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diff --git a/39254-0.txt b/39254-0.txt index 4210564..3eefc2f 100644 --- a/39254-0.txt +++ b/39254-0.txt @@ -1,28 +1,4 @@ - HELD BY CHINESE BRIGANDS - - -This ebook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and -most other parts of the world 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 -http://www.gutenberg.org/license. If you are not located in the United -States, you’ll have to check the laws of the country where you are -located before using this ebook. - - - -Title: Held by Chinese Brigands -Author: Charles Gilson -Release Date: March 24, 2012 [EBook #39254] -Reposted: May 09, 2015 [correction of author in PG header] -Language: English -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HELD BY CHINESE BRIGANDS *** - - - +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 39254 *** Produced by Al Haines. @@ -8304,383 +8280,4 @@ THE MYSTERY OF AH JIM. A Tale of the Sea. THE FIRE-GODS. A Tale of the Congo. THE SCARLET HAND. 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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 -http://www.gutenberg.org/license. If you are not located in the United -States, you'll have to check the laws of the country where you are -located before using this ebook. - - - -Title: Held by Chinese Brigands -Author: Charles Gilson -Release Date: March 24, 2012 [EBook #39254] -Reposted: May 09, 2015 [correction of author in PG header] -Language: English -Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 - - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HELD BY CHINESE BRIGANDS *** - - - - -Produced by Al Haines. - - - - -[Illustration: Cover art] - - - -[Illustration: "'I AM CHEONG-CHAU,' HE CRIED." _See page_ 63.] - - - - HELD BY CHINESE BRIGANDS - - - BY - - CAPTAIN CHARLES GILSON - - - - ILLUSTRATED BY - - JOHN DE WALTON, A.R.W.A. - - - - - HUMPHREY MILFORD - THE OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS - LONDON, EDINBURGH, GLASGOW - TORONTO, MELBOURNE, CAPETOWN, BOMBAY - 1921 - - - - - To - BARBARA PARTRIDGE - - - - - ---- - - - - -CONTENTS - - - CHAPTER I--HOW HENNESSY K. WALDRON "TRIPPED AROUND" - CHAPTER II--OF AH WU'S OPIUM DEN - CHAPTER III--OF THE TIGER AND THE FOXES - CHAPTER IV--HOW CHEONG-CHAU CAME FORTH OF THE TOWN OF PINGLO - CHAPTER V--HOW CHEONG-CHAU STRUCK AT DEAD OF NIGHT - CHAPTER VI--HOW CHEONG-CHAU STATED HIS TERMS - CHAPTER VII--HOW THE LETTER WAS WRITTEN - CHAPTER VIII--AND HOW FRANK RESOLVED TO FOLLOW IT - CHAPTER IX--OF THE HOSPITALITY OF THE TEA-GROWER - CHAPTER X--HOW FRANK WAS IN LUCK'S WAY - CHAPTER XI--OF THE REAPPEARANCE OF LING - CHAPTER XII--HOW MEN-CHING ESCAPED - CHAPTER XIII--HOW FRANK WAS CAUGHT IN THE TOILS - CHAPTER XIV--HOW LING SNUFFED THE CANDLE - CHAPTER XV--OF CHEONG-CHAU'S MESSENGER - CHAPTER XVI--OF THE REPENTANCE OF YUNG HOW - CHAPTER XVII--HOW LING WAS TOO LATE - CHAPTER XVIII--OF THE SPIDER AND THE WEB - CHAPTER XIX--HOW LING READ CONFUCIUS - CHAPTER XX--HOW THE TIGER SPRANG - CHAPTER XXI--OF THE GLADE OF CHILDREN'S TEARS - CHAPTER XXII--OF THE CAPTURE OF THE JUNK - CHAPTER XXIII--HOW THE TREASURE ARRIVED - CHAPTER XXIV--HOW THE TIGER VANISHED IN THIN AIR - CHAPTER XXV--AND HOW CHEONG-CHAU VANISHED ALTOGETHER - CHAPTER XXVI--OF GREED OF GOLD - CHAPTER XXVII--HOW LING DRIFTED TO THE STARS - - ---- - - LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS - -"'I am Cheong-Chau,' he cried" . . . . . . _Frontispiece in colour_ - (_see page_ 63) - -"Mr Waldron never moved an inch" - -"Ling snatched the boathook from his hand" - -"There came a roar like that of a charging lion" - -"He himself was hurled after it" - - - - - - - -CHAPTER I--HOW HENNESSY K. WALDRON "TRIPPED AROUND" - - -We have heard it said, by those who are widely travelled, that there are -three beautiful harbours in the world: Rio de Janeiro, in Brazil; Sydney -Harbour, and--most beautiful of all--the harbour of Hong-Kong. - -The famous Peak rises above the town of Victoria and, at a height of -about two thousand feet, buries its crest in the clouds. The harbour -itself is in the shape of a crescent, enclosing the red, bare hills of -Kow-lung. By day, from Lyemun to Stonecutter's Island, ferry-boats, -_sampans_, _wupans_ and launches scurry here and there, in and out among -the great anchored men-of-war, like so many mice romping in a cage of -sleeping tigers. - -The slopes of the mountain are green with palm-trees, mango, orange and -lichen, in the midst of which can be seen innumerable white, flat-roofed -villas, each with its upper-story verandah and green-latticed windows. -To the east the hills are more rugged; streams, traced through the glens -by straggling brushwood, descend in a succession of waterfalls to the -level of the sea. In the Pass of Lyemun the traveller finds himself in -the midst of an inhospitable grandeur, similar to that of the western -Scottish isles. - -It is, however, by night that Hong-Kong Harbour is at its best. With a -sky of a million stars, and the pale, round China moon hanging like a -lantern in the midst of the heavens, reflecting its light upon the -surface of the dark, tranquil water, the moving lights upon the -_sampans_ and the countless lanterns in the streets of China town, this -place is surely one of the most romantic in the world. Here the Far -East and the West touch; it is the one place in all China where the -foothold of the European is secure. - -Upon this beautiful island, with its rugged hills and feathery palms, -the white man stands, under his own flag--as it were, upon the very -threshold of the mysterious, eternal "Middle Kingdom." Over the way, to -the north-west, is the great estuary of the Canton river, the -Chau-kiang--the main trade highway of the south. Canton itself, a city -of two and a half million inhabitants, lies at the junction of three -rivers, which meet almost at right angles: the first flowing from the -east, the second from the north, and the third--and greatest---from the -west. Canton is a city of mysteries and marvels; it is a city of many -industries, insufferable heat, intolerable smells, and almost -unbelievable devilry and crime. - -The whole of the great province of Kwangsi and the eastern portion of -Yunnan is drained by the West River and its hundreds of tributaries. -These tributaries for the most part find their sources upon the -watershed of the Nan-ling Mountains, which extend from the Tung-ting -Lake to the city of Kin-yuen, a distance of over five hundred miles. - -Of that great stretch of country little or nothing is known. Thanks to -the early Jesuit explorers, we are provided with excellent maps. But a -map is no more than a coloured piece of paper which--at the best--is -backed with linen. Names in themselves convey nothing. Though you study -the map of China for a fortnight you will know less of the Si-kiang, or -West River, than the naval lieutenant who ran his gunboat past Wu-chau, -and blew the mud huts of a pirate village into a dust-heap with the -pound-and-a-half shells of his Maxim-Nordenfeldt. For, if to this day -there are wild men anywhere upon the face of the earth, who know neither -mercy nor pity nor the laws of God or man, they are to be found in the -tract of country that lies between the West River and the Nan-ling -Mountains to the north. And thither we are about to journey, into the -midst of a land that is by no means a wilderness, but which is populated -for the most part by peaceable, hard-working peasants. - -There are, however, certain members of the community who are neither -peaceable nor industrious, who care no more for the gunboats of His -Britannic Majesty upon the wide reaches of the river than they do for -the _yamen_ of the Viceroy of Canton, who so terrorise the province that -each honest man knows that it is more than his life is worth to give -information against them. - -The chiefs of these pirates or brigands are, as often as not, highly -educated Chinese, sometimes entitled to wear the blue or red button of a -mandarin. They hold sway by dint of their cruelty and their cunning. - -Such a man was Cheong-Chau, whose headquarters were established in the -town of Kong-chin, at the foot of the mountains. Thence he and his men -were wont to descend to Pinglo, where they would board a sea-going junk, -in which they would steal past Wu-chau to Canton, and thence to the open -sea, to rob fishing-junks and sometimes even cargo ships. If they passed -a gunboat or destroyer upon the broad waters of the estuary they were -simple fishermen, on a cruise to Macao or Amoy. But under their fishing -nets and tackle was always a veritable armoury of blood-curdling -cutlasses and knives. - -For the time being we will leave this cutthroat resting on his -ill-gotten wealth, dazed from opium in a filthy den in the city of -Pinglo, and return to the sublime and tranquil beauty of the harbour of -Hong-Kong. There we are to meet a gentleman of appearance more -personable, and personality more engaging, than the redoubtable -Cheong-Chau. We refer to Mr Hennessy K. Waldron, of Paradise City, -Nevada, U.S.A. - -Mr Waldron was engaged upon what he termed a "trip around." He had made -a pile of money out of cattle, silver, a patent egg-whisk, and pigs. -His "trip around" had already lasted two and a half years. He had been -to London, Paris, Switzerland, and Venice. He knew the height of the -dome of St Paul's Cathedral, the number of bricks in the Mont Cenis -tunnel, and the names of all the famous Venetian painters. He had gazed -at the Pyramids, he had contemplated the Coliseum, and standing upon the -Bridge of Sighs in Venice, he had quoted Byron, sentimentalising over -the narrow stretch of water that divides the Doges' Palace from the -gloomy dungeon to the right. - -And wherever Hennessy K. Waldron had been he had been well received. -Before leaving New York he had taken the precaution of arming himself -with so many letters of introduction to influential persons in all parts -of the world that he was obliged to carry them about with him in a large -tin-lined box. He had not been two hours in Hong-Kong before he had -called upon his Excellency the Governor, _Sir_ John Macintosh--with the -accent, according to Mr Waldron, on the "Sir." - -He had also a letter from the British Ambassador in Washington to Sir -Thomas Armitage, the Chief Justice of the Colony, upon whose verandah he -was now seated, with his legs sprawled out in front of him, a Manila -cheroot in the corner of his mouth and a whisky-and-soda at his elbow. -Hennessy K. Waldron believed in "tripping around" in comfort. - -"Judge," said he, "I've scheduled Hong-Kong for a six weeks' stay. -Calculate I can do South China in that time?" - -Sir Thomas smiled and shook his head. - -"Mr Waldron," he replied, "you can't 'do' South China in six years, and -you'll know precious little about it even at the end of sixty." - -"Waal, I guess I'm not slow in the uptake. I can run my eye over the -Tower of London, the Matterhorn, or the Louvre, in less time than a New -York elevator would take to conduct you to the thirteenth story of the -Flat Iron Building. And, sir, I'm speaking of things I know. Guess -I've got face value out of every dollar's worth of shoe leather I ever -purchased, or I never knew the difference between glue and honey." - -"That may very well be," said the judge, "but there is so much about -China to learn, so much that is confusing, and even contradictory, that -I must confess, even after thirty years in the country, I know very -little about it." - -"Reckon," observed Mr Waldron, "the lingo would twist the tongue of a -rattlesnake. I'm not referring to that." - -"Whilst you are in China," asked Sir Thomas, "what is it, Mr Waldron, -you most desire to see?" - -For some moments Mr Hennessy K. Waldron appeared to be deep in thought. -It was as if he considered the question worthy of earnest consideration. - -"Temples," said he, at last. "Judge, I'm just crazy on temples." - -"It so happens," said Sir Thomas Armitage, "that I'm interested in the -same subject. For many years I have made a study of the religions of -China--a vast, and to me an absorbing subject, upon which I am writing a -book." - -"Waal, now," exclaimed Mr Waldron, "that's very interesting, Judge. I -always understood the Chink worships the spirits of his ancestors, and -that's about as far as he gets." - -"That is by no means correct," said the judge. "There are many -religions in China. The upper classes are, practically without -exception, Confucianists. It is true Confucianism is scarcely a -religion; it is a system of moral philosophy which, however, serves its -purpose. There are few Mohammedans in China, though great numbers of -Buddhists--Chinese Buddhism differing in several interesting particulars -from the corruption of the religion which exists to-day in India. -However, the great bulk of the people, especially in the rural -districts, are Taoists. Taoism is extremely difficult to understand, -and even harder to explain. The original Taoist doctrine was a -philosophy of fatalism; it has deteriorated, however, into a belief in -evil spirits, alchemy, black magic, and so forth. Taoism and Buddhism -have become confused; in the Taoist temples images can be seen of Buddha -and his disciples." - -"Guess that's what I want to see," cut in Mr Waldron. - -The judge was silent a moment. - -"I am about to undertake a long and somewhat arduous journey," he -continued. "I have had a great deal of work of late, and am taking a -six weeks' vacation. In pursuit of my hobby I intend to journey up the -West River, to visit a very famous and ancient Taoist temple, situated -in the hills, not far from the town of Pinglo. If you would like to -accompany me, Mr Waldron, I am sure I shall be delighted. I warn you, -however, that it will be no picnic. The heat will be excessive--for the -summer is here--and we shall be called upon to undergo certain -inconveniences and even hardships." - -"Sir," exclaimed the American, "I began life as a cow-puncher in Texas. -I have consorted, in the course of my career, with Mexican caballeros, -bar tenders and pugilists. I'm not likely to get cold feet at the sight -of a mosquito or a heathen god." - -The judge laughed, and rose to his feet. Mr Waldron knocked the ash -from the end of his cigar. - -The moonlit harbour lay immediately beneath them. The mast-head -signalling-lights upon the anchored cruisers winked their dots and -dashes from one to the other. The round Chinese lanterns upon the -_sampans_ moved restlessly, like fire-flies, upon the dark surface of -the water. Somewhere, to the right, in the midst of the trees, a -military band was playing; now and again they caught the strains of -_Light Cavalry_ or _The Pilgrim's March_, from _Tannhuser_. To the -left, the flaming lights in the streets of the Chinese quarter threw -their reflection upon the dark foliage of the palms and orange-trees on -the slopes of Mount Davis. Strange two-stringed instruments and shrill -Chinese voices, heard faintly in the distance, conveyed to Mr Hennessy -K. Waldron the impression that he was thousands of miles away from -Paradise City. - -"That's settled, then," said the judge. "We travel together, Mr Waldron. -I shall be delighted to have the pleasure of your company." - -"Judge," said Mr Waldron, "the pleasure is mine, sure. If it's temples, -I'm your man. If there's going to be danger, I carry a six-shooter; and -I can handle a gun as well as any." - -"I trust," said the other, "that no such necessity will arise. However, -in the region of the Nan-ling Mountains anything may happen. I myself -will go unarmed." - -At that moment a boy of about sixteen years of age entered the verandah -from the dimly lighted drawing-room beyond, where he had been seated for -some time engrossed in a book. Though he was a good-looking and -well-built lad, he had the yellow complexion similar to that of the -Chinese themselves, which sooner or later comes to every European who -has lived for any length of time in the Far East. - -"Are you talking about your journey up the West River, uncle?" he asked, -with his eyes upon the heavy Colt revolver that Mr Waldron had produced -from the hip-pocket of his trousers. - -"Yes," said Sir Thomas. "Mr Waldron has agreed to come with me. I have -promised him that the expedition will be full of interest." - -"I am going too?" asked the boy. - -The judge laid a hand upon his nephew's shoulder. "I believe," said he, -"that was arranged. Here, Mr Waldron," he added, turning to the -American, "is our interpreter. I have studied the Chinese language all -my life and can speak a little in the Mandarin dialect. But Frank is -lucky. He learnt the language from his amah, or Chinese nurse. He could -talk Cantonese before he knew fifty words of English. When I am -travelling on the mainland I always take Frank with me. The Chinese are -extraordinary people. If you speak their language badly they will not -attempt to understand you, but Frank can talk the Southern dialect as -well as the peasants themselves." - -"I'm in luck's way," observed Mr Waldron. "In the old days in Texas, if -I was prospecting for gold, I struck oil; if I was looking for oil, I -found gold. That's how I made my pile. I guess there're not many -globe-trotters who get such an opportunity of leaving the beaten track, -of seeing China from the inside. And, Judge, I'm no good on the stump, -but let me tell you, sir, I appreciate the honour; and if ever you find -yourself in Paradise City, Nevada, U.S.A., you'll find my name a free -pass to anything that's going, from a ten-cent circus to a pocketful of -cigars. And that's a bargain, Judge." - -Whilst Mr Waldron was expressing, in his own peculiar fashion, his sense -of obligation, there appeared, in the shadows of the room that gave upon -the verandah, a tall, dark-eyed Cantonese servant, a man of about thirty -years of age, with a black glistening pigtail which reached almost to -his knees. - -Wearing soft, felt-soled shoes, he glided across the room as noiselessly -and as stealthily as a cat. At the casement window he caught sight of -the shining barrels of Mr Waldron's nickel-plated revolver. And at once -he disappeared--behind a curtain. - -"And now, Judge, may I ask when you intend to start?" asked the -American. - -"In a week's time," said Sir Thomas. "That will give you a few days in -which to see the sights of Hong-Kong. Bring no more baggage than one -man can carry. We are going into a country where there are no roads, -only a few footpaths between the ricefields. And above all, Mr Waldron, -I must request you to say nothing about it to anyone. Our destination -must remain a secret. I do not trust even my own personal attendants." - -"Your wishes will be obeyed, Judge," said Mr Waldron. "But may I ask, -sir, why these precautions are essential?" - -"They are not essential," said the judge, "but I think you will agree -with me they are wise when I tell you that the West River abounds with -pirates, and there are several gangs of Chinese bandits in the Nan-ling -Mountains, especially in the neighbourhood where we are going. The town -of Pinglo has an exceptionally bad reputation. You yourself, Mr -Waldron, are a wealthy man, and I have a position of some importance in -this colony. It might be well worth the while of some rascal who is in -touch with the West River pirates to give information against us." - -"I get your meaning, Judge," said Mr Waldron, returning his revolver to -his hip-pocket. "I'm as dumb as a dewberry pie. And now I must get back -to my hotel. Good-night, and, sir, I'm pleased and honoured to have met -you." - -"One moment," said the judge. "Let me send for a ricksha. I am afraid -my own chair coolies have gone to bed." - -Sir Thomas entered the drawing-room, unconscious of the fact there was a -man not five paces away from him hiding behind the curtain. He rang a -small bronze hand-bell and returned to the verandah. - -The man behind the curtain dropped down upon his hands and knees, and -keeping in the shade of the various chairs and tables he gained the -door, opened it, and passed through silently. - -Two seconds afterwards he re-entered, standing at his full height, with -an expression of profound dignity, even of contempt, upon every feature -of his face. - -He closed the door with a bang, marched with a stately stride across the -room, and presented himself at the window. - -"Master rang," said he. - -"Yes," said Sir Thomas. "Yung How, please order a ricksha for Mr -Waldron, to take him to the King Edward Hotel." - -The man bowed--if an almost imperceptible downward movement of the head -may be so described. - -"Yes, master," said he. - -Stepping upon the verandah, he picked up the empty glass which had -contained Mr Waldron's whisky-and-soda. Holding this in his hand, as if -it were something sacramental, Yung How stalked gravely from the room. - -That night, tossing restlessly upon his bed in the stifling heat of the -breathless tropic night, Mr Hennessy K. Waldron, of Paradise City, Nev., -dreamed of heathen gods. - - - - -CHAPTER II--OF AH WU'S OPIUM DEN - - -The small river-launch steamed away from the narrow creek which divides -Canton city from the island of Shamien. The Chinaman at the wheel -navigated the little craft into the very midst of the clustered -shipping, the mass of junks and river-boats that thronged the entrance -to the creek. Her prow cutting the water in a long, arrow-shaped, -feathery wave, the launch gained the fairway of the main river, and -thence worked up-stream. Seated in a comfortable chair in the bows, a -cigar in his mouth and a pair of field-glasses in his hand, was Mr -Hennessy K. Waldron, of Paradise City, Nevada, U.S.A. - -Sir Thomas Armitage drew a basket-chair into the shade afforded by an -awning. There he produced his spectacles and, opening a book, settled -himself to read. His nephew, with his coat off and his sleeves rolled -up, was occupied with an oil-bottle in the little engine-room. - -In the stern of the launch stood Yung How, with folded arms. His dark -face was expressionless. For all that, his eyes were fixed upon the -northern bank of the river, where the houses of the city were so -close-packed that a man standing with outstretched arms in one of the -narrow streets could have touched with his finger-tips the walls on -either side. - -At the extremity of one of these dark, stifling lanes stood a Chinaman, -wearing a faded scarlet coat. This man was an old man, with a grey tuft -of hair upon his chin, and a queue that was white and short and thin as -a monkey's tail. He stood motionless, shading his eyes with the palm of -a hand and looking out across the river. As the launch hove into sight -he drew back a little, hiding himself in the doorway of an adjacent -house. The launch passed within fifty yards of the shore. - -He observed Mr Waldron and he observed Sir Thomas Armitage, who was -engrossed in his reading. Moreover, he observed Yung How, who slowly -raised his right hand and laid it upon the shaven forepart of his head. - -At that the man disappeared. He vanished into the gloom of an even -narrower side street. Five minutes afterwards he appeared in the open -space on the western side of the Temple of the Gods. Here a coolie was -standing, holding the bridle of a thick-necked, short-legged Mongolian -pony, of the breed common in the north of China but seldom seen in the -south. The man with the faded scarlet coat flung himself into the -saddle. - -"It is the West River!" he cried, and he was off like the wind, riding -due north, leaving the suburbs of the great city to his right. - -Such an extraordinary incident stands, perhaps, in need of explanation. -The judge's party had spent a week in Canton, during which time Mr -Waldron had inspected the Five-Story Pagoda, the Water Clock, the -temples of the Five Genii and the Five Hundred Gods; he had witnessed -theatrical performances and a public execution; he had smelled the -smells of Canton. - -As for Yung How, he also had not been idle. He had gone by night to a -certain opium den in the vicinity of the Mohammedan mosque--the opium -den of Ah Wu. Thither we must accompany him if we are to make head or -tail of the narrative that follows. - -Yung How had appeared before Sir Thomas Armitage. "Master," said he, "I -have a brother in Canton." - -The judge smiled. He had lived many years in China. He knew that -Chinese servants always have brothers and aunts and grandmothers. - -"And you want a day's leave, Yung How?" he asked. - -"No, master," said Yung How. "Go away to-night, after dinner-time. Come -back to-morrow morning." - -Sir Thomas guessed that Yung How's "brother" was nothing more or less -than an opium pipe. He knew, however, that it would be useless to -refuse the man leave. Yung How was sadly addicted to opium; in -Hong-Kong he often appeared in the morning with the pupils of his eyes -no bigger than pinheads. And Sir Thomas knew also that, once a Chinese -has become a slave of the opium pipe, nothing will ever cure him. The -judge shrugged his shoulders. - -"Very well, Yung How," said he, "you can go." - -"Thank you, master," said Yung How. And he stalked in a majestic manner -from the dining-room of the Shamien Hotel, where the judge and his party -were staying. - -Yung How crossed the little bridge of boats that connects the island -with the main part of the city to the north. He found himself in -narrow, twisting streets densely packed with people, the majority of -whom were of the coolie class and wore little or no clothes. The shops -and booths were ablaze. Everyone was shouting at once, swearing, -wrangling, bargaining till they were hoarse. The heat was insufferable, -the atmosphere humid. The foul smells of the city would have sickened a -European, but they did not seem to affect the Oriental nostrils of Yung -How, the Cantonese. - -He walked slowly with long strides, turning to the left, then to the -right, then to the left again. He was evidently familiar with the city. -Brushing past half-naked, gesticulating coolies, and thrusting children -aside, he came presently upon a great sow, sleeping in the middle of the -street. Since there was no room to pass on either side he kicked the -animal violently. As the pig got grunting to its feet, Yung How swept -past with an expression of contempt upon his face. - -He found himself, at last, outside the Mohammedan Mosque. Crossing what -the Europeans call "West Street," he entered a dark thoroughfare, a -blind alley, at the end of which was a solitary, blood-red Chinese -lantern, suspended above a door. - -Yung How did not knock. He walked straight in and found himself in the -presence of Ah Wu. - -Now Ah Wu was a notorious character; he was also a notorious scoundrel. -He was a little, fat man, with a round, smiling, cherubic -countenance--except that there was nothing cherubic about his eyes, -which were small and evil, and glittered like those of a snake. - -"Ha!" he exclaimed, the moment he set eyes upon Yung How. "You have -returned to Canton! Ah Wu bids you welcome. If he eats rice under the -roof-tree of Ah Wu, Yung How shall have of the best. He shall smoke the -finest Chung-king opium." - -"I desire none of these things," said Yung How. - -Ah Wu looked disappointed, for Yung How was a rich man as Chinamen went, -who paid for his night's entertainment in brand new Hong-Kong dollars. - -"Ah Wu," said Yung How, in a low voice, "I desire to speak with you upon -a matter which is private. It will be worth your while to help me if -you can." - -Ah Wu's eyes glistened. He rubbed his hands together. "Come with me," -said he. - -He drew aside a heavy, richly embroidered curtain and, passing through, -they found themselves in the opium den. This was a room of two stories, -with a flight of stairs in the middle leading to the upper story, which -was a kind of balcony. All around the walls, both upstairs and -downstairs, were couches, and by the side of each couch was a small -lacquer table. Upon every table was an opium pipe, a small bowl -containing a substance that resembled treacle, and a little spirit-lamp. -And upon each couch was a man, stretched at full length, wearing no more -clothes than a kind of towel tied around his waist, for the heat of the -room was like that of a Turkish bath. - -Some of these men were engaged in smoking, rolling the opium into little -pills, holding these pills over the flame of the spirit-lamp until they -frizzled in the heat. Some were lying flat upon their backs, with their -arms folded behind their heads, staring with eyes wide open at the -ceiling. Others were motionless, insensible, asleep--drugged into -oblivion. The room reeked with the pungent smell of the drug. - -Yung How, taking no notice of the occupants of the den, followed the -proprietor into a small room under the stairs. There a paraffin lamp of -European manufacture burned upon a table. Ah Wu offered his guest a -chair and seated himself on the opposite side of the table. He produced -a matchbox from the sleeve of his coat, struck a match, and lighted a -small spirit-lamp. This, together with a bowl of opium and a large -ivory pipe, he shoved across the table. - -"You will smoke?" he asked. - -Yung How could not resist the temptation. He snatched up the little -skewer and dived it into the brown glutinous substance. - -"Thank you," said he. "I can think better when I smoke. The matter of -which I have to tell you, Ah Wu, is of some importance. It may be very -profitable to me, and also, in some degree, to you--if you are able to -assist me." - -Ah Wu's little almond-shaped eyes glistened more than ever. His face -became wreathed in smiles. He got to his feet and went to a cupboard, -from which he produced his own opium pipe. Then he seated himself again -at the table, and with their heads very close together these two sleek, -shaven, unmitigated rascals rolled their little pills and filled the -room with bitter-smelling smoke. - -And as they fell under the influence of the wonderful and subtle drug -that holds sway over the whole of the Far East, from Shanghai to Bombay, -they discussed in low voices the affairs of Mr Hennessy K. Waldron, of -Paradise City, Nevada, U.S.A. - -"Tell me," asked Yung How, "do you ever see anything of Cheong-Chau, the -robber?" - -"He himself," said Ah Wu, "comes often to Canton. He invariably stays -here. He is a great smoker. He smokes opium by day and walks abroad by -night. He will not show himself in the streets by daylight, in case he -should be recognised by the soldiers of the Viceroy." - -"He is a brave man," said Yung How--avoiding, after the manner of the -East, the point at issue. - -"He fears not death," said Ah Wu. "But the day will come when he will -be led to his execution, to the Potter's Yard, where they will cut off -his head, and the heads of all his followers." - -"How many men has he?" asked Yung How. - -Ah Wu shrugged his shoulders. - -"Some say twenty," said he; "some say thirty. Men-Ching, his -second-in-command, is always here. He is one of my oldest patrons." Ah -Wu nodded his head towards the door. "He is in there now," he added, -"sound asleep. I saw him as we passed." - -It is not the custom of a Chinese to convey surprise, satisfaction or -displeasure, or any other emotion, upon the features of his face. Yung -How's countenance remained expressionless. He did not raise an eyebrow. -And yet he was delighted. He was in luck's way, and he knew it. - -"What sort of a man is this Men-Ching?" he asked. - -"He is an old man," said Ah Wu, "a grandfather. He wears a small grey -beard, and his pigtail is almost white." - -Yung How leaned across the table and whispered in Ah Wu's ear: - -"I know of a party of Europeans," said he, "who are going up one of the -rivers--I am not sure which. I have not yet discovered their -destination. They are rich men. How much will Cheong-Chau give, do you -think, if I deliver them into his hands?" - -Ah Wu chuckled. Then, very carefully, he rolled another opium pill and -puffed the smoke from his mouth. - -"This can be arranged," said he, rising to his feet. "I will fetch -Men-Ching. He returns to Pinglo to-morrow." - -Ah Wu entered the opium den and, ascending the stairs, awakened a man -who was sleeping upon one of the couches. This was an old man with a -small grey beard and so little hair upon his head that his pigtail was -not six inches long. - -Men-Ching listened to Ah Wu's apologies, and then got slowly to his -feet. He put on his faded scarlet coat and followed the proprietor down -the stairs. In the little room below, he was introduced to Yung How, -and a Chinese introduction is a serious and ceremonious occasion. For -the better part of five minutes the two men paid each other compliments, -which were neither the truth nor intended to be such. Then all three -seated themselves at the table, and presently the smoke from three opium -pipes, instead of two, was filling the room with the bitter, pungent -smell. - -They discussed the matter in every detail; they regarded it from every -aspect. They calculated the risk and speculated upon their own share of -the plunder. They tried to estimate the illimitable wealth of Mr -Hennessy K. Waldron. Perhaps Ah Wu had visions of retiring from -business and settling down in his native town of Chau-chau, on the banks -of the Han river, where the rice is the best in China. - -At all events they were three great scoundrels, and although Cheong-Chau -himself may have been a greater one, there was a certain man who--even -whilst they were closeted together--had entered the opium den, who was -without doubt the greatest villain in all the thirteen provinces, in all -that land of thieves and knaves and cut-throats, from the Great Wall of -China to the Shan States, upon the borderland of Burmah. - -And this man was Ling. He burst into the opium den with such violence -that the outer door was in danger of being broken from its hinges. He -thrust aside the embroidered curtains so roughly that several of the -wooden rings that secured them at the top were broken. Once inside the -room, he bellowed for Ah Wu, the proprietor of the establishment, and -his voice was so great that he awakened many of the sleepers. - -Being informed that Ah Wu was privately engaged, he strode into the -little room beneath the stairs, and there found himself confronted by -Men-Ching, whom he knew well by sight and reputation, and Yung How, whom -he had never seen before. - -For some moments he stood regarding the three men. Then he -laughed--just as a jackal laughs. - -"What's this?" he cried. "Three such heads were never brought together -to discuss Confucius or the writings of the learned Lao Tzu. An old -fox, Ah Wu--one of Cheong-Chau's paid assassins, and a smooth-faced -Hong-Kong 'boy'! Vulgar men, all three, who breathe from their throats, -and walk in fear and trembling. Fetch me a pipe, Ah Wu, and take us -into your council. I have a mind to learn the reason of these -whisperings." - -We have said that the Oriental does not betray his innermost feelings -upon his features. We have stated that the Chinese countenance is -incapable of expression. The case was overstated, for all three of -them, the moment they set eyes upon this self-confident intruder, became -visibly alarmed. It is true that to no small extent the personal -appearance of Ling may have been responsible for this. - -The man was a giant. Yung How was a tall man; but when he stood at his -full height, the shaven top of his head was not level with the shoulders -of the new-comer, who must have been at least six feet eight inches in -height. His complexion was so sallow as to be almost green; his cheeks -were hollow like those of a human skull. At the same time, he had -enormous features: a great hooked nose; a square, massive chin; a mouth -that almost reached to his ears when he grinned. He had coal-black -eyebrows which met upon the bridge of his nose, and slanted slightly -upwards. Upon his upper lip was a long black moustache, the ends of -which hung down below his chin. His bones were mammoth-like; he had -enormous fists; and when he walked, his great shoulder-blades could be -seen moving under his long blue silken robe. Ah Wu looked up at him, -with the glint of fear in his little fox-like eyes. - -"We were discussing the rice crop," said he. - -"_Liar!_" roared Ling. - -And he brought down his fist upon the table with such force that the -opium bowls jumped, and one of the spirit-lamps went out. - -"Liar!" he repeated. "Fetch me a pipe, as I bid you, and speak true -talk. This is a human affair and concerns me as much as you. Were it a -question of divine philosophy, I should be the last to intrude. Come, I -propose to give you advice." - -Thereupon, without the least warning, he seized Yung How by the scruff -of his neck, and lifted him bodily out of his chair. - -"This foreign devil's flunkey shall increase the wisdom of the mighty -Ling," he shouted. "He shall tell me in his Hong-Kong jargon why he -holds conference with one of Cheong-Chau's bandits, and one who has -grown so old in wickedness, and so rich in ill-gotten gains, that his -eyes are sunk in the wrinkled fat of his face." - -He dumped Yung How back into his chair, and for once the habitual -expression of serene dignity had departed from that gentleman's -countenance. Indeed, he looked terribly frightened--but not more so -than Ah Wu himself, who now came forward, holding in his trembling hand -an opium pipe, which he offered politely to this gigantic Oriental -swashbuckler. - -Ling examined the pipe critically; and then, apparently satisfied with -the appearance of it, proceeded to roll opium pills in his huge, -flat-tipped fingers. - -"I smoke," said he, "not like fools, to dream. I smoke to fight, to -think, and to make fools of others." - -As he said these words he flung off his long coat. Underneath he was -wearing a thin vest of the finest Chifu silk. Around his waist was a -belt, attached to which was a great knife--a Malay _kris_--the handle of -which was studded lavishly with jewels. - - - - -CHAPTER III--OF THE TIGER AND THE FOXES - - -Ling was a Northerner. He hailed from the province of Honan, a land of -rugged hills and dark, inhospitable valleys, through which flows the -unnavigable Hoang-Ho, the turbulent Yellow River that thrashes its way -into the Gulf of Pe-chili, over cataracts and rocks, through dark, -precipitous ravines. - -The Honanese are a warlike race. From this province the viceroys of the -north were wont to recruit the majority of their soldiers--wild, -raw-boned men who, in the old days, guarded the sacred presence of the -Emperor. - -The pirates of the West River may be compared to wolf-packs that roam -the southern provinces in search of plunder. But Ling may be likened to -a solitary beast of prey, a man-eating tiger, or a rogue elephant--than -which there is no more dangerous beast in all the world. He lived by his -wits, his great strength and cunning. He had established such a -reputation for himself in the provinces of Kwang-si and Kwei-chau that -he was feared alike by peasants, priests, and mandarins. He committed -crime openly and gloried in it; for in China there are no police, and -prefects and magistrates can be bought with silver _taels_. - -And Ling was a man of great wealth. He employed bribery when that was -likely to succeed. Otherwise he relied upon his Malay kris, or his -great hands, with which he could strangle the life out of an ordinary -man in no more time than it would take to wring the neck of a hen. - -The wonder of this man was that he was a great scholar. He had passed -several of the public examinations in which the candidates could be -numbered by the thousand. He was learned in the classic books: _Spring -and Autumn_, _The Doctrine of the Mean_, _The Analects of Confucius_, -and the books of History, Rites and Music, and the Odes. - -He was in the habit of quoting Confucius and the writings of the sages; -and he could always, by twisting the meaning of the proverbs of -antiquity, find excuses for his crimes. - -"To the good I would be good," he would quote, adding: "As there are no -good on this earth, there is no necessity to be other than I am." - -In no other country in the world would such a man have been allowed to -walk at large in the streets of a populous city. Everyone knew him, and -everyone feared him; but no one had the courage to step across his path. -He came and went at his pleasure, laughing in his loud, boisterous -manner, quoting from the writings of Confucius, Mencius, and the learned -Lao Tzu, the founder of the Taoist religion. It must be remembered that -China is a country in which everyone minds his own affairs. The sages -have taught the Chinese to believe that the destiny of every man is in -his own hands, and that whether he lives foolishly or wisely, whether he -does evil or good, is a question solely between that man himself and the -Spirit of the Universe. No one has the right to interfere. - -In this world there are those who talk and those who act. Ling did -both. He bullied and threatened and stormed; he was childishly vain of -his learning, and in seven dialects he scattered his knowledge -broadcast. At the same time, he was a man of action; he was resolute -and brave, and without scruples or a sense of pity. - -But neither courage nor brute strength nor wisdom, nor a combination of -the three, can accomplish all things. And in Ah Wu's opium den, the -mighty Ling found himself in the presence of three subtle, -smooth-tongued Cantonese; and the whole world across, from San Francisco -to Yokohama by way of Port Said, there is no more capable and fluent -liar than the lemon-skinned, almond-eyed Chinese who hails from the -province of Kwang-si. It is difficult to say who could lie most -gracefully, who was the greatest hypocrite--Ah Wu, Yung How, or -Men-Ching, the brigand. Each in his own way was a past master in the -craft of falsehood. - -Moreover, they had no intention of taking Ling into their confidence. -They may have been frightened of the man, but not even fear could make -them behave like imbeciles. They knew that if Ling gained knowledge of -the presence of Mr Hennessy K. Waldron upon the upper reaches of one of -the rivers, there would be but little booty left for themselves. And so -they lied--gracefully, easily, pleasantly, and with admirable -consistency. - -What that lie was is immaterial to the skein and texture of this story. -It was a presentable and passable falsehood, you may be sure, but it was -not good enough to deceive Ling, who, however, professed that he -believed every word they had told him, whilst he complacently smoked -pipe after pipe of opium--at Ah Wu's expense. - -And then he left the opium den, paying for nothing, quoting from Mencius -in regard to the virtue of hospitality. In the dark streets of the -mammoth city his colossal figure became lost in the shadows; but he left -behind him, in the opium den, in the little room beneath the stairs, an -atmosphere of tension--a feeling that a great typhoon has passed, which -by a miracle had caused but little damage. The three conspirators -continued to discuss their plot, but they were no longer conscious of a -sense of security. Once or twice Ah Wu, who was the most nervous of the -three, glanced anxiously over his shoulder, whenever a heavy footstep -was heard in the room beyond. - -They had lied to Ling to the best of their ability--which was saying -much. For all that, they had no reason to suppose that the gigantic -Honanese had believed a single word of what they had told him. In -consequence, they feared him all the more. The tiger was on the prowl, -and the three foxes, their heads close together, whispered in the ears -of one another and rolled their little pills. - -They arranged matters to their satisfaction. Yung How was to attempt to -discover the destination of Sir Thomas Armitage and the wealthy -American. Men-Ching would lie in wait upon the river bank. Yung How -would signal to him as the launch went by. If their destination was the -North River, Yung How was to place his left hand upon the shaven -fore-part of his head. If it was the West River, he was to raise his -right hand. In either case, Men-Ching was to take horse and ride to -Pinglo, where he would inform Cheong-Chau that the fish were swimming -into his net. As for Ah Wu, at a later date, he was to play a certain -part for which--on account of his cunning and secretive nature--he was -eminently suited. - -It was an exceedingly well-arranged plot, which will be duly explained -in the appointed place. There was some discussion in regard to what sum -it would be possible to obtain; but in the end it was decided that -twenty thousand dollars would be sufficient, allowing that Cheong-Chau -would take the bulk of it himself. - -It was long past midnight when they came to the end of their -deliberations. By then they were heavy with opium, and their eyes -glazed from the drug. They threw themselves down upon the soft matted -couches in the outer room, and slept and dreamed--as Chinese will--of -things celestial, transcendental, such as cannot be expressed in words. -For all that, the following morning Yung How presented himself at the -breakfast-table of Sir Thomas Armitage in the Shamien Hotel. - -"Well, Yung How," said the judge, "did you see your brother in Canton?" - -"Yes, master," said Yung How, without moving a muscle of his face. "He -makes bobbery with his wife." - -"You mean," said Sir Thomas, for the edification of Mr Waldron, "that he -and his wife have quarrelled?" - -"Yes, master. She does not like that he smokes opium--once a week." - -The judge made a wry face. "A nasty habit," said he. - -"Yes, master," said Yung How; "only bad men smoke opium." - -Sir Thomas looked at Yung How's eyes. The pupils were shrunken to the -size of little beads. - -"Yes," said he. "You are right, Yung How; only bad men smoke opium." - -"Opium does harm," said Yung How, who, five minutes later, appeared in -the hotel kitchen. Several coolies were eating rice upon a doorstep, -and one of these was the engineer of Sir Thomas's river-launch. It is -not pleasant to watch lower-class Chinese eat rice. They hold the bowl -about two inches from their mouths, which they open very wide, and then -they scoop up the rice with their fingers in much the same manner as one -might brush pieces of fluff from the sleeve of a coat. - -"Ah Su," said Yung How, to the engineer, "has the judge told you where -we are going?" - -"No," said Ah Su. - -"The weather," said Yung How, "is very hot." - -He then departed to the vestibule of the hotel, where he encountered the -comprador. In China, the comprador knows everything. - -"Are there any letters for the judge?" asked Yung How, in a lordly -manner. - -"He has them," said the comprador. "He himself took them into the -breakfast-room." - -"We leave to-day," said Yung How casually. - -"So I understand," said the other. - -"I suppose letters will be forwarded?" - -"The judge has given instructions. All letters and parcels are to be -forwarded to the British Consulate at Wu-chau." - -"In Wu-chau," said Yung How, "I have a brother." - -He turned away and went upstairs, where he entered the bedroom of Mr -Waldron. In one of the small drawers of the dressing-table he -discovered the millionaire's cheque-book; and since he could read -English tolerably well, he spent a pleasant five minutes studying the -counterfoils. Then quite suddenly Mr Waldron came in. - -"Say," said he, "what are you doing here?" - -"Have cleaned hairbrushes," said Yung How, without a moment's -hesitation. - -"Then, git!" cried Mr Waldron. "Guess I can fill my own grip-sack. When -I want a slit-eyed son of Satan hanging around my boudoir, I'll send for -him. So, git!" - -And Yung How "got." He walked gravely from the room with his head held -proudly in the air, and his eyes fixed upon the ground. He appeared -grossly insulted. - -He knew very well, however, that the great city of Wu-chau lies upon the -West River, and is not so far--as the crow flies--from the town of -Pinglo, where Cheong-Chau was in the habit of smoking opium. - - - - -CHAPTER IV--HOW CHEONG-CHAU CAME FORTH OF THE TOWN OF PINGLO - - -Mr Waldron appreciated the journey up the West River even more than the -sights of Canton. Stretched comfortably upon his deck-chair, he -surveyed through his binoculars the rich, prosperous landscape of -Southern China. He interested himself in the straw-hatted peasants at -work in the tea-gardens and the ricefields. As the launch steamed upon -its way, he inspected river-side villages, temples, gateways and -pagodas. - -The party arrived at Wu-chau, spent two or three days seeing the sights, -and then proceeded up-river. A few days later, the launch arrived at -the town of Pinglo--three days after Men-Ching, seated astride his -little Mongolian pony, had ridden in from the East. - -Since there was little or nothing to see in Pinglo, Sir Thomas Armitage, -Frank and Mr Hennessy K. Waldron, accompanied by Yung How and one other -personal servant, set out on a journey across country towards the north. -They carried knapsacks upon their backs, and proceeded by way of the -narrow paths separating the ricefields. The heat was excessive, but as -they progressed, and reached higher altitudes, it became cooler, and at -the end of three days' march the Nan-ling Mountains stood out before -them like a great wall. - -They found the Taoist temple, surrounded by trees, tucked away in the -corner of a picturesque valley, where there were great numbers of birds -of brilliant plumage. - -Mr Waldron was delighted. The temple was deserted, and appeared to have -been neglected for centuries. The plaster had crumbled from the walls -and lay in heaps upon the floor. The place consisted of one huge hall, -with several smaller rooms on either side. Everything of value had been -stolen; but the architecture remained, solid and fantastic, and of the -greatest antiquity. - -Ranged around the walls were the figures of scores of gods and -goddesses, chief amongst whom was Buddha. Sir Thomas was able to -identify several of the images, one of whom he recognised as Mohammed, -another as St Paul, and a third as Marco Polo. That Marco Polo should -have risen in China to the dignity of a deity is conceivable, since this -dauntless adventurer was the first European to reside in the ancient -Tartar kingdom of Kublai Khan. But it was indeed remarkable that the -fame of such great preachers as St Paul and the founder of the -Mohammedan religion should have reached--across the whole of Asia--the -heart of the Chinese Empire. This is no treatise on Chinese theology, -else we could write much concerning the Taoist temple on the southern -slopes of the Nan-ling Mountains, at the very back of the beyond. It is -sufficient to say that the judge took copious notes, and Mr Hennessy K. -Waldron was delighted. As a memento of the expedition he knocked off a -stone gargoyle from above the porchway of the temple. - -In many ways the expedition resembled a delightful picnic, in a country -that was charming and romantic. The ruined temple was surrounded by -flowering shrubs and queer-shaped deciduous trees, and there were -moss-grown banks upon which one could lie at ease during the heat of the -day or sleep tranquilly by night, when thousands of frogs were croaking -in the valley below, and crickets were singing in the long _kiao-liang_ -that grew upon the mountain-side. - -The place was a natural garden, scented with almond and mimosa. During -the heat of the day there was shade in plenty; after sunset the -temperature was cool and refreshing. Yung How and his assistant -attended to their wants; gave them four-course luncheons and dinners, -produced from a saucepan and a frying-pan by means of a small wood fire -laid between two bricks. Neither Mr Waldron nor the judge himself -showed the slightest inclination to return to the steaming valley of the -river. As for Frank, he was happy all day long, exploring the -neighbourhood, climbing to the crest-line of the hills, whence he could -survey a vast panorama of terraced paddy-fields, winding rivers, -scattered villages and towns, each with its joss-houses and its temples -and its great horseshoe graveyards. - -On the second day of their visit, whilst his uncle and the American were -occupied in inspecting the temple, Frank Armitage ascended a steep -bridle-path which crossed the mountains at a narrow pass. To the north -he found his view obstructed by another and even more rugged range of -mountains. Anxious to gain a more commanding position, the boy left the -bridle-path and climbed, on hands and knees, the steep face of the -adjacent peak. - -It took him the greater part of an hour to gain the top, but there he -found his efforts rewarded by a view that reminded him of many scenes -pictured by Gustave Dor, illustrating _Don Quixote_ or _Paradise -Lost_--pictures that had fascinated and frightened him as a child. - -Immediately before him was a second valley, at right angles to the one -dividing the parallel ranges, resembling a huge, deep sword-cut in the -barren, savage hills. This valley narrowed as it rose to a higher -altitude, and finally became lost in mountain mist. There were few -trees upon the steep, glistening slopes, and such as were to be seen -were stunted and deformed. There were no roads or paths; no sign of -life or civilisation. The sun itself appeared to have been shut out for -ever from this stretch of desolation. - -Frank turned and looked towards the south. In this direction were green -trees, green fields--a plain, rich, fertile, well-watered and thickly -populated. It was almost impossible to believe that a narrow watershed -could divide landscapes so different that they might have been scenes -from different planets. He glanced again at the dark sinister valley; -and as he did so he caught a glimpse of something red, moving slowly -across the spur that formed the angle of the two valleys immediately -below. - -He could not at first make out what this could be, for the moving object -almost at once disappeared behind a hillock. When it appeared again, -however, it was in mid-valley; and he recognised a party of men dressed -in scarlet coats, who were marching in close formation, making in the -direction of the pass across the range. - -Frank knelt down behind a boulder and watched with interest, and not -without apprehension, the approaching figures. A natural instinct -warned him that it would not be wise to show himself. There was -something in the forbidding nature of the valley itself that warned him -that its sole occupants were not likely to be men whom one could trust. - -They climbed the bridle-path, gaining at last the pass whence Frank -himself had ascended to the hill-top. They were now easy to -distinguish. The party numbered about thirty. They were brown-skinned -Chinese, evidently mountain-born; all were armed with scythe-like spears -or long, curved knives, and one or two carried pistols in their belts. -All wore scarlet coats, some of which were bright and new, others being -so faded that they were a kind of dirty pink. At the head of the party -marched a little shrivelled man, whose scarlet coat was trimmed with -gold. Frank Armitage did not know it--though within eight hours he was -to learn the truth--but this was the redoubtable Cheong-Chau -himself--the brigand chief who plundered the southern provinces from the -Nan-ling Mountains to the sea. - -As they passed, swinging on their way, these men sang a low, wailing -chant that might have been a funeral dirge, but which was, in fact, a -pirate song of blood and lust and murder. At the rear of the party was -an old man, seated upon the back of a short-necked Mongolian pony. This -was Men-Ching, who had ridden post-haste from the city of Canton, -bringing greetings to Cheong-Chau from Ah Wu, who kept an opium den in -the vicinity of the Mohammedan mosque. - -Men-Ching had seen Yung How in the city of Wu-chau, and had there heard -news of the ancient Taoist temple upon the southern slopes of the -mountains. And Cheong-Chau had shaken off the sleep of opium and, -gathering his men, had issued from the town of Pinglo, and had marched -by night into the mountains, the sovereignty of which he shared with the -eagles and the kites. - - - - -CHAPTER V--HOW CHEONG-CHAU STRUCK AT DEAD OF NIGHT - - -It was late by the time Frank returned to the temple, where he found his -uncle and Mr Waldron engaged in an animated discussion upon the subject -of the untapped resources of China. The boy had taken some time to -climb down the mountain-side. Having no wish to fall into the hands of -the scarlet-coated band who had descended into the valley to the south, -he had given the bridle-path a wide berth, with the result that he had -been obliged to go down upon all fours, and descend stealthily foot by -foot. - -He lost no time in relating to his uncle all that he had seen. The -judge was somewhat surprised, but he did not show any signs of being -nervous. - -"I trust they didn't see you, Frank?" he asked. - -"I have no doubt as to that," replied the boy. "I remained hidden all -the time. Besides, they were immediately below me, and I should have -noticed if any man had looked up." - -The judge shrugged his shoulders. - -"All's well that ends well," said he. "Nevertheless we may consider -ourselves lucky. There can be no question that the party you saw was -one of the brigand bands that are said to infest these mountains. We -are far from civilisation. We could expect neither mercy nor -consideration if we fell into the hands of such desperate rascals." - -"Judge," said Mr Waldron, "it looks as if I may have a use for my -six-shooter after all." - -"I don't think so," said the judge. "Frank was wise enough not to show -himself, and the men went down into the valley. There is no reason why -they should know anything about our presence in the neighbourhood." - -It was then that Yung How appeared, silently, from the midst of the deep -shadows beneath the temple ruins. He moved stealthily and with -something of the supple grace of a cat. - -"Master," said he, "dinner is served." - -"Thank you," said the judge. But Yung How remained, his features calm -and expressionless, a table-napkin thrown over his left forearm, after -the manner of waiters all the world across. - -"Guess," said Mr Waldron, "I shall sleep with my gun ready loaded." - -"That is no more than a wise precaution," said the judge, "and we should -be well advised to post a sentry. We could divide the night into three -watches of three hours each. Frank, as the youngest, shall take the -first watch, from nine to twelve; I myself propose to take the middle -watch, from twelve to three--unless you, Mr Waldron, would prefer it?" - -"As you like, Judge," replied the American. "Early morning suits me -well enough. In the old days in Texas, six days out of seven I was in -the saddle before sunrise." - -"Master," repeated Yung How, "dinner is served." - -The judge whipped round upon his servant. "What are you doing here?" he -demanded. "You have announced dinner already. We are all hungry enough -not to forget it." - -"Very good dinner," said Yung How, lapsing into pidgin-English, and -without moving a muscle of his face. "Hot soup, all belong one piece -tin; number one fish, all belong river; two piece chicken and top-side -apricots, all belong tin, all same soup." - -"And a very good dinner too," said the judge. "The sooner we get to -work the better." - -They dined by the light of a Chinese lantern suspended from one of the -branches of an almond-tree, beneath the temple wall, where they were -sheltered from the cool evening breeze that was blowing from the west. -The thin mountain air, after the insufferable, humid atmosphere of the -river valley, had served to give them a healthy appetite. The soup was -half cold, the chickens were very tough, and the West River fish tasted -horribly of mud; for all that, hungry men, encamped in a wilderness many -miles from the nearest outpost of civilisation, will regard such fare as -delicacies. They ate with a relish everything that Yung How placed -before them, and washed down their meal with pannikins of crystal-clear -water from the mountain spring that flowed past the temple. - -After dinner the judge lighted his pipe, and Mr Hennessy K. Waldron one -of his choice Manila cheroots. They talked of many things, but above -all of China, of its immensity and mystery, its wealth, vitality, and -future. And then the judge and Mr Waldron spread their blankets and -laid them down to sleep. - -There is no life in the world to compare with that which is lived in the -open air. A moss-grown bank supplied a bed as comfortable as any spring -mattress. The wind, gently stirring the leaves of the trees, the -distant croaking of the frogs, and the singing of the crickets, combined -to form a sort of lullaby that soothed and enticed the wayfarers to -slumber. There was no moon that night; but in a sky unbroken by a -single cloud, a gorgeous canopy of stars illumined a scene that might -have made a fitting setting for a fairy-tale. - -Frank Armitage selected his sentry-post at the foot of a great tree -immediately before the temple steps. Hence he was able to obtain a fair -view both of the bivouac and the mountain slope to the south. Knowing, -however, that it would be wise not to neglect the northern side of the -temple, he decided to patrol the entire building at least once every -quarter of an hour. Armed with Mr Waldron's revolver, he kept well in -the shade, knowing that a good sentry is one who observes without -himself being seen. - -An hour passed and then another hour, without the occurrence of anything -unusual. The judge and Mr Waldron were both sound asleep, the latter -snoring loudly. Yung How and his companion lay in the shadow of the -temple wall: the former curled up in his blankets, the coolie lying flat -upon his back, his mouth wide open, dreaming, perhaps, that he was back -in the Chinese quarter of Hong-Kong, where lived his wife and seven -children, all of whom he supported upon the astonishing sum--expressed -in English coinage--of nineteen shillings a month. - -Frank, as he went his rounds, frequently paused to listen. The frogs -and the crickets continued their uproar. The wind murmured in the -trees; once or twice he could hear wild-duck flying high in the night -sky towards the north, towards the great marshes of the Yangtsi and the -Yellow River. But no other sound disturbed the silence of the night. - -In course of time he came to consider the utmost vigilance unnecessary. -He began to interest himself in trivial things. Mr Waldron had ceased -to snore and Yung How was engaged in a kind of duet with the coolie. -They snored alternately, the one on a deeper note than the other. Frank -paused upon one of his rounds and stood for a moment looking down upon -the two sleeping Chinese, thinking how vastly different from himself -they were. Then he passed on upon his way, conscious that as the hour -grew later the air was becoming colder. On that account, it was -advisable to keep moving. He walked round the front of the temple, -across the great stone steps leading to the entrance, and found himself -on the farther side of the ruined, rambling building. There, in the -deep shadow of a tall, gabled gateway, he stopped quite suddenly, -thinking that he had heard a twig snap underfoot. - -He was so sure of this that almost at once he became aware that his -heart was beating rapidly. He held the revolver in his hand, gripping -the handle tightly. The starlight enabled him to see a considerable -distance, except where the shadows were deep under the temple wall -itself and beneath the trees. - -At his right hand was a massive stone pillar that supported the roof of -the gateway. He stood stock-still, listening; and then, close to him, -he heard a sound that might have been the wind, but which, on the other -hand, might have been the heavy breathing of a man. As quick as -thought, he stepped behind the pillar, and at once, quite suddenly, and -yet without noise or violence, his revolver was taken from his hand. - -For the fraction of a second he was too astonished to cry out. He took -a quick step backward, which brought him into the starlight, and at that -moment both his wrists were grasped, and he beheld before him a face, -sinister, fierce, and yet expressionless. It was the face of Yung How, -his uncle's servant. - -He let out a shout, a loud cry for help--a shout that was stifled in a -second. Someone had seized him from behind. The palm of a hand was -placed so tightly upon his mouth that he found it difficult to breathe. - -For a moment he endeavoured to struggle, but soon realised the -uselessness of an attempt to extricate himself by physical force. He -had been seized by at least three men; and almost before he had time to -recover from his surprise, he was thrown violently upon the ground, his -hands bound behind his back, and a gag thrust between his teeth. - -He lay quite motionless, wondering what had happened, and what would -happen next. Men were talking in whispers in harsh Cantonese voices, -but too softly for him to catch the meaning of their words. - -He was bidden rise. He hesitated a moment, and was then lifted bodily -to be dumped down upon his feet. He found himself confronted by a -Chinaman who was small in stature, the skin of whose face was wrinkled -and weather-beaten. This man wore a scarlet coat, richly embroidered -with gold thread that glittered in the starlight. He came quite close -to Frank, and peered into the boy's face, grinning from ear to ear, -showing dirty, fang-like teeth--teeth that resembled those of a dog. - -The boy turned away in disgust, and looked straight into the face of -Yung How. Yung How neither smiled nor lowered his eyes. He appeared to -be neither delighted nor ashamed. His features were expressionless; his -eyes looked straight into Frank's. Behind Yung How stood some twenty -men, all dressed in scarlet coats. Frank took them in at a glance, and -the thought flashed across his mind that it would be difficult to select -from the party the one who appeared the greatest villain, whose -countenance was the most hideous and repulsive. They were Cantonese of -the coolie class, high of cheek-bone, with low, receding foreheads, and -cruel, snake-like eyes. - -The man who was wearing the gold embroidered coat turned and walked -rapidly towards the temple steps, ordering the others to follow him. -Frank was led forward, a great raw-boned Chinaman on either side of him, -each of whom grasped him tightly by an arm. He was made to ascend the -steps, and was brought to a halt in the shadow of the porchway of the -temple. - -Hence he could look down upon the sheltered glade where he and his -friends had been encamped for two days. In the starlight he could see -the figures of his uncle and Mr Waldron, both of whom were still fast -asleep. - -So far, all that had happened had come to pass so rapidly that Frank had -not had time to feel alarmed. But now, when he beheld his uncle--as he -had every reason to believe--in the greatest danger, he was filled with -apprehension. He made a lurch forward as if he would escape--for his -feet had not been bound--but he was at once roughly thrown back by the -men who guarded him, one of whom struck him a violent blow in the face. - -At that moment it was as if the boy was incapable of feeling physical -pain or moral indignation. He was filled with remorse. He had been -given a position of responsibility and trust--and he had failed -pitifully. And now, perhaps his uncle's life was in danger. - -He was obliged to remain an impotent and conscience-stricken spectator -of the scene that followed. He could neither cry out nor hasten to the -assistance of his friends. He saw both his uncle and Mr Waldron seized -whilst they were sound asleep, handled roughly by savage, lawless men; -gagged and bound, and then led into the great hall of the temple. - -As soon as they were all inside, about a dozen torches were lit, and -these were planted upright between the stone flags that paved the floor; -so that they resembled as many candles, illuminating that fantastic, -medival chamber. - -Indeed, it is almost impossible to imagine a scene more weird and -dream-like. The three captives in the centre of the hall; the -evil-looking, criminal faces of the brigands, made to look