One of them is climbing a big tree, much higher than the junk's masts." "For a look-out, eh ?" "Yes, sir, I think so," I shouted; and then to myself, "Oh, bother! It's hard work talking from up here.

There he is, sir, right up at the top.

You could see him from the deck." "No, I can see nothing from here.

Well, what is he doing ?" "Making signals with his hands, sir, and now he's coming down again." "Then you think he has seen the boats ?" "No, sir; they are following one another close in under the bank." "Then they can't see them," cried Mr Reardon, "and Mr Brooke will take them by surprise." He did not shout this, but said it to the captain.

Still the words rose to where I sat watching, till the Chinamen ran out from among the bushes at the foot of the trees, and I saw them making for the junks again.
I could not see them climb on board, but I felt that they must have jumped into a boat and rowed off to their friends, and, fixing my glass upon the deck of first one and then the other, I began to make out more and more clearly the actions of the crews, and, judging from the glittering, I saw some kind of arms were being distributed.
I announced this at first as a supposition, telling Mr Reardon what I thought it was.
"Yes, very likely," he replied; and a few minutes after I saw something else, and hailed.
"Yes," he said, "what now ?" and I saw that, though he did not speak, the captain was listening attentively.
"They're burning something, sir." "Confound them! Not setting fire to the junks ?" "I don't know, sir; I think so," I replied, still watching intently; and, as I gazed through my glass, I saw black smoke rising in little coils from both junks, at first very thick and spreading, then growing smaller.
"I think, sir, they've set fire to the junks in several places," I said.
He asked me why, and I told him.
"Watch attentively for a few minutes." I did so, and felt puzzled, for it seemed so strange that the fire should grow smaller.
"Well," he said, "are the junks burning ?" "The little curls of smoke are rising still, sir." "Have the men left the decks ?" "Oh no, sir! They're running here and there, and seem very busy still." "Then they have not set fire to the vessels," he cried decisively.
"Pirates, without a doubt.