CHAPTER V
A SECRET MISSION--KIDNAPPED!--THE SCHOONER--THE ASSASSIN
As I did not wish my chief to know whither I was bound, I went ashorefirst, and strolled about in the cooler hour of the evening, and evenpenetrated into the queer Chinese slums where little drums of thepeddlers, and the chatter and smells and heat, soon drove me back tothe parade, away from the houses of the natives. Their stupid faces,so smooth and greasy-looking, their odd dress, long pigtails (of themen), the coarse, rolled hair, pinned in masses (of the females), bothsexes being costumed nearly alike, quite put me off. Even someexperience of the country has not impressed me in favour of the nativeof China.
So I returned to the water, and calling a "sampan" got the number ofthe man taken--for many people have been "missed" from a Chinese boatat evening--and told my man to propel me across the harbour towardsKow-loon. This is in China, where the change of the scenery is markedand wild; but I did not come for the prospect, I wanted to search thefurther side of the harbour, which is about a mile across and tensquare miles in extent.
If the Coreans had an idea of secrecy, I imagined they would ratherseek a small sailing vessel--perhaps a junk rather than a steamer,though, of course, the latter would be more speedy, and more certain ifa storm arose. But they would sail by the north channel, so I made forthe north point, the extremity of the peninsula of Kow-loon, which isunder British authority by lease.
I passed amid the ships of all kinds, large and small, which crowd theharbour; boat-houses (literally dwelling-houses) of the natives who atHong Kong, as at Canton and Shanghai, and other places, live in thewherries in aggregate thousands. Small and limited is theaccommodation, truly, when a family, with a pig, and perhaps ducks,live on board. The chances are in favour of drowning; but the _male_children are tied to the gunwale; the girls are let to go as theyplease, and if they disappear--it is "only a girl"! There is littlecare for life in China--of the natives, I mean--and least of all forfemale children.
The evening was drawing in, and I had not found any vessel on which Irecognised the so-called "Japs." There were hundreds of ships of allsorts, and I was pleased to hear a hail in English from a clipperschooner as I was passing in the dusk.
I pulled alongside the vessel whence the "hail" had come, and, whenclose aboard, I recognised the speaker as a friend who had assisted meonce or twice in the past when I had been unhappy and in need. Hisname was Eagan.
Glancing along the trim and natty decks of the schooner, I gained thegangway. The little ship was ready to put to sea, the anchor wasalready weighed, and the schooner was only fast to a buoy, for thebreeze was light. I recognised the craft as a former smuggling vessel,and named _Harada_ by her late owner. She traded in "natives" up thecoast, and to Formosa, the Pescadores, and as far as Shanghai, or evenfarther north.
"Hallo! back again?" I cried, as I clasped Eagan's hand.
"Why, certainly," he replied; "think I'd scooted? What are _you_prowling about for?"
"Simple curiosity," I said. "Thanks, yes, I'll have a 'peg," I added,as he indicated refreshment by a nod in the direction of the cabin.
"A tidy berth this," I continued. "Suits you, anyway."
"Yes, not badly. What's your _simple curiosity_ led you to? I canestimate the curiosity, but I don't see where the simplicity comes in."
"Really?" I asked, as I watched him mixing a soothing draught.
"No, really. What's your spot? What's your little game?"
"My game! I'm just sculling around--that's all."
"By accident. One of your freaks, o' course! Still acting on the_Feng Shui_, I suppose?"
"Yes; but confirmed now--second."
"Ah! Going north yet?"
"Presently--I mean by and by. When do _you_ sail again?"
"When I receive sailin' orders. Maybe to-morrow--maybe never."
"Come, Eagan, you're mysterious, for _you_! Your anchor's a-peak, andyou are loosing sails. You are just off. What's the game? Whitherbound--honour bright?"
He paused and looked at his tumbler, then raised it and looked at thelamp through the liquid the glass contained. He slowly brought hiseyes back upon mine, and said--
"Honour it is! Chemulpo perhaps--Shanghai certain."
