CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR.
A SURPRISE.
I don't think the Chinese authorities were very grateful to us of the _Teaser_,--there, you see, I say _us_, for I did do something to help in routing out and destroying two nests of pirates; but the merchants, both Chinese and English, feted us most gloriously, and if it had not been for Mr Reardon we three middies might have always been ashore at dinners and dances.
"But," cried Barkins, "so sure as one gets an invitation he puts his foot down." "Yes," said Smith; "and it is such a foot." "But it's such a pity," grumbled Barkins; "for Tsin-Tsin is after all rather a jolly place.

Mr Brooke says the ball at the consul's last night was glorious, no end of Chinese swells there, and the music and dancing was fine." "Don't be so jolly envious, Tanner," sneered Smith.

"You couldn't have danced if you had gone." "Dance better than you could," cried Barkins hotly.
"No, you couldn't.

Fancy asking a young lady to waltz, and then going dot-and-go-one round the room with your game leg." "You've a deal to talk about, Smithy; why, if you asked a lady to dance you couldn't lift your right arm to put round her waist." "Couldn't I ?" cried Smith.

"Look here." He swung his arm round me, took three steps, and dropped on to the locker, turning quite white with pain.
"Told you so," cried Barkins, springing up.