothergill and his sailors at once entered the village. +The men had already fled; the women were turned out +of the houses, and these were immediately set on fire. +The tars regarded the whole affair as a glorious joke, +and raced from house to house, making a hasty search +in each for concealed valuables before setting it +on fire. In a short time the whole village was in +a blaze.</p> + +<p>“There is a house there, standing in that little +grove a hundred yards away,” Percy said.</p> + +<p>“It looks like a temple,” Fothergill replied. +“However, we will have a look at it.” +And calling two sailors to accompany him, he started +at a run towards it, Percy keeping by his side.</p> + +<p>“It is a temple,” Fothergill said when +they approached it. “Still, we will have a look +at it, but we won’t burn it; it will be as well +to respect the religion, even of a set of piratical +scoundrels like these.”</p> + +<p>At the head of his men he rushed in at the entrance. +There was a blaze of fire as half a dozen muskets +were discharged in their faces. One of the sailors +dropped dead, and before the others had time to realize +what had happened they were beaten to the ground by +a storm of blows from swords and other weapons.</p> + +<p>A heavy blow crashed down on Percy’s head, and +he fell insensible even before he realized what had +occurred.</p> + +<p>When he recovered, his first sensation was that of +a vague wonder as to what had happened to him. He +seemed to be in darkness and unable to move hand or +foot. He was compressed in some way that he could not +at first understand, and was being bumped and jolted +in an extraordinary manner. It was some little time +before he could understand the situation. He first +remembered the fight with the junks, then he recalled +the landing and burning the village; then, as his brain +cleared, came the recollection of his start with Fothergill +for the temple among the trees, his arrival there, +and a loud report and flash of fire.</p> + +<p>“I must have been knocked down and stunned,” +he said to himself, “and I suppose I am a prisoner +now to these brutes, and one of them must be carrying +me on his back.”</p> + +<p>Yes, he could understand it all now. His hands and +his feet were tied, ropes were passed round his body +in every direction, and he was fastened back to back +upon the shoulders of a Chinaman. Percy remembered +the tales he had heard of the imprisonment and torture +of those who fell into the hands of the Chinese, and +he bitterly regretted that he had not been killed +instead of stunned in the surprise of the temple.</p> + +<p>“It would have been just the same feeling,” +he said to himself, “and there would have been +an end of it. Now, there is no saying what is going +to happen. I wonder whether Jack was killed, and the +sailors.”</p> + +<p>Presently there was a jabber of voices; the motion +ceased. Percy could feel that the cords were being +unwound, and he was dropped on to his feet; then the +cloth was removed from his head, and he could look +round.</p> + +<p>A dozen Chinese, armed with matchlocks and bristling +with swords and daggers, stood around, and among them, +bound like himself and gagged by a piece of bamboo +forced lengthways across his mouth and kept there with +a string going round the back of the head, stood Fothergill. +He was bleeding from several cuts in the head. Percy’s +heart gave a bound of joy at finding that he was not +alone; then he tried to feel sorry that Jack had not +escaped, but failed to do so, although he told himself +that his comrade’s presence would not in any +way alleviate the fate which was certain to befall +him. Still the thought of companionship, even in wretchedness, +and perhaps a vague hope that Jack, with his energy +and spirit, might contrive some way for their escape, +cheered him up.</p> + +<p>As Percy, too, was gagged, no word could be exchanged +by the midshipmen, but they nodded to each other. +They were now put side by side and made to walk in +the centre of their captors. On the way they passed +through several villages, whose inhabitants poured +out to gaze at the captives, but the men in charge +of them were evidently not disposed to delay, as they +passed through without a stop. At last they halted +before two cottages standing by themselves, thrust +the prisoners into a small room, removed their gags, +and left them to themselves.</p> + +<p>“Well, Percy, my boy, so they caught you too? +I am awfully sorry. It was my fault for going with +only two men into that temple, but as the village +had been deserted and scarcely a man was found there, +it never entered my mind that there might be a party +in the temple.”</p> + +<p>“Of course not, Jack; it was a surprise altogether. +I don’t know anything about it, for I was knocked +down, I suppose, just as we went in, and the first +thing I knew about it was that I was being carried +on the back of one of those fellows. I thought it +was awful at first, but I don’t seem to mind +so much now you are with me.”