CHILDREN'S COLUMN

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10404, 31 March 1897, Page 3

CHILDREN'S COLUMN

» THROUGH A WHITE MAN'S TREACHERY. AT THE MERCY OF CHINESE PIRATES. [by f. w. bridgeworth.]

"Tony, are you awake?"

"I suppose I am, but I can't see a thing, and I'm trussed up like a fowl." "Same here. Hark ! We're on the water."

" Sounds like it. By Jove! my head aches tit to split. Whab on earth has happened ?" Algy Grant and Tony Whytewere cousins —middies aboard H. M.S. Hardy attached to the China squadron. They had obtained leave to visit the former's father, a wealthy merchant, then at Canton, where an important branch of his businese was carried on.

On the night previous, Mr. Grant, his son, and nephew had been out sight-seeing. The narrow streets of Canton were crowded, and while the middies were watching a native lapidary ab work, Mr. Grant had wanderod on and become separated from the boys. An arrangement, made in view of such a contingency, to meet at a certain time on one of the bridge 3 crossing the canal to the Isle of Shameen (the foreign settlement) relieved the lads from any grenb anxiety, and as thab time drew uear they turned towards the rendezvous. Passing through a deserted locality, they were suddenly seized from behind, and gripped by the throat; a heavy blow knocked each one senseless, and they knew no more until they awoke in complete darkness. The whole thing was a mystery to which no solution was torthcoming. How long they had been insensible there were no means of telling. Their bonds were painfully tight, and the torture increased every moment.

Hours seemed to have passed when Algy became aware of a gleam of light shining into the inky blackness. Nexb moment a Chinese youth appeared. He was carrying a lighted candle. "I know that chap's face," exclaimed Tony. " I saw him .with the Rarerend Tracey at the English mission. His name's Ah Ling; he's a convert, and his father owns one of the river boats."

Ah Ling approached very cautiously. " You whitee mana welly bad," said he in a whisper. " Whore are we ?" asked Tony. " On sumpan." " Your father's boat?" "Yes." " Who brought us here? ,, "Misser Conley, him payee bad China* mans to brine you 'board sampan." "Conley!" exclaimed Algy, "Whew! the plot thickens. He's father's manager out here, and the dad suspects him of fraud. This looks serious. I say, where are we going ?" "Misser Conley payee my father to take you to sea; bit' junk meet sampan—takee you away." "I see his game, the scoundrel ! he'a done this to keep clad from looking into his accounts. Ah Line, if you set us free you shall be well rewarded." " Me no do that," was the reply, " Afraid of his father, I suppose," said Tony. " The Chinese have tremendous rospeot for their parents." "Ah Ling telee Misser Tracey, when—" He broke off abruptly, and glided away. Scarcely had he disappeared when a noise was heard above; a trap was lifted, and several Uhinamon leaped down. Seizing the boys they hoiated them on to the deck. Day was breaking. The sampan was well out in the river's mouth, and not far off lay a huge junk, towards which the boat was gliding. In a few minutes the two vessels were side by side. Ah Ling stood near as Algy and Tony were lifted on to the larger craft, and they detected a look in his eyes that seemed to bid them hope. Ten minutos later che junk and the sampan parted company. " Oh, if the old Hardy would only heave in sight now!" cried Algy, " D'ye know what I think,old man?" "What?"

"That these fellows are pirates. This is the craft we were chasing a month ago." "The one that gave ua the slip? By Jove, you're righb ! We're landed in a nice mess; wonder how we shall get out of it !"

The prospect was far from cheerful. The pirates were a villainous-looking crew, and showed no disposition to be indulgent to their prisoners. The boys were thrown into a noisome hold, the vile odour of which had the effect of gradually stupefying tbem, and an hour after they were again unconscious. At intervals they revived, but all feeling had now left them; their eyes met dreamily, bub no words were exchanged. They were roughly aroused at length, and food was given to them—coarsely-cooked rice—of which they ate sparingly. Slowly bhe hours dragged on. Again the same untempting victuals were brought and again taken away, only partly eaten. Eventually, after"another long lapse of time, they were shaken into sensibility and dragged on deck.

The fresh salt breeze blowing across the open sea acted like a tonic, dispelling to some extent the etupor that was weighing them down. Io was early morning, and the newly-risen sun shone through the trees anrt shrubs of an island before which the junk was lying. By command of one evidently in authority the bonds of the captives were cast loose. Algy and Tony could scarcely stand when free, but by an effort of will succeeded in maintaining a brave front before the pirates. Boats were lowered and in one ot them the boys were rowed ashore. An ill-favoured crowd awaited them, and amid their yells and hoots the two chums were conducted to a. collection of huts built on the slope of a promontory constituting the seuthern extremity of the island. Into one of the huts they were bundled, a guard of two men being placed at the entrance, before which a motley group of rascals remained for hours, expressing their hatred of the "foreign devils" by various opprobrious epithets. "Looks pretty lively up to now," said Tony, with a faint attempt ab a smile. " Wonder if Ah Ling will tell the Reverend Tracey about this business!" " If he does, you can reckon on dad following us without loss of time. The question is, what do these fellows mean to do with us?"

f "Nothing very pleasant, that's certain. To hare our heads sliced off straight away is the most JBieccUiil fate we on expect), , ' ■

" H'm! we'd hotter make up our minds to seize the first chance of escaping." "That's my idea. Anyhow, we'll keep a stiff upper lip for the honour of the British Navy." " Hurrah!"