even more -alarming and sinister by the flickering light of the torches; and around -that great, dingy room, the implacable, sedate, inevitable figures of -the Chinese gods and goddesses, over whom presided the huge Buddha, -seated cross-legged upon a stone plinth, immediately opposite the -entrance. - -Frank Armitage caught his uncle's eye. He tried his utmost to convey in -a glance the remorse and anguish he endured. Sir Thomas must have -understood him, for he slowly shook his head. Then someone from the -back of the room commanded that everyone should be seated; and when this -order had been complied with, one man alone remained upon his feet. -This was he whose scarlet coat was embroidered heavily with gold, who -now stepped into the centre of the circle, where he stood in the full -light of the torches. - -"I am Cheong-Chau," he cried. "And those who fall into the hands of -Cheong-Chau must pay in silver _taels_ or else in blood." - - - - -CHAPTER VI--HOW CHEONG-CHAU STATED HIS TERMS - - -The situation in which the judge and his companions found themselves was -certainly not of the pleasantest. It so happened that Sir Thomas knew -nothing of the reputation of the redoubtable Cheong-Chau. However, the -man's character was made evident upon every feature of his face. - -Standing in the centre of the hall, gesticulating wildly, he harangued -his audience for the better part of twenty minutes without once pausing -for breath. Sir Thomas was sufficiently acquainted with the Cantonese -language to follow the drift of the man's speech, whereas Frank was able -to understand every word. Mr Waldron, of course, comprehended nothing. - -The American was under the impression that he was about to be put to -death. He regarded, with a kind of timorous curiosity, the murderous -weapons of the bandits and the villainous facial contortions of -Cheong-Chau. The man held forth in the flowery language of the Chinese -of the southern provinces. He talked a great deal about his own power -and cruelty. He did not seem to care in the least whether or not anyone -listened to him. He boasted in regard to his past crimes; he spoke of -his courage and audacity; he uttered innumerable threats. And in the -end the captives were led away into one of the smaller rooms that gave -upon the great hall of the temple. - -There they remained until late the following evening, when the whole -party--with the exception of Yung How, who returned to Canton--set out -across the mountains, traversing the narrow pass from above which Frank -Armitage had first beheld the brigands. They entered, at dead of night, -the bleak, desolate valley extending towards the north. Cheong-Chau -himself led the way, following a path, carrying in his hand a large -Chinese lantern suspended from a pole about six feet long. - -Daylight found them still upon the line-of-march. They had by then -ascended to a high altitude, where the atmosphere was both cold and -damp. The crests of the mountains were wreathed in a thin white mist, -similar to that which is found in Scotland, which drenched them to the -skin. - -They were brought to a halt at the mouth of a certain cave, in a very -desolate, inhospitable region--a country of sheer barren slopes, rugged -peaks and turbulent mountain streams that descended thousands of feet in -series of roaring cataracts. They had been conducted to a spot upon the -globe's surface where, in all probability, no white man had ever been -before. - -The entrance to the cave was hidden behind an enormous boulder, almost -as big as a fair-sized house, which balanced itself upon the very brink -of a steep slope that descended at an angle of about forty-five degrees. -Upon these slopes a few withered shrubs were growing: leafless, twisted -things, tortured by the bitter east winds that swept those cheerless -valleys. - -Inside, the cave was comparatively comfortable. In the centre a wood -fire was burning brightly, and though this filled the place with smoke, -it served to introduce both light and warmth into that gloomy prison; -for indeed the cave was destined, for many days to come, to play the -part of a prison. For all that, some attempt had been made to give this -place a homely aspect. Several Chinese mats were spread upon the floor, -and there were wooden shelves loaded with provisions: dried fish, rice, -and bags of green China tea. - -To give so redoubtable a rogue as Cheong-Chau the little justice he -deserves, it must be stated that his captives were treated with every -consideration. They were well fed, on simple Chinese food, which must -have been carried miles across the desolate mountains upon the backs of -coolies. They were given straw mattresses upon which to sleep, and were -allowed to warm themselves by the fire. Mr Waldron--as the only member -of the party who was a stranger to the country--expressed the greatest -anxiety in regard to their fate. His mind was filled with vague fears -to the effect that their lives were being preserved in order that they -might eventually be tortured. He had interested himself in all manner -of gruesome subjects; he had heard of the "death by a thousand cuts," -the Chinese "corkscrew," and the wholesale manner in which Cantonese -executions were usually carried out. None the less, he was not afraid. -He was a man who had led a hard life, who had faced danger more than -once, and who had learnt--in spite of his riches--to regard his own -existence as by no means an essential part of the great scheme of -universal things. He speculated in regard to his destiny after the -manner of a man who backs horses without knowing anything whatsoever -about what--for some reason or other--has been called "the sport of -kings." - -"Say, Judge," said he, "I don't cotton to this notion of a thousand -cuts. Guess one cut's enough for me. If they're going to kill us, why -don't they do it and have done with it, instead of stuffing us full of -rice and rotten fish?" - -Sir Thomas shook his head. - -"There is every reason to suppose," he answered, "that this is a case of -ransom. If this rascal had meant to murder us he would have done so -before emptying our pockets of all the money, watches and valuables in -our possession. You may be sure, Mr Waldron, he has brought us here for -a purpose. That is not troubling me in the least." - -"It troubles me," said the American. "I left Paradise City with the -idea of seeing the world; but I guess, Judge, this is one side of human -experience that it was not my original intention to investigate. Wish I -was back in Nevada." - -Frank Armitage laughed aloud. It was the first time he had done so -since the calamity had befallen them. Sir Thomas sat cross-legged by -the fire, stirring the embers with a stick, his brows set in a frown. - -"Even now," said he, in a quiet voice, "even now I can't realise that -Yung How is the unmitigated villain he is." - -Frank bit his lip. "If I ever get the chance," said he, "I'll be even -with that scoundrel." - -"He has been in my service," continued Sir Thomas, "for nearly seven -years. During the whole of that period he has never once given me cause -to suspect or to mistrust him. That shows you very clearly, Mr Waldron, -what a subtle rascal a Chinaman can be. For seven years he has been -obedient, faithful, and even honest; and yet--it is now apparent--all -that time he was but waiting his chance." - -Mr Waldron made a wry face. - -"Guess he might have waited another seven years," said he, "or at least -till I was clear of Hong-Kong. Why his chance should have come the -moment I arrive in the colony is a mystery to me." - -"I am sorry to say, Mr Waldron," said Sir Thomas, "I can't regard that -coincidence in the light of a mystery. I have a very shrewd suspicion -that your wealth is the sole cause of all our trouble." - -"Not the first time," added Mr Waldron, "by a long chalk, that money has -led to disaster. I tell you frankly, I was a happier man in the old -days--when I lived on fifteen dollars a week--than after I had made my -pile." - -"I can very well believe it," said Sir Thomas. "That, however, doesn't -alter the situation in the least. Mark my words, very soon Cheong-Chau -will show his hand." - -It is clear that the judge had correctly estimated both the -circumstances of the case and the character of Cheong-Chau; for scarcely -had the last words left his lips when the brigand chieftain himself -entered the cave, accompanied by Men-Ching, his second-in-command. - -Cheong-Chau seated himself cross-legged upon the ground, and for a few -moments warmed his hands by the fire, without uttering a word. Then he -spoke in the Cantonese language, addressing himself to the judge: - -"Those who fall into the hands of Cheong-Chau," said he, "must purchase -their freedom in silver _taels_ or in blood." - -The judge did not reply. After a pause Cheong-Chau continued. Though -he was a little man, his voice was both deep and guttural. He spoke -slowly and with great deliberation, as if particularly desirous that his -words should not be misunderstood. - -"I make you a fair offer," said he. "It is not my habit to mince -matters. I hold you captive. You are my prisoner. I can do with you -what I like. No one will ever find you here. Neither can you escape; -day and night there are sentries at the mouth of the cave. They tell me -that you have the reputation of being a wise man. If that is so, you -cannot fail to see that you and your companions are in my power--birds -caught in the fowler's net." - -He paused again and looked at the judge, who merely nodded his head. - -"This is my offer," he continued. "After I have explained matters I -shall give you ten minutes in which to make up your mind. You are to -write a letter to the Governor of Hong-Kong, or to anyone else you may -choose. In that letter you are to say that your life, and the lives of -those who are with you, are in the hands of Cheong-Chau, and that -Cheong-Chau demands, as the price of your freedom, the sum of twenty -thousand Hong-Kong dollars, to be paid in cash before the new moon." - -Having laid down his conditions, the man remained silent whilst the -judge explained the meaning of his words to Mr Waldron. - -"It is as I told you," said Sir Thomas. "Twenty thousand dollars. The -rascal certainly cannot be accused of being modest." - -Mr Waldron snapped his fingers. - -"So far as I am concerned," said he, "he can have it. Don't let the -money worry you, Judge. I've paid that for a picture." - -The judge turned to Cheong-Chau and asked him to continue. The man -grinned--an unholy grin of fiendish satisfaction. To him and his -cut-throats the sum was more than a fortune; it would serve to keep the -whole gang of them in luxury for the rest of their lives. - -"The matter," said he, "is quite simple to arrange. Write your letter, -and I will undertake to have it conveyed to Hong-Kong. The moon is but -three days old. We have therefore twenty-five days. Together with your -letter I will send one of my own, in which I propose to demand that the -money be left hidden in a certain place upon the Sang River, not far -from Canton. If the whole of this sum is safely deposited in the proper -place before the conclusion of the waning of the moon, you and your -friends shall be set at liberty. If, however, for any reason, the -ransom is not paid, I swear by the Five Sacred Books that all three of -you will be put to death. Concerning the manner of your death," he -added, "I say nothing--beyond a warning that those who die by order of -Cheong-Chau die neither easily nor swiftly." - -The man got to his feet. - -"And now," said he, "you have ten minutes in which to discuss the -question with your friends, in which to make up your mind. Say that you -agree, and my messenger leaves for Hong-Kong within an hour. Refuse, and -you die before another sun has risen." - -With that Cheong-Chau turned upon his heel and, followed by Men-Ching, -shuffled from the cave. - - - - -CHAPTER VII--HOW THE LETTER WAS WRITTEN - - -Neither the judge nor Mr Waldron desired so much as ten minutes in which -to arrive at a decision. Twenty thousand dollars is by no means an -impossible sum to a man who is a millionaire. Even the judge himself -would have found little difficulty in producing the money with a few -days' notice. - -Cheong-Chau, and even Yung How, who was more conversant with the manners -and customs of Europeans, had underestimated the wealth of Mr Waldron. -To them twenty thousand dollars represented almost fabulous wealth. It -never occurred to them that they might have asked twice as much, and -secured it with no greater difficulty; for we meet the real miser more -in fiction and in fable than in real life, and there are few men who -will not part readily with the whole of their fortune in exchange for -the most valuable of all human possessions: life, the right to walk upon -the face of the earth, to breathe the air of heaven. - -Cheong-Chau re-entered the cave, holding in the palm of his hand the -gold watch he had stolen from Mr Waldron. - -"Ten minutes," said he. "I trust you are ready with your answer." - -Men-Ching stood at his side, and behind his back was a score of his -ruffians, each man with a naked sword. - -"We have considered your proposal," said the judge, "and we agree to -it." He spoke the Cantonese language with difficulty, and his -pronunciation was faulty. However, there is little doubt that -Cheong-Chau understood him, for the man nodded his head with an air of -satisfaction. - -"You are wise," said he. "Rumour has not lied." - -"One moment," said Sir Thomas, taking him up. "There is one question we -would ask you. If the money is sent from Hong-Kong, and taken in safety -to your hiding-place, what guarantee do you propose to give us that you -will set us at liberty or even spare our lives?" - -"How would I gain by killing you?" asked the bandit, with a shrug of his -narrow shoulders. - -"I have lived in China," said the judge, "for more than thirty years. I -know that there are men in this country--and I see no reason why you -should not be numbered amongst them--to whom murder is a pastime, who -kill for the sake of killing, who derive a fiendish pleasure from -torturing the innocent." - -Cheong-Chau carried a hand to his face and stroked his wrinkled chin. - -"I see that you are prudent," said he. "For myself, I never bargain -with fools." - -"Do you mean," asked the judge, "if the conditions are fulfilled on our -part, you will guarantee our safety?" - -"I mean no such thing," said Cheong-Chau. "I guarantee nothing." - -"Then we have naught to rely upon," the judge answered, "but your -oath--the oath of a robber?" - -"That is so," said the other. - -"And may I ask," said the judge, "how much Cheong-Chau reverences the -Five Sacred Books?" - -The Chinese answered nothing, but stretched forth a hand, and -deliberately snapped his fingers. - -Sir Thomas shrugged his shoulders and turned away. - -"We must make the best of a bad business," said he to Mr Waldron. "I -tell you frankly, I don't trust these men. I know what such scoundrels -are." - -He spoke in English, and whilst he did so was conscious of a gentle -touch upon the shoulder. He turned and beheld Men-Ching, who presented -him with a brass Chinese ink-box, a large piece of rice-paper and a -writing-brush. "Write your letter," said the old man, "to the English -Viceroy of Hong-Kong. Tell him that the sum of twenty thousand dollars, -in silver, must be hidden under the red stone in the Glade of Children's -Tears, before the waning of the moon." - -"Where is this place?" asked Sir Thomas. - -"On the Sang-kiang, five Chinese _li_ to the north of the city of -Canton. A narrow path leads due north from the Five-Storied Pagoda. -This path crosses the hills and descends into the valley of the Sang -River--a very beauteous place." - -"Are they long _li_?" asked Sir Thomas, understanding well the vagueness -of all Chinese measurements, "or short _li_?" - -"They are short _li_," answered Men-Ching, "for the road runs up-hill -until you come to the last _li_, where the traveller descends into a -wide valley of ricefields and fruit trees, li-chi and mango. In the -Sang valley there is a tall tower, from the top of which, in days gone -by, fathers were wont to throw the she-children they could not afford to -keep. A woman child is no use in the world. From the day of her birth -to the day of her death she does little else but talk. On the west side -of the tower is a small wood, and in the centre of this wood is a glade -where the birds sing in summer-time, whilst the water of the river makes -sweet and pleasant music. In the glade are rocks; but in one place -there is a great red stone, almost round. Two strong men can roll it -away from the place where it is; but they must use all their strength. -And when the red stone is rolled away, it will be seen that it rests -upon a great hole in the ground. It is like the lid of a kettle. -Inside this hole there is room enough for twenty thousand dollars." - -The judge had listened intently, committing each detail to memory. A -little after, Men-Ching left the cave, and the three white men found -themselves together. Sir Thomas turned to his nephew. - -"Did you hear what the rascal said, Frank?" he asked. - -"Every word," replied the boy. - -"And you remember it all?" - -Frank nodded. - -"Then," said the judge, "help me to write this letter. It will be by no -means easy to write. I shall have to explain matters very clearly to -Sir John, and I've got to write it with a brush." - -In the temple they had been deprived of their pencils and notebooks, and -everything else their pockets contained, and these had not been brought -by Cheong-Chau to the cave. Otherwise Sir Thomas might have asked for -his own fountain pen. As it was, he was now obliged to write in English -characters with a Chinese brush, and this was a tedious business. In -the end, however, the letter was written, covering in all five pages of -Chinese rice-paper, in shape longer than foolscap, but not so broad. - -Sir Thomas had written fully. He had explained where and by whom they -had been captured; he even went so far as to give the name of the bandit -chieftain and to relate how he had been betrayed by his own personal -servant, Yung How. He said that he had not the slightest doubt that, if -the rascals were not paid in full upon the stroke of time, the three of -them would be ruthlessly put to death. He ended the letter by -explaining the exact whereabouts of the "Glade of Children's Tears," -describing the red stone beneath which the ransom money was to be -hidden. He also expressed the opinion that it would be useless to -endeavour to capture the brigands in the neighbourhood of the glade -itself, and he strongly advised the Governor not to attempt to lay an -ambush. He pointed out that such a plan would most assuredly fail, -since the Chinese were sure to exercise the utmost caution, and to have -spies in the neighbourhood. Moreover, the discovery of such a plan -would undoubtedly lead to the immediate death of Sir Thomas himself and -his companions. It would be time enough to think of reprisals, of -taking steps to track down the brigands, after the judge and his party -had returned safely to the island. - -As the judge wrote, aided by the flickering light of a torch, Frank and -Mr Waldron looked over his shoulder, each offering occasional -suggestions. - -"Do I understand," asked Mr Waldron, "that you don't trust these -fellows?" - -"I am afraid I am very far from trusting them," replied the judge. "Men -of this type, in this mysterious, savage country, are as often as not -without honour, cruel beyond description, and incapable of showing -mercy. Moreover, in moments of delight--I know for a fact--they are -capable of committing the most terrible atrocities. I don't wish to -alarm you unnecessarily, Mr Waldron, but I tell you honestly that I fear -the future. Sir John will send the money, provided the letter reaches -him in safety--which I have no doubt it will. But once the money is in -Cheong-Chau's possession, it is quite possible he will kill us, out of -sheer devilry, in the moment of his triumph." - -Mr Waldron thrust his hands into his trousers pockets, and shaped his -lips as if he desired to whistle. No sound, however, came from his -lips. He paced backwards and forwards in the cave like a wild beast -that is hungry. For all that, upon his clear-cut, regular features -there was no sign of apprehension. His manner suggested impatience more -than fear. - -"It's just cruel luck," said he, as though he were speaking to himself. -"Guess I can't look upon it in any other light. Why did I leave -Paradise City!" - -"There's not much paradise about this," said Frank, taking in his hand a -burnt stick and stirring the embers of the fire. A flame sprang forth -that illumined the rugged walls of the cave. Here and there upon the -hard rock were narrow, streaky grooves, where the moisture had trickled -down. - -"We're helpless," Mr Waldron burst out, "helpless as the little children -these fiends used to throw from the top of that tower. That's what gets -me on the raw, Judge. I never before felt helpless. In the course of -my life, I have found myself in a great many awkward places; but I have -always been able to see a way out and I have made good in the end. This -thing's different. Hennessy K. Waldron may be a great man in the state -of Nevada; but in this blamed country I guess he don't count more than a -copper cash." - -And Mr Hennessy K. Waldron was about right--a copper cash, in the -coinage of China, having the approximate value of the fifth part of a -farthing. - - - - -CHAPTER VIII--AND HOW FRANK RESOLVED TO FOLLOW IT - - -That same evening, Men-Ching, accompanied by another man, set forth upon -his journey to the south. It was calculated that he could reach the -river in five days, though to do so he would have to travel by night as -well as day. The prisoners had little doubt that he would find a -river-junk at Pinglo or at some other river-side village where the -brigands had established outposts. With the help of the current and a -favourable wind, he could reach Canton in a few days, and thence the -last stage of the journey could be completed by steam-boat--ships -leaving Canton for Hong-Kong at least twice a day. - -There was, therefore, plenty of time--provided no mishap befell him--for -Men-Ching to fulfil his mission. Cheong-Chau, who knew his business, -had taken steps to convince the Governor that the plight of the judge -was genuine. He had included in the envelope containing his own letter -a gold signet ring, which he himself had taken from the finger of Sir -Thomas. - -When Men-Ching left the cave it was raining hard. He brought the two -letters to the fireside, desiring in all probability to satisfy the -prisoners that there was to be no mistake, that he was not going to take -any risks. He took off his faded scarlet coat, ripped up the lining -with a sharp knife, and sewed the letters inside. That done, he tied a -sash around his waist, threw a straw raincoat across his shoulders, and -put on a large straw hat such as the coolies wear when at work in the -southern ricefields. Then he and his companion departed, Men-Ching -carrying in his hand a long stick. They followed the narrow path that -traversed that bare, desolate region, at one moment on the crest-line of -a watershed, at another upon the very brink of a precipice. - -The rain descended in torrents, shutting out completely the last rays of -the setting sun. A great darkness descended upon the wilderness. The -water in the gullies and ravines mounted with the rapidity of -quicksilver; and presently the night was alive with savage, discordant -sounds: the wind howling amongst the rocks, the roar of cataracts, -turbulent streams plunging, as if demented, down the mountain-side. But -in spite of the darkness and the rain, Men-Ching and his companion -continued to move rapidly towards the south. He was an old man, as we -know, but he was by no means inactive. Also, he knew every inch of the -road. It was probably for that reason that Cheong-Chau had selected him -to undertake the journey. - -They did not halt to rest until many hours after daybreak, and then -snatched only a few hours' sleep, after eating a handful of rice. The -storm had cleared. Men-Ching took off his raincoat, and stretched it -out upon the ground, in order that it might dry in the sun. Placing -both his hands upon his faded scarlet coat, he expressed the greatest -satisfaction to find that it was absolutely dry. The letters were safe; -he could feel them inside the lining. There was no chance that the rain -had washed out the ink. Indeed, in the whole world, there is probably -no more efficient waterproof garment than the straw raincoat of the Far -East. - -In course of time Men-Ching gained the southern extremity of the -Nan-ling Mountains, at a place not far from the town of Pinglo. The -rich, fertile valley lay before him, extending as far as the eye could -reach. He had left behind him China, the desolate, the barbarous, the -unknown; before him lay China, the civilised, the prosperous, the land -of ceaseless industry and untold wealth. - -And there, for the time being, we may leave him, still travelling -towards the south upon his robber's errand. We will leave him to his -fate, to the mercy of the heathen gods he may or may not have -worshipped. His destiny was already sealed, though little did Men-Ching -dream that that was so. - -In the cave, day followed day, so far as the captives were concerned, -with the same dreary monotony; the same fears and half-foolish hopes. -They could take no exercise, and they had no books to read. There was -nothing for them to do but to talk, to discuss amongst themselves the -tragedy of their position. - -And as time passed they had less and less reason to trust Cheong-Chau, -to think that they could rely upon his word. The man proved himself a -reprobate. He was an opium drunkard; and that is a thing not so common -in China as the majority of Europeans imagine. - -It is true that opium is smoked throughout the length and breadth of the -East. Indeed, the opium pipe in China is the equivalent to the British -workman's glass of beer, and opium dens in that country are as common as -public-houses in this. - -At the same time, most Chinese are only moderate smokers. They do not -smoke enough opium even to injure their health. The reason for this is -obvious: opium, even in China, is very expensive, and the ordinary man -cannot afford to buy much of it. Neither does opium happen to be a drug -that does a great deal of harm unless it is taken in excess; it probably -does infinitely less harm than alcohol. If taken in large doses, -however, its results are disastrous and terrible. - -For some reason or other--never explained by physiologists--repeated -doses of opium sap the moral fibre. A man begins to smoke opium in a -small way, but after a time he finds that he has to smoke double the -quantity of pipes in order to get the desired result. And so on, until -he finds himself taking doses that would kill one who was not inured to -the drug. By that time he has lost everything a man should value most: -his sense of honour, his will power, much of his physical strength, and -his power of concentration. He is a degenerate whose mind is filled -with the foulest, most perverted fancies, who is a stranger to truth, -and who delights as often as not in committing the most fiendish of -crimes. - -Now Cheong-Chau was evidently such a man; for one night he rolled into -the cave, awakening his captives--who for many hours had been fast -asleep--by the blasphemy and violence of his language. His gait was -unsteady; the pupils of his eyes, visible in the bright light of the -fire, were small as pinheads. He carried in his hand a naked sword. - -"I am Cheong-Chau," he shrieked. "Death to all foreign devils who dare -set foot upon the sacred soil of China!" - -Bursting into a loud laugh, he raised his sword as if he would strike -down Mr Waldron, who had risen to his feet. - -"Stay," cried the judge. "Have we not your oath--that if the money is -paid you will not stain your hands in blood?" - -"Oath!" cried the robber. "What are oaths and blood to me? Am I a -Canton flower-girl or a Buddhist priest that I should not shed blood -when the fancy takes me? Know that I am Cheong-Chau, the robber, who -cares for neither oaths nor gods nor men." - -For some reason or other he had singled out the American; and it looked -most certain that, at that moment, the life of Mr Hennessy K. Waldron -was in the greatest danger. However, Mr Waldron never moved an inch; he -neither drew back nor showed the slightest sign of alarm. He held his -ground, staring the villain boldly in the face. - -[Illustration: MR. WALDRON NEVER MOVED AN INCH.] - -It was, in all probability, solely his courage that saved him. The -Chinese was so low down in the scale of humanity that he was not far -removed from the beasts; and it is well known that no animal can for any -length of time look a strong man in the eyes. The eyes of Mr Waldron -were those of one who had carved a way for himself in the world, -who--starting life in a very humble sphere--had conquered a thousand -difficulties; thereby proving himself a strong man who could not fail to -be conscious of his strength. - -Cheong-Chau was unable to maintain his threatening and defiant attitude -before that steel-grey, steady gaze. Slowly his sword descended; his -eyes dropped to the ground. Mr Waldron, with admirable calmness, -deliberately placed a hand upon the man's shoulder, and addressed him in -the English language in a tone that was even kindly. - -"Say, old cockolorum," said he, "you ought to retire from business. -You're doing yourself no good, you know. Guess you want a good six -weeks at some quiet seaside resort, where there's no more excitement -than a dance-hall or a merry-go-round. Take the missus and the kids." - -Cheong-Chau turned away with an oath. No doubt he supposed that Mr -Waldron had delivered a brief speech, somewhat in the tragic vein, -suitable to the occasion; for neither in the expression upon the -American's face nor in the serious tones of his voice was there anything -to convey the intelligence that Mr Waldron was disposed to be frivolous. - -For all that, they could not overlook the fact that, whether or not the -ransom were paid, their lives were in the greatest danger. The man who -held them in his power was subject to ungovernable fits of wrath, during -which his mental condition bordered upon that type of insanity which is -inseparable from the truly criminal character. At such times--which -invariably followed a debauch of opium smoking--Cheong-Chau was -certainly not responsible for his actions; and discussing the question -among themselves, they came to the conclusion that at any moment the -order to murder them might be issued. By no such act of treachery could -the brigand forfeit the ransom, since both the prisoners and Cheong-Chau -himself had no means of direct communication with Hong-Kong. Men-Ching -should be now well upon his way, approaching the city of Canton. - -It was Mr Waldron who suggested that one of them should endeavour to -escape. At first, this idea struck the judge as a piece of outrageous -folly, since if one of the three even did succeed in getting away from -the cave and crossing the mountains--a very unlikely contingency--the -murderous Cheong-Chau would be so furious that he would probably not -hesitate to make short work of the unfortunate two who remained. On -debating the matter, however, Mr Waldron was able to throw quite another -light upon the situation. - -He explained that if a survivor reached Hong-Kong who could not only -identify Cheong-Chau himself and the majority of his men, but who could -actually guide an avenging expedition to the neighbourhood of the cave, -the brigands would be hunted from pillar to post, and if not captured, -certainly driven from the province. The robber could not be unaware -that in the British colony were both English and Indian troops, whilst a -large fleet lay at anchor in the harbour, and he must have known enough -of the British Government to remember that the cold-blooded murder of -British citizens was an act not likely to be overlooked. He could not -wish to involve both himself and the members of his gang in -international complications. He would therefore, in all probability, -hesitate to do away with his captives. - -It is true that an attempt to escape might fail, in which case the -plight of the prisoners would be, if anything, somewhat worse. But in -any case, as day succeeded day, they became more and more convinced that -Cheong-Chau intended to kill them. He did but bide his time, waiting to -hear news of Men-Ching to the effect that the ransom had been duly paid. -For these reasons it was eventually decided that one of them should -endeavour to escape. - -It was next necessary to settle who should go. The judge himself was -too old to attempt to cross the mountains alone upon so long and -hazardous a journey. The choice, therefore, lay between Frank Armitage -and Mr Waldron. - -The American--who had already proved himself a man of the greatest -courage, both physical and moral--was naturally anxious to take the risk -himself. However, he could not be blind to the fact that he laboured -under several very serious disadvantages. - -In the first place, he was entirely ignorant of both the language and -the country. He knew neither the habits and customs of the people nor -the topography of Southern China. Frank, on the other hand, had been -born and had lived all his life in China; on many a former occasion he -had proved himself quite capable of conversing even with the most -untutored and obstinate peasants. Moreover, the boy was the most active -member of the party: he was a good runner; he could climb, if necessary, -to the top of mountain peaks, and he was an adept at swimming--an -important item, since he might have to cross the West River, as well as -several tributaries, in order to reach Canton or the coast. - -It was this consideration that settled the question in the mind of Mr -Waldron. The American was obliged to confess that he could not swim -except for a short distance in salt water. If he endeavoured to cross -the strong current of a great river without even taking his clothes off, -he would most assuredly drown. - -"And in that case," he observed, "I might as well have stayed here to -have my throat cut in my sleep, or sample the death by a thousand cuts." - -He spoke of such atrocities as if they were nothing. He was so calm -about it all that the judge looked at him, wondering whether he was one -of the few really brave men in the world, or whether he was entirely -devoid of imagination. In any case, Mr Waldron withdrew his claim to be -allowed to undertake the adventure; and the choice fell upon Frank. - -Once this all-important question was settled, it was obvious that there -was nothing to be gained--indeed, there was much to lose--by putting off -Frank's departure. The sooner he was away the better, though they did -not then realise the supreme importance of time, the alarming fact that -the lives both of Sir Thomas and Mr Waldron were to hang upon the thin -thread of a few seconds. - -It was decided that Frank should endeavour to make his escape from the -cave that night. It was in the act of passing the sentries, posted at -the entrance, that the bulk of his danger would lie. Once the boy -succeeded in getting away from the cave, his absence would probably not -be discovered until the following morning. He would, in that case, have -several hours' start of any pursuers whom Cheong-Chau might think fit to -send after him. - -Frank had already considered the contingency of making a dash for -liberty. He had, so far as he had been able to do so from the interior -of the cave, studied the lie of the land. He had noticed that the -sentries were not particularly vigilant and that they were armed with -old-fashioned, out-of-date fire-arms which they possibly knew not how to -use. One of these was a Martini-Henry carbine, and Frank had on one -occasion seen a Chinese trying in vain to lower the lever, which was so -rusted on to the lock that it was quite certain that the breech could -never be opened. - -Immediately before the entrance to the cave was the huge boulder, or -rock, which has already been described. On either side of this rock a -sentry was always posted. But these men did not necessarily face the -cave. Indeed, as often as not, they looked the other way, interesting -themselves in the wide panorama extended before them. None the less, -since the two passages on either side of the boulder were very narrow, -one could never hope to pass without being seen. Escape that way, -therefore, was impossible without a struggle, which meant that the alarm -would be given and a party would immediately start in pursuit of the -fugitive. - -This was what Frank most wanted to avoid. He knew that his attempt was -doomed to failure if he did not succeed in getting well away. He -therefore examined the rock itself, and saw at once that it would be -quite easy to climb to the top of it. Since he could not pass _round_ -this obstacle he would have to go _over_ it. On the other side, as he -knew, was the steep mountain slope descending hundreds of feet to the -bed of the valley. Whether he could climb down the slope at all, much -less do so silently, so as not to be overheard by the sentries, was -another question. He was resolved, however, to take the risk. It was -clear that there was no other alternative. It was a perilous business, -but he must make the best of it, trusting to Providence, as well as his -own agility and presence of mind. - - - - -CHAPTER IX--OF THE HOSPITALITY OF THE TEA-GROWER - - -They waited until nearly midnight, when Cheong-Chau and his ruffians -were sound asleep, and only the sentries awake. That day, both Sir -Thomas and Mr Waldron had eaten no food since the morning meal, so that -Frank might not set forth upon his journey unprovided. He would -certainly not be able to procure anything to eat in the desolate -mountain region, though with his intimate knowledge of the Chinese -language the boy should not experience any difficulty in procuring rice, -millet, or even fish, in the valley of the main river. - -The most precarious part of the whole business, however, was to escape -unseen from the cave. In this, neither of the older men could render -the slightest assistance to the boy, who would have to rely solely upon -his own initiative. All three lay down upon their straw mattresses, and -pretended to sleep, breathing heavily and even snoring, in order to -arouse no suspicion on the part of the two sentries. They had purposely -allowed the fire to burn down quite low, so that there was only an -exceedingly dim and somewhat fitful light in the cave. - -Choosing a moment about an hour after the sentries had been relieved, -Frank Armitage rose stealthily upon his hands and knees, and slowly -began to crawl towards the entrance to the cave. Neither his uncle nor -Mr Waldron moved. The latter continued to snore. - -Frank approached the entrance from an angle, whence he peered cautiously -round the corner. He was surprised, and somewhat dismayed, by the -exceeding brightness of the night. The sky was wonderfully clear; a -full, round moon illumined the rugged mountain ridges, making them -appear so white that they might have been snow-clad, whereas the valleys -seemed by contrast to be buried in the deepest shadow. By reason of the -firelight in the cave, the brightness of the moon, attended by a -solitary and gorgeous planet, had not been noticeable from within. - -The light, however, enabled Frank to take stock of the sentry who was on -the same side of the boulder as himself. He was able to observe the man -at his leisure, since he himself was in the shade. - -The man was evidently wide awake, for he was moving his arms backwards -and forwards with a kind of rocking gesture. His back was turned. He -sat cross-legged upon the ground, upon a plaited mat of straw, surveying -the magnificent scene that extended before him. Perhaps, despite his -brutal features, and low, receding forehead, there was at least a spark -of sensibility, a small power to appreciate the beautiful in nature and -the most wonderful works of God, in the untutored mind of this Chinese -robber and cut-throat. At any rate, he seemed in a kind of ecstasy, for -he was talking softly to himself. - -Frank silently crawled across the entrance. And there was the other -man, walking slowly to and fro, stamping his feet from time to time, as -if he suffered from the cold. Clearly, it would be madness to attempt -to escape until this fellow had settled down. He was far too wide -awake. - -The boy lay flat upon his face, in a position not exposed to the -moonlight. Here he was sure he could not be seen, whereas he was well -able to observe the walking sentry. - -Five minutes elapsed, ten, a quarter of an hour. Frank was becoming -anxious. Perhaps the man never would sit down; perhaps he did not -intend to relax his vigilance until another came to relieve him of his -duties. - -Even as the thought crossed the boy's mind, the man stopped, yawned -loudly, and then, seating himself upon the ground with his back resting -against the great central rock, produced an opium pipe and proceeded to -roll a pill. - -Frank's heart was in his mouth. He knew that the moment of his great -ordeal had come. The man had played into his hands; for not only was -the opium bound to make him drowsy, but he had planted himself in the -very situation that gave the boy his best opportunity. Frank intended -to climb over the central boulder, and had already satisfied himself -that the ascent would be a matter of no difficulty at all. - -What lay beyond was another question. He had never had any means of -ascertaining whether or not he would be able to climb down the other -side of the rock, much less make the descent of the slope. He who is -over-cautious will, however, accomplish nothing. The traveller who -considers the pitfalls in his way and the many dangers that lurk upon -the highroad makes little or no progress, and as often as not fails to -arrive at his destination. He who would gain all must risk all; he who -will risk nothing gains nothing--or, at least, does not deserve to do -so. - -Frank glanced back into the cave. By the dim light of the fire he was -able to see that both his uncle and Mr Waldron were stretched at full -length upon their mattresses, looking up. No doubt each was unable to -bear the continued suspense, the silence that had endured so long, but -must take one last look at him who carried with him the fortunes of all -three. - -The boy glided into the shadow of the rock. There he paused a moment, -waiting breathlessly to learn whether or not he had been observed whilst -he was crossing the narrow strip of moonlight. A minute passed, and as -nothing happened Frank knew that he was still safe. - -Then, very slowly, he began to climb. He had taken off his boots, and -these were suspended by means of the laces around his neck. He was -careful not to make the slightest sound; he was fearful almost to -breathe. He knew that the whole enterprise was in jeopardy, that at any -moment a loose stone might fall from the rock, thus attracting the -attention of the sentries. - -He succeeded in gaining the top, and there lay flat upon his face. -Knowing that the utmost caution was of far more importance than haste, -he did not move for some time. Then, slowly lifting his head, he took -in his surroundings. - -The sentry on the right had not shifted his position. He still rocked -his arms and sat staring straight at the moon. The man on the left was -invisible to Frank, being immediately under the rock. He had probably -smoked his pipe of opium, and was now in that semi-dazed, self-satisfied -condition that invariably follows an administration of the drug. The -boy wormed himself forward, until he had gained the furthermost edge of -the rock, which was flat-topped, like a table. Thence he was able to see -into the second cave, where Cheong-Chau and his men were fast asleep, -lying close as dogs around the dying embers of a great charcoal fire. - -When Frank peered over the edge of the rock, in order to decide upon the -most suitable means of descent, his heart for a moment failed him. It -was as if he was gazing down into one of the uttermost pits of Hades. - -The cliff appeared to be perpendicular, which the boy knew was not the -case. Moreover, it seemed to descend to eternity, to fade away into a -great expanse of darkness that was like the sea. It occurred to him -that if by any chance he slipped and fell, his body would be dashed to -atoms thousands of feet below. - -Then fortunately he had the strength of mind to remember that -imagination makes cowards of us all. It was no affair of his what lay -at the bottom of the valley; his immediate business was to descend from -the top of the rock, and he had therefore best confine his attention to -the few square yards in front of him. - -Immediately he did so he saw that he was confronted by a proposition by -no means difficult of solution. To descend was easy enough. In the -face of the rock was a narrow cleft down which it would be quite easy to -climb. Without hesitating an instant, he lowered himself, and in a few -seconds found himself at the base of the rock, where he again paused and -listened. - -He was so close to the man whom he had seen light the opium pipe that he -could actually hear him breathing. Neither, however, could see the -other, since the sharp corner of the rock intervened. However, the -situation was so dangerous that Frank was resolved to have no more of it -than he need; and almost at once he began to descend on all fours the -steep face of the cliff. - -He realised that in the first ten yards or so his greatest danger lay. -He could not tell for certain whether or not he was within sight of -either of the men. He could but take the only possible precaution. -Lying almost flat upon his face, he slid, very slowly indeed, at about -what seemed to him a snail's pace, down the smooth, rocky slope. - -In three minutes he knew that he was out of immediate danger. He had -escaped. Moreover, no alarm had been given. - -Two courses now lay open to him: he might continue to descend until he -eventually reached the bottom of the valley, or he might work his way -along the cliff, parallel to the bridle-path above, until, having gained -comparative safety, he could ascend to the higher level and then follow -the road to the south. - -He wisely selected the latter alternative, since he knew not whether the -slope was accessible lower down. Besides, it might so happen that there -was neither path nor road in the valley. - -Owing to the steepness of the slope, he could not stand upright, nor was -there any need to do so. He could progress, if not with comfort, at -least at a very tolerable pace, on all fours. - -He had traversed in this way a distance that, was probably about a -quarter of a mile, when he deemed that it would be safe to ascend to the -path above by means of which he and his fellow-captives had been -conducted to the cave. This he gained without difficulty, it being -easier to mount the slope than to progress transversely across it. - -Once upon the bridle-path he found the moonlight of the greatest -possible assistance; for having put on his boots he was able to set -forward running, knowing full well that every step lengthened the -distance between himself and those who he knew would certainly, sooner -or later, set forth in pursuit. - -It would be wearisome to describe in detail Frank Armitage's adventurous -journey across the mountains. Sunrise found him still upon the road, -alternately walking and running, hurrying forward for life itself. - -The fact that for three whole days he saw not a single soul speaks for -itself in regard to the desolation of this wilderness. On the morning -of the fourth day he found himself in the midst of the foot-hills, with -a clear view before him of the fertile valley of the West River. By -then he had consumed all the provisions he had brought with him from the -cave. He was, indeed, almost famishing, and felt tempted to take almost -any risk to procure something to eat. That afternoon he encountered -several peasants, who all regarded him with undisguised curiosity. -Knowing that Cheong-Chau was sure to have despatched a party in pursuit, -and realising the supreme importance of time, he considered that it -would be advisable to ask one of the inhabitants of the country the -shortest route to the nearest main tributary of the river. - -He selected his man with care, and after a considerable amount of -hesitation, addressed himself to a little thin, prosperous-looking -Chinaman of the middle class whom he overtook upon the narrow mule-track -he had followed for several miles. - -On being interrogated, the Chinaman was not a little surprised, though -he was far too well-bred and polite to say so. He was surprised at two -things: first, he had never expected to meet with a European in such an -out-of-the-way corner of the province; secondly, he was amazed that the -young Englishman should address him so fluently in his own language. - -"You have travelled far?" he asked. - -"From Hong-Kong," answered Frank. - -"That is a long way." - -"It is of the greatest importance," said Frank, "that I return without -delay." - -"Many days' journey is before you," said the Chinese. "I should be -greatly honoured if you would deign to accept such hospitality as my -miserable self is in a position to offer. I am a tea-grower," he -continued. "My house is not far from here. I should be deeply -gratified if you would eat rice under my dilapidated roof." - -It immediately occurred to Frank that the tea-grower might be able to -assist him in more ways than one. He readily accepted the man's offer -in the manner duly approved by Chinese etiquette and custom. - -"Such a despicable, beggarly foreigner as myself," said he, "would be -inexpressibly delighted to partake, in your palatial residence, of such -nourishing and delicious provender as, I am sure, it is the custom of -yourself and your honoured family to consume." - -The Chinaman smiled. - -"You speak our language to perfection," he remarked. "Few foreigners -are able to do so. But what is even more extraordinary to me is that -you appear to be acquainted with our forms of ceremony. As a general -rule, the European cannot speak to you for five minutes without being -guilty of a dozen breaches of etiquette, defying every canon of good -behaviour." - -"You see," said Frank, "I have lived in China for many years." - -"Come with me," said the tea-grower. "Allow me to have the honour of -conducting you to my hovel of a dwelling." - -Together they followed the mule-track for about a quarter of a mile, and -then the Chinese turned to the left, walking along a narrow bank that -separated two flooded ricefields. Beyond they passed through a field of -_kiao-liang_, in the midst of which the crickets were singing merrily, -and then found themselves in an extensive tea-garden. - -In the centre of the garden was a considerable house, built after the -manner of all better-class houses in China--that is to say, a -one-storied rambling building, together with several outhouses and a -fair-sized yard, the whole surrounded by a mud wall about eight feet in -height. The building was situated upon a gentle slope that faced due -south, and from the outer gate it was possible to survey the greater -part of the plantation. - -Here the tea-grower entertained Frank Armitage. He gave him green tea -to drink and a cup of alcoholic beverage--called _samshu_--which is made -from fermented rice. And then came a dinner of about fourteen courses. -There were various kinds of fish, sharks' fins, larks' tongues, -birds'-nest soup, small pieces of meat on little skewers, rice, millet -and edible seaweed from Japan. Frank devoured all these delicacies with -a relish. It was not the first time that he had eaten a Chinese dinner. -Although the tea-grower lived in the wilds of the province he was -evidently a rich man. He had the true gift of hospitality, and with -more sincerity than is usually the case in China he offered his guest -everything that his house contained. - -Now Frank might have refused this offer. In fact, the rules of ceremony -decreed that he should do so. He had a mind, however, to disguise -himself, and he therefore begged the tea-grower to be so good as to -provide him with a suit of Chinese clothes. - -The man did not hesitate. He supplied the boy with a long robe, a pair -of white trousers and a pair of felt-soled shoes. Thus attired, Frank -Armitage bade his host adieu and crossed the tea-garden late that night, -when the moon, which had guided him throughout the past three or four -days, was rising in the east. - -The tea-grower seemed to have taken a fancy to the boy, for he -accompanied Frank almost a mile upon his journey, putting him upon the -road which led to the village in which the majority of his coolies, or -workpeople, lived. In bidding good-bye to him, Frank thanked the man -from his heart for all his hospitality and kindness. He shook hands -with himself in the approved Chinese fashion, and bowed so low that his -nose almost touched his knees. Then he was about to set forward alone -when the tea-grower cried out to him, asking him if he had any money. - -Frank replied that he was without a cent in the world, telling the -truth--that he had been robbed of all he possessed in the mountains. -Whereupon the tea-grower took from his neck a long string of copper -cash. These he threw over the boy's head, at the same time quoting -Confucius: "_Be charitable to the stranger from a far country! so that, -when thou thyself art a stranger, doors may be opened to thy knock._" - - - - -CHAPTER X--HOW FRANK WAS IN LUCK'S WAY - - -Frank found the village without any difficulty. Although it was then -almost midnight, there were lights in the majority of houses, and -several shops were open. The Chinese are a singular race. One of the -first things that strikes a visitor to that remarkable country is the -fact that the inhabitants never appear to go to bed. No people in the -world work harder by day, and no people in the world are more inclined -to talk, laugh, quarrel and gamble throughout the night, into the small -hours of the morning. - -Frank marched boldly into a barber's shop, where he expressed a desire -to have the forepart of his head shaven. The barber could scarce -contain his astonishment when he observed that his patron had no -pigtail. He was vastly curious with regard to the matter, asking -several questions as he sharpened his big Chinese razor--which was -something after the shape and about the size of the business-end of a -Dutch hoe. Frank informed the man that he had been robbed, and no doubt -the fellow presumed that the robbers had cut off their victim's queue. - -The boy rightly supposed that he could talk quite frankly about his own -affairs in a village which was populated almost exclusively by honest -men who worked in the tea-gardens. But what most surprised him, and at -the same time afforded him the greatest possible satisfaction, was that -no one in the barber's shop appeared to notice the fact that he was a -European. - -Now a Chinaman can suffer no greater disgrace than the loss of his -pigtail. Viewed historically, this is a strange circumstance. The -medival Chinese did not wear pigtails. It was the Manchu race, who -conquered the Chinese in the fifteenth century, who grew their hair long -and plaited it in the well-known manner. The Manchus were horsemen of -whom it might be said that they almost worshipped their horses, and the -queue was originally grown in imitation of a horse's tail. For the same -reason the Manchu warriors adopted those wide coat-sleeves, which even -to this day are called "horseshoe sleeves." It was mainly by means of -their excellent cavalry that the Tartar warriors were able to overcome -the Chinese foot-soldiers. - -A conquering race invariably enforces certain obligations and -restrictions upon the vanquished, and one of the first Manchurian -imperial edicts issued was to the effect that all Chinese should adopt -the pigtail as a symbol of their submission to the dominant people. In -the course of a few centuries what was originally a token of defeat -became a source of national prejudice and pride. The Chinaman of the -nineteenth century was as loth to part with his pigtail as his -forefather had been to adopt it. - -The barber sympathised with Frank. Moreover, his sympathy took a -practical turn. He undertook for a few copper cash to supply the boy -with a new pigtail, and also to attach it to his head in such a manner -as would make it appear to be natural. All this, however, took time, -and it was past one o'clock in the morning when Frank Armitage left the -village and continued on his way, downhill, through tea-gardens and the -ricefields, following the narrow path which, he had been told, would -conduct him to the river. - -What the name of the river was he had not been able to ascertain. -Everybody he asked told him a different name. That is usually the case -in China. One man will say a village is called the Village of the Wu -family; another will say it is the Village of the Chin family; and a -third will be equally certain that it is called One-Tree Village. And -when you get there, you will find it is called Bad-Weather Village, or -the Village of Starving Dogs. Knowing this, Frank did not bother -himself about the name of the river. Provided he came to it, he would -be satisfied, since the water of that river must eventually find its way -into the main stream which flowed past Wu-chau to Canton, and thence to -the great estuary, at the mouth of which was the island of Hong-Kong. - -He reached the river at about midday. By then the heat in the valley -was excessive, and the boy thoroughly exhausted. He had been travelling -day and night for several days. With the exception of the almost regal -banquet he had enjoyed at the house of the tea-grower, he had had -insufficient nourishment. There had been few nights when he had had -more than three or four hours' sleep. He felt quite unable to progress -farther on foot. - -He therefore hailed a fisherman whom he observed approaching down the -stream in a small _sampan_, or river-boat. The man--so soon as he -understood that a bargain was afoot--drew in to the bank and undertook -for an exceedingly small sum of money to take Frank down-stream to a -certain large town to which he himself was going. Frank got into the -boat, and lying down beneath the matted awning that sheltered the stern -part from the fierce rays of the sun, he was soon fast asleep. Whilst -he slept, he covered several miles of his journey. The fisherman had -hoisted a sail, and the wind being from the north, and the strength of -the current great, the boat travelled at a considerable velocity. - -When the boy awoke, refreshed from his sleep, he found to his surprise -that the sun had set. Darkness was spreading rapidly, and a thick white -mist clung to the river-valley. The atmosphere, however, was -exceedingly close and humid, and the air was alive with myriads of -mosquitoes and gnats. - -Frank asked the fisherman where they were, and the man replied, with -Oriental vagueness: - -"We come soon to Kwang-Chin," said he. "That is the end of my journey!" - -"And where is Kwang-Chin?" asked Frank. - -"Very nice town," replied the man, evading the question. "Plenty -cooked-dog shops. Little Kwang-Chin dogs are very good to eat, better -than little Canton dogs." - -Frank knew the uselessness of trying to get anything definite out of the -fisherman. He therefore lay back in a comfortable attitude, and gave -himself up to thoughts of the perilous situation in which he had left Mr -Waldron and his uncle. - -He wondered how far Men-Ching had progressed upon his journey to the -coast. So far as he could guess, the rascal should be already in -Canton. At the same time, though he did not know where the town of -Kwang-Chin was, he believed that he himself could not be far from the -great capital of Southern China. Canton was but a few hours by river -steamboat from Hong-Kong. The boy had therefore completed the greater -part of his journey. - -They arrived at Kwang-Chin in the small hours of the morning, and Frank -could not persuade the fisherman to take him any farther. He was -therefore obliged to go ashore and attempt to find a lodging for what -remained of the night. - -This was no easy matter, for the town appeared to consist of nothing but -opium dens. It was an old walled city, the ramparts and gateways of -which must have been built centuries before, in the days when China was -harassed and ravaged by continual internecine wars. Frank, who did not -feel capable of travelling farther that night, decided to wait till -morning, when he might be able to find another fisherman who would -consent to take him down-stream, probably as far as the main river, if -not to Canton itself. In the meantime, he realised that he could do -nothing better than snatch a few hours' additional rest, recognising the -fact that he would still be called upon to undergo considerable -hardships and dangers. - -He therefore plucked up courage, and entered the first opium den he came -to, in the doorway of which he had observed a light. He found himself -in an establishment similar in all respects to that which has already -been described as nourishing in the slums of Canton under the -proprietorship of Ah Wu. This place, however, was very much dirtier, -and--with the exception of Cheong-Chau's brigands--Frank had never seen -a more villainous collection of men than the habitus of the place, who -were sprawled in all manner of attitudes upon the various couches. And -then he was astounded, and at the same time considerably alarmed, to -observe that several of these coolies were wearing scarlet coats, -similar in all respects to those worn by the bandits. But, once inside, -he could not very well beat a hasty retreat. He summoned to his aid all -his presence of mind and addressed himself to the proprietor, a -venerable-looking man with gold-rimmed spectacles and a white -goat's-beard. - -"I desire, for a few hours," said the boy, speaking in his best -idiomatic Cantonese, "a couch upon which to sleep. I am a poor man," he -added, "but I will pay you to the best of my ability." - -"You will not smoke opium?" asked the host, opening his eyes in -surprise. - -"I have not the habit," said Frank. - -The proprietor adjusted his spectacles upon the very tip of his nose and -regarded the boy from over the top of the glasses. - -"How very remarkable!" he observed. "Every man, however, can please -himself. You may certainly sleep here. My charge is forty _cash_." - -Now forty cash is the equivalent of two-pence, and this does not appear -to the European mind to be an exorbitant charge for a night's lodging. -But Frank Armitage knew the Chinese character. He had a part to act, -and he knew how to act it. He remembered that a Chinaman loves a -bargain. - -"I will give you thirty cash," said he. - -The old man pointed to the couch. "It is an excellent bed," said he. -"The hangings are of silk, and I guarantee that the mattress is free -from vermin. I will let you have it for thirty-eight cash." - -"I offer you thirty-two," said Frank. "Remember, I require it for a few -hours only." - -"In that case," said the landlord, "we will say thirty-six." - -"I will give you thirty-four." - -"Good!" cried the landlord. "We will call it thirty-five and have done -with the matter." - -Thereupon Frank counted out thirty-five of the little copper coins which -the tea-grower had given him and which he carried upon a string slung -around his neck like a necklace. Indeed each _cash_ has a little square -hole in the middle of it for this purpose. - -Having settled his account, the boy took off his coat, for the heat of -the room was intense and the atmosphere foul with the mingled odour of -paraffin oil, opium smoke and Chinese garlic He arranged the pillow, -then stretched himself at full length upon the couch. A group of three -or four men at the other end of the room were talking loudly, and it was -the constant sound of their voices that made it difficult for the boy to -fall asleep. - -He was dozing off, and in that blissful state which lies midway between -slumber and consciousness, when he was startled by a remark that came to -his ears very distinctly from the other end of the room. - -"They tell me that Cheong-Chau has returned to the mountains." - -The answer was a chuckle. - -"Cheong-Chau is never idle," came the reply. "Rumour has it that there -are fine fish in his net. Do you know that Men-Ching passed through -here late yesterday afternoon?" - -"Indeed! And where was he going?" - -"He did not say." - -"Some secret business," said the other. "Men-Ching is no more than the -coolie of Cheong-Chau. He does all the dirty work. He runs the -errands." - -It was here that the voice of a third man joined in the conversation. - -"I know where Men-Ching was going," said he. "I made it my business to -find out. He goes to Canton to the opium den of Ah Wu, which lies near -the Mohammedan Mosque. He did not leave this place till nearly ten -o'clock to-night, after having smoked several pipes of opium. He is a -great smoker, Men-Ching. He went down the river on a _wupan_ that was -taking a cargo of rice to Canton. The _wupan_ calls at Sanshui, to take -on board certain chests of tea." - -The man who had spoken first laughed loudly. - -"You know everything, Hsien-Lu," said he. "You are always prying into -other people's affairs. For myself, though I wear the scarlet coat, I -think it well to give Cheong-Chau as wide a berth as possible. He will -have his head cut off some day. That is beyond all doubt. And on that -occasion I should prefer not to accompany him. And now, good-night. I -desire to sleep. The opium has made me drowsy." - -After that there was silence. Frank gave them about ten minutes in -which to prepare themselves for slumber. Then he got up from his couch, -put on his coat and, unobserved, left the opium den. - -Outside he took in a deep breath of the fresh night air, then hurried in -the direction of the river. He realised that fortune had played in a -remarkable manner into his hands. Men-Ching was but a few hours in -front of him. He intended, if possible, to overtake the man and possess -himself of the letters. He might be able to do this by stealth if he -could not succeed by force. He could, at any rate, make sure that the -letters reached their destination, since the lives of both his uncle and -Mr Waldron depended upon their delivery into the hands of the Governor -of Hong-Kong. - - - - -CHAPTER XI--OF THE REAPPEARANCE OF LING - - -Walking rapidly, the boy soon found himself upon the right bank of the -river. Though there was as yet no sign of daybreak in the east, several -people were already abroad, for the Chinese begin their day's work early -in the morning and do not cease till late at night. Parties of men were -engaged in loading the junks and _wupans_ which were moored to the -wharves and jetties. - -Frank walked along the river-side until he found a junk about to sail. -He hailed the captain, a tall, sun-burnt Chinaman with his pigtail -coiled round the top of his head, who wore hardly any clothes at all. -This man informed him that the junk was bound upon a fishing cruise upon -the open sea. He readily agreed to take Frank as far as Canton for a -small consideration in the way of copper cash; and a minute later, the -boy was on board, whilst the junk moved down-stream under full canvas. - -Nearly all the relatives of the captain and his crew had come down to -the wharf to bid them good-bye. There were small-footed Chinese women, -and little round-faced, naked children, each of whom appeared to have -eaten so much rice that he looked in danger of bursting. There was much -wailing and gnashing of teeth--for the Chinese on occasion can be -exceedingly emotional--and no sooner was the junk clear of her moorings -than the silence of the morning was