A BRUSH WITH THE CHINESE,
AND WHAT CAME OF IT.
It was early in December that H.M.S. _Perseus_ was cruising off themouth of the Canton River. War had been declared with China inconsequence of her continued evasions of the treaty she had made withus, and it was expected that a strong naval force would soon gather tobring her to reason. In the meantime the ships on the station had a busytime of it, chasing the enemy's junks when they ventured to showthemselves beyond the reach of the guns of their forts, and occasionallyhaving a brush with the piratical boats which took advantage of thegeneral confusion to plunder friend as well as foe.
The _Perseus_ had that afternoon chased two Government junks up a creek.The sun had already set when they took refuge there, and the captaindid not care to send his boats after them in the dark, as many of thecreeks ran up for miles into the flat country; and as they notunfrequently had many arms or branches, the boats might, in the dark,miss the junks altogether. Orders were issued that four boats should beready for starting at daybreak the next morning. The _Perseus_ anchoredoff the mouth of the creek, and two boats were ordered to row backwardsand forwards off its mouth all night to insure that the enemy did notslip out in the darkness.
Jack Fothergill, the senior midshipman, was commanding the gig, and twoof the other midshipmen were going in the pinnace and launch, commandedrespectively by the first lieutenant and the master. The three othermidshipmen of the _Perseus_ were loud in their lamentations that theywere not to take share in the fun.
"You can't all go, you know," Fothergill said, "and it's no use making arow about it; the captain has been very good to let three of us go."
"It's all very well for you, Jack," Percy Adcock, the youngest of thelads, replied, "because you are one of those chosen; and it is not sohard for Simmons and Linthorpe, because they went the other day in theboat that chased those junks under shelter of the guns of their battery,but I haven't had a chance for ever so long."
"What fun was there in chasing the junks?" Simmons said. "We never gotnear the brutes till they were close to their battery, and then just asthe first shot came singing from their guns, and we thought that we weregoing 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. Ofcourse I am not blaming Oliphant, for the captain's orders were strictthat we were not to try to cut the junks out if they got under the gunsof any of their batteries. Still it was horribly annoying, and I dothink the captain might have remembered what beastly luck we had lasttime, and given us a chance to-morrow."
"It is clear we could not all go," Fothergill said, "and naturallyenough the captain chose the three seniors. Besides, if you did havebad luck last time, you had your chance, and I don't suppose we shallhave anything more exciting now; these fellows always set fire to theirjunks and row for the shore directly they see us, after firing a shot ortwo wildly in our direction."
"Well, Jack, if you don't expect any fun," Simmons replied, "perhaps youwouldn'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 goodenough to allow me to relieve you."
"A likely thing that!" Fothergill laughed. "No, Tom, I am sorry you arenot going, but you must make the best of it till another chance comes."
"Don't you think, Jack," Percy Adcock said to his senior in a coaxingtone later on, "you could manage to smuggle me into the boat with you?"
"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 hityour little carcase as to lodge in one of the sailors. No, you must justmake the best of it, Percy, and I promise you that next time there is aboat expedition, if you are not put in, I will say a good word to thefirst luff for you."
"That promise is better than nothing," the boy said; "but I would a dealrather go this time and take my chance next."
"But you see you can't, Percy, and there's no use talking any more aboutit. I really do not expect there will be any fighting. Two junks wouldhardly make any opposition to the boats of the ship, and I expect weshall be back by nine o'clock with the news that they were well on firebefore we came up."
Percy Adcock, however, was determined, if possible, to go. He was afavourite 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 hiswishes.
"We are to start at daybreak, Tom, so that it will be quite dark whenthe boats are lowered. I will creep into the gig before that and hidemyself as well as I can under your thwart, and all you have got to do isto take no notice of me. When the boat is lowered I think they willhardly make me out from the deck, especially as you will be standing upin the bow holding on with the boat-hook till the rest get on board."
"Well, sir, I will do my best; but if you are caught you must not letout that I knew anything about it."
"I won't do that," Percy said. "I don't think there is much chance of mybeing noticed until we get on board the junks, and then they won't knowwhich boat I came off in, and the first lieutenant will be too busy toblow me up. Of course I shall get it when I am on board again, but Idon't mind that so that I see the fun. Besides, I want to send home somethings to my sister, and she will like them all the better if I can tellher I captured them on board some junks we seized and burnt."
