286 CRUISING AFTEK PIRATES. 



" What do they mean," I asked my Mandarin friend, 

 "by demanding these pirates to be handed over to 

 their tender mercies ? " 



" Oh, they only want to drown them," he replied. 



Just at this moment the poor Mandarin, who had 

 evidently for some time been longing to reach terra 

 firma again, had to be seized by two of his officials, 

 and hurried to the ship's side, when his head was 

 held well over the water, much to the amusement 

 of his surrounding countrymen. A splash and an im- 

 mense uproar at the same moment took place. The 

 unhappy Mandarin recovered as if he had been 

 electrified, and roared out sundry orders, which in- 

 creased the confusion tenfold. It was a most laughable 

 sight. The crews belonging to the fishing-junks, and 

 the two or three score of soldiers and other officials 

 rushing about with sticks, oars, and anything they 

 could grasp, all giving directions at the same moment. 

 The Mandarin was nowhere; he might just as well 

 have gone on feeding the fishes; his directions were 

 utterly lost in the general uproar and confusion. Two 

 of the pirates had managed to slip from their guard, 

 and took a header overboard ; but they had no chance 

 of escape, there were too many small craft about, and 

 they were soon retaken. But to bring this story to an 



