She has gone off on a false scent, I'm afraid, and we must not lose the substance while they are hunting the shadow." Very little more was said, and as I sat in the darkness I had plenty to think about and picture out, as in imagination I saw our queer-looking boat hooked on to the side of a great high-pooped junk, and Mr Brooke leading the men up the side to the attack upon the fierce desperadoes who would be several times our number.
"I don't know what we should do," I remember thinking to myself, "if these people hadn't a wholesome fear of our lads." Then I watched the shore, with its lights looking soft and mellow against the black velvety darkness.

Now and then the booming of gongs floated off to us, and the squeaking of a curious kind of pipe; while from the boats close in shore the twangling, twingling sound of the native guitars was very plain--from one in particular, where there was evidently some kind of entertainment, it being lit up with a number of lanterns of grotesque shapes.

In addition to the noise--I can't call it music--of the stringed instruments, there came floating to us quite a chorus of singing.

Well, I suppose it was meant for singing; but our lads evidently differed, for I heard one man say in a gruff whisper-- "See that there boat, messmate ?" "Ay," said another.

"I hear it and see it too." "Know what's going on ?" "Yes; it's a floating poulterer's shop." "A what ?" "A floating poulterer's shop.