Push right in at the next place where there's room for the boat, and climb up the bank." "Yes, sir," I cried; and we went on again for another hundred yards, when all at once I caught sight of an opening where I could land, and pointed it out to Mr Grey.
"Yes," said Ching, "allee light.

That place where pilate land allee plize-money." I laughed, and Mr Grey told the coxswain to draw the boat close to the bank, when, to my intense surprise, I found there was a broadly-trampled path, beaten into soft steps, and I turned in my glee and shouted-- "Here's the place, sir." The boat glided rustling in; two men sprang out, and then we followed.
The second boat came alongside, and five minutes later our sturdy little force was tramping along through a dense patch of wood by a well-beaten path, and in about ten minutes more were out at the foot of a low ridge which hid the river from our sight, and in face of a couple of dozen or so low bamboo huts, two of which were of pretty good size.
"Steady! halt! form up!" cried the lieutenant, and skirmishers were sent forward to feel our way, for no one was visible; but open doors and windows, suggested the possibility of danger in ambush.
A few minutes settled all doubts on that score, and the word to advance was given.

We went up to the front of the huts at the double, and examination proved that the places must have been occupied within a few hours, for the fire in one hut was still smouldering; but the people had fled, and we were in possession of the tiny village so cunningly hidden from the river.
Our men were pretty quick, but Ching surpassed them.
"Look at him running!" cried Barkins, as, with his tail flying, Ching ran from hut to hut, and finally stopped before the two more pretentious places, which were closely shut.
"Hong--warehouse," he cried to me, and an attempt was made to enter, but the doors of both were quite fast.
"Steady!" said Mr Reardon; "there may be some of the enemy inside;" and our men were so placed that when the door was burst in, any fire which we drew would prove harmless.
One of the sailors came forward then with a heavy flat stone, which looked as if it had been used to crush some kind of grain upon it, and, receiving a nod from the lieutenant, he raised it above his head, dashed it against the fastening, and the door flew open with a crash, while the sailor darted aside.
But no shot issued from within, and Mr Reardon stepped forward, looked in, and uttered an ejaculation.
"Look here, Grey," he cried; and the boatswain stepped to his side.
Then my turn came, and there was no doubt about Ching's idea being correct, for the place was literally packed with stores.

Chests, bales, boxes, and packages of all kinds were piled-up on one side; bags, evidently of rice, on the other; while at the end were articles of all kinds, and crates which seemed to be full of china.
"Sentry here," said the lieutenant sternly; and, leaving a marine on guard, he led the way to the other store, whose door was burst in, and upon our entering, without hesitation now, this place proved to be choked with the cargo of different junks which the pirates had rifled, for everything of value had been packed in tightly, and the pirates' treasure-houses were no doubt waiting for some favourable opportunity for disposing of the loot.
"Sentry here," cried Mr Reardon again; and the man having been planted, we stood together in one of the huts, while the lieutenant made his plans.
"You wantee big empty boat ?" said Ching suddenly.
"Yes, my man, and I wish we had brought one." Then, after a few minutes' consideration, Mr Reardon decided what to do.
"Now, Mr Herrick," he said, "take a marine and one man with the signal flags, and go up to the ridge yonder.

Place your marine where he can command the plain, and he will fire if he sees the enemy approaching.
The man is to signal for two more boats." I started for the ridge after getting my two men, which was about two hundred yards away, the ground rising in a slope; and, as we went off at the double, I heard orders being given, while, by the time we were up on the top, I looked back to see our men going in a regular stream down to the boats, laden with bales of silk, the white frocks of the Jacks showing through the thick growth from time to time.
My sentry was soon posted in a position where he could command the plain for miles, and the Jack hard at work waving flags till his signal was answered from the ship, which seemed from where we stood to be lying close at hand.
Then we two returned, to find that one boat was already packed as full as it would hold; and Barkins and Mr Grey went off with it back to the river, while the second was rapidly laden, and in half an hour followed the first.