Blue Jackets Part 41

I tried my best, but I could only make out a blurred ma.s.s of men on board both junks. They seemed to be swaying to and fro, and the smoke, instead of pa.s.sing off, once more grew thicker, and in place of being white and steamy, it now looked to be of a dirty inky black, completely enveloping the vessels and our boats.

This I reported.

"They surely cannot have set them on fire?" said Mr Reardon.

"I can't see any flames, sir."

Silence again; and we found that the firing had ceased, all but a sharp crack from time to time, sounds evidently made by rifles. But there was nothing more to see, and, in spite of the angry appeals of the lieutenant, I could report no more than that the black smoke was growing thicker, and hanging down over the water, hiding everything, to the bushes and trees upon the bank.

And now, as I gave one glance down, I saw that the captain was walking to and fro upon the bridge, evidently in a great state of excitement, for there was not a sound now; the firing had quite ceased; the black cloud seemed to have swallowed up our four boats and men; and a chilly feeling of despair began to attack me, as I wondered whether it was possible that our poor fellows had been beaten, and the boats burned by the stink-pots the pirates had thrown in.

The thought was almost too horrible to bear, and I stared hard through the gla.s.s again, trying to make out the junks beyond the smoke, and whether it was really our boats which where burning, and raising the black cloud which hid all view.

"I can see a boat now, sir," I cried excitedly, as one of them seemed to glide out of the end of the cloud; but my heart sank as I made the announcement, for I saw only that which confirmed my fears.

"Well, go on, lad," cried Mr Reardon, stamping with impatience, "what are they doing in her?"

"She's empty, sir, and floating away, with a cloud of black smoke rising from her."

"Ah!" he exclaimed, with quite a savage snarl, and I saw the captain stop short and raise his gla.s.s again, though I knew that from where he stood he could see nothing.

"We're beaten," I said to myself. "Oh, our poor lads--our poor lads!"

A mist rose before my eyes, and I nearly dropped the gla.s.s, but I pa.s.sed my hand across my face and looked again, sweeping the telescope from the left side, where the boat was gliding up-stream smoking more than ever, to the right and the sh.o.r.e.

"Hooray!" I yelled.

"Yes! what?" roared the captain and Mr Reardon together.

"Chinese running in a regular stream away from the sh.o.r.e; making for the woods. One down--another down."

At the same moment almost came a couple of volleys, then several men went down, and the crackle of firing commenced again.

"Go on, Herrick!" cried Mr Reardon.

"Our fellows ash.o.r.e, and running Jacks and jollies together, sir.

Stopping to fire. Running again."

"And the enemy?"

"Running like deer, sir. More of them down. Making for the wood."

"One man stopped, sir, and returning."

"Yes, yes, that's good. What now?"

"Boat out from the smoke, rowing after the other one, sir. They've got it. Yes, I can see. They're throwing something out that smokes--now something more."

"Bah! stink-pots!" roared Mr Reardon. "Now then, quick!--quick!

Don't, go to sleep, sir. What next?"

"I'll shy the spygla.s.s at you directly," I muttered; and then aloud, "Fire, sir; both junks blazing."

"Hurrah!" came from the deck as the rest of the crew set up a tremendous cheer, for the smoke had suddenly grown less dense; and the junks gradually grew visible as it floated away; while even in the bright sunlight the flames were visible, and I could now make out that they were two floating furnaces with the great tongues of fire licking the broad matting-sails: and, best news of all, there, quite plainly, were our four boats, with the men just visible above their sides.

I reported this, and cheer after cheer rose again. After which there was dead silence once more, so that my reports could be heard.

"Now, Mr Herrick, what now?" cried Mr Reardon.

"Two boats lying in mid-stream, sir; the others are rowing to the side."

"To pick up the men who were sent ash.o.r.e, I suppose. Good."

"Junks burning very fast, sir; and they're floating across to the other side. The wind's taking them straight, for the smoke floats that way."

"Very likely," said Mr Reardon; and there was a long pause.

"One junk has taken the ground, sir," I said, "and--"

"Yes, well, what?"

"Her masts and sails have fallen over the side."

"And our boats?"

"Lying-to, sir, doing nothing."

But that was as far as I could see, for they were doing a good deal, as we afterwards heard.

"Other junk has floated over, sir, nearly to the same place."

"Good; burning still?"

"Oh yes, sir--very fast."

He need not have asked; for, as Barkins told me afterwards, they could see the flames from the deck, though our boats were invisible.

"Well, what now?" cried Mr Reardon, as I saw the captain quietly pacing to and fro on the bridge.

"Other two boats pushed off from the sh.o.r.e, sir."

"Ha! that's right. See anything of the Chinamen?"

"No, sir; the forest goes right away for miles. There isn't one to be seen."

"And the boats?"

"All rowing back, sir, close under the left bank."