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diff --git a/29683-h/29683-h.htm b/29683-h/29683-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..16cab01 --- /dev/null +++ b/29683-h/29683-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,4554 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Little Girl Lost, by Eleanor Raper. + </title> + <style type="text/css"> + + p { margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em; + } + + h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; + } + hr { width: 33%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + clear: both; + } + + table {margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; font-size: large;} + + body{margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + } + + .pagenum { /* uncomment the next line for invisible page numbers */ + visibility: hidden; + position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-size: smaller; + text-align: right; + } /* page numbers */ + + .linenum {position: absolute; top: auto; left: 4%;} /* poetry number */ + .blockquot{margin-left: 5%; margin-right: 10%;} + .sidenote {width: 20%; padding-bottom: .5em; padding-top: .5em; + padding-left: .5em; padding-right: .5em; margin-left: 1em; + float: right; clear: right; margin-top: 1em; + font-size: smaller; color: black; background: #eeeeee; border: dashed 1px;} + + .bb {border-bottom: solid 2px;} + .bl {border-left: solid 2px;} + .bt {border-top: solid 2px;} + .br {border-right: solid 2px;} + .bbox {border: solid 2px;} + + .center {text-align: center;} + .smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + .u {text-decoration: underline;} + + .caption {font-weight: bold;} + + .figcenter {margin: auto; text-align: center;} + + .footnotes {border: dashed 1px;} + .footnote {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-size: 0.9em;} + .footnote .label {position: absolute; right: 84%; text-align: right;} + .fnanchor {vertical-align: super; font-size: .8em; text-decoration: none;} + + .poem {margin-left:10%; margin-right:10%; text-align: left;} + .poem br {display: none;} + .poem .stanza {margin: 1em 0em 1em 0em;} + .poem span.i0 {display: block; margin-left: 0em; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} + .poem span.i2 {display: block; margin-left: 2em; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} + .poem span.i4 {display: block; margin-left: 4em; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} + + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Little Girl Lost, by Eleanor Raper + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Little Girl Lost + A Tale for Little Girls + +Author: Eleanor Raper + +Release Date: August 13, 2009 [EBook #29683] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE LITTLE GIRL LOST *** + + + + +Produced by David Edwards, Rose Acquavella and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by The Internet Archive) + + + + + + +</pre> + + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 275px;"> +<img src="images/cover2.jpg" width="275" height="480" alt="THE LITTLE GIRL LOST" title="" /> +</div> + + + + +<h1><br />THE LITTLE GIRL LOST<br /> +by ELEANOR RAPER</h1> + + + +<h3>The Dumpy Books for Children.<br /> +<span class="smcap">No. XIV. THE LITTLE GIRL LOST.</span><br /> +</h3> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p> +The Dumpy Books for Children +<br /> +<i>Cloth, Royal 32mo, 1/6 each.</i><br /> +</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>1. <span class="smcap">The Flamp</span>, <span class="smcap">The Ameliorator</span>, and <span class="smcap">The +Schoolboy's Apprentice</span>, <i>by E.V. Lucas</i></p> + +<p>2. <span class="smcap">Mrs. Turner's Cautionary Stories</span></p> + +<p>3. <span class="smcap">The Bad Family</span>, <i>by Mrs. Fenwick</i></p> + +<p>4. <span class="smcap">The Story of Little Black Sambo.</span> +Illustrated in Colours, <i>by Helen Bannerman</i></p> + +<p>5. <span class="smcap">The Bountiful Lady</span>, <i>by Thomas Cobb</i></p> + +<p>6. <span class="smcap">A Cat Book</span>, Portraits <i>by H. Officer +Smith</i>, Characteristics <i>by E.V. Lucas</i></p> + +<p>7. <span class="smcap">A Flower Book.</span> Illustrated in Colours +<i>by Nellie Benson</i>. Story <i>by Eden Coybee</i></p> + +<p>8. <span class="smcap">The Pink Knight.</span> Illustrated in +Colours <i>by J. R. Monsell</i></p> + +<p>9. <span class="smcap">The Little Clown</span>, <i>by Thomas Cobb</i></p> + +<p>10. <span class="smcap">A Horse Book</span>, <i>by Mary Tourtel</i>. Illustrated +in Colours</p> + +<p>11. <span class="smcap">Little People: An Alphabet</span>, <i>by +Henry Mayer and T. W. H. Crosland</i>. +Illustrated in Colours</p> + +<p>12. <span class="smcap">A Dog Book.</span> Pictures in Colours <i>by +Carton Moore Park</i>. Text <i>by Ethel Bicknell</i></p> + +<p>13. <span class="smcap">The Adventures of Samuel and Selina</span>, +<i>by Jean C. Archer</i>. Illustrated in Colours</p> + +<p>14. <span class="smcap">The Little Girl Lost</span>, <i>by Eleanor Raper</i></p> + +<p>15. <span class="smcap">Dollies.</span> Pictures <i>by Ruth Cobb</i>. Verses +<i>by Richard Hunter</i></p> + +<p>16. <span class="smcap">The Bad Mrs. Ginger</span>, <i>by Honor C. +Appleton</i>. Illustrated in Colours</p> + +<p><i>A Cloth Case to contain Twelve Volumes can +be had, price 2/ net; or the First Twelve +Volumes in Case, price £1 net.</i></p></div> + +<p> +<span class="smcap">London: GRANT RICHARDS<br /> +48 Leicester Square, W.C.</span><br /> +</p> +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<h1>The Little Girl Lost</h1> +<h3>A Tale for Little Girls</h3> +<h2>BY ELEANOR RAPER</h2> + + +<p class="center"> +<br /><br /> +LONDON: GRANT RICHARDS<br /> +1902<br /> +<br /> +<i>Printed by</i> <span class="smcap">R. & R. Clark, Limited</span>, <i>Edinburgh</i>.<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +TO LITTLE PHYLLIS<br /> +E. R.<br /> +</p> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + + + +<h2>CONTENTS</h2> + + + +<div class="center"> +<table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" summary=""> +<tr><td align="right"> CHAP.</td><td></td><td align="right">PAGE</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"> 1.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_I"><i>Nelly and Her Friends</i></a></td><td align="right">1</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"> 2.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_II"><i>Lost</i></a></td><td align="right">9</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"> 3.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_III"><i>A Journey in a Cart</i></a></td><td align="right">24</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"> 4.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_IV"><i>Alone among the Chinese</i></a></td><td align="right">35</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"> 5.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_V"><i>The Search</i></a></td><td align="right">45</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"> 6.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_VI"><i>In Captivity</i></a></td><td align="right">53</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"> 7.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_VII"><i>The Cheshire Cat</i></a></td><td align="right">63</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"> 8.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_VIII"><i>The Chang Family</i></a></td><td align="right">74</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"> 9.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_IX"><i>Chi Fu's Scheme</i></a></td><td align="right">85</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">10.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_X"><i>Preparations for Flight</i></a></td><td align="right">96</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">11.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XI"><i>An Unpleasant Surprise</i></a></td><td align="right">107</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">12.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XII"><i>Poor Mule!</i></a></td><td align="right">121</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">13.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XIII"><i>The Road to Peking</i></a></td><td align="right">136</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">14.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XIV"><i>Father and Mother</i></a></td><td align="right">146</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"></td><td align="left"><a href="#CONCLUSION"><i>Conclusion</i></a></td><td align="right">156</td></tr> +</table></div> + + + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_1" id="Page_1">[Pg 1]</a></span></p> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h1><a name="The_Little_Girl_Lost" id="The_Little_Girl_Lost"></a>The Little Girl Lost</h1> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + + +<h2><br /><a name="CHAPTER_I" id="CHAPTER_I"></a>CHAPTER I</h2> + +<h3>NELLY AND HER FRIENDS</h3> + + +<p>Nelly Grey was a little English +girl who had never been in England. +She was born in China, and went +with her father and mother to live +in the British Legation compound +in Peking when she was only three +years old. A compound is a kind +of big courtyard, with other courts +and houses inside. Nelly's was a +large one, and very open. It had +several houses in it: not like we +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_2" id="Page_2">[Pg 2]</a></span>have in England, but only one storey +high, and with deep, shady verandahs +round them. There were also a +little church, some tennis-courts, +and several small buildings for the +Chinese servants at the back.</p> + +<p>Nelly could speak both English +and Chinese very well. She could +play the piano a little, though not +so well as most English children of +nine years old. She could ride a +donkey, skate, and play tennis, but +she had never seen a bicycle or a +real carriage, because there were no +such things in Peking. But Nelly +was quite lively although she was +shut up in a compound all the time. +She would have been ashamed to +feel dull and cross, for she had +once heard the Minister's wife say, +'Nelly Grey is an intelligent child +and has sense enough to amuse herself.' +Since then she had felt that +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[Pg 3]</a></span>she must not let the lady change +her opinion. Besides, there were +several other foreign<a name="FNanchor_1_1" id="FNanchor_1_1"></a><a href="#Footnote_1_1" class="fnanchor">[1]</a> children in +Peking whom Nelly saw from time +to time. In her compound, living +next door, was Baby Buckle. He +had only been there six months, for +that was his age, and Nelly loved +him very much. He was such a +jolly little fellow, always laughing +and crowing, and almost jumping +out of the arms of his Chinese nurse +(who was called an amah) when he +saw Nelly coming. And he used to +open his mouth wide and try to bite +this old yellow woman, and put his +little fists into her eyes and kick her, +until the poor old thing was almost +worn out and could scarcely walk or +even stand on her little misshapen +feet. To be sure, he slept a great +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[Pg 4]</a></span>deal, or the amah would have been +obliged to hand him over to a younger +woman. There was another boy in +the Legation, a little Scotchman, +who was one year older than Nelly. +They played together very often. +But Nelly did not like boys—only +baby boys, she said. Indeed, she +often made Arthur Macdonald feel +very lonely and unhappy because she +preferred to leave him and go off +to play with a Chinese girl of her +own age, called Shiao Yi. Shiao +in Chinese means 'little,' so we +will call her Little Yi.</p> + + + +<p>Little Yi's feet had never been +bound, because she was a Manchu +child, and the Manchu women do +not bind their feet; so she could +run and skip about the compound +almost as freely as Nelly. Almost, +I say, not quite, because Chinese +children are not dressed for running +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[Pg 5]</a></span>about. Their shoes are hard and +clumsy, and in winter their clothes +are so thickly wadded that they look +like little balls.</p> + +<p>Then there were two little girls +of eleven and twelve who lived at +the German Legation, and were +called Bertha and Liza Wolf. It +was very strange for Nelly the first +time these children came to see her. +Mrs. Grey was calling upon their +mother, who told her that they had +just arrived from home with their +governess. At once Mrs. Grey invited +them to come to tea the next +day, and she did not think of asking +if they could speak English; neither +did their mother, who spoke English +beautifully, remember that her children +could not do so. When they +arrived, Nelly was alone with Chu +Ma, her amah, and they all laughed +a great deal when they found that +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[Pg 6]</a></span>they could not understand one another. +Bertha Wolf had picked up +the Chinese word 'pu,' which means +'not,' and she kept repeating that +and mixing it up with German. It +sounded very funny. Nelly showed +them her dolls' house, and Liza made +the dolls sit down and stand up in a +marvellous way by bending their legs +and sticking pins into them. When +tea-time came the children had become +fast friends by means of nods, +shakes of the head, and the Chinese +word 'pu'; which shows that little +girls can get on very well together +even when they don't chatter all the +time. Since then Nelly had been +taken to the German Legation twice +a week to have German lessons from +Fraulein, Liza's and Bertha's governess, +and they, besides quickly picking +up Chinese, came and took English +lessons from Mrs. Grey very often.</p> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[Pg 7]</a></span></p> +<p>At the American Legation Nelly +had a friend, Bessie Bates, who had +a brother named Bob, a regular tease. +Bessie was only eight, but Bob was +eleven, and every one said that he +ought to be at school in America. +Then there were several children +living in the mission compounds, +but none of them were near Nelly. +At one of the missions there were +fifteen children among the four +families stationed there. Nelly told +her mother that it made her hoarse +to go to that mission, because there +were so many people to talk to.</p> + +<p>Even if there had been no other +companions, Nelly would have been +content to be with her father and +mother. She used to love the time +just before she went to bed, when +Mrs. Grey nearly always read to her +and told her stories about England. +They often talked of Nelly's brother +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[Pg 8]</a></span>Tom, who had gone to school at +Brighton when the Greys came to +Peking.</p> + +<p>With seven o'clock came Nelly's +amah to put her to bed. The amah +would have willingly done everything +for Nelly, but Mrs. Grey insisted +that she must undress herself +and not become helpless, as children +brought up in the East often do, +because there are so many servants +to wait on them. At first she used +to feel a little afraid when the amah +blew out the candle and left her +alone in her little bed in the middle +of a great big dark room; but her +mother had taught her that God +takes care of us in the dark just the +same as at any other time, and she +soon learnt to curl herself up and +go quietly to sleep.</p> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_1_1" id="Footnote_1_1"></a><a href="#FNanchor_1_1"><span class="label">[1]</span></a> English, Americans, French, and all other +white people are called foreigners in China.</p></div> + + +<p><br /><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[Pg 9]</a></span></p> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + + +<h2><br /><br /><a name="CHAPTER_II" id="CHAPTER_II"></a>CHAPTER II</h2> + +<h3>LOST</h3> + + +<p>One Monday, when Nelly had had +her tea, she went out of doors to +watch for her father coming home. +He had been out on his pony, and +Nelly wanted him to take her up +and give her a ride round the compound. +The large gates were open, +because the gatekeeper had just +been out and seen Mr. Grey coming, +so Nelly ran out into the road without +thinking what she was doing. +If she had stopped to think, most +likely she would not have passed +the gate, as she knew that she never +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[Pg 10]</a></span>went outside the Legation compound +alone. However, she soon +saw her father, who was very much +surprised and rather alarmed to see +his little girl there. But Mr. Grey, +who spoilt Nelly, did not scold her, +but stopped, took her up, and gave +her the ride she wanted. He meant +to reprove Chu Ma for not looking +better after her charge, but he did +not see her again that evening, and +in the morning he forgot it.</p> + +<p>The next evening, after tea, when +Chu Ma was chattering to Mrs. +Buckle's amah, Nelly thought it +would be nice to have another ride +with her father. The gate was +again open, and Little Yi was standing +near it. When Nelly said that +she was going to meet her father, +Little Yi offered to go with her. +The two children went out, but +saw nothing of Mr. Grey. 