</p> + +<p>“It is a comfort to have someone to speak to,” +Jack said, “yet I wish you were not here, Percy; +I can’t do you any good, and I shall never cease +blaming myself for having brought you into this scrape. +I don’t know much more about the affair than +you do. The guns were fired so close to us that my +face was scorched with one of them, and almost at +the same instant I got a lick across my cheek with +a sword. I had just time to hit at one of them, and +then almost at the same moment I got two or three +other blows, and down I went; they threw themselves +on the top of me and tied and gagged me in no time. +Then I was tied to a long bamboo, and two fellows +put the ends on their shoulders and went off with +me through the fields. Of course I was face downwards, +and did not know you were with us till they stopped +and loosed me from the bamboo and set me on my feet.”</p> + +<p>“But what are they going to do with us do you +think, Jack?”</p> + +<p>“I should say they are going to take us to Canton +and claim a reward for our capture, and there I suppose +they will cut off our heads or saw us in two, or put +us to some other unpleasant kind of death. I expect +they are discussing it now; do you hear what a jabber +they are kicking up?”</p> + +<p>Voices were indeed heard raised in angry altercation +in the next room. After a time the din subsided and +the conversation appeared to take a more amiable turn.</p> + +<p>“I suppose they have settled it as far as they +are concerned,” Jack said; “anyhow, you +may be quite sure they mean to make something out of +us. If they hadn’t they would have finished us +at once, for they must have been furious at the destruction +of their junks and village. As to the idea that mercy +has anything to do with it, we may as well put it +out of our minds. The Chinaman, at the best of times, +has no feeling of pity in his nature, and after their +defeat it is certain they would have killed us at +once had they not hoped to do better by us. If they +had been Indians I should have said they had carried +us off to enjoy the satisfaction of torturing us, +but I don’t suppose it is that with them.”</p> + +<p>“Do you think there is any chance of our getting +away?” Percy asked, after a pause.</p> + +<p>“I should say not the least in the world, Percy. +My hands are fastened so tight now that the ropes +seem cutting into my wrists, and after they had set +me on my feet and cut the cords of my legs I could +scarcely stand at first, my feet were so numbed by +the pressure. However, we must keep up our pluck. +Possibly they may keep us at Canton for a bit, and +if they do the squadron may arrive and fight its way +past the forts and take the city before they have +quite made up their minds as to what kind of death +will be most appropriate to the occasion. I wonder +what they are doing now? They seem to be chopping +sticks.”</p> + +<p>“I wish they would give us some water,” +Percy said “I am frightfully thirsty.”</p> + +<p>“And so am I, Percy; there is one comfort, they +won’t let us die of thirst, they could get no +satisfaction out of our deaths now.”</p> + +<p>Two hours later some of the Chinese re-entered the +room and led the captives outside, and the lads then +saw what was the meaning of the noise they had heard. +A cage had been manufactured of strong bamboos. It +was about four and a half feet long, four feet wide, +and less than three feet high; above it was fastened +two long bamboos. Two or three of the bars of the +cage had been left open.</p> + +<p>“My goodness! they never intend to put us in +there,” Percy exclaimed.</p> + +<p>“That they do,” Jack said. “They +are going to carry us the rest of the way.”</p> + +<p>The cords which bound the prisoners’ hands were +now cut, and they were motioned to crawl into the +cage. This they did; the bars were then put in their +places and securely lashed. Four men went to the ends +of the poles and lifted the cage upon their shoulders; +two others took their places beside it, and one man, +apparently the leader of the party, walked on ahead, +the rest remained behind.</p> + +<p>“I never quite realized what a fowl felt in +a coop before,” Jack said, “but if its +sensations are at all like mine they must be decidedly +unpleasant. It isn’t high enough to sit upright +in, it is nothing like long enough to lie down, and +as to getting out one might as well think of flying. +Do you know, Percy, I don’t think they mean taking +us to Canton at all. I did not think of it before, +but from the direction of the sun I feel sure that +we cannot have been going that way. What they are +up to I can’t imagine.”</p> + +<p>In an hour they came to a large village. Here the +cage was set down and the villagers closed round. +They were, however, kept a short distance from the +cage by the men in charge of it. Then a wooden platter +was placed on the ground, and persons throwing a few +copper coins into this were allowed to come near the +cage.</p> + +<p>“They are making a show of us!” Fothergill +exclaimed. “That’s what they are up to, +you see if it isn’t; they are going to travel +up country to show the ‘white devils’ +whom their valour has captured.”