Ching glanced round once, and we were about to imitate his example, but he said excitedly-- "No, no, don't lookee. Big blave talkee talkee soldier, and tink Inglis offlicer 'flaid. Walkee past." He led us as quickly as he could get us to go towards the tea-house he sought, and I must own that I was only too anxious about the Chinese guards to help feeling in a good deal of perturbation lest they should feel that they had been insulted, and follow us so as to take revenge. Hence I was glad enough to get within the tea-house's hospitable walls, and sat there quite content to go on sipping the fragrant infusion for long enough. I suppose we were there quite an hour and a half drinking tea, until we were satisfied, and then passing a look round to draw attention to our interpreter, who sat back with his eyes half closed, sipping away cupful after cupful, till Smith whispered to me that he thought he had kept correct account. "How many do you think Ching has had?" he whispered. "Don't know; nearly a dozen?" "Fifty-three, or thereabouts," whispered Smith. But I did not believe him, and I do not think he believed himself. "Now, you likee go 'long see somethin' else?" said Ching, when he had really drunk tea enough. "Yes," said Barkins, "I feel ready. What do you say to going to see the _Teaser_, lads?" he continued. "I'm willing," said Smith. "I want to lie down." "You ready, Gnat?" "Oh yes," I replied. "I don't feel as if I could enjoy anything to-day." "Right, then. No, Ching; back on board ship." "You go velly soon? Now?" "Yes, directly." Ching smiled--he had a habit of smiling at everything nearly, and we paid our reckoning and followed him down to the landing-place, to arrive there just in time to see the barge with the captain and his escort gliding rapidly away toward the ship. "Too soon findee boat," said Ching. "Tellee man come when sun go out of sight." "Yes, and that means two hours good," said Barkins. "Look here, Ching, hire a boat cheap. Get a fellow with a sailing-boat, if you can." "Yes," said the Chinaman, nodding his head in a satisfied way, "Good boat--velly nice boat--boat with velly big sail fly over water, eh?" "Yes, that's it," said Barkins. "And look sharp, for there are a lot of low blackguardly-looking fellows coming up, and we don't want another row." Barkins was quite right, for, as in our own seaports, there were plenty of roughs about, and whether in blue frocks and pith boots or British rags, the loafer is much the same. Ching saw at a glance that the sooner we were off the better, and hurried us a little way along the wharf till he saw a boat that seemed suitable. "You all get in velly quick," he said. "But we must make a bargain with the man." "Plesently," he replied, as we hurried in, and he ordered the man in charge to put off.