'We'll +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[Pg 11]</a></span>walk to the end of the road and +look up Legation Street,' said Nelly.</p> + +<p>Little Yi was quite willing, and +they trotted along, all the Chinese +staring very hard to see a little +foreign girl in the streets without +even an amah to look after her. +They had not far to go before they +came to the corner, but when they +looked up the street they could see +no one but Chinese.</p> + +<p>'We might walk on a little,' +Nelly said. 'He is sure to come +this way, and it will be such a nice +long ride back. You, Little Yi, +can ride with the ma-fu (groom). +It will be fun.'</p> + +<p>But Mr. Grey had not gone in +that direction at all, and the little +girls were not likely to see him.</p> + +<p>Of course the Chinese went on +staring at the children, and a +crowd soon gathered round them. +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[Pg 12]</a></span>Presently some rude boys began to +ask them all sorts of questions and +to laugh at them. Nelly did not +like it at all. She thought she +would not wait for her father any +longer, but go home. They tried +to turn back, but found Chinese +all round them, and felt quite +frightened. Then a nice, clean-looking +woman came up to them +and said:</p> + +<p>'Don't mind all those people. +Come through my house and return +home round the other way; I'll +show you.'</p> + +<p>Nelly and Little Yi thought the +woman very kind. They went with +her through a door into her compound, +and, after crossing two or +three court-yards, they came to a +small set of rooms which the woman +said were hers. She asked the +children to sit down, gave them +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[Pg 13]</a></span>some sugared walnuts, and said she +would go and ask her son to take +them home.</p> + +<p>Chinese sugared walnuts are very +good, although they don't look tempting, +being of a purplish whity-brown +colour. Nelly liked them better +than the chocolate creams which +auntie always sent for her in the +big box of groceries Mrs. Grey had +from England twice a year. When +all the walnuts were eaten, the children +amused themselves by wandering +round the room and examining +everything in it. It was not at all +like any room in an English house. +The floor was stone, and part of it, +called a kang, was raised like a +platform. Every house in North +China has one of these kangs, with +a little fireplace underneath. In +winter the Chinese burn charcoal +in this fireplace, and at night they +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[Pg 14]</a></span>spread wadded quilts on the warm +brick platform and sleep there. In +the daytime the quilts are rolled +up and the kang is used as a seat. +The windows were small, with tiny-squares +filled in with paper instead +of panes of glass. There were two +large square arm-chairs and a square +table with a tray and some tea-cups +upon it. On the walls were scrolls +with funny pictures of men running +all over each other, like flies on a +cake, Nelly thought.</p> + +<p>When they had waited a very +long time and it was getting dark, +the children began to be afraid. +The door was locked and they could +not get out. Nelly was a brave +little girl, but she could not help +crying when she thought of the +anxiety her parents would be in +about her.</p> + +<p>'Oh dear,' she sobbed, 'why +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[Pg 15]</a></span>don't they let us out? Let us +scream, Little Yi.'</p> + +<p>And both the children shrieked +their hardest, until they heard footsteps +hurrying across the court.</p> + +<p>The door was unlocked, and the +woman who had brought the children +there came in with a very old +woman, a girl of sixteen, and a boy +of ten.</p> + +<p>'What is the matter?' they asked.</p> + +<p>'Oh, take us home,' cried Nelly. +'It is quite dark.'</p> + +<p>The boy having brought a lamp, +the room was no longer in darkness, +but Nelly meant that as it was dark +it must be late.</p> + +<p>'We can't take you home,' said +the woman. 'None of us know the +way to the British Legation except +my son, who is not here. He will +not be home now until to-morrow. +He went outside the city into the +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[Pg 16]</a></span>country, and must have arrived at +the gate after it was closed.'</p> + +<p>'Then please take us to the door +you brought us through and lend us +a lantern, and we can find our way +quite well,' said Nelly.</p> + +<p>'No, no, you can't. You would +get lost,' replied the woman. 'You +must wait here until my son comes +home.'</p> + +<p>'We won't,' said Little Yi, and +made a rush for the door. But the +boy caught her and forced her back +on the kang.</p> + +<p>'Why do you want to keep us?' +asked Nelly.</p> + +<p>'It is our custom in China, when +we find children, to keep them until +we can hand them over to their +parents,' said the woman whom they +had thought so nice, but whom they +now considered very cruel.</p> + +<p>She was a tidy-looking woman, +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[Pg 17]</a></span>wearing black trousers bound tight +round the ankles, and the usual blue +cotton smock. Her feet were not +very small, and she could walk about +fairly quickly. The old woman +was very ugly and untidy, but the +girl evidently gave a good deal of +attention to her toilet. She had +silk trousers and a handsomely embroidered +smock over them. Her +feet were very small, and just like +a claw. Her hair, which was a +beautiful jet black, was dressed +most elaborately with a sort of comb +behind, and flowers stuck in. Her +lips were stained red and her face +was powdered. She wore long +silver nail-protectors on the third +and fourth fingers of each hand, and +had very large round jewelled earrings. +The boy had a greasy black +cotton coat and a thick long tail +of hair.</p> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[Pg 18]</a></span></p> +<p>Nelly tried her best to persuade +the family to allow Little Yi and +her to go, but they would not listen +to her. Then Little Yi began.</p> + +<p>'You don't know what bad luck +you will have if you keep a foreign +child all night,' she said. 'The +foreigners are wonderful people. +They can do all sorts of things—take +out their teeth and put them +back again, their eyes too, some of +them.'</p> + +<p>There was once at Peking a +gentleman with a glass eye, and +Little Yi had heard that he was +able to remove it. As for teeth, +she knew quite well that the British +Minister slept with his on his wash-stand +every night.</p> + +<p>When Little Yi found that the +women were not at all afraid, she +said:</p> + +<p>'If you keep us here, she (point<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[Pg 19]</a></span>ing +to Nelly) will die, and then she +will always haunt you. Everything +you eat will taste bitter and make +you ill.'</p> + +<p>But Nelly never would allow +Little Yi to romance and tell untruths. +She was crying bitterly +now, but she stopped and told the +woman that she was a Christian, +and that Christians do not die on +purpose to haunt people out of +spite, as heathen do.</p> + +<p>But the children found that it +was useless to try to persuade or +frighten the Chinese. Nelly gave +it up and asked for something +to eat.</p> + +<p>'To be sure,' said their first acquaintance; +'I have told the coolie +(a Chinese servant who does only +the rough work) to bring you something.'</p> + +<p>She had hardly finished speaking +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[Pg 20]</a></span>when the man arrived with two +bowls, in which was a sort of soup +containing little pieces of meat and +vegetables. The children were +given chopsticks with which to fish +out the meat, and were expected +to take the soup from the bowl. +Then they had a piece of Chinese +bread, which is like steamed dumpling, +and half an apple each. Nelly +might have enjoyed the meal if +there had not been eight eyes +watching her all the time, and the +old woman constantly peering at +her clothes and feeling them.</p> + +<p>When all was eaten they were +told that they were to sleep on the +kang with the girl, who would look +after them until morning. The +other three then left them, shutting +and locking the door.</p> + +<p>As soon as they were gone, the +girl began to talk freely. She said +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[Pg 21]</a></span>her name was An Ching, and that +she was the daughter-in-law of the +woman Ku Nai-nai who had brought +them there. Her husband was the +son who, Ku Nai-nai said, was to +take them home. The boy was his +brother and the old woman their +grandmother. Lowering her voice, +she told them that her husband was +not away from home at all, and +that he intended to keep Nelly and +Little Yi until he heard that a +reward had been offered for finding +them, and for her part she was +very glad that they were there. It +was very dull for An Ching. Her +mother-in-law would not let her +stand at the door and look up and +down the street as some young +wives were allowed to do. She +also told them that Hung Li, her +husband, lived at a city called Yung +Ching, and he, she, and Ku Nai-nai +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[Pg 22]</a></span>were to go back there next +day.</p> + +<p>An Ching was very anxious to +see Nelly undress, and got quite +excited over her clothes. She had +never seen foreign clothes before. +Little Yi became quite lively in +showing off Nelly and talking about +all the wonderful things foreigners +had, but Nelly felt very unhappy. +She longed for her dear father and +mother and her own little bed, and +she wanted to kneel down and say +her prayers, but felt afraid to do it +before An Ching. At last she found +courage to say that she was going +to pray, and Little Yi at once +began to explain the whole of the +Christian religion to An Ching. +Meanwhile Nelly quietly knelt +down upon the kang and said her +prayers, taking care to ask God to +comfort her parents and send her +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[Pg 23]</a></span>back to them soon. The poor +child felt much happier when she +had done this. She crept into her +quilt, and was soon asleep. Little +Yi and An Ching presently came +and curled themselves up on the +kang, and all was silence until next +morning.</p> + +<p><br /><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[Pg 24]</a></span></p> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<h2><br /><br /><a name="CHAPTER_III" id="CHAPTER_III"></a>CHAPTER III</h2> + +<h3>A JOURNEY IN A CART</h3> + + +<p>When Nelly woke next morning +she felt rather stiff, for she had +never slept on a stone kang before. +Little Yi and An Ching being still +asleep, Nelly got up very gently +and said her prayers. Then she +thought she would get dressed +before An Ching was able to annoy +her by fingering all her clothes. +How thankful Nelly felt that she +could dress herself! Bessie Bates, +she thought, would not have known +what to do; for Bessie never even +put on her own shoes and stockings. +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[Pg 25]</a></span>Nellie would have liked her bath +to-day, although she often felt that +she could do very well without +it. But she knew that it was impossible +to have one, and made up +her mind to dress without washing. +Imagine her surprise when she found +that her clothes had been taken +away from the corner of the kang +where she had left them, and a +little suit of Chinese girl's things +put in their place! They were +not new clothes either, although +they certainly did look fairly clean. +Just then An Ching woke, and +laughed when she saw Nelly standing +without anything on but the +little white petticoat she had slept +in, and looking for her clothes.</p> + +<p>'Where are they?' asked Nelly.</p> + +<p>'Ku Nai-nai came in early this +morning and took them away,' +replied An Ching. 'She wants +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[Pg 26]</a></span>you to put on our kind of clothes. +Make haste and we will go across +the courtyard to Ku Nai-nai's room +for breakfast.'</p> + +<p>Then An Ching awoke Little Yi, +who was very much amused to see +Nelly putting on her Chinese +dress.</p> + +<p>'But her hair won't do,' said Yi.</p> + +<p>'No,' replied An Ching, 'we +must see to that.'</p> + +<p>Poor Nelly! She had to swallow +very hard to keep back the tears. +What did they mean to do with her?</p> + +<p>She soon found out, however, +when they had all taken some +Chinese porridge in Ku Nai-nai's +room, and wiped their faces and +hands with wet towels. Ku Nai-nai +told her that she was to have +her head shaved in front and the +back dressed in a tail like Little +Yi's.</p> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[Pg 27]</a></span></p> +<p>Nelly begged and protested and +cried in vain. An Ching told her +that it was of no use to cry, and +that if she made any trouble or +noise she would be whipped, but if +she were good and quiet no one +would be unkind to her.</p> + +<p>A Chinese barber arrived, and +poor Nelly was obliged to submit +to having her front hair cut away +and a small portion of her head +shaved. Nelly's hair was dark, +though not black, like a Chinese +child's. They all said she looked +very nice, and the boy grinned +from ear to ear. Nelly would +have liked to slap him. The +barber seemed very well satisfied +with his work and the pay he +received. Ku Nai-nai threatened +him with all sorts of revenge if he +breathed a word of what he had +done, and told him that if he kept +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[Pg 28]</a></span>quiet they would perhaps employ +him to take Nelly back to her +parents.</p> + +<p>When the barber had gone, two +carts appeared in the small compound, +and out of one stepped a +young, surly-looking man, who, +An Ching said, was her husband. +His name was Hung Li, as Nelly +soon found out by his mother +screaming all sorts of directions +at him, when he began to pack the +carts. Boxes and bundles and +food for the journey were put in, +and the children began to understand +that they were to be taken to +Yung Ching with Hung Li, his +wife and mother. However, they +had been so much comforted by +learning, through the talk with the +barber, that they really were to +be given back to their parents, that +going to Yung Ching at first did +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[Pg 29]</a></span>not seem to matter much, especially +as they had no idea where Yung +Ching was. There was no putting +on of cloaks and hats, the Chinese +not using these articles.</p> + +<p>An Ching and the children were +in one cart, which was driven by +a carter, while Ku Nai-nai occupied +the other with her son as driver. +The cart was most uncomfortable; +it looked like a large arched travelling-trunk, +covered with dark blue +cotton. Open at one end, it was +placed between two heavy wooden +wheels, and had a square board in +front, from which the shafts stuck +out. It was on the side of this +board that the driver sat, and the +others were inside under the covering, +sitting flat on the bottom of +the cart, for there was no seat.</p> + +<p>It was a fine, bright, breezy April +day. As the cart jumped and jolted +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[Pg 30]</a></span>over the lumpy, unpaved road, Nelly +could not see outside at all, for the +carter had pulled down the curtain, +with its square piece of gauze for a +window, and besides, there were +such clouds of dust that when she +tried to look through the gauze she +could not tell where they were. +Little Yi fixed her eye to a tiny +hole she had found in the blue +cotton. She noticed that they +passed the American Legation, but +after that the road was quite strange +to her, as she had never been far +from home.</p> + +<p>The carters were yelling to their +mules and the street hawkers were +crying their wares, but above their +noise the children could hear the +humming of birds' whistles overhead. +The Chinese tie whistles +under pigeons' wings, and when the +birds fly they make a strange kind +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[Pg 31]</a></span>of humming or whistling noise. +Nelly thought they must be the +pigeons that often flew over the +Legation compound, and belonged +to a mandarin who lived not far +away. The birds seemed to Nelly +to hover about the carts for some +time; but at last they evidently +remembered that it was the hour +for them to feed, and they turned +round and flew home.</p> + +<p>About noon the travellers reached +the great, high wall that stands all +round the city, and passed through +the gate. When they were well on +the road outside Peking, Hung Li +stopped the carts and said every one +was to get out for a time. But +Nelly and Little Yi were only +allowed to stretch their limbs for +about five minutes, after which they +were made to get into the cart again, +and the curtain was pulled down as +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[Pg 32]</a></span>before. They were given a little +food, and were quite glad to be alone, +as they had not been able to speak +to each other, without being overheard, +since the day before.