The next morning the crews mustered before daybreak. Percy had alreadytaken his place under the bow thwart of the gig. The davits were swungoverboard, and two men took their places in her as she was lowered downby the falls. As soon as she touched the water the rest of the crewclambered down by the ladder and took their places; then Fothergill tookhis seat in the stern, and the boat pushed off and lay a few lengthsaway from the ship until the heavier boats put off. As soon as they wereunder way Percy crawled out from his hiding-place and placed himself inthe bow, where he was sheltered by the body of the oarsmen fromFothergill's sight.
Day was just breaking now, but it was still dark on the water, and theboat rowed very slowly until it became lighter. Percy could just makeout the shores of the creek on both sides; they were but two or threefeet above the level of the water, and were evidently submerged at hightide. The creek was about a hundred yards wide, and the lad could notsee far ahead, for it was full of sharp windings and turnings. Here andthere branches joined it, but the boats were evidently following themain channel. After another half-hour's rowing the first lieutenantsuddenly gave the order, "Easy all," and the men, looking over theirshoulders, saw a village a quarter of a mile ahead, with the two junksthey had chased the night before lying in front of it. Almost at thesame moment a sudden uproar was heard--drums were beaten and gongssounded.
"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."
The oars all touched the water together, and the four boats leaptforward. In a minute a scattering fire of gingals and matchlocks wasopened from the junks, and the bullets pattered on the water round theboats. Percy was kneeling up in the bow now. As they passed a branchchannel three or four hundred yards from the village, he started andleapt to his feet.
"There are four or five junks in that passage, Fothergill; they arepoling out."
The first lieutenant heard the words.
"Row on, men; let us finish with these craft ahead before the others getout. 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 notgoing higher up. I was surprised at seeing them here, for they mightguess that we should try to get them this morning. Evidently theycalculated on catching us in a trap."
Percy was delighted at finding that, in the excitement caused by hisnews, the first lieutenant had forgotten to take any notice of his beingthere without orders, and he returned a defiant nod to the
threatconveyed by Fothergill shaking his fist at him. As they neared the junksthe fire of those on board redoubled, and was aided by that of manyvillagers gathered on the bank of the creek. Suddenly from a bank ofrushes four cannons were fired. A ball struck the pinnace, smashing inher side. The other boats gathered hastily round and took her crew onboard, and then dashed at the junks, which were but a hundred yardsdistant. The valour of the Chinese evaporated as they saw the boatsapproaching, and scores of them leapt overboard and swam for shore.
In another minute the boats were alongside and the crews scrambling upthe sides of the junks. A few Chinamen only attempted to oppose them.These were speedily overcome, and the British had now time to lookround, and saw that six junks crowded with men had issued from the sidecreek and were making towards them.
"Let the boats tow astern," the lieutenant ordered. "We should have torun the gauntlet of that battery on shore if we were to attack them, andmight lose another boat before we reached their side. We will fight themhere."
The junks approached, those on board firing their guns, yelling andshouting, while the drums and gongs were furiously beaten.
"They will find themselves mistaken, Percy, if they think they are goingto frighten us with all that row," Fothergill said. "You young rascal,how did you get on board the boat without being seen? The captain willbe sure to suspect I had a hand in concealing you."
The tars were now at work firing the gingals attached to the bulwarksand the matchlocks, with which the deck was strewn, at the approachingjunks. As they took steady aim, leaning their pieces on the bulwarks,they did considerable execution among the Chinamen crowded on board thejunks, while the shot of the Chinese, for the most part, whistled faroverhead; but the guns of the shore battery, which had now been slewedround to bear upon them, opened with a better aim, and several shotscame crashing into the sides of the two captured junks.
"Get ready to board, lads!" Lieutenant Oliphant shouted. "Don't waitfor them to board you, but the moment they come alongside lash theirrigging to ours and spring on board them."
The leading junk was now about twenty yards away, and presently gratedalongside. Half-a-dozen sailors at once sprang into her rigging withropes, and after lashing the junks together leaped down upon her deck,where Fothergill was leading the gig's crew and some of those rescuedfrom the pinnace, while Mr. Bellew, with another party, had boarded herat the stern. Several of the Chinese fought stoutly, but the greaterpart lost heart at seeing themselves attacked by the "white devils,"instead of, as they expected, overwhelming them by their superiornumbers. Many began at once to jump overboard, and after two or threeminutes' sharp fighting, the rest either followed their example or werebeaten below.
