CHAPTER XXII--OF THE CAPTURE OF THE JUNK
Ling walked in an easterly direction, keeping at a distance of about ahundred yards from the river bank. The morning was exceedingly still;nothing disturbed the silence but the ceaseless sound of the current ofthe river, stirring the tall reeds that grew in the shallow water. TheSang River, which at this place was about a hundred and fifty yardsacross, is one of the main tributaries of the Pe-kiang, which flows intoCanton from the north. As Frank knew well, it was navigable for aconsiderable distance, even for sea-going junks. Presently Ling beganto talk to himself in a low voice, but loud enough for the boy to hear.
"The sages have told us," he observed, "to think before we act. Menspeak of the 'road of life.' That is a false metaphor. In life thereare many roads; it is open to us to travel by one or by another. Thejunk will be anchored in midstream." He broke off, turning quickly tothe boy. "Tell me, can you swim?"
Frank replied that he was a good swimmer.
"That is well," said Ling. "It will be necessary for you to accompanyme into the water. It is to your advantage to do so. On board, youwill find the two friends you left in Cheong-Chau's cave in themountains."
"So if you capture the junk," said Frank, "if you overpower those onboard, you will have three hostages instead of one."
"That is true," said Ling. "But better for you and your friends to bein my hands than in the hands of Cheong-Chau, who is a blind, senselessfool."
"You will be satisfied with the ransom?"
"Concerning that," said Ling, "I have not yet made up my mind."
He spoke no more, but continued to stride forward, the boy following inhis footsteps. They came to marshy ground, where their shoes squelchedin the mud. And here, knowing that they could not be far from the junk,they walked more slowly, as silently as possible.
A little after, at a place where the river turned abruptly to the north,they found themselves before the junk, which lay at anchor not fiftyyards from the bank. Ling took off his coat, and the boy followed hisexample. Then, without a word, the Chinese, like a great water-snake,glided silently into the river.
Frank hesitated to follow. It was within his power to escape. Perhapsthe great Chinaman did not care whether he did so or not. For tworeasons, the boy divested himself of his coat and followed Ling: first,he had by now so great a respect for the man's ability and prowess thathe doubted very much whether he would succeed in getting away; secondly,and chiefly, he had an overmastering desire to set eyes upon his uncle,to know that both Sir Thomas and Mr Waldron were still alive and safe.
The current being somewhat swift, it was fortunate that Frank was astrong swimmer. In the moonlight he could see before him the great headof Ling, moving rapidly and silently forward upon the surface of thewater.
The man reached the prow of the junk, and there, laying hold of thechain to which the anchor was attached, he lifted himself half out ofthe water, and in this position he remained, waiting for Frank. In afew seconds the boy had joined him.
The moonlight fell full upon the Honanese. The man's yellow skinglistened. In his teeth he held his revolver which, whilst swimming, hehad held high and dry. Then quite slowly he drew himself up the chainuntil he had gained the deck--the high forecastle-peak which is to befound on every sea-going Chinese junk. There he crouched behind thecapstan.
In a few minutes, Frank Armitage had joined him. The boy was out ofbreath from swimming.
Side by side, they lay quite still for about five minutes. Lingevidently intended to give his young assistant time to recover hisbreath. At last, the man whispered in Frank's ear.
"Fools!" he exclaimed. "They have not even posted a sentry."
As he said the words, a man appeared from behind the mast--a man who wassmoking a cigarette.
The end of the cigarette glowed brightly. It was plain that the man hadjust lighted it. In all probability he had gone behind the mast forthat purpose, in order to be sheltered from the wind. He appeared tohave no suspicion that intruders had come on board, for he walkedleisurely forward, smoking and singing to himself a weird Chinesetune--a melody on three notes, each long sustained.
He reached the peak of the vessel, and there stood still for a moment,looking across country towards the hills. And then it was that Lingsprang upon him. The man was snatched from off his feet. He had notime to cry out, to give the alarm, for almost at once one of the greathands of the Honanese was placed upon his mouth. He was gagged in lessthan a minute with an oily rag that was found lying upon the deck, whichmust have been extremely unpleasant to the taste.
