"You likee me buy blead and fish, and plenty good to eat?" said Ching in rather a shrinking way. "Yes," said Mr Brooke, turning upon the Celestial sharply. "Where shall we land you?" "There," said Ching, pointing to the shore about a mile up from where we lay. "But it's going back, and we shall lose sight of the junks, Ching," I said. "Plenty blead there. Ching know the way." "But one moment, Mr Brooke," I said; "are we sure that those are the right junks?" "I feel sure," he said. "What do you say, my lads?" "Ay, ay, sir, them's right," chorussed the men. "Yes, Ching velly sure those pilate junk." "I know one on 'em, sir," said Jecks, "by her great yard. I never see a junk with such a big un afore. Talk about the cut of a jib--I says, look at the cut of her mainsail." "Well, we must have food and water, if we are going out of the mouth of the river," said Mr Brooke, and he turned the boat's head shoreward. "No makee haste," said Ching deprecatingly. "Too soon, evelybody fas' asleep." Mr Brooke gave an impatient stamp on the frail bamboo half-deck, but said no more for a few moments. "We must wait if we are too soon, for it would be madness to go without food and water." He was silent for a time, during which the men watched the distant junks, and as they stood out more and more boldly in the morning light, we compared notes, and made comments upon them, all growing more and more satisfied that these were the two of which we were in search. "Yes, they must be," said Mr Brooke at last, after listening for some time to the men's conversation. "The very fact of their sailing in company is suggestive. Seems odd, though, doesn't it, Herrick?" he half whispered. "What? their getting by us, sir, in the dark?" "No; I mean, after making up my mind that this fellow Ching was a traitor, and that I would have no more to do with him, to find myself forced at every turn to rest upon him for help. Lesson for you, lad." "In what way, sir?" "Not to have too much faith in yourself. I am beginning to hope that I have been deceived about him, but we shall soon have proof." "I feel sure you are misjudging him, sir," I said eagerly. "Yes, with a boy's readiness to trust." "But I feel sure he is honest, sir." "Well, we shall soon see." I looked at him for an explanation, and he smiled. "I am going to give him some money, and send him ashore to buy provisions. If he is dishonest he will not come back." "But he will come back," I said confidently. "We shall see, my lad," he replied; and once more he was silent, after handing the tiller to me, and looking back longingly at the two junks, which were apparently making no way, for the wind was blowing dead now into the mouth of the river. Early as it was, there were people stirring as we approached the landing-place Ching had pointed out, and he nodded with satisfaction.