They judged ib to be abonb three hours after noon, when a commotion arose among the crowd outside. Even the guards were affected'.by it. " I say!" cried Algy, suddenly, " here's a crack in the wall than overlooks the sea. By jove!" The dull boom of a distanb gun succeeded the latter exclamation. Tony joined his friend, and feasted his eyes on the sight which had aroused his cousin's enthusiasm. The junk was visibly midway between the shore and the horizon, while in the offing, about two miles to the east, a British cruiser was speeding towards it. A shot from the latter had struck the pirate craft, and when Tony placed his eye to the crevice, the Chinaman was plainly in difficulties. "Ah, you beggars I You're trapped this time. Algy, I believe that's the Hardy." "Of course it is. I could tell her twice the distance off. But—hang it!" with a serious air, " this doesn't improve our position. These brutes will slaughter us out of revenge before our chaps can rescue us. Look ! the sentries are staring out to sea; can't we make a dnah for it ?' " Rather ! Come on I"

A moment later they were running for all they were worth. An uproar in their rear first told them of the discovery of their escape; then half a dozen shots came whistling abont their ears. " Hit, Tony?" "No ; make for the trees." Inequalities in the ground separated them by several yards, and they entered the wood at) different points. Though his chum was now invisible, Algy felt sure they were both proceeding in the same direction, and woeld meet presently. As ib turned ouc afterwards, Tony held the same idea. *With the shouts of his pursuers ringing loudly behind him, Algy plunged on. " You eha'n'tcatch me now!" he muttered, through his clenched teeth. Scarce had the thought found expression when his foot caught in some tangled scrub; he fell heavily, shaken and dazed, and er.j he could recover himself two men pounced upon him. They were the sentries left at the door of the hut; by taking a shorter way they had headed off the fugitive. Algy struggled manfully, with the resulb that his jacket and vest were torn completely from his body. At length, thoroughly exhausted, he sank helpless into the hands of his captors. In a fainting condition he was dragged back to the prison from which he and his chum had made so bold a dash and cast upon the ground, only dimly conacioua of what was going on round him. He knew nothing of the wild excitement prevailing in the village—saw nothing of the frantic rushing to and fro of the people. A sensation of utter despair crowded all else from his mind, and when he was again seized and jerked to his feet his cruel tormentors met with no resistance. Outside the hut stood a posb about three feet high, It consisted of a piece of a bamboo split in twain and held together by an iron ring a foot from the ground. Into the cleft at the top the pirates forced the thumb of his right hand and a shriek left his lips as the two sections of the post closed upon it, squeezing it in a vice-like grip. One of the Chinamen stood an his right grasping a shorb stick. This was passed through a loop at one end of a coil of rope, the other end of which was fixed round the post nob far from the top. By turning the stick round and round the rope was twisted tighter, and poor Algy's thumb was held fast under a pressure that slowly increased. His suffering was intense, and as be writhed and twisted in agony his barbarous foes jeered and screeched derisively. Their exultation was short-lived, however.

Suddenly another sound rent the air—a cheer—the cheer of British sailors. A revolver shot, and Algy saw one of the pirates fall dead. Next)-moment several man-o'-war's men, armed with rifles, leapt into view over an embankment. The Chinamen turned to defend themselves. Algy saw no more; he had fainted.

When he awoke he found himself on board the Hardy. His injured thumb had been surgically treated and was now enclosed in bandages. Tony was with him. "All's well now, old chap," said he. " You'll be right in a day or so." " How did you escape ?" " Ran on for some time; then, finding all quiet and no sign of you, turned back. Result, lost myself. At lasb I ran into a boat's crew of our fellows, and—well, that's all."

" And the pirates ?" " Wiped out entirely—their junk gone to the bottom—their village in flames." " How long hare I been insensible ?" " About five hoursi" Early next morning the Hardy left the ricinity of the island. Towards midday a steamer signalled her and lowered a boat, which was rowed towards the cruiser. In the stern sat a gentleman in civilian attire. Aβ soon as Tony saw him he rushed down to Algy. " Hurrah, old man !" he shouted. " Uncle's coming aboard ; he'll be here in fiveminutoa."

It was indeed Mr. Grant who presently stepped on to the deck of the Hardy. His face wore a look of deep grief as he came up the side, but when he saw Tony an exclamation of delight burst from him. " What, safe after all!" he cried. " And Algy." " He's all right, uncle, barring a slighb injury." Mr. Grant's joy at thus unexpectedly finding the son and nephew, whom he had almost given up for lost, may well be imagined. On learning through Ah Ling of the villainy of which the boys had been the victims he bad immediately sought out Mr. Conley. That gentleman, had decamped. Ah Ling's father and hie associates were also not to be found. Losing no time, Mr. Grant chartered a steamer with the idea of searching for the junk, a meagre description of which he obtained from the Chinese boy. He spoke every ship that came in sight, but without success, and was in despair when he signalled the Hardy. " Thank Heaven, I've found you, boys V he said, fervently. " And how strange that it should be upon your own ship ! I'll have that fellow Conley hunted down, and he shall suffer Tor his baseness. He has robbed me very seriously, I find, and there's no doubb this move was to divert me from looking into his account?. Well, well! I suppose Captain Boyne won't object to your spending the remainder of your leave with me."

No, there was no objection; and the cousins accompanied Mr. Grant on board the steamer and thence to Canton, where they managed to have a good time until their holiday expired. As to Conley, he was never captured, and, in fact, never heard of again by the employer he had defrauded and the boys he had causSd to be treated so cruelly,— Chums.