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Updated: May 10, 2025
"Like me to go ashore, sir, to that Chinesy sweetstuff shop, to get you one o' their sweet cool drinks, sir?" said one of the men, after we had sat there roasting for some time. "No, thank you, Tom Jecks," I said, in as sarcastic a tone as I could assume. "Mr Barkins says you are such a forgetful fellow, and you mightn't come back before the captain."
Ching crept forward, and we were gliding along over the dark sea before a gentle breeze, which, however, hardly rippled the water. "Keep a bright look-out for the Teaser, Jecks. We may see her lights." "Ay, ay, sir."
"It does not matter," he added; "we shall soon have darkness again, and I think we shall be too nimble for them then." "Beg pardon, sir," said Tom Jecks. "Yes, what is it? Your wound painful?" "Tidy, sir; but that warn't it. I was only going to say, look yonder."
"Nor arn't likely to be, mate; but we've got heads all the same. I know how I should like to be executed if it was to-day." The others looked up, and I could not help turning my head at the strangely-expressed desire. "I'll tell yer," said Jecks, looking hard at me. "I should like it to be same as they did that young chap as we reads of in history. They drowned him in a big tub o' wine."
I don't think they meant to kill him, their rage being evidently directed at us; and I saw, with a peculiar kind of fascination, one man with a big sword come close to me; another, armed with a similar blade, go to where Tom Jecks lay, held down by three others. I can hardly describe my sensations.
I was sitting panting with the heat, resting my head against the rock, listening to the breathing of Tom Jecks, and wondering why it was that something hot and black and intangible should be always coming down and pressing on my brain, when I started into wakefulness, or rather out of my stupor, for Ching touched me, and I found that he had crept past Tom Jecks to where I had made my seat, and had his lips close to my ear.
"I knew he wasn't a fighting man," I said sadly; "but I couldn't have believed that he was such a cur." At that moment there was a quick scrambling sound, which made me start to my feet, and Tom Jecks started up on his elbow. "Here they come, sir," he gasped. "Now, sir," he whispered wildly, "do, pray, cut and run." "With you," I said resolutely.
We must wait." I dropped soon after into a heavy stupor-like sleep, and this time I was the first to wake and see the sun's rays stealing in through the growth in the rift. Ching was sleeping calmly enough, but Tom Jecks had been tossing about, and lay in a very peculiar position, which startled me it looked so strange.
"Well, sir," said the man very deliberately, "I should say as a wessel o' that size " "There goes her mainmast!" some one shouted, as a portion of the fire fell off to our left, and lay in the sea. We stood gazing at this part for a few minutes, during which the light faded slowly out, quenched in the waves. Then Jecks began again, speaking very oracularly "I should say as a wessel o' that size "
The man did not answer for a moment, and Mr Reardon made an angry gesture, but just then Tom Jecks, with his hands to his mouth, sent forth a hoarse deep-toned roar.
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