Fothergill looked round. The other junk had been attacked by two of theenemy, one on each side, and the little body of sailors were gathered inher waist, and were defending themselves against an overwhelming numberof the enemy.
The other three piratical junks had been carried somewhat up the creekby the tide that was sweeping inward, and could not for the moment takepart in the fight.
"Mr. Oliphant is hard pressed, sir." He asked the master: "Shall we taketo the boats?"
"That will be the best plan," Mr. Bellew replied. "Quick, lads, get theboats alongside and tumble in; there is not a moment to be lost."
The crew at once sprang to the boats and rowed to the other junk, whichwas but some thirty yards away.
The Chinese, absorbed in their contest with the crew of the pinnace, didnot perceive the new-comers until they gained the deck, and with a shoutfell furiously upon them. In their surprise and consternation thepirates did not pause to note that they were still five to one superiorin number, but made a precipitate rush for their own vessels. TheEnglish at once took the offensive. The first lieutenant with his partyboarded one, while the new-comers leapt on to the deck of the other. Thepanic which had seized the Chinese was so complete that they attemptedno resistance whatever, but sprang overboard in great numbers and swamto the shore, which was but twenty yards away, and in three minutes theEnglish were in undisputed possession of both vessels.
"Back again, Mr. Fothergill, or you will lose the craft you captured,"Lieutenant Oliphant said; "they have already cut her free."
The Chinese, indeed, who had been beaten below by the boarding party,had soon perceived the sudden departure of their captors, and gainingthe deck again had cut the lashings which fastened them to the otherjunk, and were proceeding to hoist their sails. They were too late,however. Almost before the craft had way on her Fothergill and his crewwere alongside. The Chinese did not wait for the attack, but at oncesprang overboard and made for the shore. The other three junks, seeingthe capture of their comrades, had already hoisted their sails and weremaking up the creek. Fothergill dropped an anchor, left four of his menin charge, and rowed back to Mr. Oliphant.
"What shall we do next, sir?"
"We will give those fellows on shore a lesson, and silence theirbattery. Two men have been killed since you left. We must let the otherjunks go for the present. Four of my men were killed and eleven woundedbefore Mr. Bellew and you came to our assistance. The Chinese werefighting pluckily up to that time, and it would have gone very hard withus if you had not been at hand; the beggars will fight when they thinkthey have got it all their own way. But before we land we will set fireto the five junks we have taken. Do you return and see that the twoastern are well lighted, Mr. Fothergill; Mr. Mason will see to thesethree. When you have done your work take to your boat and lay off till Ijoin you; keep the junks between you and the shore, to protect you fromthe fire of the rascals there."
"I cannot come with you, I suppose, Fothergill?" Percy Adcock said, asthe midshipman was about to descend into his boat again.
"Yes, come along, Percy. It doesn't matter what you do now. The captainwill be so pleased when he hears that we have captured and burnt fivejunks, that you will get off with a very light wigging, I imagine."
"That's just what I was thinking, Jack. Has it not been fun?"
"You wouldn't have thought it fun if you had got one of those matchlockballs in your body. There are a good many of our poor fellows just atthe present moment who do not see anything funny in the affair at all.Here we are; clamber up."
The crew soon set to work under Fothergill's orders. The sails were cutoff the masts and thrown down into the hold; bamboos, of which therewere an abundance down there, were heaped over them, a barrel of oil waspoured over the mass, and the fire then applied.
"That will do, lads. Now take to your boats and let's make a bonfire ofthe other junk."
In ten minutes both vessels were a sheet of flame, and the boat waslying a short distance from them waiting for further operations. Theinhabitants of the village, furious at the failure of the plan which hadbeen laid for the destruction of the "white devils," kept up a constantfusilade, which, however, did no harm, for the gig was completelysheltered by the burning junks close to her from their missiles.
"There go the others!" Percy exclaimed after a minute or two, as threecolumns of smoke arose simultaneously from the other junks, and thesailors were seen dropping into their boats alongside.
The killed and wounded were placed in the other gig with four sailors incharge. They were directed to keep under shelter of the junks untilrejoined by the pinnace and Fothergill's gig, after these had done theirwork on shore.