disturbed by a veritable fusillade -of Chinese squibs, rockets and crackers. - -Indeed it might have been an Eastern Fifth of November. A great bundle -of gunpowder crackers, tied to the poop of the vessel, went off in a -kind of _feu de joie_, sending out so many sparks in all directions that -it appeared that the ship was in danger of catching fire. The idea and -object of this custom, which is universal throughout China from Tonkin -to the Great Wall, is to scare away the evil spirits which might be -disposed to embark on board the departing ship. The Chinese believe in -the potency and the ubiquity of evil spirits. A European--commonly -called "a foreign devil"--is invariably accompanied by a host of such -attendant ghosts. Indeed, it is extremely difficult for any man, even a -virtuous Chinese, to avoid being shadowed by malignant spooks who desire -nothing more than to lead him into calamity and misfortune. There is, -as every Chinese is well aware, but one method of driving away these -evil spirits, and that is by exploding so much gunpowder and creating -such a noise, that they flee in all haste back to the spirit land whence -they come. - -Frank Armitage observed this ceremony from the forepart of the boat. He -had often witnessed such a scene before in the Chinese quarter of the -harbour of Hong-Kong, but he had seldom seen such an expensive and -gorgeous display. It was evident that the master and owner of the junk -was a rich man who could afford to insure his property at the maximum -premium. Also, this particular junk had an unusually large pair of eyes -painted upon the bows. As the captain himself explained later in the -day, if a junk has no eyes it cannot see where it is going. If a junk -cannot see where it is going, it will probably, sooner or later, strike -a rock or another ship, or run ashore. That would be a disaster for -both the junk and its owner. Hence a junk must have eyes the same as a -man. This argument is thoroughly Chinese and would be entirely rational -provided the painted eyes upon the bows of a Chinese ship were of the -slightest practical use. - -All that day they sailed down-stream towards the centre of the great -valley of the West River. Every mile the country became more and more -thickly populated. They passed many villages situated upon both banks -of the river, the houses in the majority of cases overhanging the water, -supported by heavy wooden piles. The country was exceedingly fertile, -being given over almost exclusively to the cultivation of rice. There -were few trees and few hills except far in the distance, towards the -north, where the foothills of the great Nan-ling Mountains stood forth -upon the horizon like a wall. - -Late the following afternoon the river joined a wider stream flowing -towards the south-east. This Frank at first believed to be the West -River itself, but he was informed by the captain of the junk that the -Si-kiang was still fifty _li_ to the south. - -It was midnight when they turned into the main stream, and soon -afterwards they saw before them the bright lights of the city of -Sanshui, which is situated about twenty-five miles due west of Canton. - -At this place, Frank was in two minds what to do. He might go straight -on to Canton and thence down the river to Hong-Kong, at both of which -places he would be able to get in touch with his friends. On the other -hand, he had every reason to suppose that Men-Ching was at that very -moment in the city of Sanshui. The junk had made good headway down the -river, and the boy knew that the boat on which Cheong-Chau's messenger -had come south was to call at Sanshui to take on a cargo. - -Now there is no doubt that Frank Armitage would have been wise had he -first considered his own safety. He was already practically out of -danger; there was no vital necessity for him to put his head -deliberately into the lion's mouth. If his determination appears to be -rash, it may be supposed that he was guided by some natural instinct -that warned him that, in this case, the most dangerous course was the -only means by which his uncle and Mr Waldron could be saved. - -Be that as it may, he argued thus: from the very moment he escaped from -the cave his journey had been extraordinarily uneventful; he saw no -reason why it should not continue to be so. If Cheong-Chau's men were -in pursuit he had seen nothing of them; he had apparently left them -miles behind. He had every reason to be satisfied with his disguise; he -was fairly confident that even if he found Men-Ching he would not be -recognised, since he knew the old man to be extremely short-sighted. -Throughout his journey, he had experienced no difficulty in passing -himself off as a Chinese. The barber, the proprietor of the opium den, -the fisherman and the captain of the junk--all had taken him to be a -native of the country. The boy was sanguine of success; he never dreamt -for a moment of failure. He saw no reason why he should not succeed in -finding Men-Ching, in tracking the old rascal all the way to Hong-Kong -and there having him arrested by the British police authorities. He -even considered the possibility of completing the remainder of his -journey actually in the company of Men-Ching and his companion. - -He therefore asked the captain of the junk to set him ashore. He paid -the man according to his agreement, and found himself, at about one -o'clock in the morning, in the centre of a very dilapidated and -evil-smelling city. - -Since he had slept a good deal on board the junk--there being nothing -else for him to do--he decided to remain awake until daybreak, keeping a -close watch upon the _bund_, alongside which the junks and river-boats -were moored. He felt sure, from what he had overheard in the opium den, -that one of the many _wupans_ that lay alongside the wharves was that -upon which Men-Ching had come down the river. His object was first to -discover the _wupan_. He would then have no difficulty in finding -Men-Ching himself. - -The boy seated himself upon the end of a jetty whence he could obtain a -good view of the harbour. A watery moon was low in the heavens, and -this, together with the stars, illumined the river with an iridescent, -ghostly light, by which it was possible to see for a considerable -distance. - -The hour was as yet too early for the riverside workmen to begin work. -The _bund_ was deserted save for a number of rats, which were to be seen -quite clearly continually crossing the open space that separated the -houses from the ships. - -Though the night was warm the air was somewhat damp, and Frank, fearing -that he would contract malarial fever, rose to his feet and strolled -casually down the jetty. At the corner of a narrow street he came quite -suddenly face to face with a most alarming personage. - -The expression "face to face" cannot be taken literally, for the man was -a giant, and Frank's face was scarcely on a level with his chest. In the -shadowy slums of a poverty-stricken Chinese town, at such a ghostly hour -as two o'clock in the morning, to find oneself unexpectedly confronted -by an individual of the stature of a Goliath and with the countenance of -a demon, is an experience well calculated to give a jolt to the nervous -system of anyone. To put the truth in a word, Frank Armitage was -frightened out of his wits, and these fears were by no means dissipated -when the Herculean stranger, without the least warning, grasped him by -the collar of his coat and lifted him bodily from off his feet. - -"Ha!" the man roared, in the Cantonese of the educated classes. "A -river-side thief! A junk rat! A prowler by night! Tell me, friend -weasel, have you stolen rice from on board a Canton junk, or a -night-watchman's supper?" - -"I pray you, sir," cried Frank, "put me down upon my feet again. I am -no thief, I assure you, but a peaceable citizen of Wu-chau, who goes -upon a visit to his grandfather." - -"A peaceable citizen!" roared the man, bursting into laughter. "That's -good, indeed. I would have you to know that all citizens are peaceful -when they fall into the hands of the mighty Ling." - -So if Frank were none the wiser, the reader at any rate is better -informed. Frank Armitage had never in his life, to the best of his -knowledge, heard of the mighty Ling. The reader, however, has made that -extraordinary man's acquaintance. He knows that Ling was not by any -means one who could be trifled with, and he has been given some kind of -a notion of the character and reputation of this same unmitigated -villain who was wont to call himself "the mighty Ling." - -The giant set down the boy upon his feet, planting him immediately in -front of him. - -"I have need of you," said he. "It is possible you may be able to -render me some assistance. You doubtless have not failed to observe -that the gods have made me too big to hide myself without considerable -inconvenience. It is in this regard that you can help me. If you do so -faithfully I shall reward you. If you attempt to play the fool with me, -you go into the river with a twisted neck. And now, follow, my junk -rat! Follow me!" - -At that, he grasped the boy by a wrist and, taking such tremendous -strides that Frank was obliged almost to run, dragged him along the -wharf. - - - - -CHAPTER XII--HOW MEN-CHING ESCAPED - - -Ling led the way to one of the many warehouses which were situated along -the wharf--which in China are called "go-downs." On attempting to open -the door and finding it locked, with one wrench the Chinaman tore the -hinges from the jamb and, casting the door aside, dragged Frank into a -great darkened chamber that smelt of grease or some kind of oil. There -he struck a match. - -One of the first objects that attracted his attention was a candle stuck -in the neck of a bottle, and this he at once lighted so that the place -was dimly illumined. - -The "go-down" was filled with all manner of packing-cases, casks, -barrels and bales. Picking these up, one after another, as though each -weighed but a few pounds, the great Honanese--who might have been in a -towering rage--threw them right and left, breaking many open, and -creating such a disturbance that Frank was surprised that the whole town -was not awakened. - -After a while, by means of such brutal violence, he had make a way for -himself to the farther end of the warehouse. Thither he ordered Frank -to bring the candle, and then proceeded to ascend a step-ladder that led -through a trap-door, such as one usually finds over stables, to an upper -story. - -The boy, following his captor, found himself in a kind of loft, -containing all manner of things--rope, sails, fishing-nets, straw and -sacks of millet. Here Ling, holding the candle well above his head, -carefully examined the roof. - -He very soon found what he was looking for, and, laughing aloud, ordered -Frank to come to him. Laying one of his enormous hands upon the boy's -shoulder, he suddenly burst forth into the following eulogy upon his own -abilities and prowess. - -"The mighty Ling," he declared, "is the favoured child of the gods; -swift as the kite, wise as the tortoise, strong as the tigers of Amoy. -There are few things within the attainment of mortal man that Ling -cannot accomplish. Scholar, poet, robber, soldier, merchant, -mandarin--all these am I, and more. But there is one thing, I declare -to you, that is beyond me. Guess, my little junk rat, what it is?" - -Fortunately Ling did not appear to expect an answer, for he ran on, -without giving the boy time to reply: - -"Do you see that man-hole in the roof?" he asked, pointing upward. -"Well, the sages themselves could not devise a method by which the -mighty Ling could pass through there. But you can, my monkey, and -thither you go, whether you want to or not." - -"What am I to do when I get there?" asked Frank, who could think of no -way of escaping from this truculent, swaggering monster. - -"Know you nothing," roared Ling, "of the sayings of the seers? How it -is written truly that 'Patience filleth the stomach, whereas he that -hurries to the feast falleth by the way'? Hearken unto me and ask no -questions." - -He placed the candle upon the ground and seated himself straddle-legged -across a sack, with his great legs sprawled out before him. Frank -regarded the man's face in the candlelight, and thought that he had -never seen anyone of appearance more formidable and sinister. - -His huge countenance was like a mask of some weird and evil Eastern god. -There were deep lines scored about his forehead, mouth and eyes--lines -of wrath; so that even in moments of rest he appeared to be in the -throes of an uncontrollable passion. And this expression of fierceness -and of anger was intensified by his black, glittering eyes, which seemed -to pierce whatsoever he regarded. In addition to this, Frank was -impressed by the gigantic proportions of the Honanese: his great sinewy -hands, the muscles in his neck, his thighs, each as thick as the waist -of a smaller man. - -"Listen," said he. "Listen to the description of the man who goes by -the name of Men-Ching, who is a fool who believed in his blindness that -he and his cur-dog friends could cheat the mighty Ling." - -It was as if Frank Armitage had been struck. He was so astonished at -the sudden mention of Men-Ching's name that he caught his breath in a -kind of gasp. Fortunately Ling was not looking at him at the moment. -The man had drawn a long knife of Malay design from his belt, and was -examining it fondly, feeling the sharpness of the blade with his thumb. - -"This man," said Ling, "is over sixty years of age--old in crime, but a -babe in matters of intelligence. He has a long thin beard upon his chin -and his grey queue is no larger than the tail of a rat. He wears a -faded scarlet coat, and limps with his left foot when he walks. Also, he -rubs his hands together as if he were always pleased. Pleased!" roared -Ling. "When he sets eyes upon me, the pleasure will go out of him as a -candle is blown out in the draught. But, tell me, you have listened and -will remember?" - -Frank answered that he had paid strict attention. He did not think it -incumbent upon him to advise the "mighty Ling" that he already knew -Men-Ching perfectly well. He was both amazed by the coincidence and -utterly bewildered as regards the business which these two could have in -common. He did not dream for a moment that Ling was as dangerous to -himself as the redoubtable Cheong-Chau: that he now found himself in the -presence of the man who would soon hold in his great hands the trump -cards in this colossal game of Death. - -Ling picked up the candle, and rose to his full height. - -"If I lift you up by the feet," said he, "you should be able to reach -that rafter. Thence, without difficulty, you should be able to gain the -man-hole, and so to the roof. From the roof you will obtain an -excellent view of the harbour. The moonlight should be sufficient to -enable you to see anyone who approaches. Keep your eyes open, and the -moment you see the man whom I have described let me know. I will remain -here." - -Frank had no alternative but to obey the instructions of this -extraordinary ruffian. Indeed, he was powerless as a mouse in the jaws -of a cat. He was ordered to straighten himself, to remain in a position -perfectly upright and rigid, and then he was lifted high above the man's -head until he was within easy reach of one of the rafters. Swinging -himself on to this, he gained the man-hole which had been pointed out to -him, and a moment after he found himself upon the roof. - -Thence--as Ling had predicted--he was able to look down upon the -numerous wharves and jetties along the bank of the river. The moon was -sinking low, but it was so magnified by refraction on account of the -moisture in the atmosphere that the boy was able to see quite clearly, -not only the various junks, _wupans_ and _sampans_ that lay anchored -along the shore, but also the whole extent of the _bund_ itself. - -A party of coolies was already at work, and in several places there were -signs of life on board the ships. Frank, looking down through the -man-hole through which he had passed, could see the mighty Ling, who had -taken a book from his pocket and was reading aloud by means of the -candlelight. He was reading the _Analects of Confucius_, a volume that -is admitted to contain some of the purest ethical reasoning in the -world. The man read aloud in a deep voice that sounded to Frank like a -roll of far distant thunder. He was obviously fully conscious of the -literary and philosophic beauty of the famous maxims. - -As for Frank, his thoughts were purely material. He could not think why -this singular and terrible man should be so anxious to find Men-Ching. -He knew, however, that it was essential that he himself should get into -touch with Cheong-Chau's second-in-command. Personally, he was not in -the least inclined to render assistance to Ling. But he could not deny -the fact, even to himself, that he feared the man more than he had ever -feared anyone before--even the giants and ogres of which, as a child, he -had been wont to dream. He knew that his life was at stake, that Ling -would not hesitate to kill him if, through any fault of his, Men-Ching -managed to escape. - -There could be no doubt that Men-Ching was at that moment in the town, -probably in one of the numerous opium dens which are to be found in -every Chinese city. Frank had gleaned that information, and somehow or -other Ling was equally well informed. It was also certain that some -time that morning Men-Ching would embark and proceed upon his journey to -Canton. Frank, therefore, kept a sharp look-out for the man, but it was -only fear of Ling that impelled him to do so. - -About half-an-hour before sunrise, when the first signs of daybreak were -visible in the east, Men-Ching and his companion were among the first -people to arrive upon the wharf. They went straight to a _wupan_ that -was moored at a distance of about two hundred yards from the door which -Ling had broken from its hinges. There Men-Ching called out in a loud -voice in order to awaken the owner of the boat, who was asleep under the -awning. Frank had no doubt that he had found the right man, for he -recognised his voice, and besides the light was sufficient to enable him -to identify the old man's scarlet coat. - -The boy looked down through the man-hole into the great loft below. Ling -was still reading, though the candle had almost burned out. - -"He is on the wharf," cried Frank. "He is about to go on board. The -fisherman is preparing to hoist his sail." - -On the instant, Ling closed his book and, springing to his feet, -hastened to the head of the step-ladder that led to the room below. He -did not trouble himself in the least about Frank, who was left upon the -roof. By no means content to remain an inactive spectator of what was -to follow, the boy descended rapidly to the rafter, and thence dropped -to the floor, stinging his feet severely. A few seconds later he was -swarming down the ladder, hastening after Ling, who had already gained -the _bund_. - -Men-Ching had just boarded the boat, when for the first time he caught -sight of the mighty Ling, who charged down upon him like an infuriated -tiger. Frank was in time to see the expression of absolute horror and -dismay which was stamped upon every feature of the old man's face. At -the sight of Ling, Men-Ching's jaw dropped and his eyes opened wide, and -seemed in danger of springing from his head. - -"Make haste!" he shrieked. "If I fall into that man's hands, everything -is lost!" - -With feverish hands the old man uncoiled the rope that secured the bows -of the _wupan_ to a wooden bollard. He succeeded in doing this in the -nick of time, for when he was in the very act of pushing the boat clear -of the wharf by means of a long boathook, Ling gained the shore and -snatched the boathook from his hand. - -[Illustration: "LING SNATCHED THE BOATHOOK FROM HIS HAND."] - -In the meantime Men-Ching's companion, who had accompanied him -throughout his journey from the cave, had seized an oar, with which he -propelled the boat clear of the clustered shipping. By that time the -fisherman who owned the _wupan_ had hoisted his sail, which, filling -immediately with the strong west wind, carried the boat down-stream at a -considerable velocity. - -Ling was like a raging beast. Stamping with his feet, he filled the air -with the most terrible Chinese oaths--and there is no language in the -world richer in expletives than the dialect of Southern China. The -man's rage lasted no more than a moment. Determined not to allow -Men-Ching to get out of sight, he looked about him for some method of -following in pursuit. His eyes fell immediately upon a small sailing -_sampan_, with a long oar fastened to the stern which did duty as a -rudder. - -"That will serve my purpose," he exclaimed, and then, lifting his great -voice to the full extent of his lungs, he shouted after the _wupan_. - -"Men-Ching," he cried, "you can never hope to evade me. Go north to -beyond the Great Wall, or south to Singapore, and the mighty Ling shall -follow." - -Then, turning, he beheld Frank Armitage at his elbow. - -"And you shall come with me," he roared. "There must be two of us to -manage the boat." - -He bundled the boy, neck and crop, into the _sampan_, and a few minutes -later they were flying down-stream in pursuit of the _wupan_, upon the -broad waters of the great West River that flows through the mammoth city -of Canton. - - - - -CHAPTER XIII--HOW FRANK WAS CAUGHT IN THE TOILS - - -Throughout the greater part of the morning the pursuit continued without -the _sampan_ gaining upon the larger boat. Indeed, when they had sailed -a few miles towards the east it became apparent to Ling that they were -losing ground, that the distance between the two boats was gradually -becoming greater. - -The man was infuriated. He stood at his great height in the bows of the -_sampan_ from time to time, shaking his fist at the scarlet coat of -Men-Ching, who was plainly visible upon the deck of the river-junk. -After a time, however, Ling's wrath subsided; and seating himself, he -confined his attention to the management of the sail. Frank, who was in -the stern of the boat, had received orders to steer. - -Ling shrugged his great shoulders and came out with a kind of grunt. - -"He shall not escape me," said he, talking aloud to himself. "The old -fool would be wiser to haul down the sail of the _wupan_ and throw -himself upon my mercy." - -Frank, summoning to his aid all his moral courage, decided to question -the man outright, taking the bull by the horns. - -"Why do you want this man Men-Ching?" he asked. - -Ling looked up, lifting his black eyebrows, and then chuckled. - -"Men-Ching carries upon his person certain letters," said he. "I would -have you to know that those letters are worth thousands of dollars." - -Frank Armitage was so much astonished that it was some moments before he -could recover his presence of mind. How was this man, of all people, in -possession of such information? Ling was certainly not a member of -Cheong-Chau's brigand band. It was only a week before that Men-Ching -had been entrusted with the letters--indeed, he had not been given -possession of them until immediately after they were written. The whole -thing was a mystery that Frank was in no position to solve. - -Sitting amidships in the boat, the man continued to chuckle. - -"I will find him in Canton," said he. "He is certain to go to the house -of Ah Wu. There I will find him. I will take possession of those -letters. A score of men could not prevent me. If Men-Ching hands them -over quietly all will be well. If he resists, I cannot say what will -happen." And Ling shrugged his shoulders. - -Frank was dismayed. It took him some time to realise the extreme -gravity of the situation. There was something in the aspect of the -boisterous Honanese giant, seated immediately before him, that made the -boy feel quite sure that Ling seldom failed in any enterprise he -undertook. The man was at once clever, strong and unscrupulous. He -meant to obtain those letters, and Frank felt quite sure that he would -not fail to do so. - -That brought the boy face to face with the fact that the lives of his -uncle and Mr Waldron were in the greatest danger. Ling no doubt -intended to appropriate the ransom, thus foiling Cheong-Chau. In these -circumstances, there could be but little doubt that the brigand chief, -robbed of what he already regarded as his own property, would put both -his captives to death out of sheer fiendish spite. - -Frank could not for the life of him think what course he should take. -His brain was in a whirl. In the end he decided that at any cost he -must escape from Ling the moment they arrived at Canton, where he hoped -to gain an interview with the British consul. - -Throughout the remainder of the journey the boy's thoughts ran -continuously upon the mystery in which he found himself enveloped. He -could not explain it, and after a time he gave up attempting to do so. -He neither knew who Ling was nor how the man had such intimate knowledge -of Cheong-Chau's affairs. He regretted bitterly that he had rendered -Ling such valuable assistance. He was, however, determined never to do -so again, and during the pursuit down the river he even went so far as -to hold the _sampan_ back by means of the oar with which he was supposed -to be steering. All the time he was doing so his heart was beating -rapidly, since he dared not think what would happen to him if Ling -discovered his deception. - -When they reached the great city of Canton it was still early in the -morning. Ling hauled down the sail and himself took charge of the stern -oar, by means of which he propelled the boat into the narrow creek that -separates the main part of the city from the island of Shamien. Running -into the bank alongside a sea-going junk, he ordered Frank to step -ashore. The boy did so, determined to avail himself of his first chance -to escape. In such narrow, close-packed streets as those of the great -southern city, he thought he would have many opportunities of giving -Ling the slip. He did not expect any difficulty in getting away, since -he had no reason to believe that Ling required his services any longer. - -Frank--as the saying goes--had counted his chickens before they were -hatched. They had not progressed thirty yards along one of the main -streets of the city before Frank dived down a side street, brushed past -a party of coolies, and then turned into a still smaller street to the -right. There he found a ricksha. Jumping into this, he ordered the -ricksha coolie to go ahead as fast as he could. The man had picked up -the shafts, and was about to set forward, when Frank was seized by the -scruff of the neck and lifted bodily from the seat. He was then thrown -so violently to the ground that one of his knees was cut and his elbows -badly bruised. - -Gathering himself together, he looked up, and found himself at the feet -of Ling. - -"Do you take me for a fool?" roared the man. "Why have you run away?" - -"I did not think," answered the boy, somewhat weakly, "that you needed -me any longer." - -"No more I do," said Ling. "But you know too much about me. When I -have run Men-Ching to ground, and emptied the old rascal's pockets, then -you are free to go where you like. For the present you remain with me." - -He bent down, and seizing the boy by a wrist, dragged him to his feet. -Then he set off walking briskly through the narrow streets, dragging the -boy after him like a dog on a leash and roughly thrusting aside everyone -who got in his way. - -In about ten minutes they found themselves in the neighbourhood of the -Mohammedan Mosque. Having crossed the main street that runs parallel to -the river, Ling turned into a by-street, and thence into the blind -alley, at the termination of which was Ah Wu's opium den. - -He kicked open the door with his foot and thrust the boy inside. Frank -found himself standing before the embroidered curtains that were -suspended across the entrance of the smoking-room. Ling lifted his -great voice in a kind of shout, mingling his words with triumphant -laughter. - -"Ah Wu," he cried, "give welcome to a visitor who loves you. There is -one here whom it will rejoice your heart to see. Come forth, old fox, -and greet the mighty Ling!" - -Having delivered himself thus dramatically, he flung the curtains aside, -and stepped into the opium den, dragging Frank with him. - -Ah Wu, as fat and crafty-looking as ever, stood in the centre of the -lower room in front of the stairs that led to the balcony above. - -He was holding in his hand a blue china bowl filled with _samshu_. And -so dismayed was he when he set eyes upon his gigantic guest that the -bowl fell from his hand and smashed to atoms on the floor. - -"Ling!" he gasped. - -"The same," roared Ling. "And this time I come not to debate and argue, -to exchange words with liars. I come for Men-Ching. I have reason to -believe that he is here." - -Ah Wu strove to pretend he was delighted to welcome Ling. He smiled -from ear to ear, his little eyes almost disappearing in the fat of his -face. He bowed, folding his hands in the prescribed Chinese fashion. He -even took a few steps forward, so that he was almost within reach of the -long arms of the Honanese. - -"Men-Ching," said he, still smiling, "is not here." - -And no sooner had the words left his lips than he was given a practical -and somewhat painful demonstration of the violent character of the man -with whom he had to deal. Upon the right of the entrance, adorned by -the embroidered curtains, was a lacquer table, upon which stood a heavy -china vase. Without a word of warning, Ling seized this vase by the -neck, and hurled it with all his force at the proprietor of the opium -den. The ornament must have weighed several pounds, and it struck Ah Wu -fair in the chest, with the result that he went over backwards and lay, -stretched at his full length, at the foot of the staircase. Almost a -minute elapsed before he struggled to his feet. Ling had not moved. - -"And now," he roared, "lie to me again." - -In the meantime, in spite of such extraordinary happenings, Frank had -taken in his surroundings. Ah Wu's opium den has been already -described--except that we saw it before at night, when the place was -crowded. On this occasion there was only one man asleep upon a couch in -the lower room. It was about twelve o'clock in the morning, and at this -hour, as a general rule, Chinese opium dens are empty, the smokers of -the previous evening having departed and the day's customers not having -arrived. - -Strangely enough, the vase had not broken, but in falling to the floor -it had made a considerable noise, and this was sufficient to awaken the -sleeper, who evidently suffered from a guilty conscience. The man -sprang to his feet, and rushed to the entrance, as if he intended to -escape. There, of course, he found his way barred by Ling, who lifted -one of his huge fists as if to strike the fellow. The man jumped -backward like a cat that finds itself face to face with a dog. And it -was then, once again, that Ling burst into one of his boisterous fits of -laughter. - -"And here's the flunkey!" he cried. "Here's the Hong-Kong cur-dog! Have -you also a mind to lie to me, or do you set a value on your life? I tell -you truly, I am not here to exchange words. I know what I want, and I -am come to get it. Hands up!" he shouted, seeing the man move one of -his hands to his waistbelt, under his coat, where he might have carried -a firearm. "Hands up, or I wring your neck like a duck!" - -In fear and trembling the man lifted both hands above his head. Frank -regarded him then for the first time. And it was as if the boy's heart -had suddenly ceased to beat when he recognised Yung How, his uncle's -servant. - - - - -CHAPTER XIV--HOW LING SNUFFED THE CANDLE - - -Frank had every reason to suppose that he would be recognised in spite -of his disguise. To deceive Men-Ching was one thing, but Yung How had -known the boy for years. More than ever he desired to escape. It was -clear that both Yung How and even Ah Wu himself were equally anxious to -get away from the room. All three of them, however, were caught like -rats in a trap, for Ling guarded the entrance, and it was as much as the -life of any one of them was worth to attempt to pass, either by force or -stealth. - -Ling approached Yung How, lifted the man's coat and drew a large -nickel-plated revolver from his belt. - -"I thought so," said he. "I draw the jackal's teeth." - -So saying, he thrust the revolver into his pocket. - -"And now, Ah Wu," he cried, "is Men-Ching here or not?" - -Some seconds elapsed before Ah Wu could summon sufficient courage to -answer. - -"Yes," said he at last. "He is." - -"Where?" asked Ling. - -"In the little room--asleep." - -"Asleep! He could not have arrived more than an hour ago!" - -"He was very frightened," said Ah Wu, who was now certainly speaking the -truth. "His nerves were shaken. He knew you were in pursuit. He -smoked opium to calm himself, and now he sleeps." - -"Lead the way," said Ling. "And you too," he added, addressing himself -to Yung How. "I drive you before me like a herd of pigs." - -This was indeed a very accurate description of the proceeding, for Ling -was determined that neither of the Chinese nor Frank should for a moment -get out of his sight. It was remarkable that one man should have so -much power--by which we mean will-power as well as physical force. But -undoubtedly, the most extraordinary thing about him was the unbounded -confidence he seemed to have in himself. And it was this -self-confidence, even more than his courage and great physical strength, -that made this man a master over others. - -Into the little room under the staircase he hustled the three of them. -There he locked the door and pocketed the key. Upon the only couch in -the room lay Men-Ching in his faded scarlet coat--sound asleep. - -Ling bent down and placed both hands upon the sleeper's chest. Then he -smiled, and turning slowly round, looked Ah Wu straight in the face. - -"They are here," said he. "It is the custom of the gods to reward those -who deserve to prosper." - -"What do you seek?" asked Ah Wu, upon the features of whose face was -stamped an expression of the most profound dismay. - -"The letters," said Ling. "The letters for which I have searched for -fourteen days." - -"Fourteen days ago," retorted Ah Wu, "they were not written." - -"Of that," answered the other, "I confess I know nothing, and care less. -It is sufficient for me--and for you, too--that I have found that for -which I sought." - -There was a pause. And then Yung How asked a question. - -"How did you know about these letters?" said he. - -Ling smiled again. "Do you think," he asked, "that when I found you -three rascals with heads together in this very room--do you think I did -not know that something was afoot, something into which it might be -worth my while to inquire? Do you suppose for a moment I believed your -lies? No. I watched. And I sent a spy here to smoke opium and to -pretend to sleep--a spy who listened to all you had to say, who told me -that Cheong-Chau had sent a messenger with the news that the fish had -been landed high and dry, and a promise that both Ah Wu and yourself -would have your share of the ransom as soon as it was paid. I had but -to watch the river. And when I was told that one of Cheong-Chau's men -had been seen in Sanshui, and the description of that man agreed with -Men-Ching, I should be little short of a fool if I did not guess that -Men-Ching carried with him letters demanding a ransom. And now," he -concluded, "these same letters are mine." - -He bent down, and very gently unbuttoned Men-Ching's coat. Then, -without waking the sleeper, who appeared to be heavily drugged with -opium, he tore open the lining and drew out the two letters: that of -Cheong-Chau, written in Chinese, and Sir Thomas Armitage's letter, -written in English. - -Neither of these was in an envelope, but both were sealed in the Chinese -fashion. Without a moment's hesitation Ling broke the seals, and Sir -Thomas's gold signet ring fell to the floor. He stooped and picked it -up, and then read both letters to himself. And as he read his smile -broadened, displaying his fang-like yellow teeth. - -"It is fortunate," said he, "that I can read English. It is of -advantage in this life to be a scholar. The ignorant man works in the -paddy-field wading knee-deep in the mud, but the wise man eats the -rice." Then he remained silent for some minutes, still reading to -himself. - -"I see," he remarked, "this matter has been well arranged. Cheong-Chau -threatens to take the lives of the foreigners if he does not receive a -ransom of twenty thousand dollars before the new moon. It interests me -to learn that the money must be hidden before that date in the Glade of -Children's Tears, upon the banks of the Sang River. I know the place -well. I even remember the red stone--though I admit I did not know -there was a vault beneath that stone. Certainly the matter has been -well arranged." - -During this soliloquy--for Ling had to all intents and purposes been -speaking to himself--Frank could not help regarding the countenances of -Ah Wu and Yung How. The expression upon the face of each was suggestive -of the most complete disgust. Disappointment and infinite distress were -conveyed in every feature. Ling looked at them and burst into laughter. - -"Two fools!" he cried. "Had you been wise men you had taken me into -your confidence and allowed me a share of the plunder. As it is, you -may see not a cent of it. It will be very simple for me to deliver -these letters and to keep watch upon the Glade of Children's Tears." - -His laughter had disturbed the sleeper, for Men-Ching turned over upon -his back and mumbled a few incoherent words in his sleep. Then, still -sleeping, he moved a hand to the breast of his coat, to the place where -he had carried the letters. - -Almost at once he sat bolt upright--wide awake. - -"Stolen!" he cried, his hands still clutching at his coat. "Stolen," he -repeated. - -Then he set eyes upon Ling. - -Upon his face an expression of dismay turned, as in a flash, to one of -uncontrollable anger. He sprang to his feet, at the same time drawing -from his belt a long curved knife. Though he stood upon the couch -itself, he was little taller than Ling. With a savage oath he raised -the knife above his head. And then he struck downward, straight for the -heart of the gigantic Honanese. - -The tragedy that now took place was the work of a few seconds. -Men-Ching's wrist was caught. He let out a shriek of pain as that grip -of steel tightened under such steady, inevitable pressure that the very -wrist-bone was in danger of breaking like a piece of rotted wood. Then -he was caught by the throat. He was jerked forward. Something snapped. -And then he was thrown down upon the floor--dead. It was all over in an -instant. - -Frank Armitage was horror-stricken. He had never seen anything so -terrible in all his life. And this was murder. And the man who had -committed the crime merely shrugged his shoulders. - -"Take warning," said he. "Behold the fool who tried to kill me. He who -lives by violence comes to a violent end. I had no wish to kill him; he -attempted to stab me. I have dealt with him in the same way as I would -snuff a tallow candle." - -Here Ah Wu fell into a kind of hysterical panic. Wringing his hands -together, he worked himself up to such a pitch of emotion that the tears -streamed from his eyes. - -"What is to become of me?" he cried. "This thing has happened in my -house. If the _tao-tai_ hears of it I shall be led to my execution in a -potter's yard. Woe is me that such a crime should be committed under my -roof!" - -Ling laughed. - -"You make a great fuss about nothing," said he. "Put him away till -darkness falls. Then set him up in a ricksha, place a lighted cigarette -between his lips, run him down to the river, and throw him in. Such -things have happened before in this city of Canton. You make much of -nothing. What was the old scoundrel worth? Not a snap of the finger. -And in any case he had but a few years to live." - -Ah Wu seated himself upon the couch, immediately above the body of the -murdered man. Placing his elbows upon his knees and his head between -his hands, he rocked himself from side to side. As for Frank, the whole -thing seemed to him like some terrible nightmare. He had lived in China -all his life, but he had lived in a different China--a land of comfort -and civilisation. This was a world of devilry and crime. And all this -time Yung How stood by, motionless, speechless, his face pale with -terror. - -Ling stooped down and thrust the body under the couch. - -"What is death?" he asked. "A sleep--no more. A long sleep in -which--for aught we know--the divine spirit roams the eternal heavens. -Sweeter by far the adventures of the soul than the dreams that come from -opium. A moment since he slept upon the couch, and now he sleeps -beneath it. Why grieve, old fool? Why weep? Men-Ching is already with -the spirits of his fathers." - -Taking the key from his pocket, he unlocked the door. - -"Come," said he. "We will hold converse together; there are many things -that I wish to discuss. See that the outer door is locked, that no one -is allowed to enter the house. We four will be alone." - - - - -CHAPTER XV--OF CHEONG-CHAU'S MESSENGER - - -To the reader who is unacquainted with China, the conduct of Ling may -appear to be highly improbable. In any other country in the world such -a crime might be committed, but in no other country would the criminal -not be seized with alarm. He would know that there was direct evidence -against him and, in consequence, he would be obliged either to fly for -his life or else stand his trial on a charge of murder or manslaughter, -as the case might be. - -In this regard China is unique--a country without police, in which -evidence is extremely hard to obtain, no man presuming to testify -against his neighbour. Under the old imperial regime there were no real -courts of justice beyond the summary jurisdiction exercised by the local -government official--the prefect, the _tao-tai_ or the viceroy. And so -far as we are aware, these very necessary reforms have not yet been -instituted in the modern republican China of the twentieth century. - -Ling had little or nothing to fear. Men-Ching had no relations who -might carry the tale to the viceroy's _yamen_. Both Ah Wu and Yung How -had been frightened out of their lives, and the Honanese had no -apprehensions in regard to the unfortunate boy whom he had kidnapped in -Sanshui. - -In less than a minute after this deed of violence had been accomplished, -Ling was sprawled at his great length upon one of the couches in the -outer room. There, puffing complacently at a pipe of opium, he appeared -to have dismissed the incident from his mind. He was busy making plans -for the future. Ah Wu had now sufficiently recovered his composure to -attend to the wants of his unwelcome guest. He brought Ling opium; he -lighted the spirit-lamp; he rolled opium pills in his fat little -fingers. - -To all intents and purposes, Ling had taken complete possession of the -opium den. He himself might have been the proprietor. He offered Yung -How a pipe of opium, which Yung How accepted. He ordered Frank to be -seated, and the boy had no option but to obey. Then he delivered -himself as follows, addressing himself to Ah Wu. - -"Ah Wu," said he, "I desire that you will be so good as to make a -complete confession. There are certain details connected with this -affair concerning which I am completely in the dark. For instance, who -was to go for the treasure to the Glade of Children's Tears?" - -"I was," said Ah Wu. - -"Alone?" - -"No. Yung How was to accompany me." And Ah Wu indicated his Hong-Kong -friend by a motion of the hand. "We were to hire a junk in which to -take away the money. We were to be assisted by Men-Ching and another -man." - -Ling looked across at Yung How and nodded pleasantly. - -"And so, my tame cat, your name is Yung How. A fit name for one who -washes plates and brushes a foreigner's clothes." - -"I do not wash plates," said Yung How; "that is coolies' work." - -"I beg your pardon," said Ling. "Since it is beneath your dignity to -wash plates I am sorry for you, for presently I propose to eat at Ah -Wu's expense. And you shall wash the plates which it shall be my -pleasure to use." - -Yung How made a wry face, and dropped his eyes to the ground. Frank -observed that the man muttered to himself. - -The boy was astonished that Yung How had not yet recognised him. Was it -possible that he would fail to do so? The thought seemed too good to be -true. On the other hand, it was possible that Frank had already been -recognised, that Yung How knew who he was, and had managed to conceal -his surprise. The average Chinese is quite capable of such -extraordinary self-control. The boy's train of thought was interrupted -by Ling, who took up the thread of his cross-examination. - -"And so," said he, "you, Ah Wu, and Yung How, were to go together to the -Glade of Children's Tears, having first ascertained that the -neighbourhood was safe, that the foreigners in Hong-Kong had not thought -fit to send armed men to capture you?" - -"That is so," said Ah Wu. - -"And the money was to be brought here by river?" - -Ah Wu nodded. "To Canton," said he. - -"Where Cheong-Chau would come by night, giving you your share and taking -the rest back with him to Pinglo, to divide amongst his gang?" - -Ah Wu nodded again. - -"A simple business," said Ling. "A well-laid plot that has come to -grief. Well, I am generous. My soul is of honey. I am soft of heart. -You will find me a better master than Cheong-Chau. I can be generous to -those who help me, as I know how to deal with those who declare -themselves my enemies." And he jerked a finger in the direction of the -little room beneath the stairs. - -"Do you mean," asked Yung How, "that you propose to buy our silence?" - -The man rose upon his couch like a bearded lion. - -"I mean nothing of the sort," he cried. "Go to the viceroy if you will -and tell him that you saw Ling take the life of Men-Ching in the opium -den of Ah Wu--say I murdered the man. It will be a lie, I tell you. He -attempted to stab me and I killed him in self-defence. Still you are -free to go to the _yamen_ with any tale you like, and when you have -fulfilled your errand, I tell you frankly, upon the word of a man who -holds the truth as sacred, that you shall not live for forty-eight -hours. That is the manner of man I am, and that is the way in which I -buy your silence." - -Yung How did not move a muscle of his face. - -"Then I fail to understand you," said he. - -"I will make my meaning plainer," said the other. "This afternoon I -send these letters to Hong-Kong by post, by the night boat. They will -arrive to-morrow morning. In two--or at the most three--days, the -ransom will be paid: twenty thousand dollars will be conveyed by some -means from Hong-Kong to the Glade of Children's Tears. I think no -soldiers will be sent because the Englishman in his letter has expressly -stated that such a course would not be wise." - -At that moment there came a loud, persistent rapping on the outer door, -which Ah Wu had already locked. Ling at once ceased talking, but it is -a singular fact that he was the only one of the four of them who showed -no signs of being alarmed. They sat in silence, listening for several -minutes, during which time the knocking upon the door continued. It was -Ling who was the first to speak. - -"Who is there?" he asked, addressing himself to Ah Wu. - -"I have no idea," replied Ah Wu. - -Ling got to his feet, strolled across the room, and drawing the -curtains, unbolted the door. On opening it he beheld, standing before -him upon the threshold, a man dressed in the scarlet coat of -Cheong-Chau's brigand band. - -"What do you want?" asked Ling. - -"Men-Ching," said the man. - -"And who, may I ask, is Men-Ching?" - -"He is a friend of mine." - -"He is not here," said Ling. "You can come in, if you like, and see for -yourself." - -The man entered the opium den, advancing down the centre of the room. -Frank recognised him at once: he was the man who had accompanied -Men-Ching upon his journey from the mountains. He went straight up to -Ah Wu, to whom he bowed, folding his hands in accordance with the custom -of his nation. - -"You, I believe, are Ah Wu?" he asked. "You are the landlord of this -establishment?" - -"I am," said Ah Wu. - -"I come for a friend of mine, Men-Ching by name. I think you know him. -He told me he would be here." - -"He is not here," said Ah Wu, who, palpably nervous, from time to time -glanced in the direction of Ling. - -"That is strange," said the man. "He certainly told me that I should -find him here. Can you tell me where he is?" - -Ah Wu shook his head. "I cannot say," said he. - -The man looked perplexed. He stood for a moment stroking his chin, as -if he was undecided what to do. Then Ling laid one of his great hands -upon the man's shoulder. - -"I will tell you where he is," said he. "He left here in great -haste--and unexpectedly. He has gone upon a journey--a long journey. He -did not say where he was going, for two reasons: firstly, he had no time -to tell us; secondly, I do not believe he knew. And so, my friend, we -can give you no information likely to be of value. Who are we, that we -should know all things, that we should be able to solve the riddles of -the universe? We are poor mortals, with little wisdom and great hopes. -We arrange our lives in accordance with our own ideas, and those ideas -are but guess-work, the product of imagination. We know nothing. We -live in the dark. The printed page of the book of mysteries lies open -before us, but we are blind and unable to read. Could I soar higher than -an eagle, traversing the eternal plains of space, I might be able to -tell you something of Men-Ching. As it is, I cannot." And Ling, with a -shrug of the shoulders, turned away. - -The man regarded his broad back in amazement. He could make neither -head nor tail of what he had been told. And at the same time he was in -a dilemma: he could do nothing without Men-Ching; in a great city like -Canton--with which he was not well acquainted--he had no idea where to -look for him. - -"It is of the greatest importance," said he, "that I find Men-Ching -without delay. I have news for him." - -Ling whipped round at once. - -"News," he exclaimed. "I tell you, my good man, you may be perfectly -frank with us. We are in the secret." - -"You are!" cried the man. - -"All four of us," said Ling, whose capacity for falsehood appeared to be -in proportion to his other faculties. - -The man looked in surprise from Ling to Ah Wu, from Yung How to Frank. - -"I see you doubt me," continued Ling. "Permit me to enlighten you. You -are one of Cheong-Chau's band--that is evident from your coat. You came -south with Men-Ching in order to convey certain letters to Hong-Kong. -Cheong-Chau demands a ransom of twenty thousand dollars as the price of -the lives of three European prisoners whom he holds in his hands. This -sum of money is to be conveyed by junk, before the new moon, to the -Glade of Children's Tears. It has already been arranged between my very -good friend, Cheong-Chau, and Men-Ching, that we four, accompanied by -Men-Ching himself, proceed to the Glade of Children's Tears in order to -take possession of the money. I am surprised that Men-Ching did not -inform you of all this. I presume you no longer doubt me?" - -"I cannot doubt you," said the man. "You know more of the matter than -myself. I was aware that Cheong-Chau had agents in Canton, but I was -never informed who they were. Perhaps you will be so good as to advise -me what to do." - -Ling stroked his black moustache. He appeared to be deep in thought. - -"If I were you," said he, "I should leave the matter in Men-Ching's -hands. He cannot be far away. If I were you I should return at once to -Cheong-Chau." - -"That is not necessary," said the man. - -Ling looked up quickly, lifting his eyebrows. For a moment his eyes -flashed, suggesting something of the fierce sudden intelligence of a -beast of prey that scents its quarry. - -"How do you mean?" he rapped out. - -"It is not necessary," said the man, "that I return to Cheong-Chau, for -the simple reason that Cheong-Chau himself has come to me." - -Ling closed his mouth with a snap. - -"Ah!" he exclaimed. "So Cheong-Chau is--in Canton?" - -"He approaches Canton," said the man. "That is the information that I -desired to give to Men-Ching." - -"He approaches Canton," repeated Ling. "This is indeed interesting! And -can you tell me why Cheong-Chau approaches Canton?" - -"Yes," said the man. "One of his prisoners has escaped." - -At the word Frank Armitage caught his breath. With a great effort of -will he managed to control himself. He stared hard at the opium bowl, -filled with the sticky, treacle-like substance, that was immediately in -front of him. - -The boy felt like a helpless bird, imprisoned in a cage of poisonous -snakes. He could not be blind to the peril in which he stood. Hardly a -minute passed when it was not made evident to him that his life hung -upon a thread. At any moment he might be discovered, and then, in the -hands of such a man as Ling, he could hope for little mercy. - -"What you tell me interests me vastly," said Ling, still addressing -himself to the brigand. "You have no idea how annoyed I am. And so one -of the prisoners has escaped! I think you had best return to -Cheong-Chau, taking with you a written message from my friend, Ah Wu." - -Ah Wu looked up at Ling in something like despair. The fat proprietor -of the opium den, at that moment, bitterly regretted that he had ever -had anything to do with the business. He feared Cheong-Chau, but he was -terrified of Ling. He now found himself between the hammer and the -anvil. - -"What do you wish me to do?" he asked, in a weak voice. "What sort of a -message am I to send to Cheong-Chau?" - -"Tell him the truth," said Ling. "Tell him that Men-Ching called here -this morning, and soon afterwards departed unexpectedly, in a great -hurry. Say that you presume he has gone to Hong-Kong. He told you, I -believe, that the letters were safe." - -And even as Ling said these words he placed one of his hands upon the -pocket of his coat--and they all heard the crinkling sound of the stiff -rice paper upon which the letters had been written. Both Yung How and -Frank regarded Ling in astonishment. The man was beyond doubt an -accomplished and unmitigated villain. He was never at a loss. As for -Ah Wu, very meekly he crossed the room to the writing-desk where he kept -his accounts. There he wrote a letter, handling with skill the long -Chinese ink-brush. And as he wrote Ling strolled up to him, glanced -over his shoulder, and strolled away. Then Ah Wu folded the letter and -sealed it and gave it to Cheong-Chau's man, who a few moments afterwards -left the opium den. - -No sooner was he gone than Ling bolted the door and came back quickly -into the room. - -"This," said he, "is going to be a touch-and-go affair. It will be an -open question now who gets to the Glade first: Cheong-Chau or I. You -three shall help me. I take it, you prefer to be on the winning side. I -shall need the assistance of every one of you. You will have your fair -share of the plunder, more than you would have got from Cheong-Chau--I -promise you that. But I have warned you once, and I warn you again: -play me false, and I deal with you as I dealt with Men-Ching. It is -already late in the afternoon. There is much to be done to-night. Ah -Wu, you must keep the place closed; you must put up a notice outside -saying that no customers will be admitted. Tell me, is there a back -entrance?" - -Ah Wu nodded his head. - -"Good!" exclaimed Ling. "You and I must get the body of that fool out -of the way. We shall be able to do that as soon as it is dark. As for -these two, they can remain here till we return. I care not how many men -Cheong-Chau has brought with him. I know how to settle him. The man is -an opium fiend, and by opium he shall fall. Now then, Ah Wu, are we to -be friends or foes?" - -"Friends," said Ah Wu. - -"Then swear friendship." - -And Ah Wu swore, with a hand uplifted, by the Five Sacred Books. - -And then Yung How swore fidelity to Ling, who rounded upon Frank. - -"And you, my little smooth-faced infant, whom I have truly taken to my -heart, you have not told me yet your name?" - -"Ah Li," said Frank, who for some time had been prepared for such a -question. - -"And you also swear?" - -And Frank swore, following the example of Ah Wu and Yung How, and using -the same words to be faithful to the mighty Ling. And as he made the -declaration he satisfied his conscience that he attached no more -importance to the words than did Ling to the life of the man whom he had -killed. - - - - -CHAPTER XVI--OF THE REPENTANCE OF YUNG HOW - - -Thus it was that they became the unwilling servants of Ling. They had -no option but to obey him. By reason of his gigantic strength, Ling was -the master of the situation. - -Ah Wu was as crafty as a fox. All his life he had been connected with -the opium business; and an opium den is a place where a Chinese may gain -a very intimate knowledge of his fellow-men. He learns much in -connection with human character. Whatever may have been the feelings of -Frank Armitage and Yung How, the proprietor of the opium den had not the -least doubt that in agreeing to follow Ling they had taken the wisest -course. - -During the few hours that elapsed between the departure of the brigand -and sunset, they were given a further opportunity of observing the -singular abilities of this inhuman monster. There is no doubt that the -man might have succeeded in almost any walk of life. His plans were not -only elaborate, and so carefully laid that they allowed for almost every -possible contingency, but they were made rapidly without a moment's -hesitation. - -In the course of the afternoon Ah Wu's three attendants arrived, gaining -entrance into the opium den by means of the back door. These were sent -upon various errands, from which they could not possibly return until -after dark. As soon as Ling himself had conveyed the mortal remains of -the unfortunate Men-Ching from the opium den, the place was to be open, -customers were to be admitted. These customers were to be entertained -by Yung How until Ah Wu himself returned. The establishment was to -remain open, day and night, throughout the next few days. Ling made no -secret of his intention to decoy Cheong-Chau to the opium den, where he -was to be drugged, whilst Ling gained possession of the ransom, which by -that time should have arrived from Hong-Kong. - -About the middle of the afternoon Ling went out, and was absent about -twenty minutes. This in itself is sufficient proof of the -self-confidence of the man. It was within the power of Ah Wu, Yung How, -or the youth who had called himself "Ah Li," to betray him. These three -were left alone in the opium den with the horrid evidence of Ling's -guilt. - -During his absence, Ling posted his letters. The night boat left Canton -at eight o'clock, and Ling himself took the letters on board. He -returned to the opium den, and was admitted at the back door by Ah Wu -himself. He did not seem in the least curious as to whether they had -been discussing him whilst he was away. - -Soon after nightfall, Ling and Ah Wu departed on their gruesome errand, -taking with them the body of Men-Ching. This they secreted under the -hood of a double ricksha, and Ah Wu, much to his dismay, was made to -seat himself beside a lifeless companion. As for Ling, he stripped -himself to the waist, coiled his pigtail round the top of his head, -after the manner of a coolie, and himself drew the ricksha through the -dark, narrow streets of the great city. Frank and Yung How stood at the -small back door of the opium den when Ling took his departure. They -heard the wheels rattling over the cobble-stones of the streets, and -then the ricksha disappeared in the darkness, and with it that which had -formerly been Men-Ching, Cheong-Chau's second-in-command. - -Yung How and Frank returned to the main room, where they lighted the -lamps, and shortly afterwards the three attendants returned. The -establishment was then opened, and it was not long before customers -began to arrive. Most of these were regular patrons of Ah Wu's, who -knew how to look after themselves. Having ordered what they wanted, -they disposed themselves on couches in the lower room. There they -smoked opium, drank _samshu_, and nodded off to sleep. - -Frank regarded Yung How. The man lay upon a couch; his arms were -folded; he was staring blankly in front of him, thinking possibly of -Ling and how that villain had placed himself between Yung How and a -fortune. For there could be little doubt that, under the original -arrangement, Yung How was to be treated handsomely, and the man attached -little or no value to Ling's promise. It does not necessarily follow -that one rogue will trust another. - -Frank, as he looked at the man, was busy with his thoughts. Two things -were evident to him: first, that Yung How had not recognised him and -that he was now scarcely likely to do so; second, that he might be -persuaded to operate against Ling--provided he could do so without great -personal risk. - -Now in order not to overestimate the boldness of the step which Frank -Armitage then and there proposed to take, it is necessary to realise -that the boy could see no other way out of his difficulties, to remember -that not only his own life but the lives of Mr Waldron and his uncle -depended upon his success, and to remember also that he stood in no fear -of Yung How, whom he had known since he was a child. - -It was above all things necessary for Frank to communicate with -Hong-Kong if he could not go there himself. The moment Ling left the -opium den it occurred to Frank that he might write a letter. He could -not, however, do this without being observed by Yung How, who had -received strict orders from Ling not to allow the boy out of his sight -for a single moment. Frank therefore decided to play a bold card; but -he would never have taken a step so hazardous had he not had something -more than an inkling that he was likely to meet with success. He -crossed the room to the couch upon which Yung How was lying, and asked -the man if he would be so good as to accompany him to the balcony at the -head of the stairs. - -"I have something of the greatest importance to say to you," said he. -"It may be to your advantage as well as mine." - -Yung How looked at him in surprise, then got to his feet, and walked -slowly up the stairs, followed by Frank. - -They seated themselves, side by side, upon a couch in a darkened corner. -Now that Frank found himself confronted by the greatest crisis in all -his strange adventures, he hesitated to begin. Several minutes elapsed -before he could speak, and he did not do so then without a word of -encouragement. - -"Well?" asked Yung How. - -"I am surprised, Yung How," said Frank, "that you have not recognised -me." - -Yung How knitted his brows, and drawing away from the boy, turned and -stared at him. Frank Armitage did not move. - -"I should have thought," he added, "you would have known me." - -Yung How's voice came in a kind of gasp. - -"Master Frank!" he exclaimed. - -The boy smiled. It was as much as he could do, but he managed it -somehow, knowing full well that everything depended upon his presence of -mind. He had learned something from Ling. - -"Are you blind, Yung How?" he asked. - -"I did not know you," said the man, who had not yet recovered from his -astonishment. "The shaven head! The pigtail! Your clothes! Besides, -you are the last person I expected to see. I thought you hundreds of -miles away." - -"So I was," said Frank. "I escaped." - -"Ah! It was you who escaped! I did not think of that." Then he -lowered his voice. "But why have you told me?" - -"Because, Yung How, though you have behaved like a rascal, I cannot -believe you to be such a villain that you would allow my uncle, who has -been a good master to you for years, to be murdered." - -Yung How was silent for more than a minute. - -"That is true," said he; "that is very true." - -"I suppose you realise," Frank went on, "that if I remain here, Ling may -gain possession of the ransom, and in that case both my uncle and Mr -Waldron will be killed. You know also that, if you betray me to Ling, I -shall be killed. Do you remember, Yung How, when I was a little boy who -had only just learned to walk, you used to take me up to the top of the -Peak, and we would walk upon the asphalt paths, and you would tell me -Chinese fairy tales? I remember them to this day. Then, it was you who -taught me to speak your language. Do you remember when the plague came -to Hong-Kong, and people were dying in the streets? Have you forgotten -that you too fell ill, and my uncle himself carried you in his arms and -sent you in a chair to the hospital? Have you forgotten that?" - -The face of Yung How had grown very serious. Slowly he shook his head. - -"My master," said he, "I have not forgotten." - -"You had the plague," said Frank, "and my uncle took you in his arms. In -doing so, he risked his life to save yours." - -"That is true," said the Chinaman, who sat quite still and rigid, -staring straight in front of him. - -"Is there no gratitude," said Frank, "in all the Chinese race?" - -There was again a long pause; and then Yung How quite suddenly fell down -upon his knees. Clenching both his fists, he raised them high above his -head, shaking them violently, as if he suffered anguish. - -"Oh, how blind am I!" he cried. "Opium has done this. Opium, my young -master, has brought me here. You smoke a little and it is good; your -troubles vanish, your pains are no more, your dreams are sweet. Then -you must take more, until, at last, you smoke all night, in order to -forget the troubles of this world. And all that costs money. There -comes a time when even ten dollars will not secure the treasures, the -delights of opium. The craving was strong upon me, and all my money had -gone, when I heard that my master was about to undertake a journey to -the Nan-ling Mountains. I knew that I could get into communication with -Cheong-Chau through Ah Wu. I knew also that Cheong-Chau would give me a -good share of the ransom. I thought there would be no harm in it. I -was assured that no one should suffer death. And now I am filled with -remorse when I think of what has happened, when I think of this man, -Ling, and realise that the lives of us all hang upon a thread. I have -had my fill of opium. I want no more of it. Believe me, my young -master, I am prostrate with grief!" - -It was fortunate that there was no one else on the balcony, for not only -was Yung How's emotion great, but he had raised his voice, and had there -been anyone near at hand, he must have been overheard. Frank realised, -with a sense of relief, that he had nothing to fear from the man, that -Yung How would not betray him. He saw also that Yung How must master -himself before Ling returned. The boy stretched forth a hand and -touched the Chinese upon the chest. - -"Listen, Yung How," said he, "you need not despair. With your help, I -believe, we can not only escape ourselves but save my uncle and Mr -Waldron. Ling watches me. Without your help I can do nothing. But you -have friends in Canton; it should be possible for you to get a message -through to Hong-Kong. To-morrow morning Cheong-Chau's letter will be -delivered to the Governor. The ransom will be paid, but Ling will get -hold of it if troops are not sent down to capture him. This message -should go to Hong-Kong to-night. The boat leaves at eight o'clock. It -is now half-past seven." - -Yung How sprang to his feet. - -"We have delayed matters too long," he cried. "Why should not we two -escape at once without wasting a moment?" - -Frank grasped the man's hand and pressed it. "I promise you my uncle -will forgive you. More than that, on his behalf, I promise you a -reward." - -"That is not necessary," said