An hour later I was in my cot fast asleep, and dreaming of fierce-looking Chinamen in showy-patterned coats making cuts at me with big swords, which were too blunt to cut, but which gave me plenty of pain, and this continued more or less all night. In the morning I knew the reason why, my left side was severely bruised, and for the next few days I could not move about without a reminder of the terrible cut the mandarin's retainer had made at me with his sword. CHAPTER FIVE. CHING HAS IDEAS. Week had passed, during which we had cruised here and there, in the hope of falling in with the pirates. Once in the right waters, it did not much signify which course we took, for we were as likely to come across them sailing north as south. So our coal was saved, and we kept steadily along under canvas. But fortune seemed to be still against us, and though we boarded junk after junk, there was not one of which the slightest suspicion could be entertained; and their masters, as soon as they realised what our mission was, were only too eager to afford us every information they could. Unfortunately, they could give us none of any value. They could only tell us about divers acts of horrible cruelty committed here and there within the past few months, but could not point out where the pirates were likely to be found. Ching, in spite of some rough weather, had never been obliged to leave the deck, and had proved to be so valuable an acquisition, that he was informed that he would have a certain rate of pay as interpreter while he stayed on board; and as soon as he was made aware of this, he strutted up to me and told me the news. "Captain makee interpleter and have lot dollar. Muchee better keepee fancee shop." This was after, at my suggestion to Mr Reardon, he had been sent out in one of the boats to board a big junk, and from that time it became a matter of course that when a boat was piped away, Ching's pigtail was seen flying out nearly horizontally in his eagerness to be first in the stern-sheets. But it was always the same. The boat came back with Ching looking disappointed, and his yellow forehead ploughed with parallel lines. "Ching know," he said to me one evening mysteriously. "Know what?" I said. "Plenty pilate boat hide away in island. No come while big ship _Teasler_ here." "Oh, wait a bit," I said; "we shall catch them yet." "No, catchee," he said despondently. "Pilate velly cunning. See Queen Victolia ship say big gun go bang. 'Top away." "But where do you think they hide?" "Evelywhere," he said. "Plentee liver, plenty cleek, plenty hide away." "Then we shall never catch them?" I said. "Ching wantee catchee, wantee plenty money; but pilate won't come. Pilate 'flaid." "And I suppose, as soon as we go away, they'll come out and attack the first merchantman that comes along the coast." "Yes," said Ching coolly; "cut allee boy float, settee fire junk, burnee ship."