</p> + +<p>This was, indeed, the purpose of the pirates. At that +time Europeans seldom ventured beyond the limits assigned +to them in the two or three towns where they were +permitted to trade, and few, indeed, of the country +people had ever obtained a sight of the white barbarians +of whose doings they had so frequently heard. Consequently +a small crowd soon gathered round the cage, eyeing +the captives with the same interest they would have +felt as to unknown and dangerous beasts; they laughed +and joked, passed remarks upon them, and even poked +them with sticks. Fothergill, furious at this treatment, +caught one of the sticks, and wrenching it from the +hands of the Chinaman, tried to strike at him through +the bars, a proceeding which excited shouts of laughter +from the bystanders.</p> + +<p>“I think, Jack,” Percy said, “it +will be best to try and keep our tempers and not to +seem to mind what they do to us, then if they find +they can’t get any fun out of us they will soon +leave us alone.”</p> + +<p>“Of course, that’s the best plan,” +Fothergill agreed, “but it’s not so easy +to follow. That fellow very nearly poked out my eye +with his stick, and no one’s going to stand +that if he can help it.”</p> + +<p>It was some hours before the curiosity of the village +was satisfied. When all had paid who were likely to +do so, the guards broke up their circle, and leaving +two of their number at the cage to see that no actual +harm was caused to their prisoners, the rest went off +to a refreshment house. The place of the elders was +now taken by the boys and children of the village, +who crowded round the cage, prodded the prisoners +with sticks, and, putting their hands through the bars, +pulled their ears and hair. This amusement, however, +was brought to an abrupt conclusion by Fothergill +suddenly seizing the wrist of a big boy and pulling +his arm through the cage until his face was against +the bars; then he proceeded to punch him until the +guard, coming to his rescue, poked Fothergill with +his stick until he released his hold.</p> + +<p>The punishment of their comrade excited neither anger +nor resentment among the other boys, who yelled with +delight at his discomfiture, but it made them more +careful in approaching the cage, and though they continued +to poke the prisoners with sticks they did not venture +again to thrust a hand through the bars. At sunset +the guards again came round, lifted the cage and carried +it into a shed. A platter of dirty rice and a jug +of water were put into the cage; two of the men lighted +their long pipes and sat down on guard beside it, and, +the doors being closed, the captives were left in +peace.</p> + +<p>“If this sort of thing is to go on, as I suppose +it is,” Fothergill said, “the sooner they +cut off our heads the better.”</p> + +<p>“It is very bad, Jack. I am sore all over with +those probes from their sharp sticks.”</p> + +<p>“I don’t care for the pain, Percy, so +much as the humiliation of the thing. To be stared +at and poked at as if we were wild beasts by these +curs, when with half a dozen of our men we could send +a hundred of them scampering, I feel as if I could +choke with rage.”</p> + +<p>“You had better try and eat some of this rice, +Jack. It is beastly, but I daresay we shall get no +more until to-morrow night, and we must keep up our +strength if we can. At any rate, the water is not bad, +that’s a comfort.”</p> + +<p>“No thanks to them,” Jack growled. “If +there had been any bad water in the neighbourhood +they would have given it to us.”</p> + +<p>For six weeks the sufferings of the prisoners continued. +Their captors avoided towns where the authorities +would probably at once have taken the prisoners out +of their hands. No one would have recognized the two +captives as the midshipmen of the <i>Perseus</i>; their +clothes were in rags–torn to pieces by the thrusts +of the sharp-pointed bamboos, to which they had daily +been subjected–the bad food, the cramped position, +and the misery which they suffered had worn both lads +to skeletons; their hair was matted with filth, their +faces begrimed with dirt. Percy was so weak that he +felt he could not stand. Fothergill, being three years +older, was less exhausted, but he knew that he, too, +could not support his sufferings for many days longer. +Their bodies were covered with sores, and try as they +would they were able to catch only a few minutes’ +sleep at a time, so much did the bamboo bars hurt their +wasted limbs.</p> + +<p>They seldom exchanged a word during the daytime, suffering +in silence the persécutions to which they were exposed, +but at night they talked over their homes and friends +in England, and their comrades on board ship, seldom +saying a word as to their present position. They were +now in a hilly country, but had not the least idea +of the direction in which it lay from Canton or its +distance from the coast.