"What's up, Gnat? Shore leave?"
"Eh! Didn't you know?" I said coolly. "Shooting."
"What!" they exclaimed in a breath, and Smith's eyes were more wide open
than I had ever seen them.
"Shooting," I said coolly. "Brooke and I are going after ducks."
"Gammon!" cried Barkins. "Why, you have no gun."
"No," I said. "Reardon is going to lend me his double breech-loader,
central fire, number twelve."
Barkins gave his leg a sharp slap.
"We're going up the river; plenty of sport up there among the marshes."
"Going to walk?" said Barkins.
"Oh no; we're to have a crew and one of the cutters."
"Don't you believe him, Barkins, it's all gammon. The little humbug
can't deceive me."
"All right, call it gammon," I said, stooping to tighten my boot-laces.
"Roast duck for dinner, Tanner, to-morrow."
Barkins rushed on deck, leaving me with Smith, and the next minute he
was back again.
"It's all right, Smithy," he cried; "and they're shoving in a basket of
prog for the beggars."
"What!" yelled Smith. "Do you mean to say that Brooke and this--this--
thing are going off wasting Her Majesty's time shooting?"
"Yes; I saw Brooke, and he said it was so."
"Then I shall resign. Hang me if I'll stop in a service where such
beastly favouritism is shown. Profession for gentlemen's sons, is it?
I call it a mockery!"
"Oh, don't be so snaggy, Smithums," I said banteringly; "wait till his
poor old wing's all right again, and he shall go a shooting too."
That was too much. He made a rush at me, but Barkins flung an arm round
his waist, and as they struggled together I dodged to the other side of
the table and escaped from the cabin, but popped my head in again.
"Don't hit him, Tanner," I cried; "he ain't got no friends. Good-bye,
old chap, I wish you were coming too."
Our eyes met, and I suppose my tone and the look I gave him seemed
sincere, for, as he held Smith, his arms tightly round him from behind,
and his chin resting upon our messmate's shoulder, he gave me a friendly
nod.
"All right, old chap," he said; "I hope you'll enjoy yourself."
"And I hope the John Teapots 'll get hold of you, you miserable little
cad!" cried Smith. "I shan't be there to help you this time."
I burst out laughing and ran on deck, to find the men mustered ready,
and Mr Brooke standing there in sun helmet and gaiters, looking as
unlike a naval officer as he could be.
"Oh, there you are, Herrick," he said, giving me a look over. "Yes,
that will do."
"But the men," I whispered. "Oughtn't they to be armed?"
"All right, my lad; plenty of tackle in the boat under the thwarts."
"But my gun--I mean Mr Reardon's?"
"In the stern-sheets, with plenty of cartridges. Where's Ching?"
"I don't--down below, I suppose."
"Fetch him up; we're off at once."
There was no need, for the interpreter appeared smiling and happy,
looking as if he had not passed through such a terrible ordeal a short
time before.
The captain and Mr Reardon came up then.
"Ready, Mr Brooke?"
"Yes, sir."
"Order the crew into the boat, Mr Reardon."
As the men sprang in, the captain came close to us.
"You'll keep up the appearance of a sporting expedition, Mr Brooke," he
said in a low voice. "I expect you'll find the junks in the river off
some village. The rest I must leave to you."
"Take them, sir, if I feel pretty certain?"
Captain Thwaites knit his brows, and stood as if thinking for a few
moments.
"No," he said at last; "but that I leave all to your discretion. Don't
risk your men, if they are strong. I'm afraid some of these mandarins
are mixed up with the piratical expeditions, and share in the plunder,
and I am certain that every movement we make is watched. There, off
with you; don't let Mr Herrick get hurt. I trust you to do your best."
We sprang into the boat, which was lowered down; the falls were
unhooked; and as Tom Jecks, who was coxswain, gave us a shove off, the
tide, which was running up, bore us right aft; then the oars dropped
with a splash, the rudder lines were seized, and away we went up-stream
on as glorious a day as ever made a dirty Chinese city look lovely.
I looked back, and there were Barkins and Smith leaning over the side
watching us, but I hardly noticed them, for something else caught my
eye.
"Why, they're getting up steam, Mr Brooke!" I said.
"Yes, my lad, they're getting up steam, and I hope your information may
mean some good active service for us. Here, Ching," he whispered, "you
have not told the men anything about our business?"
Ching shut his eyes and shook his head solemnly.
"Velly muchee keepee mouf shut," he said, with the addition now of a few
nods of the head. "Nobody but Ching an' officer know."