The times., 1898-06-19


whissakee: all bling s'pose you wantee."
Just at this moment up came the Sec
ond engineer with a badly torn finger
and realizing that | had somehow got
into trouble with my overheard question,
took the evil-faced Malay into my berth
and dressed the wound.
Are there many Annoy men on board
the Ly-chee?" l asked presently.
None at all that / know Of, he re-
piled. why do you wish TO find out ?'
Curiosity only | said, carelessly:
I'm studying the different types of Chi
nese. That's all
He grinned and said well you'll
probably have a good chance if you are
going in for that sort of thing. Can't
say that I'm fond of them myself. I'm
Batavia born, and that's a cut above a
Chinaman. isn't it?'
Very much so. indeed ! replied. po-
litely, although the man was uglier even
than poor Cabbage Jimmy. Then you
can't give me any information about the
men we have with US now?"
None" said he, land perhaps il would
be as well. he added, with a hasty look
in his snvkeIke eyes "if you were not
TOO inquisitive. There's a hint worth all
you've done for my finger. and of he
went to his engine room again. leaving
me with a firmer opinion than ever that
there was mischief brewing aboard.
That same night, sitting on the deck
enjoying the cool breeze blowing off the
land, l was startled by seeing what APP
peared TO be a big fire right ahead, which
burned for a minute or two and then went
out
ITS junk showing a flare" l heard
the second mate say 10 the captain on the
bridge Immediately above me.
BLAST EN-, growied the skipper; the
brutes are always getting in the road!
I've run a few down in my time, anil
serve this fellow the same If he doesn't
! clear out, and seizing the siren-wire he
| loosed a blast that made me start.
II was dark. but away in the east astern
| a tightening of the sky showed where the
moon would soon rise. Port your helm"
shouted the skipper presently to the Chi
nese quartermaster.
''Portee"' replied the man from where
I he stood at the wheel, right aft; for the
| Ly-chee was an old-fashioned tank, built
! before the days of the 'mid-ship" steer
/ age.
| All at once. looking up. I saw that the
! bridge was crowded with men, their dark
forms outlined against the sky. There
/ was a scuffie; the report of a pistol; then
1 another; then the sound of bodies crash
! ing on to the cargo fifteen feet below
AS ! jumped to my feet the Ly-chee
| slowed. and ] heard a shot in the engine
room. Before I could decide on anything
there was a rush of men against me. and
! | was forced back in my chair and tied
| so thoroughly. hand and foot that I lay
| like a log. Then the steamer stopped al
! together, and lay gently heaving on the
/ swell. ! called on the captain. but there
was no reply. Also | saw the bridge was
empty. Astern, the moon had risen like
| globe of palest, purest silver A little
MI
| were screaming. l had never heard men
scream before and it made me shiyer. 1t
| was exactly the long-drawn screaming
! of a pig when he first feels the knife.
| And. as yet. nobody had touched them.
| But the crew, headed by the Malay and
| the steward. were breaking out the boxes
| of dollars and piling them up on deck.
Upon these their owners now flung them
selves needless of the kicks and knocks
| which presently left two of them sense
less alongside their treasure.
Meanwhile, the steward, as I shouted
again for the captain, came to me, and
| remarking blandiy: You makee too
muchee low" he coolly bent my head
back over the chair, and already had the
edge of his sharp knife against the skin
of my throat when the Malay noticed him,
crossed over, and pulled him away from
me. saying something to which the other
assented, but with evident reluctance.
'He wants to study" said the brute
with grin, wants to. pry into the for
nation of your trachea and jugular Che
had. 1 was told afterwards, been a PEI
pupil of the Raffies Institute in Singa
pore) but there's lots of time. And you'C
better keep your tongue between your
teeth.
The decks now were nearly as Hight a!
day; and as the steward walked toward:
the group busy about the boxes / saw
the one Chinese passenger who was still
conscious, though badly bruised and
bleeding from several wounds, rush for
ward and clasp him round the legs witt
both arms. AS he squatted there quite ST
lent at last. and with laughable look o
pleading misery on his upturned features
the steward, after gazing at him for &;
moment suddenly forced his head bacl
and plunged the knife into his throat
Rolling over and over in his death agony
the unfortunate wretch brought VI
against my chair, where he lay with
horrible gurgling and bubbling that mad,
my very heart sick to listen to. TIL,
other two, his companions. still la,
senseless. As | gazed, fascinated, at the
horrid spectacle at my feet, with a grea
creaking of mat sails and bamboo spar
junk drew alongside and made fast t
the Ly-chee.
Evidently this was the one whose signal.
1 greetings
seemed to be exchanged, and all hands
began 10 transfer the silver on board
the newcomer to. the sound of a grunting
hi-ya song. The thing beside me had
ceased gurgling and gasping, and the
moonlight fell on a corpse lying in a
| thick. black pool that slowly spread about
my feet. Although unable to stir, l could
view all that passed, and looked anx-
iously for "Cabbagee,' but he was no.
where to be seen.
The Malay engineer and the long stew
| ard were undoubtedly the leaders in this
bloody tragedy, and a feeling akin to
despair took hold on me when / reflected
! that. from what l had seen of their tend
er mercies, probably my own time was
| near at hand. And, but for the mulish
obstinancy of the captain all might have
| been prevented, l had no less than three
| Colts revolvers with ammunition in my
| cabin-trunk. two of them presents from
/ friends in Singapore to others in Swa-
! tow. What might we not have done by
| a timely display And now; oh, the pity
| of it, 1 wondered if they intended to
! kill me where l sat
I wondered. too l remember. whether
! it would be of any use telling them that.