</p> + +<p>One evening Jack said to his companion, “I think +it’s nearly all over now, Percy. The last two +days we have made longer journeys, and have not stopped +at any of the smaller villages we passed through. I +fancy our guards must see that we can’t last +much longer, and are taking us down to some town to +hand us over to the authorities and get their reward +for us.”</p> + +<p>“I hope it is so, Jack; the sooner the better. +Not that it makes much difference now to me, for I +do not think I can stand many more days of it.”</p> + +<p>“I am afraid I am tougher than you, Percy, and +shall take longer to kill, so I hope with all my heart +that I may be right, and that they may be going to +give us up to the authorities.”</p> + +<p>The next evening they stopped at a large place, and +were subjected to the usual persecution; this, however, +was now less prolonged than during the early days +of their captivity, for they had now no longer strength +or spirits to resent their treatment, and as no fun +was to be obtained from passive victims, even the +village boys soon ceased to find any amusement in +tormenting them.</p> + +<p>When most of their visitors had left them, an elderly +Chinaman approached the side of the cage. He spoke +to their guards and looked at them attentively for +some minutes, then he said in pigeon English, “You +officer men?”</p> + +<p>“Yes!” Jack exclaimed, starting at the +sound of the English words, the first they had heard +spoken since their captivity. “Yes, we are officers +of the <i>Perseus</i>.”</p> + +<p>“Me speeke English velly well,” the Chinaman +said; “me pilot-man many years on Canton river. +How you get here?”</p> + +<p>“We were attacking some piratical junks, and +landed to destroy the village where the people were +firing on us. We entered a place full of pirates, +and were knocked down and taken prisoners, and carried +away up the country; that is six weeks ago, and you +see what we are now.”</p> + +<p>“Pirate men velly bad,” the Chinaman said; +“plunder many junk on river and kill crew. Me +muchee hate them.”</p> + +<p>“Can you do anything for us?” Jack asked. +“You will be well rewarded if you could manage +to get us free.”</p> + +<p>The man shook his head.</p> + +<p>“Me no see what can do, me stranger here; come +to stay with wifey; people no do what me ask them. +English ships attack Canton, much fight and take town, +people all hate English. Bad country dis. People in +one village fight against another. Velly bad men here.”</p> + +<p>“How far is Canton away?” Jack asked. +“Could you not send down to tell the English +we are here?”</p> + +<p>“Fourteen days’ journey off,” the +man said, “no see how can do anything.”</p> + +<p>“Well,” Jack said, “when you get +back again to Canton let our people know what has +been the end of us, we shall not last much longer.”</p> + +<p>“All light,” the man said, “will +see what me can do. Muchee think to-night!” +And after saying a few words to the guards, who had +been regarding this conversation with an air of surprise, +the Chinaman retired.</p> + +<p>The guards had for some time abandoned the precaution +of sitting up at night by the cage, convinced that +their captives had no longer strength to attempt to +break through its fastenings or to drag themselves +many yards away if they could do so. They therefore +left it standing in the open, and, wrapping themselves +in their thickly-wadded coats, for the nights were +cold, lay down by the side of the cage.</p> + +<p>The coolness of the nights had, indeed, assisted to +keep the two prisoners alive. During the day the sun +was excessively hot, and the crowd of visitors round +the cage impeded the circulation of the air and added +to their sufferings. It was true that the cold at night +frequently prevented them from sleeping, but it acted +as a tonic and braced them up.</p> + +<p>“What did he mean about the villages attacking +each other?” Percy asked.</p> + +<p>“I have heard,” Jack replied, “that +in some parts of China things are very much the same +as they used to be in the highlands of Scotland. There +is no law or order. The different villages are like +clans, and wage war on each other. Sometimes the Government +sends a number of troops, who put the thing down for +a time, chop off a good many heads, and then march +away, and the whole work begins again as soon as their +backs are turned.”</p> + +<p>That night the uneasy slumber of the lads was disturbed +by a sudden firing; shouts and yells were heard, and +the firing redoubled.</p> + +<p>“The village is attacked,” Jack said. +“I noticed that, like some other places we have +come into lately, there is a strong earthen wall round +it, with gates. Well, there is one comfort–it does +not make much difference to us which side wins.”</p> + +<p>The guards at the first alarm leapt to their feet, +caught up their matchlocks, and ran to aid in the +defence of the wall. Two minutes later a man ran up +to the cage.</p> + +<p>“All lightee,” he said; “just what +me hopee.”</p> + +<p>With his knife he cut the tough withes that held the +bamboos in their places, and pulled out three of the +bars.