of their boat unable to do more than throttle his engine and back and circle to pick up the men overboard. We had broken away, and shot down stream with a good start. Our leader put back the boat hook in the rack under our gunwale and briefly inquired if anybody was hurt. Ah Sing rubbed his ear with a hand that came away blood-stained from it. 'Dat piecee men,' he observed judicially, 'plenty stlong toosum-box hab got. Him muchee bitum!' 'I will dress that for you in a minute, Ah Sing,' said Philipson gravely. 'Give me the tiller, Mirlees. We are by no means out of the wood. Those fellows may go ashore and telephone Wusung to have a police boat waiting for us. Or they may--yes, by Jove, they are!' I peered out astern, straining my ears. It was true. The other launch was coming swiftly down stream in our wake. 'You think they can catch us?' I said. 'You saw for yourself the speed of that boat when she came out from the bank. I know her of old. The one thing on the river that can beat her is our own, and that not by a great deal. With the twist of the river I question if we shall have the advantage at all.' He dived forward through the cabin and returned with a stout square board, which, with the help of Ah Sing, he wedged firmly athwart-ship behind our engine. 'Bullets,' he explained. 'It may take the sting off them, at least, and save us from getting winged. They will not dare to fire on this part of the river, for fear of bringing the police about their ears--it is obvious they do not want that any more than we do. But when we come to the empty reaches lower down they may not be so squeamish. You know the river, Mirlees?' 'Pretty fair.' 'Right. It is half ebb now. We draw barely two feet. Do not be afraid to go inside the beacons if there is a good cut-off to be effected. I had better dress Ah Sing's ear while I have the chance. Come along, my faithful fellow.' I sat well down to the steering that boat out of Whangpu River. It was the reverse of a pleasure. We were soon come to the deserted reaches Philipson had spoken about, and I wondered how long it would be before the boat behind began to shoot. I could hear the hum of their engine above ours--they were clearly gaining on us. The frequent bends were robbing us of our advantage of superior speed, and steer straight as I might I couldn't prevent it. Many times have I cursed the snakiness of Whangpu River when crawling up it in steamers and impatient to be at the end of a voyage, but never had I cursed it as I did that night. Philipson's head appeared through the low doorway as he crept aft. At the same instant a sharp crack rang out behind, and a long white streak flashed on to the inside of our gunwale. Philipson bobbed back: for one fearful moment I thought he was hit. But it wasn't that. He reappeared with a Winchester rifle. 'This must be kept down, Mirlees,' he said, 'or at least replied to. Crouch when I fire--the flash will give them a good aiming point.'