"Oh!" I exclaimed. "I say, Eagan, what's your _Jap_ up to?" Hestarted and stared at me, then he replied--
"I say, Jule, what's your _Chinese_ up to?"
"_Rats_," I replied. "What's the coil _here_?"
"_Snakes_," he retorted. "What's your notion?"
He suspected me; and I fancied that I had by accident hit upon theCoreans' vessel, or of the vessel they had chartered, perhaps.
I kept staring at the skipper; he was silently staring at me. Neitherwould say the word he was anxious to say. A pause ensued.
"Well," I said at length, "I must be off. No more, thanks. 'Pegs' arelikely to upset one in the dark; anyway, they don't steady one."
"P'raps not," he replied. "Well, so-long, mate; we'll meet sometimes,I hope."
"Certain! I see your sails are loosed, Eagan. I'd better be going.Ta-ta!"
"Good-night. Hallo! where's your boat?"
I rushed to the side. My sampan and the boatman had disappeared.
"Hang it! I say, skipper, send me ashore, please," I cried anxiously."We may sail by daybreak."
"I'm just as sorry as sin, but I can't. My dinghy's ashore, and I'veno time to man another. I guess you'll have to wait a while."
"What do you mean? Remain here? I can't."
"Guess ye must, Jule boy, till morning. Say, there's a signal. That'smy boss comin' alongside. Show lights!" he called out. "Gangway!"
Three or four men, dark-featured fellows, Chinese apparently, cameabaft, and a European mate came up from the cabin somewhere.
I saw a light flashing from a boat which quickly came alongside theschooner. I walked to the counter and watched it. The occupants weretwo short men in the stern, two natives in the bow, and two sailorsrowing.
The lanterns gleamed as the men stepped on deck from the stern-sheetsof the boat. They were wrapped up, but I knew one of them. He was thequasi-Japanese officer whom my captain had spoken with. These men wereescaping perhaps--whither? What plans had they been maturing--whatplots had they been framing in British territory?
The foremost arrival did not notice me, the second did,--he I did notknow at all,--but neither made any remark to me. The officer, as I mayterm him, turned to Eagan, and said in English, clearly--
"Stand out at once, please. Make for Shanghai direct."
Eagan nodded merely, and said, "All right, boss." Then he gave a feworders which the mate repeated, and in five minutes the schooner waspassing out by the north channel.
"Eagan," I said, "where are you taking me? I _must_ join my ship."
He shook his head, and went to the wheel himself, leaving me raging. Ifollowed him.
"Do you hear?" I cried. "This is piracy. I'll give the alarm if youdo not put me ashore. Hail a boat!"
"Just lie low, Jule. Wait till we reach Shanghai, you'll find thesteamer there, I expect, and if not you can wire; so be easy, boy."
"I'll make a row for this!" I cried, feeling enraged with him.
"If ye do I'll put ye overboard. The crew are Chinese, and no one willcare except me. So, keep still, and I'll land you safely up atShanghai; best so, I tell ye."
"Then you are hired to carry these fellows; I see. There is somethingwrong here, Eagan, and you shouldn't do it."
"It's no business of mine, lad. I'm paid for the passage, and whenthey land it's finished. Your old screw will be in Shanghai before us.There's nothing wrong in the case so far as I see _yet_; I'll tell youmore in a while. Go and have some supper."
I was very much annoyed by this departure, and began to grumble at theskipper; he only laughed at first, and then got angry in his turn,until the mate came aft and dragged me below, where we supped in amity.
"Take no notice of anythin
g," said my new friend; "but, 'tween you andme, there's going to be trouble about this. For one of these chaps hasbeen induced by the other to clear out of Victoria and to go toShanghai. I can understand some of the lingo, and it's plain to methat the man named Oh Sing, or Kim,--I can't quite catch it,--is ratherfrightened of the boss, whose name is Lung. The Lung man won't let himout of his sight, and if a chance comes I suspect Mr. Lung will punishthe other fellow."
