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Updated: May 10, 2025
"And never will," grumbled Smith, as we turned to have another look at the burning barque. "How long will a ship like that be burning, Jecks?" I said to one of the watch. The man scratched his head, and had a good stare at the glowing object in the distance, as if he were making a careful calculation. "Well," said Barkins, "out with it, Tom Jecks; we don't want to know to two minutes and a half."
I came hurriedly down, and my announcement was enough to set my companions off, Jecks limping painfully through the loose sand, climbing rocks, and finding it no easy task to get over that so-called quarter of a mile, which, like all such spaces on the sea-shore, proved to be about double the length it looked, while the nearer we got the higher and more formidable the ridge seemed to grow, completely shutting out all beyond, where it ran down from the cliff at right angles into the sea.
It is true that the state was still in its infancy, being an offshoot from another and larger realm, and having obtained the boon of freedom and self-government only as recently as 1871, after a series of political convulsions of a violent character, which may be studied with advantage in the well-known history of "The Making of Aureataland," by a learned professor of the Jeremiah P. Jecks University in the United States of America.
"How many bells is " "Sit up, Jecks," whispered Mr Brooke angrily. "Next man take the sheet." There was the rustling sound of men changing their places, and I heard the coxswain whispering to the others forward. "No talking," said Mr Brooke; and we glided on again in silence, but not many yards before a light gleamed out in front. "Quick, down at the bottom, all of you! Ching, take the tiller!"
Then came a cheer, as the water rolled hissing and whispering among the reeds; there was the simultaneous plash of oars, and a creaking sound. Then another sound from the bank of the creek, which I knew well enough. "Say when, sir," whispered Tom Jecks. "They're a-coming on."
Had to race afore it with bare poles and holding on to the belaying-pins. Tycoons they call 'em, don't they, Mr Ching?" "Gleat blow storm," said Ching, nodding. "Hullicane." "There you are, sir," said Jecks. "Hurricanes or tycoons." "Typhoons," I said. "Yes, sir, that's it, on'y you pernounces it different to me.
"'Cause I'm nearly done, sir; and Billy Wakes looks quite. Billy ought to eat nice and joocy, messmates." "And old Tom Jecks tough as leather," cried Wakes. "That's so, matey," growled Jecks, who began to pass his tongue over his lips, and to make a smacking sound with his mouth. "My hye, matey, you do seem hungry," said one of the others.
"No, sir, o' course not; but I say, sir, do you think it's all right?" "What do you mean, Jecks?" "This here river, sir. I ayve read in a book about Chinee Tartars and magicians and conjurors. There was that chap in `Aladdin' as left the boy shut up down below. He were a Chinee, wasn't he?" "I think so, Tom; but what have the Arabian Nights got to do with our hunting these pirates?"
But then you see there's physic as he takes out of one of his little bottles with stoppers, and there's physic as he makes out of the ship's rum, hot with sugar. I could take a dose now easy, and it would do me good." "Nonsense!" I said, after a glance at the sleeping Chinaman. "But I say, Jecks, how did he manage?" "Oh, easy enough, sir.
"Not to-night, sir," said Jecks sturdily. "Yes, man; there will be no moon." "No, sir; but in less nor an hour's time the sea 'll be white as milk, and all of a greeny glow, same as it is some still nights in port. There won't be no difficulty, sir, about seeing." "But you think it will be hard to make the channel?" "I hope not, sir, but I'm afraid so; we can only try."
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