I only said one word in allusion to the Chinese soldiery and their officers. That word was—
“Brutes!”
Chapter Twenty Four.
A Surprise.
I don’t think the Chinese authorities were very grateful to us of the Teaser,—there, you see, I say us, for I did do something to help in routing out and destroying two nests of pirates; but the merchants, both Chinese and English, fêted us most gloriously, and if it had not been for Mr Reardon we three middies might have always been ashore at dinners and dances.
“But,” cried Barkins, “so sure as one gets an invitation he puts his foot down.”
“Yes,” said Smith; “and it is such a foot.”
“But it’s such a pity,” grumbled Barkins; “for Tsin-Tsin is after all rather a jolly place. Mr Brooke says the ball at the consul’s last night was glorious, no end of Chinese swells there, and the music and dancing was fine.”