Blue Jackets Part 59

"Oh! Looking out for the boats?"

"Yes, sir."

"That's right. I like to see a young officer take an interest in the men."

They moved away to walk forward, while my face burned, for I did not deserve the praise, and my words had not been quite so honest as I could have wished.

All at once, from out of the blackness astern, I heard the regular dip of oars, and at the same moment one of the watch challenged and received an answer. A minute later they were close up, and I shouted--

"Found him?"

"No, sir; not a sign of him anywhere."

I uttered a low groan, and the boats separated, one going to starboard and the other to port, to be hauled up to their quarters, and there was the customary trampling of the men going to their positions to run them up.

"Poor old Ching!" I said aloud; and then I started back as if I had received a stroke, for my name was uttered from below in a sharp whisper.

"Mister h.e.l.lick! Mister h.e.l.lick!"

"Ching!" I cried, leaning over as far as I could reach, and gazing down at the water. "Help!--help!" I shouted. "Here he is!"

Mr Brooke ran to me.

"What do you mean, my lad?"

"He's down here," I cried, "clinging to the chains."

"Nonsense! the boats would have seen him."

"But he is," I cried. "He has just called me. Below there! Ching!"

"Yes; help! Velly cold," came up in a piteous wail.

"Hold hard there!" shouted Mr Brooke. "Port boat back here under the counter."

The falls were unhooked, and the boat drawn back by the c.o.xswain till she pa.s.sed round close to the rudder.

"Any one there?" cried Mr Brooke.

"Ay, ay, sir!" and a cheer broke out from the men hurrying aft.

"Help! help!" came in a sharp wail. "No cut tow-chang! No cut tow-chang!"

"n.o.body's going to cut it, my lad. All right, we've got you," came up from close under the stern windows, where even if it had been light we could not have seen.

"Found him?" cried the captain, who now came up.

"Ay, ay, sir! Will you lower us down a lantern, sir? He's tied up somehow to the chain and a ring-bolt. We can't quite lee."

The next minute, as I stood there longing to lower myself down into the boat, a lantern was swung over to them; while the men came swarming up the hatchway, for the news had soon spread, and they came running as far aft as they dared.

"Now then, steady," came from beneath us. "Let go; we've got you, I say."

"No cuttee tow-chang! No cuttee tow-chang!"

"Then he must have caught at the rudder-chains as he was swept along the side," said the captain. "Why didn't the fellow hail us, instead of letting the boats go on such a fool's errand?"

"Too much scared, sir," replied Mr Reardon. "Below there! Got him in the boat?"

"Got him, sir, and we can't get him," said one of the men. "He's all twissen up round the chain in a knot somehow."

"What?"

"He's tied hisself up somehow."

"Well, then, cut him loose, man," cried Mr Reardon.

"No cuttee tow-chang! No cuttee tow-chang!" cried Ching in a piteous wail.

"Not cut his toe?" said the captain in a tone full of disgust. "What does he mean? He can't have tied his foot to the chain."

"Hold still, will yer!" growled a deep voice; "I'm only untwisten on it.

n.o.body wants to cut yer pigtail."

"Oh, no cuttee tow-chang!" wailed Ching piteously.

"Tow-chang?" said the captain.

"Yes, sir; his tail," I said.

"Oh, I see! They're very proud of the length."

"Well, I'm blessed if ever I see such a snarl," cried the man below.

"That's it. There you are. Here, cut this hankychy thing."

"Got him now?"

"Ay, ay, sir! all right," came from the boat; and at this the men burst out cheering again like mad, while the boat was drawn along the side with difficulty till the falls were reached, hooked on, and with a stamp and a run she was hauled up, and I was close up to the side as she was swung in, and Ching lifted out dripping, and sank down in a heap as soon as the men tried to set him on his feet.

"Here, let me have a look at him," said the doctor.

"But first of all, why did you cling there instead of calling for help?"

cried Mr Reardon angrily.

"Bah! don't worry the man, sir," said the doctor sharply. "He's nearly insensible. What's this canister doing at the end of his tail?"

"Bah!" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed the captain angrily, and he said something to Mr Reardon, and then went down to the cabin.