</p> + +<p>'Do you think your father will +give money to have you back?' +asked Little Yi.</p> + +<p>'Yes, of course. Won't yours? +They won't ask him so much as +mine,' answered Nelly.</p> + +<p>'Well, you see, I am only a girl,' +said Little Yi. 'I know my father +likes me as much as my brothers, but +he would be ashamed to make a fuss +over a girl.'</p> + +<p>'Oh, what will my mother do?' +cried Nelly. 'I am afraid she will +think I am dead. I would not mind +so much if only I could write to her. +Won't your mother be miserable +too?'</p> + +<p>'No,' replied Little Yi. 'She has +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[Pg 33]</a></span>her sons, and she will know that I +am with you, but I am afraid she +will scold me for going outside the +gate.'</p> + +<p>'I should not like to have a +Chinese mother,' said Nelly. 'They +don't love their little girls as English +ladies do.'</p> + +<p>Just then An Ching threw back +the curtain and got in. There was +really not enough room for three in +the cart, and they were soon dreadfully +cramped. An Ching told the +children they had better try to sleep, +and she let them put their heads on +her lap. They were glad to do it, +for they were very tired. Nelly +dreamed about her father and mother +and Baby Buckle. She thought she +heard the baby calling her name. +Indeed, she was sure she heard him +crying, even after she was sitting up +awake. She was about to rush out +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[Pg 34]</a></span>of the cart, which had stopped, when +An Ching held her back and told her +that what she had heard was a +Chinese baby in the inn at which +they had just arrived, and where they +were to pass the night.</p> + +<p><br /><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[Pg 35]</a></span></p> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + + +<h2><br /><br /><a name="CHAPTER_IV" id="CHAPTER_IV"></a>CHAPTER IV</h2> + +<h3>ALONE AMONG THE CHINESE</h3> + + +<p>The children were glad to climb +down from the cart and breathe the +pure, fresh, country air. No house +was to be seen except the inn. All +around were stubbly fields, with trees +in the distance. The road along +which they had come ran in front +of the inn, and was almost hidden by +grass. The inn itself was surrounded +by a low wall. There were several +buildings, a large one in the centre +for the inn-keeper and his family, +some sleeping-rooms, and sheds for +the carts and mules. Ku Nai-nai, +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[Pg 36]</a></span>An Ching, and the children were +shown into one of the sleeping-rooms. +Then the girls were allowed +to stroll about the yard. No one +took any notice of Nelly. Ku Nai-nai +explained that she was a southern +child whom they had adopted. She +forbade Nelly to speak any English, +and would not allow either of the +children to talk to the people of the +inn. Little Yi, she said, was her +grandchild.</p> + +<p>After supper (bowls of rice only) +the women went out and sat down +on the side of the road and chattered. +The children came too, and Nelly +watched the sun set. It was the +first time in her life that she had +ever seen it go right down behind +the earth and leave nothing but the +fields in front of them, all quite flat. +She asked Ku Nai-nai if they would +be up in time to see it rise again +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[Pg 37]</a></span>in the morning. Ku Nai-nai told +her that they intended to start very +early, and she could come out and +look if An Ching would come with +her. An Ching said she would if +she were not too sleepy. An Ching +had never thought of wanting to see +the sun rise. 'Foreigners had such +funny ideas,' she said.</p> + +<p>When the sun had quite set they +went in to bed, all four on one kang, +and slept well in spite of the +fleas.</p> + +<p>Next morning, before daybreak, +Hung Li knocked at their door and +asked for their bedding, so that he +could put it in the carts. Nelly +remembered the sun first thing, and +as soon as she and Little Yi had +put on some of their clothes, they +made An Ching come out with her +hair unbrushed. The children ran +in front to the spot where they were +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[Pg 38]</a></span>the night before, but saw only a grey +mist.</p> + +<p>'Why, there is no sun!' said +Little Yi. 'We are too early.'</p> + +<p>'I quite forgot that the sun never +rises in the same place as it sets. +We must go round to the other side +of the inn,' said Nelly.</p> + +<p>An Ching was quite puzzled, and +thought it wonderful for Nelly to +know where to look for the sun +when she had never been there +before.</p> + +<p>They went round the inn and +found the sun just appearing like a +golden ball. It seemed to come up +very quickly, and then all around was +quite light and bright. When they +went back to the inn An Ching was +very anxious for Nelly to explain +all about the sun's movements, but +Ku Nai-nai said it was time to +go, at which Nelly was not sorry, +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[Pg 39]</a></span>because she was not sure that she +remembered all there was in her +geography book about the sun.</p> + +<p>Ku Nai-nai said that the sun did +the same thing where she lived in +the country when she was a girl, +and it used to set behind different +trees at different times of the year.</p> + +<p>'When you are as old as I am, An +Ching, you will know more about +things,' said she. 'You would know +more now if you spent less time in +looking into the glass.'</p> + +<p>And then they certainly would +have quarrelled, if Hung Li had not +appeared and scolded them for not +being ready; at which Ku Nai-nai +turned upon him and asked in a loud +voice what he meant by being rude +to his parent in a public inn. As +no Chinaman likes to appear disrespectful +to his mother, Hung Li said +no more.</p> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[Pg 40]</a></span></p> +<p>At last they were ready to start +again. Nelly could scarcely climb +into the cart, so stiff and sore was +she with her long cart ride of yesterday +and two nights on a stone kang +with only a wadded quilt to lie upon. +But she did manage to get in, though +not without shedding some tears at +the thought that she was going +farther away from her parents. +And somehow the cart did not +seem to bump so badly to-day, and +the stiffness wore off instead of +growing worse as she had expected. +She was getting used to it.</p> + +<p>They went along very slowly all +day, and put up again that night at +another inn. This time it was a +small village, and there was no open +space in front. The children were +too tired even to talk. They both +went to sleep almost as soon as they +arrived, and slept until rather late +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[Pg 41]</a></span>the next morning, for Hung Li did +not now seem to be in such great +haste to reach Yung Ching. When +they woke they were quite fresh, +and Little Yi was anxious to be +off once more; for An Ching said +that there was a river to cross, +which she seemed to think rather +exciting.</p> + +<p>In about two hours' time they +came to this river, which was after +all only a muddy stream with steep +banks. There was a flat ferry-boat +with two men to manage it. These +men, the carter, and Hung Li took +the mules out of the carts and made +the women and children sit well +back in them. Then they slid the +carts slowly down the incline and +on to the boat, and took them over, +after which they fetched the mules +and harnessed them again. Then +came the difficult part, to get the +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[Pg 42]</a></span>mules to pull the carts up the incline +at the other side, with the +men pushing behind and shouting +and screaming at each other and +the poor mules, enough to deafen +you. The children's cart was tilted +so high that they were looking up +at their toes all the time: at least +Nelly and Little Yi were, for An +Ching's toes had become claws some +years ago. At last, with a mighty +pull from the sturdy mules, they got +up the bank, and the other cart was +not long in following.</p> + +<p>Two hours more and they were +at Yung Ching. As they entered +the town Hung Li came and pulled +down the curtain, but not before +Nelly had peeped round the opening +and noticed that the roads were +not black, like those of Peking, but +proper dust colour. Everything had +a brownish look, she thought, and +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[Pg 43]</a></span>it certainly was not a large city +such as Peking.</p> + +<p>'Here we are at last,' said An +Ching, and the carts turned under +an arch and Hung Li knocked at a +large door, which was opened by a +middle-aged woman, who was the +only servant of the Ku family, Nelly +learnt afterwards. This woman +stared very hard upon seeing the +children, but Ku Nai-nai told her +in a low voice not to ask any +questions while the carter was +there, and said she would tell her +all about them when he was gone, +which she did, promising a portion +(very small) of the reward they were +to get for the children when they +were taken home.</p> + +<p>The compound seemed clean and +well kept, and Nelly thought that +the Kus ought to be far too respectable +and well-off people to steal +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[Pg 44]</a></span>children for money. 'But they are +only heathen,' she said to herself.</p> + +<p>Nelly and Little Yi were given +a small room adjoining Ku Nai-nai's +in the centre or chief building of +the compound. An Ching and her +husband had their quarters at the +right, across the court. The children +were sorry that they were no +longer to be with An Ching, but, as +she said, it was only at nights that +they need be separated.</p> + +<p>Nelly was the only European in +Yung Ching among thousands of +Chinese. She never thought of +that. Had she done so she must +have felt glad that she was shut up +in a compound, away from curious +eyes and fingers.</p> + +<p><br /><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[Pg 45]</a></span></p> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + + +<h2><br /><br /><a name="CHAPTER_V" id="CHAPTER_V"></a>CHAPTER V</h2> + +<h3>THE SEARCH</h3> + + +<p>Chu Ma was the first to miss Nelly +in the Legation. She rushed about +as fast as her little feet would +allow, calling, 'Ni-li! Ni-li! Ni-li! +Ku-niang!' (Ku-niang means +'Miss' or 'girl'). She overturned +Arthur Macdonald's top in her flurry, +just when he had lashed it up into +a beautiful spin. Arthur was cross +about the top, but he could not help +laughing to see solid Chu Ma in such +a fuss. 'She is hopping about like +a hen on a rail,' he thought. 'What +is the matter?' he asked.</p> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[Pg 46]</a></span></p> +<p>'I can't find Nelly anywhere,' +replied Chu Ma. 'Do you know +where she is?'</p> + +<p>'I don't know,' said Arthur, 'but +I should think that she is playing +some girl's game with Little Yi and +her dolls.'</p> + +<p>Chu Ma had not thought of +Little Yi. She at once tottered off +to the girl's house, only to find +that Lin Nai-nai, Little Yi's mother, +was wondering what had become of +her.</p> + +<p>Lin Nai-nai, seeing that Chu Ma +was scarcely able to hobble any +farther, offered to go and look for +both the children. She, being a +Manchu, had unbound feet, and +soon inquired about the children at +every house in the compound, but +she was obliged to return to Chu +Ma without them. The two women +then went back to Mrs. Grey's +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[Pg 47]</a></span>house, and there made further search +and inquiries. Mrs. Grey was dressing +to go to dine at the American +Legation with Mr. and Mrs. Bates. +Chu Ma knocked at her room door +to see if Nelly were there. Of +course she was not. Then Chu +Ma told Mrs. Grey that Little Yi +could not be found either. Just +then Mr. Grey arrived and was told +too. Remembering that Nelly had +come out to meet him the day before, +he at once went to question the +gatekeeper as to whether the gate +had been left open again. The +man declared that it had not, that +he had never left it a moment, and +that only Little Yi had been near +it that afternoon. She, he said, he +had seen walking towards her own +home. This was not true, as we +know, for the gatekeeper had left +the gate open while he went to buy +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[Pg 48]</a></span>some rice, and it was then that the +children had slipped out.</p> + +<p>Mr. and Mrs. Grey became quite +uneasy, for they knew that the +children could not be hiding such +a long time, as Arthur Macdonald +suggested. Mrs. Grey declared +that she could not think of going +out to dine until they were found, +and Mr. Grey then went himself +to each house in the compound. +After another hour's fruitless search, +Mrs. Grey wrote a note to Mrs. +Bates, explaining why she could not +come, and asking if by any chance +Bob and Bessie knew anything +about Nelly. Bob persuaded his +mother to allow him to go back +with the coolie who had brought +the note and help to look for +Nelly. When he arrived at the +British Legation, he and Arthur +Macdonald set to work to look in +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[Pg 49]</a></span>all the places that they had ever +hidden in when playing hide-and-seek +together. They insisted also +upon going into all the Chinese +and students' quarters, and looking +into places where it would have +been impossible to hide.</p> + +<p>'You forget, Arthur, that we are +looking for girls, not a thimble,' said +Bob, when he saw Arthur rummaging +in a small pigskin trunk of Chu Ma's.</p> + +<p>And now it was quite dark, and +still there was no news of the girls. +Mr. Grey went to all the Legation +and Customs' people, but no one +knew anything about the missing +ones. The search had to be given +up for that day, and Bob went back +to Bessie, who was sitting up, anxious +to hear the news.</p> + +<p>After a sleepless night Mr. and +Mrs. Grey rose early and began the +search again. Mrs. Grey wrote +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[Pg 50]</a></span>notes to all the missionaries, and +Mr. Grey went out to inquire +among the Chinese. Perhaps if he +had turned to the right up Legation +Street, as Nelly and Little Yi had +done, he might have heard something +about the foreign child who +had gone with a woman into a +Chinese house near. But he went +over the bridge in the other direction.</p> + +<p>That afternoon, when Bob Bates +set out for his usual ride with his +ma-fu, he decided to make inquiries +among the Chinese. The ma-fu +suggested that they should ask at +some of the shops in Legation +Street near them, and sure enough +they soon heard that a crowd had +been seen following a European and +a Chinese child in the streets the +evening before. Bob was very persistent, +and gave cash (small coins) +for everything which appeared to +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[Pg 51]</a></span>be reliable information. At length, +by means of questions and cash, he +found some one who had seen Nelly +and Little Yi follow Ku Nai-nai +into the native house. He at once +left his pony with the ma-fu, found +the house, and knocked hard without +any result. He could get no answer +at all. Then Bob went breathlessly +to the British Legation with the +news that he believed that Nelly +was shut up in a house close by; +but Nelly, as we know, was asleep +in the cart on her way to Yung +Ching. Mr. Grey was still out, +and Bob had to wait until he returned. +They went together to the +house and knocked again. This +time the old woman of whom we +have heard admitted them, and +when questioned, said:</p> + +<p>'Yes, the children did step in +here with a woman who comes +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[Pg 52]</a></span>to see me sometimes, but they only +stayed until the crowd had gone. +Then they set off home.'</p> + +<p>This was all that old Ku Tai-tai +would say. She declared she knew +no more, and did not know where +the woman lived. Her name was +Wang, she said.</p> + +<p>Mr. Grey was obliged to return +to his wife with no news but this. +He went to the Chinese magistrate, +who thought the children were +being kept in hiding until a +sufficient reward was offered for +their release, and advised him to +have bills printed and stuck up, +announcing how much he would +pay to any one who brought back +the little girls.</p> + +<p>When this was done, Nelly's and +Little Yi's parents could only wait, +which is often the hardest thing +we have to do.