Here, hail the man again, and ask him where he is going." "How pang pong won toe me ?" cried Ching, and for answer there came two or three grunts.
"Yes; what does he say ?" "Say he go have big long sleep, 'cause he velly tired." Mr Brooke said no more, but ran the boat down the river some little distance and then began to tack up again, running across from side to side, so as to make sure that the junks did not slip by us in the darkness.

But hour after hour glided on, and the lights ashore and on the boats gradually died out, till, with the exception of a few lanterns on vessels at anchor, river and shore were all alike one great expanse of darkness, while we had to go as slowly as possible, literally creeping along, to avoid running into craft moored in the stream.
And all this time perfect silence had to be kept, and but for the intense desire to give good account of the junks, the men would soon have been fast asleep.
"Do you think they will come down and try to put to sea, Ching ?" I said at last, very wearily.
"Yes, allee 'flaid Queen Victolia's jolly sailor boy come steam up liver and send boat up cleek, fight and burn junks.

Come down velly quick." "Doesn't seem like it," I said, beginning at last to feel so drowsy I could not keep my eyes open.
"So velly dark, can't see." "Why, you don't think they will get by us in the darkness ?" I said, waking up now with a start at his words, and the bad news they conveyed.
"Ching can't tell.

So velly dark, plenty junk go by; nobody see if velly quiet.

Ching hope not get away.