When all was ready the first lieutenant raised his hand as a signal, andthe 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.
"Mr. Fothergill, take your party into the village and set fire to thehouses; shoot down every man you see. This place is a nest of pirates. Iwill capture that battery and then join you."
Fothergill and his sailors at once entered the village. The men hadalready fled; the women were turned out of the houses, and these wereimmediately set on fire. The tars regarded
the whole affair as aglorious joke, and raced from house to house, making a hasty search ineach for concealed valuables before setting it on fire. In a short timethe whole village was in a blaze.
"There is a house there, standing in that little grove a hundred yardsaway," Percy said.
"It looks like a temple," Fothergill replied. "However, we will have alook at it." And calling two sailors to accompany him, he started at arun towards it, Percy keeping by his side.
"It is a temple," Fothergill said when they approached it. "Still, wewill have a look at it, but we won't burn it; it will be as well torespect the religion, even of a set of piratical scoundrels like these."
At the head of his men he rushed in at the entrance. There was a blazeof fire as half a dozen muskets were discharged in their faces. One ofthe sailors dropped dead, and before the others had time to realize whathad happened they were beaten to the ground by a storm of blows fromswords and other weapons.
A heavy blow crashed down on Percy's head, and he fell insensible evenbefore he realized what had occurred.
When he recovered, his first sensation was that of a vague wonder as towhat had happened to him. He seemed to be in darkness and unable to movehand or foot. He was compressed in some way that he could not at firstunderstand, and was being bumped and jolted in an extraordinary manner.It was some little time before he could understand the situation. Hefirst remembered the fight with the junks, then he recalled the landingand burning the village; then, as his brain cleared, came therecollection of his start with Fothergill for the temple among thetrees, his arrival there, and a loud report and flash of fire.
"I must have been knocked down and stunned," he said to himself, "and Isuppose I am a prisoner now to these brutes, and one of them must becarrying me on his back."
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 fastenedback to back upon the shoulders of a Chinaman. Percy remembered thetales he had heard of the imprisonment and torture of those who fellinto the hands of the Chinese, and he bitterly regretted that he hadnot been killed instead of stunned in the surprise of the temple.
"It would have been just the same feeling," he said to himself, "andthere would have been an end of it. Now, there is no saying what isgoing to happen. I wonder whether Jack was killed, and the sailors."
Presently there was a jabber of voices; the motion ceased. Percy couldfeel that the cords were being unwound, and he was dropped on to hisfeet; then the cloth was removed from his head, and he could look round.
A dozen Chinese, armed with matchlocks and bristling with swords anddaggers, stood around, and among them, bound like himself and gagged bya piece of bamboo forced lengthways across his mouth and kept there witha string going round the back of the head, stood Fothergill. He wasbleeding from several cuts in the head. Percy's heart gave a bound ofjoy at finding that he was not alone; then he tried to feel sorry thatJack had not escaped, but failed to do so, although he told himself thathis comrade's presence would not in any way alleviate the fate which wascertain to befall him. Still the thought of companionship, even inwretchedness, and perhaps a vague hope that Jack, with his energy andspirit, might contrive some way for their escape, cheered him up.
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 madeto walk in the centre of their captors. On the way they passed throughseveral villages, whose inhabitants poured out to gaze at the captives,but the men in charge of them were evidently not disposed to delay, asthey passed through without a stop. At last they halted before twocottages standing by themselves, thrust the prisoners into a small room,removed their gags, and left them to themselves.
"Well, Percy, my boy, so they caught you too? I am awfully sorry. It wasmy fault for going with only two men into that temple, but as thevillage had been deserted and scarcely a man was found there, it neverentered my mind that there might be a party in the temple."
"Of course not, Jack; it was a surprise altogether. I don't knowanything about it, for I was knocked down, I suppose, just as we wentin, and the first thing I knew about it was that I was being carried onthe back of one of those fellows. I thought it was awful at first, but Idon't seem to mind so much now you are with me."
