“Humph!” ejaculated the lieutenant. “Wild-beast.”
“How did you persuade him?” I whispered.
“With the butt-end of a rifle, sir; and then we had to wrench his teeth open with bayonets.”
I looked round from face to face, all ghastly from their wounds, to see in every one a fierce pair of eyes glaring at me with undying hatred, and I was wondering how it was that people could think of the Chinese as being a calm, bland, good-humoured Eastern race, when Mr Reardon said to me—
“Nearly ready, Herrick? The sight of these men completely takes away all compunction as to the way we treat them.”
“Yes, sir; and it makes one feel glad that they are not armed.”
“Ready to come away?”
“Yes, sir,” I said; “quite.”
“Come along, then.”