Langdon and Sydney had so forcibly driven their enemy to the ground that one of the revolvers, which was cocked, had gone off, the noise of the discharge reverberating through the bare building in a most startling way. Intent upon their work, the pilot had seized the wrists of the foreign captain in an iron grip, while Sydney quickly disarmed him. Phil’s heart stopped beating at the sight which presented itself as the door swung wide open. By the light of three or four dripping candles, he saw a dozen Chinamen seated about the floor of the room. As the lad forced his way boldly into the midst of the startled Chinamen, holding before him a revolver taken from Sydney’s hand in passing, the surprised Orientals threw themselves face downward upon the floor, whining piteously for mercy. Leaving the disarmed foreigner to Sydney, Langdon quickly joined the other midshipman, surrounded as he was by the cringing and terror-stricken natives. “Canton Chinamen,” he whispered; “these must be Emmons’ launch crews; but what are they doing here?” Langdon raised his voice, addressing the terrified men. At the sound of their own tongue a Chinaman raised himself tremblingly from the floor, his fear giving place to joy as he recognized the familiar voice of the pilot, whom he had so frequently seen piloting ships on the great river. After a few minutes’ conversation with the native Langdon turned to Phil, drawing the lad out of ear-shot of their helpless enemy lying upon the floor with Sydney’s muscular weight upon his chest. “It looks bad for us!” he exclaimed. “This man, Nam-Sing, is one of Emmons’ head men, and these men are his crew. A mob this afternoon looted the foreign concession and destroyed all of Emmons’ launches, butchering the Canton Chinese crews in cold blood. The foreign gunboats, he says, looked on and would not interfere. Emmons, he thinks, was killed. These men took refuge in the secret vaults of the bank, known by Nam-Sing because he was for some years employed here. Believing that all was quiet, they were trying to muster up courage to escape down the river.”