"It is a comfort to have someone to speak to," Jack said, "yet I wishyou were not here, Percy; I can't do you any good, and I shall nevercease blaming myself for having brought you into this scrape. I don'tknow much more about the affair than you do. The guns were fired soclose to us that my face was scorched with one of them, and almost atthe same instant I got a lick across my cheek with a sword. I had justtime to hit at one of them, and then almost at the same moment I got twoor three other blows, and down I went; they threw themselves on the topof me and tied and gagged me in no time. Then I was tied to a longbamboo, and two fellows put the ends on their shoulders and went offwith me through the fields. Of course I was face downwards, and did notknow you were with us till they stopped and loosed me from the bambooand set me on my feet."
"But what are they going to do with us do you think, Jack?"
"I should say they are going to take us to Canton and claim a rewardfor our capture, and there I suppose they will cut off our heads or sawus in two, or put us to some other unpleasant kind of death. I expectthey are discussing it now; do you hear what a jabber they are kickingup?"
Voices were indeed heard raised in angry altercation in the next room.After a time the din subsided and the conversation appeared to take amore amiable turn.
"I suppose they have settled it as far as they are concerned," Jacksaid; "anyhow, you may be quite sure they mean to make something out ofus. If they hadn't they would have finished us at once, for they musthave been furious at the destruction of their junks and village. As tothe idea that mercy has anything to do with it, we may as well put itout of our minds. The Chinaman, at the best of times, has no feeling ofpity in his nature, and after their defeat it is certain they would havekilled us at once had they not hoped to do better by us. If they hadbeen Indians I should have said they had carried us off to enjoy thesatisfaction of torturing us, but I don't suppose it is that with them."
"Do you think there is any chance of our getting away?" Percy asked,after a pause.
"I should say not the least in the world, Percy. My hands are fastenedso tight now that the ropes seem cutting into my wrists, and after theyhad set me on my feet and cut the cords of my legs I could scarcelystand at first, my feet were so numbed by the pressure. However, we mustkeep up our pluck. Possibly they may keep us at Canton for a bit, and ifthey do the squadron may arrive and fight its way past the forts andtake the city before they have quite made up their minds as to what kindof death will be most appropriate to the occasion. I wonder what theyare doing now? They seem to be chopping sticks."
"I wish they would give us some water," Percy said. "I am frightfullythirsty."
"And so am I, Percy; there is one comfort, they won't let us die ofthirst, they could get no satisfaction out of our deaths now."
Two hours later some of the Chinese re-entered the room and led thecaptives outside, and the lads then saw what was the meaning of thenoise 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 thanthree feet high; above it was fastened two long bamboos. Two or three ofthe bars of the cage had been left open.
"My goodness! they never intend to put us in there," Percy exclaimed.
"That they do," Jack said. "They are going to carry us the rest of theway."
The cords which bound the prisoners' hands were now cut, and they weremotioned to crawl into the cage. This they did; the bars were then putin their places and securely lashed. Four men went to the ends of thepoles and lifted the cage upon their shoulders; two others took theirplaces beside it, and one man, apparently the leader of the party,walked on ahead; the rest remained behind.
"I neve
r quite realized what a fowl felt in a coop before," Jack said,"but if its sensations are at all like mine they must be decidedlyunpleasant. It isn't high enough to sit upright in, it is nothing likelong enough to lie down, and as to getting out one might as well thinkof flying. Do you know, Percy, I don't think they mean taking us toCanton at all. I did not think of it before, but from the direction ofthe sun I feel sure that we cannot have been going that way. What theyare up to I can't imagine."
In an hour they came to a large village. Here the cage was set down andthe villagers closed round. They were, however, kept a short distancefrom the cage by the men in charge of it. Then a wooden platter wasplaced on the ground, and persons throwing a few copper coins into thiswere allowed to come near the cage.
"They are making a show of us!" Fothergill exclaimed. "That's what theyare up to, you see if it isn't; they are going to travel up country toshow the 'white devils' whom their valour has captured."
This was, indeed, the purpose of the pirates. At that time Europeansseldom ventured beyond the limits assigned to them in the two or threetowns where they were permitted to trade, and few, indeed, of thecountry people had ever obtained a sight of the white barbarians ofwhose doings they had so frequently heard. Consequently a small crowdsoon gathered round the cage, eyeing the captives with the same interestthey would have felt as to unknown and dangerous beasts; they laughedand joked, passed remarks upon them, and even poked them with sticks.Fothergill, furious at this treatment, caught one of the sticks, andwrenching it from the hands of the Chinaman, tried to strike at himthrough the bars, a proceeding which excited shouts of laughter from theby-standers.
