Stan Lynn Part 62

He pointed again down-stream, and at that moment the mist, which floated like smoke on the surface of the water, lifted a little. Lynn, I felt stunned, for there were six junks in sight."

"So close?" whispered Stan.

"Yes; and the next minute the mist shut in again and they were gone as silently as they had come."

"But they had seen the _hong_?"

"No, I think not, or they would have set to and used their sweeps. We must wait now till they begin to come back, unless we are so lucky that they run aground on the other side. Quick! I'm going back to the wharf."

Stan made no reply, but hurried to where Uncle Jeff was sleeping soundly. He sprang up at a touch.

"Come?" he said sharply.

"Yes. I'm going to rouse up the others. Blunt wants you on the wharf."

So well had the plans been made that in an incredibly short s.p.a.ce of time the whole of the defenders had gathered in silence, to find that the place was completely shut in by the thick white mist, neither warehouse nor river being visible, even those who were two yards distant being quite invisible to their friends.

CHAPTER THIRTY SIX.

"ALL IN TO BEGIN."

With so great a danger at hand not a bound was made, every man, weapon in hand, listening and waiting for the next phase of the pirates'

approach; while many a heart that had sunk low in the presence of the peril began to beat less heavily as the minutes glided on, with the veil of mist which hid them from their enemies growing thicker.

"Are we saved?" said Uncle Jeff at last in a whisper--"I don't want to fight."

"Nor do I, uncle," whispered back Stan; "but it seems to be too good to be true."

"What are you talking about?" asked Blunt from out of the mist close at hand--"the pirates going by?"

"Yes," replied Uncle Jeff; "we've got off, haven't we?"

"Till the fog clears away; and that will not be long. They won't give us up. It's only a question of time and their having to beat up against wind and stream. No," he added, holding his hand up on high; "only against stream. I can feel the breeze rising, and that will carry off the fog before long."

"Then you will not be disappointed of your savage desires, Stan," said Uncle Jeff good-humouredly. "What a fellow you are to fight!"

"Oh! don't try to make jokes now, uncle; it's too horrible."

"For the enemy, Stan, my lad; and I don't pity them a bit. They have the means in their hands to escape all fighting by leaving us carefully alone; but they will come on these murdering expeditions, to let's give them all the bullets we can."

"Yes, here comes the breeze," whispered Stan. "I can see the mist gliding by."

"Yes, there it goes," said Blunt, endorsing the lad's words. "We shall be clear by sunrise."

Quite half-an-hour pa.s.sed before the air was much lighter, and Blunt ventured to give forth the hope that the enemy might have glided on so far down the river that they would be out of sight, when, almost before he had done speaking, the fog seemed to grow thinner, and directly after to turn to a deep orange, golden hue.

"Sun's rising," said Uncle Jeff. "I hope the junks are well out of sight. It will give us time for a good breakfast before they come back."

"No breakfast," said Stan bitterly, for he was thinking of hot coffee, and his appet.i.te was suddenly damped by what he saw. For the lightening of the mist before the breeze meant that they were close to the edge of the moving bank of rolling mist-clouds, and as if the veil had been suddenly drawn aside, there were the horizontal rays of the sun shining right across the cl.u.s.tering men on the wharf and turning the grey fog-bank to one of gold. To their left the river was hidden, while to their right it was dazzlingly bright, with only a few golden wreaths floating here and there--a glorious scene, but having one of threatening horror behind; for close insh.o.r.e, about half a mile down-stream, were the piratical junks with grapnels out, holding on to keep from being carried lower, two on the right bank, and four on the left; and as the crews caught sight of them when the mist glided off they set up a yell of savage exultation, and a busy scene ensued as some began to haul in their grapnels, some to hoist sail, while others thrust the long sweeps overboard, and the watchers saw them dip.

"Humph!" grunted Uncle Jeff in a low voice to his nephew; "it's a long time since I was at school, Stan, but I am going to give an order that used to be very familiar to me in the old days."

"What's that, uncle?" said Stan wonderingly.

"All in to begin, my boy."

"To be sure," said Blunt grimly. "All in to begin it is; not that we need hurry, for it will be a full half-hour before they can get up here against the sharp current. We'll have it all in--not to begin fighting, but breakfast. In with you, my lads," he cried smartly; "breakfast."

The defenders gave a cheer, and in less than five minutes the Chinese servants were handing round bread-cake, biscuits, and mugs of coffee to all, while the princ.i.p.als carried theirs out to take on the wharf and watch as well.

In a quarter of an hour Blunt gave orders to the carpenters, and the last open doorway was, being closed up, while the men rose from what all felt might be their last meal to take their places for the defence, the narrow slits at the windows between the closely packed chests and bales looking very ominous, the more so in their desertion, not the barrel of a rifle nor a glittering watchful eye being seen.

"All ready?" said Blunt as soon as he reached the upper floor, after seeing to the last strengthenings being given to the two doors.

A cheer was the answer, and he turned to Uncle Jeff.

"There's plenty of time, sir," he said. "Will you say a few encouraging words to the men?"

"I'd rather not," replied Uncle Jeff. "I came up here to fight, not talk."

"But it will encourage them, sir--put heart into them. It does not matter how few words so long as they are to the point."

"Very well," said Uncle Jeff, flushing, as he drew in a deep breath and filled out his chest.--"Just a word, my lads, all of you, English and Chinese, for we have to fight like brothers to-day."

There was a hearty cheer, and Uncle Jeff seemed to be encouraged by this, and spoke out more firmly as he went on.

"There's our duty before us," he continued, "to kill or wound as many of these murderous savages as we can, for the sake of being left at peace to earn our livings like men."

There was another cheer at this, and as it died out Uncle Jeff continued:

"Then all I have to say more to you is this, that we are going to share all dangers with you, and in return we ask you to behave like men."

That was all, and the echo of the final words was drowned by a burst of applause and cries of "We will! We will!"

"Now," shouted Blunt; "once more: no random shots. Every cartridge used ought to mean one enemy the less, every miss a mistake. Don't fire, then, till you are sure.--Now then, coolies, you with knife, club, and bar will always be ready to come to the first window to help to beat down the enemy if they try to get in. When not wanted for that, half of you are to be ready to hurl back the stink-pots thrown in, and the others to keep to the buckets and dash out any fire that threatens to take hold. Now then, every man in his place."

There was a rush, and Uncle Jeff, who was watching the coming junks, c.o.c.ked his rifle.

It was like a clicking signal for every one to do the same, the sounds running strangely along the stack-enc.u.mbered floor.

Then all was silent till Blunt, who was once more taking the lead, his thin, sunken lineaments giving him a fiercely haggard aspect, spoke again.

"Here they come," he said; "but no firing until the first men land.

Save only for us," he added in a low voice. "You, Mr Lynn--you, Lynn junior--will do as I do: keep our best marksmanship for the leaders and the men working and firing the guns."

A low, growling whisper was the reply, and then all watched the coming ships with their grotesque heads and listened to the buzzing booming of the gongs.