CHAPTER TWENTY THREE.
SAVED.
"Look sharp, sir," I said, after going forward, and in a few wordsexplaining our position.
"Right, my lad. Get your men together in the stern of your boat, andkeep up the fire, while we make fast and try and tow you off. Hi! quickthere!" he roared; and a cheer told us that another boat was close athand.
But my work was cut out, the men placed well under cover, and we waitedlistening for the first sounds of the returning enemy, while from timeto time Mr Brooke's clear, short orders came out of the darkness behindus, and we knew that he had sent a party into the fixed boat to rock itfrom side to side. Then came a cheer, as the water rolled hissing andwhispering among the reeds; there was the simultaneous plash of oars,and a creaking sound.
Then another sound from the bank of the creek, which I knew well enough.
"Say when, sir," whispered Tom Jecks. "They're a-coming on." To ourastonishment, for the enemy had crept forward so silently that we hadhardly heard a sound, there was a hideous yell, and a crashing volley,the bullets hissing over our heads again, and once more the gong-beatingbegan.
"Fire!" I said.
"Yes, fire, my lads, steady--where you see the flashes of theirmatchlocks."
The voice came from close to my ear.
"Mr Reardon!" I cried in astonishment.
"Yes, Herrick; that bullet quite stunned me for a minute or two. I'mbetter now. But hasn't it grown dark rather suddenly?"
"Yes, sir," I said; for I felt in my excitement as if it would beimpossible to enter into explanations then.
"But we're in motion."
"Hooray!"
Every one took up that cheer; for the combined efforts of the men whorowed the laden craft, and the tugging of two boats' crews of menstraining with all their might at their stout ashen blades, had therequired effect. We were indeed in motion, and going steadily down thestream.
"Ahoy, there: Mr Reardon!"
"Answer him, Herrick," said Mr Reardon; and I hailed again.
"Can you keep them off with your fire?"
"Say, yes."
"Yes; all right," I cried.
"Then we'll tow you out as fast as we can."
"Thank Heaven," I heard Mr Reardon whisper, as he crouched there,listening to the yelling, gong-beating, and firing, and with our menreplying from time to time whenever there seemed a chance.
And now the bullets from the matchlocks began to patter upon the bales;for the banks were growing lower and lower, and the trees more open, butnot a man was hit; and after another quarter of an hour's sharp replyingwe heard fresh cheering, the overshadowing trees on the banks suddenlybegan to grow distant. Then it became lighter still, with the starstwinkling over head and the lights of the _Teaser_ apparently close athand.
But the enemy, enraged at our escape, now crowded down to the bank andbegan to fire rapidly, while the men replied till the _crack crack_ and_ping ping_ of the rifles was silenced,--the men stopping as if bymutual consent. For there was a flash from the side of the _Teaser_right in front of us, a shell whistled over our heads and crashed inamong the trees where the petty firing of the matchlocks was kept up.Then--_crash_! the shell sent shrieking amongst them exploded, and allwas still but the steady beating of our oars.
"Are you much hurt, sir?" I said to Mr Reardon; but Ching took theinquiry to himself.
"Velly stiff; velly hungly," he said.
"I wasn't speaking to you," I cried angrily; for my temper seemed tohave suddenly grown painfully acid, and a titter rose from among themen.
"No, Mr Herrick, scarcely at all. The bullet struck my cap-band, justabove my temple, and glanced off. I can think more clearly now. Howmany men are hurt in this boat?"
There was no reply; and as we at the same moment glided alongside, thequestion seemed to be echoed from the _Teaser's_ side high above ourheads.
Still no reply, and the captain said sharply--
"Who is below there, Mr Reardon--Mr Brooke?"
"Ay, ay, sir," cried the latter.
"How many men did you find they had lost?"
"None, sir."
"Brought all off safely?"
"Yes, sir."
A tremendous cheer arose from the deck.
"I felt too giddy to speak just then, Herrick," said Mr Reardon. "Notone man injured except myself. It is marvellous, my lad. But there; wehad plenty of poor fellows wounded aboard."
Ten minutes later two of the boats were swinging at the davits, and ourtwo were being towed astern, as the head of the _Teaser_ once more swunground, and we went down with the tide. We anchored off the mouth of themuddy river till morning, to which time was put off the hoisting on deckof the rest of the loot, the account of whose amount and probable valuedid more, they said, toward helping on the wounded than any of DrPrice's ministrations.
But he had serious work with two of the wounded men, who tried veryhard, as he put it, to go out of hand; but he wouldn't let them. Two ofthe pirates did die, though, and were cast overboard, sewn up decentlyin hammocks, and with shot at their heels.
Seven days later we came to an anchor again off Tsin-Tsin, by which timeMr Reardon's right eye and temple were horribly discoloured, but inother respects he was quite well, and was present at what he called oursecond gaol delivery, for he came on deck to see the prisoners, woundedand sound, handed over to the Chinese authorities; but there was no suchdisplay of pomp as on the first occasion, one row-boat only comingalongside, with a very business-like officer, who superintended thechaining of the pirates, and bundled them down.
"Just as if they had been so many sacks," Barkins said; and he was veryapt in his comparison.
I only said one word in allusion to the Chinese soldiery and theirofficers. That word was--
"Brutes!"