"I think, Jack," Percy said, "it will be best to try and keep ourtempers and not to seem to mind what they do to us, then if they findthey can't get any fun out of us they will soon leave us alone."
"Of course, that's the best plan," Fothergill agreed, "but it's not soeasy 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."
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 theircircle, and leaving two of their number at the cage to see that noactual harm was caused to their prisoners, the rest went off to arefreshment house. The place of the elders was now taken by the boysand children of the village, who crowded round the cage, prodded theprisoners with sticks, and, putting their hands through the bars, pulledtheir ears and hair. This amusement, however, was brought to an abruptconclusion by Fothergill suddenly seizing the wrist of a big boy andpulling 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.
The punishment of their comrade excited neither anger nor resentmentamong the other boys, who yelled with delight at his discomfiture, butit made them more careful in approaching the cage, and though theycontinued to poke the prisoners with sticks they did not venture againto thrust a hand through the bars. At sunset the guards again cameround, lifted the cage and carried it into a shed. A platter of dirtyrice and a jug of water were put into the cage; two of the men lightedtheir long pipes and sat down on guard beside it, and, the doors beingclosed, the captives were left in peace.
"If this sort of thing is to go on, as I suppose it is," Fothergillsaid, "the sooner they cut off our heads the better."
"It is very bad, Jack. I am sore all over with those probes from theirsharp sticks."
"I don't care for the pain, Percy, so much as the humiliation of thething. To be stared at and poked at as if we were wild beasts by thesecurs, when with half a dozen of our men we could send a hundred of themscampering, I feel as if I could choke with rage."
"You had better try and eat some of this rice, Jack. It is beastly, butI daresay we shall get no more until to-morrow night, and we must keepup our strength if we can. At any rate, the water is not bad, that's acomfort."
"No thanks to them," Jack growled. "If there had been any bad water inthe neighbourhood they would have given it to us."
For six weeks the sufferings of the prisoners continued. Their captorsavoided towns where the authorities would probably at once have takenthe prisoners out of their hands. No one would have recognized the twocaptives as the midshipmen of the _Perseus_; their clothes were inrags--torn to pieces by the thrusts of the sharp-pointed bamboos, towhich 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. Percywas so weak that he felt he could not stand. Fothergill, being threeyears older, was less exhausted, but he knew that he, too, could notsupport his sufferings for many days longer. Their bodies were coveredwith sores, and try as they would they were able to catch only a fewminutes' sleep at a time, so much did the bamboo bars hurt their wastedlimbs.
They seldom exchanged a word during the daytime, suffering in silencethe persecutions to which they were exposed, but at night they talkedover their homes and friends in England, and their comrades on boardship, seldom saying a word as to their present position. They were nowin a hilly country, but had not the least idea of the direction in whichit lay from Canton or its distance from the coast.
One evening Jack said to his companion, "I think it's nearly all overnow, Percy. The last two days we have made longer journeys, and havenot stopped at any of the smaller villages we passed through. I fancyour guards must see that we can't last much longer, and are taking usdown to some town to hand us over to the authorities and get theirreward for us."
"I hope it is so, Jack; the sooner the better. Not that it makes muchdifference now to me, for I do not think I can stand many more days ofit."
"I am afraid I am tougher than you, Percy, and shall take longer tokill, so I hope with all my heart that I may be right, and that they maybe going to give us up to the authorities."
The next evening they stopped at a large place, and were subjected tothe usual persecution; this, however, was now less prolonged than duringthe early days of their captivity, for they had now no longer strengthor spirits to resent their treatment, and as no fun was to be obtainedfrom passive victims, even the village boys soon ceased to find anyamusement in tormenting them.
When most of their visitors had left them, an elderly Chinamanapproached the side of the cage. He spoke to their guards and looked atthem attentively for some minutes, then he said in pigeon English, "Youofficer men?"
"Yes!" Jack exclaimed, starting at the sound of the English words, thefirst they had heard spoken since their captivity. "Yes, we are officersof the _Perseus_."
"Me speeke English velly well," the Chinaman said; "me pilot-man manyyears on Canton river. How you get here?"
"We were attacking some piratical junks, and landed to destroy thevillage where the people were firing on us. We entered a place full ofpirates, and were knocked down and taken prisoners, and carried away upthe country; that is six weeks ago, and you see what we are now."
