Stan Lynn Part 38

He greeted Stan warmly, and they went together to see how Wing was, the injured man having been fast asleep when Blunt arose.

"Well," said the latter, as they found him now awake, "how are the broken pieces?"

"Allee quite wellee," said the man, with a broad smile. "Wing going get up to bleakfas'."

"That's good news," said Stan. "Shall I help you?"

"Help? No; Wing get up all 'lone."

He tried to rise as he spoke, smiling the while, but his whole aspect changed, his face wrinkling up like that of an old man, as he sank back groaning with pain.

"Muchee achee all oveh," he said piteously. "T'ink all bleaky af' all."

"Oh no," said Blunt, smiling. "You're stiff and bruised, and naturally you'll feel pain as soon as you move; but do you know what you've done, sir?"

"Yes; fallee down. Almos' bleak all to piecee."

"No, no; I mean, giving us all such a scare. Where are your Chinese pirates?"

"Allee up livah. Long way."

"Yes; and a very long way, too. They won't come to attack us."

"You t'inkee?" said Wing softly. "Ah! you wait lil bit, you see. Wing see velly hollible t'ing. Pilate fight, kill. Suah come soon."

"Why are you sure?" said Blunt quickly.

"Pilate in junk. Come flom up livah. Mus' come pas' Lynn Blothee _hong_. No othey way."

"Unless they go back," said Blunt. "Well, we shall soon see. Can you eat some breakfast?"

"Wing velly 'ungly, sah. Quite empty. No eat nothing allee day yes'day."

"Hungry--eh? That's a capital sign. Well, you lie still for a day or two, and your stiffness and pain will soon go off."

"No wantee Wing come fightee?"

"No; we can kill all the pirates who are likely to come."

Wing smiled very feebly, and then winced, for in making a deprecating movement with his hands he brought bruised muscles of his back into play, giving himself an agonising pain.

"That's his conscience p.r.i.c.king him for deceiving us about the attack, Lynn," said Blunt dryly. "There! let's see if this coffee is hot.--You, Wing; we'll send you something to eat. And you understand, you are to lie still. Oh, here comes some one to say breakfast's ready. I told them to set it in the long store."

For as he was addressing Wing one of the Chinese servants hurried in to say that all was waiting.

"We must drop ceremony now, Lynn, and feed together, coolies and all.

Be thankful to get anything at all under the circ.u.mstances. It isn't a scare. The enemy are on the way."

"What! you've seen them?"

"No; but I've seen that Wing's tale is true, for not a boat has come down here with provisions this morning. Things are all wrong up-river or we should have had boats with vegetables, fruit, fish, poultry, b.u.t.ter, milk, and bread, while now--"

Bang!

CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR.

"DUTCH COURAGE."

It was the report of a rifle in the clear morning air, fired from the warehouse gable occupied by the two lookout men.

"The pilates!" shouted Wing exultantly.

"It's our breakfast knocked over, Lynn," cried Blunt. "Come along, lad."

He led the way out at the double, and the next minute was hailing the men on the roof.

"See them coming?" he shouted, with his hand to the side of his mouth.

"Yes, sir; half-a-dozen big junks yonder, right across the land there, in the second great bend of the river, I think."

"Miles away, then?"

"Yes, sir; four or five."

"Then the wind will be sometimes with them, sometimes against. That's good news, Lynn; we shall be able to have our breakfast in peace, and digest it in war. Come along in."

"Oh, I couldn't eat now!" cried Stan excitedly, for his heart was giving big thumps as he gazed right away overland towards where the river curved round the end of a mountain-spur.

"I thought you meant to help us to beat the enemy off."

"Of course I do," cried Stan.

"Well, a steam-engine won't work without coal, and a human being can't fight unless you feed him. Come! no nonsense. All our preparations were made yesterday, so we've nothing to do but man our works."

"So as to be ready?" panted Stan, whose breath came short from excitement.

"We don't want to be ready two hours too soon, and tire the men out with anxious watching before the enemy come near. We're going to have a regular good hearty meal to put strength and courage into us."

"Dutch courage," said Stan rather contemptuously.

"Can't be Dutch courage, because we are all English who are not Chinese.

But that's a stupid old expression, my lad, meaning, of course, that the Dutch are cowardly. Now, I don't know much about history, but whenever I've read anything about the Dutch in war, it has gone to prove that the Hollanders are a thoroughly st.u.r.dy, brave, and obstinate set of men. There! don't get in a nervous state of flurry; it will spoil your shooting, and I shall want you to fire steadily and well. Why, you don't want to go into action with your veins jumping and your nerves all of a slack quiver."

"Of course not," said Stan huskily.

"That's right. You want every string screwed up tight and in the best of tune, so that you can play an air that will make the savage scoundrels dance a figure that is quite new to them. Eh?"