Yung How. "I am disgraced; you have made -me realise my own baseness. I should like you to see that a Chinaman -can be an honest man. But, I repeat, we do but waste time in words. We -must go together and we must go now--at once--if we are to catch the -boat!" - -Even as he continued speaking, he moved forward rapidly, followed by -Frank. They passed hastily down the stairs, and thence, passing the -little room in which Men-Ching had been done to death, they went to the -back door, with the object of letting themselves out. - -As Frank Armitage stretched forth a hand to take hold of the handle, the -door swung back, as on its own accord. And there entered Ling, who had -to stoop in order that his gigantic form might pass beneath the lintel. - -"And so," cried Ling, "we have returned. Men-Ching sleeps with his -fathers. As the West River flows eastward to the sea, the waters sing a -song of sleep to the celestial graves on either bank. Opium, Ah Wu! -Give me opium to smoke, for like the long-tailed horse of a Manchu -warrior, the mighty Ling scents battle from afar." - - - - -CHAPTER XVII--HOW LING WAS TOO LATE - - -It was, with Ling, something in the nature of a pose to speak after the -fashion of the scholars, using the flowery language of the writers of -poesy, or quoting the philosophical maxims of the sages. None the less, -the moment he entered the opium den, though he spoke of other things, it -was apparent both to Frank Armitage and Yung How that Ling had detected -the fact that they were about to make their escape. - -In his customary boisterous manner, the great Honanese ushered them into -the room. Ascending the stairs, he sprawled at full length upon the -couch upon which Frank had been seated but a few moments before, when -Yung How made his confession. - -"At last," said Ling, "Cheong-Chau and myself are to meet. He knows me -of old. This will not be the first time that I have snatched the ripe -fruit from his mouth. Cheong-Chau has no cause to love me. I have -heard it said that he regards me as his deadly enemy, the only man who -ever foiled him." - -He puffed at the opium pipe which Ah Wu had brought him. The amount of -the drug that the man consumed was extraordinary, and moreover, it -seemed to have very little effect upon either his physical or mental -constitution. As he sent thin clouds of blue smoke upward to the -ceiling, in the close, stifling atmosphere of the room, he half closed -his eyes, and appeared to be lost in his thoughts. - -"Well," said he, "I have no fear of Cheong-Chau and all his rascals. I -shall win. There is little doubt as to that. The wolf cannot stand -before the tiger. Therefore you would be wise to side with me. If the -wolf shows his teeth, he goes the way of Men-Ching. And thither go all -who oppose me. For your own guidance, I advise you to remember this." - -He opened his eyes and fixed them upon Yung How, who stood at hand. Yung -How did not flinch. He was as calm and dignified as usual. Indeed, for -a few moments only had Frank seen him otherwise, and then he had -appeared absolutely carried away by anguish and remorse. It occurred to -Frank how strange it was that a man who, as a general rule, was -outwardly so calm and collected should be capable of such deep-seated -and demonstrative emotion. However, the Chinese are an inexplicable -race, as Frank knew well enough. He regarded Yung How, and was -delighted to observe that the man never faltered in his honest -resolution before the steady, piercing gaze of the implacable Honanese. - -"I desire to know," said Ling, "where you two were going as I chanced to -enter." - -Yung How did not answer a word. He continued to look Ling straight in -the face. - -"Very well," said Ling, "you need not tell me. I have a shrewd -suspicion that you were up to no good. I shall take the necessary -precautions and ask you, for the sake of your own welfare, to remember -my warning." - -He disposed himself as if for sleep, throwing back his head upon the -pillow. Ah Wu busied himself about the establishment, entertaining his -guests, of whom there were now many, and seeing that his assistants went -about their duties. As for Frank and Yung How, they lay down upon -couches on the balcony, the former because he was thoroughly tired, and -felt that he required a rest. - -Suddenly Ling sat up, and cried out that he was hungry. Shouting down -into the room below, he ordered one of Ah Wu's men to bring him food, -and then turned to Yung How. - -"And you shall wait on me," he declared. "I have heard it said that you -have a great reputation in Hong-Kong, that you squeeze even ricksha -coolies for copper cash and make more money than a comprador. You shall -attend to my wants; and when I have eaten all that I desire, you -shall--as I promised you--wash up the bowls and plates." - -Presently one of Ah Wu's assistants mounted the staircase, carrying in -his hands a large tray upon which was a number of Chinese dishes. The -tray was set down upon a small table at which Yung How was ordered to -preside, handing the mighty Ling whatever dish he might call for. - -Now Yung How had made up his mind to escape, and even as he waited upon -Ling he took careful stock of his surroundings. He knew that he could -not rely upon any help from Ah Wu, who was now hand and glove with the -Honanese. He had noticed that Ah Wu had locked the back door, putting -the key in one of his pockets. There was a clock in the room, towards -which Yung How repeatedly carried his eyes. It was twenty minutes to -eight. Yung How had, indeed, very little time if he was to make good -his escape and catch the Hong-Kong boat. He could not very well cross -the room, and go out by the main entrance, because Ling would certainly -see him and follow in pursuit. The man was beginning to despair when he -observed a window at the farther end of the balcony. - -This window was closed, but it might be possible to open it. Also, -since the floor of the lower room was somewhat below the level of the -street, the window could not be far from the ground. The difficulty -that confronted Yung How was how to reach the window without arousing -the suspicions of Ling. - -Now Yung How, like the majority of his countrymen, was by no means -devoid of inventive powers. The Chinaman is an adept at finding an -excuse, and it must be confessed that the device of Yung How was -ingenious. - -In handing a small bowl of rice to Ling, the man purposely knocked over -the small opium spirit-lamp which stood burning upon the table by the -side of the couch upon which Ling was lying. This nearly resulted in a -general conflagration that might have destroyed the whole establishment. -The oil ran out, and set fire to the dry matting with which the floors -were carpeted; and this burned like tinder-wood, the fire running with -rapidity along the balcony and filling the whole place with smoke. - -Ling, springing to his feet, utilised one of the cushions of the couch -to smother the fire. Frank was not slow to follow his example, and Ah -Wu and several men from the lower room, hastening up the steps, resorted -to various means to quench the fire, or at least to hold it in check. - -For the best part of a minute the whole place was uproar and confusion. -Those who were already asleep from the effects of opium were awakened by -cries of "Fire!" One or two in alarm left the establishment by the main -entrance, spreading the report in the city that Ah Wu's opium den had -actually been burned to the ground. - -Long before that Yung How had made the most of his opportunity. At the -moment when the danger was most imminent, when the attention of both -Ling and Ah Wu was fully engaged, the man passed unseen to the window, -which he opened. Leaning over the sill and looking down, he satisfied -himself that it was not more than twelve feet to the ground. As quick -as thought he crawled through, hung for a moment at the full extent of -his arms, and then dropped to the street. Instantly he set off running -as fast as he could in the direction of Shamien. - -When the fire was extinguished, Ling gave vent to his feelings, cursing -Yung How for his carelessness and folly. However, he had not unburdened -himself of more than a few sentences when, to his astonishment and -indescribable wrath, he discovered that Yung How was gone. Seeing the -opened window, he rushed to it, and looked out. Beyond there was nothing -but darkness, an unlighted by-street, not more than two or three yards -in width. - -Ling descended the stairs like an infuriated tiger. Quite suddenly he -came to a halt in the middle of the room. Thence he returned up the -staircase, four steps at a time, at the top of which he encountered -Frank. He seized the boy by the throat, and then, lifting him off his -feet, tucked him under an arm, as a man might carry a hen. - -He again descended the stairs, unlocked the door of the little room, -threw the boy inside, and locked the door upon him. A moment later, he -was in the street, rushing forward at such a tempestuous rate that he -cleared all obstructions from his path. He thrust an empty ricksha -aside with such violence that he broke the shafts. He knocked over -three men: a fat old merchant, a beggar, and a blind man. He killed a -duck by crushing it underfoot, and finding his way barred by a pig, he -picked it up and threw it over a wall, the animal squealing in terror. - -Gaining the narrow creek that separates Shamien from the main part of -the city, Ling dashed across the bridge of boats. That night the few -Europeans who were walking along the _bund_ in front of the hotel and -the club beheld the remarkable apparition of a Chinese giant who charged -forward like a madman, his long pigtail flying out behind him, making in -the direction of the harbour. - -On a sudden, Ling stopped dead. His headlong course had been arrested -by a peculiar sound, or rather combination of sounds, the explanation of -which was not difficult to seek. There was the shrill whistle of a -siren and the sound of large paddles violently thrashing the water. - -Almost at once, the Hong-Kong boat hove in sight. The decks were ablaze -with light. Upon the bridge, Ling could distinguish both the Chinese -pilot and the English captain. - -"Hi!" he shouted. "I have missed the ship. If you slow down and lower -a rope I can come on board from a _sampan_." - -He spoke in excellent English. There is no doubt that the captain both -heard and understood him, for Ling received his answer. - -"Too late, my friend!" shouted the captain. "We sail to time, and if -you're not here it's your own fault. You'll have to wait till -to-morrow--eight o'clock in the morning." - -Ling's answer was neither in the English language nor at the top of his -voice. It was in Cantonese, and as a matter of fact it cannot be -translated. And if it could be translated, no one would print it. For -Ling had not failed to observe Yung How, standing alone upon the upper -deck. - - - - -CHAPTER XVIII--OF THE SPIDER AND THE WEB - - -When Frank was thrown into the little room beneath the stairs, and heard -the key turn upon him, he at first believed himself to be in utter -darkness. But very soon his eyes became accustomed to the dim light -that emanated from several cracks in the woodwork. - -These cracks were in the stairs that led from the lower room to the -balcony. The opium den was, of course, well illumined by several -paraffin lamps. The little room in which Frank was imprisoned extended -from the foot of the staircase to the back wall, the staircase itself -forming the ceiling, which was in consequence only about three feet high -at one end of the room, and about twelve feet high at the other. Now it -so happened that the largest crack was at the lower end of the room, and -Frank Armitage was not slow to discover that, by placing his eye to -this, he could see quite easily into the opium den. - -When he looked into the outer room he was able to observe several opium -smokers, and Ah Wu himself, who was seated at his desk at the doorway. -There was, however, no sign of Ling, and Frank rightly concluded that -the Honanese must have left the establishment in pursuit of Yung How. - -There could be no doubt upon this point; for not only could the boy see, -but he was able to hear quite distinctly, the woodwork of which the -small room was constructed being extraordinarily thin. If Ling had been -either upon the balcony or in the lower room Frank must have heard him; -for the man seldom spoke without raising his voice to such a pitch that -he might have been giving a word of command to a regiment of cavalry. - -Fully an hour elapsed before the Honanese returned. He was then in a -towering rage. He called for Ah Wu, who chanced to be absent in the -kitchen. Frank heard Ling inform the proprietor of the opium den that -Yung How had escaped on the Hong-Kong boat. Both men then repaired to -Ah Wu's private apartments, where they remained for the greater part of -the night, Ah Wu occasionally looking in upon the opium den to see that -his business prospered. - -Until about eleven o'clock the following morning, Frank Armitage was -left to his thoughts; and these were none of the pleasantest. He was -suffering considerable discomfort. It was a long time since he had had -any food; and the great heat and stifling atmosphere of the opium den, -together with the pungent smell of the smoke, had served to make him so -thirsty that his lips were dry and his tongue clave to the roof of his -mouth. He regretted bitterly that he had not been able to escape with -Yung How. He felt that he could not stand the extreme suspense of his -situation much longer. It seemed to him inevitable that before long -Ling would discover who he was. - -This was all the more probable, since--according to Ling--Cheong-Chau -himself was coming to the opium den. The brigand would be far more -likely than anyone else to recognise Frank--because he knew which of his -prisoners had escaped, and had evidently come south in order to hunt for -the fugitive. - -Frank was seized with a great dread that Cheong-Chau had already made -away with his other prisoners, that he had murdered both Sir Thomas -Armitage and Mr Waldron. There was a possibility, on the other hand, -that he had brought his captives with him, which he might have done -quite easily on board a river-junk. Knowing full well that he could not -hope to obtain the ransom if Sir Thomas and Mr Waldron were known to be -dead, he may have decided to send further evidence to Hong-Kong to the -effect that his hostages were still alive. On thinking the matter over, -Frank was inclined to the belief that this was what had actually -happened. - -There was another aspect of the business which demanded consideration. -It was now Cheong-Chau's intention to go himself to the Glade of -Children's Tears, in order to procure the money as soon as it arrived. -This, as we know, was a privilege that the mighty Ling had chosen to -reserve for himself; and so a meeting between these two redoubtable -villains was sooner or later inevitable. Cheong-Chau would have upon -his side the advantage of numbers. Ling, on the other hand, was in -possession of the more accurate information: he knew Cheong-Chau's -whereabouts and his intentions, whilst Cheong-Chau knew nothing about -him; he knew also that Yung How had escaped to Hong-Kong and that -intervention by the British was by no means improbable--a circumstance -of which the brigand chieftain remained in ignorance. - -That night Frank endeavoured to work out every possible contingency, -until his brain grew dizzy with thinking. At last, dead tired, feeling -sick with suspense, hunger and thirst, with such a splitting headache -resulting from the foul atmosphere of the den that he could hardly open -his eyes, he flung himself down upon the couch and almost at once fell -fast asleep. - -In the boy's last waking thoughts he found some degree of comfort. He -had come to realise that he himself could do nothing. He was at the -mercy of fate, in the hands of Providence--just as helpless as a wisp of -straw carried down-stream upon the current of a river. So far as his -own safety was concerned, he had come to such a pass that it might -almost be said that he no longer regarded it. To himself it did not -seem a matter of supreme importance whether he lived or died. He had -not given up hope, but physical exhaustion and mental strain had done -their work. - -During the earlier hours of the night his sleep was disturbed and -restless. He was conscious all the time of the voices of men talking in -the outer room, and these voices were in some way mingled with his -dreams, which were nothing but a series of nightmares, in which the -sinister figure of the colossal Ling was ever present--Ling with his -great hands and brute strength, his long glistening pigtail, his evil, -snake-like eyes, his rude jokes, his loud laughter, and the -half-mocking, half-serious manner in which he quoted from the writings -of the great Chinese philosophers. But, given a fair chance, a sane, -healthy and youthful constitution will in the end triumph over both -mental and bodily disorders, and towards the small hours of the morning -the boy fell into a heavy, dreamless sleep, from which he was not -awakened until Ling unlocked the door of the little room about eleven -o'clock in the morning. - -The Honanese regarded his captive for some moments without speaking. - -"You have slept well?" he asked. - -"I have slept well," said Frank. - -"They say," said Ling, "that sound sleep is a sign of a pure conscience. -I myself am in the habit of sleeping like a child. And yet," he added, -in a doubtful voice, "I am half of opinion that I ought to put you out -of the world." - -"You are free to do as you wish," said Frank. - -"I thank you," said Ling. "I am aware of it." - -"At the same time," said the other, "I beg to remind you that I am not -here of my own free will. I did not ask to accompany you; you can -scarcely say that I intruded. You kidnapped me and demanded that I -should assist you. I did so to the best of my ability. I confess I had -no other alternative. That does not alter the fact that had you left me -to mind my own affairs I should not have interfered with you. You told -me a great deal about yourself. I did not ask you to. You brought me -here, where in my presence you committed a crime----" - -"No, no," Ling interposed. "You do me a great injustice. I have -committed no crime. I did but defend my life. I usually do so with -success." - -"Have it your own way," said Frank, who now--for some reason or -other--felt bolder in the man's presence that he had ever felt before. -"It is not a matter that concerns me. A few days ago I had neither seen -nor heard of you. It was a misfortune for me that I encountered you -that morning upon the wharf at Sanshui. You have no right to detain me. -I have no valuables upon me, but a few copper _cash_. If you want them -you can take them. You are welcome to what I have. I ask but one -thing: to be allowed to go free, to go about my own affairs." - -"That is well spoken," said Ling. "I admit I am fond of you. I think I -have told you already that I have admitted you into the innermost -chamber of my heart. Had I a son, I would that he were such as you. I -would bring him up in the way that he should go. I would not entrust -his education to the _literati_ of China. I would teach him myself." - -"To be a robber?" asked Frank. - -"Robbery," said Ling, "is a profession. I think that education should -be regarded merely as a groundwork, a kind of foundation upon which to -build. A man should be left to discover his own talents. His natural -inclinations will not lead him astray. One man will make a good priest, -another a good pirate. An excellent _scroff_ may make a fool of himself -as a schoolmaster. You cannot grow mangoes upon a cherry-tree, neither -will a river fish live in the salt water. I would teach you, my son, -the divine philosophies of China; I would instruct you in astronomy, -music and mathematics. Then, when you were grown up, you would be able -to fend for yourself. It would be all one to me whether you were a -government prefect, a mandarin of the Red Button, or a brigand like -Cheong-Chau, whom I hope to meet this evening." - -"I see," said Frank, "that you would confer many favours upon my humble -self. I ask but one small boon--to be allowed to go away from this -place where you have thought fit to imprison me." - -"And that is the one request," said Ling, "that I am unable to grant. It -so happens that I want you." - -"Why?" - -"Our friend, Ah Wu, has gone away. He has gone upon a visit to -Cheong-Chau. Cheong-Chau and he are old friends; they are brother pigs, -who have eaten many a time from the same trough. Ah Wu will bring -Cheong-Chau here. Cheong-Chau is a great opium smoker, and, as all -Canton is well aware, no better opium can be obtained in the city than -that which is sold by Ah Wu. So Cheong-Chau will come." - -"And what has this to do with me?' asked Frank. - -"It has a great deal to do with you," said the other, "for, in the -meantime, I am left in charge of this establishment; hence, for the -second time, I need your assistance. Cheong-Chau knows me very well by -sight. He would not remain in this place two seconds if he saw me when -he entered. Therefore, once again, I must hide." - -"Where?" asked Frank. - -"There is a small storeroom between the curtains and the outer door. -There I shall be. Thence I shall be able to see everyone who enters or -who leaves. There will be no other way of exit, for the back door will -be locked and I shall have the key. When Cheong-Chau enters you are to -attend to his wants. When he asks for opium to smoke, you are to take -it to him; but you are to come to me for it, and the opium which I will -give you will be drugged. That is all you have to do. It will be very -simple. You cannot hope to escape, for I myself guard the outer door, -and I shall be armed with the revolver that I took from Yung How. I -need hardly tell you that, if necessity arises, I shall shoot." - -Frank realised at once that this plan of Ling's involved the utmost -peril for himself. It was probable that Cheong-Chau, when he came, -would recognise the fugitive. What the result of this would be, Frank -dared not imagine. On the other hand, he saw no way of escaping from -Ling. It was as if the boy was no more than a fly which had been caught -in the meshes of the huge net woven by this implacable and terrible -spider. - -Throughout the whole of that day, he was kept busily employed in the -opium den, brushing the couches, sweeping the floor and cleaning the -spirit-lamps. He was given food to eat, and plenty of green tea to -drink, which had the effect of getting rid of his headache. And all the -time he was working he endeavoured to collect his thoughts; he tried to -think of some definite plan of action. But rack his brain as he might, -he could see no way out of his difficulties. He could think of no means -of staving off the calamity which was impending. - -During the afternoon the den began to fill. Customers continually -dropped in, some to smoke opium, others to purchase it and take it away. -At nightfall, there was about a dozen people in the place, and when the -clock which was suspended upon the railings of the balcony struck the -hour of ten, the voice of Ah Wu was heard without the main entrance. -Immediately afterwards, the fat proprietor entered, accompanied by -Cheong-Chau, the brigand chief. - - - - -CHAPTER XIX--HOW LING READ CONFUCIUS - - -Frank, who feared instinctively that the worst would happen, retreated -hastily to the other end of the room. There he busied himself with -vigorously sweeping the floor, until he was summoned by Ah Wu to attend -to the wants of the new-comer. - -The boy's heart was beating violently. It was as much as he could do to -lift his eyes from the ground to meet those of the redoubtable brigand -from whose clutches he had so recently escaped; and when at last he did -so, he was more than ever dismayed to perceive that Cheong-Chau was -attended by three of his ruffians, whom Frank knew well by sight. - -As in a flash, the boy reviewed the circumstances of the predicament in -which he found himself. He saw no hope that he could avoid detection. -Even if Cheong-Chau himself failed to recognise the fugitive--a very -unlikely contingency--one of the other three would be almost sure to do -so. It must be remembered that the boy had not disguised his features. -His identity was but thinly veiled by the Chinese clothes he was -wearing--which had been given him by the tea-grower--the false pigtail -and the shaven forepart of his head. He could not believe for a moment -that Cheong-Chau would fail to know him. - -In his extreme anxiety, it did not occur to the boy that Yung How, who -knew him a great deal better than any of the brigands, had been quite -deceived, that Frank had been obliged to declare his identity to the man -who had known him since childhood. For all that, even if the boy had -had either the presence of mind or the inclination to take stock of his -chances of success, he could not have overlooked a very important fact: -that Cheong-Chau was looking for him, whereas Yung How, on the other -hand, had never suspected for an instant that he had escaped. - -Cheong-Chau and his men had come south in pursuit of the fugitive. The -man had been enticed into the opium den by Ah Wu, whom he still believed -to be his colleague. Here Cheong-Chau was to be drugged by order of the -subtle and relentless villain who even then lay in hiding--like a great -cat crouching by the side of a mouse-hole--behind the embroidered -curtains. And now Cheong-Chau was to find himself, suddenly and -unexpectedly, confronted by the very fugitive whom he had pursued for -days. - -Frank, cold with fear, certain of disaster, and dreading that he would -be mercilessly put to death, looked Cheong-Chau in the face. The varied -sensations he experienced were akin to what those must be of a condemned -man upon the scaffold. He did but wait for the terminating blow to -fall. - -He could not look at Cheong-Chau for more than an instant. He turned -and regarded Ah Wu, who was standing on the other side of him. Ah Wu -was smiling in his oily, plausible manner. He looked the complete host, -affability itself, and all the time he was planning the discomfiture of -his guest. A fat, genuine rogue! - -"Ah Li," said he, addressing Frank, "you will attend to the wants of our -distinguished guest. Conduct Cheong-Chau and his friends to the more -comfortable couches upstairs, smooth the pillows, place a spirit-lamp -upon each table, and then hasten to the storeroom and procure the best -quality opium. Cheong-Chau would smoke the Indian variety, that which -comes from Calcutta, than which there is no finer opium in the world." - -Frank turned, and departed up the staircase. Indeed, he was devoutly -thankful to get away. At the top of the steps he paused, and stood for -a moment trying to think, with his back turned to the room. - -Nothing had happened--nothing at all. Cheong-Chau had not spoken. None -of his men had said a word. The boy was still unrecognised. It was too -good to be true. It was all like a dream. - -Pulling himself together, Frank carried out his orders, thinking all the -time that the remarkable chain of circumstances which had carried him -against his will and inclination from one adventure to another was -something altogether foreign to his former experiences. Life, instead -of a pleasant and somewhat homely occupation, had become a kind of -romantic nightmare. It was hard not to believe that presently he would -awaken to find that Cheong-Chau, Ah Wu and Ling himself were phantasms, -hallucinations, that would vanish at the moment of waking, their -sinister and evil personalities fading away, in the boy's memory, like -smoke upon the air. - -He could scarce believe that a few minutes' calm reasoning would not -instantly dissipate the reality of these strange and terrible people, -the remarkable events dependent upon the thoughts and actions of a -ruffian like Ling. Everything was all the more unreal to Frank because -he appeared to exist, to continue to undergo such singular experiences, -only by virtue of a series of miracles. The unexpected always happened. - -It was also inconceivable to the boy that he himself, the nephew of one -of the most distinguished government officials in Hong-Kong, a man of -almost world-wide reputation as a lawyer, should find himself a coolie -attendant in a Canton opium den, in which he conversed, in terms of -intimate acquaintance, with Chinese thieves, brigands, swindlers and -cut-throats. And yet he was not dreaming: he was conscious of a -headache; both his knees and elbows had been badly bruised; and besides, -Yung How, who had once been wont to take a small five-year-old boy for -walks upon the level paths on the crest of the Peak, had known him, had -fallen upon his knees before him, and had wept tears of repentance. - -Whilst the boy was busy with these thoughts, he was carrying out his -duties. He had arranged the couches, lighted the spirit-lamps, and seen -that there was one of Ah Wu's best carved ivory opium pipes upon each -lacquer table. - -By that time Cheong-Chau and his three companions, attended by the -officious Ah Wu, had ascended the stairs. Cheong-Chau's eyes glistened -at the thought of the treat in store for him; while his men--rough -Chinese of the very lowest class--stared about them in awed amazement at -the carved wood, the rich draperies, the gilded lacquer that adorned Ah -Wu's premises. Doubtless they had never before found themselves in such -a high-class establishment. They had been wont to smoke their opium in -the foul and verminous dens of the provincial town of Pinglo. Possibly -they had never before beheld the miraculous city of Canton. - -Frank observed all this, and knew that he could find here the reason why -he had not been recognised. The men were too much impressed by their -surroundings to take note of details. Place a beggar in a palace, and -he will most likely fail to notice the pattern of the carpet upon which -he stands, even though he stare in his embarrassment at nothing else. - -Cheong-Chau stretched himself upon the couch immediately facing the -stair-head. His three followers similarly disposed themselves upon his -left, the one at the end reclining under the window through which Yung -How had escaped. - -Ah Wu rubbed his hands together and addressed himself to the brigand. - -"They tell me," said he, "that one of your prisoners has cut off?" - -"That is so," said Cheong-Chau, with an oath. "The fools of sentries -let him through. He got away in the night. I and ten men started at -daybreak, bringing with us the two other captives, but so far we have -failed to find the culprit." - -Frank, standing near at hand, listened intently to every word. The boy -had placed himself against the wall, a little behind Cheong-Chau, so -that the man would have to turn to look at him. - -"Can he have reached Hong-Kong, do you think?" asked Ah Wu. - -Cheong-Chau shrugged his shoulders. - -"I think not," said he. "He has barely had time. But who can say?" - -"And you have brought your other captives with you?" - -"That was necessary," said Cheong-Chau. "I had to keep them under my -eye. I cannot trust my men. They allow hostages to escape." - -"Did you not find them very much in the way?" asked Ah Wu. - -"Not in the least. We came down in one of my own sea-going junks. We -are now anchored in the Sang River, about two miles from the Glade of -Children's Tears. Still, I am not here to give information but to -receive it. What news have you of Men-Ching?" - -"He left here yesterday morning," answered the other, without moving a -muscle of his face. - -"Did he not say where he was going?" - -"Not a word." - -"Strange," said Cheong-Chau. "A surprising circumstance! He knew well -enough that you were in our confidence. He ought to have spoken openly -to you." - -Ah Wu laughed. - -"Of course," said he. "Why, it was I myself who arranged the whole -matter." - -"And what of the other man, Yung How, the Hong-Kong servant?" - -"He also is gone." - -Cheong-Chau was silent a moment. - -"We must suppose," said he, "that Men-Ching has gone on to Hong-Kong -with the letters. We may therefore presume that the letters have -already reached their destination. The money may arrive at the Glade -to-morrow. As for Yung How, I do not know the man. But if he -contemplates treachery, it will go ill with him. And now, Ah Wu, my -opium. I would smoke." - -Ah Wu turned to the boy and ordered him to bring four bowls of Indian -opium from the storeroom. Frank descended the stairs, passed down the -length of the lower room, drew back the embroidered curtains and entered -the storeroom, where he found Ling seated upon a stool. It was one of -those high stools upon which Chinese of the merchant class are wont to -do their accounts, similar to the old-fashioned clerks' stools sometimes -seen in offices in England. When seated upon one of these, the average -man rests his feet upon a cross-piece, several inches from the ground. -Ling, however, sat with one foot upon the floor and the other leg -crossed upon his knee. - -When the boy entered, Ling was reading, but he at once looked up from -his book. - -"The writings of Confucius," said he, "assure me that the perfect life -cannot be attained by any man. Troubles, disappointment, sorrows and -failure are bound to accompany us wherever we go. Divine philosophy -instructs us to accept our destiny with grace. The coat of every man is -patched; there are cracks in the armour upon which he depends to defend -himself from the arrows of adversity. He who thinks himself infallible -falls the most heavily; the conceited man lays the trap by which he -himself is caught; his own vanity trips him up. He who attempts much, -hopes for much, but is prepared to go unrewarded, is he to whom success -is doubly assured. I trust, my youthful friend, you follow me." - -"Perfectly," said Frank. - -"That is well," said Ling, laying down his book. "And now we will -poison Cheong-Chau." - -"Poison him!" exclaimed the boy. - -"Fear not," said Ling. "Send him comfortably to sleep--a sleep that -will last for some days. By then I shall have gathered the harvest at -the Glade of Children's Tears, and you, my little one, will be -free--your heart's sole desire." - -He turned and picked up a large pale blue bowl in which he had stirred a -quantity of opium, mixing it with a colourless fluid contained in a -bottle. - -"There are four of them, I understand?" said he. - -"Yes," said Frank. - -"It is as well," observed Ling, "that I have made enough. I fill four -small bowls--one for each. These fools will not taste anything; they -will not suspect. They will smoke and dream, and enjoy to the full the -delights of opium. And they will fall gradually into such a sleep that -the firing of a cannon in the room would not awaken them." - -He handed to the boy the four small bowls upon a tray of carved black -wood. - -"Take it," said he, "and leave me to my reading. Happiness is to be -found in wisdom, not wisdom in happiness. In prosperity the heart -withers; in adversity, it blooms. Farewell." - -Frank went out, holding the tray before him, and ascended the flight of -steps. - - - - -CHAPTER XX--HOW THE TIGER SPRANG - - -Upon the balcony Frank found Cheong-Chau still in conversation with Ah -Wu. No one would have suspected from the demeanour of the fat -proprietor of the opium den that he plotted the overthrow of the -redoubtable brigand chief. The man was all smiles and Chinese courtesy. -He rubbed his hands together; he flattered his guest; he bowed -repeatedly. Frank advanced, carrying the tray upon which were the four -bowls of opium. - -"Ah!" exclaimed Ah Wu. "We have here the choice opium of which I spoke. -I guarantee that the distinguished Cheong-Chau has never smoked the like -of it. I procure it from an agent in Burma. This, I believe, is the -only house in China in which it is sold." - -"I thank you, Ah Wu," said the brigand, who had divested himself of the -greater part of his clothing. "I thank you from my heart. I am a rough -man, accustomed to the wilds. Such luxuries seldom come my way. At the -same time, Ah Wu, who is this boy? It occurs to me that I have seen him -before." - -The man was staring at Frank, who felt his heart sink within him. Ah -Wu's answer, given without hesitation, was somewhat reassuring. - -"He has been here," said Ah Wu, "for many months." - -"Strange," said Cheong-Chau, "that I have never seen him before!" - -Frank was, at first, at a loss to explain what motive Ah Wu could have -for telling such a deliberate falsehood. It then occurred to him that -Ah Wu could not explain truthfully who he was without mentioning Ling; -and it was--from Ah Wu's point of view--of extreme importance to keep -the name of Ling out of the whole affair. If Cheong-Chau but knew that -the great Honanese was in the building, he would not have remained in -the place for five seconds, much less would he have been so careless as -to allow his physical and mental capacities to be temporarily subdued by -the subtle fumes of the opium poppy. - -"Come here, boy," said Cheong-Chau, who had not yet removed his eyes -from Frank. "I want to look at you more closely." - -The boy went forward in fear and trembling. Cheong-Chau grasped him by -a wrist, and drew him downward, so that their faces were not more than a -foot apart. - -"You bear," said Cheong-Chau, speaking very deliberately, "a most -remarkable resemblance to the very man I am looking for. What is your -name?" - -"Ah Li," said Frank. - -The boy's heart was beating like a sledgehammer. He felt instinctively -that the Sword of Damocles, which had been suspended for so long above -his head, was at last about to fall. That the result would be fatal to -himself, and those whose lives depended upon him, he could not for a -moment doubt. - -"I come from Sanshui," said he, in a weak voice that quailed. - -Cheong-Chau suddenly rose to his feet and lifted his voice to a kind of -shriek. It was the voice Frank had heard when Cheong-Chau addressed his -followers in the gloomy nave of the temple; it was the same voice the -man had used on the occasion when he staggered into the cave, senseless -and drugged with opium. - -"It is in my way of thinking," he shouted, "that you come from -Hong-Kong, that your name is no more Ah Li than mine is, that you are a -foreign devil in disguise!" - -Ah Wu opened his eyes in astonishment. He lifted both hands with -fingers widespread. He looked like an old woman who has seen a ghost. - -"There is some mistake!" he cried. - -"This boy," roared Cheong-Chau, "is a foreigner." - -His voice was so loud that it carried to the farther end of the room. -Everyone heard his words, and those who were not asleep raised -themselves upon their elbows to ascertain what the disturbance was -about. Behind the embroidered curtains the mighty Ling, who had been -listening to all that was said, crouching like a cat, rose stealthily -and slowly to his feet. He was like a great beast of prey that suddenly -scents danger. It was as if he stretched the great muscles of his body, -preparatory to action. - -"You are a foreigner!" cried Cheong-Chau. - -Frank knew not which way to look. He had put down the tray upon a small -lacquer table by the side of Cheong-Chau's couch. The brigand still -held him tightly by a wrist. Realising that he could not deny the truth -of the man's words, the boy made a foolish, headstrong effort to escape. -With a quick wrench, he freed his arm, and turned upon his heel with the -intention of dashing down the steps. Since subterfuge had failed, he -felt that he had nothing else to rely upon but physical agility. - -He had almost reached the head of the stairs when Ah Wu stretched forth -a hand to detain him. It is strange that the boy's exposure should have -been brought about by Ah Wu, in whose interests it was for the deception -to continue--at least, whilst Cheong-Chau was in the house. - -Ah Wu attempted to seize the boy by a shoulder, and failing in this, he -clutched at Frank's pigtail, which was flying out behind him. Needless -to say, as the boy plunged down the stairs, he left behind him his false -pigtail in the hands of the dumbfounded Ah Wu. Before he could stop -himself, Frank was at the bottom of the stairs, and there, for the first -time, he remembered that he would have to pass Ling at the outer door. - -For the brief space of a moment, Frank looked about him like a hunted -beast. He could see no way of escape. Ling, he knew, was in front of -him, though not visible. The back door was locked. There were no -windows in the lower room. On the other hand, escape from one of the -balcony windows was impossible, for Cheong-Chau and his three followers -stood at the stair-head. The voice of Cheong-Chau filled the room, -uttering, in a weird, sing-song voice, a kind of triumphant pan. - -"I am Cheong-Chau," he cried, "and men fear me from the Nan-ling -Mountains to the sea. I have hunted down the fugitive and I have found -him. Those who foil me can expect no mercy. I live by the knife, and -my enemies die by the knife. Death to foreign devils!" - -At that, he dashed down the stairs. As he did so he drew from his belt -a long, curved Chinese knife, which he raised high above his head. - -Frank turned and fled down the room, but Cheong-Chau was upon him as a -cat springs at a mouse. The boy was caught by the coat, and jerked -backward. With difficulty he maintained his balance. Looking up, he -beheld Cheong-Chau's knife raised on high, whilst the man's eyes were -fixed upon the region of the boy's heart. - -"By the knife!" shrieked Cheong-Chau. "By the knife!" - -The cruel weapon glittered in the light emanating from the paraffin -lamps. Frank closed his eyes, knowing that the end was about to come. -He felt that he had not strength to look longer into that impassioned -face. - -Then, quite suddenly, there came a roar like that of a charging lion. -Frank was pushed aside and sent flying across the room, to pitch, head -foremost, over an unoccupied couch. Gathering himself together, he -beheld a feat of strength that was amazing. - -[Illustration: "THERE CAME A ROAR LIKE THAT OF A CHARGING LION."] - -The mighty Ling had swooped down upon his rival as an eagle snatches his -prey. A blow from his great fist sounded like a pistol shot, and -Cheong-Chau, without a sound, fell in a heap senseless on the floor. And -then two of the brigand's followers were seized by the throat, and their -two heads were brought together with a crash. One man pitched forward -on the instant, and lay upon his face, flat across the body of his -leader. As for the other, he went reeling round the room like a man -dazed and drunken. Then he dropped down upon both knees by the side of -a couch, holding his head between his hands. - -The third man turned and fled in trepidation at the sight of the fate of -his comrades. However, he had gone no farther than half-way up the -stairs, when Ling snatched up one of the small lacquer tables, and -hurled it at the fugitive with such force that it crashed to atoms -against the banisters. This projectile was followed, a fraction of a -second later, by a lighted paraffin lamp, which stretched the man -senseless upon the balcony at the feet of the amazed Ah Wu. - -All this had happened in less than a minute. Frank Armitage had only -just time to observe that the lamp had fortunately gone out, and that -there was no danger of the place being set on fire. And then he himself -was plucked violently from off his feet. - -Ling had picked him up as though he were a babe in arms. In his haste -and violence, the man tore down the embroidered curtains. Frank heard -the front door slam, and then he was conscious of the fact that he was -being borne onward at a terrific pace, through the dark and narrow -streets of the great Chinese city. - - - - -CHAPTER XXI--OF THE GLADE OF CHILDREN'S TEARS - - -Frank had neither time to consider the extraordinary sequence of events -narrated in the previous chapter nor the slightest inclination to -speculate in regard to the future. He realised, somewhat dimly, that he -was no more than a pawn in the game. A few moments since, he had stood -defenceless in the stifling atmosphere of the opium den; he had beheld -the knife raised to strike him down. He had been delivered with -dramatic suddenness at the eleventh hour. At the same time, he could -not help realising that, in all probability, he had fallen out of the -frying-pan into the fire. If his deception had been detected by -Cheong-Chau, his identity had also been discovered by the formidable -Ling. - -In the meantime he was being carried away to some unknown destination. -The boy realised the futility of attempting to struggle, and if he cried -out for help in those dark streets, no one was likely to take the least -notice of him. - -Ling kept--so far as he was able--to the by-streets: the narrow, -twisting lanes that form a veritable labyrinth in the poorer parts of -this wonderful and mysterious city. The hour was tolerably -late--approaching midnight. The main streets were lighted by means of -the flares in the shops and upon the hawkers' booths; and when it was -necessary to cross one of these, the spectacle of the great Honanese -carrying under his arm one who was apparently a foreign boy, dressed in -Chinese clothes, attracted no little attention. However, with every -Chinaman it is a fixed principle of life to mind his own affairs, and no -one interfered. - -At last, Ling set down the boy upon his feet, and taking hold of him by -a wrist, proceeded to drag him forward. Presently they came forth upon -the outskirts of the town. It was a bright night; for though the moon -was on the wane, the sky was clear and there was a glorious canopy of -stars--stars such as can only be seen east of the Suez Canal. The boy -was able to make out the great gabled tower, situated upon a hillock to -the north of the city, which goes by the name of the Five-Storied -Pagoda. He remembered very well visiting this place, a few weeks -before, accompanied by Mr Waldron and his uncle. - -Ling took a bridle path leading directly to the north, lying in a -bee-line across the down-like hills. The man strode forward, walking at -such a great pace that Frank was obliged to run to keep up with him. All -this time he said nothing. He walked, staring straight in front of -him--a gaunt, sinister and gigantic figure. Never for a moment did he -release his hold of Frank's wrist, which felt as if it was held within a -vice. - -After a time they came to a river, or canal. Since the path led -straight into the water and was visible in continuation upon the other -bank, it was evident that there was a ford. Ling hesitated a moment, -and then, hoisting his captive upon his shoulder, carried him high and -dry to the other side, himself wading in water that reached to his -knees. Beyond, he once more set down Frank upon the ground; and they -went forward at the same steady pace. And at every step the water -squelched in the soft felt shoes the Chinaman was wearing. - -At the end of an hour, Frank was beginning to feel fatigued; he was -considerably out of breath. Ling, on the other hand, appeared to be in -no way exhausted. They came to a hut--the habitation, in all -probability, of some swineherd or peasant. - -Ling kicked open the door, and they found within an old man, very -disreputable and dirty, clothed in rags, sound asleep before the glowing -embers of a charcoal fire. - -Ling touched the sleeper upon the shoulder, and the old man sat up. - -"The mighty Ling!" he exclaimed, the moment he saw his visitor. - -"Peace," said Ling. "I come in peace, my friend. You need not be -discomfited. I ask for nothing more than you can give me." - -The old man, who had now risen to his feet, bowed low. - -"A mandarin of the Blue Button has but to speak," said he. "Who is a -mere drover of foul pigs to gainsay the word of so distinguished a -personage? Is it food you desire, or water, or an hour's rest upon your -journey? All I have, sir, is your own." - -"I want that which will cost you nothing," answered Ling. "This will -not be the first time that you have aided me. I will reward you--at a -later date--if all goes well with me." - -"May the gods assist you," said the old man, bowing again. - -"I rely upon myself," said Ling. "Tell me, Cheong-Chau's men have come -from the mountains. They are reported on the Sang River. Have you seen -anything of them?" - -"I have indeed," said the other. "There is a junk anchored about three -_li_ west of the tower. I saw it this afternoon." - -"Did you notice how many men were on board?" - -"About five or six," said the old man. - -"That agrees," said Ling, "with what I already know." - -He remained silent for a moment, and then suddenly grasped Frank by an -arm and thrust him through the door. - -"Come!" he cried. "We have no time to lose." - -The next moment Frank Armitage was on the road again, and throughout the -early hours of the morning he continued to travel northward, in company -with his grim and silent captor. Once the boy dared to speak, asking -Ling where they were going; but he was at once ordered to hold his -tongue. - -"You need what breath you have," observed the Honanese. "I am not here -to answer questions." - -There was more than a little truth in the first remark, for the boy was -obliged to keep up a steady jog-trot mile after mile, with never a halt -or a rest by the wayside. - -Presently they gained the crest of a chain of low-lying hills. The -moonlight was sufficient to enable them to see for a considerable -distance. Before them lay a valley--so far as Frank could make -out--exceedingly fertile and picturesque, in which was a tall, thin -tower, somewhat resembling a short factory chimney, except that at the -top there was a narrow, circular balcony protected both from the rain -and the powerful rays of the sun by one of those queer-shaped, -overhanging roofs that are peculiar to Southern China. - -Frank knew at a glance that this was the tower from which, in days gone -by, it had been the custom of the Cantonese to throw little children, -whose existence had grown irksome to their parents. At one time this -barbarous and terrible custom was prevalent in the Middle Kingdom, until -finally even the Chinese themselves revolted against the laws that -permitted such a crime. - -Flooded by the pure light of the moon, the valley appeared a perfect -haven of rest. No one would have believed that such a beautiful spot -had, in former times, been the scene of such terrible brutality. The -tall tower shone like brass, and at its feet the broad waters of the -Sang River flowed swiftly to the west. - -Ling, still dragging Frank forward, descended the hill, and then turned -to the right, towards a clump of trees. It was then, for the first time -since they had left Canton, that, of his own accord, he spoke to his -prisoner. - -"Here is the place," he cried. "The Glade of Children's Tears. Here it -is that Cheong-Chau's ransom money will be hidden." - -Frank did not think it advisable to answer. Ling no longer held him by -a wrist: such a precaution was now unnecessary. Frank could not -possibly escape. - -For a distance of about a hundred yards they walked in the heavy shadows -under the branches of the trees, which were thick with leaves. And then, -quite suddenly, they came once again into the bright moonlight, to find -themselves confronted by a scene which was both grotesque and -picturesque. - -In ancient times the place had evidently been the site of a temple, of -which only the ruined walls, a few stone steps and several flagstones -remained. Here and there, lying upon the ground, overgrown by weeds and -underwoods, were great broken, hideous idols, many of which were at -least twelve feet in length. In the ghostly moonlight, it was like -looking upon a scene which had been the battle-field of giants. - -It was manifest that Ling knew the place well, for he walked straight up -to a great circular stone, considerably darker in colour than the -surrounding brickwork and rocks. Though this stone must have been of -enormous weight, he rolled it away without difficulty. Beneath was a -large hole. Going down upon his knees, the man struck a match, the -light of which dimly illumined a vault as large as an ordinary room. - -"Empty!" he exclaimed. "However, I did not expect to find the money -here. It should arrive to-morrow, if my calculations are correct. I do -not think that your friends will venture to waste time. Too much is at -stake." - -"_My_ friends?" said Frank. - -"Exactly," said the other. "I was so fortunate as to discover who you -are. I confess that for days you deceived me. I never dreamt for a -moment that the boy whose services I enlisted in Sanshui was a European. -I congratulate you upon your accent and your knowledge of the Cantonese -language. You speak it as well as I, who am a Northerner." - -"And why," asked Frank, "have you brought me here?" This was the -question he had long been burning to ask. - -Ling shrugged his shoulders. - -"You may have deceived me," said he, "but I am not altogether a fool." - -And that, apparently, was all the reply he would condescend to give. - -"I fail to understand," said Frank. - -"Then you are very dense. Let me enlighten you: in a few hours, twenty -thousand dollars will be hidden in this place. That money is intended -for Cheong-Chau. Cheong-Chau will not receive a cent." - -As he said these words, he rolled the stone back into its place. - -"Cheong-Chau's junk lies up-stream," he continued, once again as if -speaking to himself. "He had ten men with him. He took three with him -to Ah Wu's opium den. Of those three, I have accounted for one at -least, and I do not think the man I struck down with the lamp will be -fit to fight for many a day. In any case, neither those three men nor -Cheong-Chau himself are here. There are therefore only seven on board -the junk. It is now about three o'clock in the morning. Six of those -seven men are sound asleep. I propose to take the junk by storm." - -"You mean," said Frank, "that you will do this--single-handed?" - -"I have this," said Ling. "If necessary, I shall use it." - -At that he produced the revolver he had taken from Yung How. He played -with it for a moment in his great hands, and then put it back in his -pocket. - -"I shall require the junk," he added, "in order to take the treasure -away. And even if I fail to get possession of it, I have you, my little -one, who are so clever. You are worth, to me, at least another twenty -thousand dollars." - -Frank saw the truth as in a flash: once again he was a hostage. Ling no -doubt intended to demand a second ransom as the price of the boy's -freedom--perhaps his life. As the man remained silent for some minutes, -Frank had the greater time to think the matter out. And the more he -thought of it, the more was he obliged to admire the consummate subtlety -of Ling, who had the faculty of grasping a situation without a moment's -waste of time, estimating the salient factors at their proper value. - -In the opium den, Frank's identity had been unmasked, and his life -threatened in a period of time which could not have been more than -thirty or forty seconds. And yet, in those brief and breathless -seconds, Ling, in hiding behind the curtain, had summed up the position -at a glance. He had seen that Cheong-Chau--who for the moment was blind -with rage--was about to throw away a human life that was likely to be -extremely valuable to himself. It was not a sense of humanity that had -prompted him to save the boy. He had done so for his own personal ends. - -"Come," he cried, "to the junk! I promise you I will flutter the -dovecot. I will scatter them like ducks." - -At that he strode forward, followed by Frank, amazed at the man's -calmness and audacity. - - - - -CHAPTER XXII--OF THE CAPTURE OF THE JUNK - - -Ling walked in an easterly direction, keeping at a distance of about a -hundred yards from the river bank. The morning was exceedingly still; -nothing disturbed the silence but the ceaseless sound of the current of -the river, stirring the tall reeds that grew in the shallow water. The -Sang River, which at this place was about a hundred and fifty yards -across, is one of the main tributaries of the Pe-kiang, which flows into -Canton from the north. As Frank knew well, it was navigable for a -considerable distance, even for sea-going junks. Presently Ling began -to talk to himself in a low voice, but loud enough for the boy to hear. - -"The sages have told us," he observed, "to think before we act. Men -speak of the 'road of life.' That is a false metaphor. In life there -are many roads; it is open to us to travel by one or by another. The -junk will be anchored in midstream." He broke off, turning quickly to -the boy. "Tell me, can you swim?" - -Frank replied that he was a good swimmer. - -"That is well," said Ling. "It will be necessary for you to accompany -me into the water. It is to your advantage to do so. On board, you -will find the two friends you left in Cheong-Chau's cave in the -mountains." - -"So if you capture the junk," said Frank, "if you overpower those on -board, you will have three hostages instead of one." - -"That is true," said Ling. "But better for you and your friends to be -in my hands than in the hands of Cheong-Chau, who is a blind, senseless -fool." - -"You will be satisfied with the ransom?" - -"Concerning that," said Ling, "I have not yet made up my mind." - -He spoke no more, but continued to stride forward, the boy following in -his footsteps. They came to marshy ground, where their shoes squelched -in the mud. And here, knowing that they could not be far from the junk, -they walked more slowly, as silently as possible. - -A little after, at a place where the river turned abruptly to the north, -they found themselves before the junk, which lay at anchor not fifty -yards from the bank. Ling took off his coat, and the boy followed his -example. Then, without a word, the Chinese, like a great water-snake, -glided silently into the river. - -Frank hesitated to follow. It was within his power to escape. Perhaps -the great Chinaman did not care whether he did so or not. For two -reasons, the boy divested himself of his coat and followed Ling: first, -he had by now so great a respect for the man's ability and prowess that -he doubted very much whether he would succeed in getting away; secondly, -and chiefly, he had an overmastering desire to set eyes upon his uncle, -to know that both Sir Thomas and Mr Waldron were still alive and safe. - -The current being somewhat swift, it was fortunate that Frank was a -strong swimmer. In the moonlight he could see before him the great head -of Ling, moving rapidly and silently forward upon the surface of the -water. - -The man reached the prow of the junk, and there, laying hold of the -chain to which the anchor was attached, he lifted himself half out of -the water, and in this position he remained, waiting for Frank. In a -few seconds the boy had joined him. - -The moonlight fell full upon the Honanese. The man's yellow skin -glistened. In his teeth he held his revolver which, whilst swimming, he -had held high and dry. Then quite slowly he drew himself up the chain -until he had gained the deck--the high forecastle-peak which is to be -found on every sea-going Chinese junk. There he crouched behind the -capstan. - -In a few minutes, Frank Armitage had joined him. The boy was out of -breath from swimming. - -Side by side, they lay quite still for about five minutes. Ling -evidently intended to give his young assistant time to recover his -breath. At last, the man whispered in Frank's ear. - -"Fools!" he exclaimed. "They have not even posted a sentry." - -As he said the words, a man appeared from behind the mast--a man who was -smoking a cigarette. - -The end of the cigarette glowed brightly. It was plain that the man had -just lighted it. In all probability he had gone behind the mast for -that purpose, in order to be sheltered from the wind. He appeared to -have no suspicion that intruders had come on board, for he walked -leisurely forward, smoking and singing to himself a weird Chinese -tune--a melody on three notes, each long sustained. - -He reached the peak of the vessel, and there stood still for a moment, -looking across country towards the hills. And then it was that Ling -sprang upon him. The man was snatched from off his feet. He had no -time to cry out, to give the alarm, for almost at once one of the great -hands of the Honanese was placed upon his mouth. He was gagged in less -than a minute with an oily rag that was found lying upon the deck, which -must have been extremely unpleasant to the taste. - -There is never any difficulty on board a ship of any kind in finding -rope, and it was not long before the unfortunate sentry was bound hand -and foot and left upon the deck. - -Then Ling, still followed by Frank, advanced on tiptoe until he came to -a little hatchway, a kind of trap-door, which communicated with the foul -cabin in which Chinese fishermen and their families are wont to live, -eat and sleep. - -Lying down at his full length, Ling turned an ear downward and remained -for some time listening. From below there issued sounds of heavy -snoring. - -Having satisfied himself that everything was in order, the Honanese got -to his feet, and returned to the man whom he had gagged and bound in the -forepart of the ship. With his great fingers he tore the man's coat -into shreds. These he folded carefully. Then, searching the deck, he -found a long cord, which he cut into several pieces, each about a yard -in length. Thrusting all these materials into his pockets, he returned -to the hatchway, where he lowered himself carefully and silently into -the cabin below. - -What followed Frank could only guess. By reason of the darkness in the -cabin, the boy was able to see nothing. He heard faint sounds of -struggling--an occasional gasp or choke---once or twice a muttered -Chinese oath, stifled suddenly in the midst of a syllable. - -It was apparent that the mighty Ling fell upon his victims one by one, -in quick succession. He dealt with them in detail, pouncing upon each -man when he was deep in heavy slumber. - -Not one of these unfortunates was given time to cry out, to give the -alarm to his comrades. Each in turn was gagged before he was fully -awake. And then his hands were bound behind his back and his feet tied -together. - -The Honanese had accounted for six in this manner, when he struck a -match and lighted a hanging paraffin lamp suspended from one of the -beams that supported the deck. He then ordered Frank to descend. - -The boy found himself in a small cabin that extended from one side of -the ship to the other. It was indescribably dirty. All sorts of things -were scattered upon the floor: pieces of rope, fishing tackle, unwashed -plates and rice-bowls and articles of clothing. Upon the floor lay six -men in a row, gagged and bound, each one wearing the scarlet coat which -was the distinctive uniform of the followers of Cheong-Chau. - -The place was not high enough to enable Ling to stand upright. He stood -in the middle of the cabin, almost bent double, in which position he -resembled a huge gorilla. He was grinning from ear to ear. - -"A simple affair," said he. "They were delivered into my hands by that -benevolent Providence that unerringly guides the footsteps of those who -have acquired merit. Were I not a generous and kind-hearted man I -should throw them, one after the other, into the water. As it is, they -can lie where they are." - -By then he had discovered a door at the after end of the cabin. On -attempting to open this door, and finding it locked, he turned again to -Frank. - -"Search those fools," he ordered. "On one of them, I have little doubt, -you will find a bunch of keys." - -Frank did as he was commanded, but failing to find that for which he -looked, suggested that the man on deck might have had charge of the -keys. - -"That may be so," said Ling. "I am not disposed to wait. I have an -idea that beyond this door we shall find your European friends." - -So saying, with a great blow with his foot, he kicked in the door so -that the lock was broken. He then took the paraffin lamp from the hook -from which it was hanging, and followed by the boy, entered a small -cubby-hole. - -This place was probably intended for a storeroom, for though it extended -from one side of the ship to the other, it was little more than two -yards across, terminating in a bulkhead which divided the junk -amidships. - -Upon the floor were two men, both of whom were sitting bolt upright, -with their eyes wide open. They appeared to have been fast asleep when -they had been rudely awakened by the breaking open of the door. Each -man had his feet tied together, and his hands bound behind his back. -They were hatless, and their clothes were reduced to rags. - -Frank Armitage gave vent to an exclamation of delight, and rushing -forward, flung his arms around his uncle. The other prisoner, it is -needless to say, was Mr Hennessy K. Waldron, who had certainly undergone -some very astonishing and unpleasant adventures since leaving Paradise -City, Nevada, U.S.A. - - - - -CHAPTER XXIII--HOW THE TREASURE ARRIVED - - -Sir Thomas Armitage did not at first recognise his nephew, and when he -did so, he could hardly believe the evidence of his eyes. - -"Frank!" he exclaimed. "However did you come here?" - -"That is too long a story to tell you now," answered the boy. "What a -relief it is to see you! All these days I have not known whether you -were alive or dead." - -"Say," said Mr Waldron, "are we to be let loose? Am I a free citizen of -the United States or a condemned criminal? I should like to know." - -Frank turned to Ling. - -"Those are questions," said he, "which you are better able to answer -than I." - -Ling, finding it inconvenient to remain standing in so cramped a -position, seated himself cross-legged upon the floor and spoke in -excellent English. - -"You are right," said he. "The situation is in my hands. I hold you as -hostages until the ransom is paid." - -Here Mr Waldron was guilty of an injudicious action. He expressed -himself with extreme rashness in a moment of deep-seated indignation. - -"I assure you," said he, "that I will pay this twenty thousand dollars -without question and without delay. To be frank, I consider the value -of my freedom and my safety to be far greater than that. Twenty -thousand dollars is nothing to me." - -"I am glad to hear it," said Ling. "I may demand forty or even fifty -thousand. In the meantime, I must satisfy myself with what I can get." - -"Do I understand," said the judge, addressing himself to the Honanese, -"that you are not one of Cheong-Chau's band?" - -"Does the tiger serve the wolf?" said Ling. "I am neither his coolie -nor is he mine. Understand that I have taken possession of this junk, -that at the present moment every man on board is bound hand and foot, -with the exception of this boy. The crew, the ransom money, Cheong-Chau -and yourselves--all are at the mercy of the mighty Ling. I will tell -you plainly what I intend to do. - -"At any moment," he continued, "I expect the ransom money to arrive at -its destination. It is possible that Cheong-Chau may put in an -appearance. When he recovers his senses, he will probably behave like a -madman. If he puts his head into the tiger's jaws, the fault is -his--not mine. It would appear to be a simple matter for me to possess -myself of this money. I have but to wait here until it arrives, and -then, taking the treasure on board, to sail down-stream to the North -River, and thence to Canton. However, I have reason to suspect -treachery. I must therefore be careful to act with the greatest -circumspection." - -"Treachery from whom?" asked Frank. - -"From your friend, Yung How," said Ling, "the Hong-Kong 'boy.'" - -He got suddenly to his feet, and passing through the door into the cabin -beyond, set foot upon the lowest rung of the little companion-ladder -that led to the deck above. - -"I leave you for a few seconds," said he to Frank. "In my absence you -are not to attempt to unbind your friends. I