"Pirate men velly bad," the Chinaman said; "plunder many junk on riverand kill crew. Me muchee hate them."
"Can you do anything for us?" Jack asked. "You will be well rewarded ifyou could manage to get us free."
The man shook his head.
"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 fightand take town, people all hate English. Bad country dis. People in onevillage fight against another. Velly bad men here."
"How far is Canton away?" Jack asked. "Could you not send down to tellthe English we are here?"
"Fourteen days' journey off," the man said; "no see how can doanything."
"Well," Jack said, "when you get back again to Canton let our peopleknow what has been the end of us; we shall not last much longer."
"All light," the man said, "will see what me can do. Muchee thinkto-night!" And after saying a few words to the gua
rds, who had beenregarding this conversation with an air of surprise, the Chinamanretired.
The guards had for some time abandoned the precaution of sitting up atnight by the cage, convinced that their captives had no longer strengthto attempt to break through its fastenings or to drag themselves manyyards away if they could do so. They therefore left it standing in theopen, and, wrapping themselves in their thickly-wadded coats, for thenights were cold, lay down by the side of the cage.
The coolness of the nights had, indeed, assisted to keep the twoprisoners alive. During the day the sun was excessively hot, and thecrowd of visitors round the cage impeded the circulation of the air andadded to their sufferings. It was true that the cold at night frequentlyprevented them from sleeping, but it acted as a tonic and braced themup.
"What did he mean about the villages attacking each other?" Percy asked.
"I have heard," Jack replied, "that in some parts of China things arevery 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, andwage war on each other. Sometimes the Government sends a number oftroops, 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 theirbacks are turned."
That night the uneasy slumber of the lads was disturbed by a suddenfiring; shouts and yells were heard, and the firing redoubled.
"The village is attacked," Jack said. "I noticed that, like some otherplaces we have come into lately, there is a strong earthen wall roundit, with gates. Well, there is one comfort--it does not make muchdifference to us which side wins."
The guards at the first alarm leapt to their feet, caught up theirmatchlocks, and ran to aid in the defence of the wall. Two minutes latera man ran up to the cage.
"All lightee," he said; "just what me hopee."
With his knife he cut the tough withes that held the bamboos in theirplaces, and pulled out three of the bars.
"Come along," he said; "no time to lose."
Jack scrambled out, but in trying to stand upright gave a sharpexclamation of pain. Percy crawled out more slowly; he tried to standup, but could not. The Chinaman caught him up and threw him on hisshoulder.
"Come along quickee," he said to Jack; "if takee village, kill evelyone." He set off at a run. Jack followed as fast as he could, groaningat every step from the pain the movement caused to his bruised body.
They went to the side of the village opposite to that at which theattack was going on. They met no one on the way, the inhabitants havingall rushed to the other side to repel the attack. They stopped at asmall 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 theend of that time Jack could scarcely drag his limbs along. The Chinamanhalted at length in a clump of trees surrounded by a thick undergrowth.
"Allee safee here," he said, "no searchee so far; here food;" and heproduced from a wallet a cold chicken and some boiled rice, and unslungfrom his shoulder a gourd filled with cold tea.
"Me go back now, see what happen. To-mollow nightee come again--bringeemore food." And without another word went off at a rapid pace.
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. Jackpoured some cold tea between his lips.
"Cheer up, Percy, old boy, we are free now, and with luck and that goodfellow's help we will work our way down to Canton yet."
"I shall never get down there; you may," Percy said feebly.
"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 ofthis tea; it's like nectar after that filthy water we have beendrinking. Now you will feel better. Now you must try and eat a little ofthis chicken and rice. Oh, nonsense, you have got to do it. I am notgoing to let you give way when our trouble is just over. Think of yourpeople at home, Percy, and make an effort, for their sakes. Goodheavens! now I think of it, it must be Christmas morning. We were caughton the 2nd and we have been just twenty-two days on show. I am sure thatit must be past twelve o'clock, and it is Christmas-day. It is a goodomen, Percy. This food isn't like roast beef and plum-pudding, but it'snot to be despised, I can tell you. Come, fire away, that's a goodfellow."
Percy made an effort and ate a few mouthfuls of rice and chicken, thenhe took another draught of tea, and lay down, and was almost immediatelyasleep.
