Ensign Merrill — page 131: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

126 - him the characteristics of a frie inhabits the’ ‘moun tain regions of the interior of China. | : On the way back to where the balance of the ment had been left, the middy tried to question his ‘prisoner -in English, but without success. He either did not understand or would not answer, simply replying in unintelligible grunts. They passed the body of the man Ned had shot. He was still lying in the path, and a bullet hole in the back just under the left slioul- der-blade showed that the aim taken under such disad- vantages had been a true one. It was rolled to one side, and covered with leaves and branches of trees. — The young leader was glad to see both men sitting up when they reached the little bower. One of the sailors had brought a breaker of water from the whale- boat, and was engaged in bathing their wounds, which as he speedily found, were not dangerous. One was shot in the fieshy part of the thigh remote from an artery, and the other had been hit in the right leg. The wounds were evidently very painful, and would be the better for a careful dressing, but there was no reason to fear any fatal results. Tearing off the sleeve of his shirt, Ned bandaged them in a skillful manner, and ordered both to return to the boats with the prisoner. He had hardly completed the operation, when, with an exclamation of excitement, one of the sailors pointed up to where the summit of the hill could be dimly seen’ through the foliage. Soaring high imto the heavens vas a dense cloud of smoke, gaining volume with every moment. It was the signal they had been sent ashore to prevent. :