The Penang Pirate | Page 5

as the darky cook stepped gingerly past the group of Lascars, and handed the cup of coffee up to him on the poop, with an obsequious bow. "But, how is it you're not asleep?"
"Best to be most circumspectious, massa, wid dem culled pussons aboard; no caulking wid dem nasty yaller gen'lemen for me!"
"Well, that's a good un!" laughed Mr Scuppers; "the pot calling the kettle black with a vengeance!"
"You mistake sah," said Snowball with dignity. "I knows, Massa Scuppers, I isn't 'xactly like you white gen'lemen; but den I isn't a nasty mulatto like dem poor trash; and dey isn't to be trusted!"
"Perhaps you're right, Snowball; but we ought not to suspect them till we've found them out, you know."
After another turn or two on deck, Mr Scuppers cabled the boatswain to him,--
"Martens," said he, "have those Lascars turned in yet?"
"No, sir," said Bill; "one of 'em at all events was awake just now, and spying about forward."
"Indeed!" exclaimed the mate in a tone of surprise, as if the information was both unexpected and alarming. "Pass the word forward for the serang to come aft to me at once!"
"Aye, aye, air," replied the boatswain, touching his cap as he left the poop; and in another minute or so this Malay--serang is the name given to the chief of the gang--appeared, rubbing his eyes as if just awakened up from sleep.
He was the very same broad-shouldered, thick-set, tawny-yellow native with jet black coarse hair, like that out of a horse's tail, and low Mongolian type of face, whom the boatswain had seen inspecting the casks on deck. He now cringed and salaamed before the first mate.
"You wantee me, comprador?" said the man, speaking in that species of Portuguese patois which is so common in the Straits Settlements.
"Yes, Kifong," said the first mate, speaking likewise in broken lingo, with the idea of making himself better understood. "Captain sahib say he wantee you berry early morning, four bell, to get up anchor. You go below now first chop, and turn in; do you hear that!" he shouted out in very unmistakable English, pointing below to the foc's'le hatch.
"Si, Senor Comprador," salaamed again the Malay; then, giving a shrill whistle and waving his rattan of office, the gang around the mainmast roused up, and followed him to their bunks below as obediently as a flock of sheep, without a word.
"Get the side-lines ready for the accommodation ladder, Martens," said Mr Scuppers, "and see that the gig-falls are clear to hoist it in; for we'll trip anchor at daylight if the wind holds, and leave this blessed Canton River in our wake. Slip down the foc's'le hatch over the yellow beggars. So there, that's all right, and the cap'en can come as soon as he pleases!"
Presently the sound of oars was heard approaching the ship; and soon the captain's gig, pulled by six oars, came alongside quietly. The light was again shown, the ladder let down and side-ropes manned, and the well-known face of the skipper appeared above the gangway. "This way, Mr Meredith," said the latter to a well-wrapped-up gentleman who accompanied him, besides the second mate, Mr Sprott, who remained behind to see the gig hoisted in. "This way, Mr Meredith; please tell the others to follow!"
The captain thereupon led the way into the saloon--Snowball carrying the lantern to light up--followed by the gentleman whom he had addressed by name, and ten others in single file bringing up the rear behind him; then the cuddy doors were slid to and the saloon cut off from the rest of the ship.
The captain came on deck after a time, and ordered the boatswain to tell the men to give no hints to the Malays as to the passengers, and then an anchor-watch was set, and all hands turned in for the night.
VOLUME ONE, CHAPTER THREE.
THE SAMPAN.
Towards six bells in the morning watch the intense violet sky of the east began to pale into those shades of green and grey which note the departure of night, the bright twinkling stars that had up to then lit up the firmament disappearing one by one as day broke. Then, rapidly, streaks of warm, salmon-tinted clouds rose across the eastern horizon, shot with bright golden gleams of fire, making the water of the Pearl River glow as if with life, and lighting up the distant house-tops and pagodas of Canton that could be seen far away from Jardyne Point; and then, up danced the sun from beyond the paddy fields, mounting higher and higher in the heavens each moment with majestic strides, as if he wanted to get his day's work done early, so as to get a siesta in the afternoon!
With the rising of the sun, all is bustle and excitement on board the Hankow Lin; for the