propose to inconvenience -them a little longer." - -He mounted the ladder and returned soon afterwards, carrying the man -whom he had overpowered on the upper deck. This fellow he threw down -upon the ground alongside the others. He then returned to the inner -room. - -"I desire you to come with me," said he, still addressing Frank. "It is -not so much that I find your company indispensable, as that I am not -such a fool as to leave you on board. I propose to go to the tower, -from the top of which we shall be able to obtain a good view of the -surrounding country. So soon as the money arrives we will return to the -junk. You will assist me in hoisting the sail and navigating the ship -down-stream after we have taken our cargo on board. I know of a village -on the North River where I shall find friends who will assist me--good -seamen, who know their work. These will sign on as my crew, and -Cheong-Chau's men can be packed off ashore. We shall sail to an island -that lies not far from Macao. There I shall keep you and your two -friends in comfort and in safety--if not in luxury--until I obtain a -second ransom. This gentleman," he added, indicating Mr Waldron, "has -been so obliging as to inform me that he can well afford to pay fifty -thousand dollars. Very well, he shall do so. The matter can be -arranged." - -He then told Frank to ascend the companion-ladder, he himself following, -the ladder creaking violently beneath his weight. - -Upon the deck they were able to observe the first signs of daybreak upon -the horizon to the east. The old moon was setting; one by one, the -stars were disappearing in the sky. The river at that hour looked -ghostly. A thin white mist was drifting down the valley. - -Ling, walking to the stern part of the ship, found a small boat, a kind -of dinghy. This he lowered into the water; and then he and Frank -climbed down by means of a rope. It required but a few strokes of the -oar, wielded by Ling's powerful arms, to drive the boat into the bank, -where he hid it among the rushes. A moment after they set off walking -rapidly in the direction of the tower and the Glade of Children's Tears. - -By that time the first rays of the sun had flooded the valley with a -stream of golden light. Frank observed that a great many of the trees -were covered with bloom, and that the surrounding country was rich in -colour, the slopes across the river being scarlet with the bloom of the -opium poppy. - -Ling came to a halt before a carved door at the base of the tower. -Opening this, he entered, followed by the boy, and found himself in a -small circular room. Owing to the semi-darkness of the place, Frank -could not at first take in his surroundings, but as soon as his eyes -grew accustomed to the light, he was able to make out a narrow spiral -staircase, built into the wall itself, which must have been at least -five feet thick. - -By means of this they ascended to the top of the tower, where they found -themselves upon a narrow, projecting balcony, encircling a little room -that reminded Frank of a summer-house. From this position they were -able to look down upon the whole valley, which extended to the east as -far as the eye could reach, but which to the left vanished at a distance -of about a mile behind a great fold in the hills. - -"We wait here," said Ling. "At any moment the treasure may arrive. If -you take my advice you will go inside and snatch a few hours' sleep. -There are strenuous days in front of you. You will have to work for -your living. But I will reward you. I am a kind master, as those know -well who serve me to the best of their ability." - -Frank, thinking that he might as well follow this suggestion, entered -the small circular chamber, and there lay down upon the floor, using his -rolled coat as a pillow. Almost immediately he fell asleep, and must -have slept for several hours, for, when Ling awakened him, he noticed -that the sun had passed its meridian, and was already sinking towards -the west. - -The boy was exceedingly hungry, and accepted with eagerness the offer of -a large piece of rice-cake which Ling produced from his pocket. Hardly -had he taken a mouthful when he remembered his uncle and Mr Waldron. - -"Your prisoners!" he exclaimed. "They will be starving!" - -The Chinaman shook his head. - -"Not so," said he, "whilst you were asleep, I returned to the junk and -attended to their wants. I gave them food to eat and water to drink. -Besides, I was anxious to see that all was well." - -"Supposing they are found," said Frank, after a pause, "by some junk -passing up or down the river? There is plenty of traffic upon the Sang -River, as you know, this part of the country being thickly populated." - -"They will not be found," said the Chinaman. "There is no reason why -anything of the sort should happen. They have no means of communicating -with anyone passing upon the river. And there is nothing extraordinary -in the spectacle of a junk lying anchored clear of the mid-stream -fairway. You yourself often must have seen upon the Chinese rivers -thousands of such boats with not a soul visible on board. In all such -cases the crew has either gone ashore to drink _samshu_ or to smoke -opium, or else they lie asleep below. I am anxious about -nothing--except, perhaps, Yung How," he added, in an altered voice. - -"And the money has not come?" asked Frank. - -"It is coming," said Ling. "That is why I awakened you." - -"It is coming now!" The boy sprang to his feet. - -Ling pointed to the west, in the direction of the river. There, sure -enough, about half-a-mile down-stream, was a small white launch, similar -to those which may be seen by the score in Hong-Kong harbour, heading -straight for the southern bank, for the Glade of Children's Tears. - -Like a great vulture in the heavens that soars higher and higher in a -series of concentric circles, Ling from the top of the tower looked down -upon his prey. After the manner of a vulture, he did but bide his time. - -The launch ran into a narrow creek, and for a moment was hidden from -view by the trees of the little wood. Shortly after, it appeared again, -and both Frank and Ling watched the Chinese sailors tie her up to a -stunted tree that overhung the water. On board were three Europeans, -dressed in white ducks and wearing sun-helmets. The launch was too far -away for Frank to recognise these men. - -And then they witnessed a sight that made the dark eyes of the great -Honanese glitter with triumph and greed; his wide mouth expanded in a -smile. A plank was thrown from the launch to the shore. Across this -gangway bag after bag was carried, each one so heavy with silver that it -required two men to lift it. - -At last the task was ended. The Europeans, who had superintended the -discharging of this precious cargo, returned to the launch, which -presently turned slowly round and made off down-stream. In the red -light of the setting sun, on the surface of the water, they could see -the convergent lines of ripples spreading from the bows of the launch. - -Ling laughed. - -"Come!" he cried, seizing Frank by a wrist and dragging him out into the -open. "The ripe harvest awaits the reaper; the honey-comb is full. -Come, come, my little junk rat, let us hasten to the feast. Wisdom and -prudence are always triumphant. The victory is ever to the strong." - -As the words left his lips, there came from the direction of the glade -the report of a revolver, and a bullet, speeding upon its way with a -soft, shrill whistle, cut off the lobe of one of the great Chinaman's -ears. On the instant Ling fell flat upon his face, and Frank was not -slow to follow his example. - - - - -CHAPTER XXIV--HOW THE TIGER VANISHED IN THIN AIR - - -They had thrown themselves down upon the ground in a place where the -grass was long enough to screen them from view. The light was fading -rapidly. It would soon be quite dark. A heavy mist was gathering in -the valley. - -Frank looked at his companion. He could see blood flowing profusely -down the man's neck. For all that, the expression upon Ling's face did -not suggest that he suffered pain. He was grinning. - -He held in his hand the loaded revolver he had taken from Yung How in Ah -Wu's opium den. It was manifest that every sense was alert. Screwing -his eyes, he endeavoured to pierce the gloom of the thickets immediately -in front of them. - -Nothing was to be seen. No sound disturbed the silence of the evening. -Slowly and stealthily Ling began to move forward through the long grass, -after the manner of a snake, never for a moment lifting his chin more -than a few inches from the ground. - -Frank followed him. There was no reason why the boy should have done -so, and without doubt he had been wiser had he remained behind in -safety. But he was consumed by an overmastering desire to see the -matter out, to follow to the bitter end the fortunes of the mighty Ling. - -He followed in the man's wake, Ling in his progress was making a kind of -pathway through the grass. Frank was careful not to show himself. He -realised that the exposure of any part of his body would, in all -probability, immediately be greeted by another shot from the glade. - -Ling was making for a great boulder that lay upon the outskirts of the -wood, about twenty yards from a place where the undergrowth was -exceedingly dense. He gained this without any mishap; and there, a -moment later, he was joined by Frank. - -"You have followed me?" he asked, in a whisper. - -The boy nodded his head, not venturing to speak. - -"Then you have done so at your own risk. I am not responsible for your -life." - -Very cautiously, Ling peered round the boulder behind which they lay in -hiding. Almost at once, a single shot from a revolver was fired from -the thickets immediately before them. - -Ling did not draw back, nor did he flinch. On the contrary, he drew -himself forward until at least half his body was exposed to view. - -Then came another shot from the wood; Frank saw a bullet strike the -ground not three inches from the man's head. At that moment Ling -himself fired. Three revolver shots rang out in quick succession, and -then, with a roar like that of a charging tiger, the man rose to his -feet and plunged into the wood. - -Frank saw the flash of a long knife he carried in his left hand. In his -right he still held his revolver. He crashed into the undergrowth like -a wild bull, and the darkness swallowed him up. - -The boy waited an instant; then, as nothing happened, he rose to his -feet and followed after Ling. - -He was able to see very little of his surroundings. He found himself in -twilight. Trees arose on every side of him like gaunt spectres, twisted -and deformed. Dark shadows upon the ground seemed to be moving, -floating here and there like silent ghosts. - -Knowing not which way to go, for a few seconds the boy remained quite -motionless. Then suddenly there came a loud shout, in which Frank -recognised the voice of Ling. This shout was followed by an uproar, a -noise that bore no small resemblance to the crackling of green wood upon -a mighty fire. Branches were broken; dry sticks and twigs were trampled -under the feet of excited, hastening men. - -Frank, running forward, found himself, before he had gone thirty yards, -upon the skirting of the Glade of Children's Tears. Here there was more -light. The boy could see the great broken idols, overgrown with moss -and lichen, lying upon the ground; he could see the ruins of the ancient -temple and the great red stone beneath which the treasure had been -hidden. Then, on a sudden, he became conscious of the figure of a man -crouching behind a rock, not ten yards away. - -Though he was well in the shadow, there was sufficient light to enable -the boy to make quite sure that the man in front of him was not Ling. -One could not fail to identify the gigantic proportions of the Honanese; -and this was a thin, small man. Moreover, he did not wear the long robe -of the upper classes in China, but a short jacket, reaching not far -below the waist; and so far as Frank could make out, this coat was red. -Also, the man was bareheaded, whereas Ling had been wearing the buttoned -hat of a mandarin. - -Frank remained silent and motionless, scarcely daring to breathe. On -hands and knees the man moved a few paces forward, which brought him -into the light. The boy recognised at once the shrunken, evil features -of Cheong-Chau, the brigand chief. - -He could have been given no greater cause to regret the fact that he was -altogether unarmed. In this conflict, the sympathies of the boy were -wholly on the side of Ling. That Cheong-Chau was more evil than Ling -was not to be doubted, since the brigand was never to be trusted. Ling, -on the other hand--so far as Frank's experience went--was not likely to -go back upon his word. He was pitiless and wholly unscrupulous; but at -the same time, he had in his own way certain estimable virtues. The boy -considered that the worst calamity that could, at this juncture, -possibly befall him and his friends was for Cheong-Chau to regain -possession of his hostages. If the brigand overpowered Ling, he would -possess himself of the ransom money, he would recapture his own junk, -setting free the crew which Ling had bound hand and foot; and then, it -was more than probable, he would seek satisfaction in the murder of his -victims. - -Frank therefore was eager to render all the assistance he could to Ling. -But since he had upon him neither fire-arms nor weapons of any sort, he -could do nothing but lie still and await the tide of events. Cheong-Chau -continued to move forward on hands and knees. He turned his head -rapidly first one way and then another. The boy was well able to see -that the brigand was armed to the same extent as Ling; in other words, -he carried in one hand a revolver of European manufacture, and between -his teeth a long Chinese knife. - -It was plain that the man was searching in all directions for his -adversary. He was still not many yards away from Frank. On a sudden, -he lay quite still, seeming to flatten himself into nothing, just as a -cat does when it lies in ambush. He had evidently seen something. - -Frank, straining his eyes, observed another man, visible as a mere -shadow, moving slowly and silently amidst the undergrowth on the other -side of the glade. This man was steadily approaching. Cheong-Chau did -not stir. - -When the two men were not fifteen paces away from each other, -Cheong-Chau raised his revolver, and was evidently about to fire, when -suddenly he brought it down again. - -"Tong!" said he, in a loud whisper. - -"Is that you, Cheong-Chau?" came back the answer. - -"It is myself. And have you seen aught of the tiger?" - -By then the two men were together lying side by side behind a fragment -of the ruined temple wall. They were so close to Frank that, though -they spoke to one another in whispers, it was easy for him to hear every -word that they said. - -"I thought you were he," said the man who had answered to the name of -Tong. - -"And I too," said Cheong-Chau. "I was about to fire when I saw that you -were too small to be Ling." - -"That is fortunate," said the other, "fortunate--for me." - -"And where is Chin Yen?" asked the brigand chief. - -"He is close behind me," said the man. "He is here." - -Indeed, at that moment they were joined by a third man, who crept -forward from out of the midst of the shadows. The night was descending -rapidly; it was already almost dark. Frank, however, had no doubt as to -the identity of these two men. He remembered very well hearing their -names when he was in the opium den of Ah Wu. Chin Yen was the man who -had fallen down upon his knees beside an opium couch, holding his head -between his hands. Tong was the unfortunate individual who had been -struck down with the paraffin lamp. It was subsequently discovered that -the third man never recovered from his injuries. - -"Well, Chin Yen," said Cheong-Chau, "where is the tiger? Have you seen -nothing of him?" - -"Nothing at all," came the answer. "Three minutes ago I saw him -standing on the edge of the glade. I was about to fire, when suddenly -he disappeared. I think he fell upon his face." - -"He is somewhere here," said Cheong-Chau. "He is too big to hide -himself. We shall find him sooner or later. He cannot have been -spirited away." - -Tong shivered--or rather there was a tremor in his voice. - -"I don't like this business," said he. "Presently, without a moment's -warning, the tiger will spring upon us from out of the darkness. And -then, woe betide him into whom he digs his claws." - -"You are a coward," said Cheong-Chau. "We are three to one, and we are -all armed with revolvers. What is there to fear, if we keep together? -Ling's strength will avail him nothing." - -"That is true," said Chin Yen. - -All the same the tone of his voice carried not the least conviction. He -was obviously just as frightened of his opponent as his comrade. -Cheong-Chau himself was the most courageous of the three. - -"Obey my orders," said he, "and remain at my side. We will search the -place thoroughly. He lies somewhere in hiding. Keep as close to the -ground as possible. He will fire the moment he sees us." - -"He may have escaped," said Tong. - -"He has done nothing of the kind," said Cheong-Chau. "For two reasons: -first, we must have heard him; secondly, it is not the custom of Ling to -run away." - -"Let us go first to the junk," said Chin Yen. "We shall then be ten to -one." - -"Fool!" exclaimed Cheong-Chau. "We should never get there. Ling would -shoot us in the open. Come, we do but waste time talking. The glade -must be searched." - -As he said the words, he began to move forward, straight toward the -place where Frank was hiding. - -The boy's heart was in his mouth. He could scarcely hope that he would -not be discovered. He could not make his escape without being seen nor -was he in a position to offer resistance. And if he was discovered, he -had every reason to believe that Cheong-Chau would kill him. - -These were the thoughts that passed rapidly through his mind. He lay -motionless, fearing to breathe, his eyes fixed upon the crouched, -gliding forms of Cheong-Chau and his companions. And then the boy was -discovered. The man called Tong caught sight of him and raised his -revolver to fire. At the moment Tong pressed the trigger, Frank struck -the weapon upward, so that the bullet flew wide through the branches of -the trees. - -Knowing that he would be shot if he remained at arm's-length or -attempted to run away, the boy closed at once with his adversary. -Flinging himself into Tong's arms, he endeavoured to seize the man by -the throat; but almost immediately he was overpowered by the three of -them, and found himself pinned to the ground and once again a prisoner. - -Chin Yen peered into the boy's face. - -"This is not Ling!" he exclaimed. - -Cheong-Chau came out with a brutal oath. - -"No," said he. "This is not the tiger; it is the foreign devil who has -twice slipped through my fingers." - -Frank Armitage closed his eyes and caught his lower lip between his -teeth. - - - - -CHAPTER XXV--AND HOW CHEONG-CHAU VANISHED ALTOGETHER - - -There is little doubt that Cheong-Chau would have killed the boy then -and there had he not been alive to the fact that he himself stood in -immediate danger of a sudden onslaught from Ling, who lay in hiding -somewhere amidst the shadows of the wood. - -It was now almost dark. It was scarce possible to see across the glade. -Cheong-Chau turned to Tong--the man who had endeavoured to kill the boy. - -"You were a fool to fire," said he. "How so?" - -"You have betrayed our whereabouts to the tiger. He cannot be far -away." - -"Let us keep together," whispered Chin Yen. "It will be as much as the -three of us can do to overpower him." - -It was quite plain to Frank that the three brigands stood in mortal fear -of the mighty Honanese. They had not forgotten their experience in the -opium den, when Ling had accounted for four of them in less than a -minute. They knew their opponent, and they were well aware that he was -the last man in the world to beat a hasty retreat. Indeed, Ling had -deliberately attacked them, charging blindly like an infuriated beast -into the darkness of the wood. - -For the time being they could give little attention to the boy. They -remained for a few minutes perfectly still, holding their revolvers in -their hands, keeping a sharp look-out in all directions. - -And then the mighty Ling descended into their very midst. Small wonder -that they had not discovered him, for the man had climbed up a tree, and -had for the last four or five minutes been seated upon a branch, -immediately above their heads, listening to every word that was said. -They had looked to the right and to the left; their sharp eyes had -pierced the dark shadows beneath the underwoods and the crumbled ruins -of the ancient temple; but never for a moment had any one of them -dreamed of looking upward. - -Like a thunderbolt, Ling descended to the ground. His great weight fell -upon Chin Yen. The man let out a loud cry, prompted by acute and sudden -pain. Then he lay upon the ground, groaning and writhing with a broken -arm. - -Ling himself staggered, and with difficulty maintained his balance. -Indeed, he only succeeded in doing so by laying hands upon the terrified -Tong. - -The man had no time to fire. He was snatched from off the ground. He -endeavoured to struggle, but his efforts were hopeless. His revolver -was wrenched from his hand and thrown far across the glade. Then he -himself was hurled after it, thrown away like a half-filled sack. In -his descent his head struck the side of one of the fallen images, and he -lay upon the ground, motionless and stunned. - -[Illustration: "HE HIMSELF WAS HURLED AFTER IT."] - -In the meantime, Cheong-Chau had made the most of the only chance he was -ever likely to have. He had fired at Ling at almost point-blank range. -Frank, who still lay upon the ground, heard a loud groan issue from the -lips of Ling, and a moment after he was just able to perceive the dark -blood flowing slowly from the man's side and staining his long silken -robe. - -Cheong-Chau, thinking that he had done his work, turned with the -intention of seeking safety in flight. He was caught by the pigtail, -and jerked backward, as a boy might flick a top. A moment after he -found himself held by the great hands of Ling, gripped by both forearms, -so that he felt as if he were wedged in a mighty vice. - -Fear took strong hold upon him. He knew, no doubt, that his last hour -had come. He shrieked in pain and in terror, calling upon his followers -to hasten to his help. But Tong lay senseless, and Chin Yen had already -gathered himself together and taken to his heels like one possessed. - -Let it be said for Cheong-Chau that he made no plea for mercy. On the -contrary, he reviled his adversary, making use of a string of Chinese -oaths to which the boy was a stranger. And then he kicked, his legs -being the only part of him which was free. The more violently he kicked -and struggled, the greater became the pressure upon his arms; until at -last he was obliged to desist, lest his very bones should be broken. -Suddenly he became limp from exhaustion and despair. - -"Have you done?" asked Ling. His voice was deep and very low, and there -was in it something of a tremor that made it plain to Frank that the man -suffered considerable pain. - -Cheong-Chau made no answer. - -"Listen," said Ling. "Last night, had I wished, I might have killed -you. I did not do so. The more fool I! And now, you have shot me. I -am wounded, perhaps mortally--I cannot say." - -"We are old enemies," said Cheong-Chau. - -Ling laughed. In his laugh there was something of his old boisterous -manner; but at the same time, it was manifest from his voice that he was -already weak from loss of blood. - -"The wolf," said he, "was never an enemy of the tiger, nor can the rat -be the foe of the dog. You, Cheong-Chau, are vermin. I would lose all -pride in myself, in my strength and dignity, if I killed you otherwise -than with my hands." - -A shudder ran through the thin frame of the brigand chief. He had lived -a life of crime; he had sinned, time and again, against the gods and his -fellow-men, but he was no coward; he had always known that, sooner or -later, he must die a violent death. - -He had thought that fate would bring him to the dreadful Potter's Yard, -the public and official place of execution in the city of Canton. The -inevitable conclusion of the West River pirate is the block. So -Cheong-Chau was prepared to die. - -"You will not torture me?" he asked. - -"I would," said Ling, "if I meted out to you the fate you have more than -once prepared for others. But I am no such fiend. Moreover, I have no -time to spare. I go down-stream to-night on your own junk, with the -ransom money that you thought was yours. I go where tide and current -take me--perhaps to live for the remainder of my days upon the fatness -of the earth; perhaps to find my way amidst the stars in search of the -Unknowable." - -"What do you mean?" asked the other. - -"I mean that--for all I know--the sands of life are running out. The -blood issues from my wound. It may be that the breath of life goes with -it. And now, you die, by what strength remains in me." - -Frank Armitage was not able to see how it was done--indeed, he turned -away, and covered his eyes with a hand. It seems that Cheong-Chau was -taken by the throat and that either he was strangled or his neck was -broken. At any rate, it was all done in silence. The lifeless body of -the man was allowed to fall to the ground, and then Ling turned to the -boy. - -"Are you safe?" he asked. - -Frank rose to his feet, but did not answer. Ling placed a hand upon his -shoulder. The boy felt that he was called upon to sustain much of the -man's great weight. - -"You must help me," said Ling. "I am hurt badly. You must help -me--back to the junk." - -Together they left the wood and came out into the starlight. The moon -was already risen. It was crescent-shaped and very thin. Ling was -breathing heavily. - -"In two days," said he, "it will be a new moon, but I do not think I -shall behold it. There is something to be said for the creed of the -Mohammedans, who hold the belief that the lives of us all, down to the -most insignificant details, are written in an unalterable Book of Fate. -I wonder," said he. "I wonder." - -They walked slowly upon the river bank, Ling still leaning upon his -young companion. Presently they came to the boat, which they had hidden -amongst the rushes. Ling seated himself in the bows, and as he did so -he groaned again. Frank, placing himself in the stern, took hold of the -little oar. - -"Come," said Ling, "row me to the junk." - - - - -CHAPTER XXVI--OF GREED OF GOLD - - -When they reached the junk, Ling was not able to ascend by means of the -rope up which he had swarmed so easily before. Frank went on deck, and -finding a rope ladder, lowered it over the side of the ship. - -By means of this Ling climbed to the deck, whence he descended to the -cabin below, where the paraffin lamp was still burning brightly. - -He asked Frank to procure for him a bucket of river water; and whilst -the boy was absent, the man took off his coat and the thin under-vest -that he wore. The bullet had passed under his ribs, on the left side of -his body. The wound, which was still bleeding profusely, was a great, -ugly rent. When Frank returned with water he was at once shocked and -astonished to observe the expression upon the man's face. - -His features were pinched and drawn and haggard. The agony he suffered -had caused deep lines to appear upon his forehead and about his mouth, -and his eyes seemed to have sunk into his head. Beyond doubt, any other -man would have fainted; but Ling was possessed of something of the -vitality of a cat. He was able to speak with difficulty, yet his mind -was perfectly clear. Assisted by the boy, he washed and dressed his -wound. - -He had evidently small regard for antiseptics, for in place of lint and -iodoform, he utilised ordinary ship's tow, which he held in place by -means of a silk sash tied tightly round his waist. Then he ordered -Frank to search the ship for opium. - -The boy found a bowl of the treacle-like substance upon a table in the -cabin. This he brought to Ling, together with an opium pipe and a -spirit-lamp. - -The man smiled, at the same time thanking the boy for his kindness. - -"I am too far gone to smoke," said he. "I desire to be released from -pain." - -At that, he dipped his hand into the bowl and proceeded to eat the -contents. The boy stood by, amazed. He knew enough of the potency of -the drug to believe that Ling had swallowed enough to kill himself. He -knew nothing, however, of the man's capacity for consuming poisonous -doses of morphine. - -In a few minutes the drug began to work. His eyes, which had become -dull, grew brighter; the wrinkles slowly vanished from his face. When -he spoke, his voice was stronger. - -"You may think," said he to Frank, "that the tables are turned, that you -are now master of the situation. It may have occurred to you that you -have but to go into the other room to release your European friends, and -then it will be an easy thing to overpower a wounded man. I assure you, -that is not the case." - -"I had no such thought," said Frank. - -Ling smiled again, regarding the boy even kindly--if such an expression -may be used in regard to a man whose face was like that of a hawk. - -"You are my friend," said he. "I know not why I like you. I think, -because you are brave. I am not fool enough to believe for a moment -that you love me; but I am sure that you have always realised that I am -a just man, whereas Cheong-Chau was no better than a fiend. I would -have you to understand--lest I be forced to harm you--that, wounded as I -am, I am still master of this ship and master of you. My strength is -going rapidly from me, as the tide goes down upon the margin of the sea, -or as the sun sets when the day draws to its close. But I can still -shoot, and if you play me false I shall kill you. Whilst the breath of -life is within me, you will be wise to obey my orders." - -He got to his feet, and walking more briskly than before, ascended to -the upper deck, followed by Frank. There they hoisted the sail, and -going to the forepart of the ship, hauled up the anchor. A minute -later, the junk was sailing slowly down the river in the starlight, Ling -holding the tiller. - -With a skill that proved that he had spent a portion of his life upon -the sea, he steered the junk into the narrow creek which had been -entered by the launch. There Ling, assisted by Frank, lowered a -gangway, conducting from the deck to the shore. The sail had been -hauled down and the ship secured by hawsers made fast to the trunks of -trees that grew upon the edge of the water. - -Frank Armitage is never likely to forget that tragic night, its grim -work and pitiful conclusion. He was led by Ling to the Glade of -Children's Tears--so named, perhaps, because, in a barbarous age, the -murdered infants had been buried there, and the temple erected so that -men might pray to the heathen gods of China for those young souls who -had passed so soon into the Celestial Kingdom. - -The faint, cold light of the dying moon here and there pierced the -branches of the trees, so that it was possible to distinguish the old -moss-clad ruins, the great fallen images, and the lifeless body of the -man whose very name had once spread terror from the Nan-ling Mountains -to the sea. There was no sign of Tong; the man had evidently recovered -consciousness and taken to his heels. - -Frank stood by, a mute and wondering spectator of the fruitless efforts -of the wounded giant. The air was heavy with the scent of the blossom -which was on the trees; no sound disturbed the silence save the heavy -breathing of Ling, becoming shorter and shorter as he worked, and the -ceaseless washing of the water against the river bank. - -Ling walked to the centre of the glade. His gait was steady, though his -stride shorter than usual. He stood at his full height; and had he not -once or twice carried a hand to his left side, the boy might have -forgotten that the man suffered grievous pain and was weak from loss of -blood. - -He stood for a moment, thinking. It may have been that then he prayed -to the god he worshipped, the god of Confucius and Mencius and the sages -of all China: the Eternal Spirit of the Universe, the Incomprehensible -Wisdom of the world. - -Then he passed on to the great stone, which, not without difficulty, he -rolled from its place. That done, he descended into the vault below, -where he struck a match, lighting a candle he had brought with him from -the junk. - -Frank, looking down, beheld a subterranean chamber, about five yards by -six in area, and not more than six feet deep--for Ling's head and -shoulders protruded above the level of the ground. And in this vault -were sacks, to the number of twenty, each of which was filled with a -thousand Mexican dollars. - -Now a thousand silver dollars are no mean weight; and yet Ling unaided, -and in spite of his fast-failing strength, lifted the sacks one after -another and placed them upon the ground above. - -Then he himself came forth from the vault, and stood for a moment -holding his left side, with the pale moonlight full upon his face. It -was the face of death itself. - -The man's features were more drawn and haggard-looking even than before. -It may have been the moonlight that caused his countenance to appear -snow-white. He breathed like one who is spent from running; his great -chest heaved, and Frank perceived that his wound had opened again, and -the red blood was even then staining his clothes. Towards this man--of -whom, throughout all the adventures through which he had passed, he had -stood in the greatest dread--the boy now experienced feelings of -infinite commiseration. - -"Let me help you?" he asked. - -And Ling laughed aloud--a laugh that sounded forced and hollow, in which -there was more of irony than mirth. He pointed to one of the bags. - -"Lift that up," said he. - -Frank attempted to do so, but found that he had not the strength. - -"You must go back to the junk," said he. "I give you my word of honour -I will be true to you. I will attend to your wound. I will do all I -can to help you." - -"You do not know me," answered Ling. "I never give in. I go through -with that which I have begun. And besides, there is no time to lose. I -feel sure that Yung How has not wasted his time. If I delay I may be -captured." - -"If you do not rest," cried Frank, "you will kill yourself." - -Ling was silent a moment. Then he snapped his fingers. "And what does -that matter?" he asked. "What difference does it make to you--or, for -the matter of that, to me? Death is nothing. We are only put into the -world to die." - -At that he lifted one of the bags upon his shoulder, and set forward in -the direction of the place where the junk was moored. - - - - -CHAPTER XXVII--HOW LING DRIFTED TO THE STARS - - -Ling staggered under the weight of his burden. For all that, he gained -the junk, where he threw the sack into an open hatchway in the forepart -of the ship. - -He then returned to the glade, and by a great effort lifted a second -sack upon his shoulder. In all, he made the journey twenty times; and -on each occasion his gait was more unsteady, his breathing shorter and -faster. It appeared to Frank, who watched him, that the man diminished -in stature; his shoulders became round--when he had once been so -upright--and he walked like an old man, with bent knees and hollowed -chest. - -He was not able to complete his final journey without a rest. Half-way -between the glade and the junk, he threw down the last sack upon the -ground, and seating himself upon it, placed his head between his hands -and came out with a great sob that was pitiful to hear. He needed his -last ounce of strength to steady himself to walk the narrow gangway. No -sooner had he reached the deck of the junk than the sack fell from his -hands, and he himself collapsed. His knees gave way from under him, and -he lay for several minutes quite motionless, curled up like a great dog -that sleeps. - -Frank, thinking that the man was unconscious, knew not what to do. He -began to search for a tin can or pannikin of some sort in which to give -him water, but he had failed to find anything suitable for such a -purpose when Ling struggled to an elbow. - -"Come here," said he. "I would speak to you." - -His voice was so low as to be scarcely audible. Frank hastened to his -side and, kneeling down, placed an ear close to his mouth. - -The boy had no fear now of the mighty Ling. Indeed, it would have been -mere foolishness to fear one so stricken, in so sorry a plight. Ling -was no longer an incarnate monster, a blustering, boisterous bully. The -tiger was caught, choked and enfolded in the meshes of a net. And yet, -he still struggled for life--struggled to the last. - -He was a man who, during the last few hours, had been possessed by but -one idea, which had absorbed the whole of his mind and strength and -energy. Call it avarice, greed of gold, or the nobility of a supreme -endeavour, it is all the same--it means that there was something in him -of the earthly hero. It means that a power that is immortal had given -him strength to accomplish all that he desired, had given him courage to -live but a little longer. And now, with the plunder safely on board, -and the wide river of the valley extending to the open sea, he knew that -his days were numbered, his time on earth was short. - -"I would speak with you," he whispered. "I would tell you, you are my -friend. Go below and release the European prisoners, but keep -Cheong-Chau's men bound hand and foot. You cannot trust them. They are -all of a breed--of the same breed as their leader. In Canton--if you -wish it--you can hand them over to justice. Tell the prefect that they -were captured by the mighty Ling." - -In that thought he appeared to find some degree of satisfaction. He had -always been vain of his strength, his wisdom and his courage. - -He was silent a moment. Frank noticed that he smiled--a smile that was -terrible to see, because his face was so pinched and haggard. His -thoughts must have turned to things divine, for when he spoke again, it -was in the words of the Celestial Emperor's prayer. He had turned over -upon his back, and lay with his eyes wide open, looking up at the stars. - -"To Thee, O mysteriously working Maker, I look up in thought. How -imperial is Thy expansive arch! I, Thy child, dull and unenlightened, -come to Thee with gladness, as a swallow rejoicing in the spring, -praising Thine abundant love." - -All his vanity had left him now. The heart of the monster was that of a -little child. The violence of the life he had lived, the cruelty of his -deeds, departed from him as the life's blood flowed from his wound; and -the wisdom and the reverence he had learned on earth rose superior to -earthly joys. He closed his eyes, and lay for a long time, breathing -more easily, as if asleep. - -Frank got to his feet and, descending into the cabin below, cut the -bonds that bound Mr Waldron and his uncle. In as few words as possible, -the boy explained exactly what had happened; and then all three went on -deck, to the place where Ling was lying at the foot of the mast. - -As they approached, he endeavoured to lift his head, but it fell back -again, as if he had lost control of the muscles of his neck. - -"Can you sail the junk?" he asked, speaking for the first time in -English. - -"I think so," said Frank. "In any case, if we can but get her out into -mid-stream, she will drift upon the current." - -"That is what I would wish," said Ling. "Let me drift into the other -world. Forty years since, I was born upon the turbulent waters of the -Hoang-Ho. Let me breathe my last upon the tranquil Pe-kiang. One is -inclined to believe," he continued, "that destiny is expressed in -symbols. The Hoang-Ho is the most boisterous, violent and unmanageable -river in all the thirteen provinces of this celestial land. And my life -has been such, in very truth. I have lived by violence, and now I die a -death by violence. But--I know not why--I die calmly, in peace with all -men and my Maker. I think that, perhaps, the bad that was within me has -gone out of me with the brute strength that was mine, and the good that -was within me has taken possession of my soul, to conduct me to the -expansive arch of heaven. And now, that I may rest in peace, bring me a -pillow for my head. You cannot move me--I am too heavy. Besides, I -desire to remain here, to regard the stars." - -Searching the junk, they found several cushions, and these they disposed -so that the man could lie in greater ease. And Mr Waldron, who--as a -man who had lived much of his life in the wilds--had some little -experience in surgery and medicine, attended to Ling's wound, washing -away the blood and folding another and a cleaner bandage. - -And then they loosed the junk from her moorings, and with difficulty at -last succeeded in getting the ship clear of the creek. She at once -swung round with the current. And when they lowered what little canvas -she carried, the ship drifted down the river, with Sir Thomas Armitage -at the tiller. - -On this account progress was very slow, and they had not progressed many -miles when the red dawn began to appear in the east. They passed -villages upon both banks of the river, surrounded by flooded ricefields, -purple in the dawn. As the light grew, they were able to perceive -distant wooded hills, with ancient temples and pagodas built upon their -slopes. - -They had taken turn and turn about at the work of steering, relieving -one another every half-hour, so that there were always two of them in -attendance upon Ling. He did not speak again until the sun had risen, -when he complained that the light was trying to his eyes. - -As he had said, he was far too heavy to be moved. They constructed an -awning above him, a small sail tied to the mast. He thanked them with -Chinese courtesy, and then closed his eyes again, as if he desired to -sleep. - -A little after, they rounded a bend of the river, and found that they -had gained the Pe-kiang, or North River, which joins the West River a -little above Canton. And there, lying in mid-stream, like a watch-dog -at the mouth of its kennel, was a British gunboat, her paint glistening -in the sun, the great muzzle of a 4.5 gun directed at the bows of the -junk. They could see the gunners, each man in his place, standing ready -to fire. - -The junk drifted nearer and nearer to the man-of-war. They could see -the commander on the bridge. He shouted to them through a megaphone, -ordering them to heave to and drop their anchors, or else he would open -fire. When he saw that there were Europeans on board, however, who were -free to do what they liked, and that the only Chinaman visible was a man -stretched at full length upon the deck beneath an awning, he threw back -his head with an exclamation of surprise. - -At the commander's side upon the bridge stood a long-coated Chinaman; -and as the junk drew alongside, Sir Thomas and his nephew recognised -their old servant, Yung How. - -A moment later, the lieutenant-commander was on board the junk, -listening in astonishment to the extraordinary tale which Frank Armitage -had to tell. It was not easy to believe, but there was on board the -junk indisputable evidence that the boy spoke the truth. For there was -the sack of silver dollars upon the deck, where Ling had thrown it; -Cheong-Chau's seven men were below, bound hand and foot; and there was -the great Honanese himself, with the spark of life no more than -glimmering in that colossal frame. - -Whilst Frank was relating his story, Sir Thomas addressed himself to -Yung How, who stood upon the deck of the gunboat. The man explained -that he had done all in his power to atone for his treachery and -ingratitude. He had reached Hong-Kong--as we know--on the same boat as -the letters, but had not been able to pluck up sufficient moral courage -to present himself before the police authorities until after he had been -several hours on the island. The ransom had already been despatched, -when the Chief of Police presented himself before Sir John Macintosh, -the Governor. - -It would have been easy to telegraph to Canton, instructing those on -board the launch to wait for His Majesty's gunboat _Ferret_. It was -decided, however, to allow the ransom money to be taken over by the -brigands, who could afterwards be brought to book at the junction of the -Sang River with the Pekiang. It would not be possible for Cheong-Chau -to remove the treasure by any other means than by junk or _wupan_. Of -the operations of Ling and the undoing of Cheong-Chau and his band, the -Hong-Kong police authorities, of course, knew nothing. - -Yung How himself was ordered to accompany the ship's doctor, who -immediately hastened to the assistance of the dying man on board the -junk. When the servant found himself face to face with his master, he -immediately fell upon his knees, imploring Sir Thomas to be merciful. -The judge was not slow to forgive, realising that Yung How had at last -been made to realise the evils of the drug to which for so many years he -had been a slave, and the depths of degradation to which the opium -smoker can sink. - -Upon that fateful morning, however, beyond a few brief words of mutual -congratulation, little enough was said. The attention of all was taken -up by the prostrate figure of the notorious Canton robber, who for years -past had defied all authority and law. - -The naval surgeon declared that he could do nothing. The man was -already as good as dead. The surgeon's sole cause for wonderment was -that Ling still lived. - -The great Honanese remained insensible until the moment when -Cheong-Chau's brigands were brought on deck. Then, opening his eyes, he -looked at them, at first not appearing to remember who they were. Then, -very slowly, a smile spread upon his face. - -"They go the way of all men," said he; "to the Potter's Yard, if -evidence can be produced against them; at all events, to the wooden -cages that are to be found at the gates of the city. As for myself, I -go before a greater court of justice. And I am not afraid." - -He remained silent for a moment, and then, seeing Frank, he asked the -boy to come to him. - -"Had I not met you," said he, "that morning on the wharf at Sanshui, -perhaps I should not now be bidding farewell to all my earthly troubles. -Still, that is a matter of no importance. I would like to thank you, -because you have been true to me. It does not flatter me to think that -you preferred me to Cheong-Chau. You obeyed me in the first instance -through fear, and then because you saw that I was one upon whom you -could rely. Tell me, is that so?" - -"I think it is," said the boy, and then he added: "You are a strange man -indeed." - -"I believe I am," said Ling. "A singular mixture: evil and good, -brutality and kindness, strength and weakness." - -"I should not call you weak," said the boy. - -"Then you do not know me, after all. What was all my vanity and -boasting but weakness? What right has any man to boast? In the midst -of the universe he is smaller than the ant; his voice, beside the -thunder, is no more than the croaking of a frog. And now, bid me -farewell, for I am about to die, and would gladly do so, that the pain I -suffer may be ended." - -It was just as if the man passed into the other world of his own free -will. Slowly he closed his eyes; and then he breathed no more. The -features of his face relaxed; the hardness and the cruelty, the lines of -agony and crime, vanished from his features. The tiger was no more. And -let us believe what he himself believed: that the evil that was in him -remained upon this earth in that great casket of sinew, nerve and -muscle, destined to decay, and the good that was within him--all that -was noble and heroic, the great thoughts that he had had and the wisdom -he had acquired--was carried by his soul into what he himself had -described as "the expansive arch of heaven." - - - - THE RIVERSIDE PRESS LIMITED, EDINBURGH - - - - - ---- - - A Select List of Books for - Young People: Published by - Humphrey Milford, Oxford - University Press - - - Books for Boys - -"_Boys who read Mr. Strang's works have not merely the advantage of -perusing enthralling and wholesome tales, but they are also absorbing -sound and trustworthy information of the men and times about which they -are reading._"--DAILY TELEGRAPH. - - By HERBERT STRANG - -The Blue Raider - -Illustrated by C. E. BROCK. - -Phil Trentham, a young English trader, and his friend Hoole, an -American, are amongst the few survivors of a tramp steamer sunk by a -German raider in the Pacific. Together with Grinson, the boatswain, and -Meek, a seaman, they reach the coast of New Guinea, and find themselves -between the devil and the deep sea, in the shape of cannibal natives on -the one hand and the German raiders on the other. After running -imminent risk of being devoured, the party come to terms with the -natives, who have themselves suffered much at the hands of the Germans; -and they unite against the common foe. By a clever stratagem Trentham -wrecks the German raider and outwits the crew, who make an attack on his -party. The fat boatswain, Grinson, and the lean, melancholy Meek are -good examples of Mr. Herbert Strang's power of characterisation. - -The Long Trail - -Illustrated by H. EVISON. - -This is a story of African adventure that carries the reader on -breathlessly. Two English lads, who had gone to Africa prospecting for -tin, come into contact with the wild race of the Tubus, and unwittingly -cross the ambitions of their leader, Goruba. They are besieged, with -their carriers, in a tumble-down fort, have encounters with savage -beasts as well as savage men, and ultimately, getting the better of -Goruba, have their reward in the shape of a hoard of ivory which lay -concealed beneath the fort. - -A Gentleman-at-Arms - -A Story of Elizabethan Days. Eight plates in Colour by CYRUS CUNEO, and -thirty-eight line drawings by T. H. ROBINSON. - -This book is unique In literature for boys. It relates the adventurous -career of an Elizabethan gentleman, in a style carefully modelled on the -simple prose of the century which produced the Authorised Version of the -Bible. No previous writer for boys has ever attempted a similar -achievement. Apart from its romantic and exciting incidents, this story -has great value by reason of its historical and geographical -information, and its exceptional style. - -Sultan Jim - -Empire Builder. Coloured illustrations by CYRUS CUNEO. - -Asia and Australia have been the scene of Mr. Strang's most recent -romances of Empire. In this book he turns to Africa, where the -colonising activity of rival powers is raising problems of the greatest -interest and importance. The presence of a young Englishman in one of -the debatable lands at a time of upheaval and international rivalry -enables him to uphold the interests of the Empire against formidable -opposition. The story is brimful of adventure, and its moral is that of -patriotic self-sacrifice. - -"Father Christmas brings many good things in his train, but It Is -doubtful If he brings anything better in its own way than a new story by -Mr. Herbert Strang. The multitude of his youthful readers are likely to -find their most insatiable thirst for adventure satisfied by this new -volume."--_Bookman_. - -The Air Patrol - -A Story of the North-West Frontier. Illustrated in Colour by CYRUS -CUNEO. - -In this book Mr. Strang looks ahead--and other books have already proved -him a prophet of surprising skill--to a time when there is a great -Mongolian Empire whose army sweeps down on to the North-West Frontier of -India. His two heroes luckily have an aeroplane, and with the help of a -few Pathan miners they hold a pass in the Hindu Kush against a swarm of -Mongols, long enough to prevent the cutting of the communications of the -Indian army operating in Afghanistan. The qualities which marked Mr. -Strang's last long story, "The Air-Scout," and won extraordinarily high -commendation from Lord Roberts, Lord Curzon, and others, as well as from -the _Spectator_ and other great journals, are again strikingly -displayed; and the combination of thrilling adventure with an Imperial -problem and excellent writing, adds one more to this author's long list -of successes. - -"An exceptionally good book, written moreover In excellent -style."--_Times_. - -"The 'Air Patrol' is really a masterpiece."--_Morning Post_. - -The Air-Scout - -A Story of National Defence. Illustrated in Colour by W. R. S. STOTT. - -The problems of National Defence are being discussed with more and more -care and attention, not only in Great Britain, but also in all parts of -the Empire. In this story Mr. Strang imagines a Chinese descent upon -Australia, and carries his hero through a series of exciting adventures, -in which the value of national spirit, organisation, and discipline is -exemplified. The important part which the aeroplane will play in -warfare is recognised, and the thousands of readers who have delighted -in the author's previous stories of aviation will find this new book -after their own heart. - -LORD ROBERTS writes: "It is capital reading, and should interest more -than boys. Your forecast is so good that I can only hope the future may -not bring to Australia such a struggle as the one you so graphically -describe." - -LORD CURZON writes: "I have read with great pleasure your book, 'The -Air-Scout.' It seems to me to be a capital story, full of life and -movement: and further, it preaches the best of all secular gospels, -patriotism and co-operation." - -"We congratulate Me. Strang on this fine book--one of the best fighting -stories we have read."--_Morning Post_. - -Rob the Ranger - -A Story of the Fight for Canada. Illustrated in Colour by W. H. -MARGETSON, and three Maps. - -Rob Somers, son of an English settler in New York State, sets out with -Lone Pete, a trapper, in pursuit of an Indian raiding party which has -destroyed his home and carried off his younger brother. He is captured -and taken to Quebec, where he finds his brother, and escapes with him in -the dead of the winter, in company with a little band of New Englanders. -They are pursued over snow 'and ice, and in a log hut beside Lake -Champlain maintain a desperate struggle against a larger force of -French, Indians, and half-breeds, ultimately reaching Fort Edward in -safety. - -One of Clive's Heroes - -A Story of the Fight for India. Illustrated In Colour, and Maps. - -Desmond Burke goes out to India to seek his fortune, and is sold by a -false friend of his, one Marmaduke Diggle, to the famous Pirate of -Gheria. But he escapes, runs away with one of the Pirate's own vessels, -and meets Colonel Clive, whom he assists to capture the Pirate's -stronghold. His subsequent adventures on the other side of India--how -he saves a valuable cargo of his friend, Mr. Merriman, assists Clive in -his fights against Sirajuddaula, and rescues Mr. Merriman's wife and -daughter from the clutches of Diggle--are told with great spirit and -humour. - -"An absorbing story.... The narrative not only thrills, but also weaves -skilfully out of fact and fiction a clear impression of our fierce -struggle for India."--_Athenaeum_. - -Samba - -A Story of the Congo. Illustrated in Colour. - -The first work of fiction in which the cause of the hapless Congo native -is championed. - -"It was an excellent Idea on the part of Mr. Herbert Strang to write a -story about the treatment of the natives in the Congo Free State.... Mr. -Strang has a big following among English boys, and anything he chooses -to write is sure to receive their appreciative attention."--_Standard_, - -"Mr. Herbert Strang has written not a few admirable books for boys, but -none likely to make a more profound impression than his new story of -this year."--_Scotsman_. - -Barclay of the Guides - -A Story of the Indian Mutiny. Illustrated in Colour by CYRUS CUNEO. -With Maps. - -Of all our Native Indian regiments the Guides have probably the most -glorious traditions. They were among the few who remained true to their -salt during the trying days of the great Mutiny, vying in gallantry and -devotion with our best British regiments. The story tells how James -Barclay, after a strange career in Afghanistan, becomes associated with -this famous regiment, and though young in years, bears a man's part in -the great march to Delhi, the capture of the royal city, and the -suppression of the Mutiny. - -With Drake on the Spanish Main - -Illustrated in Colour by ARCHIBALD WEBB. With Maps. - -A rousing story of adventure by sea and land. The hero, Dennis -Hazelrig, is cast ashore on an island in the Spanish Main, the sole -survivor of a band of adventurers from Plymouth. He lives for some time -with no companion but a spider monkey, but by a series of remarkable -incidents he gathers about him a numerous band of escaped slaves and -prisoners, English, French and native; captures a Spanish fort; fights a -Spanish galleon; meets Francis Drake, and accompanies him in his famous -adventures on the Isthmus of Panama; and finally reaches England the -possessor of much treasure. The author has, as usual, devoted much -pains to characterisation, and every boy will delight in Amos Turnpenny, -Tom Copstone, and other bold men of Devon, and in Mirandola, the monkey. - -Palm Tree Island - -Illustrated in Colour by ARCHIBALD WEBB. - -In this story two boys are left on a volcanic island in the South Seas, -destitute of everything but their clothes. The story relates how they -provided themselves with food and shelter, with tools and weapons; how -they fought with wild dogs and sea monsters; and how, when they have -settled down to a comfortable life under the shadow of the volcano, -their peace is disturbed by the advent of savages and a crew of mutinous -Englishmen. The savages are driven away; the mutineers are subdued -through the boys' ingenuity; and they ultimately sail away in a vessel -of their own construction. In no other book has the author more -admirably blended amusement with instruction. - -"Written as well that there Is not a dull page in the book."--_The -World_. - -Herbert Strang's Romances of Modern Invention - -Each of the following stories is concerned with some particular -discovery of Modern Science, such as the aeroplane and the submarine, -which is made use of in the working out of the plot; and the heroes of -these adventures, who face dangers that were unknown in olden times, -cannot fail to make a strong appeal to boys of to-day. - -The Flying Boat - -Illustrated in Colour. - -The flying boat Is a logical development of the hydroplane. At a -sufficiently high speed, the hydroplane leaves the water and becomes a -hydro-aeroplane. The possession of such a machine gives the hero of the -story (the scene of which is laid in China) opportunities of highly -exciting adventures, and Incidentally the chance of rescuing an old chum -who has fallen into the hands of Chinese revolutionaries. - -"The book is alive with vigorous action from cover to cover, 'The Flying -Boat' is a rattling good story."--_Bookman_. - -The Motor Scout - -A Story of Adventure in South America. Illustrated in Colour by CYRUS -CUNEO. - -In the interest aroused by the solution of the problem of flying, the -motor bicycle has been entirely overlooked by story-writers. Happily -Mr. Herbert Strang has now thought of making it the pivot of a story, -the scene of which is one of the Latin States of South America. Mr. -Strang tells the story of an Irish boy who is living in this State just -at the time when one of the periodical revolutions breaks out. He is -forced to take sides, and with the help of his motor-cycle is able to -assist his friends, but not without running risks unknown to scouts -provided with less novel means of traversing the country. "A really -fine story, full of life, and one that any bay can enjoy."--_Outlook_. - -Round the World in Seven Days - -The Story of an Aeroplane. Illustrated in Colour by A. C. MICHAEL. - -"This is a book which any boy would revel in, and which people who are -no longer boys will read with equally breathless -interest."--_Educational News_. - -The Cruise of the Gyro-Car - -Illustrated in Colour by A. C. MICHAEL. - -(The Gyro-Car, which is a road vehicle or a boat at pleasure, is the -logical outcome of the gyroscope applied to the bicycle.) - -Swift and Sure - -The Story of a Hydroplane. Illustrated in Colour by J. FINNEMORE. - -"It is one of the most exciting of this season's works for boys, every -page containing a thrill, and no boy will leave it to a second sitting -if he can help it."--_Teacher_. - -King of the Air - -or, To Morocco on an Aeroplane. Illustrated in Colour by W. E. WEBSTER. - -"One of the best boys' stories we have ever read."--_Morning Leader_. - -"The best book of its kind now in existence."--_Manchester Guardian_. - -Lord of the Seas - -The Story of a Submarine. Illustrated in Colour by C. FLEMING WILLIAMS. - -"The excitement lasts from cover to cover."--_Manchester Courier_. - - By Captain G. B. McKEAN, V.C., M.C., M.M. - -Scouting Thrills - -Illustrated by JOHN DE WALTON. - -Captain G. B. McKean is a Canadian officer who served throughout the -war, first as a private, afterwards gaining a commission, and winning -successively the Military Medal, the V.C., and the Military Cross. In -his book he recounts some of his most thrilling experiences on the -Western Front, particularly the exploit by which he gained the V.C. -Captain McKean was Scout Officer in his battalion, and his chapters are -amongst the most vivid and thrilling accounts of the war yet -written--not the war of "big pushes," massed attacks, bayonet charges, -and the capture of miles of trenches, but of nights spent crawling about -in the mud of No-Man's-Land, of lonely vigils in shell-holes, bombing -raids, and unpleasant experiences "on the wire." - -GENERAL SIR ROBERT BADEN POWELL writes: "I have devoured it with great -relish.... It gives a life-like representation of the risks and thrills -of scouting and the 'real thing'; and as a moral lesson of chucking -everything aside to get your duty done, it is bound to have powerful -results." - - By HYLTON CLEAVER - -Brother o' Mine - -A School Story. Illustrated by H. M. BROCK. - -"Brother o' Mine" is a story of Harley, a great public school. Toby -Nicholson, an old Harleian, after making a shot at one or two possible -openings for a career, accepts the post of Games Master at his old -school. To his younger brother Terence the prospect of being at Harley -with Toby is one of unalloyed pleasure, and as he is pretty sure of his -First XI. colours next term, the world for him is rose-coloured. But -his anticipations are not altogether realised, for Slade, the Captain of -Cricket, having no particular liking for Terence to start with, feels -that the presence of Toby is a direct challenge to him to assert his -independence; and on the plea that he will not show favouritism to a boy -because his brother happens to be Games Master, he refuses to do him -simple justice and keeps him out of the XI. In the duel that ensues, -Slade makes several false moves that show him to be actuated by petty -spite rather than by any high motive of justice and fair-play; and his -own play proving anything but fair, his career at Harley comes to an -abrupt conclusion. Terence is a fine bat, and the force of public -opinion and his own worth secure him the coveted "last place" in the XI. - -The Harley First Eleven - -Illustrated by C. E. BROCK. - -"The Harley First Eleven" is a collection of Mr. Hylton Cleaver's best -short stories, all centring on the great public school Harley, and, -individually, dealing with the sports for which it is famous. Mr. -Cleaver's knowledge of public school-boy character is extensive and -profound; he has a ready fund of wit and humour at his call, and he can -describe a Rugger match in a way that makes the blood tingle with -excitement. Rugger was Harley's great game, though the school produced -many first-class cricketers; and the two games form the pivot of several -stories. Others are concerned with boxing, running and swimming; and we -are let into secrets regarding the giving or withholding of colours for -which the school at large saw no justification at the time. The book is -a history of battles fought and won on the playing-fields of Harley. - - By CLAUDE GRAHAME-WHITE AND HARRY HARPER - -Heroes of the Air - -Illustrated in Colour by CYRUS CUNEO. - -This book deals with the labours and exploits of those who have played -an important part in bringing about the conquest of the air. It not -only contains personal memoirs of the men themselves, but traces the -progress of aerial flight from the early gliders to the aeroplanes of -to-day. The story of the experiments of those who first essayed to -fly--the problems that long baffled them and the difficulties they -overcame--together with the accounts of the daring feats of modern -aviators, make a stirring narrative, and carry the history of heroism -and endurance a. stage further forward. - -"This will prove a great attraction to a multitude of readers who wish -to read of deeds of great daring and very narrow escapes."--_Nation_. - -With the Airmen - -Illustrated in Colour by CYRUS CUNEO. - -Mr. Grahame-White has not only repeatedly proved his skill and daring as -a pilot, but the well-known type of biplane bearing his name shows that -he is in the forefront of designers and constructors. With his -practical and technical knowledge is combined the somewhat rare ability -to impart his knowledge in a form acceptable to boys, as he has already -shown in his "Heroes of the Air." This time he has written a vade mecum -for the young aeroplanist, who is conducted to the aerodrome and -initiated Into all the mysteries of flying. The structure of the -aeroplane, the uses of the different parts, the propulsive mechanism, -the steering apparatus, the work at a flying school, the causes of -accidents, and the future of the aeroplane are all dealt with. - -"It is surely one of the most entertaining books on a technical subject -that have ever appeared, as well as one of the most instructive and -comprehensive."--_Nation_. - - By CAPTAIN CHARLES GILSON - -On Secret Service. Illustrated by JOHN DE WALTON. - -Captain Gilson's new book carries us back to the early days of the war, -when the hidden menace of spies in our midst was scarcely less -formidable than the obvious menace from the enemy without. Daniel -Wansborough, a retired Scotland Yard detective, takes up active service -again in the hour of his country's need, and becomes aware of a -well-organised system of espionage at work, with its headquarters in -London; but for a time he cannot discover whose is the brain directing -the organisation. His nephew, George, a lad of sixteen, is instrumental -in obtaining this information. George falls into the hands of the -arch-spy, and is kept a prisoner in London. Here he learns the details -of an ingenious plan whereby the chief Government offices in Whitehall -are to be destroyed by Zeppelins. The detective, in trying to unravel -the mystery of his nephew's disappearance, finds the threads mingling -with those of the spy-plot, and when at length he locates the house in -which the boy is shut up, he finds himself with his hand upon the very -nerve-centre of the German Secret Service organisation. George is able -to supply the missing links in the chain of evidence, and the scheme for -the destruction of Whitehall if frustrated at the eleventh hour. - -The Spy - -A Story of the Peninsular War. Illustrated in Colour by CYRUS CUNEO. - -To the work of story-writing Captain Gilson brings a remarkable -combination of talents: an unrivalled knowledge of military history, an -imagination that never flags, a dramatic literary style, and a keen -sense of humour. These qualities are seen to perfection in "The Spy." -The hero, Sir Jeffery Jones, Bart, when a boy of sixteen, secures a -commission in a famous foot regiment, then under orders to sail for -Portugal under the command of Sir Arthur Wellesley. His first encounter -with the enemy takes place before he is fifty miles from home, for on -the road to London he pursues and comes near to capturing a spy in the -pay of Bonaparte. Several times subsequently the paths of the two -cross, and eventually Sir Jeffery is the means of thwarting the -Frenchman's schemes. He takes part in much of the fighting in the -Peninsula, and, at the storming of Badajoz and elsewhere, renders his -country good service. - -"Every boy who loves tales of war and perilous enterprise--and what boy -does not!