"What's his object, then?" I asked.
"Can't say. Eagan is suspicious, too, of these Coreans. One fellow isevidently nervous, and keeps his Japanese servant near him all thetime. The captain don't want any fuss on board this ship, youunderstand."
"Well, I shall say nothing. We shan't be long in reaching Shanghai,and there I can quit, eh?"
"Certainly--why yes, of course. Now, when you're finished, we shall goon deck. The captain will want to go down then, and you shall watchwith me if you like. Keep your eyes skinned."
"You scent danger then?"
"In two ways. The glass is falling; that, after such a jumpy time aswe've had, means tempest. You know that?"
I nodded, and he proceeded.
"Then, again, we must never leave these passengers to themselves,unless the weather's very bad, because there'll be trouble. If theweather's bad they'll all be sick, and near dead anyway. So let uspray for typhoon, mister."
"I shall not," was my reply. "When you see the barometer waltzing downto twenty-eight degrees or so you'll pray for something moreinteresting to yourself! Keep an eye upon the Coreans by all means,but watch the glass whatever you do."
We were strolling up and down the weather-side of the deck. The windwas off shore, and a bit abaft the beam. As we cleared the Channel wespun along the ripples, sending the "phosphorus" flying around thestern, and light-up the forepart to the chains. The sky was perfectlyclear, and the mate hoped to reach Formosa quickly with such a breeze.
We were still strolling at four bells, ten o'clock, and then I feltinclined to turn in somewhere.
"Take my bunk in the inner cabin. If you hear anything, just let me orthe skipper know. Those fellows have a game on if I am not mistaken;but no 'revenge' in this ship, I say."
He nodded at me significantly in the soft light by the binnacle. Thesteersman was a Lascar. The crew was composed of a variety of natives;but in the cold weather of the northern sea the Lascars were asdead--and died too.
"Good-night," I said. "I'll find my way."
I stepped softly down the stairs, and passed through the "saloon" oreating-cabin. I found the berth close by, and tumbled in by the dimlight of a swinging candle-lamp of the spring-up pattern, as we used tocall it. The company in the saloon had dispersed; the captain hadquitted it some time before, and the two Coreans and the Japaneseservant, who stuck to Oh Sing, parted. The man Lung, I fancied,disposed himself in the saloon. The other came and looked at me, andperceiving that I did not stir, he, after a pause, _crawled_ out, handsand knees, on the floor, and vanished in the darkness outside the berth.
The wind was rising, the sea was following suit. I slept lightly asusual, when I was awakened by a breathing close to my face. I openedmy eyes quickly, and started up.
A knife flashed in my face. I seized it, and shouted, "Help!"
At the moment I cried out I sprang up. Someone at the same timeextinguished the already expiring lamp, and as I leaped upon thedeck-floor I distinctly heard _something_ retiring. I called again,and the captain came down into the dark and silent saloon.
"What's the matter?" he asked. "Is that you, Mr. Julius? Had a baddream, I reckon, eh? What are you doing here, anyway?"
He turned a ship's lantern upon my scared countenance as he wasspeaking.
"No; someone came into the berth and flashed a knife in my eyes. If Ihad not called out I would have been stabbed."
"Nonsense, nonsense," said the captain, who still blinked the lightupon my alarmed looks. "There are no murderers here, lad. But tell mehow you came in here; this berth belongs to the passengers."
"The mate told me I would find a bunk in his berth."
"Likely; but this isn't his. This belongs to one of my passengers--toMr. Oh Sing."
"To him!" I exclaimed, recalling the hints of the mate. "Then perhapssomebody intended to stab _him_!"
The skipper looked at me steadily for quite half a minute, withoutspeaking. Then he replied--
"Better come on deck, sonny; you'll see no knives there, and may bear ahand for me. I think, somehow, a storm is coming up. Look slippynow," he said, as he went to examine the other "rooms" astern.
