At this moment the signal midshipman came running down from the bridge in a state of great excitement, and reported smoke on the horizon coming from the south-east.
The prisoners were sent away, and everyone immediately went on deck.
On deck all was animation. It was about half-past four—the men's supper-hour—all being below except the watch-keepers; but directly the word had flown round the mess-decks that a steamer had been sighted, every man Jack poured up to see and hear news of the approaching stranger.
Already signals had been made to "No. 2" to steam to meet her, and leisurely she gathered way, though by the little puffs of black smoke that came from her funnels quickly, one after another, one knew that her stokers were shovelling coal on her furnace gratings for all they were worth.
Gradually the column of smoke mounted up over the horizon, and from the foremast-head a sharp-eyed signalman sang out that she was a man-of-war with fighting-tops, and was making straight for the island.
If she was a man-of-war she might be yet another of the pirate ships, and there was the welcome chance of a "scrap"; but even if this did not turn out to be true, there was something else almost as welcome: she might bring a mail, and it is only those who "go down to the sea in ships" who know what that means.
Then "No. 2" began to signal, and the yeoman of signals, saluting, reported to Captain Helston "The Undaunted, sir!" (The Undaunted was one of the armoured cruisers of the British China Squadron.)
"Can't capture her, I suppose?" suggested Ping Sang, with a smile.
"She may be coming up here to capture us, though," answered Helston, looking worried. "The Admiral would hardly have sent her out of her way unless he had important communications to make. I trust sincerely that she brings no bad news."
"Cheer up, old croaker!" said Dr. Fox; "we'll get some mails at any rate."