--will read 'The Spy' with unqualified enjoyment."--_Bookman_. - -The Lost Empire - -A Tale of Many Lands. Illustrated in Colour by CYRUS CUNEO. With Map. - -This is the story of a middy who was taken prisoner by the French at the -time of the Revolution. While in Paris he obtained possession of -Napoleon's plans for the capture of India, and, after many adventures, -was the means of frustrating that ambitious scheme. - -The Lost Column - -A Story of the Boxer Rebellion. Illustrated in Colour by CYRUS CUNEO. - -At the outbreak of the great Boxer Rebellion in China, Gerald Wood, the -hero of this story, was living with his mother and brother at Milton -Towers, just outside Tientsin. When the storm broke and Tientsin was -cut off from the rest of the world, the occupants of Milton Towers made -a gallant defence, but were compelled by force of numbers to retire into -the town. Then Gerald determined to go in quest of the relief column -under Admiral Seymour. He carried his life in his hands, and on more -than one occasion came within an ace of losing it; but he managed to -reach his goal in safety, and was warmly commended by the Admiral on his -achievement. - -The Pirate Aeroplane - -Illustrated in Colour by C. CLARK, R.I. - -The heroes of this story, during a tour In an entirely unknown region of -Africa, light upon a race of people directly descended from the Ancient -Egyptians. This race--the Asmalians---has lived isolated from other -communities. The scientific importance of this discovery is apparent to -the travellers, and they are enthusiastic to know more of these strange -people; but suddenly they find themselves in the midst of exciting -adventures owing to the appearance of a pirate aeroplane--of a -thoroughly up-to-date model--whose owner has learnt of a vast store of -gold in the Asmalians' city. They throw in their lot with the people, -and are able in the end to frustrate the plans of the freebooter. - -"The story is a riot of adventure. There is the groundwork of a -complete new novel on every page."--_Manchester Guardian_. - -The Lost Island - -Illustrated in Colour by CYRUS CUNEO. - -A rousing story of adventure in the little-explored regions of Central -Asia and in the South Seas. The prologue describes how Thomas Gaythorne -obtained access to a Lama monastery, where he rendered the monks such -great service that they bestowed upon him a gem of priceless value known -as Gautama's Eye. Soon after leaving the monastery he was attacked and -robbed, and only narrowly escaped with his life. "The Lost Island" -describes the attempt of one of Thomas Gaythorne's descendants to -re-discover the missing gem; and he passes through some remarkable -adventures before he succeeds in this quest. - -The Race Round the World - -An Account of the Contest for the 100,000 Prize offered by the -Combined Newspaper League. Coloured Illustrations by CYRUS CUNEO, and -a map of the route of _The Swallow_. - -Old Silas Agge has invented a new motor spirit, far more potent than -petrol, and with this secret in his possession he has no doubt that he -will win the 100,000 offered by a Newspaper League to the winner of the -Aeroplane Race round the World. But a foreigner, with whom Silas has -had business relations, succeeds in obtaining, first, the design of the -aeroplane which the old man has built, and next, a sufficient quantity -of the new spirit to carry him round the world. The race thus becomes a -duel between these two rivals. Guy Kingston, a daring young aviator and -nephew to Silas, pilots his uncle's aeroplane, and at every stage of the -race finds himself matched against an unscrupulous adversary. The story -of the race is exciting from beginning to end. Readers of Captain -Gilson's earlier books will be particularly happy in renewing -acquaintance with Mr. Wang, the great Chinese detective. - -"Suggestive of Jules Verne in his most ambitious and fantastic -vein."--_Athenaeum_. - -"Boys will like it, and they will want to read it more than -once."--_Scotsman_. - - SCHOOL STORIES BY DESMOND COKE - -The Bending of a Twig - -Illustrated in Colour by H. M. BROCK. - -When "The Bending of a Twig" was first published it was hailed by -competent critics as the finest school story that had appeared since -"Tom Brown." It is a vivid picture of life in a modern public school. -The hero, Lycidas Marsh, enters Shrewsbury without having previously -been to a preparatory school, drawing his ideas of school life from his -imagination and a number of school stories he has read. How Lycidas -finds his true level in this new world and worthily maintains the -Salopian tradition is the theme of this most entrancing book. - -"A real, live school story that carries conviction in every -line."--_Standard_. - -"Mr. Desmond Coke has given us one of the best accounts of public school -life that we possess.... Among books of its kind 'The Bending of a -Twig' deserves to become a classic"--_Outlook_. - -The School Across the Road - -Illustrated in Colour by H. M. BROCK. - -The incidents of this story arise out of the uniting of two -schools--"Warner's" and "Corunna"--under the name of "Winton," a name -which the head master fondly hopes will become known far and wide as a -great seat of learning. Unfortunately for the head master's ambition, -however, the two sets of boys--hitherto rivals and enemies, now -schoolfellows--do not take kindly to one another. Warner's men of might -are discredited in the new school; Henderson, lately head boy, finds -himself a mere nobody; while the inoffensive Dove is exalted and made -prefect by reason of his attainments in class work. There is discord -and insurrection and talk of expulsion, and the feud drags on until the -rival factions have an opportunity of uniting against a common enemy. -Then, in the enthusiasm aroused by the overthrow of a neighbouring -agricultural college, the bitterness between them dies away, and the -future of Winton is assured. - -"This tale is told with a remarkable spirit, and all the boys are real, -everyday characters drawn without exaggeration."--_British Weekly_. - -The House Prefect - -Illustrated in Colour by H. M. BROCK. - -This story of the life at Sefton, a great English public school, mainly -revolves around the trouble in which Bob Manders, new-made house -prefect, finds himself, owing to a former alliance with the two wild -spirits whom, in the interests of the house, it is now his chief task to -suppress. In particular does the spirited exploit with which it -opens--the whitewashing by night of a town statue and the smashing of -certain school property--raise itself against him, next term, when he -has been set in authority. His two former friends persist in still -regarding him as an ally, bound to them by their common secret; and, in -a sense, he is attracted to their enterprises, for in becoming prefect -he does not cease to be a boy. It is a great duel this, fought in the -studies, the dormitories, upon the field. - -"Quite one of the books of the season. Mr. Desmond Coke has proved -himself a aster."--_World_. - -"Quite the hot school story of the year."--_Morning Leader_. - - By A. C. CURTIS - -The Voyage of the "Sesame" - -A Story of the Arctic. Illustrated in Colour. - -The Trevelyan brothers receive from a dying sailor a rough chart of a -locality where much gold is to be found in the Arctic regions. They set -out in quest of it, bat do not have things all their own way, for some -rival treasure-seekers have got wind of the enterprise, and endeavour to -secure the gold for themselves. There is a race between the two -expeditions, and fighting takes place, but the crew of the Sesame are -victorious, and after enduring great hardships amongst the ice, reach -home safely with the gold on board. - -The Good Sword Belgarde - -or, How De Burgh held Dover. Coloured Illustrations by W. H. C. GROOME. - -This is the story of Arnold Gyffard and John Wotton, pages to Sir Philip -Daubeney, in the days when Prince Lewis the Lion invaded England and -strove to win it from King John. It tells of their journey to Dover -through a country swarming with foreign troops, and of many desperate -fights by the way. In one of these A mold wins from a French knight the -good sword Belgarde, which he uses to such good purpose as to make his -name feared. Then follows the great siege of Dover, full of exciting -incidents, when by his gallant defence Hubert de Burgh keeps the key to -England out of the Frenchman's grasp. - - By FRANK H. MASON, R.B.A. - -A Book of British Ships - -Written and Illustrated by FRANK H. MASON, R.B.A. - -The aim of this book is to present, in a form that will readily appeal -to boys, a comprehensive account of British shipping, both naval and -mercantile, and to trace its development from the old wooden walls of -Nelson's time down to the Dreadnoughts and high-speed ocean liners of -to-day. All kinds of British ships, from the battleship to the trawler, -are dealt with, and the characteristic points of each type of vessel are -explained. - - By GEORGE SURREY - -Mid Clash of Swords - -A Story of the Sack of Rome. Coloured Illustrations by T. C. DUGDALE. - -Wilfrid Salkeld, a young Englishman, enters the employ of Giuliano de -Medici, the virtual ruler of Florence, whom he serves with a zeal that -that faint-hearted man does not deserve; he meets Giovanni the -Invincible; and makes friends with the great Benvenuto Cellini. He has -many a fierce tussle with German mercenaries and Italian robbers, as -well as with those whose jealousy he arouses by his superior skill in -arms. - -A Northumbrian in Arms - -A Story of the Time of Hereward the Wake. Illustrated in Colour by J. -FINNEMORE. - -Harold Ulfsson, companion of Hereward the Wake and conqueror of the -Wessex Champion in a great wrestling bout, is outlawed by the influence -of a Norman knight, whose enmity he has aroused, and goes north to serve -under Earl Siward of Northumbria in the war against Macbeth, the -Scottish usurper. He assists in defeating an attack by a band of -coast-raiders, takes their ship, and discovering that his father has -been slain and his land seized by his enemy, follows him into Wales. He -fights with Griffith the Welsh King, kills his enemy In a desperate -conflict amidst the hills, and, gaining the friendship of Harold, Earl -of Wessex, his outlawry is removed and his lands restored to him. - - By REV. J. R. HOWDEN, B.D. - -Locomotives of the World - -Containing sixteen plates in Colour. - -Many of the most up-to-date types of locomotives used on railways -throughout the world are illustrated and described in this volume. The -coloured plates have been made from actual photographs, and show the -peculiar features of some truly remarkable engines. These peculiarities -are fully explained in the text, written by the Rev. J. R. Howden, -author of "The Boy's Book of Locomotives," etc. - - By JOHN FINBARR - -The Mystery of Danger Point - -Illustrated by ARCHIBALD WEBB. - -A story of a hundred years ago, when there were highwaymen on every -public road and smuggler! in every cove. When their school breaks up, -the two youthful heroes go to spend the holidays with Robin's uncle, who -lives in a tumble-down castle at Danger Point on the western coast, and -they soon discover that the local people are doing a brisk trade in -contraband goods. To assist in putting down this illegal business seems -to them the obvious course. They find a cave which has every appearance -of being used for smuggled goods, and keep their eyes upon certain -suspicious characters. In the absence of Uncle Reuben, the boys get -wind of a big cargo about to be run, and resolve to inform the nearest -Justice of the Peace; but before they can put their scheme into -operation, they are quietly smuggled away themselves out of England into -France. Here an opportunity presents itself for assisting a French -nobleman and his daughter to escape from the Reign of Terror, and they -return to England to invoke the aid of Uncle Reuben and his ship In this -enterprise. Their success brings reward in several ways. The story is -very brightly written, and has many humorous touches. - - By JOSEPH BOWES - -The Aussie Crusaders - -Illustrated by WAL PAGET. - -Mr. Bowes' latest story, "The Aussie Crusaders," deals with the British -Campaign in Palestine. The hero is a young Australian officer, who, -having distinguished himself in the Gallipoli struggle, was given a -commission and quickly attained his majority. He is still, however, -"one of the boys" in spirit, and the story gives a pretty good idea of -the informal, friendly relations that existed between the officers and -men of the A.I.F. Major Smith is taken prisoner by a party of Bedouins -after the fight at Rafa, and on escaping from them, falls into the hands -of the Turks, from whom he also breaks free, obtaining possession of -papers giving valuable information about the enemy's strength and -movements. After rejoining his squadron, the Major takes part in the -great sweep that, starting with the attack on Gaza, culminated in the -fall of Jerusalem. - - By WILLIAM J. MARX - -For the Admiral - -Illustrated in Colour by ARCHIBALD WEBB. - -The brave Huguenot Admiral Coligny is one of the heroes of French -history. Edmond le Blanc, the son of a Huguenot gentleman, undertakes -to convey a secret letter of warning to Coligny, and the adventures he -meets with on the way lend to his accepting service in the Huguenot -army. He shares in the hard fighting that took place in the -neighbourhood of La Rochelle, does excellent work in scouting for the -Admiral, and is everywhere that danger calls, along with his friend -Roger Braund, a young Englishman who has come over to help the cause -with a band of free-lances. - -This story won the 100 prize offered by the Bookman for the best story -for boys. - - THE ROMANCE SERIES - -The Romance of the King's Navy - -By EDWARD FRASER. New Edition, with Illustrations in Colour by N. -SOTHEBY PITCHER. - -"The Romance of the King's Navy" is intended to give boys of to-day an -idea of some of the notable events that have happened under the White -Ensign within the past few years. There is no other book of the kind in -existence. It begins with incidents afloat during the Crimean War, when -their grandfathers were boys themselves, and brings the story down to a -year or two ago, with the startling adventure at Spithead of Submarine -64. One chapter tells the exciting story of "How the Navy's V.C.'s have -been won," the deeds of the various heroes being brought all together -here in one connected narrative for the first time. - -"Mr. Fraser knows his facts well, and has set them out in an extremely -interesting and attractive way."--_Westminster Gazette_. - -The Romance of the King's Army - -By A. B. TUCKER. - -A companion volume to "The Romance of the King's Navy," telling again in -glowing language the most inspiring incidents in the glorious history of -our land forces. The charge of the 21st Lancers at Omdurman, the -capture of the Dargai heights, the saving of the guns at Maiwand, are a -few of the great stories of heroism and devotion that appear in this -stirring volume. - -"We cannot toe highly commend this beautiful volume as a prize-book for -school-boys of all classes."--_School Guardian_. - -The Romance of Every Day - -By LILIAN QUILLER-COUCH. - -Here is a bookful of romance and heroism; true stories of men, women, -and children in early centuries and modern times who took the -opportunities which came into their everyday lives and found themselves -heroes and heroines; civilians who, without beat of drum or smoke of -battle, without special training or words of encouragement, performed -deeds worthy to be written in letters of gold. - -"These stories are bound to encourage and Inspire young readers to -perform heroic actions."--_Bristol Daily Mercury_. - -The Romance of the Merchant Venturers - -By E. E. SPEIGHT and R. MORTON NANCE. - -Britain's Sea Story - -By E. E. SPEIGHT and R. MORTON NANCE. New Edition, Illustrated in -Colour by H. SANDHAM. - -These two books are full of true tales as exciting as any to be found in -the story books, and at every few pages there is a fine illustration, in -colour or black and white, of one of the stirring incidents described in -the text. - -By MEREDITH FLETCHER - -The Pretenders - -With Coloured Illustrations by HAROLD C. EARNSHAW. - -A tale of twin-brothers at Daneborough School, Tommy Durrant (the -narrator) has been a boarder for about a year, when Peter arrives upon -the scene as a day-boy. The latter's ill-health has prevented him -joining the school before, and, being a harum-scarum youngster, his -vagaries plunge Tommy into hot water straight away. The following week, -unaware of all the mischief he has made, the newcomer, who lives with an -aunt, urges his twin to change places one night for a spree. Tommy -rashly consents, and his experiences while pretending to be Peter prove -both unexpected and exciting. - -"Mr. Meredith Fletcher is extremely happy in his delineation of school -life."--_People's Journal_. - -The Complete Scout - -Edited by MORLEY ADAMS, with numerous Illustrations and Diagrams. - -This is a book intended primarily for boy scouts, but It also possesses -an Interest for all boys who like out-of-door amusements and scouting -games. It contains many articles by different writers on the various -pursuits and branches of study that scouts are more particularly -interested in, such as wood-craft, tracing, the weather, and so on, and -the book should form a sort of cyclopaedia for many thousands of boys -who hail Baden-Powell as Chief Scout. - - By D. H. PARRY - -Kit of the Carabineers - -or, A Soldier of Maryborough's. - -Illustrated in Colour by ARCHIBALD WEBB. - -This story tells how Kit Dawnay comes under the notice of the Duke of -Marlborough while the latter is on a visit to Kit's uncle, Sir Jasper -Dawnay, an irritable, miserly old man, suspected, moreover with good -reason, of harbouring Jacobite plotters and of being himself favourable -to the cause of the exiled Stuarts. - -Kit, instructed by the Duke, Is able to frustrate a scheme for the -assassination of King William as he rides to Hampton Court, and the -King, in return for Kit's service, gives him a cornet's commission in -the King's Carabineers. He goes with the army to Flanders, takes part -in the siege of Liege; accompanies Marlborough on those famous forced -marches across Europe, whereby the great leader completely hoodwinked -the enemy; and is present at the battle of Blenheim, where he wins -distinction. - -"The story bristles with dramatic incident, and the thrilling adventures -which overtake the young hero, Kit Dawnay, are enough to keep one -breathless with excitement."--_Bookman_. - - By W. H. G. KINGSTON - -Hurricane Hurry - -Coloured Illustrations by ARCHIBALD WEBB. - -This Is one of W. H. G. Kingston's best books in the sense that It has -an atmosphere of reality about it, and reads like the narrative of one -who has actually passed through all the experiences described; and this -is no mere illusion, for the author states in his preface that the -material from which the story was built up was put into his hands by a -well-known naval officer, who afterwards rose to the position of -admiral. Mr. Hurry enters the navy as midshipman a few years before the -outbreak of the American War of Independence, and during that war he -distinguishes himself both on land and sea. - -Will Weatherhelm - -Coloured Illustrations by ARCHIBALD WEBB. - -A splendid tale of the sea, full of incident and adventure, and a -first-rate account of the sailor's life afloat in the days of the -press-gang and the old wooden walls. The author reveals his own ardent -love of the sea and all that pertains to it, and this story embodies a -true ideal of patriotic service. - -By G. A. HENTY - -In Times of Peril - -A Story of India. Illustrated in Colour by T. C. DUGDALE. - -Major Warrener and his children are stationed at Sandynugghur when news -arrives that the native troops at Meerut have mutinied and murdered all -the Europeans there and are marching upon Delhi. Almost immediately the -Major's house is attacked and his family flee for their lives. The -Major himself and some of his companions are taken prisoners, but only -for a short time, for his sons, Ned and Dick, disguising themselves as -Sepoys, are able to rescue them. The party after an anxious time fall -in with a body of English troops who are on the way to relieve Delhi. -Dick and Ned are in Cawnpore when the Europeans are attacked, but they -escape by swimming instead of trusting themselves in boats. They take -part in the storming of Delhi, which had been taken by the natives, and -in the relief of Lucknow. The end of the Mutiny finds the whole family -once more united. - - Edited by HERBERT STRANG - -Early Days in Canada -Pioneers in Canada -Early Days in Australia -Pioneers in Australia -Early Days in India -Duty and Danger in India - -Each book contains eight plates in Colour. - -The story of the discovery, conquest, settlement, and peaceful -development of the great countries which now form part of the British -Empire, is full of interest and romance. In this series of books the -story is told in a number of extracts from the writings of historians, -biographers, and travellers whose works are not easily accessible to the -general reader. Each volume is complete in itself and gives a vivid -picture of the progress of the particular country with which it deals. - - BOOKS FOR BOYS AND GIRLS - -HERBERT STRANG'S LIBRARY - -This is a new series of standard books for boys and girls, comprising -the great works of history, fiction, biography, travel, science, and -poetry with which every boy and girl should be familiar, edited by Mr. -HERBERT STRANG. - -Each volume is prefaced by a short introduction, giving a biographical -account of the author, or such information concerning the book itself as -may be useful and interesting to young readers. Notes, maps, and plans -are given where necessary. - -The text of the books, many of which were not written primarily for -children, is carefully edited both in regard to matters that are -inherently unsuitable for their reading, and to passages that do not -conform to modern standards of taste. In these and other respects the -Editor will exercise a wide discretion. - -The Library Is illustrated with colour plates, reproduced by -three-colour process from designs by H. M. BROCK, JAMES DURDEN, A. WEBB, -and other well-known artists, - -The following volumes are now ready:-- - - Adventures in the Rifle Brigade By Sir John Kincaid - Westward Ho! By Charles Kingsley - The Life of Wellington By W. H. Maxwell - The Boy's Country Book By William Howitt - Mungo Park's Travels - The Coral Island By R. M. Ballantyne - True Blue By W. H. G. Kingston - Little Women By Louisa Alcott - Good Wives By Louisa Alcott - Tales from Hans Andersen - Stories from Grimm - Tom Brown's Schooldays By Thomas Hughes - The Life of Nelson By Robert Southey - Quentin Durward By Sir Walter Scott - A Book of Golden Deeds By Charlotte M. Yonge - A Wonder Book By Nathaniel Hawthorne - What Katy Did By Susan Coolidge - What Katy Did at School By Susan Coolidge - What Katy Did Next By Susan Coolidge - Ivanhoe By Sir Walter Scott - Curiosities of Natural History By Frank Buckland - Captain Cook's Voyages - The Heroes By Charles Kingsley - Robinson Crusoe By Daniel Defoe - Tales from Shakespeare By Charles and Mary Lamb - Peter the Whaler By W. H. G. Kingston - Queechy By Elizabeth Wetherell - The Wide Wide World By Elizabeth Wetherell - Tanglewood Tales By Nathaniel Hawthorne - The Life of Columbus By Washington Irving - Battles of the Peninsular War By Sir William Napier - Midshipman Easy By Captain Marryat - The Swiss Family Robinson By J. R. Wyss - - Books for Girls - - By CHRISTINA GOWANS WHYTE - -Uncle Hilary's Nieces - -Illustrated in Colour by JAMES BURDEN. - -Until the death of their father, the course of life of Uncle Hilary's -nieces had run smooth; but then the current of misfortune came upon -them, carried them, with their mother and brothers, to London, and -established them in a fiat. Here, under the guardianship of Uncle -Hilary, they enter into the spirit of their new situation; and when it -comes to a question of ways and means, prove that they have both courage -and resource. Thus Bertha secretly takes a position as stock-keeper to -a fashionable dressmaker; Milly tries to write, and has the satisfaction -of seeing her name in print; Edward takes up architecture and becomes -engrossed in the study of "cupboards and kitchen sinks"; while all the -rest contribute as well to the maintenance of the household as to the -interest of the story. - -"We have seldom read a prettier story than ... 'Uncle Hilary's Nieces.' -... It is a daintily woven plot clothed in a style that has already -commended itself to many readers, and is bound to make more -friends."--_Daily News_. - -The Five Macleods - -Illustrated in Colour by JAMES DURDEN. - -The modern Louisa Alcott! That is the title that critics In England and -America have bestowed on Miss Christina Gowans Whyte, whose "Story-Book -Girls" they declare to be the best girls' story since "Little Women." -Like the Leightons and the Howards, the Macleods are another of those -delightful families whose doings, as described by Miss Whyte, make such -entertaining reading. Each of the five Macleods possesses an -individuality of her own. Elspeth is the eldest--sixteen, with her hair -"very nearly up"--and her lovable nature makes her a favourite with -every one; she is followed, in point of age, by the would-be masterful -Winifred (otherwise Winks) and the independent Lil; while little Babs -and Dorothy bring up the rear. - -"Altogether a most charming story for girls."--_Schoolmaster_. - -Nina's Career - -Illustrated in Colour by JAMES BURDEN. - -"Nina's Career" tells delightfully of a large family of girls and boys, -children of Sir Christopher Howard. Friends of the Howards are Nina -Wentworth, who lives with three aunts, and Gertrude Mannering. Gertrude -Is conscious of always missing in her life that which makes the lives of -the Howards so joyous and full. They may have "careers"; she must go to -Court and through the wearying treadmill of the rich girls. The Howards -get engaged, marry, go into hospitals, study in art schools; and in the -end Gertrude also achieves happiness. - -"We have been so badly in need of writers for girls who shall be in -sympathy with the modern standard of intelligence, that we are grateful -for the advent of Miss Whyte, who has not inaptly been described as the -new Miss Alcott,"--_Outlook_. - -The Story-Book Girls - -Illustrated in Colour by JAMES BURDEN. - -This story won the 100 prize In the Bookman competition. - -The Leightons are a charming family. There is Mabel, the beauty, her -nature, strength and sweetness mingled; and Jean, the downright, blunt, -uncompromising; and Elma, the sympathetic, who champions everybody, and -has a weakness for long words. And there is Cuthbert, too, the clever -brother. Cuthbert is responsible for a good deal, for he saves Adelaide -Maud from an accident, and brings the Story-Book Girls into the story. -Every girl who reads this book will become acquainted with some of the -realest, truest, best people in recent fiction. - -"It is not too much to say that Miss Whyte has opened a new era in the -history of girls' literature.... The writing, distinguished in itself, -is enlivened by an all-pervading sense of humour."--_Manchester -Courier_. - -By J. M. WHITFELD - -Tom who was Rachel - -A Story of Australian Life. Illustrated in Colour by N. TENISON. - -This is a story of Colonial life by an author who is new to English -readers. In writing about Australia Miss Whitfeld is, in a very literal -sense, at home; and no one can read her book without coming to the -conclusion that she is equally so in drawing pen portraits of children. -Her work possesses all the vigour and freshness that one usually -associates with the Colonies, and at the same time preserves the best -traditions of Louisa Alcott In "Tom who was Rachel" the author has -described a large family of children living on an up-country station; -and the story presents a faithful picture of the everyday life of the -bush. Rachel (otherwise Miss Thompson, abbreviated to "Miss Tom," -afterwards to "Tom") is the children's step-sister; and it Is her -Influence for good over the wilder elements in their nature that -provides the teal motive of a story for which all English boys and girls -will feel grateful. - -Gladys and Jack - -An Australian Story for Girls. Coloured Illustrations by N. TENISON. - -Gladys and Jack are sister and brother, and, up to the point when the -story opens, they have been the best of friends. Then, however, certain -influences begin to work in the mind of Gladys, as the result of which a -coolness springs up between her and her brother. Gladys puts on a -superior air, and adopts a severely proper attitude towards Jack. -Gladys has been in society, has come to be regarded as a beauty, and has -been made a fuss of; consequently she becomes self-conscious. She goes -to spend a holiday up-country, and here, too, her icily-regular line of -conduct seems bound to bring her into conflict with her -free-and-easy-going cousins. After some trying experiences, Gladys -finds herself in a position which enables her, for the time being, to -forget her own troubles, and exert all her strength on behalf of the -rest. She comes worthily through the ordeal, earns the affection of her -cousins, and Jack rejoices in the recovery of a lost sister. - -"We have a large number of characters all clearly differentiated, plenty -of incident, and much sparkling dialogue."--_Morning Post_. - -The Colters - -An Australian Story for Girls. Illustrated in Colour by GEORGE SOPER. - -This book deals with a merry family of Australian boys and girls. There -are a good many of them, and to each one Miss Whitfeld has imparted a -distinct individuality. There is Hector, the eldest, manly and -straightforward, and Matt, the plain-spoken, his younger brother. Ruby, -quiet and gentle, with an aptitude for versifying, is well contrasted -with her headstrong, impulsive cousin Effie. The author seizes upon the -everyday occurrences of domestic life, turning them to good account; and -she draws a charming picture of a family, united in heart, while -differing very much in habit and temperament. - - By ELSIE J. OXENHAM - -Mistress Nanciebel - -Illustrated in Colour by JAMES BURDEN. - -This is a story of the Restoration. Nanciebel's father, Sir John -Seymour, had so incurred the displeasure of King Charles by his -persistent opposition to the threatened war against the Dutch, that he -was sent out of the country. Nothing would dissuade Nanciebel from -accompanying him, so they sailed away together and were duly landed on a -desolate shore, which they afterwards discovered to be a part of Wales. -Here, by perseverance and much hard toil, John o' Peace made a new home -for his family, in which enterprise he owed not a little to the presence -and constant help of Nanciebel, who is the embodiment of youthful -optimism and womanly tenderness. - -"A charming book for girls."--_Evening Standard_. - - A NEW ALBUM FOR GIRLS - -My Schooldays - -An album in which girls can keep a record of their schooldays. In order -that the entries may be neat and methodical, certain pages have been -allotted to various different subjects, such as Addresses, Friends, -Books, Matches, Birthdays, Concerts, Holidays, Theatricals, Presents, -Prizes and Certificates, and so on. The album is beautifully decorated -throughout. - - By MRS. HERBERT STRANG - -The Girl Crusoes - -A Story of Three Girls in the South Seas. With Colour Illustrations by - N. TENISON. - -It is a common experience that young girls prefer stories written for -their brothers to those written for themselves. They have the same love -of adventure, the same admiration for brave and heroic deeds, as boys; -and in these days of women travellers and explorers there are countless -instances of women displaying a courage and endurance in all respects -equal to that of the other sex. Recognizing this, Mrs. Herbert Strang -has written a story of adventure in which three English girls of the -present day are the central figures, and in which the girl reader will -find as much excitement and amusement as any boy's book could furnish. - - By WINIFRED M. LETTS - -The Quest of the Blue Rose - -Illustrated in Colour by JAMES BURDEN. - -After the death of her mother, Sylvia Sherwood has to make her own way -in the world as a telegraph clerk. The world she finds herself in is a -girls' hostel in a big northern city. For a while she can only see the -uncongenial side of her surroundings; but when she has made a friend and -found herself a niche, she begins to realise that though the Blue Rose -may not be for her finding, there are still wild roses in every hedge. -In the end, however, Sylvia, contented at last with her hard-working, -humdrum life, finds herself the successful writer of a book of -children's poems. - -"Miss Letts has written a most entertaining work, which should become -very popular. The humour is never forced, and the pathetic scenes are -written with true feeling."--_School Guardian_. - -Bridget of All Work - -Illustrated in Colour by JAMES BURDEN. - -The scene of the greater part of this story is laid in Lancashire, and -the author has chosen her heroine from among those who know what it is -to feel the pinch of want and strive loyally to combat it. There is a -charm about Bridget Joy, moving about her kitchen, keeping a light heart -under the most depressing surroundings. Girl though she is, it is her -arm that encircles and protects those who should in other circumstances -have been her guardians, and her brave heart that enables the word Home -to retain its sweetness for those who are dependent on her. - -"Miss Letts has written a story for which elder girls will be grateful, -so simple and winning is it; and we recognise in the author's work a -sense of character and sense of style which ought to ensure its -popularity."--_Globe_. - - By ANGELA BRAZIL - -A Terrible Tomboy - -New Edition. With Coloured Illustrations by N. TENISON. - -Peggy Vaughan, daughter of a country gentleman living on the Welsh -border, is much too high-spirited to avoid getting continually into -scrapes. She nearly gets drowned while birds'-nesting, scandalises the -over-prim daughters of rich up-starts by her carelessness in matters of -dress and etiquette, gets lost with her small brother while exploring -caves, smokes out wild bees, and acts generally more like a boy than a -girl. Naturally enough her father and school mistresses find her very -difficult to manage, but her good humour and kindness of heart make it -impossible to be angry with her for long. At the end of the story, when -the family have become too poor to remain any longer in their old home, -she makes a discovery which enables them to stay there. - - By E. L. HAVERFIELD - -The Happy Comrade - -Illustrated by ALBERT MORROW. - -Monica, the heroine of this story, is a wealthy girl who has never been -to school, but has formed a close home friendship with Penelope, a girl -somewhat older, upon whom she has been accustomed to lavish valuable -gifts, partly out of innate generosity, partly from love of -appreciation. Her affection for Penelope induces her to enter the same -school, expecting that the home relations will continue there. To her -chagrin, however, she finds that Penelope's high position as head -prefect prevents close intercourse, and in some bitterness of spirit she -allies herself with a set of girls who delight in lawlessness and engage -in mischievous and unruly pranks. She soon finds herself in serious -trouble; and the story shows how her better nature overcomes her -weaknesses, how she learns to despise the dishonourable conduct into -which her associates have lured her, and how the tribulation which she -has brought on herself leads ultimately to a firmer, purer friendship -for the girl whom she has all along admired and loved. - -Sylvia's Victory - -Illustrated in Colour by JAMES BURDEN. - -Owing to a change in the family fortunes, Sylvia Hughes is obliged to -attend a day school in a small seaside town where she has the misfortune -to make an enemy of the head girl, Phyllis Staunton-Taylor, who regards -Sylvia as one belonging to an inferior set to her own. One day during -the holidays Sylvia swims out and rescues Phyllis, who has got beyond -her depth; but even this fails to establish amity between them, and no -word of Sylvia's heroism gets abroad in the school. It is not until -after she has experienced many trials and heartburnings that Sylvia -learns the reason of Phyllis's apparent ingratitude, and friendship is -restored. - -Audrey's Awakening - -Illustrated in Colour by JAMES DURDEN. - -As a result of a luxurious and conventional upbringing, Audrey is a girl -without ambitions, unsympathetic, and with a reputation for -exclusiveness. Therefore, when Paul Forbes becomes her step-brother, -and brings his free-and-easy notions into the Davidsons' old home, there -begins to be trouble. Audrey discovers that she has feelings, and the -results are not altogether pleasant. She takes a dislike to Paul at the -outset; and the young people have to get through deep waters and some -exciting times before things come right. Audrey's awakening is -thorough, if painful. - -"Is far above the Average tale of school and home life."--_Aberdeen Free -Press_. - -The Conquest of Claudia - -Illustrated in Colour by JAMES BURDEN. - -Meta and Claudia Austin are two motherless girls with a much-occupied -father. Their upbringing has therefore been left to a kindly governess, -whose departure to be married makes the first change in the girls' -lives. Having set their hearts upon going to school, they receive a new -governess resentfully. Claudia is a person of instincts, and it does -not take her long to discover that there is something mysterious about -Miss Strongitharm. A clue upon which the children stumble leads to the -notion that Miss Strongitharm is a Nihilist in hiding. That in spite of -various strange happenings they are quite wrong is to be expected, but -there is a genuine mystery about Miss Strongitharm which leads to some -unforeseen adventures. - -"A convincing story of girl life."--_School Guardian_. - -Dauntless Patty. - -Illustrated in Colour by DUDLEY TENNANT. - -Patricia Garnett, an Australian girl, comes over to England to complete -her education. She is unconventional and quite unused to English ways, -and soon finds herself the most unpopular girl in the school. Several -times she reveals her courage and high spirit, particularly in saving -the life of Kathleen Lane, a girl with whom she is on very bad terms. -All overtures of peace fail, however, for Patty feels that the other -girls have no real liking for her, and she refuses to be patronised. -Thus the feud is continued to the end of the term; and the climax of the -story is reached when, in a cave in the face of a cliff, in imminent -danger of being drowned, Patty and Kathleen for the first time -understand each other, and lay the foundations of a lifelong friendship. - -"A thoroughly faithful and stimulating story of schoolgirl -life,"--_Schoolmaster_. - -"The story is well told. Some of the incidents are dramatic, without -being unnatural; the interest is well sustained, and altogether the hook -is one of the best we have read."--_Glasgow Herald_. - - By BRENDA GIRVIN - -Jenny Wren - -Illustrated by C. E. BROCK. - -Jenny Ferguson, the only child of a retired admiral, is sent as wireless -decoder to a Scottish naval base. On her arrival she meets an old -friend of her childhood, Henry Corfield, who is apparently the skipper -of a fishing trawler. Jenny, ignorant of the real object of the man's -"trawling," calls him a slacker. In his turn, Corfield, who has a -lively recollection of Jenny's impulsive tongue, reminds her of her -nurse's saying, "Miss Jenny can never keep a secret," and says he will -not shield her should she fail to preserve secrecy in her work. After a -few days, Jenny finds that information is leaking out. Code books are -lost and mysteriously replaced, envelopes lapped. Corfield attributes -this leakage to Jenny's carelessness. In the nick of time Jenny has a -clue and tracks down the criminal. The breach between the two friends, -however, is a long time in healing, for Jenny does not learn till -towards the end of the book that "Skipper" Corfield, on his humble -little boat with her hidden guns, is one of the heroes of the war. The -story ends with the coming of peace. - -The Girl Scout - -Illustrated in Colour by N. TENISON. - -This is the story of a patrol of Girl Scouts, and the service they -rendered their country. Colonel Norton announces that some silver cups, -which he values as souvenirs of the time when he could win races and -gymnastic competitions, have been stolen, and calls on the Boy Scouts to -catch the thief, promising, if they succeed, to furnish their club-room -in time for the reception of a neighbouring patrol. Aggie Phillips, -sister of the boys' leader, hears of this, and at once organises a -girls' patrol to help solve the mystery. In tracing the thief, the -girls manage to entrap two foreigners, who, in all kinds of disguises, -try to get hold of valuable papers in the hands of the Colonel. -Meanwhile the boys continually follow up the tracks left by the girls, -or are purposely misled by Aggie. The girls win the prize but arrange -to join forces with the boys. - - By ANNA CHAPIN RAY - -Teddy: Her Daughter - -Illustrated in Colour by N. TENISON. - -Many young readers have already made the acquaintance of Teddy in Miss -Anna Chapin Ray's previous story, "Teddy: Her Book." The heroine of the -present story is Teddy's daughter Betty--a young lady with a strong will -and decided opinions of her own. When she is first introduced to us she -is staying on a holiday at Quantuck, a secluded seaside retreat; and -Miss Ray describes the various members of this small summer community -with considerable humour. Among others is Mrs. Van Hicks, a lady of -great possessions but little culture, who seeks to put people under a -lasting obligation to her by making friends with them. On hearing that -a nephew of this estimable lady is about to arrive at Quantuck, Betty -makes up her mind beforehand to dislike him. At first she almost -succeeds, for, like herself, Percival has a temper, and can be "thorny" -at times. As they come to know each other better, however, a less -tempestuous state of things ensues, and eventually they cement a -friendship that is destined to carry them far. - - By CHRISTINE CHAUNDLER - -Pat's Third Term. - -Illustrated by HAROLD EARNSHAW. - -Pat Baxter is a turbulent, impulsive member of the Lower Fourth in a -famous Girls' School. She begins her Third Term by "cheeking" the Head -girl herself, thereby earning a good deal of hostility. She falls from -favour in other quarters as the story goes on, for though she has a -genius for getting into scrapes, she is too honest and honourable to -disavow her share in any plot, as many of her school-fellows do. Through -her disobeying a stringent rule, and going alone into the town, the -whole school, upper and lower, is put into quarantine, the result of -this isolation being that Rhoda, the Head girl, generally beloved in the -school, will have to "scratch" from a local tennis match, the winning of -which would have brought her her coveted tennis colours. The whole -school, in indignation, unknown to Rhoda, sends Pat to "Coventry." Pat -also becomes the object of a good deal of mean, unfair treatment from a -few of her form fellows, about which, in the end, Rhoda herself learns. -Horror-stricken at the treatment meted out, Rhoda puts Pat under her -special protection, and a deep friendship springs up between the two. -Pat finishes her third term by saving the life of her greatest enemy, -earning a special medal for bravery. - -By MARY BRADFORD WHITING - -A Daughter of the Empire - -Illustrated by JOHN CAMPBELL. - -Christina, a curiously vivid character, is suddenly thrown from the -backwoods of Australia into the family circle at Strafford Royal, where -Lady Stratford, her second cousin, reigns supreme. Lady Strafford -dislikes Christina from the first, patronises her and snubs her, and the -girl is thrown for sympathy and companionship into the society of Miss -Luscombe, a lovable woman whose home is on a neighbouring estate. -Christina finds herself continually faced by the stone wall of the -prejudices of Lady Strafford, who looks on all foreigners with suspicion -and her own family with placid pride, and is continually voicing her -determination that the War shall not be allowed in any way to upset the -even tenour of her life. Just how the War very successfully breaks in -on to Strafford Royal, sweeping away the heir, rendering halt and maim -the second son, is told in the course of the story. Christina's part in -the denouement is characteristically plucky and honourable, and in the -end she breaks down even Lady Stratford's dislike and mistrust. The -story is told with much charm and sympathy. - - By L. B. WALFORD - -A Sage Of Sixteen. - -Illustrated by JAMES DURDEN. - -Elma, the heroine of this story, is called a sage by her wealthy and -sophisticated relations in Park Lane, with whom she spends a -half-holiday every week, and who regard her as a very wise young person. -The rest of her time is passed at a small boarding-school, where, as -might be supposed, Elma's friends look upon her rather as an ordinary -healthy girl than as one possessing unusual wisdom. The story tells of -Elma's humble life at school, her occasional excursions into fashionable -society; the difficulties she experiences in her endeavour to reconcile -the two; and the way in which she eventually wins the hearts of those -around her in both walks of life. - - By ANNIE MATHESON - -A Day Book for Girls - -Containing a quotation for each day of the year, arranged by ANNIE -MATHESON, with Colour Illustrations by C. E. BROCK. - -Miss Annie Matheson is herself well known to many as a writer of hymns -and poetry of a high order. In "A Day Book for Girls" she has brought -together a large number of extracts both in poetry and prose, and so -arranged them that they furnish an inspiring and ennobling watchword for -each day of the year. Miss Matheson has spared no pains to secure -variety and comprehensiveness in her selection of quotations; her list -of authors ranges from Marcus Aurelius to Mr. Swinburne, and includes -many who are very little known to the general public. - - Books for Children - -A Book of Children's Verse - -Selected and Edited by MABEL and LILIAN QUILLER-COUCH. - -Illustrated in Colour by M. ETHELDREDA GRAY. - -This is a splendid anthology of children's verse. In addition to the -old favourite poems, the volume contains many by modern authors, and -others not generally known. The work of selection has been carried out -with great care, and no effort has been spared to make the volume a -worthy and comprehensive introduction to English poetry. The book is -illustrated by a series of magnificent plates in colour. - - By LUCAS MALET - -Little Peter - -A Christmas Morality for Children of any age. New Edition. - -Illustrated in Colour by CHARLES E. BROCK. - -This delightful little story Introduces to us a family dwelling upon the -outskirts of a vast pine forest in France. There are Master Lepage who, -as head of the household and a veteran of the wars, lays down the law -upon all sorts of questions, domestic and political; his meek wife -Susan; their two sons, Anthony and Paul; and Cincinnatus the cat--who -holds as many opinions and expresses them as freely as Master Lepage -himself; and--little Peter. Little meets, and all who read about him -will certainly make friends with _him_. - -"It is quite an ideal gift book, and one that will always be -treasured."--_Globe_. - - By CHRISTINA GOWANS WHYTE - -The Adventures of Merrywink - -Illustrated by M. V. WHEELHOUSE. - -This story won the 100 prize in the Bookman competition for the best -story for children. - -This story tells of a pretty little child who was born into Fairyland -with a gleaming star in his forehead. When his parents beheld this star -they were filled with gladness and fear, and they carried their little -Fairy baby, Merrywink, far away and hid him, because of two old -prophecies: the first, that a daughter should be born to the King and -Queen of Fairyland; the second that the King should rule over Fairyland -until a child appeared with a star in his forehead. Now, on the very -day that Merrywink was born, the little Princess arrived at the Palace; -and the King sent round messages to make sure that the child with the -gleaming star had not yet been seen in Fairyland. The story tells us -how Merrywink grew up to be brave and strong, and fearless and truthful. - - By MRS. HENRY DE LA PASTURE - -The Unlucky Family - -New Edition with Coloured Illustrations by C. E. BROCK. - -This is one of the most humorous children's books published in recent -years, and the many awkward dilemmas and diverting experiences which -ensue upon the Chubb family's unexpected rise in the social scale cannot -fail to delight young readers as well as their elders. In the matter of -showing the propensity for gelling into mischief these youngsters -establish a record, but their escapades are generally of a harmless -character and lead to nothing very serious. - -"It is a clever and amusing talc, full of high spirits and good-natured -mischief which children not too seriously inclined will -enjoy."--_Scotsman_. - - By M. I. A. - -Sir Evelyn's Charge - -New Edition, Illustrated in Colour. - -"Sir Evelyn's Charge" is one of the most popular books for Sunday School -prizes published within recent years, and has already run into very many -editions. The object of the story is to show how the quiet, unconscious -influence exerted by a little child upon those around him may be -productive of lasting good. This new edition, with a. new cover and -colour plates, makes a very attractive gift-book. - - THE PENDLETON SERIES - -The Pendleton Twins - -By E. M. JAMESON, Author of "The Pendletons," etc. With Coloured -Illustrations. - -The adventures of the Pendleton Twins begin the very day they leave -home. The train is snowed up and they are many hours delayed. They -have a merry Christmas with plenty of fun and presents, and in the -middle of the night Bob gives chase to a burglar. Nora, who is very -sure-footed, goes off by herself one day and climbs the cliffs, thinking -that no one will be any the wiser until her return. But the twins and -Dan follow her unseen and are lost in a cave, where they find hidden -treasure, left by smugglers, buried in the ground. Len sprains his -ankle and they cannot return. Search parties set out from Cliffe, and -spend many hours before the twins are found by Nora, cold and tired and -frightened. But the holidays end very happily after all. - -"Miss Jameson's books are written with such humour and lightness of -touch that they hold the young readers, and not only amuse but instruct -them."--_Dundee Courier_. - -The Pendletons - -By E. M. JAMESON. - -New Edition. Illustrated in Colour. - -"Young people will revel in this most Interesting and original story. -The five young Pendletons are much as other children in a large family, -varied in their ideas, quaint in their tastes, and wont to get into -mischief at every turn. They are withal devoted to one another and to -their home, and although often 'naughty,' are not by any means 'bad.' -The interest in the doings of these youngsters is remarkably well -sustained, and each chapter seems better than the last. With not a -single dull page from start to finish and with twelve charming -illustrations, the book makes an ideal reward for either boys or -girls."--_Schoolmaster_. - -Peggy Pendleton's Plan - -By E. M. JAMESON. New Edition. Illustrated in Colour by S. P. PEARSE. - -To many young readers the Pendleton children are quite old friends, as -indeed they deserve to be, for they are so merry, so full of fun and -good spirits, that nobody can read about them without coming to love -them. In the opening chapter of this book the family meet together in -solemn conclave to discuss plans for the holidays, which have just -commenced. Every one of them has a favourite idea, but when the various -selections are put to the vote, it is Peggy Pendleton's plan that -carries the day. All the other children think it splendid. What that -plan was, and what strange adventures it led to, are here set forth. - -The Book of Baby Beasts - -By FLORENCE E. Dugdale. Illustrated in Colour by E. J. DETMOLD. - -This book contains a series of simple little talks about baby animals, -both wild and domestic. Each chapter is accompanied by a charming -picture in colour by E. J. DETMOLD, whose work as an illustrator is well -known, and whose characteristic delicacy of colouring is faithfully -reproduced. - -The Book of Baby Dogs - -By CHARLES KABERRY. With nineteen plates in Colour by E. J. DETMOLD. - -The Book of Baby Pets - -By FLORENCE E. DUGDALE. Illustrated in Colour by E. J. DETMOLD. - -"A valuable family possession, and one which admirably fulfils the role -of guide, counsellor and friend."--_Athenaeum_. - -The Book of Baby Birds - -By FLORENCE E. DUGDALE. Illustrated in Colour by E. J. DETMOLD. - -"Simply irresistible."--_Observer_. - -Queen Mab's Daughters - -From the French of JEROME DOUCET. Illustrated by HENRY MORIN. - -This book consists of twelve stories, each concerned with an episode in -the life of one of Queen Mab's daughters. These are very enterprising -and adventurous princesses, somewhat wilful, indeed; and their -activities, innocent though they are, often bring them into hot water. -They fall into the hands of witches and wizards, and are the means of -releasing from enchantment an equal number of princes who have been -changed into bears, eagles, monkeys, and other animals by the powers of -witchcraft. Their adventures are related with the charming daintiness -wherein French fabulists, from Perrault downwards, have excelled; and -the book is a decided acquisition to the store of fairy literature in -which all children delight. - - By VIOLET BRADBY - -The Capel Cousins - -Illustrated in Colour in C. E. BROCK. - -The children in the Capel family hear that a cousin from South America -is to live with them until his education is finished. On his arrival he -is found to be very frank and outspoken, accustomed to say just what he -thinks; and as his cousins are more reserved, the misunderstandings are -by no means few. In time, however, he becomes used to English ways, and -his good nature and cleverness win his cousins' admiration and -affection. Mrs. Bradby writes as one who knows children thoroughly, and -her pictures of home life are very charming. - -"The authoress shows a power of depicting a large family of delightful -and quite natural children which recalls the stories of Miss Yonge at -her brightest."--_Church Times_. - -"A very pleasant, natural, and brightly written story "--_Lady_. - -The Happy Families - -Illustrated by LILIAN A. GOVEY. - -Most children have probably played the game of "Happy Families," and it -Is possible that they have woven stories round the grotesque characters -that appear on the cards. This is what Mrs. Bradby has done in this -book, and she has imagined a little girl being suddenly transported to -Happy Family Land and finding herself beset on all hands by the Grits, -the Chips and the Boneses, and all the other members of this strange and -wonderful community. - - By FLORENCE E. DUGDALE - - (MRS. THOMAS HARDY) - -In Lucy's Garden - -Illustrated in Colour by J. CAMPBELL. - -Miss Dugdale describes Lucy's garden from month to month, the plants -that grow there, the insects that visit it, and the imaginary beings -with which Lucy peoples it. During the first year Lucy is without any -companion to share her experiences, but at the beginning of the second -year, just when she begins to feel lonely, she makes the acquaintance of -a little boy, Peter, who is staying with his grandmother next door, and -who, too, has grown tired of playing by himself. They gladly arrange -that in future they will play together, as they like each other very -much. Little ones who have gardens of their own will enjoy reading -about Lucy's, especially when they know that she was capable of -understanding what the apple trees and leaves and roses had to tell her -about things in general and themselves in particular. - -"A delightful 'Nature story' written in a charming vein of playful -fancy, and daintily illustrated."--_Lady_. - - By TERTIA BENNETT - -Gentleman Dash - -Illustrated in Colour by P. H. JOWETT. - -This is a book that will appeal to all lovers of animals. Gentleman -Dash Is a fine collie who lives at a big house with a number of other -dogs and cats. In spite of his handsome appearance, however, Dash -sometimes falls so far from dignity as to run away and steal meat from -butchers' shops. Then he is brought back and punished, and the other -four-footed members of the family come round and offer sympathy--which -is not pleasant. The relations that exist between the various dogs and -cats of the establishment are friendly on the whole, though not -invariably so. In the course of their conversations, the animals throw -fresh light on the problems of life as viewed from the kennel and the -yard. - - By ALICE MASSIE - -The Family's Jane - -Illustrated in Colour by JOHN CAMPBELL. - -This is the story of a little girl's search for her lost brothers and -sisters. At first Jane did not know that she had any brothers or -sisters, and she used to feel lonely. Then one day, quite by accident, -she discovered that such was indeed the case, although for some -unexplained reason they did not live at home and she had been kept in -ignorance of them. Then Jane set to work to reunite the dismembered -family. The fact that Jane was only eight, and some of the others were -quite grown up, with children of their own, did not turn her from her -purpose, and eventually her efforts had the happy issue which they well -deserved. - - The Children's Bookcase - - Edited by E. NESBIT - -"The Children's Bookcase" is a new series of daintily illustrated hooks -for little folks, which is intended ultimately to include all that is -best in children's literature, whether old or new. The series is edited -by Mrs. E. Nesbit, author of "The Would-be Goods" and many other -well-known books for children; and particular care is given to binding, -get-up, and illustrations. - -Mrs. Overtheway's Remembrances - -By JULIANA HORATIA EWING. - -A delightful little book of short stories in which "the little old lady" -who lives over the way relates incidents from her girlhood for the -amusement of a young friend. - -The Little Duke. - -By CHARLOTTE M. YONGE. - -Sonny Sahib - -By SARA JEANNETTE DUNCAN (Mrs. Everard Cotes). - -A charming story of Anglo-Indian life. - -The Water Babies. - -By CHARLES KINGSLEY. - -The Old Nursery Stories. - -By E. NESBIT. - -In this book Mrs. E. Nesbit relates the old stories of the Nursery-- -"Cinderella," "Sleeping Beauty," etc. - -Cap-o'-Yellow. - -By AGNES GROZIER HERBERTSON. - -A charming series of fairy stories by one of the very few modern writers -whose work compares with the classics of fairy-tale literature such as -Grimm and Perrault. - -Granny's Wonderful Chair. - -By FRANCES BROWNE. - -The author of "Little Lord Fauntleroy" declared this book to be the best -fairy story ever written. Two generations of little readers have been -of the same opinion as Mrs. Frances Hodgson Burnett. - -BY THE SAME AUTHOR - -THE LOST EMPIRE. A Tale of the Battle of the Nile. -THE LOST COLUMN. A Tale of the Boxer Rebellion. -THE LOST ISLAND. A Tale of the Mysterious East. -THE SWORD OF FREEDOM. A Tale of the English Revolution. -THE SPY. A Tale of the Peninsular War. -THE RACE ROUND THE WORLD. A Tale of a New Motor Spirit. -THE PIRATE AEROPLANE. A Tale of Ancient Egypt. -IN ARMS FOR RUSSIA. A Tale of the Great War in Russia. -IN THE POWER OF THE PIGMIES. A Tale of the Great Forest. -ON SECRET SERVICE. A Story of Zeppelins. -A MOTOR SCOUT IN FLANDERS. A Tale of the Fall of Antwerp. -ACROSS THE CAMEROONS. A Tale of the Great War in West Africa. -SUBMARINE U93. A Tale of the Great War at Sea. -THE MYSTERY OF AH JIM. A Tale of the Sea. -THE FIRE-GODS. A Tale of the Congo. -THE SCARLET HAND. 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You may copy it, give it away or re-use it -under the terms of the </span><a class="reference internal" href="#project-gutenberg-license">Project Gutenberg License</a><span> included with -this ebook or online at </span><a class="reference external" href="http://www.gutenberg.org/license">http://www.gutenberg.org/license</a><span>. If you -are not located in the United States, you'll have to check the laws -of the country where you are located before using this ebook.</span></p> -<p class="noindent pnext"></p> -<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em"> -</div> -<div class="align-None container" id="pg-machine-header"> -<p class="noindent pfirst"><span>Title: Held by Chinese Brigands -<br /> -<br />Author: Charles Gilson -<br /> -<br />Release Date: March 24, 2012 [EBook #39254] -<br />Reposted: May 09, 2015 [correction of author in PG header] -<br /> -<br />Language: English -<br /> -<br />Character set encoding: UTF-8</span></p> -</div> -<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em"> -</div> -<p class="noindent pfirst" id="pg-start-line"><span>*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK </span><span>HELD BY CHINESE BRIGANDS</span><span> ***</span></p> <div class="vspace" style="height: 4em"> </div> <p class="noindent pfirst" id="pg-produced-by"><span>Produced by Al Haines.</span></p> @@ -7887,350 +7856,6 @@ been of the same opinion as Mrs. Frances Hodgson Burnett.</span></p> <!-- -*- encoding: utf-8 -*- --> <div class="backmatter"> </div> -<p class="pfirst" id="pg-end-line"><span>*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK </span><span>HELD BY CHINESE BRIGANDS</span><span> ***</span></p> -<div class="cleardoublepage"> -</div> -</div> -<div class="language-en level-2 pgfooter section" id="a-word-from-project-gutenberg" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> -<span id="pg-footer"></span><h2 class="level-2 pfirst section-title title"><span>A Word from Project Gutenberg</span></h2> -<p class="pfirst"><span>We will update this book if we find any errors.</span></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>This book can be found under: </span><a class="reference external" href="http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/39254"><span>http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/39254</span></a></p> -<p class="pnext"><span>Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law 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. -Special rules, set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this -license, apply to copying and distributing Project Gutenberg™ -electronic works to protect the Project Gutenberg™ concept and -trademark. 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-
-.. meta::
- :PG.Id: 39254
- :PG.Title: Held by Chinese Brigands
- :PG.Released: 2012-03-24
- :PG.Rights: Public Domain
- :PG.Producer: Al Haines
- :PG.Reposted: 2015-05-09 correction of author in PG header
- :DC.Creator: Charles Gilson
- :MARCREL.ill: John de Walton
- :DC.Title: Held by Chinese Brigands
- :DC.Language: en
- :DC.Created: 1921
- :coverpage: images/img-cover.jpg
-
-.. role:: small-caps
- :class: small-caps
-
-========================
-HELD BY CHINESE BRIGANDS
-========================
-
-.. pgheader::
-
-..
-
- |
- |
- |
-
-.. figure:: images/img-cover.jpg
- :align: center
- :alt: Cover art
-
- Cover art
-
- |
- |
- |
-
-.. _`"'I AM CHEONG-CHAU,' HE CRIED"`:
-
-.. figure:: images/img-front.jpg
- :align: center
- :alt: "'I AM CHEONG-CHAU,' HE CRIED." *See page* 63.
-
- "'I AM CHEONG-CHAU,' HE CRIED." *See page* 63.
-
- |
- |
- |
-
-.. class:: center x-large
-
- | HELD BY CHINESE BRIGANDS
- |
-
-
-.. class:: center small
-
- | BY
-
-.. class:: center medium
-
- | CAPTAIN CHARLES GILSON
- |
- |
-
-.. class:: center small
-
- | ILLUSTRATED BY
-
-.. class:: center medium
-
- | JOHN DE WALTON, A.R.W.A.
- |
- |
- |
-
-.. class:: center medium
-
- | HUMPHREY MILFORD
- | THE OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS
- | LONDON, EDINBURGH, GLASGOW
- | TORONTO, MELBOURNE, CAPETOWN, BOMBAY
- | 1921
- |
- |
- |
-
-.. class:: center medium
-
- | To
- | BARBARA PARTRIDGE
- |
- |
- |
-
-----
-
-.. contents:: CONTENTS
- :depth: 1
- :backlinks: entry
-
-----
-
-.. class:: center medium
-
- | LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | `"'I am Cheong-Chau,' he cried"`_ . . . . . . *Frontispiece in colour* (*see page* 63)
- |
- | `"Mr Waldron never moved an inch"`_
- |
- | `"Ling snatched the boathook from his hand"`_
- |
- | `"There came a roar like that of a charging lion"`_
- |
- | `"He himself was hurled after it"`_
- |
- |
- |
-
-
-CHAPTER I--HOW HENNESSY K. WALDRON "TRIPPED AROUND"
-===================================================
-
-We have heard it said, by those who are widely
-travelled, that there are three beautiful
-harbours in the world: Rio de Janeiro, in
-Brazil; Sydney Harbour, and--most beautiful
-of all--the harbour of Hong-Kong.
-
-The famous Peak rises above the town of
-Victoria and, at a height of about two thousand
-feet, buries its crest in the clouds. The harbour
-itself is in the shape of a crescent, enclosing
-the red, bare hills of Kow-lung. By day,
-from Lyemun to Stonecutter's Island,
-ferry-boats, *sampans*, *wupans* and launches scurry
-here and there, in and out among the great
-anchored men-of-war, like so many mice
-romping in a cage of sleeping tigers.
-
-The slopes of the mountain are green with
-palm-trees, mango, orange and lichen, in the
-midst of which can be seen innumerable white,
-flat-roofed villas, each with its upper-story
-verandah and green-latticed windows. To
-the east the hills are more rugged; streams,
-traced through the glens by straggling
-brushwood, descend in a succession of waterfalls to
-the level of the sea. In the Pass of Lyemun
-the traveller finds himself in the midst of an
-inhospitable grandeur, similar to that of the
-western Scottish isles.
-
-It is, however, by night that Hong-Kong
-Harbour is at its best. With a sky of a million
-stars, and the pale, round China moon hanging
-like a lantern in the midst of the heavens,
-reflecting its light upon the surface of the dark,
-tranquil water, the moving lights upon the
-*sampans* and the countless lanterns in the
-streets of China town, this place is surely one
-of the most romantic in the world. Here the
-Far East and the West touch; it is the one
-place in all China where the foothold of the
-European is secure.
-
-Upon this beautiful island, with its rugged
-hills and feathery palms, the white man
-stands, under his own flag--as it were, upon
-the very threshold of the mysterious, eternal
-"Middle Kingdom." Over the way, to the
-north-west, is the great estuary of the Canton
-river, the Chau-kiang--the main trade
-highway of the south. Canton itself, a city of
-two and a half million inhabitants, lies at the
-junction of three rivers, which meet almost at
-right angles: the first flowing from the east,
-the second from the north, and the third--and
-greatest---from the west. Canton is a city of
-mysteries and marvels; it is a city of many
-industries, insufferable heat, intolerable smells,
-and almost unbelievable devilry and crime.
