The unfortunate Chinaman was
dragged from the ladder, and, as he swung clear, the two rascals let go
the rope, allowing him to drop through the hatches into the lower hold.
Then they belayed the rope, and went down below. Parratt had already
lighted a slush-lamp, by the glimmer of which they could see the
mandarin swinging to and fro like a pendulum within a few feet of the
ballast, and still quivering and twitching in his death-throes. They
were now joined by Wo-li, who had watched the proceedings from the quay,
and the four villains proceeded, without loss of time, to rifle the body
as it hung. To their surprise and disgust, they found nothing of value
excepting an ebony pendant set with a single large pearl; but Wo-li,
though evidently disappointed at the nature of the booty, assured his
comrades that this alone was well worth the hazard, pointing out the
great size and exceptional beauty of the pearl. As to this, the seamen
know nothing about pearls, but the thing was done, and had to be made
the best of; so they made the rope fast to the lower deck-beams, cut off
the remainder and unrove it from the block, and went back to their ship.
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