</p> + +<p>“Come along,” he said; “no time +to lose.”</p> + +<p>Jack scrambled out, but in trying to stand upright +gave a sharp exclamation of pain. Percy crawled out +more slowly; he tried to stand up, but could not. +The Chinaman caught him up and threw him on his shoulder.</p> + +<p>“Come along quickee,” he said to Jack; +“if takee village, kill evely one.” He +set off at a run. Jack followed as fast as he could, +groaning at every step from the pain the movement +caused to his bruised body.</p> + +<p>They went to the side of the village opposite to that +at which the attack was going on. They met no one +on the way, the inhabitants having all rushed to the +other side to repel the attack. They stopped at a +small gate in the wall, the Chinaman drew back the +bolts and opened it, and they passed out into the +country. For an hour they kept on. By the end of that +time Jack could scarcely drag his limbs along. The +Chinaman halted at length in a clump of trees surrounded +by a thick undergrowth.</p> + +<p>“Allee safee here,” he said, “no +searchee so far; here food;” and he produced +from a wallet a cold chicken and some boiled rice, +and unslung from his shoulder a gourd filled with +cold tea.</p> + +<p>“Me go back now, see what happen. To-mollow +nightee come again–bringee more food.” And +without another word went off at a rapid pace.</p> + +<p>Jack moistened his lips with the tea, and then turned +to his companion. Percy had not spoken a word since +he had been released from the cage, and had been insensible +during the greater part of his journey. Jack poured +some cold tea between his lips.</p> + +<p>“Cheer up, Percy, old boy, we are free now, +and with luck and that good fellow’s help we +will work our way down to Canton yet.”</p> + +<p>“I shall never get down there; you may,” +Percy said feebly.</p> + +<p>“Oh, nonsense, you will pick up strength like +a steam-engine now. Here, let me prop you against +this tree. That’s better. Now drink a drop of +this tea; it’s like nectar after that filthy +water we have been drinking. Now you will feel better. +Now you must try and eat a little of this chicken +and rice. Oh, nonsense, you have got to do it. I am +not going to let you give way when our trouble is +just over. Think of your people at home, Percy, and +make an effort, for their sakes. Good heavens! now +I think of it, it must be Christmas morning. We were +caught on the 2nd and we have been just twenty-two +days on show. I am sure that it must be past twelve +o’clock, and it is Christmas-day. It is a good +omen, Percy. This food isn’t like roast beef +and plum-pudding, but it’s not to be despised, +I can tell you. Come, fire away, that’s a good +fellow.”</p> + +<p>Percy made an effort and ate a few mouthfuls of rice +and chicken, then he took another draught of tea, +and lay down, and was almost immediately asleep.</p> + +<p>Jack ate his food slowly and contentedly till he finished +half the supply, then he, too, lay down, and, after +a short but hearty thanksgiving for his escape from +a slow and lingering death, he, too, fell off to sleep. +The sun was rising when he woke, being aroused by a +slight movement on the part of Percy; he opened his +eyes and sat up.</p> + +<p>“Well, Percy, how do you feel this morning?” +he asked cheerily.</p> + +<p>“I feel too weak to move,” Percy replied +languidly.</p> + +<p>“Oh, you will be all right when you have sat +up and eaten breakfast,” Jack said. “Here +you are; here is a wing for you, and this rice is as +white as snow, and the tea is first rate. I thought +last night after I lay down that I heard a murmur +of water, so after we have had breakfast I will look +about and see if I can find it. We should feel like +new men after a wash. You look awful, and I am sure +I am just as bad.”</p> + +<p>The thought of a wash inspirited Percy far more than +that of eating, and he sat up and made a great effort +to do justice to breakfast. He succeeded much better +than he had done the night before, and Jack, although +he pretended to grumble, was satisfied with his companion’s +progress, and finished off the rest of the food. Then +he set out to search for water. He had not very far +to go; a tiny stream, a few inches wide and two or +three inches deep, ran through the wood from the higher +ground. After throwing himself down and taking a drink, +he hurried back to Percy.</p> + +<p>“It is all right, Percy, I have found it. We +can wash to our hearts’ content; think of that, +lad.”</p> + +<p>Percy could hardly stand, but he made an effort, and +Jack half carried him to the streamlet. There the +lads spent hours. First they bathed their heads and +hands, and then, stripping, lay down in the stream +and allowed it to flow over them, then they rubbed +themselves with handfuls of leaves dipped in the water, +and when they at last put on their rags again felt +like new men. Percy was able to walk back to the spot +they had quitted with the assistance only of Jack’s +arm. The latter, feeling that his breakfast had by +no means appeased his hunger, now started for a search +through the wood, and presently returned to Percy laden +with nuts and berries.