I looked as slippy as possible, but "look sleepy" was just then themore correct expression, as I ascended the stairs to the deck. Thebreezy, somewhat cool, night soon dissipated the feelings of slothwhich remained in my eyes, and I was able to grasp the aspects of thesurroundings, which were, after all, pleasanter than the revealeddangers of the cabin.
The mate was forward, and I took up my position by the wheel so as tolook well ahead and around. There was a low grating astern, on that Istood and cast my eyes over the sails.
The schooner was slipping away north-east, the wind still just a littleabaft the beam, and filling all our sails. The _Harada_ was a topsailschooner--that is, she carried small square sails aloft on theforemast, and as I reflected, with a fast-beating heart, upon the verynarrow escape I had had below, my glance was fixed upon the topsail,which seemed pulling hard at intervals. Then the wind would slackenagain, the cloths would remain at their former tension, and all well.
The sky was beautifully blue-black and clear, and I calculated that weshould reach Shanghai in about six days, supposing no bad weatherintervened. I felt very happy and comfortable there, in command,nominally, of the vessel, though I wondered why the skipper remainedbelow.
After a while I became convinced that the breeze was increasing, andmore than that, in a jerky, uncertain manner which I did not like. Wehad plenty of sail on the vessel, jib, stayforesail, topsail, fore andaft foresail, and mainsail. I fancied we ought to furl the topsail atanyrate, and I called the captain through the skylight.
Eagan came up smartly, and after a comprehensive look around, said--
"Mr. Julius, just call the hands, will you? Watch will reduce sail,"he cried. "Be smart, lads!"
The watch, who had been resting in the "shade" of the bulwarks, at oncearose at the summons, and I ran forward to call all hands, but the mateanticipated me and turned the men up.
"Come, Mr. Julius, will you lead the men aloft for me? I must get themainsail stowed and the jib down."
"Aloft, boys!" I exclaimed, and was in a moment leading the hands upthe rigging. "Crikey," it did blow up there then! All of a sudden, asit seemed, the wind increased, and when we attempted to secure the sailit flapped and banged us about so that it was with great difficulty weeven commenced to secure it. But the six skilful hands managed it, andby holding on "by our eyelids" and "legs and necks" we got the squaretopsail secured to the yard in fair style. Luckily the true tempesthad not then broken, and we got the yard down.
Then came the struggle. Sail after sail was reduced as fast aspossible, and came down rapidly, racing the mercury in the tube whichwas leaping lower and lower. All hands were on deck except thepassengers, and the sea came drifting in foam and spray across theship. The _Harada_ dashed into the short seas, which rose landward, asif ejected by big hands underneath with no roller-force; but the windmade noise enough in the shrouds and cordage to deafen us, and even theboats slapped and almost danced adrift from the davits, and filled withrain-water.
I thought we would escape easily, but Eagan roared in my ear that thiswas the beginning. He was right. The furious blast seized the sturdylittle ship at one moment, and snapping some ropes like whipcord, sentthem flying around our heads and beyond. The schooner dipped anddipped, lower and lower; strake after strake disappeared, until theplanks seemed to become lost, and the vessel to be settling beam under.The pass
engers set up a horrible scream, they were too greatly alarmedto fight, no doubt; and even the best of us thought of the great andsolemn inevitable end.
All this time the sea was most terrible, the wind and darkness wereawful, the foam simply a white mist around us. The vessel suddenlyrose up again, was again depressed, again lifted as the squallsubsided; and after four such experiences, each one bringing our mastsdown to the waves, and the last one smashing the mizzen-topmast shortat the cap, we floated more steadily. The wind changed, smote us againon the starboard quarter, after blowing in a circle for a couple ofhours, and we rested on a trembling sea, drenched with spray and rain,and dishevelled.
Most fortunately our masts stood the strain, and our ballast did notshift. Had the latter given way we must have been swamped, or we musthave cut away the masts. However, we pulled through the cyclone, or"typhoon" as they call it out there, and in seven days we ran into theriver at Shanghai not much the worse after all, though with a jurytopmast and spliced rigging.