There is never any difficulty on board a ship of any kind in findingrope, and it was not long before the unfortunate sentry was bound handand foot and left upon the deck.
Then Ling, still followed by Frank, advanced on tiptoe until he came toa little hatchway, a kind of trap-door, which communicated with the foulcabin in which Chinese fishermen and their families are wont to live,eat and sleep.
Lying down at his full length, Ling turned an ear downward and remainedfor some time listening. From below there issued sounds of heavysnoring.
Having satisfied himself that everything was in order, the Honanese gotto his feet, and returned to the man whom he had gagged and bound in theforepart of the ship. With his great fingers he tore the man's coatinto shreds. These he folded carefully. Then, searching the deck, hefound a long cord, which he cut into several pieces, each about a yardin length. Thrusting all these materials into his pockets, he returnedto the hatchway, where he lowered himself carefully and silently intothe cabin below.
What followed Frank could only guess. By reason of the darkness in thecabin, the boy was able to see nothing. He heard faint sounds ofstruggling--an occasional gasp or choke---once or twice a mutteredChinese oath, stifled suddenly in the midst of a syllable.
It was apparent that the mighty Ling fell upon his victims one by one,in quick succession. He dealt with them in detail, pouncing upon eachman when he was deep in heavy slumber.
Not one of these unfortunates was given time to cry out, to give thealarm to his comrades. Each in turn was gagged before he was fullyawake. And then his hands were bound behind his back and his feet tiedtogether.
The Honanese had accounted for six in this manner, when he struck amatch and lighted a hanging paraffin lamp suspended from one of thebeams that supported the deck. He then ordered Frank to descend.
The boy found himself in a small cabin that extended from one side ofthe ship to the other. It was indescribably dirty. All sorts of thingswere scattered upon the floor: pieces of rope, fishing tackle, unwashedplates and rice-bowls and articles of clothing. Upon the floor lay sixmen in a row, gagged and bound, each one wearing the scarlet coat whichwas the distinctive uniform of the followers of Cheong-Chau.
The place was not high enough to enable Ling to stand upright. He stoodin the middle of the cabin, almost bent double, in which position heresembled a huge gorilla. He was grinning from ear to ear.
"A simple affair," said he. "They were delivered into my hands by thatbenevolent Providence that unerringly guides the footsteps of those whohave acquired merit. Were I not a generous and kind-hearted man Ishould throw them, one after the other, into the water. As it is, theycan lie where they are."
By then he had discovered a door at the after end of the cabin. Onattempting to open this door, and finding it locked, he turned again toFrank.
"Search those fools," he ordered. "On one of them, I have little doubt,you will find a bunch of keys."
Frank did as he was commanded, but failing to find that for which helooked, suggested that the man on deck might have had charge of thekeys.
"That may be so," said Ling. "I am not disposed to wait. I have anidea that beyond this door we shall find your European friends."
So saying, with a great blow with his foot, he kicked in the door sothat the lock was broken. He then took the paraffin lamp from the hookfrom which it was hanging, and f
ollowed by the boy, entered a smallcubby-hole.
This place was probably intended for a storeroom, for though it extendedfrom one side of the ship to the other, it was little more than twoyards across, terminating in a bulkhead which divided the junkamidships.
Upon the floor were two men, both of whom were sitting bolt upright,with their eyes wide open. They appeared to have been fast asleep whenthey had been rudely awakened by the breaking open of the door. Eachman had his feet tied together, and his hands bound behind his back.They were hatless, and their clothes were reduced to rags.
Frank Armitage gave vent to an exclamation of delight, and rushingforward, flung his arms around his uncle. The other prisoner, it isneedless to say, was Mr Hennessy K. Waldron, who had certainly undergonesome very astonishing and unpleasant adventures since leaving ParadiseCity, Nevada, U.S.A.