</p> + +<p><br /><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[Pg 53]</a></span></p> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + + +<h2><br /><br /><a name="CHAPTER_VI" id="CHAPTER_VI"></a>CHAPTER VI</h2> + +<h3>IN CAPTIVITY</h3> + + +<p>By the time that Nelly and Little +Yi had been at Yung Ching a +month, Nelly and An Ching had +become great friends. Poor Nelly +would have been very miserable +but for An Ching, who used to +cheer her by constantly talking +about Mr. and Mrs. Grey and when +Nelly would be back in Peking. +And An Ching used to tell Nelly +about her own childhood, which +must have been very dull, Nelly +thought; her marriage to Hung Li +when she had seen him only twice, +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[Pg 54]</a></span>and how she was carried in a red +chair from her parents' house to Ku +Nai-nai's. She told Nelly that +Hung Li was very greedy, and +would do anything for money. It +was he who prevented his mother +from taking the children home the +evening they left the Legation, as +she at first fully intended to do; but +Ku Nai-nai was herself rather fond +of money, and did not require much +persuasion.</p> + +<p>An Ching taught Nelly to sew +backwards in Chinese fashion, using +a thimble without an end, like a +thick ring, on her finger; and she +cut out and helped her to make a +little blue cotton coat which they +thought would fit Baby Buckle. +Nelly used to kiss and pat that +little coat, and loved it quite as +much as any doll she had ever had. +In return Nelly taught An Ching +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[Pg 55]</a></span>to knit, with some chopsticks, which +they pointed at the ends, for +needles.</p> + +<p>The children were rarely allowed +to go outside the Kus' compound, +and never alone, but they could +play out of doors as much as they +wished. The larger court had the +houses or set of rooms in it, and +there was a smaller court which +was entered through a queer gateway +just like a large round hole in +the wall. This court was at the +side of Ku Nai-nai's rooms, and had +no windows looking into it. An +Ching, Nelly, and Little Yi used +often to go and sit there with their +work, and the children sometimes +played at jumping through the hole. +They saw no one but the Kus +and their servant. Even when the +barber came to shave Hung Li's +head they were shut up out of +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[Pg 56]</a></span>sight, and their hair was kept short +with Ku Nai-nai's scissors.</p> + +<p>Little Yi was becoming almost reconciled +to life in Yung Ching, for +although she was fond of her parents, +she did not love them as Nelly did +hers. She missed the large compound +of the British Legation, and +would have been very pleased to +know at any moment that she was +to be sent home. But she ate, slept, +and was just as contented all day +long as she had always been.</p> + +<p>But Nelly, poor child, was no +longer the merry little hopping and +skipping creature she had been in +Peking. She never had a fit of the +giggles now, and she was thin and +pale; still, she was not absolutely +miserable, for she felt sure she was +going to leave Yung Ching soon, +especially after she overheard a +conversation which took place in +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[Pg 57]</a></span>Ku Nai-nai's room one night after +she and Little Yi were in bed.</p> + +<p>Hung Li began by telling Ku +Nai-nai he had been cheated out +of some money by a man with whom +he had done business that day; and +he added:</p> + +<p>'It is time these children went +home now. I must have more +money. I shall go and see the +barber when next I go to Peking, +and arrange with him to give them +up to their parents.'</p> + +<p>'How do you mean to do it?' +asked Ku Nai-nai. 'If the barber +goes to the Ying-Kua-Fu (British +Legation) he will certainly be +arrested, and then he is sure to tell +about us.'</p> + +<p>'Do you think I shall let him go +to the Legation?' replied Hung Li, +scornfully. 'No,' he went on; 'I +shall write a letter to the foreign +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[Pg 58]</a></span>girl's father, asking him to send +some one alone with the money to +the Chien Mên (centre gate). I +will be there to meet the messenger, +and the barber will be outside with +the children in some retired place. +I shall take the messenger to see the +children, and then he will hand over +the money. The barber can slip +away afterwards.'</p> + +<p>'Yes,' grunted Ku Nai-nai, 'and +what's to prevent the child telling +her father where to find us in Yung +Ching?'</p> + +<p>'And what if she does?' replied +Hung Li. 'No one has seen the +children. The mandarin of this +district is my friend, and I can make +it all right. You don't suppose I +want to adopt the children? You +(turning to An Ching) would like to +keep that pale-faced little foreign +imp, I suppose, but you shan't do it.'</p> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[Pg 59]</a></span></p> +<p>An Ching did not reply, but next +day, when Nelly told her that she +had been awake and heard the talking +in the next room, she said:</p> + +<p>'No one cares for me here, and +I am of no use in the world. If I +can get away I shall try to come to +you in Peking.'</p> + +<p>'Oh, do,' said Nelly, delighted. +'How can it be managed?'</p> + +<p>'I don't know. We must think +it all out. I am not as stupid as +Hung Li thinks,' replied An Ching. +'If I were sure that your father and +mother would take me as a servant, +I'd manage it.'</p> + +<p>'I am certain they will when they +hear how kind you have been to me,' +said Nelly. 'You shall come as my +maid to England; but you can't do +much, can you? You don't know +about our ways; but never mind, +I'll teach you. Wouldn't you like +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[Pg 60]</a></span>to learn some English to begin +with?'</p> + +<p>And Nelly at once began to give +English lessons to An Ching, and +Little Yi sometimes condescended +to listen. They had no books, and +it was only by repeating words and +short sentences over and over again +that anything could be done. Nelly +was much bothered when she was +asked the names of things that do not +exist in English, such as the hair +ornaments worn by the Chinese +women. She was obliged to invent +names for them. For instance, the +embroidered band a Chinese girl +wears as soon as she is old enough +not to have her hair shaved in +front Nelly called a 'hair-belt,' and +the curved, flat ornament sticking +out behind An Ching's head she +christened 'head-protector.' Nelly +was not quite sure that it was good +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[Pg 61]</a></span>English to invent names, but she +said to herself, 'The Chinese call a +tea-cosy "a tea-pot's hat" and a +sewing machine "an iron tailor."' +Greatly to Nelly's surprise and +sorrow, there were times when she +could not remember the names of +things in English. She was, in fact, +beginning to forget her own language. +One day, when it had taken +her a very long time to remember +that 'wa-tzu' meant stockings, she +was in great trouble, until Little Yi +reminded her that she had always +called them 'wa-tzu' in Peking. +'I've often heard you say that and +lots of other things in Chinese when +you were speaking English,' added +Little Yi, decidedly.</p> + +<p>Nelly next set to work to teach +An Ching to sing hymns, and succeeded +pretty well, as far as the tune +was concerned, with the help of +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[Pg 62]</a></span>Little Yi, who, having often listened +with all her ears to the singing in +the Legation chapel on Sunday +mornings, knew some of the airs +quite well. An Ching and the two +children used to go through the +round gateway into the inner court, +and while Nelly sang the words very +distinctly, An Ching and Little Yi +hummed the tune. 'Art thou weary' +was their favourite hymn.</p> + +<p><br /><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[Pg 63]</a></span></p> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + + +<h2><br /><br /><a name="CHAPTER_VII" id="CHAPTER_VII"></a>CHAPTER VII</h2> + +<h3>THE CHESHIRE CAT</h3> + + +<p>It began to be very hot about the +middle of May. The Ku family +had put their wadded clothes away +and taken to cottons and thin +silks. Nelly and Little Yi were +also supplied with some very plain +unwadded cotton coats and trousers +at the same time. But in spite of +this the little foreigner, as the +Chinese called her, began to feel +the heat and confinement of the +small compound. She thought of +her friends, who would all be preparing +to go to the hills with their +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[Pg 64]</a></span>parents, and the days seemed very +long. It was hard just to wait, with +nothing at all happening. One day +was just like another. There were +no Sundays, no letters, no books, no +lessons. The time was not even +divided into weeks. Nelly quite +lost count of the date. She only +knew it Chinese fashion, by the +number of new moons there had +been since the Chinese New Year.</p> + +<p>It appeared as though Hung Li +never would go to Peking as he had +said, but he did start one day at the +end of May, and An Ching told +the children that he intended to +see the barber and arrange for them +to be handed over to their parents. +He had business to do on the way +to Peking as well as in that city, +so that he would be away some +time, An Ching said.</p> + +<p>Nelly was very glad to see Hung +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[Pg 65]</a></span>Li start, and she leaped through the +round hole in the wall again and +again, really and truly jumping for +joy. She made An Ching and +Little Yi sing their very best and +loudest, until the small court resounded +with the strains of 'Art +thou weary,' and Ku Nai-nai, who +was rather deaf, and shouted a good +deal when she talked, heard the +singing in her room, where she was +sitting smoking on the kang. Little +Yi and An Ching soon tired of singing +so hard this hot day, but Nelly +was too full of delight at the thought +that Hung Li was actually off to +feel any fatigue. She was more +like little Nelly Grey of the British +Legation than she had been since +that unlucky day on which she +wandered from home. She kept up +her spirits and energy for two or three +days, and then something happened.</p> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[Pg 66]</a></span></p> +<p>One morning the two children +and An Ching had been singing +and Nelly giving her English lessons +as usual, when Ku Nai-nai came +out, and in her usual rough, loud, +screaming voice when angry, demanded +why they were wasting time +there instead of helping to get the +mid-day meal ready. An Ching +had quite forgotten that the old +woman-servant was not well, and +was shut up in her room out of the +way. The children began to follow +An Ching; but Ku Nai-nai, who +certainly appeared to have got out +of bed the wrong side that morning +(only you can't get off a kang except +at one side), would not allow Nelly +in the cook-house. 'No foreigners +shall meddle with <i>my</i> food,' she said; +whereat Nelly was very glad, for +she had only offered to go and help +on An Ching's account.</p> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[Pg 67]</a></span></p> +<p>So Ku Nai-nai hustled off An +Ching and Little Yi, at the same +time telling Nelly to stay where +she was. Nelly, left to herself, +drew the bench upon which she +had been sitting quite near the wall, +so as to be in the shade. Presently +she heard something scraping against +the wall on the other side, and it +seemed as though there were voices +quite close.</p> + +<p>The Chinese being very fond or +privacy, all the compound walls +are built very high and solid, and +as the houses are only one storey +high, no one can see into his neighbour's +premises. Nelly did not +remember to have heard any sounds +coming from the next compound +before; but noises there were, sure +enough, and the talking became +more and more distinct. Nelly got +up from her seat to look at the wall. +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[Pg 68]</a></span>As she did so, she saw what was +evidently a Chinaman's head just +above the top, and she heard him +quite distinctly tell some one below +'to hold the ladder tight.' Nelly +was just wondering what she should +do, and was half inclined to run +through the hole into the next court, +when the rest of the head came +into view, and she saw that it belonged +to a plump, pleasant looking +Chinaman. It was very round, and +Nelly was at once reminded of the +Cheshire cat in <i>Alice in Wonderland</i>. +It and she looked at each other for +some seconds. Nelly was the first +to speak.</p> + +<p>'Oh!' she said.</p> + +<p>'A fine day,' said the head.</p> + +<p>'Rather hot,' replied Nelly.</p> + +<p>'Was that you singing?' asked +the head.</p> + +<p>'Yes,' answered Nelly.</p> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[Pg 69]</a></span></p> +<p>'I can sing that too,' said the head.</p> + +<p>Nelly was too much astonished +to reply.</p> + +<p>Then the head rose a little higher, +and showed a pair of shoulders and +arms. 'He does not look like the +Cheshire cat now,' thought Nelly, +'but a rather nice Chinaman.' He +continued:</p> + +<p>'How is it that you have large +feet? You look like a foreigner. +Don't be afraid of me.'</p> + +<p>Thus encouraged, Nelly replied:</p> + +<p>'I am a foreigner, and of course +I have large feet.'</p> + +<p>'What are you doing here?' asked +the man.</p> + +<p>'I have been brought here,' replied +Nelly vaguely, 'and I want to +get away, but Ku Nai-nai will be +very angry if she knows I am talking +to you.'</p> + +<p>'Then don't tell her,' said the +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[Pg 70]</a></span>man. 'I shan't. She is the woman +who speaks so loudly, I suppose. +I'll bob down if she comes. Where +do you live?'</p> + +<p>'Peking, the British Legation.'</p> + +<p>And then Nelly told the man all +about Little Yi and herself being +brought to Yung Ching by Hung +Li and Ku Nai-nai. When she +had finished the man seemed to +be considering for some time. At +length he said:</p> + +<p>'Perhaps I can help you to escape. +You had better not say a word to +any one. Would you come with +me and leave the Chinese girl?'</p> + +<p>'Oh no,' replied Nelly. 'Little +Yi does not mind being here nearly +so much as I do, but she does not +want to stay, and I am afraid they +would never take her home without +me. I wish An Ching could come +with us.'</p> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[Pg 71]</a></span></p> +<p>'Who is An Ching?'</p> + +<p>'She is Hung Li's wife,' Nelly +replied, 'and is very kind to me. +Hung Li and Ku Nai-nai don't care +for her. They make fun of her +and call her stupid, but she isn't, +although Little Yi can cook and +help with the work better than she +can. Her feet are very small, so of +course she can't run about much. +She is pretty, too. Her skin is +almost white, and she can embroider +beautifully, and I want her to come +and be my maid and learn English. +Mayn't I tell her about you? Little +Yi might let it out, but I don't think +An Ching would.'</p> + +<p>'No,' said the man. 'Tell no +one yet. I will talk to my family +about it, but I don't think we can +take An Ching. She belongs to +Hung Li, but you don't. I will +come again to-morrow or the next +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[Pg 72]</a></span>day when you are alone. Look +here,' he continued, thrusting his +right hand up his left sleeve and +producing some red paper, which he +threw down; 'pick this up quickly +and hide it.'</p> + +<p>Nelly did so at once, thrusting +the precious paper into her sleeve.</p> + +<p>'When you are alone,' he continued, +'tear off a bit of paper and +throw it over the wall. If any one +comes, and you hear me on the +ladder, begin to talk loudly, and I +shall keep away. Could you be +here to-morrow morning while the +women are brushing their hair?'</p> + +<p>'Oh yes,' replied Nelly, delighted. +'I could easily come. +Little Yi likes to watch the hairdressing, +and I don't. I am often +here alone then.'</p> + +<p>'Very well, expect me to-morrow +morning. I will go now.'</p> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[Pg 73]</a></span></p> +<p>'Stop,' said Nelly. 'How is it +that you can sing that hymn? Are +you sure you can?'</p> + +<p>The man smiled, and in a low +voice began:</p> + +<p> +Lao-lu kun-fa fu chung tan ti<br /> +Hsin li chiao ku-nan<br /> +Yu i wei k'ai en-tien ch'ing ni<br /> +Te p'ing-an.<br /> +</p> + +<p>As he went on Nelly opened her +eyes and mouth wider and wider, +so surprised was she.</p> + +<p>'Why,' she exclaimed, when he +stopped, 'I don't know it in +Chinese,' and she was too puzzled +to say more.</p> + +<p>'The hymn has been translated +by a missionary,' the man said. 'I +am a Christian. See you again.'</p> + +<p>And he bowed and bobbed down +out of sight, leaving Nelly in the +middle of the court, too astonished +to move.</p> + +<p><br /><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[Pg 74]</a></span></p> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + + +<h2><br /><br /><a name="CHAPTER_VIII" id="CHAPTER_VIII"></a>CHAPTER VIII</h2> + +<h3>THE CHANG FAMILY</h3> + + +<p>Nelly stood perfectly still for some +seconds, gazing at the empty space +on the top of the wall. Then she +pinched herself to make sure that +she was not dreaming, and said, +'Well, I never! A Christian! +That is why he looks so nice.'