Mellins and Dumpling had, however, both been sent to "No. 3" to take our place—temporarily we hoped.
"You haven't missed much," added Ogston, the Assistant Engineer, who had been so plucky in the sinking steamer, "for the Strong Arm has not joined us, and we've been doing nothing all day."
They had buried both Rogers and Stevens. Poor fellows! they lay in a hundred fathoms, and brought our list of killed up to fourteen already.
Dr. Fox came in then, cleared everybody out of the cabin, gave orders to the sentry that no one was to be allowed in, turned out the light, and left me. Just like him, was it not? But I had a pencil and paper, turned up the light again, and wrote a tremendous letter home, just to spite him.
CHAPTER XVI
Captain Helston's Indecision
A Weary Blockade—Getting Impatient—The Prisoner's Story—A Willing Prisoner—The Pirates' Cunning—Ping Sang Excited—News from Home—Helston's Ill Health—Cummins Indispensable—A Gun-room Scrap—Now to Business
The few days which followed after the events narrated in the last chapter were days of peace and devoid of excitement. Well, they were needed, too, to allow the crews of the destroyers to recuperate after their exertions and want of sleep, and to repair the minor damages incurred by the fast steaming of the squadron from Hong-Kong.
The two poor fellows who had been killed were buried at sea with all the solemnity possible under the circumstances, all the ships stopping their engines and lowering their ensigns to half-mast, the crews standing bareheaded whilst the service was being read, and remaining "at attention" till, sewn up each in his hammock, the two bodies plunged overboard and sank out of sight.
The Strong Arm rejoined from Hong-Kong after having buried her men in the Happy Valley cemetery, and she, too, added to Captain Helston's anxieties by developing considerable engine-room defects, and by having eaten up half her coal.