Captain Thwaites had been anxiously awaiting the return of the boat from up the river, for, in spite of all inquiries, he had been unable to get any tidings of her till just as Mr Brooke arrived, to find the owners of the boat he had taken, on board making application for payment. They were dismissed with a promise of full restitution, and, while steam was being got up, a boat was lowered, the floating grating which acted as a buoy found, the cutter recovered, and then the _Teaser_ sailed for the river's mouth and came in search of us, Mr Brooke still clinging to the hope that we had escaped. In the offing the two junks were seen and recognised, evidently on their way to pick up their shipwrecked friends. First of all, the strong party of blue jackets and marines was landed, while the _Teaser_ went round the back of the island, to reach the channel and take the pirate junks by surprise. Thorough success, as I have shown, attended the manoeuvre, and soon after we were on board, where, after a few congratulatory words from our busy captain, I found Barkins and Smith eager to welcome me back, and quite ready to forgive me for having what they called "such a glorious lot of adventures," on account of the share they had had in the sinking and blowing up of the two pirate junks. "Yes," said Barkins, after I had told my experiences on the island, "that was all very well; but oh, my lad, you should have been here when we attacked those junks! It was glorious--wasn't it, Blacksmith?" "Lovely! But don't say any more to the poor fellow; it will only make him mad." We returned to the river, where our prisoners were landed, and we three lads had more than one spell on shore before we left that port, notably being in the city on the night of the Feast of Lanterns; but though we had several more brushes with pirates, they were all trivial affairs with small junks, the destruction of the last three being the crowning point of our achievements. Indeed, this and the sinking of another in search of which, upon excellent information, Captain Thwaites had suddenly gone after we had set out on our shooting expedition, and in which engagement Smith assured me he had greatly distinguished himself, were such blows to the piratical profession that its pursuers were stunned for the time. We remained upon the coast for another six months, and then: were ordered home, to the great delight of everybody but Ching, who parted from us all very sadly. "You think Mr Leardon like to take Ching see Queen Victolia?" he said to me one day in confidence. "I'm afraid not," I replied seriously. "Ching velly solly," he said. "Plenty lich man now! plenty plize-money! Ching wear silk evely day in Queen Victolia countly. You no tink captain take Ching?" "I'm sure he would not," I said. "Ching velly good interpleter; velly useful man." "Very; you've been a splendid fellow, Ching!" He smiled, and a fresh idea struck him.