</p> + +<p>Then she went back to her bench +and began to think hard, keeping +up a small flow of conversation +to herself all the time, somewhat +after this fashion: 'Now let me +see. He is a Christian, and this is +Yung Ching. Have I ever heard +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[Pg 75]</a></span>of any missionaries who live at +Yung Ching? No, I haven't. If +there are other Christians here, +there must be a missionary who +comes sometimes. Should I ask Ku +Nai-nai if there are any Christians +in Yung Ching? I'd better not. +I wish it was to-morrow morning. +It may rain, and then what shall I +do? Oh dear, some of that red +paper is sticking out of my sleeve. +I must tuck it in,' which she did, +and continued: 'Perhaps after all +he is only a Roman Catholic +Christian. Well, that is a great +deal better than being a heathen, although +some missionaries' children +don't seem to think so. Do +Catholics sing "Art thou weary," I +wonder? There is that red paper +again. Where can I hide it? +Behind this little heap of stones +in the corner; and then I'll +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[Pg 76]</a></span>go and see what the others are +doing.'</p> + +<p>Nelly made a hole in the heap of +stones and carefully hid the red +paper. She had barely finished +when Little Yi came running to +call her.</p> + +<p>'Come and see what I have +made to eat,' she panted. 'I really +am a good cook. I don't know +how my mother can get along +without me. I know so much +about foreigners, too,' said Little Yi, +who was certainly becoming more +conceited than ever. She was a +smart child, and more energetic than +most Chinese. Ku Nai-nai was becoming +quite fond of her in a selfish +fashion, because Little Yi could fill +her pipe, arrange the rooms, and run +to fetch things much better than +any child of her age whom she had +ever known, although she did not +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[Pg 77]</a></span>always remember that none of her +family and friends were Manchus, +and that the poor little Chinese +girls of Yi's age were all suffering +from foot-binding. Luckily for +Nelly, Little Yi's concoction of +meat, flour, and sauce quite took +up the attention of the household; +otherwise, they might have noticed +how thoughtful she was. Indeed, +Little Yi did remark that Nelly +did not appear to think much of +her dish.</p> + +<p>There was plenty of time for +reflection all the afternoon and +evening, for Ku Nai-nai seemed +determined to have a regular turnout +while the old woman was out +of the way, and kept An Ching +and Little Yi quite busy. Nelly +decided that if the Christian—for +that was how she thought of the +Chinaman—could help Little Yi +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[Pg 78]</a></span>and herself to get away before +Hung Li returned, they had better +go with him. But would Little Yi +consent? When the children were +together in Peking, Little Yi gave +way to Nelly in everything, but +now Nelly did not feel so sure of +her. She went to bed early, and +never ceased to wonder what was +going on in the next compound +until she fell asleep.</p> + +<p>Now the next compound was +built on nearly the same plan as +the Kus'. The dwelling-places +were all in the centre court, and +there was the same large round +entrance left in the wall, through +which you could pass into a small +court at the side. This was next +to the Kus' small court, and it was +there that Nelly's Christian, whose +surname was Chang, had appeared +over the wall. Hung Li and Ku +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[Pg 79]</a></span>Nai-nai did not know that there +were any native Christians in Yung +Ching, but there were, and they +even had a small room set aside for +preaching and Christian worship, +where an English clergyman from +Peking sometimes held services. +The room was in the compound of +the native lay reader's house, quite +at the other side of the town, and +Chang and his family were the +only converts who did not live +close to this little meeting-house.</p> + +<p>When Chang, chuckling to himself +at the astonishment he had +caused, descended the ladder, he +found his wife waiting for him at +the bottom. They both went +through the round hole in the +centre court and then indoors. +Chang Nai-nai was most eager to +learn all that Nelly had said, for +she had only heard one-half of the +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[Pg 80]</a></span>talk from her post at the foot of the +ladder, and as it was she who had +first heard the sound of hymn-singing +coming from their neighbours', +she considered herself entitled +to know everything. When +her husband had satisfied her on +this point, she demanded of him +what he was going to do. Her +little eyes twinkled as she suggested +that they might just as well have a +reward on the children's account +as Hung Li. 'And,' she added, +'we have to live, even if we are +Christians.'</p> + +<p>'To be sure,' said Chang, 'and +are we not living pretty comfortably +on the type-cutting I get from the +missionaries in Peking? I shall do +my best to help the children to get +home, even if I gain nothing by it, +but if the foreign child's father offers +me something afterwards I shall not +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[Pg 81]</a></span>refuse it. Suppose our son had been +stolen, what should we have done? +There he is.'</p> + +<p>A tall, pale boy of fourteen appeared +in the doorway.</p> + +<p>'Listen, Chi Fu,' he continued; +'I have seen one of the hymn-singers,' +and he repeated his account +of his adventure of the morning, +and told his son how he and Chang +Nai-nai had gone into the small +court and heard Ku Nai-nai call +away her daughter-in-law and Little +Yi, and tell Nelly to stay where she +was. When they found that only one +person was there, Chang had ventured +to fetch a ladder and look over.</p> + +<p>'Now, Chi Fu, my clever son, +you must tell us how we are to get +hold of these children, and then I +can easily take them to Peking.'</p> + +<p>'You'll be only too glad of an +excuse to get to Peking,' struck in +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[Pg 82]</a></span>Chang Nai-nai, 'and I shall be left +here to look after all those young +fowls. It is not easy this hot +weather, and Chi Fu there has his +head too full of books and learning +to be of any use.'</p> + +<p>'Now don't scold, old woman,' +replied Chang. 'I can take some of +your chickens to sell in Peking at +the same time. Fatten them up +well, and the foreigners will give +me good prices.'</p> + +<p>Chang Nai-nai only grunted. She +was not really mean and greedy, but +she loved to make a fuss.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile Chi Fu had been reflecting, +his knees crossed one over +the other and his head resting, in +what he thought was a graceful +attitude, on the palm of his left +hand, supported by his elbow on +the table.</p> + +<p>'Respected father,' he said, when +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[Pg 83]</a></span>he could get a word in, 'it seems to +me that the first thing to be done is +to write to the young lady's parents. +All we need do is to inform the +honourable gentleman where his +daughter is to be found.'</p> + +<p>'That is so, my son, and you can +write the letter.'</p> + +<p>'I will write to-morrow, after +you have inquired the correct name +and address of the young lady's +father. To avoid risks, in case +the letter should be opened on the +way, instead of writing in the usual +characters of our language I'll use +the Romanised, which I learnt in +the mission school in Peking.'</p> + +<p>'You'll write your letter and send +it, and before any one can come +the children will be off with that +man Ku Hung Li. We must get +them here before he returns,' said +Chang Nai-nai.</p> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[Pg 84]</a></span></p> +<p>'You are right too, my mother. +The letter shall be written, and we +will also try to think of some other +plan to benefit the foreign and native +young ladies.'</p> + +<p>With which Chi Fu rose slowly +and majestically, and glided into the +next room.</p> + +<p><br /><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[Pg 85]</a></span></p> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + + +<h2><br /><br /><a name="CHAPTER_IX" id="CHAPTER_IX"></a>CHAPTER IX</h2> + +<h3>CHI FU'S SCHEME</h3> + + +<p>Chang and his wife saw no more +of their son that day until it was +time to eat rice in the evening. +Chi Fu had been at the mission +compound. Naturally the Changs +were both full of excitement over +the morning's adventure; so little +happens to disturb the tranquillity +of home life in China. They had +talked of nothing else, and were quite +ready to begin again when Chi Fu +arrived.</p> + +<p>'Well, have you thought of a plan +to get hold of those children?' his +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[Pg 86]</a></span>mother asked, as soon as he had +swallowed one bowl of rice.</p> + +<p>The family oracle replied slowly +that he had thought a good deal +about it, and that he had inquired +at the mission when the courier +was going to Peking.</p> + +<p>'You surely did not tell about +those children?' screamed Chang +Nai-nai.</p> + +<p>'No, I only asked about the +courier,' quietly replied Chi Fu, +'and as he has only just left, my +letter could not go until next +month. It would not be prudent +to send a letter written in foreign +characters otherwise than by the +mission courier, and were I to use +Chinese writing it might be read +on the way.'</p> + +<p>Chi Fu partook of another half +bowl of rice, and then continued:</p> + +<p>'Therefore it would be advisable +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[Pg 87]</a></span>to make some plan for the escape of +the two young ladies, and receive +them here.'</p> + +<p>'But what plan?' cried his mother. +'Your father and I have been thinking +it over all the afternoon, and +there seems no way.'</p> + +<p>'No, there is no way unless we +get the help of some one in the compound,' +replied Chi Fu. Then he +dropped a little of his dignity, and +warming to the subject, unfolded +his plan, which was that his father +should question Nelly next day +about An Ching, and that if she +seemed reliable Nelly should tell +her everything, and they would +arrange a meeting between her and +Chang. If An Ching were willing +to help, it would be quite possible +to get the children over the wall +by means of ropes. Chi Fu, who +certainly had a good head on his +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[Pg 88]</a></span>shoulders and could use it to some +purpose when he forgot his affectation, +suggested also that in case of +an extra courier being sent from the +mission, or the arrival of a missionary, +Nelly had better write a letter +to her parents, which he could +enclose.</p> + +<p>'But,' said Chang, 'if we get the +children, are we to keep them here +until they are taken back to Peking?'</p> + +<p>Chi Fu replied that he was afraid +his father would be obliged to +make the journey to Peking, and +told his mother to fatten her fowls +in readiness. There would be plenty +of time, as Ku Hung Li was not +likely to be back yet, and they could +not attempt to get the children away +except by night, in which case they +must wait for the moonlight.</p> + +<p>Chang and his wife thought that +their clever son had planned every<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[Pg 89]</a></span>thing +marvellously, and next morning +Chang went into the small +court and waited to see what would +happen. He had not been there +long when he saw a little red ball +on the other side of the wall rise up +in the air several times. Nelly was +trying to throw a pebble wrapped +in a piece of red paper over the +wall, but as Bob Bates had often +told her, she threw just like a girl, +and it was only after several attempts +that her little red messenger landed +on Chang's side.</p> + +<p>Very soon after her successful +throw Nelly saw Chang's pleasant, +round, smiling face appearing +cautiously over the wall. When he +was satisfied that no one else was +looking, he came a step higher.</p> + +<p>'Good-morning, Ku-niang (young +lady),' he said. 'What are the others +doing, and where are they?'</p> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[Pg 90]</a></span></p> +<p>'They are all busy doing their +hair,' Nelly replied; 'at least An +Ching and Ku Nai-nai are. Little +Yi is washing some rice at the well, +and the old servant is still ill. I'll +begin to sing at once if I see any one +coming. I can see quite well +through the hole when I stand here +in the middle of the court. Please +will you tell me your name?'</p> + +<p>Chang did so, and said: 'My son +thinks that we ought to let An Ching +know of the plan to get you away. +Are you sure she is to be trusted?'</p> + +<p>'Oh yes, quite,' replied Nelly.</p> + +<p>'You are sure she won't tell her +mother-in-law or any female friends +who come to the house?'</p> + +<p>'I am certain she won't say anything +about it to Ku Nai-nai, and I +don't believe she has any friends. +She wants to get away from here and +come to me in Peking. But there's +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[Pg 91]</a></span>Little Yi,' Nelly went on. 'She'll +be cross if I tell An Ching and not +her.'</p> + +<p>'Well, well,' said Chang, 'of +course she will have to know, and +it may as well be now.'</p> + +<p>And then he told Nelly about his +son's idea that she should write to +her father.</p> + +<p>Nelly was delighted, until she +suddenly remembered that she had +nothing to write with.</p> + +<p>Chang at first said that she must +do her best with Chinese paper and +the brush that the Chinese use for +a pen, but then he recollected that +Chi Fu had a lead pencil and some +foreign paper, of which he was very +proud. He promised to throw them +over the wall, and went on to talk +about his clever son. He had by +no means finished when Nelly, who +spied An Ching coming, suddenly +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[Pg 92]</a></span>began to sing most vigorously. +Chang broke off and vanished, leaving +Nelly standing in the middle of +the court foolishly looking at the +wall.</p> + +<p>'Whatever is the matter?' An +Ching asked when she had hobbled +into the court. 'What are you +looking at?'</p> + +<p>'Nothing,' said Nelly; 'at least +he's gone now.'</p> + +<p>'Who? What do you mean?' +exclaimed An Ching.</p> + +<p>'The Christian—I mean Chang.'</p> + +<p>An Ching was more and more +puzzled, and looked at Nelly in +wonder.</p> + +<p>At length Nelly said, 'Come and +sit down and I'll tell you all about +it.'</p> + +<p>They both sat down on the bench +near the wall, and Nelly told her tale +to the astonished An Ching, or rather +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[Pg 93]</a></span>she half told it, for just as she was +in the middle of it Ku Nai-nai came +shouting for that lazy An Ching to +come indoors.</p> + +<p>You may be sure that An Ching +made haste to finish up her work +after they had all eaten their mid-day +meal. She and Nelly got out to +the court alone, and Nelly was able +to finish the exciting story. An +Ching was too surprised to offer any +advice. She agreed, however, that +Little Yi must know at once, and +when that young lady joined them +she was told the wonderful news of +the man in the next compound who +was willing to help them to get +away.</p> + +<p>Little Yi was quite as enthusiastic +about it as was possible to a Chinese +girl. She wanted Nelly to throw +over some red paper at once to call +Chang, but An Ching said that as +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[Pg 94]</a></span>Ku Nai-nai had already been smoking +and dozing some time, she might +call them at any moment, so it was +decided that they should wait until +next day, and throw over the paper +as soon as ever Ku Nai-nai was comfortably +settled on the kang with +her pipe.</p> + +<p>Poor An Ching! she hated the +thought of being left behind, and was +dreadfully disappointed when she +heard that Chang had said he could +not take her; but she promised to +do nothing to hinder their flight in +any case. There was one thing she +did not want to do, though, and that +was to talk to Chang over the wall +unless his wife were there. 'You +must see him first, Nelly,' she said, +'and tell him to send up his wife to +talk to me, or else get two ladders. +It would not be at all proper for me +to speak to a strange man alone. +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[Pg 95]</a></span>Respectable Chinese young women +never do that.' Nelly saw no objection, +though she thought An Ching +was foolish, and it was decided that +she and Little Yi should receive +Chang next day.