-
-The whole of the great province of Kwangsi
-and the eastern portion of Yunnan is drained
-by the West River and its hundreds of
-tributaries. These tributaries for the most
-part find their sources upon the watershed of
-the Nan-ling Mountains, which extend from
-the Tung-ting Lake to the city of Kin-yuen,
-a distance of over five hundred miles.
-
-Of that great stretch of country little or
-nothing is known. Thanks to the early Jesuit
-explorers, we are provided with excellent maps.
-But a map is no more than a coloured piece of
-paper which--at the best--is backed with
-linen. Names in themselves convey nothing.
-Though you study the map of China for a
-fortnight you will know less of the Si-kiang,
-or West River, than the naval lieutenant
-who ran his gunboat past Wu-chau, and blew
-the mud huts of a pirate village into a
-dust-heap with the pound-and-a-half shells of his
-Maxim-Nordenfeldt. For, if to this day there
-are wild men anywhere upon the face of the
-earth, who know neither mercy nor pity nor
-the laws of God or man, they are to be found
-in the tract of country that lies between the
-West River and the Nan-ling Mountains to
-the north. And thither we are about to
-journey, into the midst of a land that is by no
-means a wilderness, but which is populated
-for the most part by peaceable, hard-working peasants.
-
-There are, however, certain members of the
-community who are neither peaceable nor
-industrious, who care no more for the gunboats
-of His Britannic Majesty upon the wide reaches
-of the river than they do for the *yamen* of the
-Viceroy of Canton, who so terrorise the
-province that each honest man knows that it is
-more than his life is worth to give information
-against them.
-
-The chiefs of these pirates or brigands are,
-as often as not, highly educated Chinese,
-sometimes entitled to wear the blue or red
-button of a mandarin. They hold sway by
-dint of their cruelty and their cunning.
-
-Such a man was Cheong-Chau, whose
-headquarters were established in the town of
-Kong-chin, at the foot of the mountains. Thence he
-and his men were wont to descend to Pinglo,
-where they would board a sea-going junk, in
-which they would steal past Wu-chau to
-Canton, and thence to the open sea, to rob
-fishing-junks and sometimes even cargo ships.
-If they passed a gunboat or destroyer upon
-the broad waters of the estuary they were
-simple fishermen, on a cruise to Macao or Amoy.
-But under their fishing nets and tackle was
-always a veritable armoury of blood-curdling
-cutlasses and knives.
-
-For the time being we will leave this
-cutthroat resting on his ill-gotten wealth, dazed
-from opium in a filthy den in the city of Pinglo,
-and return to the sublime and tranquil beauty
-of the harbour of Hong-Kong. There we are
-to meet a gentleman of appearance more
-personable, and personality more engaging,
-than the redoubtable Cheong-Chau. We refer
-to Mr Hennessy K. Waldron, of Paradise
-City, Nevada, U.S.A.
-
-Mr Waldron was engaged upon what he
-termed a "trip around." He had made a pile
-of money out of cattle, silver, a patent
-egg-whisk, and pigs. His "trip around" had
-already lasted two and a half years. He had
-been to London, Paris, Switzerland, and
-Venice. He knew the height of the dome of
-St Paul's Cathedral, the number of bricks in
-the Mont Cenis tunnel, and the names of all
-the famous Venetian painters. He had gazed
-at the Pyramids, he had contemplated the
-Coliseum, and standing upon the Bridge of
-Sighs in Venice, he had quoted Byron,
-sentimentalising over the narrow stretch of water
-that divides the Doges' Palace from the gloomy
-dungeon to the right.
-
-And wherever Hennessy K. Waldron had
-been he had been well received. Before
-leaving New York he had taken the precaution
-of arming himself with so many letters of
-introduction to influential persons in all parts
-of the world that he was obliged to carry them
-about with him in a large tin-lined box. He
-had not been two hours in Hong-Kong before
-he had called upon his Excellency the Governor,
-*Sir* John Macintosh--with the accent,
-according to Mr Waldron, on the "Sir."
-
-He had also a letter from the British
-Ambassador in Washington to Sir Thomas
-Armitage, the Chief Justice of the Colony,
-upon whose verandah he was now seated,
-with his legs sprawled out in front of him, a
-Manila cheroot in the corner of his mouth
-and a whisky-and-soda at his elbow.
-Hennessy K. Waldron believed in "tripping
-around" in comfort.
-
-"Judge," said he, "I've scheduled Hong-Kong
-for a six weeks' stay. Calculate I can
-do South China in that time?"
-
-Sir Thomas smiled and shook his head.
-
-"Mr Waldron," he replied, "you can't 'do'
-South China in six years, and you'll know
-precious little about it even at the end of
-sixty."
-
-"Waal, I guess I'm not slow in the uptake.
-I can run my eye over the Tower of London,
-the Matterhorn, or the Louvre, in less time than
-a New York elevator would take to conduct
-you to the thirteenth story of the Flat Iron
-Building. And, sir, I'm speaking of things I
-know. Guess I've got face value out of every
-dollar's worth of shoe leather I ever purchased,
-or I never knew the difference between glue
-and honey."
-
-"That may very well be," said the judge,
-"but there is so much about China to learn, so
-much that is confusing, and even contradictory,
-that I must confess, even after thirty years in
-the country, I know very little about it."
-
-"Reckon," observed Mr Waldron, "the
-lingo would twist the tongue of a rattlesnake.
-I'm not referring to that."
-
-"Whilst you are in China," asked Sir
-Thomas, "what is it, Mr Waldron, you most
-desire to see?"
-
-For some moments Mr Hennessy K. Waldron
-appeared to be deep in thought. It was as
-if he considered the question worthy of earnest
-consideration.
-
-"Temples," said he, at last. "Judge, I'm
-just crazy on temples."
-
-"It so happens," said Sir Thomas Armitage,
-"that I'm interested in the same subject.
-For many years I have made a study of the
-religions of China--a vast, and to me an
-absorbing subject, upon which I am writing a book."
-
-"Waal, now," exclaimed Mr Waldron,
-"that's very interesting, Judge. I always
-understood the Chink worships the spirits of
-his ancestors, and that's about as far as he gets."
-
-"That is by no means correct," said the
-judge. "There are many religions in China.
-The upper classes are, practically without
-exception, Confucianists. It is true Confucianism
-is scarcely a religion; it is a system of moral
-philosophy which, however, serves its purpose.
-There are few Mohammedans in China,
-though great numbers of Buddhists--Chinese
-Buddhism differing in several interesting
-particulars from the corruption of the religion
-which exists to-day in India. However,
-the great bulk of the people, especially in
-the rural districts, are Taoists. Taoism is
-extremely difficult to understand, and even
-harder to explain. The original Taoist doctrine
-was a philosophy of fatalism; it has deteriorated,
-however, into a belief in evil spirits,
-alchemy, black magic, and so forth. Taoism
-and Buddhism have become confused; in the
-Taoist temples images can be seen of Buddha
-and his disciples."
-
-"Guess that's what I want to see," cut in
-Mr Waldron.
-
-The judge was silent a moment.
-
-"I am about to undertake a long and
-somewhat arduous journey," he continued. "I
-have had a great deal of work of late, and am
-taking a six weeks' vacation. In pursuit of
-my hobby I intend to journey up the West
-River, to visit a very famous and ancient Taoist
-temple, situated in the hills, not far from the
-town of Pinglo. If you would like to
-accompany me, Mr Waldron, I am sure I shall be
-delighted. I warn you, however, that it will
-be no picnic. The heat will be excessive--for
-the summer is here--and we shall be called
-upon to undergo certain inconveniences and
-even hardships."
-
-"Sir," exclaimed the American, "I began
-life as a cow-puncher in Texas. I have
-consorted, in the course of my career, with Mexican
-caballeros, bar tenders and pugilists. I'm not
-likely to get cold feet at the sight of a mosquito
-or a heathen god."
-
-The judge laughed, and rose to his feet. Mr
-Waldron knocked the ash from the end of his cigar.
-
-The moonlit harbour lay immediately
-beneath them. The mast-head signalling-lights
-upon the anchored cruisers winked their dots
-and dashes from one to the other. The round
-Chinese lanterns upon the *sampans* moved
-restlessly, like fire-flies, upon the dark surface
-of the water. Somewhere, to the right, in the
-midst of the trees, a military band was playing;
-now and again they caught the strains of
-*Light Cavalry* or *The Pilgrim's March*, from
-*Tannhäuser*. To the left, the flaming lights
-in the streets of the Chinese quarter threw
-their reflection upon the dark foliage of the
-palms and orange-trees on the slopes of
-Mount Davis. Strange two-stringed
-instruments and shrill Chinese voices, heard faintly
-in the distance, conveyed to Mr Hennessy
-K. Waldron the impression that he was thousands
-of miles away from Paradise City.
-
-"That's settled, then," said the judge.
-"We travel together, Mr Waldron. I shall
-be delighted to have the pleasure of your
-company."
-
-"Judge," said Mr Waldron, "the pleasure
-is mine, sure. If it's temples, I'm your man.
-If there's going to be danger, I carry a
-six-shooter; and I can handle a gun as well as
-any."
-
-"I trust," said the other, "that no such
-necessity will arise. However, in the region
-of the Nan-ling Mountains anything may
-happen. I myself will go unarmed."
-
-At that moment a boy of about sixteen years
-of age entered the verandah from the dimly
-lighted drawing-room beyond, where he had
-been seated for some time engrossed in a book.
-Though he was a good-looking and well-built
-lad, he had the yellow complexion similar to
-that of the Chinese themselves, which sooner
-or later comes to every European who has
-lived for any length of time in the Far East.
-
-"Are you talking about your journey up
-the West River, uncle?" he asked, with his
-eyes upon the heavy Colt revolver that Mr
-Waldron had produced from the hip-pocket of
-his trousers.
-
-"Yes," said Sir Thomas. "Mr Waldron
-has agreed to come with me. I have promised
-him that the expedition will be full of interest."
-
-"I am going too?" asked the boy.
-
-The judge laid a hand upon his nephew's
-shoulder. "I believe," said he, "that was
-arranged. Here, Mr Waldron," he added,
-turning to the American, "is our interpreter.
-I have studied the Chinese language all my
-life and can speak a little in the Mandarin
-dialect. But Frank is lucky. He learnt the
-language from his amah, or Chinese nurse.
-He could talk Cantonese before he knew fifty
-words of English. When I am travelling on
-the mainland I always take Frank with me.
-The Chinese are extraordinary people. If you
-speak their language badly they will not
-attempt to understand you, but Frank can
-talk the Southern dialect as well as the
-peasants themselves."
-
-"I'm in luck's way," observed Mr Waldron.
-"In the old days in Texas, if I was prospecting
-for gold, I struck oil; if I was looking for
-oil, I found gold. That's how I made my pile.
-I guess there're not many globe-trotters who
-get such an opportunity of leaving the beaten
-track, of seeing China from the inside. And,
-Judge, I'm no good on the stump, but let me
-tell you, sir, I appreciate the honour; and
-if ever you find yourself in Paradise City,
-Nevada, U.S.A., you'll find my name a free
-pass to anything that's going, from a ten-cent
-circus to a pocketful of cigars. And that's
-a bargain, Judge."
-
-Whilst Mr Waldron was expressing, in his
-own peculiar fashion, his sense of obligation,
-there appeared, in the shadows of the room that
-gave upon the verandah, a tall, dark-eyed
-Cantonese servant, a man of about thirty
-years of age, with a black glistening pigtail
-which reached almost to his knees.
-
-Wearing soft, felt-soled shoes, he glided
-across the room as noiselessly and as stealthily
-as a cat. At the casement window he caught
-sight of the shining barrels of Mr Waldron's
-nickel-plated revolver. And at once he
-disappeared--behind a curtain.
-
-"And now, Judge, may I ask when you
-intend to start?" asked the American.
-
-"In a week's time," said Sir Thomas.
-"That will give you a few days in which to see
-the sights of Hong-Kong. Bring no more
-baggage than one man can carry. We are
-going into a country where there are no roads,
-only a few footpaths between the ricefields.
-And above all, Mr Waldron, I must request
-you to say nothing about it to anyone. Our
-destination must remain a secret. I do not
-trust even my own personal attendants."
-
-"Your wishes will be obeyed, Judge," said
-Mr Waldron. "But may I ask, sir, why
-these precautions are essential?"
-
-"They are not essential," said the judge,
-"but I think you will agree with me they are
-wise when I tell you that the West River
-abounds with pirates, and there are several
-gangs of Chinese bandits in the Nan-ling
-Mountains, especially in the neighbourhood
-where we are going. The town of Pinglo has
-an exceptionally bad reputation. You
-yourself, Mr Waldron, are a wealthy man, and I
-have a position of some importance in this
-colony. It might be well worth the while of
-some rascal who is in touch with the West
-River pirates to give information against us."
-
-"I get your meaning, Judge," said Mr
-Waldron, returning his revolver to his
-hip-pocket. "I'm as dumb as a dewberry pie.
-And now I must get back to my hotel. Good-night,
-and, sir, I'm pleased and honoured to
-have met you."
-
-"One moment," said the judge. "Let me
-send for a ricksha. I am afraid my own chair
-coolies have gone to bed."
-
-Sir Thomas entered the drawing-room,
-unconscious of the fact there was a man not five
-paces away from him hiding behind the
-curtain. He rang a small bronze hand-bell
-and returned to the verandah.
-
-The man behind the curtain dropped down
-upon his hands and knees, and keeping in the
-shade of the various chairs and tables he
-gained the door, opened it, and passed through
-silently.
-
-Two seconds afterwards he re-entered,
-standing at his full height, with an expression
-of profound dignity, even of contempt, upon
-every feature of his face.
-
-He closed the door with a bang, marched
-with a stately stride across the room, and
-presented himself at the window.
-
-"Master rang," said he.
-
-"Yes," said Sir Thomas. "Yung How,
-please order a ricksha for Mr Waldron, to
-take him to the King Edward Hotel."
-
-The man bowed--if an almost imperceptible
-downward movement of the head may be so
-described.
-
-"Yes, master," said he.
-
-Stepping upon the verandah, he picked up
-the empty glass which had contained Mr
-Waldron's whisky-and-soda. Holding this in
-his hand, as if it were something sacramental,
-Yung How stalked gravely from the room.
-
-That night, tossing restlessly upon his bed
-in the stifling heat of the breathless tropic
-night, Mr Hennessy K. Waldron, of Paradise
-City, Nev., dreamed of heathen gods.
-
-
-
-
-CHAPTER II--OF AH WU'S OPIUM DEN
-================================
-
-The small river-launch steamed away from the narrow creek which divides
-Canton city from the island of Shamien. The Chinaman at the wheel
-navigated the little craft into the very midst of the clustered
-shipping, the mass of junks and river-boats that thronged the entrance
-to the creek. Her prow cutting the water in a long, arrow-shaped,
-feathery wave, the launch gained the fairway of the main river, and
-thence worked up-stream. Seated in a comfortable chair in the bows, a
-cigar in his mouth and a pair of field-glasses in his hand, was Mr
-Hennessy K. Waldron, of Paradise City, Nevada, U.S.A.
-
-Sir Thomas Armitage drew a basket-chair into the shade afforded by an
-awning. There he produced his spectacles and, opening a book, settled
-himself to read. His nephew, with his coat off and his sleeves rolled
-up, was occupied with an oil-bottle in the little engine-room.
-
-In the stern of the launch stood Yung How, with folded arms. His dark
-face was expressionless. For all that, his eyes were fixed upon the
-northern bank of the river, where the houses of the city were so
-close-packed that a man standing with outstretched arms in one of the
-narrow streets could have touched with his finger-tips the walls on
-either side.
-
-At the extremity of one of these dark, stifling lanes stood a Chinaman,
-wearing a faded scarlet coat. This man was an old man, with a grey
-tuft of hair upon his chin, and a queue that was white and short and
-thin as a monkey's tail. He stood motionless, shading his eyes with
-the palm of a hand and looking out across the river. As the launch
-hove into sight he drew back a little, hiding himself in the doorway of
-an adjacent house. The launch passed within fifty yards of the shore.
-
-He observed Mr Waldron and he observed Sir Thomas Armitage, who was
-engrossed in his reading. Moreover, he observed Yung How, who slowly
-raised his right hand and laid it upon the shaven forepart of his head.
-
-At that the man disappeared. He vanished into the gloom of an even
-narrower side street. Five minutes afterwards he appeared in the open
-space on the western side of the Temple of the Gods. Here a coolie was
-standing, holding the bridle of a thick-necked, short-legged Mongolian
-pony, of the breed common in the north of China but seldom seen in the
-south. The man with the faded scarlet coat flung himself into the
-saddle.
-
-"It is the West River!" he cried, and he was off like the wind, riding
-due north, leaving the suburbs of the great city to his right.
-
-Such an extraordinary incident stands, perhaps, in need of explanation.
-The judge's party had spent a week in Canton, during which time Mr
-Waldron had inspected the Five-Story Pagoda, the Water Clock, the
-temples of the Five Genii and the Five Hundred Gods; he had witnessed
-theatrical performances and a public execution; he had smelled the
-smells of Canton.
-
-As for Yung How, he also had not been idle. He had gone by night to a
-certain opium den in the vicinity of the Mohammedan mosque--the opium
-den of Ah Wu. Thither we must accompany him if we are to make head or
-tail of the narrative that follows.
-
-Yung How had appeared before Sir Thomas Armitage. "Master," said he,
-"I have a brother in Canton."
-
-The judge smiled. He had lived many years in China. He knew that
-Chinese servants always have brothers and aunts and grandmothers.
-
-"And you want a day's leave, Yung How?" he asked.
-
-"No, master," said Yung How. "Go away to-night, after dinner-time.
-Come back to-morrow morning."
-
-Sir Thomas guessed that Yung How's "brother" was nothing more or less
-than an opium pipe. He knew, however, that it would be useless to
-refuse the man leave. Yung How was sadly addicted to opium; in
-Hong-Kong he often appeared in the morning with the pupils of his eyes
-no bigger than pinheads. And Sir Thomas knew also that, once a Chinese
-has become a slave of the opium pipe, nothing will ever cure him. The
-judge shrugged his shoulders.
-
-"Very well, Yung How," said he, "you can go."
-
-"Thank you, master," said Yung How. And he stalked in a majestic
-manner from the dining-room of the Shamien Hotel, where the judge and
-his party were staying.
-
-Yung How crossed the little bridge of boats that connects the island
-with the main part of the city to the north. He found himself in
-narrow, twisting streets densely packed with people, the majority of
-whom were of the coolie class and wore little or no clothes. The shops
-and booths were ablaze. Everyone was shouting at once, swearing,
-wrangling, bargaining till they were hoarse. The heat was
-insufferable, the atmosphere humid. The foul smells of the city would
-have sickened a European, but they did not seem to affect the Oriental
-nostrils of Yung How, the Cantonese.
-
-He walked slowly with long strides, turning to the left, then to the
-right, then to the left again. He was evidently familiar with the
-city. Brushing past half-naked, gesticulating coolies, and thrusting
-children aside, he came presently upon a great sow, sleeping in the
-middle of the street. Since there was no room to pass on either side
-he kicked the animal violently. As the pig got grunting to its feet,
-Yung How swept past with an expression of contempt upon his face.
-
-He found himself, at last, outside the Mohammedan Mosque. Crossing
-what the Europeans call "West Street," he entered a dark thoroughfare,
-a blind alley, at the end of which was a solitary, blood-red Chinese
-lantern, suspended above a door.
-
-Yung How did not knock. He walked straight in and found himself in the
-presence of Ah Wu.
-
-Now Ah Wu was a notorious character; he was also a notorious scoundrel.
-He was a little, fat man, with a round, smiling, cherubic
-countenance--except that there was nothing cherubic about his eyes,
-which were small and evil, and glittered like those of a snake.
-
-"Ha!" he exclaimed, the moment he set eyes upon Yung How. "You have
-returned to Canton! Ah Wu bids you welcome. If he eats rice under the
-roof-tree of Ah Wu, Yung How shall have of the best. He shall smoke
-the finest Chung-king opium."
-
-"I desire none of these things," said Yung How.
-
-Ah Wu looked disappointed, for Yung How was a rich man as Chinamen
-went, who paid for his night's entertainment in brand new Hong-Kong
-dollars.
-
-"Ah Wu," said Yung How, in a low voice, "I desire to speak with you
-upon a matter which is private. It will be worth your while to help me
-if you can."
-
-Ah Wu's eyes glistened. He rubbed his hands together. "Come with me,"
-said he.
-
-He drew aside a heavy, richly embroidered curtain and, passing through,
-they found themselves in the opium den. This was a room of two
-stories, with a flight of stairs in the middle leading to the upper
-story, which was a kind of balcony. All around the walls, both
-upstairs and downstairs, were couches, and by the side of each couch
-was a small lacquer table. Upon every table was an opium pipe, a small
-bowl containing a substance that resembled treacle, and a little
-spirit-lamp. And upon each couch was a man, stretched at full length,
-wearing no more clothes than a kind of towel tied around his waist, for
-the heat of the room was like that of a Turkish bath.
-
-Some of these men were engaged in smoking, rolling the opium into
-little pills, holding these pills over the flame of the spirit-lamp
-until they frizzled in the heat. Some were lying flat upon their
-backs, with their arms folded behind their heads, staring with eyes
-wide open at the ceiling. Others were motionless, insensible,
-asleep--drugged into oblivion. The room reeked with the pungent smell
-of the drug.
-
-Yung How, taking no notice of the occupants of the den, followed the
-proprietor into a small room under the stairs. There a paraffin lamp
-of European manufacture burned upon a table. Ah Wu offered his guest a
-chair and seated himself on the opposite side of the table. He
-produced a matchbox from the sleeve of his coat, struck a match, and
-lighted a small spirit-lamp. This, together with a bowl of opium and a
-large ivory pipe, he shoved across the table.
-
-"You will smoke?" he asked.
-
-Yung How could not resist the temptation. He snatched up the little
-skewer and dived it into the brown glutinous substance.
-
-"Thank you," said he. "I can think better when I smoke. The matter of
-which I have to tell you, Ah Wu, is of some importance. It may be very
-profitable to me, and also, in some degree, to you--if you are able to
-assist me."
-
-Ah Wu's little almond-shaped eyes glistened more than ever. His face
-became wreathed in smiles. He got to his feet and went to a cupboard,
-from which he produced his own opium pipe. Then he seated himself
-again at the table, and with their heads very close together these two
-sleek, shaven, unmitigated rascals rolled their little pills and filled
-the room with bitter-smelling smoke.
-
-And as they fell under the influence of the wonderful and subtle drug
-that holds sway over the whole of the Far East, from Shanghai to
-Bombay, they discussed in low voices the affairs of Mr Hennessy K.
-Waldron, of Paradise City, Nevada, U.S.A.
-
-"Tell me," asked Yung How, "do you ever see anything of Cheong-Chau,
-the robber?"
-
-"He himself," said Ah Wu, "comes often to Canton. He invariably stays
-here. He is a great smoker. He smokes opium by day and walks abroad
-by night. He will not show himself in the streets by daylight, in case
-he should be recognised by the soldiers of the Viceroy."
-
-"He is a brave man," said Yung How--avoiding, after the manner of the
-East, the point at issue.
-
-"He fears not death," said Ah Wu. "But the day will come when he will
-be led to his execution, to the Potter's Yard, where they will cut off
-his head, and the heads of all his followers."
-
-"How many men has he?" asked Yung How.
-
-Ah Wu shrugged his shoulders.
-
-"Some say twenty," said he; "some say thirty. Men-Ching, his
-second-in-command, is always here. He is one of my oldest patrons."
-Ah Wu nodded his head towards the door. "He is in there now," he
-added, "sound asleep. I saw him as we passed."
-
-It is not the custom of a Chinese to convey surprise, satisfaction or
-displeasure, or any other emotion, upon the features of his face. Yung
-How's countenance remained expressionless. He did not raise an
-eyebrow. And yet he was delighted. He was in luck's way, and he knew
-it.
-
-"What sort of a man is this Men-Ching?" he asked.
-
-"He is an old man," said Ah Wu, "a grandfather. He wears a small grey
-beard, and his pigtail is almost white."
-
-Yung How leaned across the table and whispered in Ah Wu's ear:
-
-"I know of a party of Europeans," said he, "who are going up one of the
-rivers--I am not sure which. I have not yet discovered their
-destination. They are rich men. How much will Cheong-Chau give, do
-you think, if I deliver them into his hands?"
-
-Ah Wu chuckled. Then, very carefully, he rolled another opium pill and
-puffed the smoke from his mouth.
-
-"This can be arranged," said he, rising to his feet. "I will fetch
-Men-Ching. He returns to Pinglo to-morrow."
-
-Ah Wu entered the opium den and, ascending the stairs, awakened a man
-who was sleeping upon one of the couches. This was an old man with a
-small grey beard and so little hair upon his head that his pigtail was
-not six inches long.
-
-Men-Ching listened to Ah Wu's apologies, and then got slowly to his
-feet. He put on his faded scarlet coat and followed the proprietor
-down the stairs. In the little room below, he was introduced to Yung
-How, and a Chinese introduction is a serious and ceremonious occasion.
-For the better part of five minutes the two men paid each other
-compliments, which were neither the truth nor intended to be such.
-Then all three seated themselves at the table, and presently the smoke
-from three opium pipes, instead of two, was filling the room with the
-bitter, pungent smell.
-
-They discussed the matter in every detail; they regarded it from every
-aspect. They calculated the risk and speculated upon their own share
-of the plunder. They tried to estimate the illimitable wealth of Mr
-Hennessy K. Waldron. Perhaps Ah Wu had visions of retiring from
-business and settling down in his native town of Chau-chau, on the
-banks of the Han river, where the rice is the best in China.
-
-At all events they were three great scoundrels, and although
-Cheong-Chau himself may have been a greater one, there was a certain
-man who--even whilst they were closeted together--had entered the opium
-den, who was without doubt the greatest villain in all the thirteen
-provinces, in all that land of thieves and knaves and cut-throats, from
-the Great Wall of China to the Shan States, upon the borderland of
-Burmah.
-
-And this man was Ling. He burst into the opium den with such violence
-that the outer door was in danger of being broken from its hinges. He
-thrust aside the embroidered curtains so roughly that several of the
-wooden rings that secured them at the top were broken. Once inside the
-room, he bellowed for Ah Wu, the proprietor of the establishment, and
-his voice was so great that he awakened many of the sleepers.
-
-Being informed that Ah Wu was privately engaged, he strode into the
-little room beneath the stairs, and there found himself confronted by
-Men-Ching, whom he knew well by sight and reputation, and Yung How,
-whom he had never seen before.
-
-For some moments he stood regarding the three men. Then he
-laughed--just as a jackal laughs.
-
-"What's this?" he cried. "Three such heads were never brought together
-to discuss Confucius or the writings of the learned Lao Tzu. An old
-fox, Ah Wu--one of Cheong-Chau's paid assassins, and a smooth-faced
-Hong-Kong 'boy'! Vulgar men, all three, who breathe from their
-throats, and walk in fear and trembling. Fetch me a pipe, Ah Wu, and
-take us into your council. I have a mind to learn the reason of these
-whisperings."
-
-We have said that the Oriental does not betray his innermost feelings
-upon his features. We have stated that the Chinese countenance is
-incapable of expression. The case was overstated, for all three of
-them, the moment they set eyes upon this self-confident intruder,
-became visibly alarmed. It is true that to no small extent the
-personal appearance of Ling may have been responsible for this.
-
-The man was a giant. Yung How was a tall man; but when he stood at his
-full height, the shaven top of his head was not level with the
-shoulders of the new-comer, who must have been at least six feet eight
-inches in height. His complexion was so sallow as to be almost green;
-his cheeks were hollow like those of a human skull. At the same time,
-he had enormous features: a great hooked nose; a square, massive chin;
-a mouth that almost reached to his ears when he grinned. He had
-coal-black eyebrows which met upon the bridge of his nose, and slanted
-slightly upwards. Upon his upper lip was a long black moustache, the
-ends of which hung down below his chin. His bones were mammoth-like;
-he had enormous fists; and when he walked, his great shoulder-blades
-could be seen moving under his long blue silken robe. Ah Wu looked up
-at him, with the glint of fear in his little fox-like eyes.
-
-"We were discussing the rice crop," said he.
-
-"*Liar!*" roared Ling.
-
-And he brought down his fist upon the table with such force that the
-opium bowls jumped, and one of the spirit-lamps went out.
-
-"Liar!" he repeated. "Fetch me a pipe, as I bid you, and speak true
-talk. This is a human affair and concerns me as much as you. Were it
-a question of divine philosophy, I should be the last to intrude.
-Come, I propose to give you advice."
-
-Thereupon, without the least warning, he seized Yung How by the scruff
-of his neck, and lifted him bodily out of his chair.
-
-"This foreign devil's flunkey shall increase the wisdom of the mighty
-Ling," he shouted. "He shall tell me in his Hong-Kong jargon why he
-holds conference with one of Cheong-Chau's bandits, and one who has
-grown so old in wickedness, and so rich in ill-gotten gains, that his
-eyes are sunk in the wrinkled fat of his face."
-
-He dumped Yung How back into his chair, and for once the habitual
-expression of serene dignity had departed from that gentleman's
-countenance. Indeed, he looked terribly frightened--but not more so
-than Ah Wu himself, who now came forward, holding in his trembling hand
-an opium pipe, which he offered politely to this gigantic Oriental
-swashbuckler.
-
-Ling examined the pipe critically; and then, apparently satisfied with
-the appearance of it, proceeded to roll opium pills in his huge,
-flat-tipped fingers.
-
-"I smoke," said he, "not like fools, to dream. I smoke to fight, to
-think, and to make fools of others."
-
-As he said these words he flung off his long coat. Underneath he was
-wearing a thin vest of the finest Chifu silk. Around his waist was a
-belt, attached to which was a great knife--a Malay *kris*--the handle
-of which was studded lavishly with jewels.
-
-
-
-
-CHAPTER III--OF THE TIGER AND THE FOXES
-=======================================
-
-Ling was a Northerner. He hailed from the province of Honan, a land of
-rugged hills and dark, inhospitable valleys, through which flows the
-unnavigable Hoang-Ho, the turbulent Yellow River that thrashes its way
-into the Gulf of Pe-chili, over cataracts and rocks, through dark,
-precipitous ravines.
-
-The Honanese are a warlike race. From this province the viceroys of
-the north were wont to recruit the majority of their soldiers--wild,
-raw-boned men who, in the old days, guarded the sacred presence of the
-Emperor.
-
-The pirates of the West River may be compared to wolf-packs that roam
-the southern provinces in search of plunder. But Ling may be likened
-to a solitary beast of prey, a man-eating tiger, or a rogue
-elephant--than which there is no more dangerous beast in all the world.
-He lived by his wits, his great strength and cunning. He had
-established such a reputation for himself in the provinces of Kwang-si
-and Kwei-chau that he was feared alike by peasants, priests, and
-mandarins. He committed crime openly and gloried in it; for in China
-there are no police, and prefects and magistrates can be bought with
-silver *taels*.
-
-And Ling was a man of great wealth. He employed bribery when that was
-likely to succeed. Otherwise he relied upon his Malay kris, or his
-great hands, with which he could strangle the life out of an ordinary
-man in no more time than it would take to wring the neck of a hen.
-
-The wonder of this man was that he was a great scholar. He had passed
-several of the public examinations in which the candidates could be
-numbered by the thousand. He was learned in the classic books: *Spring
-and Autumn*, *The Doctrine of the Mean*, *The Analects of Confucius*,
-and the books of History, Rites and Music, and the Odes.
-
-He was in the habit of quoting Confucius and the writings of the sages;
-and he could always, by twisting the meaning of the proverbs of
-antiquity, find excuses for his crimes.
-
-"To the good I would be good," he would quote, adding: "As there are no
-good on this earth, there is no necessity to be other than I am."
-
-In no other country in the world would such a man have been allowed to
-walk at large in the streets of a populous city. Everyone knew him,
-and everyone feared him; but no one had the courage to step across his
-path. He came and went at his pleasure, laughing in his loud,
-boisterous manner, quoting from the writings of Confucius, Mencius, and
-the learned Lao Tzu, the founder of the Taoist religion. It must be
-remembered that China is a country in which everyone minds his own
-affairs. The sages have taught the Chinese to believe that the destiny
-of every man is in his own hands, and that whether he lives foolishly
-or wisely, whether he does evil or good, is a question solely between
-that man himself and the Spirit of the Universe. No one has the right
-to interfere.
-
-In this world there are those who talk and those who act. Ling did
-both. He bullied and threatened and stormed; he was childishly vain of
-his learning, and in seven dialects he scattered his knowledge
-broadcast. At the same time, he was a man of action; he was resolute
-and brave, and without scruples or a sense of pity.
-
-But neither courage nor brute strength nor wisdom, nor a combination of
-the three, can accomplish all things. And in Ah Wu's opium den, the
-mighty Ling found himself in the presence of three subtle,
-smooth-tongued Cantonese; and the whole world across, from San
-Francisco to Yokohama by way of Port Said, there is no more capable and
-fluent liar than the lemon-skinned, almond-eyed Chinese who hails from
-the province of Kwang-si. It is difficult to say who could lie most
-gracefully, who was the greatest hypocrite--Ah Wu, Yung How, or
-Men-Ching, the brigand. Each in his own way was a past master in the
-craft of falsehood.
-
-Moreover, they had no intention of taking Ling into their confidence.
-They may have been frightened of the man, but not even fear could make
-them behave like imbeciles. They knew that if Ling gained knowledge of
-the presence of Mr Hennessy K. Waldron upon the upper reaches of one of
-the rivers, there would be but little booty left for themselves. And
-so they lied--gracefully, easily, pleasantly, and with admirable
-consistency.
-
-What that lie was is immaterial to the skein and texture of this story.
-It was a presentable and passable falsehood, you may be sure, but it
-was not good enough to deceive Ling, who, however, professed that he
-believed every word they had told him, whilst he complacently smoked
-pipe after pipe of opium--at Ah Wu's expense.
-
-And then he left the opium den, paying for nothing, quoting from
-Mencius in regard to the virtue of hospitality. In the dark streets of
-the mammoth city his colossal figure became lost in the shadows; but he
-left behind him, in the opium den, in the little room beneath the
-stairs, an atmosphere of tension--a feeling that a great typhoon has
-passed, which by a miracle had caused but little damage. The three
-conspirators continued to discuss their plot, but they were no longer
-conscious of a sense of security. Once or twice Ah Wu, who was the
-most nervous of the three, glanced anxiously over his shoulder,
-whenever a heavy footstep was heard in the room beyond.
-
-They had lied to Ling to the best of their ability--which was saying
-much. For all that, they had no reason to suppose that the gigantic
-Honanese had believed a single word of what they had told him. In
-consequence, they feared him all the more. The tiger was on the prowl,
-and the three foxes, their heads close together, whispered in the ears
-of one another and rolled their little pills.
-
-They arranged matters to their satisfaction. Yung How was to attempt
-to discover the destination of Sir Thomas Armitage and the wealthy
-American. Men-Ching would lie in wait upon the river bank. Yung How
-would signal to him as the launch went by. If their destination was
-the North River, Yung How was to place his left hand upon the shaven
-fore-part of his head. If it was the West River, he was to raise his
-right hand. In either case, Men-Ching was to take horse and ride to
-Pinglo, where he would inform Cheong-Chau that the fish were swimming
-into his net. As for Ah Wu, at a later date, he was to play a certain
-part for which--on account of his cunning and secretive nature--he was
-eminently suited.
-
-It was an exceedingly well-arranged plot, which will be duly explained
-in the appointed place. There was some discussion in regard to what
-sum it would be possible to obtain; but in the end it was decided that
-twenty thousand dollars would be sufficient, allowing that Cheong-Chau
-would take the bulk of it himself.
-
-It was long past midnight when they came to the end of their
-deliberations. By then they were heavy with opium, and their eyes
-glazed from the drug. They threw themselves down upon the soft matted
-couches in the outer room, and slept and dreamed--as Chinese will--of
-things celestial, transcendental, such as cannot be expressed in words.
-For all that, the following morning Yung How presented himself at the
-breakfast-table of Sir Thomas Armitage in the Shamien Hotel.
-
-"Well, Yung How," said the judge, "did you see your brother in Canton?"
-
-"Yes, master," said Yung How, without moving a muscle of his face. "He
-makes bobbery with his wife."
-
-"You mean," said Sir Thomas, for the edification of Mr Waldron, "that
-he and his wife have quarrelled?"
-
-"Yes, master. She does not like that he smokes opium--once a week."
-
-The judge made a wry face. "A nasty habit," said he.
-
-"Yes, master," said Yung How; "only bad men smoke opium."
-
-Sir Thomas looked at Yung How's eyes. The pupils were shrunken to the
-size of little beads.
-
-"Yes," said he. "You are right, Yung How; only bad men smoke opium."
-
-"Opium does harm," said Yung How, who, five minutes later, appeared in
-the hotel kitchen. Several coolies were eating rice upon a doorstep,
-and one of these was the engineer of Sir Thomas's river-launch. It is
-not pleasant to watch lower-class Chinese eat rice. They hold the bowl
-about two inches from their mouths, which they open very wide, and then
-they scoop up the rice with their fingers in much the same manner as
-one might brush pieces of fluff from the sleeve of a coat.
-
-"Ah Su," said Yung How, to the engineer, "has the judge told you where
-we are going?"
-
-"No," said Ah Su.
-
-"The weather," said Yung How, "is very hot."
-
-He then departed to the vestibule of the hotel, where he encountered
-the comprador. In China, the comprador knows everything.
-
-"Are there any letters for the judge?" asked Yung How, in a lordly
-manner.
-
-"He has them," said the comprador. "He himself took them into the
-breakfast-room."
-
-"We leave to-day," said Yung How casually.
-
-"So I understand," said the other.
-
-"I suppose letters will be forwarded?"
-
-"The judge has given instructions. All letters and parcels are to be
-forwarded to the British Consulate at Wu-chau."
-
-"In Wu-chau," said Yung How, "I have a brother."
-
-He turned away and went upstairs, where he entered the bedroom of Mr
-Waldron. In one of the small drawers of the dressing-table he
-discovered the millionaire's cheque-book; and since he could read
-English tolerably well, he spent a pleasant five minutes studying the
-counterfoils. Then quite suddenly Mr Waldron came in.
-
-"Say," said he, "what are you doing here?"
-
-"Have cleaned hairbrushes," said Yung How, without a moment's
-hesitation.
-
-"Then, git!" cried Mr Waldron. "Guess I can fill my own grip-sack.
-When I want a slit-eyed son of Satan hanging around my boudoir, I'll
-send for him. So, git!"
-
-And Yung How "got." He walked gravely from the room with his head held
-proudly in the air, and his eyes fixed upon the ground. He appeared
-grossly insulted.
-
-He knew very well, however, that the great city of Wu-chau lies upon
-the West River, and is not so far--as the crow flies--from the town of
-Pinglo, where Cheong-Chau was in the habit of smoking opium.
-
-
-
-
-CHAPTER IV--HOW CHEONG-CHAU CAME FORTH OF THE TOWN OF PINGLO
-============================================================
-
-Mr Waldron appreciated the journey up the West River even more than the
-sights of Canton. Stretched comfortably upon his deck-chair, he
-surveyed through his binoculars the rich, prosperous landscape of
-Southern China. He interested himself in the straw-hatted peasants at
-work in the tea-gardens and the ricefields. As the launch steamed upon
-its way, he inspected river-side villages, temples, gateways and
-pagodas.
-
-The party arrived at Wu-chau, spent two or three days seeing the
-sights, and then proceeded up-river. A few days later, the launch
-arrived at the town of Pinglo--three days after Men-Ching, seated
-astride his little Mongolian pony, had ridden in from the East.
-
-Since there was little or nothing to see in Pinglo, Sir Thomas
-Armitage, Frank and Mr Hennessy K. Waldron, accompanied by Yung How and
-one other personal servant, set out on a journey across country towards
-the north. They carried knapsacks upon their backs, and proceeded by
-way of the narrow paths separating the ricefields. The heat was
-excessive, but as they progressed, and reached higher altitudes, it
-became cooler, and at the end of three days' march the Nan-ling
-Mountains stood out before them like a great wall.
-
-They found the Taoist temple, surrounded by trees, tucked away in the
-corner of a picturesque valley, where there were great numbers of birds
-of brilliant plumage.
-
-Mr Waldron was delighted. The temple was deserted, and appeared to
-have been neglected for centuries. The plaster had crumbled from the
-walls and lay in heaps upon the floor. The place consisted of one huge
-hall, with several smaller rooms on either side. Everything of value
-had been stolen; but the architecture remained, solid and fantastic,
-and of the greatest antiquity.
-
-Ranged around the walls were the figures of scores of gods and
-goddesses, chief amongst whom was Buddha. Sir Thomas was able to
-identify several of the images, one of whom he recognised as Mohammed,
-another as St Paul, and a third as Marco Polo. That Marco Polo should
-have risen in China to the dignity of a deity is conceivable, since
-this dauntless adventurer was the first European to reside in the
-ancient Tartar kingdom of Kublai Khan. But it was indeed remarkable
-that the fame of such great preachers as St Paul and the founder of the
-Mohammedan religion should have reached--across the whole of Asia--the
-heart of the Chinese Empire. This is no treatise on Chinese theology,
-else we could write much concerning the Taoist temple on the southern
-slopes of the Nan-ling Mountains, at the very back of the beyond. It
-is sufficient to say that the judge took copious notes, and Mr Hennessy
-K. Waldron was delighted. As a memento of the expedition he knocked
-off a stone gargoyle from above the porchway of the temple.
-
-In many ways the expedition resembled a delightful picnic, in a country
-that was charming and romantic. The ruined temple was surrounded by
-flowering shrubs and queer-shaped deciduous trees, and there were
-moss-grown banks upon which one could lie at ease during the heat of
-the day or sleep tranquilly by night, when thousands of frogs were
-croaking in the valley below, and crickets were singing in the long
-*kiao-liang* that grew upon the mountain-side.
-
-The place was a natural garden, scented with almond and mimosa. During
-the heat of the day there was shade in plenty; after sunset the
-temperature was cool and refreshing. Yung How and his assistant
-attended to their wants; gave them four-course luncheons and dinners,
-produced from a saucepan and a frying-pan by means of a small wood fire
-laid between two bricks. Neither Mr Waldron nor the judge himself
-showed the slightest inclination to return to the steaming valley of
-the river. As for Frank, he was happy all day long, exploring the
-neighbourhood, climbing to the crest-line of the hills, whence he could
-survey a vast panorama of terraced paddy-fields, winding rivers,
-scattered villages and towns, each with its joss-houses and its temples
-and its great horseshoe graveyards.
-
-On the second day of their visit, whilst his uncle and the American
-were occupied in inspecting the temple, Frank Armitage ascended a steep
-bridle-path which crossed the mountains at a narrow pass. To the north
-he found his view obstructed by another and even more rugged range of
-mountains. Anxious to gain a more commanding position, the boy left
-the bridle-path and climbed, on hands and knees, the steep face of the
-adjacent peak.
-
-It took him the greater part of an hour to gain the top, but there he
-found his efforts rewarded by a view that reminded him of many scenes
-pictured by Gustave Doré, illustrating *Don Quixote* or *Paradise
-Lost*--pictures that had fascinated and frightened him as a child.
-
-Immediately before him was a second valley, at right angles to the one
-dividing the parallel ranges, resembling a huge, deep sword-cut in the
-barren, savage hills. This valley narrowed as it rose to a higher
-altitude, and finally became lost in mountain mist. There were few
-trees upon the steep, glistening slopes, and such as were to be seen
-were stunted and deformed. There were no roads or paths; no sign of
-life or civilisation. The sun itself appeared to have been shut out
-for ever from this stretch of desolation.
-
-Frank turned and looked towards the south. In this direction were
-green trees, green fields--a plain, rich, fertile, well-watered and
-thickly populated. It was almost impossible to believe that a narrow
-watershed could divide landscapes so different that they might have
-been scenes from different planets. He glanced again at the dark
-sinister valley; and as he did so he caught a glimpse of something red,
-moving slowly across the spur that formed the angle of the two valleys
-immediately below.
-
-He could not at first make out what this could be, for the moving
-object almost at once disappeared behind a hillock. When it appeared
-again, however, it was in mid-valley; and he recognised a party of men
-dressed in scarlet coats, who were marching in close formation, making
-in the direction of the pass across the range.
-
-Frank knelt down behind a boulder and watched with interest, and not
-without apprehension, the approaching figures. A natural instinct
-warned him that it would not be wise to show himself. There was
-something in the forbidding nature of the valley itself that warned him
-that its sole occupants were not likely to be men whom one could trust.
-
-They climbed the bridle-path, gaining at last the pass whence Frank
-himself had ascended to the hill-top. They were now easy to
-distinguish. The party numbered about thirty. They were brown-skinned
-Chinese, evidently mountain-born; all were armed with scythe-like
-spears or long, curved knives, and one or two carried pistols in their
-belts. All wore scarlet coats, some of which were bright and new,
-others being so faded that they were a kind of dirty pink. At the head
-of the party marched a little shrivelled man, whose scarlet coat was
-trimmed with gold. Frank Armitage did not know it--though within eight
-hours he was to learn the truth--but this was the redoubtable
-Cheong-Chau himself--the brigand chief who plundered the southern
-provinces from the Nan-ling Mountains to the sea.
-
-As they passed, swinging on their way, these men sang a low, wailing
-chant that might have been a funeral dirge, but which was, in fact, a
-pirate song of blood and lust and murder. At the rear of the party was
-an old man, seated upon the back of a short-necked Mongolian pony.
-This was Men-Ching, who had ridden post-haste from the city of Canton,
-bringing greetings to Cheong-Chau from Ah Wu, who kept an opium den in
-the vicinity of the Mohammedan mosque.
-
-Men-Ching had seen Yung How in the city of Wu-chau, and had there heard
-news of the ancient Taoist temple upon the southern slopes of the
-mountains. And Cheong-Chau had shaken off the sleep of opium and,
-gathering his men, had issued from the town of Pinglo, and had marched
-by night into the mountains, the sovereignty of which he shared with
-the eagles and the kites.
-
-
-
-
-CHAPTER V--HOW CHEONG-CHAU STRUCK AT DEAD OF NIGHT
-==================================================
-
-It was late by the time Frank returned to the temple, where he found
-his uncle and Mr Waldron engaged in an animated discussion upon the
-subject of the untapped resources of China. The boy had taken some
-time to climb down the mountain-side. Having no wish to fall into the
-hands of the scarlet-coated band who had descended into the valley to
-the south, he had given the bridle-path a wide berth, with the result
-that he had been obliged to go down upon all fours, and descend
-stealthily foot by foot.
-
-He lost no time in relating to his uncle all that he had seen. The
-judge was somewhat surprised, but he did not show any signs of being
-nervous.
-
-"I trust they didn't see you, Frank?" he asked.
-
-"I have no doubt as to that," replied the boy. "I remained hidden all
-the time. Besides, they were immediately below me, and I should have
-noticed if any man had looked up."
-
-The judge shrugged his shoulders.
-
-"All's well that ends well," said he. "Nevertheless we may consider
-ourselves lucky. There can be no question that the party you saw was
-one of the brigand bands that are said to infest these mountains. We
-are far from civilisation. We could expect neither mercy nor
-consideration if we fell into the hands of such desperate rascals."
-
-"Judge," said Mr Waldron, "it looks as if I may have a use for my
-six-shooter after all."
-
-"I don't think so," said the judge. "Frank was wise enough not to show
-himself, and the men went down into the valley. There is no reason why
-they should know anything about our presence in the neighbourhood."
-
-It was then that Yung How appeared, silently, from the midst of the
-deep shadows beneath the temple ruins. He moved stealthily and with
-something of the supple grace of a cat.
-
-"Master," said he, "dinner is served."
-
-"Thank you," said the judge. But Yung How remained, his features calm
-and expressionless, a table-napkin thrown over his left forearm, after
-the manner of waiters all the world across.
-
-"Guess," said Mr Waldron, "I shall sleep with my gun ready loaded."
-
-"That is no more than a wise precaution," said the judge, "and we
-should be well advised to post a sentry. We could divide the night
-into three watches of three hours each. Frank, as the youngest, shall
-take the first watch, from nine to twelve; I myself propose to take the
-middle watch, from twelve to three--unless you, Mr Waldron, would
-prefer it?"
-
-"As you like, Judge," replied the American. "Early morning suits me
-well enough. In the old days in Texas, six days out of seven I was in
-the saddle before sunrise."
-
-"Master," repeated Yung How, "dinner is served."
-
-The judge whipped round upon his servant. "What are you doing here?"
-he demanded. "You have announced dinner already. We are all hungry
-enough not to forget it."
-
-"Very good dinner," said Yung How, lapsing into pidgin-English, and
-without moving a muscle of his face. "Hot soup, all belong one piece
-tin; number one fish, all belong river; two piece chicken and top-side
-apricots, all belong tin, all same soup."
-
-"And a very good dinner too," said the judge. "The sooner we get to
-work the better."
-
-They dined by the light of a Chinese lantern suspended from one of the
-branches of an almond-tree, beneath the temple wall, where they were
-sheltered from the cool evening breeze that was blowing from the west.
-The thin mountain air, after the insufferable, humid atmosphere of the
-river valley, had served to give them a healthy appetite. The soup was
-half cold, the chickens were very tough, and the West River fish tasted
-horribly of mud; for all that, hungry men, encamped in a wilderness
-many miles from the nearest outpost of civilisation, will regard such
-fare as delicacies. They ate with a relish everything that Yung How
-placed before them, and washed down their meal with pannikins of
-crystal-clear water from the mountain spring that flowed past the
-temple.
-
-After dinner the judge lighted his pipe, and Mr Hennessy K. Waldron one
-of his choice Manila cheroots. They talked of many things, but above
-all of China, of its immensity and mystery, its wealth, vitality, and
-future. And then the judge and Mr Waldron spread their blankets and
-laid them down to sleep.
-
-There is no life in the world to compare with that which is lived in
-the open air. A moss-grown bank supplied a bed as comfortable as any
-spring mattress. The wind, gently stirring the leaves of the trees,
-the distant croaking of the frogs, and the singing of the crickets,
-combined to form a sort of lullaby that soothed and enticed the
-wayfarers to slumber. There was no moon that night; but in a sky
-unbroken by a single cloud, a gorgeous canopy of stars illumined a
-scene that might have made a fitting setting for a fairy-tale.
-
-Frank Armitage selected his sentry-post at the foot of a great tree
-immediately before the temple steps. Hence he was able to obtain a
-fair view both of the bivouac and the mountain slope to the south.
-Knowing, however, that it would be wise not to neglect the northern
-side of the temple, he decided to patrol the entire building at least
-once every quarter of an hour. Armed with Mr Waldron's revolver, he
-kept well in the shade, knowing that a good sentry is one who observes
-without himself being seen.
-
-An hour passed and then another hour, without the occurrence of
-anything unusual. The judge and Mr Waldron were both sound asleep, the
-latter snoring loudly. Yung How and his companion lay in the shadow of
-the temple wall: the former curled up in his blankets, the coolie lying
-flat upon his back, his mouth wide open, dreaming, perhaps, that he was
-back in the Chinese quarter of Hong-Kong, where lived his wife and
-seven children, all of whom he supported upon the astonishing
-sum--expressed in English coinage--of nineteen shillings a month.
-
-Frank, as he went his rounds, frequently paused to listen. The frogs
-and the crickets continued their uproar. The wind murmured in the
-trees; once or twice he could hear wild-duck flying high in the night
-sky towards the north, towards the great marshes of the Yangtsi and the
-Yellow River. But no other sound disturbed the silence of the night.
-
-In course of time he came to consider the utmost vigilance unnecessary.
-He began to interest himself in trivial things. Mr Waldron had ceased
-to snore and Yung How was engaged in a kind of duet with the coolie.
-They snored alternately, the one on a deeper note than the other.
-Frank paused upon one of his rounds and stood for a moment looking down
-upon the two sleeping Chinese, thinking how vastly different from
-himself they were. Then he passed on upon his way, conscious that as
-the hour grew later the air was becoming colder. On that account, it
-was advisable to keep moving. He walked round the front of the temple,
-across the great stone steps leading to the entrance, and found himself
-on the farther side of the ruined, rambling building. There, in the
-deep shadow of a tall, gabled gateway, he stopped quite suddenly,
-thinking that he had heard a twig snap underfoot.
-
-He was so sure of this that almost at once he became aware that his
-heart was beating rapidly. He held the revolver in his hand, gripping
-the handle tightly. The starlight enabled him to see a considerable
-distance, except where the shadows were deep under the temple wall
-itself and beneath the trees.
-
-At his right hand was a massive stone pillar that supported the roof of
-the gateway. He stood stock-still, listening; and then, close to him,
-he heard a sound that might have been the wind, but which, on the other
-hand, might have been the heavy breathing of a man. As quick as
-thought, he stepped behind the pillar, and at once, quite suddenly, and
-yet without noise or violence, his revolver was taken from his hand.
-
-For the fraction of a second he was too astonished to cry out. He took
-a quick step backward, which brought him into the starlight, and at
-that moment both his wrists were grasped, and he beheld before him a
-face, sinister, fierce, and yet expressionless. It was the face of
-Yung How, his uncle's servant.
-
-He let out a shout, a loud cry for help--a shout that was stifled in a
-second. Someone had seized him from behind. The palm of a hand was
-placed so tightly upon his mouth that he found it difficult to breathe.
-
-For a moment he endeavoured to struggle, but soon realised the
-uselessness of an attempt to extricate himself by physical force. He
-had been seized by at least three men; and almost before he had time to
-recover from his surprise, he was thrown violently upon the ground, his
-hands bound behind his back, and a gag thrust between his teeth.
-
-He lay quite motionless, wondering what had happened, and what would
-happen next. Men were talking in whispers in harsh Cantonese voices,
-but too softly for him to catch the meaning of their words.
-
-He was bidden rise. He hesitated a moment, and was then lifted bodily
-to be dumped down upon his feet. He found himself confronted by a
-Chinaman who was small in stature, the skin of whose face was wrinkled
-and weather-beaten. This man wore a scarlet coat, richly embroidered
-with gold thread that glittered in the starlight. He came quite close
-to Frank, and peered into the boy's face, grinning from ear to ear,
-showing dirty, fang-like teeth--teeth that resembled those of a dog.
-
-The boy turned away in disgust, and looked straight into the face of
-Yung How. Yung How neither smiled nor lowered his eyes. He appeared
-to be neither delighted nor ashamed. His features were expressionless;
-his eyes looked straight into Frank's. Behind Yung How stood some
-twenty men, all dressed in scarlet coats. Frank took them in at a
-glance, and the thought flashed across his mind that it would be
-difficult to select from the party the one who appeared the greatest
-villain, whose countenance was the most hideous and repulsive. They
-were Cantonese of the coolie class, high of cheek-bone, with low,
-receding foreheads, and cruel, snake-like eyes.
-
-The man who was wearing the gold embroidered coat turned and walked
-rapidly towards the temple steps, ordering the others to follow him.
-Frank was led forward, a great raw-boned Chinaman on either side of
-him, each of whom grasped him tightly by an arm. He was made to ascend
-the steps, and was brought to a halt in the shadow of the porchway of
-the temple.
-
-Hence he could look down upon the sheltered glade where he and his
-friends had been encamped for two days. In the starlight he could see
-the figures of his uncle and Mr Waldron, both of whom were still fast
-asleep.
-
-So far, all that had happened had come to pass so rapidly that Frank
-had not had time to feel alarmed. But now, when he beheld his
-uncle--as he had every reason to believe--in the greatest danger, he
-was filled with apprehension. He made a lurch forward as if he would
-escape--for his feet had not been bound--but he was at once roughly
-thrown back by the men who guarded him, one of whom struck him a
-violent blow in the face.
-
-At that moment it was as if the boy was incapable of feeling physical
-pain or moral indignation. He was filled with remorse. He had been
-given a position of responsibility and trust--and he had failed
-pitifully. And now, perhaps his uncle's life was in danger.
-
-He was obliged to remain an impotent and conscience-stricken spectator
-of the scene that followed. He could neither cry out nor hasten to the
-assistance of his friends. He saw both his uncle and Mr Waldron seized
-whilst they were sound asleep, handled roughly by savage, lawless men;
-gagged and bound, and then led into the great hall of the temple.
-
-As soon as they were all inside, about a dozen torches were lit, and
-these were planted upright between the stone flags that paved the
-floor; so that they resembled as many candles, illuminating that
-fantastic, mediæval chamber.
-
-Indeed, it is almost impossible to imagine a scene more weird and
-dream-like. The three captives in the centre of the hall; the
-evil-looking, criminal faces of the brigands, made to look even more
-alarming and sinister by the flickering light of the torches; and
-around that great, dingy room, the implacable, sedate, inevitable
-figures of the Chinese gods and goddesses, over whom presided the huge
-Buddha, seated cross-legged upon a stone plinth, immediately opposite
-the entrance.
-
-Frank Armitage caught his uncle's eye. He tried his utmost to convey
-in a glance the remorse and anguish he endured. Sir Thomas must have
-understood him, for he slowly shook his head. Then someone from the
-back of the room commanded that everyone should be seated; and when
-this order had been complied with, one man alone remained upon his
-feet. This was he whose scarlet coat was embroidered heavily with
-gold, who now stepped into the centre of the circle, where he stood in
-the full light of the torches.
-
-"I am Cheong-Chau," he cried. "And those who fall into the hands of
-Cheong-Chau must pay in silver *taels* or else in blood."
-
-
-
-
-CHAPTER VI--HOW CHEONG-CHAU STATED HIS TERMS
-============================================
-
-The situation in which the judge and his companions found themselves
-was certainly not of the pleasantest. It so happened that Sir Thomas
-knew nothing of the reputation of the redoubtable Cheong-Chau.
-However, the man's character was made evident upon every feature of his
-face.
-
-Standing in the centre of the hall, gesticulating wildly, he harangued
-his audience for the better part of twenty minutes without once pausing
-for breath. Sir Thomas was sufficiently acquainted with the Cantonese
-language to follow the drift of the man's speech, whereas Frank was
-able to understand every word. Mr Waldron, of course, comprehended
-nothing.
