I followed, and Ching was close at my heels, the clumsy vessel giving plenty of foothold; and we soon stood upon the deck, where some dozen or so Chinese sailors pointed aft to where the captain stood, bowing and smiling.
We had a rough set of bamboo steps to mount to the clumsy poop-deck, and there found the captain and half-a-dozen more of his men waiting.
"Now, Ching, forward," I said.

But he hung back and looked strange.
"Don't be so jolly modest," I whispered; "we can't get on without you to interpret." At that moment there came a loud hail from our boat, invisible to us from where we stood, and there was a tremendous splash.
"What's the matter ?" cried Mr Brooke, making for the side; but in an instant the attitude of the Chinaman changed.

One moment the captain was smiling at us smoothly; the next there was an ugly, look in his eyes, as he shouted something to his men, and, thrusting one hand into his long blue coat, he made a quick movement to stop Mr Brooke from going to the side.
The various incidents took place so quickly that they almost seemed to be simultaneous.

One moment all was peace; the next it was all war, and the warnings I heard came together.
"Pilate! pilate!" shouted Ching.
"Look out for yourself, my lad! Over with you!" roared Mr Brooke, as I saw him dash at the Chinese captain, and, with his left fist extended, leap at the scoundrel, sending him rolling over on the deck.
"Now!" cried Mr Brooke again, "jump!" "Jlump! jlump!" yelled Ching; and with a bound I was on the great carven gangway, just avoiding three men who made a rush for me, and the next moment I had leaped right away from the tower-like stern of the huge junk, and appeared to be going down and down for long enough through the glowing air before striking the water with a heavy splash, and continuing my descent right into the darkness, from which it seemed to me that I should never be able to rise again.
At last my head popped out of the dark thundering water, and, blinking my eyes as I struck out, I was saluted with a savage yelling; the water splashed about me, and I heard shots; but for a few moments, as I looked excitedly round, I did not realise that I was being pelted with pieces of chain, and fired at as a mark for bullets.
But in those brief moments I saw what I wanted: Mr Brook and Ching safe and swimming towards me, and the boat not many yards behind them, with two of our men at the oars, and the others opening fire upon the people who crowded the side of the junk, and yelled at us and uttered the most savage throats.
"This way, Herrick, my lad," panted Mr Brooke, as he reached me.

"Ah! did that hit you ?" "No, sir, only splashed up the water; I'm all right!" I cried; "the bullet didn't touch." "Swim boat! swim boat!" cried Ching excitedly.
But our danger was not from the water but the sharp fire which the Chinese kept up now, fortunately without killing any of us.