</p> + +<p>“The nuts are sure to be all right; I expect +the berries are too. I have certainly seen some like +them in native markets, and I think it will be quite +safe to risk it.”</p> + +<p>The rest of the day was spent in picking nuts and +eating them. Then they sat down and waited for the +arrival of their friend. He came two hours after nightfall +with a wallet stored with provisions, and told them +that he had regained the village unobserved. The attack +had been repulsed, but with severe loss to the defenders +as well as the assailants; two of their guards had +been among the killed. The others had made a great +clamour over the escape of the prisoners, and had made +a close search throughout the village and immediately +round it, for they were convinced that their captives +had not had the strength to go any distance. He thought, +however, that although they had professed the greatest +indignation, and had offered many threats as to the +vengeance that Government would take upon the village, +one of whose inhabitants, at least, must have aided +in the evasion of the prisoners, they would not trouble +themselves any further in the matter. They had already +reaped a rich harvest from the exhibition, and would +divide among themselves the share of their late comrades; +nor was it at all improbable that if they were to +report the matter to the authorities they would themselves +get into serious trouble for not having handed over +the prisoners immediately after their capture.</p> + +<p>For a fortnight the pilot nursed and fed the two midshipmen. +He had already provided them with native clothes, +so that if by chance any villagers should catch sight +of them they would not recognize them as the escaped +white men. At the end of that time both the lads had +almost recovered from the effects of their sufferings. +Jack, indeed, had picked up from the first, but Percy +for some days continued so weak and ill that Jack +had feared that he was going to have an attack of fever +of some kind. His companion’s cheery and hopeful +chat did as much good for Percy as the nourishing +food with which their friend supplied them, and at +the end of the fortnight he declared that he felt sufficiently +strong to attempt to make his way down to the coast.</p> + +<p>The pilot acted as their guide. When they inquired +about his wife, he told them carelessly that she would +remain with her kinsfolk, and would travel on to Canton +and join him there when she found an opportunity. +The journey was accomplished at night, by very short +stages at first, but by increasing distances as Percy +gained strength. During the daytime the lads lay hid +in woods or jungles, while their companion went into +the village and purchased food. They struck the river +many miles above Canton, and the pilot, going down +first to a village on its banks, bargained for a boat +to take him and two women down to the city.</p> + +<p>The lads went on board at night and took their places +in the little cabin formed of bamboos and covered +with mats in the stern of the boat, and remained thus +sheltered not only from the view of people in boats +passing up or down the stream, but from the eyes of +their own boatmen.</p> + +<p>After two days’ journey down the river without +incident, they arrived off Canton, where the British +fleet was still lying while negotiations for peace +were being carried on with the authorities at Pekin. +Peeping out between the mats, the lads caught sight +of the English warships, and, knowing that there was +now no danger, they dashed out of the cabin, to the +surprise of the native boatmen, and shouted and waved +their arms to the distant ships.</p> + +<p>In ten minutes they were alongside the <i>Perseus</i>, +when they were hailed as if restored from the dead. +The pilot was very handsomely rewarded by the English +authorities for his kindness to the prisoners, and +was highly satisfied with the result of his proceedings, +which more than doubled the little capital with which +he had retired from business. Jack Fothergill and +Percy Adcock declare that they have never since eaten +chicken without thinking of their Christmas fare on +the morning of their escape from the hands of the +Chinese pirates.</p> + +<p align="center" class="smallcaps"><b>The End.</b></p> + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Tales of Daring and Danger, by G. A. Henty + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TALES OF DARING AND DANGER *** + +This file should be named 8tdar10h.htm or 8tdar10h.zip +Corrected EDITIONS of our eBooks get a new NUMBER, 8tdar11h.htm +VERSIONS based on separate sources get new LETTER, 8tdar10ah.htm + +Produce by Juliet Sutherland, Thomas Hutchinson +and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team + +Project Gutenberg eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the US +unless a copyright notice is included. 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