Outing Volume 17 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1891 Excerpt: ...I was entirely forgotten by the men, who were fighting among themselves about the contents of my purse. The gold had evidently been evenly divided, but the bank bills were the bone of contention. My rascally boy was insisting with the boatmen that the $10 bills were only $i ones, and he was trying to buy five of them, or $50 worth, for a gold piece worth $5, a piece of financiering which eventually cost the party very dearly. I watched them at first in a semi-sleepy, half-amused frame of mind, but as my strength returned I began to realize the danger of my position. I noticed we were heading away from home toward the " Hai Mun " or sea gates, as the entrance to the river is called. If the boat were once run aground the men would escape with their booty, and I would be left twenty miles from home, sure to be further plundered by the natives, if not by the boatmen themselves. I accordingly decided at once on taking the game a little into my own hands. Quietly edging round I got hold of my gun, and opening the breech I took out the two empty shells, which I put handy beside me. I then suddenly shouted, "To tung go back , you infernal scoundrels " To picture their astonishment and disgust is beyond my powers of description; but they had my gold and were not now, after securing their prize, going tamely to give it up. After a brief consultation my boy suddenly seized the sharp axe to be found in every sampan and one of the men laid hold of the heavy bamboo boat hook. Not a moment was to be lost. I shoved the two empty cartridges into my gun, taking care to hide the open ends, and quickly raising it to my shoulder at full cock presented it at my boy's chest as he was stepping forward, axe in hand. "Drop that axe, you scoundrel, or I'll fi...