“Hurt?”
“Horribly.”
“I beg your pardon, then. But look here: ’pon my word, Mr Lynn, I don’t understand you a bit. For the last ten minutes I’ve been thinking that you were a downright coward.”
“That’s quite right,” said Stan quietly; “I am. My hands are all of a tremble.”
“Well, then, all I can say is that you’re the most curious coward I ever saw.”
“That’s because you are right in what you said, Mr Blunt. You don’t understand me a bit.”
“Ah, well! perhaps I shall by-and-by,” said the manager.
Wing had disappeared during the above little verbal passage, but just then he reappeared, in time to be of use.
“You, Wing, come here,” cried the manager. “I shall want you directly.—Now, gentlemen,” he continued, turning to the European employees, “you have been here long enough to know what a fight with a party of Chinese pirates means—hard blows and no quarter. Now’s your time: any of you who feel that you have not stomach for such an encounter will only be in our way here. There’s a boat ready to take you down-stream. Step out, all who want to go.”
Quite half the men took a step or two forward, but the others stood fast.