Stooping and keeping an arm half around him, Captain Sheldon followed Wang through a shallow lazaret. It led forward into the open hold. They passed beneath a hatch, where Wang drew aside in the deeper shadow, listening. Not a sound came from overhead. Again they stole forward. The wounded man held on indomitably, bearing his pain in a silence that seemed almost supernatural, as if unknown to the other he had been rendered invulnerable by a magic spell. Beyond the hatch they entered a narrow passage-way, and came out suddenly into the junk’s forecastle, the quarters of the Chinese crew. A ladder led to another open hatch in the deck above. As they reached the foot of the ladder, a fearful yelling suddenly broke out toward the stern, a sound of savage anger. Naked feet pattered on the deck overhead going aft. Wang grasped the captain’s arm. "S’pose breakee in door, no findee. One minute have got! Boat stand off, waitee! Go quickee, Cappen, jump ovelboa’!" Captain Sheldon heard him with a shock of incredulity. "The boats are standing off? The crew haven’t been killed?" "No, sir, Cappen. All hand savee! You go now" He felt the old man sag in his arms. "Wang, I can’t leave you here!" "Why for, Cappen? Wang no good. Quickee! Makee jump!" The voice broke; the frail body crumpled and slipped to the floor. Gathering all his strength, Captain Sheldon slung the old steward’s unconscious form over his shoulder and swarmed up the ladder. As he gained the deck, a tall figure dashed between him and the rail; other figures were racing through the waist of the junk. An angry chatter broke out at the foot of the ladder up which he had just come. Holding Wang to one side, he struck out heavily at the man who blocked his path, felling him to the deck. Darkness and surprise saved the day for him; their quarry had appeared like a whirlwind in their very midst. The next instant Captain Sheldon had gained the rail, and jumped clear of the junk’s side. The two bodies made a loud splash that echoed through the calmness of the night. As he came to the surface, desperately striking away from the junk and trying to keep Wang’s head above water, he heard a shout a little distance off in the darkness, and the rattle of oars as the boats sprang into action. *IV* The longboat was the first to reach him. They pulled him in with his burden still in his arms. The mate, appearing beside them in the other boat, gave vent to his anxiety.