Ling walked in an easterly direction, keeping at a distance of about a
hundred yards from the river bank. The morning was exceedingly still;
nothing disturbed the silence but the ceaseless sound of the current of
the river, stirring the tall reeds that grew in the shallow water. The
Sang River, which at this place was about a hundred and fifty yards
across, is one of the main tributaries of the Pe-kiang, which flows into
Canton from the north. As Frank knew well, it was navigable for a
considerable distance, even for sea-going junks. Presently Ling began
to 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. Men
speak of the 'road of life.' That is a false metaphor. In life there
are many roads; it is open to us to travel by one or by another. The
junk will be anchored in midstream." He broke off, turning quickly to
the 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 accompany
me into the water. It is to your advantage to do so. On board, you
will find the two friends you left in Cheong-Chau's cave in the
mountains."
"So if you capture the junk," said Frank, "if you overpower those on
board, you will have three hostages instead of one."
"That is true," said Ling. "But better for you and your friends to be
in my hands than in the hands of Cheong-Chau, who is a blind, senseless
fool."
"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 in
his footsteps. They came to marshy ground, where their shoes squelched
in 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 fifty
yards from the bank. Ling took off his coat, and the boy followed his
example. 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. Perhaps
the great Chinaman did not care whether he did so or not. For two
reasons, 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 that
he 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 a
strong swimmer. In the moonlight he could see before him the great head
of Ling, moving rapidly and silently forward upon the surface of the
water.
The man reached the prow of the junk, and there, laying hold of the
chain to which the anchor was attached, he lifted himself half out of
the water, and in this position he remained, waiting for Frank. In a
few seconds the boy had joined him.
The moonlight fell full upon the Honanese. The man's yellow skin
glistened. In his teeth he held his revolver which, whilst swimming, he
had held high and dry. Then quite slowly he drew himself up the chain
until he had gained the deck--the high forecastle-peak which is to be
found on every sea-going Chinese junk. There he crouched behind the
capstan.
In a few minutes, Frank Armitage had joined him. The boy was out of
breath from swimming.
Side by side, they lay quite still for about five minutes. Ling
evidently intended to give his young assistant time to recover his
breath. 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 was
smoking a cigarette.
The end of the cigarette glowed brightly. It was plain that the man had
just lighted it. In all probability he had gone behind the mast for
that purpose, in order to be sheltered from the wind. He appeared to
have no suspicion that intruders had come on board, for he walked
leisurely forward, smoking and singing to himself a weird Chinese
tune--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 Ling
sprang upon him. The man was snatched from off his feet. He had no
time to cry out, to give the alarm, for almost at once one of the great
hands of the Honanese was placed upon his mouth. He was gagged in less
than a minute with an oily rag that was found lying upon the deck, which
must have been extremely unpleasant to the taste.
There is never any difficulty on board a ship of any kind in finding
rope, and it was not long before the unfortunate sentry was bound hand
and foot and left upon the deck.
Then Ling, still followed by Frank, advanced on tiptoe until he came to
a little hatchway, a kind of trap-door, which communicated with the foul
cabin 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 remained
for some time listening. From below there issued sounds of heavy
snoring.
Having satisfied himself that everything was in order, the Honanese got
to his feet, and returned to the man whom he had gagged and bound in the
forepart of the ship. With his great fingers he tore the man's coat
into shreds. These he folded carefully. Then, searching the deck, he
found a long cord, which he cut into several pieces, each about a yard
in length. Thrusting all these materials into his pockets, he returned
to the hatchway, where he lowered himself carefully and silently into
the cabin below.
What followed Frank could only guess. By reason of the darkness in the
cabin, the boy was able to see nothing. He heard faint sounds of
struggling--an occasional gasp or choke---once or twice a muttered
Chinese 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 each
man when he was deep in heavy slumber.
Not one of these unfortunates was given time to cry out, to give the
alarm to his comrades. Each in turn was gagged before he was fully
awake. And then his hands were bound behind his back and his feet tied
together.
The Honanese had accounted for six in this manner, when he struck a
match and lighted a hanging paraffin lamp suspended from one of the
beams that supported the deck. He then ordered Frank to descend.
The boy found himself in a small cabin that extended from one side of
the ship to the other. It was indescribably dirty. All sorts of things
were scattered upon the floor: pieces of rope, fishing tackle, unwashed
plates and rice-bowls and articles of clothing. Upon the floor lay six
men in a row, gagged and bound, each one wearing the scarlet coat which
was the distinctive uniform of the followers of Cheong-Chau.
The place was not high enough to enable Ling to stand upright. He stood
in the middle of the cabin, almost bent double, in which position he
resembled a huge gorilla. He was grinning from ear to ear.
"A simple affair," said he. "They were delivered into my hands by that
benevolent Providence that unerringly guides the footsteps of those who
have acquired merit. Were I not a generous and kind-hearted man I
should throw them, one after the other, into the water. As it is, they
can lie where they are."
By then he had discovered a door at the after end of the cabin. On
attempting to open this door, and finding it locked, he turned again to
Frank.
"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 he
looked, suggested that the man on deck might have had charge of the
keys.
"That may be so," said Ling. "I am not disposed to wait. I have an
idea that beyond this door we shall find your European friends."
So saying, with a great blow with his foot, he kicked in the door so
that the lock was broken. He then took the paraffin lamp from the hook
from which it was hanging, and followed by the boy, entered a small
cubby-hole.
This place was probably intended for a storeroom, for though it extended
from one side of the ship to the other, it was little more than two
yards across, terminating in a bulkhead which divided the junk
amidships.
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 when
they had been rudely awakened by the breaking open of the door. Each
man 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 rushing
forward, flung his arms around his uncle. The other prisoner, it is
needless to say, was Mr Hennessy K. Waldron, who had certainly undergone
some very astonishing and unpleasant adventures since leaving Paradise
City, Nevada, U.S.A.