</p> + +<p><br /><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[Pg 96]</a></span></p> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + + +<h2><br /><br /><a name="CHAPTER_X" id="CHAPTER_X"></a>CHAPTER X</h2> + +<h3>PREPARATIONS FOR FLIGHT</h3> + + +<p>If Ku Nai-nai had been more wide-awake, +she could hardly have failed +to notice how quickly the housework +and cooking were done next +day; but as she was not given to +interesting herself in other people's +motives (although she was very +suspicious when there was the +slightest cause for it, and sometimes +when there was none at all), she did +not observe that Little Yi was eager +to prepare her pipe and pot of tea, +while An Ching and Nelly wiped +out the bowls and put them in the +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[Pg 97]</a></span>cook-house. There is not much to +do in a Chinese family—no scrubbing +or polishing; the cooking, too, +is quite simple in the ordinary home. +The stone floors are swept and the +furniture wiped over. The Chinese +don't mind dust, but they like to +have things in their places and the +rooms orderly. Chinese girls never +come in from a walk and throw +their hats and gloves on a chair, +because, to begin with, they don't +wear hats and gloves, and they very +seldom go for walks.</p> + +<p>An Ching pretended to be cross +because Nelly had spilled some rice, +and told the children to go off and +leave her to finish alone. They +went directly to their favourite side +court, and at once got the red paper +out of the heap of stones and threw +a piece with a pebble inside over +the wall. Nelly finding that she +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[Pg 98]</a></span>could not throw any better than +before, Little Yi tried, and succeeded +very well—so well, indeed, +that Chang was there with his ladder +in almost no time after they had left +the house. He gave the children +the usual Chinese greeting of, 'Fine +day. Are you well?'</p> + +<p>Nelly replied: 'Quite well. It +is rather hot. This is Little +Yi.'</p> + +<p>Chang hoped Little Yi was well, +and when she had replied that she +was, and hoped he was too, he asked +for 'the young Ku Nai-nai,' meaning +An Ching.</p> + +<p>Nelly explained (not without the +assistance of Little Yi, who liked to +put in her word) that An Ching did +not consider it proper to talk to +Chang without his wife.</p> + +<p>Chang repeated this to his wife, +who was at the foot of the ladder.</p> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[Pg 99]</a></span></p> +<p>'She is quite right,' said Chang +Nai-nai.</p> + +<p>'Then,' said Chang, 'you must +come up and talk to her.'</p> + +<p>Now Chang Nai-nai had never +mounted a ladder, and she was rather +afraid to do it, but she thought she +would like to see into the next +compound, and resolved to try.</p> + +<p>Chang came down, and she +cautiously went up a few rungs, +but stopped and asked Chang to +follow her, as she felt rather nervous. +When Chang had reassured her, she +ventured to go two rungs higher, +gave a great sigh, and exclaimed, +'You are not following me!'</p> + +<p>Chang told that he could not +very well do so until she was higher +still.</p> + +<p>Chang Nai-nai, who was very +determined and not lacking in +courage, resolutely went up a little +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[Pg 100]</a></span>higher. She was now more than +half way to the top, and there she +stuck, seized by a sudden terror. +She looked very funny, clinging +with both hands to the ladder, and +her little claw-like feet close together +on one of the rungs. Chang +could not help smiling, which +greatly annoyed the poor woman, +and she at once began a tirade +against the foolishness of An Ching. +Why could she not talk with a grey-headed +old man (Chang had about +six grey hairs) who might have been +a grandfather had their little baby +girl lived and been married at sixteen, +as she herself was? 'I won't +have anything to do with helping +the children to get home to their +parents, no matter what the reward +may be, if I am obliged to climb +ladders and talk with ridiculous +young women,' she went on.</p> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[Pg 101]</a></span></p> +<p>'Come down, then,' said Chang.</p> + +<p>But this was more than could be +expected of her. As we all know +from experience, especially girls +who have got so far as climbing +into a hay-loft, it is very much +easier to go up a ladder than to +come down. Chang Nai-nai might +have remained where she was until +she dropped off, had not Chang +mounted after her and almost +carried her down.</p> + +<p>When the little woman was safely +deposited on the ground, she became +less irate against An Ching.</p> + +<p>'What can be done?' she said. +'The young woman is in the right, +but mount that ladder again I will +not. If she can find a ladder and +climb up on her side, let her do so. +If she can't, as she is trying to help +a foreigner, she might adopt the +foreign custom of talking to any one. +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">[Pg 102]</a></span>You can go up again and tell the +children what I say. When she +knows what I've suffered on that +ladder she will give in, I think.'</p> + +<p>So Chang mounted once more +and told the children, who had +heard a good deal of the talk, about +Chang Nai-nai's efforts to converse +with An Ching. They both went +to try and persuade her to come, +and found her in her own room. +She finally consented, and, half +dragged by the children, appeared +through the round hole. Chang, +who was still at his post, took away +all An Ching's embarrassment by +greeting her with:</p> + +<p>'Is the young Ku Nai-nai well?'</p> + +<p>Then, after a few more formalities, +he asked Little Yi to go +and stand in the round gateway, so +as to be able to warn them if any +one came, and he began at once to +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[Pg 103]</a></span>discuss with An Ching ways and +means for releasing the children.</p> + +<p>The arrangements were very +simple. In eight days' time there +would be sufficient moonlight.</p> + +<p>The children were to wait until +they were sure that Ku Nai-nai was +asleep, and then squeeze themselves +through the window over their +kang and come out into the court. +Chang would be on his side with +Chi Fu, and they would let down +a large round basket, into which the +children must get, one at a time, +and be hauled over the wall. An +Ching suggested that she should +ask Ku Nai-nai to allow her to go +and visit a relative on the day +which would be arranged for the +flight, and she would stay there all +night, to avoid suspicion. She saw +very well that Chang could not +take her away too, but she begged +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[Pg 104]</a></span>him to aid her if she found any +means of joining Nelly later. +Chang promised to think about it. +Then he threw Nelly the pencil +and a sheet of paper, and took leave +of them all for that day. Nelly at +once began to consider what to say +to her parents, and finally wrote the +following letter:</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>'<span class="smcap">Dear Father and Mother</span>—I +am quite safe here in Yung +Ching with the Kus, and so is Little +Yi, but we want to come home. +Chang, who lives next door and +heard us singing, is going to try +to help us to get away. Ku Hung +Li, who stole us, says he will send +us home with a barber, but I would +rather go with Chang. There is a +very nice girl called An Ching, +who is very kind to us, and I want +her to come and live with us in +Peking, but her feet are very small, +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[Pg 105]</a></span>so she can't do much, though she +can sew beautifully. How is Baby +Buckle? and Bob and Bessie and +Arthur, and all the other children? +I wear Chinese dress now, but my +hair has only been shaved once. +There is no more room on this +paper, and this is all I have. Chang +gave me it; he is a Christian.</p> + +<p> +'Your loving daughter,<br /> +'<span class="smcap">Nelly Grey</span>.'<br /> +</p></div> + +<p>This letter took Nelly more than +a day to write. When it was done +she threw it over the wall into +Chang's compound.</p> + +<p>Chang and Chi Fu were very +busy during the next few days in +making arrangements for a cart to +be ready on the night fixed for the +flight. Nelly and Little Yi on +their side were all impatience for +the day to arrive, and poor An +Ching was despondent. She hunted +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[Pg 106]</a></span>over all her treasures, and gave each +of the children a keepsake. Nelly's +was a little square looking-glass +with tassels, to hang from her belt, +and Little Yi had a thick silver +ring with an enamelled green frog +in the centre. Nelly thought of +plan after plan for An Ching's +escape, but An Ching shook her +head at each one. 'Oh, Nelly,' +she said one day, 'how lucky you are +not to have been born a China-woman!'</p> + +<p><br /><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[Pg 107]</a></span></p> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + + +<h2><br /><br /><a name="CHAPTER_XI" id="CHAPTER_XI"></a>CHAPTER XI</h2> + +<h3>AN UNPLEASANT SURPRISE</h3> + + +<p>Everything went on well in both +compounds. Chang came at the +call of the little red signal every +day, and let An Ching know what +he and Chi Fu were doing. Nelly +asked Chang if he thought that Chi +Fu could tell her the date, and Chi +Fu sent her an almanac which had +been given to him by a missionary +at the beginning of the year, but it +was of no use to Nelly until Chang +told her that the longest day was +only nine days off; so she put a +cross at the date which was nine +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">[Pg 108]</a></span>days before the 21st of June, and +thus found out the exact date. In +this way she knew when Sunday +came, and although there would be +only one more for her to spend in +Yung Ching, she resolved to keep it +in the best way she could, by saying +over to herself all the hymns she +could remember and taking more +time for her prayers that morning; +neither would she do any teaching +or sewing.</p> + +<p>The day before the one fixed for +the moonlight adventure arrived. +An Ching had got permission to go +and see her relatives the next day; +the old servant, who was better, was +to go with her. It was very hot, +almost too hot to talk. Ku Nai-nai +said there would be a thunderstorm. +An Ching, Nelly, and Little Yi +were sitting on the bench in the +small court. They had just had a +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">[Pg 109]</a></span>visit from Chang, who told them +not to expect him the next day, +as he must go and fetch the mule +in the evening. He and Chi Fu +would certainly be there the next +night, he said, and he cautioned +the children to close the window +after they had climbed through. +Little Yi was almost asleep, and +was swaying to and fro as she sat +on the bench. Nelly had hold of +An Ching's hand, and was telling +her how she should send her +messages through Chang's mission. +Nelly had got over the excitement, +and was quietly happy at the +thought of going home. How she +longed to see her dear father and +mother and Baby Buckle! She +thought of all this for some time, +with her hand still in An Ching's; +and An Ching was thinking of her +loneliness when the children would +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">[Pg 110]</a></span>be no longer with her, and of Hung +Li's wrath when he returned. +Then Nelly too was overcome by +the heat, and she nodded and +bobbed about until at last her head +fell in An Ching's lap. An Ching +stroked the pretty little cheek, and +felt as if her heart would break at +losing her friend. She was resolutely +keeping back her tears, +when all three gave a great start, +and the children were wide awake +in a moment. There was a loud +rumbling sound.</p> + +<p>'The thunder!' exclaimed +Nelly.</p> + +<p>But An Ching knew better. She +realised that the noise came from a +cart passing under the archway into +the outer court next to the street, +and that Hung Li had come back. +She said nothing, and all three +stood listening. Sure enough, it +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">[Pg 111]</a></span>was a cart, and the large gate was +being opened. The children heard +it too, and although no one spoke a +word, each one knew that it must +be Hung Li. There was no mistaking +now; it was his voice in the +inner court talking to Ku Nai-nai.</p> + +<p>'I must go,' said An Ching. 'We +will talk it over again this afternoon. +You two must pretend to +be glad that Hung Li has come +back.'</p> + +<p>An Ching left them, and was +greeted by her husband with a command +to get him something to drink. +Ku Nai-nai began to scold her for +being out of the way when needed. +She did not mind though, for now, +perhaps, she thought, the children +would not go away the next +night.</p> + +<p>Hung Li set about unharnessing +the mule, and tied it to a post in the +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">[Pg 112]</a></span>court. He then partook of some +food, which they had hastily prepared +for him, and flung himself +down on the kang, where he was +soon fast asleep. When An Ching +could get away, she took the children's +bowls and chopsticks into the +small court, and they fetched their +food from the cook-house. Little +Yi was the first to ask if they should +still get out of the window and be +hauled up the wall in a basket, as +arranged.</p> + +<p>'It would be of no use,' said An +Ching. 'Hung Li has the mule +ready, and would easily overtake +your cart next morning.'</p> + +<p>'But,' exclaimed Nelly, 'Chang +says he has as much right to us as +Hung Li, and I don't see why we +can't go.'</p> + +<p>'Hung Li would kill me if you +escaped while I am here to look after +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">[Pg 113]</a></span>you,' replied An Ching. 'If I go +away to-morrow you might try to +get off, but we can't decide anything +until we hear what he intends +to do.'</p> + +<p>Hung Li slept peacefully for a +couple of hours. Then he got up, +called for Ku Nai-nai and An Ching, +refreshed himself by wiping his face +with a rag dipped in hot water, and +took a deep draught from the spout +of the tea-pot, after which he began +to talk.</p> + +<p>'We shall start to-night' he said. +'There are bills out all over Peking +offering 500 taels (£100) reward +for the children. I shall take +them back at once. An Ching must +go too, to look after them. The +barber will wait for us at the city +gate, and send a message to the <i>ying +kua jên</i> (Englishman) as soon as we +arrive. It is all settled.'</p> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">[Pg 114]</a></span></p> +<p>Ku Nai-nai grunted. She did +not really care what became of the +children, but she told Hung Li she +hoped he would make sure of the +money, and that too much of it +would not stick to the barber's +fingers.</p> + +<p>An Ching was delighted, though +she did not dare to show it. She +left the room, saying she must make +ready. Her first care was to find +the little girls and tell them the +news.</p> + +<p>Although Nelly and Little Yi +would rather have gone with Chang, +they were very pleased to hear that +they were to start so soon, especially +as An Ching was to go with +them.</p> + +<p>'Then we shall not go over the +wall in a basket after all,' said Little +Yi. 'I should have liked that.'</p> + +<p>'We must write a letter at once,' +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">[Pg 115]</a></span>said Nelly, 'and throw it into +Chang's compound.' 'Yes,' said An +Ching, 'but who is to write it?'</p> + +<p>This was a puzzle. An Ching, +like nearly all Chinese women, +could not write at all, and Nelly +could only do so in English.</p> + +<p>'You know some characters, +Little Yi,' continued An Ching. +'Suppose you try.'</p> + +<p>Little Yi felt very much flattered. +'All right,' she said. 'Give me a +piece of paper and I'll do it.'</p> + +<p>An Ching tottered off to her +room, and returned with a piece of +the rough tissue paper which the +Chinese use for writing upon, a +brush, a piece of Indian ink, and +a slate slab to mix it on, all tucked +up her sleeve.</p> + +<p>Little Yi knelt down and spread +her materials on the bench, while +An Ching stood ready to sit down +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">[Pg 116]</a></span>on the letter in case Hung Li or his +mother came.</p> + +<p>Little Yi could only make a few +characters, and had never written a +letter, but she began boldly with a +beautiful 'we.'</p> + +<p>'Can not come,' said Nelly.</p> + +<p>'I can't make "can,"' said Little +Yi; so she wrote 'not' and as much +as she could remember of 'come.'</p> + +<p>'Hung Li is here,' dictated Nelly.</p> + +<p>'How can you expect me to know +how to make "Hung" and "Li"?' +objected the scribe.</p> + +<p>An Ching said that the character +for 'Hung' was the same as that +used for the word 'red,' and she +thought she could make the 'Li.'</p> + +<p>She took the pen and did it, very +badly and quite crooked.</p> + +<p>Then Little Yi found she was not +able to make 'is.' She missed that +and put 'here.'</p> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">[Pg 117]</a></span></p> +<p>The letter then read, 'We not +come. Hung Li here.'</p> + +<p>'That's enough,' said An Ching. +'Fold it up and put any character +which means Chang on the outside.'