"I'm afraid we've come on a cock-and-bull hunt," said the boatswain, looking to right and left as he stood up in the boat, for the creek now grew so narrow that the men had to lay in their oars, and the coxswain also stood up and drew the boat onward by hooking the overhanging boughs. "Do you think they do come up here, Ching?" I said. He nodded, and looked sharply about him. "There can be no big traffic up here, Mr Grey," said the lieutenant. "What does the interpreter say?" "Do you hear, Ching?" I whispered; "what do you say?" "Allee light," he replied. "Pilate come along in littlee sampan; cally silk, tea, lice." "Oh, bother!" I said. Then aloud to Mr Reardon, whose boat was half hidden by the growth overhead, "He seems quite sure they do come up here, sir." "Well, then, go a little farther, but I feel far from sure. Push right in at the next place where there's room for the boat, and climb up the bank." "Yes, sir," I cried; and we went on again for another hundred yards, when all at once I caught sight of an opening where I could land, and pointed it out to Mr Grey. "Yes," said Ching, "allee light. That place where pilate land allee plize-money." I laughed, and Mr Grey told the coxswain to draw the boat close to the bank, when, to my intense surprise, I found there was a broadly-trampled path, beaten into soft steps, and I turned in my glee and shouted-- "Here's the place, sir." The boat glided rustling in; two men sprang out, and then we followed. The second boat came alongside, and five minutes later our sturdy little force was tramping along through a dense patch of wood by a well-beaten path, and in about ten minutes more were out at the foot of a low ridge which hid the river from our sight, and in face of a couple of dozen or so low bamboo huts, two of which were of pretty good size. "Steady! halt! form up!" cried the lieutenant, and skirmishers were sent forward to feel our way, for no one was visible; but open doors and windows, suggested the possibility of danger in ambush. A few minutes settled all doubts on that score, and the word to advance was given. We went up to the front of the huts at the double, and examination proved that the places must have been occupied within a few hours, for the fire in one hut was still smouldering; but the people had fled, and we were in possession of the tiny village so cunningly hidden from the river. Our men were pretty quick, but Ching surpassed them. "Look at him running!" cried Barkins, as, with his tail flying, Ching ran from hut to hut, and finally stopped before the two more pretentious places, which were closely shut. "Hong--warehouse," he cried to me, and an attempt was made to enter, but the doors of both were quite fast. "Steady!" said Mr Reardon; "there may be some of the enemy inside;" and our men were so placed that when the door was burst in, any fire which we drew would prove harmless.