CHAPTER FORTY FIVE.
"HUZZA!"
By the time the _Teaser's_ boats had picked up those of the wretches whowished to be saved, I had learned from Mr Brooke how, when the boatstruck, he and the others had clung to her and been swept along throughthe channel, the fierce current carrying them round the point, and atlast into comparative shelter, where finally they reached the shoreright on the far side of the island.
Thence, after a great deal of climbing, they made their way toward thechannel to come in search of us; but they had to fly for their lives,finding that the island was in possession of the wrecked crew of thejunk.
They lay in hiding all that day and the next. That evening, in answerto signals, a fishing-boat picked them up, half-dead with thirst, and bythe use of a few Chinese words and signs, and the showing of money, themen were prevailed upon to take them up to the river, where, to MrBrooke's great delight, he found the _Teaser_ at her old anchorageuninjured, she having escaped the fury of the typhoon, just passing intothe river before it came down in its full violence.
Captain Thwaites had been anxiously awaiting the return of the boat fromup the river, for, in spite of all inquiries, he had been unable to getany tidings of her till just as Mr Brooke arrived, to find the ownersof the boat he had taken, on board making application for payment.
They were dismissed with a promise of full restitution, and, while steamwas being got up, a boat was lowered, the floating grating which actedas a buoy found, the cutter recovered, and then the _Teaser_ sailed forthe river's mouth and came in search of us, Mr Brooke still clinging tothe hope that we had escaped. In the offing the two junks were seen andrecognised, evidently on their way to pick up their shipwrecked friends.
First of all, the strong party of blue jackets and marines was landed,while the _Teaser_ went round the back of the island, to reach thechannel and take the pirate junks by surprise.
Thorough success, as I have shown, attended the manoeuvre, and soonafter we were on board, where, after a few congratulatory words from ourbusy captain, I found Barkins and Smith eager to welcome me back, andquite ready to forgive me for having what they called "such a gloriouslot of adventures," on account of the share they had had in the sinkingand blowing up of the two pirate junks.
"Yes," said Barkins, after I had told my experiences on the island,"that was all very well; but oh, my lad, you should have been here whenwe attacked those junks! It was glorious--wasn't it, Blacksmith?"
"Lovely! But don't say any more to the poor fellow; it will only makehim mad."
We returned to the river, where our prisoners were landed, and we threelads had more than one spell on shore before we left that port, notablybeing in the city on the night of the Feast of Lanterns; but though wehad several more brushes with pirates, they were all trivial affairswith small junks, the destruction of the last three being the crowningpoint of our achievements. Indeed, this and the sinking of another insearch of which, upon excellent information, Captain Thwaites hadsuddenly gone after we had set out on our shooting expedition, and inwhich engagement Smith assured me he had greatly distinguished himself,were such blows to the piratical profession that its pursuers werestunned for the time.
We remained upon the coast for another six months, and then: wereordered home, to the great delight of everybody but Ching, who partedfrom us all very sadly.
"You think Mr Leardon like to take Ching see Queen Victolia?" he saidto me one day in confidence.
"I'm afraid not," I replied seriously.
"Ching velly solly," he said. "Plenty lich man now! plenty plize-money!Ching wear silk evely day in Queen Victolia countly. You no tinkcaptain take Ching?"
"I'm sure he would not," I said.
"Ching velly good interpleter; velly useful man."
"Very; you've been a splendid fellow, Ching!"
He smiled, and a fresh idea struck him.
"You tink Queen Victolia like Ching teach lit' plince and plincess talkChinese?"
Again I was obliged to damp his aspirations, and he sighed.
"What shall you do when we are gone, Ching?" I said.
"Open fancee shop again. Sell muchee tea, basket, shell, culios, fo'Inglis people. Glow tow-chang velly long. Wait till Mr Hellick comeback with jolly sailo' boy, fight pilate."
And with that understanding, which was doomed never to be fulfilled, weparted.
For the next morning the men were singing--
"Huzza! we're homeward bou-ou-ound. Huzza! we're homeward bound."
And homeward we all--including Tom Jecks, who soon recovered from hisinjury--returned in safety, HMS _Teaser_ steaming gently one summer dayinto Plymouth Sound; and this is her log--my log--written by a boy. Butthat was years ago, and I'm an old boy now.
THE END.
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