</p> + +<p>Little Yi did so, and they screwed +the bit of paper up with a pebble inside +and threw it over the wall.</p> + +<p>The preparations for departure +were very few and simple. They +had no luggage. An Ching had a +small bundle with some extra clothing, +comb, etc., and a box was fastened +on behind the cart with cups, a tea-pot, +a few cooking utensils, and some +charcoal for cooking their food on +the way. Nelly could hardly believe +that they were to start. They had +only been a few months in Yung +Ching, but it seemed like years.</p> + +<p>Ku Nai-nai was unusually pleasant +at the last. She told Little Yi that +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">[Pg 118]</a></span>she should miss her, and said a few +kind words to Nelly.</p> + +<p>Just before sunset the party +started. An Ching and the children +were inside the cart, with Hung Li +as driver, sitting on the shafts. +Hung Li had forgotten to pull down +the curtain in front of the cart, and +just as they turned out of the compound +into the street they came face +to face with Chang.</p> + +<p>Nelly and Little Yi both started +and bent forward to greet him, but +An Ching held them back and +whispered, 'Hush!'</p> + +<p>Chang, after making sure that +Hung Li was not looking, quickly +put his head forward and asked +under his breath, 'To Peking?'</p> + +<p>The children nodded vigorously, +but An Ching said, in a low voice, +'I don't know.'</p> + +<p>Chang vanished, and the children +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">[Pg 119]</a></span>looked questioningly at An Ching. +She motioned to them to keep +silent, and they did so, greatly +wondering. When Hung Li, who +was sitting with his back to the +others, turned and saw that the +curtain was not drawn, he angrily +pulled it down, whipped up the +mule, and they were off at a good +pace. Nelly was quite pleased to +feel the jolting of a cart once more. +'But surely,' she thought, 'this one +bumps more than others.' It +seemed so to her because she had +not been in a cart for so long a +time.</p> + +<p>Just when they were getting +outside Yung Ching, the thunderstorm +which they had been expecting +came, and the rain fell +heavily, so that they were glad to +keep well inside the cart. Hung +Li tried to get under shelter too, +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">[Pg 120]</a></span>but he found that he must make +up his mind to bear the rain, if he +meant to get any distance on the +road before it became dark. He +was very cross, and no one dared to +speak a word.</p> + +<p><br /><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">[Pg 121]</a></span></p> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<h2><br /><br /><a name="CHAPTER_XII" id="CHAPTER_XII"></a>CHAPTER XII</h2> + +<h3>POOR MULE!</h3> + + +<p>It was very uncomfortable for every +one during the next couple of +hours. The cotton covering of the +cart became soaked, and drops of +water began to fall through. Hung +Li was in a dreadful temper because +the mule had gone slightly lame, +and he was afraid that it would not +be able to reach the first stopping-place. +How he did lash and scold +the poor creature! An Ching took +the opportunity, when he was +obliged to get down and lead it, to +explain why she had told Chang +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">[Pg 122]</a></span>she was not sure that they were +going to Peking.</p> + +<p>'I heard him say,' she jerked out, +'that if he were questioned about +a foreign child on the road, or +if people seemed inquisitive, he +should branch off half way and go +to some quiet country place. Ku +Nai-nai told him he would be very +foolish to do so; but he is very +obstinate, and if he gets a little too +much wine there is no knowing +what he will do.'</p> + +<p>'Dear me!' sighed Nelly, 'shall +we ever get home?'</p> + +<p>'To be sure you will,' replied +An Ching. 'Chang will let the +foreigners in Peking know where +you have been, and your letter will +be sent.'</p> + +<p>'Yes, and mother will know +that I am well,' thought Nelly.</p> + +<p>They went on until they came +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">[Pg 123]</a></span>to the river, which it was too late +to cross, even if the mule had been +able to do it. There was a small +inn close at hand. Hung Li +knocked at the door, roused the +inn-keeper, and asked for one small +room for his wife and children. +He said that one of them, a boy, +had hurt his leg, and he should +carry him in. Nelly found that +she was the boy. An Ching +bundled her up well about the +head, and Hung Li carried her to +the kang, where she was soon fast +asleep.</p> + +<p>'You will have to carry Little Yi +too,' An Ching told Hung Li. +'If the inn-keeper sees her feet he +will never believe she is your child.' +Hung Li did so, pretending that he +did not want her shoes to get wet. +Then, being afraid that the mule +might die, he gave it a good feed +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">[Pg 124]</a></span>and comfortable quarters for the +night.</p> + +<p>Next morning the children were +very stiff, and would have liked to +run about, but they were kept shut +up in the room while An Ching +fetched their food, and as soon as +the cart was ready they were carried +back to it, with the same excuses.</p> + +<p>It was with great difficulty, in +spite of the good food and rest +which had been given to the mule, +that it was able to pull the cart up +the steep muddy bank after crossing +the river. It stood panting hard +for some time when the task was +finished, quite regardless of the +blows administered by the cruel +driver.</p> + +<p>'You'll never get to Peking with +that mule,' called out the ferryman +as they started.</p> + +<p>They went along very slowly. +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">[Pg 125]</a></span>An Ching suggested, when they +arrived at a quiet, open part of the +road, that the children should walk +to lighten the cart, and they were +very glad to be out in the fresh +morning air; even An Ching got +out when they came to a slight +incline, but Hung Li took care to +make the children climb in again +whenever he saw a human being +approach.</p> + +<p>Now that Yung Ching was well +behind them, Hung Li decided not +to urge the mule too much, in case +it died before he was able to return +it to the man from whom he had +hired it in Peking; so that morning +passed pleasantly enough. The +children gathered flowers by the +wayside, and the sunshine made +Nelly hopeful. It was a delight to +be in the country, with all so fresh +and cool after the rain. At mid-day +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">[Pg 126]</a></span>they passed through a dirty village, +where they bought some eggs and +bread. When they were well outside +the village they cooked the +eggs and took a meal, after which +the mule was unharnessed and fed, +greatly to his surprise, and the +children had a sleep in the cart, +while Hung Li and An Ching +reposed on some straw close by.</p> + +<p>That afternoon they passed a +funny little hut with a red dog +painted on the door, which Nelly +remembered to have seen on the +journey from Peking. She wondered +if they would go to any of +the same inns they had stayed at +before, but Hung Li carefully +avoided them, and took a different +road as often as possible.</p> + +<p>When they put up at the inn +that night the children were again +carried, with the same explanations, +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">[Pg 127]</a></span>although the ground was not very +wet this time.</p> + +<p>'To-morrow we shall be in +Peking,' said Nelly delightedly.</p> + +<p>'No,' replied An Ching. 'We +have come very slowly; we shall +be three nights on the road this +time.'</p> + +<p>Nelly was disappointed, but made +the best of it. She slept badly that +night, and had a headache the next +morning.</p> + +<p>An Ching was away a long time +getting the breakfast, and when she +returned with her hands full she +was very excited.</p> + +<p>'One of the placards offering the +reward for you two has just been +stuck on the wall of this inn,' she +exclaimed. 'Hung Li is in a great +rage. He says he must be off at +once. He intends to get another +mule and hurry off to Peking.'</p> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128">[Pg 128]</a></span></p> +<p>'So he is not going to take us to +some other place? I am so glad,' +said Nelly.</p> + +<p>'No, he seems to have changed +his mind. I am to get a small coat +for Little Yi, and she is to pretend +to be a boy.'</p> + +<p>'Why me?' exclaimed Little Yi. +'My ears are pierced. I could not +be a boy, and I won't. Nelly was +the boy yesterday.'</p> + +<p>'What does it matter? No one +will notice the holes in your ears +if you take out the earrings, and +then you can run about. Nelly +must not be seen at all, Hung Li +says. It's no use objecting. You'll +have to do it. You naughty boy!' +she shouted, as she heard Hung Li +and another man talking outside +the door.</p> + +<p>Little Yi and Nelly giggled. +Then An Ching locked them in +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129">[Pg 129]</a></span>and went to buy the coat. There +was very little difference between +it and the one she was wearing. +An Ching saw that Little Yi's +queue was right, took out her +earrings, and then removed her +bracelets.</p> + +<p>Nelly was carried to the cart in +a bundle, and Little Yi, in no +amiable mood at having lost her +earrings and wooden bracelets, was +hustled in after An Ching.</p> + +<p>Nelly was still feeling rather weak +and tired, and so was the poor mule. +He dragged them wearily along the +road for a couple of hours, and then +his troubles were all over, for he +stopped quite still and dropped to +the ground, and before Hung Li +could get him out of the shafts he +was quite dead.</p> + +<p>Of course every one was obliged +to come down from the cart. Little +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130">[Pg 130]</a></span>Yi and An Ching helped to undo +the harness and Hung Li dragged +the mule out of the way. Nelly +shed a few tears over the poor dead +animal which had toiled on so +bravely to the end.</p> + +<p>Hung Li was in a worse temper +than ever. He wished he had never +seen the little foreign imp and big-footed +Manchu child; 'and I wish +I could get rid of you as well,' he +said to An Ching. At last he set +off to fetch another mule, threatening +all sorts of penalties to whoever +stirred from the spot or spoke +to passers-by. Before going, he +propped up the shafts of the cart +and made them all get inside. +They were relieved when the +angry man had gone, and tried to +settle themselves comfortably in the +cart; but when he was well out of +sight, Little Yi, regardless of con<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131">[Pg 131]</a></span>sequences, +got out and looked round. +An Ching did not trouble much, as +she knew Hung Li could not be +back very soon, but when after a +time she put her head outside and +could not see Little Yi at all, she +became uneasy and herself got out. +Nelly did the same. They called +and ran in every direction before +they found her. An Ching thought +she saw something moving behind +a clump of bushes some yards away. +She asked Nelly, who could walk +much better than she, to go and see. +Nelly went behind the bushes, and +sure enough she saw Little Yi a +long way off, running away as hard +as she could towards two men, one +of whom Nelly to her great surprise +and joy recognised as Chang. The +other she thought must be Chi Fu. +She waited until they came near, +then she rushed forward, caught +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_132" id="Page_132">[Pg 132]</a></span>hold of Chang's hand and burst +into tears.</p> + +<p>Tears of joy don't last very long. +Nelly's were soon gone, and there +was no trace of them when they +all went to the other side of the +bushes, where they found An Ching, +who stood as if spellbound when +she saw them.</p> + +<p>'However did you find us?' she +asked Chang. 'But you must go +away,' she added; 'Hung Li may +be back any moment. He will kill +me if he finds you here,' and she +hurried the children into the cart +and got in herself.</p> + +<p>When they were safely in, Chang +said: 'This is my son Chi Fu. He +will keep a good look-out and I will +talk to you here. If Hung Li comes +we can walk quietly away. But he +can't be back for a long time yet if +he has gone to get a mule; the next +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_133" id="Page_133">[Pg 133]</a></span>village is nearly as far as the one +you left this morning.'</p> + +<p>Chang then told them how he +and Chi Fu came to be there.</p> + +<p>'When I saw you start,' he said, +'I at once went into my house and +consulted with my son, who said +that he and I must certainly follow +you. He got two mules at once +and we set off early next morning. +We rode hard and reached the river +well before noon. At the inn near +the river we heard about a party +which had crossed earlier, and although +the inn-keeper said the +children were boy and girl, we felt +sure that it must have been you.'</p> + +<p>Here Chi Fu came up and put +in his word.</p> + +<p>'Don't forget to tell the young +foreign lady that her letter has +been sent off,' he said.</p> + +<p>'No,' replied Chang; 'I'll tell +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_134" id="Page_134">[Pg 134]</a></span>her. You must go farther away +and keep a good look-out on the +road the way Hung Li went.' And +Chang turned to Nelly and told her +that a courier had started for the +Peking mission two days ago and +taken her letter enclosed in one +for the missionary from Chi Fu.</p> + +<p>'And did you get my letter?' +asked Little Yi. 'We threw it +over the wall.'</p> + +<p>Chang replied that his wife had +picked up a piece of paper with +some writing upon it, but it was +nearly all blotted out by the rain +and could not be read.</p> + +<p>'It was of no consequence,' said +An Ching, at which Little Yi was +not pleased. 'How did you manage +to find us?'</p> + +<p>'We rode on quickly, and very +soon saw your cart in the distance; +then we followed by a side road +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_135" id="Page_135">[Pg 135]</a></span>too narrow for a cart. When you +stopped to rest at noon I got off +my mule and came quite close. I +saw the young Ku Nai-nai as she +lay asleep.'</p> + +<p>An Ching did not much like this, +but she said nothing.</p> + +<p>Chang continued: 'It was easy to +follow you and put up at the same +inn at night, especially as Hung Li +did not know us. We rode after +you this morning, and when we saw +that the mule had fallen we left +ours with an old man in a hut over +there,' pointing beyond the bushes, +'and began to walk towards you. +Little Yi saw us coming, and here +we are.'<br /></p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_136" id="Page_136">[Pg 136]</a></span></p> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<h2><br /><br /><a name="CHAPTER_XIII" id="CHAPTER_XIII"></a>CHAPTER XIII</h2> + +<h3>THE ROAD TO PEKING</h3> + + +<p>'Now what are you going to do?' +asked An Ching.</p> + +<p>'We shall follow you to Peking +or wherever Hung Li takes you, +and then go at once and tell the +English gentleman where you are. +You have no need to fear now,' +turning to Nelly, 'that you will +not get home.'</p> + +<p>'And can't An Ching come with +us?'</p> + +<p>'I dare not take her,' said Chang, +'but perhaps your father can +arrange something. Now I will +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_137" id="Page_137">[Pg 137]</a></span>go and ask Chi Fu what we had +best do.'</p> + +<p>Chi Fu thought that all they +could do for the present was to +keep the party well in sight and +put up at the same inn that night. +Chang returned and told An Ching +this, and said they would go and +get their mules. He cautioned all +three not to appear to know either +of them, even if they came and +spoke to Hung Li.</p> + +<p>After Chang and Chi Fu went +away it seemed a very long time +before Hung Li returned with +another mule. He was accompanied +by a man who brought a +cart and took away the dead animal. +Hung Li told An Ching that he +had only been able to get a mule +to take them as far as the next +village, and they must put up there. +He had brought some food, and +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_138" id="Page_138">[Pg 138]</a></span>they prepared another meal by the +roadside. The children ate sitting +in the cart. As soon as they had +finished, Hung harnessed the mule +and then set off once more.</p> + +<p>This was a good strong beast and +took them along briskly to the +next village, but as so much time +had already been wasted it was +late in the afternoon when they +arrived.</p> + +<p>Hung Li was now obliged to go +in search of another mule and return +the one he had to its owner. By +the time this was done, it was too +late to start again that day.