The two starboard sweeps of
the junk were crumpled up, and then the two boats came together
with a crash. The Reindeer's bowsprit, like a monstrous hand,
reached over and ripped out the junk's chunky mast and towering
sail.
This was met by a curdling yell of rage. A big Chinaman,
remarkably evil-looking, with his head swathed in a yellow silk
handkerchief and face badly pock-marked, planted a pike-pole on the
Reindeer's bow and began to shove the entangled boats apart.
Pausing long enough to let go the jib halyards, and just as the
Reindeer cleared and began to drift astern, I leaped aboard the
junk with a line and made fast. He of the yellow handkerchief and
pock-marked face came toward me threateningly, but I put my hand
into my hip pocket, and he hesitated. I was unarmed, but the
Chinese have learned to be fastidiously careful of American hip
pockets, and it was upon this that I depended to keep him and his
savage crew at a distance.
I ordered him to drop the anchor at the junk's bow, to which he
replied, "No sabbe.
Pages:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25