Jack ate his food slowly and contentedly till he finished half thesupply, then he, too, lay down, and, after a short but heartythanksgiving 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 aslight movement on the part of Percy; he opened his eyes and sat up.
"Well, Percy, how do you feel this morning?" he asked cheerily.
"I feel too weak to move," Percy replied languidly.
"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 aswhite as snow, and the tea is first rate. I thought last night after Ilay down that I heard a murmur of water, so after we have had breakfastI will look about and see if I can find it. We should feel like new menafter a wash. You look awful, and I am sure I am just as bad."
The thought of a wash inspirited Percy far more than that of eating, andhe sat up and made a great effort to do justice to breakfast. Hesucceeded much better than he had done the night before, and Jack,although he pretended to grumble, was satisfied with his companion'sprogress, and finished off the rest of the food. Then he set out tosearch for water. He had not very far to go; a tiny stream, a fewinches wide and two or three inches deep, ran through the wood from thehigher ground. After throwing himself down and taking a drink, hehurried back to Percy.
"It is all right, Percy, I have found it. We can wash to our hearts'content; think of that, lad."
Percy could hardly stand, but he made an effort, and Jack half carriedhim to the streamlet. There the lads spent hours. First they bathedtheir heads and hands, and then, stripping, lay down in the stream andallowed it to flow over them, then they rubbed themselves with handfulsof leaves dipped in the water, and when they at last put on their ragsagain felt like new men. Percy was able to walk back to the spot theyhad quitted with the assistance only of Jack's arm. The latter, feelingthat his breakfast had by no means appeased his hunger, now started fora search through the wood, and presently returned to Percy laden withnuts and berries.
"The nuts are sure to be all right; I expect the berries are too. I havecertainly seen some like them in native markets, and I think it will bequite safe to risk it."
The rest of the day was spent in picking nuts and eating them. Thenthey sat down and waited for the arrival of their friend. He came twohours after nightfall with a wallet stored with provisions, and toldthem that he had regained the village unobserved. The attack had beenrepulsed, but with severe loss to the defenders as well as theassailants; two of their guards had been among the killed. The othershad made a great clamour over the escape of the prisoners, and had madea close search throughout the village and immediately round it, for theywere convinced that their captives had not had the strength to go anydistance. He thought, however, that although they had professed thegreatest indignation, and had offered many threats as to the vengeancethat Government would take upon the village, one of whose inhabitants,at least, must have aided in the evasion of the prisoners, they wouldnot trouble themselves any further in the matter. They had alreadyreaped a rich harvest from the exhibition, and would divide amongthemselves the share of their late comrades; nor was it at allimprobable that if they were to report the matter to the authoritiesthey would themselves get into serious trouble for not having handedover the prisoners immediately after their capture.
For a fortnight the pilot nursed and fed the two midshipmen. He hadalready provided them with native clo
thes, so that if by chance anyvillagers should catch sight of them they would not recognize them asthe escaped white men. At the end of that time both the lads had almostrecovered from the effects of their sufferings. Jack, indeed, had pickedup from the first, but Percy for some days continued so weak and illthat Jack had feared that he was going to have an attack of fever ofsome kind. His companion's cheery and hopeful chat did as much good forPercy as the nourishing food with which their friend supplied them, andat the end of the fortnight he declared that he felt sufficiently strongto attempt to make his way down to the coast.
The pilot acted as their guide. When they inquired about his wife, hetold them carelessly that she would remain with her kinsfolk, and wouldtravel 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 daytimethe lads lay hid in woods or jungles, while their companion went intothe village and purchased food. They struck the river many miles aboveCanton, 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.
The lads went on board at night and took their places in the littlecabin 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 boatspassing up or down the stream, but from the eyes of their own boatmen.
After two days' journey down the river without incident, they arrivedoff Canton, where the British fleet was still lying while negotiationsfor peace were being carried on with the authorities at Pekin. Peepingout 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 armsto the distant ships.
In ten minutes they were alongside the _Perseus_, when they were hailedas if restored from the dead. The pilot was very handsomely rewarded bythe English authorities for his kindness to the prisoners, and washighly satisfied with the result of his proceedings, which more thandoubled the little capital with which he had retired from business. JackFothergill and Percy Adcock declare that they have never since eatenchicken without thinking of their Christmas fare on the morning of theirescape from the hands of the Chinese pirates.
THE END.