</p> + +<p>The inn was about a hundred +yards from the main road. It stood +in an open space and was reached +by a narrow winding path. All +round and between the inn and the +road was short grass and stubble. +But on the opposite side of the +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_139" id="Page_139">[Pg 139]</a></span>road, a short distance on the way +they had come, there was a hillock +with a clump of trees at one side. +The room which had been engaged +for An Ching had its door, and also +a small window, opening towards +the road. Nelly and Little Yi +could quite well see the hillock +and clump of trees on the other +side of the road from the window, +and they had not been long in +the room before they noticed that +Chang and Chi Fu were there +with their mules. Later in the +evening they saw the two come +over to the inn and heard them +make arrangements to put up there +for the night. An Ching went +outside and passed them quite close, +but they took no notice of her. +She heard Chang inquire of Hung +Li if he were going to Peking next +day.</p> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_140" id="Page_140">[Pg 140]</a></span></p> +<p>'I am not sure,' said Hung Li, in +a very surly tone.</p> + +<p>Chang took no notice of his +rudeness, but said politely:</p> + +<p>'I hope you will permit my son +and me to follow your party, as we +are strangers to these parts and not +very sure of the road.'</p> + +<p>'You can if you like,' replied +Hung Ching ungraciously, and +walked away. An Ching felt sure +he had been drinking.</p> + +<p>Nelly was still feeling far from +well when she awoke next morning. +She got up early, slipped the bolt, +went out on to the dewy grass and +looked up the road towards Peking. +The fresh air revived her, although +she was still very languid and depressed +when she returned to the +room. An Ching was awake, and +reproved her for going out.</p> + +<p>'You know how dreadfully angry +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_141" id="Page_141">[Pg 141]</a></span>Hung Li would be with me if he +saw you,' she said.</p> + +<p>But she let Nelly stand at the +open window, and Little Yi, being +in boy's clothing, was not prevented +from going in and out as she pleased.</p> + +<p>An Ching went as usual to get +the breakfast. Hung Li was still +half tipsy. He said he was in a +hurry to be off, although he did +not appear to be making any +preparations.</p> + +<p>Chang and Chi Fu took their +mules and went to the hillock to +wait until Hung Li's party started. +Nelly was sitting listlessly in the +room, and Little Yi had gone outside +to have a look round. Presently +a cloud of dust began to rise from +the road in the distance, and four +riders came in sight. Little Yi +looked intently, suddenly turned +round, and ran back to the room +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_142" id="Page_142">[Pg 142]</a></span>where Nelly was, crying breathlessly:</p> + +<p>'There's your father and another +gentleman riding from Peking!'</p> + +<p>Nelly jumped up, dashed through +the door and into the grassy space, +paused a moment to look, and set +off as fast as she could go. How +she ran! but her legs felt weak, +something thumped in her head, +and her heart went pit-a-pat.</p> + +<p>Mr. Grey rode with his head bent, +and was looking at the ground.</p> + +<p>'Father! father! father! do +stop!' Nelly called out.</p> + +<p>But her father did not see or hear, +and there was An Ching shouting +to her, and she knew that Hung +Li might be after her directly.</p> + +<p>'Father! father!' she wailed.</p> + +<p>She thought she shouted loudly, +but her voice was very weak and +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_143" id="Page_143">[Pg 143]</a></span>quite drowned by the clattering of +the pony's hoofs.</p> + +<p>Still he did not look up, and was +going by without seeing her! It +was too much for the poor child. +She felt as though everything was +turning upside down, and just as +her father rode past she fell to the +ground in a faint.</p> + +<p>But Chi Fu had seen it all from +the hillock; and as Nelly fell he +dashed forward and stood with +outstretched arms in the middle +of the road, ready to stop Mr. +Grey's pony. When it came up +he caught hold of the bridle and +turned the head right round, greatly +to the astonishment of the rider.</p> + +<p>'What does this mean?' exclaimed +Mr. Grey angrily.</p> + +<p>'Your daughter! your daughter!' +replied Chi Fu, pointing to Nelly +as she lay on the ground.</p> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_144" id="Page_144">[Pg 144]</a></span></p> +<p>Mr. Grey asked no more questions, +but spurred his pony and galloped +back to where the little girl lay, +Chi Fu running after him. He +jumped off his pony and stooped +anxiously over the little figure.</p> + +<p>'It's Nelly,' he said, when he +looked at the face, and he kissed her.</p> + +<p>Mr. Grey soon saw that she was +only in a faint, and taking her in +his arms he carried her towards the +inn, feeling very happy to have +recovered his little girl. When +Little Yi came up he recognised +her in spite of her boy's clothing, +and giving her a kindly pat on the +head he told her to keep close to +him and run to get some water as +soon as they were at the inn. +Little Yi showed him the room +they were occupying and went for +the water, while Mr. Grey sat with +his child on his knee.</p> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_145" id="Page_145">[Pg 145]</a></span></p> +<p>When her father bathed her +head with the water Nelly soon +recovered. Her happiness and delight +when she found herself in her +father's arms cannot be described. +Let each girl who reads this imagine +it for herself.</p> + +<p><br /><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_146" id="Page_146">[Pg 146]</a></span></p> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<h2><br /><br /><a name="CHAPTER_XIV" id="CHAPTER_XIV"></a>CHAPTER XIV</h2> + +<h3>FATHER AND MOTHER</h3> + + +<p>With the help of Little Yi, who +talked sixteen to the dozen, Nelly +soon told her father the whole +story. Then came such a string of +questions, about Nelly's mother +and Baby Buckle, and all Nelly's +Peking friends and Little Yi's as +well! The talking was nearly all +in Chinese. Nelly found it difficult +to get back into English, she +said.</p> + +<p>'You will make Hung Li give up +An Ching and take her with us, +father, won't you?' asked Nelly.</p> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_147" id="Page_147">[Pg 147]</a></span></p> +<p>'I'll see what I can do,' her +father promised, 'but I am afraid it +cannot be managed.'</p> + +<p>'It can be done easily enough if +you will buy her, Sir,' said Little +Yi. 'Hung Li does not like her, +and he loves money.'</p> + +<p>This was a new idea to Mr. +Grey. He thought he might be +able to arrange it after all. 'We +will go and see them and talk +about it,' he said.</p> + +<p>The courtyard of the inn was in +a state of great confusion when Mr. +Grey and the children entered it. +Hung Li was raging and fuming in +a dreadful way, while An Ching +stood by with a frightened face. +The two Changs were trying to +explain things to the Legation +student who had come with Mr. +Grey from Peking to go with him +to Yung Ching in search of Nelly. +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_148" id="Page_148">[Pg 148]</a></span>They had started as soon as Nelly's +letter reached the Legation. This +young gentleman, who had been in +China only a short time, understood +very little Chinese, and Chang and +Chi Fu were trying to talk to him +by signs. It was funny to see +them pointing to the wall, a basket, +red paper and a rope. The poor +student was hopelessly muddled, +but the Chinese grooms who had +come with him and Mr. Grey quite +understood and were enjoying themselves +thoroughly. The inn-keeper +was shouting directions to every one, +and his wife trying to question An +Ching, who was in a terrible fright. +A crowd of villagers began to +collect, and every one was talking at +once.</p> + +<p>Leaving the children in charge of +his companion, Mr. Grey pushed +his way into the midst of the +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_149" id="Page_149">[Pg 149]</a></span>throng, shouting at the top of his +voice:</p> + +<p>'Where's the man who stole my +daughter?'</p> + +<p>The noise stopped at once. A +dozen pair of hands seized Hung +Li and An Ching and brought them +face to face with Mr. Grey, while +the crowd closed eagerly round.</p> + +<p>Hung Li was dreadfully afraid. +He had counted on the children +being handed over by his friend +the barber in exchange for a nice +round sum of money, and had never +thought the affair would bring him +within arm's length of a fierce +foreigner.</p> + +<p>'Why did you do this?' asked +Mr. Grey sternly.</p> + +<p>'I did not,' said the coward. +'It was my mother who stole the +child and hid her from me. I was +taking her back to Peking.'</p> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_150" id="Page_150">[Pg 150]</a></span></p> +<p>'Very well,' said Mr. Grey, 'I +must hand you over to the magistrate.'</p> + +<p>This was quite enough for Hung +Li, who knew that if he were once +inside a Chinese prison he might +have to stay there a very long time.</p> + +<p>'Don't tell me any lies,' Mr. +Grey continued. 'You kept my +daughter shut up in your house, +and she might have died if it had +not been for your wife.'</p> + +<p>Hung Li grunted, but said +nothing.</p> + +<p>'But,' went on Mr. Grey, 'I +will let you go on one condition, +that you give up all claim to your +wife and let her come to live with +my daughter in Peking, and I will +give you fifty taels for her.'</p> + +<p>Hung Li did not expect to be let +off so easily. 'Take the woman,' +he said. 'She has no children and +I don't want her.'</p> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_151" id="Page_151">[Pg 151]</a></span></p> +<p>'All right,' replied Mr. Grey. +'I take all these people to witness +our bargain.'</p> + +<p>There was a chorus of 'Hao, +hao' (good, good), from the crowd, +and everybody seemed pleased.</p> + +<p>Mr. Grey at once ordered his +servant to fetch his bag containing +the lumps of silver and long strings +of copper cash with a hole through +the middle, which are the only +coins the Chinese have. The inn-keeper +brought a scale; the silver +was weighed and handed over to +Hung Li. He went away without +taking any notice of An Ching, +and nobody was surprised. The +Chinese do not think much of +women, you see.</p> + +<p>As for An Ching, she was delighted.</p> + +<p>All this time Chang and his son +had kept quietly in the background. +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_152" id="Page_152">[Pg 152]</a></span>They were Hung Li's neighbours +and did not want to make an enemy +of him. This was their Chinese +caution. As soon as he had gone +they came forward. Mr. Grey +thanked them warmly, and told +them that they should have the +reward he had offered if they would +come with him to Peking, which +they were very glad to do.</p> + +<p>They were soon ready to leave +the inn. Mr. Grey's servant had +hired a cart and good strong mule. +An Ching and the children got into +the cart and the others rode alongside, +excepting the Legation student, +who went ahead to prepare Mrs. +Grey.</p> + +<p>Nelly was almost too excited to sit +still as they came into Peking, and +even Little Yi was very anxious.</p> + +<p>'How do you feel, An Ching?' +asked Nelly.</p> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_153" id="Page_153">[Pg 153]</a></span></p> +<p>'I don't know,' she replied. +'Glad and sorry, but more glad than +sorry. Nobody cares for me but +you now. My parents did, a little, +but no Chinese girl is ever loved +by her father as yours loves you.'</p> + +<p>'That's not true,' said Little Yi, +although she knew that it was.</p> + +<p>'Well, I hope I am wrong, Little +Yi. When children are as good +and truthful as Nelly perhaps their +parents are very fond of them; but +I never knew a Chinese girl so +good.'</p> + +<p>Little Yi sniffed, but said no +more.</p> + +<p>When the large gates of the +Legation were opened and the cart +drove in, Nelly almost fainted again. +It was a very pale, fragile-looking +little creature that Mr. Grey lifted +out of the cart. Mrs. Grey had +been on the look-out, and could not +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_154" id="Page_154">[Pg 154]</a></span>remain indoors when she saw the +party arrive. She rushed hatless +across the compound, and Nelly +bounded to meet her. Mother and +child clung to each other with all +their might, while Chu Ma fairly +wept for joy to see her baby, as she +called Nelly. At the same time +Little Yi's parents dashed towards +her and embraced her, and they all +began chattering and crying. Little +Yi hoped An Ching would notice +how affectionate her father was.</p> + +<p>It was not until they had gone +indoors that Mr. and Mrs. Grey remembered +the Changs and An +Ching. When Mr. Grey at length +brought An Ching into the room, +Mrs. Grey kissed her too and thanked +her for being so good to Nelly.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Grey herself put Nelly to +bed that night. It seemed so strange +to Nelly to see everything just as +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_155" id="Page_155">[Pg 155]</a></span>she had left it. There was actually +the almanac on the wall with the +coloured picture of Ruth and Boaz +in the field. Nelly had pinned this +almanac up months ago when she +was attending a dancing class at +the American Legation, because, +she said, 'Boaz was doing the first +position of the waltz step beautifully.' +She laughed, and it did her +good and she felt glad and happy. +As she said her prayers that night, +she felt as though she really loved +God and that He quite understood +when she thanked Him for the gift +of a good father and mother.</p> + +<p><br /><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_156" id="Page_156">[Pg 156]</a></span></p> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<h2><br /><br /><a name="CONCLUSION" id="CONCLUSION"></a>CONCLUSION</h2> + + +<p>The next few days Nelly spent +quietly with her parents, and in +showing An Ching all the wonders +of a foreign household. Then she +was taken by her father and mother +to spend the rest of the summer in +a Chinese temple at the hills, where +she soon saw all her friends.</p> + +<p>Baby Buckle did not know her, of +course, and the coat she had brought +him was too small, as he had grown +very much. But he was 'darlinger' +than ever, Nelly said. Bessie Bates +and Liza and Bertha were delighted +to see Nelly, but they seemed shy +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_157" id="Page_157">[Pg 157]</a></span>with her at first, and Bob Bates and +Arthur Macdonald treated her almost +as though she had been a grown-up +lady. She was not very well all +the summer, and the doctor advised +a change. 'England,' he said, +'would be a good thing.' 'And +school,' added Mr. Grey. And to +England Nelly went in the autumn +with her mother and An Ching. +She was left with her aunt in +Brighton, where she attended a day +school near her brother Tom's. An +Ching stayed with her and learnt +to speak English very well. The +people of Brighton used to stare at +An Ching almost as much as the +Chinese did at Nelly when she was +stolen in Peking. She became a +Christian in time and used to go to +church regularly. Two years later, +Arthur Macdonald came to Tom's +school and often spent his holiday +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_158" id="Page_158">[Pg 158]</a></span>afternoons at Nelly's aunt's. Bob +and Bessie Bates went to school in +America, but Liza and Bertha stayed +with their governess in Peking. +Baby Buckle grew into a very mischievous +little boy; so troublesome +was he that his father decided to +send him home, and he, too, when +he was a very small boy, came to +the school where Tom had been. +Nelly used to go and see him and +bring him to her aunt's. No matter +how naughty he was, she always +made excuses for him. 'He was +such a darling baby, you know,' she +used to say.</p> + +<p>Little Yi never tired of telling +her adventures, and all her female +relatives, none of whom had ever +been outside Peking, looked upon +her as a great traveller. Chi Fu +studied so well that he became a +school teacher in the Church +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_159" id="Page_159">[Pg 159]</a></span>Mission. His parents admired him +more than ever, and left Yung Ching +to come and live near him. One +day he received a letter from Nelly +in English, and was able to read it +to them in Chinese quite easily.</p> + +<p>'He is a great scholar, my son,' +said the good Chang to himself.</p> + +<p>It was the proudest day of his +life!</p> + +<p class="center"><br /><br /><br /><br />FINIS<br /><br /></p> + + + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Little Girl Lost, by Eleanor Raper + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE LITTLE GIRL LOST *** + +***** This file should be named 29683-h.htm or 29683-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/2/9/6/8/29683/ + +Produced by David Edwards, Rose Acquavella and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by The Internet Archive) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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