-
-The American was under the impression that he was about to be put to
-death. He regarded, with a kind of timorous curiosity, the murderous
-weapons of the bandits and the villainous facial contortions of
-Cheong-Chau. The man held forth in the flowery language of the Chinese
-of the southern provinces. He talked a great deal about his own power
-and cruelty. He did not seem to care in the least whether or not
-anyone listened to him. He boasted in regard to his past crimes; he
-spoke of his courage and audacity; he uttered innumerable threats. And
-in the end the captives were led away into one of the smaller rooms
-that gave upon the great hall of the temple.
-
-There they remained until late the following evening, when the whole
-party--with the exception of Yung How, who returned to Canton--set out
-across the mountains, traversing the narrow pass from above which Frank
-Armitage had first beheld the brigands. They entered, at dead of
-night, the bleak, desolate valley extending towards the north.
-Cheong-Chau himself led the way, following a path, carrying in his hand
-a large Chinese lantern suspended from a pole about six feet long.
-
-Daylight found them still upon the line-of-march. They had by then
-ascended to a high altitude, where the atmosphere was both cold and
-damp. The crests of the mountains were wreathed in a thin white mist,
-similar to that which is found in Scotland, which drenched them to the
-skin.
-
-They were brought to a halt at the mouth of a certain cave, in a very
-desolate, inhospitable region--a country of sheer barren slopes, rugged
-peaks and turbulent mountain streams that descended thousands of feet
-in series of roaring cataracts. They had been conducted to a spot upon
-the globe's surface where, in all probability, no white man had ever
-been before.
-
-The entrance to the cave was hidden behind an enormous boulder, almost
-as big as a fair-sized house, which balanced itself upon the very brink
-of a steep slope that descended at an angle of about forty-five
-degrees. Upon these slopes a few withered shrubs were growing:
-leafless, twisted things, tortured by the bitter east winds that swept
-those cheerless valleys.
-
-Inside, the cave was comparatively comfortable. In the centre a wood
-fire was burning brightly, and though this filled the place with smoke,
-it served to introduce both light and warmth into that gloomy prison;
-for indeed the cave was destined, for many days to come, to play the
-part of a prison. For all that, some attempt had been made to give
-this place a homely aspect. Several Chinese mats were spread upon the
-floor, and there were wooden shelves loaded with provisions: dried
-fish, rice, and bags of green China tea.
-
-To give so redoubtable a rogue as Cheong-Chau the little justice he
-deserves, it must be stated that his captives were treated with every
-consideration. They were well fed, on simple Chinese food, which must
-have been carried miles across the desolate mountains upon the backs of
-coolies. They were given straw mattresses upon which to sleep, and
-were allowed to warm themselves by the fire. Mr Waldron--as the only
-member of the party who was a stranger to the country--expressed the
-greatest anxiety in regard to their fate. His mind was filled with
-vague fears to the effect that their lives were being preserved in
-order that they might eventually be tortured. He had interested
-himself in all manner of gruesome subjects; he had heard of the "death
-by a thousand cuts," the Chinese "corkscrew," and the wholesale manner
-in which Cantonese executions were usually carried out. None the less,
-he was not afraid. He was a man who had led a hard life, who had faced
-danger more than once, and who had learnt--in spite of his riches--to
-regard his own existence as by no means an essential part of the great
-scheme of universal things. He speculated in regard to his destiny
-after the manner of a man who backs horses without knowing anything
-whatsoever about what--for some reason or other--has been called "the
-sport of kings."
-
-"Say, Judge," said he, "I don't cotton to this notion of a thousand
-cuts. Guess one cut's enough for me. If they're going to kill us, why
-don't they do it and have done with it, instead of stuffing us full of
-rice and rotten fish?"
-
-Sir Thomas shook his head.
-
-"There is every reason to suppose," he answered, "that this is a case
-of ransom. If this rascal had meant to murder us he would have done so
-before emptying our pockets of all the money, watches and valuables in
-our possession. You may be sure, Mr Waldron, he has brought us here
-for a purpose. That is not troubling me in the least."
-
-"It troubles me," said the American. "I left Paradise City with the
-idea of seeing the world; but I guess, Judge, this is one side of human
-experience that it was not my original intention to investigate. Wish
-I was back in Nevada."
-
-Frank Armitage laughed aloud. It was the first time he had done so
-since the calamity had befallen them. Sir Thomas sat cross-legged by
-the fire, stirring the embers with a stick, his brows set in a frown.
-
-"Even now," said he, in a quiet voice, "even now I can't realise that
-Yung How is the unmitigated villain he is."
-
-Frank bit his lip. "If I ever get the chance," said he, "I'll be even
-with that scoundrel."
-
-"He has been in my service," continued Sir Thomas, "for nearly seven
-years. During the whole of that period he has never once given me
-cause to suspect or to mistrust him. That shows you very clearly, Mr
-Waldron, what a subtle rascal a Chinaman can be. For seven years he
-has been obedient, faithful, and even honest; and yet--it is now
-apparent--all that time he was but waiting his chance."
-
-Mr Waldron made a wry face.
-
-"Guess he might have waited another seven years," said he, "or at least
-till I was clear of Hong-Kong. Why his chance should have come the
-moment I arrive in the colony is a mystery to me."
-
-"I am sorry to say, Mr Waldron," said Sir Thomas, "I can't regard that
-coincidence in the light of a mystery. I have a very shrewd suspicion
-that your wealth is the sole cause of all our trouble."
-
-"Not the first time," added Mr Waldron, "by a long chalk, that money
-has led to disaster. I tell you frankly, I was a happier man in the
-old days--when I lived on fifteen dollars a week--than after I had made
-my pile."
-
-"I can very well believe it," said Sir Thomas. "That, however, doesn't
-alter the situation in the least. Mark my words, very soon Cheong-Chau
-will show his hand."
-
-It is clear that the judge had correctly estimated both the
-circumstances of the case and the character of Cheong-Chau; for
-scarcely had the last words left his lips when the brigand chieftain
-himself entered the cave, accompanied by Men-Ching, his
-second-in-command.
-
-Cheong-Chau seated himself cross-legged upon the ground, and for a few
-moments warmed his hands by the fire, without uttering a word. Then he
-spoke in the Cantonese language, addressing himself to the judge:
-
-"Those who fall into the hands of Cheong-Chau," said he, "must purchase
-their freedom in silver *taels* or in blood."
-
-The judge did not reply. After a pause Cheong-Chau continued. Though
-he was a little man, his voice was both deep and guttural. He spoke
-slowly and with great deliberation, as if particularly desirous that
-his words should not be misunderstood.
-
-"I make you a fair offer," said he. "It is not my habit to mince
-matters. I hold you captive. You are my prisoner. I can do with you
-what I like. No one will ever find you here. Neither can you escape;
-day and night there are sentries at the mouth of the cave. They tell
-me that you have the reputation of being a wise man. If that is so,
-you cannot fail to see that you and your companions are in my
-power--birds caught in the fowler's net."
-
-He paused again and looked at the judge, who merely nodded his head.
-
-"This is my offer," he continued. "After I have explained matters I
-shall give you ten minutes in which to make up your mind. You are to
-write a letter to the Governor of Hong-Kong, or to anyone else you may
-choose. In that letter you are to say that your life, and the lives of
-those who are with you, are in the hands of Cheong-Chau, and that
-Cheong-Chau demands, as the price of your freedom, the sum of twenty
-thousand Hong-Kong dollars, to be paid in cash before the new moon."
-
-Having laid down his conditions, the man remained silent whilst the
-judge explained the meaning of his words to Mr Waldron.
-
-"It is as I told you," said Sir Thomas. "Twenty thousand dollars. The
-rascal certainly cannot be accused of being modest."
-
-Mr Waldron snapped his fingers.
-
-"So far as I am concerned," said he, "he can have it. Don't let the
-money worry you, Judge. I've paid that for a picture."
-
-The judge turned to Cheong-Chau and asked him to continue. The man
-grinned--an unholy grin of fiendish satisfaction. To him and his
-cut-throats the sum was more than a fortune; it would serve to keep the
-whole gang of them in luxury for the rest of their lives.
-
-"The matter," said he, "is quite simple to arrange. Write your letter,
-and I will undertake to have it conveyed to Hong-Kong. The moon is but
-three days old. We have therefore twenty-five days. Together with
-your letter I will send one of my own, in which I propose to demand
-that the money be left hidden in a certain place upon the Sang River,
-not far from Canton. If the whole of this sum is safely deposited in
-the proper place before the conclusion of the waning of the moon, you
-and your friends shall be set at liberty. If, however, for any reason,
-the ransom is not paid, I swear by the Five Sacred Books that all three
-of you will be put to death. Concerning the manner of your death," he
-added, "I say nothing--beyond a warning that those who die by order of
-Cheong-Chau die neither easily nor swiftly."
-
-The man got to his feet.
-
-"And now," said he, "you have ten minutes in which to discuss the
-question with your friends, in which to make up your mind. Say that
-you agree, and my messenger leaves for Hong-Kong within an hour.
-Refuse, and you die before another sun has risen."
-
-With that Cheong-Chau turned upon his heel and, followed by Men-Ching,
-shuffled from the cave.
-
-
-
-
-CHAPTER VII--HOW THE LETTER WAS WRITTEN
-=======================================
-
-Neither the judge nor Mr Waldron desired so much as ten minutes in
-which to arrive at a decision. Twenty thousand dollars is by no means
-an impossible sum to a man who is a millionaire. Even the judge
-himself would have found little difficulty in producing the money with
-a few days' notice.
-
-Cheong-Chau, and even Yung How, who was more conversant with the
-manners and customs of Europeans, had underestimated the wealth of Mr
-Waldron. To them twenty thousand dollars represented almost fabulous
-wealth. It never occurred to them that they might have asked twice as
-much, and secured it with no greater difficulty; for we meet the real
-miser more in fiction and in fable than in real life, and there are few
-men who will not part readily with the whole of their fortune in
-exchange for the most valuable of all human possessions: life, the
-right to walk upon the face of the earth, to breathe the air of heaven.
-
-Cheong-Chau re-entered the cave, holding in the palm of his hand the
-gold watch he had stolen from Mr Waldron.
-
-"Ten minutes," said he. "I trust you are ready with your answer."
-
-Men-Ching stood at his side, and behind his back was a score of his
-ruffians, each man with a naked sword.
-
-"We have considered your proposal," said the judge, "and we agree to
-it." He spoke the Cantonese language with difficulty, and his
-pronunciation was faulty. However, there is little doubt that
-Cheong-Chau understood him, for the man nodded his head with an air of
-satisfaction.
-
-"You are wise," said he. "Rumour has not lied."
-
-"One moment," said Sir Thomas, taking him up. "There is one question
-we would ask you. If the money is sent from Hong-Kong, and taken in
-safety to your hiding-place, what guarantee do you propose to give us
-that you will set us at liberty or even spare our lives?"
-
-"How would I gain by killing you?" asked the bandit, with a shrug of
-his narrow shoulders.
-
-"I have lived in China," said the judge, "for more than thirty years.
-I know that there are men in this country--and I see no reason why you
-should not be numbered amongst them--to whom murder is a pastime, who
-kill for the sake of killing, who derive a fiendish pleasure from
-torturing the innocent."
-
-Cheong-Chau carried a hand to his face and stroked his wrinkled chin.
-
-"I see that you are prudent," said he. "For myself, I never bargain
-with fools."
-
-"Do you mean," asked the judge, "if the conditions are fulfilled on our
-part, you will guarantee our safety?"
-
-"I mean no such thing," said Cheong-Chau. "I guarantee nothing."
-
-"Then we have naught to rely upon," the judge answered, "but your
-oath--the oath of a robber?"
-
-"That is so," said the other.
-
-"And may I ask," said the judge, "how much Cheong-Chau reverences the
-Five Sacred Books?"
-
-The Chinese answered nothing, but stretched forth a hand, and
-deliberately snapped his fingers.
-
-Sir Thomas shrugged his shoulders and turned away.
-
-"We must make the best of a bad business," said he to Mr Waldron. "I
-tell you frankly, I don't trust these men. I know what such scoundrels
-are."
-
-He spoke in English, and whilst he did so was conscious of a gentle
-touch upon the shoulder. He turned and beheld Men-Ching, who presented
-him with a brass Chinese ink-box, a large piece of rice-paper and a
-writing-brush. "Write your letter," said the old man, "to the English
-Viceroy of Hong-Kong. Tell him that the sum of twenty thousand
-dollars, in silver, must be hidden under the red stone in the Glade of
-Children's Tears, before the waning of the moon."
-
-"Where is this place?" asked Sir Thomas.
-
-"On the Sang-kiang, five Chinese *li* to the north of the city of
-Canton. A narrow path leads due north from the Five-Storied Pagoda.
-This path crosses the hills and descends into the valley of the Sang
-River--a very beauteous place."
-
-"Are they long *li*?" asked Sir Thomas, understanding well the
-vagueness of all Chinese measurements, "or short *li*?"
-
-"They are short *li*," answered Men-Ching, "for the road runs up-hill
-until you come to the last *li*, where the traveller descends into a
-wide valley of ricefields and fruit trees, li-chi and mango. In the
-Sang valley there is a tall tower, from the top of which, in days gone
-by, fathers were wont to throw the she-children they could not afford
-to keep. A woman child is no use in the world. From the day of her
-birth to the day of her death she does little else but talk. On the
-west side of the tower is a small wood, and in the centre of this wood
-is a glade where the birds sing in summer-time, whilst the water of the
-river makes sweet and pleasant music. In the glade are rocks; but in
-one place there is a great red stone, almost round. Two strong men can
-roll it away from the place where it is; but they must use all their
-strength. And when the red stone is rolled away, it will be seen that
-it rests upon a great hole in the ground. It is like the lid of a
-kettle. Inside this hole there is room enough for twenty thousand
-dollars."
-
-The judge had listened intently, committing each detail to memory. A
-little after, Men-Ching left the cave, and the three white men found
-themselves together. Sir Thomas turned to his nephew.
-
-"Did you hear what the rascal said, Frank?" he asked.
-
-"Every word," replied the boy.
-
-"And you remember it all?"
-
-Frank nodded.
-
-"Then," said the judge, "help me to write this letter. It will be by
-no means easy to write. I shall have to explain matters very clearly
-to Sir John, and I've got to write it with a brush."
-
-In the temple they had been deprived of their pencils and notebooks,
-and everything else their pockets contained, and these had not been
-brought by Cheong-Chau to the cave. Otherwise Sir Thomas might have
-asked for his own fountain pen. As it was, he was now obliged to write
-in English characters with a Chinese brush, and this was a tedious
-business. In the end, however, the letter was written, covering in all
-five pages of Chinese rice-paper, in shape longer than foolscap, but
-not so broad.
-
-Sir Thomas had written fully. He had explained where and by whom they
-had been captured; he even went so far as to give the name of the
-bandit chieftain and to relate how he had been betrayed by his own
-personal servant, Yung How. He said that he had not the slightest
-doubt that, if the rascals were not paid in full upon the stroke of
-time, the three of them would be ruthlessly put to death. He ended the
-letter by explaining the exact whereabouts of the "Glade of Children's
-Tears," describing the red stone beneath which the ransom money was to
-be hidden. He also expressed the opinion that it would be useless to
-endeavour to capture the brigands in the neighbourhood of the glade
-itself, and he strongly advised the Governor not to attempt to lay an
-ambush. He pointed out that such a plan would most assuredly fail,
-since the Chinese were sure to exercise the utmost caution, and to have
-spies in the neighbourhood. Moreover, the discovery of such a plan
-would undoubtedly lead to the immediate death of Sir Thomas himself and
-his companions. It would be time enough to think of reprisals, of
-taking steps to track down the brigands, after the judge and his party
-had returned safely to the island.
-
-As the judge wrote, aided by the flickering light of a torch, Frank and
-Mr Waldron looked over his shoulder, each offering occasional
-suggestions.
-
-"Do I understand," asked Mr Waldron, "that you don't trust these
-fellows?"
-
-"I am afraid I am very far from trusting them," replied the judge.
-"Men of this type, in this mysterious, savage country, are as often as
-not without honour, cruel beyond description, and incapable of showing
-mercy. Moreover, in moments of delight--I know for a fact--they are
-capable of committing the most terrible atrocities. I don't wish to
-alarm you unnecessarily, Mr Waldron, but I tell you honestly that I
-fear the future. Sir John will send the money, provided the letter
-reaches him in safety--which I have no doubt it will. But once the
-money is in Cheong-Chau's possession, it is quite possible he will kill
-us, out of sheer devilry, in the moment of his triumph."
-
-Mr Waldron thrust his hands into his trousers pockets, and shaped his
-lips as if he desired to whistle. No sound, however, came from his
-lips. He paced backwards and forwards in the cave like a wild beast
-that is hungry. For all that, upon his clear-cut, regular features
-there was no sign of apprehension. His manner suggested impatience
-more than fear.
-
-"It's just cruel luck," said he, as though he were speaking to himself.
-"Guess I can't look upon it in any other light. Why did I leave
-Paradise City!"
-
-"There's not much paradise about this," said Frank, taking in his hand
-a burnt stick and stirring the embers of the fire. A flame sprang
-forth that illumined the rugged walls of the cave. Here and there upon
-the hard rock were narrow, streaky grooves, where the moisture had
-trickled down.
-
-"We're helpless," Mr Waldron burst out, "helpless as the little
-children these fiends used to throw from the top of that tower. That's
-what gets me on the raw, Judge. I never before felt helpless. In the
-course of my life, I have found myself in a great many awkward places;
-but I have always been able to see a way out and I have made good in
-the end. This thing's different. Hennessy K. Waldron may be a great
-man in the state of Nevada; but in this blamed country I guess he don't
-count more than a copper cash."
-
-And Mr Hennessy K. Waldron was about right--a copper cash, in the
-coinage of China, having the approximate value of the fifth part of a
-farthing.
-
-
-
-
-CHAPTER VIII--AND HOW FRANK RESOLVED TO FOLLOW IT
-=================================================
-
-That same evening, Men-Ching, accompanied by another man, set forth
-upon his journey to the south. It was calculated that he could reach
-the river in five days, though to do so he would have to travel by
-night as well as day. The prisoners had little doubt that he would
-find a river-junk at Pinglo or at some other river-side village where
-the brigands had established outposts. With the help of the current
-and a favourable wind, he could reach Canton in a few days, and thence
-the last stage of the journey could be completed by steam-boat--ships
-leaving Canton for Hong-Kong at least twice a day.
-
-There was, therefore, plenty of time--provided no mishap befell
-him--for Men-Ching to fulfil his mission. Cheong-Chau, who knew his
-business, had taken steps to convince the Governor that the plight of
-the judge was genuine. He had included in the envelope containing his
-own letter a gold signet ring, which he himself had taken from the
-finger of Sir Thomas.
-
-When Men-Ching left the cave it was raining hard. He brought the two
-letters to the fireside, desiring in all probability to satisfy the
-prisoners that there was to be no mistake, that he was not going to
-take any risks. He took off his faded scarlet coat, ripped up the
-lining with a sharp knife, and sewed the letters inside. That done, he
-tied a sash around his waist, threw a straw raincoat across his
-shoulders, and put on a large straw hat such as the coolies wear when
-at work in the southern ricefields. Then he and his companion
-departed, Men-Ching carrying in his hand a long stick. They followed
-the narrow path that traversed that bare, desolate region, at one
-moment on the crest-line of a watershed, at another upon the very brink
-of a precipice.
-
-The rain descended in torrents, shutting out completely the last rays
-of the setting sun. A great darkness descended upon the wilderness.
-The water in the gullies and ravines mounted with the rapidity of
-quicksilver; and presently the night was alive with savage, discordant
-sounds: the wind howling amongst the rocks, the roar of cataracts,
-turbulent streams plunging, as if demented, down the mountain-side.
-But in spite of the darkness and the rain, Men-Ching and his companion
-continued to move rapidly towards the south. He was an old man, as we
-know, but he was by no means inactive. Also, he knew every inch of the
-road. It was probably for that reason that Cheong-Chau had selected
-him to undertake the journey.
-
-They did not halt to rest until many hours after daybreak, and then
-snatched only a few hours' sleep, after eating a handful of rice. The
-storm had cleared. Men-Ching took off his raincoat, and stretched it
-out upon the ground, in order that it might dry in the sun. Placing
-both his hands upon his faded scarlet coat, he expressed the greatest
-satisfaction to find that it was absolutely dry. The letters were
-safe; he could feel them inside the lining. There was no chance that
-the rain had washed out the ink. Indeed, in the whole world, there is
-probably no more efficient waterproof garment than the straw raincoat
-of the Far East.
-
-In course of time Men-Ching gained the southern extremity of the
-Nan-ling Mountains, at a place not far from the town of Pinglo. The
-rich, fertile valley lay before him, extending as far as the eye could
-reach. He had left behind him China, the desolate, the barbarous, the
-unknown; before him lay China, the civilised, the prosperous, the land
-of ceaseless industry and untold wealth.
-
-And there, for the time being, we may leave him, still travelling
-towards the south upon his robber's errand. We will leave him to his
-fate, to the mercy of the heathen gods he may or may not have
-worshipped. His destiny was already sealed, though little did
-Men-Ching dream that that was so.
-
-In the cave, day followed day, so far as the captives were concerned,
-with the same dreary monotony; the same fears and half-foolish hopes.
-They could take no exercise, and they had no books to read. There was
-nothing for them to do but to talk, to discuss amongst themselves the
-tragedy of their position.
-
-And as time passed they had less and less reason to trust Cheong-Chau,
-to think that they could rely upon his word. The man proved himself a
-reprobate. He was an opium drunkard; and that is a thing not so common
-in China as the majority of Europeans imagine.
-
-It is true that opium is smoked throughout the length and breadth of
-the East. Indeed, the opium pipe in China is the equivalent to the
-British workman's glass of beer, and opium dens in that country are as
-common as public-houses in this.
-
-At the same time, most Chinese are only moderate smokers. They do not
-smoke enough opium even to injure their health. The reason for this is
-obvious: opium, even in China, is very expensive, and the ordinary man
-cannot afford to buy much of it. Neither does opium happen to be a
-drug that does a great deal of harm unless it is taken in excess; it
-probably does infinitely less harm than alcohol. If taken in large
-doses, however, its results are disastrous and terrible.
-
-For some reason or other--never explained by physiologists--repeated
-doses of opium sap the moral fibre. A man begins to smoke opium in a
-small way, but after a time he finds that he has to smoke double the
-quantity of pipes in order to get the desired result. And so on, until
-he finds himself taking doses that would kill one who was not inured to
-the drug. By that time he has lost everything a man should value most:
-his sense of honour, his will power, much of his physical strength, and
-his power of concentration. He is a degenerate whose mind is filled
-with the foulest, most perverted fancies, who is a stranger to truth,
-and who delights as often as not in committing the most fiendish of
-crimes.
-
-Now Cheong-Chau was evidently such a man; for one night he rolled into
-the cave, awakening his captives--who for many hours had been fast
-asleep--by the blasphemy and violence of his language. His gait was
-unsteady; the pupils of his eyes, visible in the bright light of the
-fire, were small as pinheads. He carried in his hand a naked sword.
-
-"I am Cheong-Chau," he shrieked. "Death to all foreign devils who dare
-set foot upon the sacred soil of China!"
-
-Bursting into a loud laugh, he raised his sword as if he would strike
-down Mr Waldron, who had risen to his feet.
-
-"Stay," cried the judge. "Have we not your oath--that if the money is
-paid you will not stain your hands in blood?"
-
-"Oath!" cried the robber. "What are oaths and blood to me? Am I a
-Canton flower-girl or a Buddhist priest that I should not shed blood
-when the fancy takes me? Know that I am Cheong-Chau, the robber, who
-cares for neither oaths nor gods nor men."
-
-For some reason or other he had singled out the American; and it looked
-most certain that, at that moment, the life of Mr Hennessy K. Waldron
-was in the greatest danger. However, Mr Waldron never moved an inch;
-he neither drew back nor showed the slightest sign of alarm. He held
-his ground, staring the villain boldly in the face.
-
-.. _`"MR WALDRON NEVER MOVED AN INCH"`:
-
-.. figure:: images/img-086.jpg
- :align: center
- :alt: MR. WALDRON NEVER MOVED AN INCH.
-
- MR. WALDRON NEVER MOVED AN INCH.
-
-
-It was, in all probability, solely his courage that saved him. The
-Chinese was so low down in the scale of humanity that he was not far
-removed from the beasts; and it is well known that no animal can for
-any length of time look a strong man in the eyes. The eyes of Mr
-Waldron were those of one who had carved a way for himself in the
-world, who--starting life in a very humble sphere--had conquered a
-thousand difficulties; thereby proving himself a strong man who could
-not fail to be conscious of his strength.
-
-Cheong-Chau was unable to maintain his threatening and defiant attitude
-before that steel-grey, steady gaze. Slowly his sword descended; his
-eyes dropped to the ground. Mr Waldron, with admirable calmness,
-deliberately placed a hand upon the man's shoulder, and addressed him
-in the English language in a tone that was even kindly.
-
-"Say, old cockolorum," said he, "you ought to retire from business.
-You're doing yourself no good, you know. Guess you want a good six
-weeks at some quiet seaside resort, where there's no more excitement
-than a dance-hall or a merry-go-round. Take the missus and the kids."
-
-Cheong-Chau turned away with an oath. No doubt he supposed that Mr
-Waldron had delivered a brief speech, somewhat in the tragic vein,
-suitable to the occasion; for neither in the expression upon the
-American's face nor in the serious tones of his voice was there
-anything to convey the intelligence that Mr Waldron was disposed to be
-frivolous.
-
-For all that, they could not overlook the fact that, whether or not the
-ransom were paid, their lives were in the greatest danger. The man who
-held them in his power was subject to ungovernable fits of wrath,
-during which his mental condition bordered upon that type of insanity
-which is inseparable from the truly criminal character. At such
-times--which invariably followed a debauch of opium
-smoking--Cheong-Chau was certainly not responsible for his actions; and
-discussing the question among themselves, they came to the conclusion
-that at any moment the order to murder them might be issued. By no
-such act of treachery could the brigand forfeit the ransom, since both
-the prisoners and Cheong-Chau himself had no means of direct
-communication with Hong-Kong. Men-Ching should be now well upon his
-way, approaching the city of Canton.
-
-It was Mr Waldron who suggested that one of them should endeavour to
-escape. At first, this idea struck the judge as a piece of outrageous
-folly, since if one of the three even did succeed in getting away from
-the cave and crossing the mountains--a very unlikely contingency--the
-murderous Cheong-Chau would be so furious that he would probably not
-hesitate to make short work of the unfortunate two who remained. On
-debating the matter, however, Mr Waldron was able to throw quite
-another light upon the situation.
-
-He explained that if a survivor reached Hong-Kong who could not only
-identify Cheong-Chau himself and the majority of his men, but who could
-actually guide an avenging expedition to the neighbourhood of the cave,
-the brigands would be hunted from pillar to post, and if not captured,
-certainly driven from the province. The robber could not be unaware
-that in the British colony were both English and Indian troops, whilst
-a large fleet lay at anchor in the harbour, and he must have known
-enough of the British Government to remember that the cold-blooded
-murder of British citizens was an act not likely to be overlooked. He
-could not wish to involve both himself and the members of his gang in
-international complications. He would therefore, in all probability,
-hesitate to do away with his captives.
-
-It is true that an attempt to escape might fail, in which case the
-plight of the prisoners would be, if anything, somewhat worse. But in
-any case, as day succeeded day, they became more and more convinced
-that Cheong-Chau intended to kill them. He did but bide his time,
-waiting to hear news of Men-Ching to the effect that the ransom had
-been duly paid. For these reasons it was eventually decided that one
-of them should endeavour to escape.
-
-It was next necessary to settle who should go. The judge himself was
-too old to attempt to cross the mountains alone upon so long and
-hazardous a journey. The choice, therefore, lay between Frank Armitage
-and Mr Waldron.
-
-The American--who had already proved himself a man of the greatest
-courage, both physical and moral--was naturally anxious to take the
-risk himself. However, he could not be blind to the fact that he
-laboured under several very serious disadvantages.
-
-In the first place, he was entirely ignorant of both the language and
-the country. He knew neither the habits and customs of the people nor
-the topography of Southern China. Frank, on the other hand, had been
-born and had lived all his life in China; on many a former occasion he
-had proved himself quite capable of conversing even with the most
-untutored and obstinate peasants. Moreover, the boy was the most
-active member of the party: he was a good runner; he could climb, if
-necessary, to the top of mountain peaks, and he was an adept at
-swimming--an important item, since he might have to cross the West
-River, as well as several tributaries, in order to reach Canton or the
-coast.
-
-It was this consideration that settled the question in the mind of Mr
-Waldron. The American was obliged to confess that he could not swim
-except for a short distance in salt water. If he endeavoured to cross
-the strong current of a great river without even taking his clothes
-off, he would most assuredly drown.
-
-"And in that case," he observed, "I might as well have stayed here to
-have my throat cut in my sleep, or sample the death by a thousand cuts."
-
-He spoke of such atrocities as if they were nothing. He was so calm
-about it all that the judge looked at him, wondering whether he was one
-of the few really brave men in the world, or whether he was entirely
-devoid of imagination. In any case, Mr Waldron withdrew his claim to
-be allowed to undertake the adventure; and the choice fell upon Frank.
-
-Once this all-important question was settled, it was obvious that there
-was nothing to be gained--indeed, there was much to lose--by putting
-off Frank's departure. The sooner he was away the better, though they
-did not then realise the supreme importance of time, the alarming fact
-that the lives both of Sir Thomas and Mr Waldron were to hang upon the
-thin thread of a few seconds.
-
-It was decided that Frank should endeavour to make his escape from the
-cave that night. It was in the act of passing the sentries, posted at
-the entrance, that the bulk of his danger would lie. Once the boy
-succeeded in getting away from the cave, his absence would probably not
-be discovered until the following morning. He would, in that case,
-have several hours' start of any pursuers whom Cheong-Chau might think
-fit to send after him.
-
-Frank had already considered the contingency of making a dash for
-liberty. He had, so far as he had been able to do so from the interior
-of the cave, studied the lie of the land. He had noticed that the
-sentries were not particularly vigilant and that they were armed with
-old-fashioned, out-of-date fire-arms which they possibly knew not how
-to use. One of these was a Martini-Henry carbine, and Frank had on one
-occasion seen a Chinese trying in vain to lower the lever, which was so
-rusted on to the lock that it was quite certain that the breech could
-never be opened.
-
-Immediately before the entrance to the cave was the huge boulder, or
-rock, which has already been described. On either side of this rock a
-sentry was always posted. But these men did not necessarily face the
-cave. Indeed, as often as not, they looked the other way, interesting
-themselves in the wide panorama extended before them. None the less,
-since the two passages on either side of the boulder were very narrow,
-one could never hope to pass without being seen. Escape that way,
-therefore, was impossible without a struggle, which meant that the
-alarm would be given and a party would immediately start in pursuit of
-the fugitive.
-
-This was what Frank most wanted to avoid. He knew that his attempt was
-doomed to failure if he did not succeed in getting well away. He
-therefore examined the rock itself, and saw at once that it would be
-quite easy to climb to the top of it. Since he could not pass *round*
-this obstacle he would have to go *over* it. On the other side, as he
-knew, was the steep mountain slope descending hundreds of feet to the
-bed of the valley. Whether he could climb down the slope at all, much
-less do so silently, so as not to be overheard by the sentries, was
-another question. He was resolved, however, to take the risk. It was
-clear that there was no other alternative. It was a perilous business,
-but he must make the best of it, trusting to Providence, as well as his
-own agility and presence of mind.
-
-
-
-
-CHAPTER IX--OF THE HOSPITALITY OF THE TEA-GROWER
-================================================
-
-They waited until nearly midnight, when Cheong-Chau and his ruffians
-were sound asleep, and only the sentries awake. That day, both Sir
-Thomas and Mr Waldron had eaten no food since the morning meal, so that
-Frank might not set forth upon his journey unprovided. He would
-certainly not be able to procure anything to eat in the desolate
-mountain region, though with his intimate knowledge of the Chinese
-language the boy should not experience any difficulty in procuring
-rice, millet, or even fish, in the valley of the main river.
-
-The most precarious part of the whole business, however, was to escape
-unseen from the cave. In this, neither of the older men could render
-the slightest assistance to the boy, who would have to rely solely upon
-his own initiative. All three lay down upon their straw mattresses,
-and pretended to sleep, breathing heavily and even snoring, in order to
-arouse no suspicion on the part of the two sentries. They had
-purposely allowed the fire to burn down quite low, so that there was
-only an exceedingly dim and somewhat fitful light in the cave.
-
-Choosing a moment about an hour after the sentries had been relieved,
-Frank Armitage rose stealthily upon his hands and knees, and slowly
-began to crawl towards the entrance to the cave. Neither his uncle nor
-Mr Waldron moved. The latter continued to snore.
-
-Frank approached the entrance from an angle, whence he peered
-cautiously round the corner. He was surprised, and somewhat dismayed,
-by the exceeding brightness of the night. The sky was wonderfully
-clear; a full, round moon illumined the rugged mountain ridges, making
-them appear so white that they might have been snow-clad, whereas the
-valleys seemed by contrast to be buried in the deepest shadow. By
-reason of the firelight in the cave, the brightness of the moon,
-attended by a solitary and gorgeous planet, had not been noticeable
-from within.
-
-The light, however, enabled Frank to take stock of the sentry who was
-on the same side of the boulder as himself. He was able to observe the
-man at his leisure, since he himself was in the shade.
-
-The man was evidently wide awake, for he was moving his arms backwards
-and forwards with a kind of rocking gesture. His back was turned. He
-sat cross-legged upon the ground, upon a plaited mat of straw,
-surveying the magnificent scene that extended before him. Perhaps,
-despite his brutal features, and low, receding forehead, there was at
-least a spark of sensibility, a small power to appreciate the beautiful
-in nature and the most wonderful works of God, in the untutored mind of
-this Chinese robber and cut-throat. At any rate, he seemed in a kind
-of ecstasy, for he was talking softly to himself.
-
-Frank silently crawled across the entrance. And there was the other
-man, walking slowly to and fro, stamping his feet from time to time, as
-if he suffered from the cold. Clearly, it would be madness to attempt
-to escape until this fellow had settled down. He was far too wide
-awake.
-
-The boy lay flat upon his face, in a position not exposed to the
-moonlight. Here he was sure he could not be seen, whereas he was well
-able to observe the walking sentry.
-
-Five minutes elapsed, ten, a quarter of an hour. Frank was becoming
-anxious. Perhaps the man never would sit down; perhaps he did not
-intend to relax his vigilance until another came to relieve him of his
-duties.
-
-Even as the thought crossed the boy's mind, the man stopped, yawned
-loudly, and then, seating himself upon the ground with his back resting
-against the great central rock, produced an opium pipe and proceeded to
-roll a pill.
-
-Frank's heart was in his mouth. He knew that the moment of his great
-ordeal had come. The man had played into his hands; for not only was
-the opium bound to make him drowsy, but he had planted himself in the
-very situation that gave the boy his best opportunity. Frank intended
-to climb over the central boulder, and had already satisfied himself
-that the ascent would be a matter of no difficulty at all.
-
-What lay beyond was another question. He had never had any means of
-ascertaining whether or not he would be able to climb down the other
-side of the rock, much less make the descent of the slope. He who is
-over-cautious will, however, accomplish nothing. The traveller who
-considers the pitfalls in his way and the many dangers that lurk upon
-the highroad makes little or no progress, and as often as not fails to
-arrive at his destination. He who would gain all must risk all; he who
-will risk nothing gains nothing--or, at least, does not deserve to do
-so.
-
-Frank glanced back into the cave. By the dim light of the fire he was
-able to see that both his uncle and Mr Waldron were stretched at full
-length upon their mattresses, looking up. No doubt each was unable to
-bear the continued suspense, the silence that had endured so long, but
-must take one last look at him who carried with him the fortunes of all
-three.
-
-The boy glided into the shadow of the rock. There he paused a moment,
-waiting breathlessly to learn whether or not he had been observed
-whilst he was crossing the narrow strip of moonlight. A minute passed,
-and as nothing happened Frank knew that he was still safe.
-
-Then, very slowly, he began to climb. He had taken off his boots, and
-these were suspended by means of the laces around his neck. He was
-careful not to make the slightest sound; he was fearful almost to
-breathe. He knew that the whole enterprise was in jeopardy, that at
-any moment a loose stone might fall from the rock, thus attracting the
-attention of the sentries.
-
-He succeeded in gaining the top, and there lay flat upon his face.
-Knowing that the utmost caution was of far more importance than haste,
-he did not move for some time. Then, slowly lifting his head, he took
-in his surroundings.
-
-The sentry on the right had not shifted his position. He still rocked
-his arms and sat staring straight at the moon. The man on the left was
-invisible to Frank, being immediately under the rock. He had probably
-smoked his pipe of opium, and was now in that semi-dazed,
-self-satisfied condition that invariably follows an administration of
-the drug. The boy wormed himself forward, until he had gained the
-furthermost edge of the rock, which was flat-topped, like a table.
-Thence he was able to see into the second cave, where Cheong-Chau and
-his men were fast asleep, lying close as dogs around the dying embers
-of a great charcoal fire.
-
-When Frank peered over the edge of the rock, in order to decide upon
-the most suitable means of descent, his heart for a moment failed him.
-It was as if he was gazing down into one of the uttermost pits of Hades.
-
-The cliff appeared to be perpendicular, which the boy knew was not the
-case. Moreover, it seemed to descend to eternity, to fade away into a
-great expanse of darkness that was like the sea. It occurred to him
-that if by any chance he slipped and fell, his body would be dashed to
-atoms thousands of feet below.
-
-Then fortunately he had the strength of mind to remember that
-imagination makes cowards of us all. It was no affair of his what lay
-at the bottom of the valley; his immediate business was to descend from
-the top of the rock, and he had therefore best confine his attention to
-the few square yards in front of him.
-
-Immediately he did so he saw that he was confronted by a proposition by
-no means difficult of solution. To descend was easy enough. In the
-face of the rock was a narrow cleft down which it would be quite easy
-to climb. Without hesitating an instant, he lowered himself, and in a
-few seconds found himself at the base of the rock, where he again
-paused and listened.
-
-He was so close to the man whom he had seen light the opium pipe that
-he could actually hear him breathing. Neither, however, could see the
-other, since the sharp corner of the rock intervened. However, the
-situation was so dangerous that Frank was resolved to have no more of
-it than he need; and almost at once he began to descend on all fours
-the steep face of the cliff.
-
-He realised that in the first ten yards or so his greatest danger lay.
-He could not tell for certain whether or not he was within sight of
-either of the men. He could but take the only possible precaution.
-Lying almost flat upon his face, he slid, very slowly indeed, at about
-what seemed to him a snail's pace, down the smooth, rocky slope.
-
-In three minutes he knew that he was out of immediate danger. He had
-escaped. Moreover, no alarm had been given.
-
-Two courses now lay open to him: he might continue to descend until he
-eventually reached the bottom of the valley, or he might work his way
-along the cliff, parallel to the bridle-path above, until, having
-gained comparative safety, he could ascend to the higher level and then
-follow the road to the south.
-
-He wisely selected the latter alternative, since he knew not whether
-the slope was accessible lower down. Besides, it might so happen that
-there was neither path nor road in the valley.
-
-Owing to the steepness of the slope, he could not stand upright, nor
-was there any need to do so. He could progress, if not with comfort,
-at least at a very tolerable pace, on all fours.
-
-He had traversed in this way a distance that, was probably about a
-quarter of a mile, when he deemed that it would be safe to ascend to
-the path above by means of which he and his fellow-captives had been
-conducted to the cave. This he gained without difficulty, it being
-easier to mount the slope than to progress transversely across it.
-
-Once upon the bridle-path he found the moonlight of the greatest
-possible assistance; for having put on his boots he was able to set
-forward running, knowing full well that every step lengthened the
-distance between himself and those who he knew would certainly, sooner
-or later, set forth in pursuit.
-
-It would be wearisome to describe in detail Frank Armitage's
-adventurous journey across the mountains. Sunrise found him still upon
-the road, alternately walking and running, hurrying forward for life
-itself.
-
-The fact that for three whole days he saw not a single soul speaks for
-itself in regard to the desolation of this wilderness. On the morning
-of the fourth day he found himself in the midst of the foot-hills, with
-a clear view before him of the fertile valley of the West River. By
-then he had consumed all the provisions he had brought with him from
-the cave. He was, indeed, almost famishing, and felt tempted to take
-almost any risk to procure something to eat. That afternoon he
-encountered several peasants, who all regarded him with undisguised
-curiosity. Knowing that Cheong-Chau was sure to have despatched a
-party in pursuit, and realising the supreme importance of time, he
-considered that it would be advisable to ask one of the inhabitants of
-the country the shortest route to the nearest main tributary of the
-river.
-
-He selected his man with care, and after a considerable amount of
-hesitation, addressed himself to a little thin, prosperous-looking
-Chinaman of the middle class whom he overtook upon the narrow
-mule-track he had followed for several miles.
-
-On being interrogated, the Chinaman was not a little surprised, though
-he was far too well-bred and polite to say so. He was surprised at two
-things: first, he had never expected to meet with a European in such an
-out-of-the-way corner of the province; secondly, he was amazed that the
-young Englishman should address him so fluently in his own language.
-
-"You have travelled far?" he asked.
-
-"From Hong-Kong," answered Frank.
-
-"That is a long way."
-
-"It is of the greatest importance," said Frank, "that I return without
-delay."
-
-"Many days' journey is before you," said the Chinese. "I should be
-greatly honoured if you would deign to accept such hospitality as my
-miserable self is in a position to offer. I am a tea-grower," he
-continued. "My house is not far from here. I should be deeply
-gratified if you would eat rice under my dilapidated roof."
-
-It immediately occurred to Frank that the tea-grower might be able to
-assist him in more ways than one. He readily accepted the man's offer
-in the manner duly approved by Chinese etiquette and custom.
-
-"Such a despicable, beggarly foreigner as myself," said he, "would be
-inexpressibly delighted to partake, in your palatial residence, of such
-nourishing and delicious provender as, I am sure, it is the custom of
-yourself and your honoured family to consume."
-
-The Chinaman smiled.
-
-"You speak our language to perfection," he remarked. "Few foreigners
-are able to do so. But what is even more extraordinary to me is that
-you appear to be acquainted with our forms of ceremony. As a general
-rule, the European cannot speak to you for five minutes without being
-guilty of a dozen breaches of etiquette, defying every canon of good
-behaviour."
-
-"You see," said Frank, "I have lived in China for many years."
-
-"Come with me," said the tea-grower. "Allow me to have the honour of
-conducting you to my hovel of a dwelling."
-
-Together they followed the mule-track for about a quarter of a mile,
-and then the Chinese turned to the left, walking along a narrow bank
-that separated two flooded ricefields. Beyond they passed through a
-field of *kiao-liang*, in the midst of which the crickets were singing
-merrily, and then found themselves in an extensive tea-garden.
-
-In the centre of the garden was a considerable house, built after the
-manner of all better-class houses in China--that is to say, a
-one-storied rambling building, together with several outhouses and a
-fair-sized yard, the whole surrounded by a mud wall about eight feet in
-height. The building was situated upon a gentle slope that faced due
-south, and from the outer gate it was possible to survey the greater
-part of the plantation.
-
-Here the tea-grower entertained Frank Armitage. He gave him green tea
-to drink and a cup of alcoholic beverage--called *samshu*--which is
-made from fermented rice. And then came a dinner of about fourteen
-courses. There were various kinds of fish, sharks' fins, larks'
-tongues, birds'-nest soup, small pieces of meat on little skewers,
-rice, millet and edible seaweed from Japan. Frank devoured all these
-delicacies with a relish. It was not the first time that he had eaten
-a Chinese dinner. Although the tea-grower lived in the wilds of the
-province he was evidently a rich man. He had the true gift of
-hospitality, and with more sincerity than is usually the case in China
-he offered his guest everything that his house contained.
-
-Now Frank might have refused this offer. In fact, the rules of
-ceremony decreed that he should do so. He had a mind, however, to
-disguise himself, and he therefore begged the tea-grower to be so good
-as to provide him with a suit of Chinese clothes.
-
-The man did not hesitate. He supplied the boy with a long robe, a pair
-of white trousers and a pair of felt-soled shoes. Thus attired, Frank
-Armitage bade his host adieu and crossed the tea-garden late that
-night, when the moon, which had guided him throughout the past three or
-four days, was rising in the east.
-
-The tea-grower seemed to have taken a fancy to the boy, for he
-accompanied Frank almost a mile upon his journey, putting him upon the
-road which led to the village in which the majority of his coolies, or
-workpeople, lived. In bidding good-bye to him, Frank thanked the man
-from his heart for all his hospitality and kindness. He shook hands
-with himself in the approved Chinese fashion, and bowed so low that his
-nose almost touched his knees. Then he was about to set forward alone
-when the tea-grower cried out to him, asking him if he had any money.
-
-Frank replied that he was without a cent in the world, telling the
-truth--that he had been robbed of all he possessed in the mountains.
-Whereupon the tea-grower took from his neck a long string of copper
-cash. These he threw over the boy's head, at the same time quoting
-Confucius: "*Be charitable to the stranger from a far country! so that,
-when thou thyself art a stranger, doors may be opened to thy knock.*"
-
-
-
-
-CHAPTER X--HOW FRANK WAS IN LUCK'S WAY
-======================================
-
-Frank found the village without any difficulty. Although it was then
-almost midnight, there were lights in the majority of houses, and
-several shops were open. The Chinese are a singular race. One of the
-first things that strikes a visitor to that remarkable country is the
-fact that the inhabitants never appear to go to bed. No people in the
-world work harder by day, and no people in the world are more inclined
-to talk, laugh, quarrel and gamble throughout the night, into the small
-hours of the morning.
-
-Frank marched boldly into a barber's shop, where he expressed a desire
-to have the forepart of his head shaven. The barber could scarce
-contain his astonishment when he observed that his patron had no
-pigtail. He was vastly curious with regard to the matter, asking
-several questions as he sharpened his big Chinese razor--which was
-something after the shape and about the size of the business-end of a
-Dutch hoe. Frank informed the man that he had been robbed, and no
-doubt the fellow presumed that the robbers had cut off their victim's
-queue.
-
-The boy rightly supposed that he could talk quite frankly about his own
-affairs in a village which was populated almost exclusively by honest
-men who worked in the tea-gardens. But what most surprised him, and at
-the same time afforded him the greatest possible satisfaction, was that
-no one in the barber's shop appeared to notice the fact that he was a
-European.
-
-Now a Chinaman can suffer no greater disgrace than the loss of his
-pigtail. Viewed historically, this is a strange circumstance. The
-mediæval Chinese did not wear pigtails. It was the Manchu race, who
-conquered the Chinese in the fifteenth century, who grew their hair
-long and plaited it in the well-known manner. The Manchus were
-horsemen of whom it might be said that they almost worshipped their
-horses, and the queue was originally grown in imitation of a horse's
-tail. For the same reason the Manchu warriors adopted those wide
-coat-sleeves, which even to this day are called "horseshoe sleeves."
-It was mainly by means of their excellent cavalry that the Tartar
-warriors were able to overcome the Chinese foot-soldiers.
-
-A conquering race invariably enforces certain obligations and
-restrictions upon the vanquished, and one of the first Manchurian
-imperial edicts issued was to the effect that all Chinese should adopt
-the pigtail as a symbol of their submission to the dominant people. In
-the course of a few centuries what was originally a token of defeat
-became a source of national prejudice and pride. The Chinaman of the
-nineteenth century was as loth to part with his pigtail as his
-forefather had been to adopt it.
-
-The barber sympathised with Frank. Moreover, his sympathy took a
-practical turn. He undertook for a few copper cash to supply the boy
-with a new pigtail, and also to attach it to his head in such a manner
-as would make it appear to be natural. All this, however, took time,
-and it was past one o'clock in the morning when Frank Armitage left the
-village and continued on his way, downhill, through tea-gardens and the
-ricefields, following the narrow path which, he had been told, would
-conduct him to the river.
-
-What the name of the river was he had not been able to ascertain.
-Everybody he asked told him a different name. That is usually the case
-in China. One man will say a village is called the Village of the Wu
-family; another will say it is the Village of the Chin family; and a
-third will be equally certain that it is called One-Tree Village. And
-when you get there, you will find it is called Bad-Weather Village, or
-the Village of Starving Dogs. Knowing this, Frank did not bother
-himself about the name of the river. Provided he came to it, he would
-be satisfied, since the water of that river must eventually find its
-way into the main stream which flowed past Wu-chau to Canton, and
-thence to the great estuary, at the mouth of which was the island of
-Hong-Kong.
-
-He reached the river at about midday. By then the heat in the valley
-was excessive, and the boy thoroughly exhausted. He had been
-travelling day and night for several days. With the exception of the
-almost regal banquet he had enjoyed at the house of the tea-grower, he
-had had insufficient nourishment. There had been few nights when he
-had had more than three or four hours' sleep. He felt quite unable to
-progress farther on foot.
-
-He therefore hailed a fisherman whom he observed approaching down the
-stream in a small *sampan*, or river-boat. The man--so soon as he
-understood that a bargain was afoot--drew in to the bank and undertook
-for an exceedingly small sum of money to take Frank down-stream to a
-certain large town to which he himself was going. Frank got into the
-boat, and lying down beneath the matted awning that sheltered the stern
-part from the fierce rays of the sun, he was soon fast asleep. Whilst
-he slept, he covered several miles of his journey. The fisherman had
-hoisted a sail, and the wind being from the north, and the strength of
-the current great, the boat travelled at a considerable velocity.
-
-When the boy awoke, refreshed from his sleep, he found to his surprise
-that the sun had set. Darkness was spreading rapidly, and a thick
-white mist clung to the river-valley. The atmosphere, however, was
-exceedingly close and humid, and the air was alive with myriads of
-mosquitoes and gnats.
-
-Frank asked the fisherman where they were, and the man replied, with
-Oriental vagueness:
-
-"We come soon to Kwang-Chin," said he. "That is the end of my journey!"
-
-"And where is Kwang-Chin?" asked Frank.
-
-"Very nice town," replied the man, evading the question. "Plenty
-cooked-dog shops. Little Kwang-Chin dogs are very good to eat, better
-than little Canton dogs."
-
-Frank knew the uselessness of trying to get anything definite out of
-the fisherman. He therefore lay back in a comfortable attitude, and
-gave himself up to thoughts of the perilous situation in which he had
-left Mr Waldron and his uncle.
-
-He wondered how far Men-Ching had progressed upon his journey to the
-coast. So far as he could guess, the rascal should be already in
-Canton. At the same time, though he did not know where the town of
-Kwang-Chin was, he believed that he himself could not be far from the
-great capital of Southern China. Canton was but a few hours by river
-steamboat from Hong-Kong. The boy had therefore completed the greater
-part of his journey.
-
-They arrived at Kwang-Chin in the small hours of the morning, and Frank
-could not persuade the fisherman to take him any farther. He was
-therefore obliged to go ashore and attempt to find a lodging for what
-remained of the night.
-
-This was no easy matter, for the town appeared to consist of nothing
-but opium dens. It was an old walled city, the ramparts and gateways
-of which must have been built centuries before, in the days when China
-was harassed and ravaged by continual internecine wars. Frank, who did
-not feel capable of travelling farther that night, decided to wait till
-morning, when he might be able to find another fisherman who would
-consent to take him down-stream, probably as far as the main river, if
-not to Canton itself. In the meantime, he realised that he could do
-nothing better than snatch a few hours' additional rest, recognising
-the fact that he would still be called upon to undergo considerable
-hardships and dangers.
-
-He therefore plucked up courage, and entered the first opium den he
-came to, in the doorway of which he had observed a light. He found
-himself in an establishment similar in all respects to that which has
-already been described as nourishing in the slums of Canton under the
-proprietorship of Ah Wu. This place, however, was very much dirtier,
-and--with the exception of Cheong-Chau's brigands--Frank had never seen
-a more villainous collection of men than the habitués of the place, who
-were sprawled in all manner of attitudes upon the various couches. And
-then he was astounded, and at the same time considerably alarmed, to
-observe that several of these coolies were wearing scarlet coats,
-similar in all respects to those worn by the bandits. But, once
-inside, he could not very well beat a hasty retreat. He summoned to
-his aid all his presence of mind and addressed himself to the
-proprietor, a venerable-looking man with gold-rimmed spectacles and a
-white goat's-beard.
-
-"I desire, for a few hours," said the boy, speaking in his best
-idiomatic Cantonese, "a couch upon which to sleep. I am a poor man,"
-he added, "but I will pay you to the best of my ability."
-
-"You will not smoke opium?" asked the host, opening his eyes in
-surprise.
-
-"I have not the habit," said Frank.
-
-The proprietor adjusted his spectacles upon the very tip of his nose
-and regarded the boy from over the top of the glasses.
-
-"How very remarkable!" he observed. "Every man, however, can please
-himself. You may certainly sleep here. My charge is forty *cash*."
-
-Now forty cash is the equivalent of two-pence, and this does not appear
-to the European mind to be an exorbitant charge for a night's lodging.
-But Frank Armitage knew the Chinese character. He had a part to act,
-and he knew how to act it. He remembered that a Chinaman loves a
-bargain.
-
-"I will give you thirty cash," said he.
-
-The old man pointed to the couch. "It is an excellent bed," said he.
-"The hangings are of silk, and I guarantee that the mattress is free
-from vermin. I will let you have it for thirty-eight cash."
-
-"I offer you thirty-two," said Frank. "Remember, I require it for a
-few hours only."
-
-"In that case," said the landlord, "we will say thirty-six."
-
-"I will give you thirty-four."
-
-"Good!" cried the landlord. "We will call it thirty-five and have done
-with the matter."
-
-Thereupon Frank counted out thirty-five of the little copper coins
-which the tea-grower had given him and which he carried upon a string
-slung around his neck like a necklace. Indeed each *cash* has a little
-square hole in the middle of it for this purpose.
-
-Having settled his account, the boy took off his coat, for the heat of
-the room was intense and the atmosphere foul with the mingled odour of
-paraffin oil, opium smoke and Chinese garlic He arranged the pillow,
-then stretched himself at full length upon the couch. A group of three
-or four men at the other end of the room were talking loudly, and it
-was the constant sound of their voices that made it difficult for the
-boy to fall asleep.
-
-He was dozing off, and in that blissful state which lies midway between
-slumber and consciousness, when he was startled by a remark that came
-to his ears very distinctly from the other end of the room.
-
-"They tell me that Cheong-Chau has returned to the mountains."
-
-The answer was a chuckle.
-
-"Cheong-Chau is never idle," came the reply. "Rumour has it that there
-are fine fish in his net. Do you know that Men-Ching passed through
-here late yesterday afternoon?"
-
-"Indeed! And where was he going?"
-
-"He did not say."
-
-"Some secret business," said the other. "Men-Ching is no more than the
-coolie of Cheong-Chau. He does all the dirty work. He runs the
-errands."
-
-It was here that the voice of a third man joined in the conversation.
-
-"I know where Men-Ching was going," said he. "I made it my business to
-find out. He goes to Canton to the opium den of Ah Wu, which lies near
-the Mohammedan Mosque. He did not leave this place till nearly ten
-o'clock to-night, after having smoked several pipes of opium. He is a
-great smoker, Men-Ching. He went down the river on a *wupan* that was
-taking a cargo of rice to Canton. The *wupan* calls at Sanshui, to
-take on board certain chests of tea."
-
-The man who had spoken first laughed loudly.
-
-"You know everything, Hsien-Lu," said he. "You are always prying into
-other people's affairs. For myself, though I wear the scarlet coat, I
-think it well to give Cheong-Chau as wide a berth as possible. He will
-have his head cut off some day. That is beyond all doubt. And on that
-occasion I should prefer not to accompany him. And now, good-night. I
-desire to sleep. The opium has made me drowsy."
-
-After that there was silence. Frank gave them about ten minutes in
-which to prepare themselves for slumber. Then he got up from his
-couch, put on his coat and, unobserved, left the opium den.
-
-Outside he took in a deep breath of the fresh night air, then hurried
-in the direction of the river. He realised that fortune had played in
-a remarkable manner into his hands. Men-Ching was but a few hours in
-front of him. He intended, if possible, to overtake the man and
-possess himself of the letters. He might be able to do this by stealth
-if he could not succeed by force. He could, at any rate, make sure
-that the letters reached their destination, since the lives of both his
-uncle and Mr Waldron depended upon their delivery into the hands of the
-Governor of Hong-Kong.
-
-
-
-
-CHAPTER XI--OF THE REAPPEARANCE OF LING
-=======================================
-
-Walking rapidly, the boy soon found himself upon the right bank of the
-river. Though there was as yet no sign of daybreak in the east,
-several people were already abroad, for the Chinese begin their day's
-work early in the morning and do not cease till late at night. Parties
-of men were engaged in loading the junks and *wupans* which were moored
-to the wharves and jetties.
-
-Frank walked along the river-side until he found a junk about to sail.
-He hailed the captain, a tall, sun-burnt Chinaman with his pigtail
-coiled round the top of his head, who wore hardly any clothes at all.
-This man informed him that the junk was bound upon a fishing cruise
-upon the open sea. He readily agreed to take Frank as far as Canton
-for a small consideration in the way of copper cash; and a minute
-later, the boy was on board, whilst the junk moved down-stream under
-full canvas.
-
-Nearly all the relatives of the captain and his crew had come down to
-the wharf to bid them good-bye. There were small-footed Chinese women,
-and little round-faced, naked children, each of whom appeared to have
-eaten so much rice that he looked in danger of bursting. There was
-much wailing and gnashing of teeth--for the Chinese on occasion can be
-exceedingly emotional--and no sooner was the junk clear of her moorings
-than the silence of the morning was disturbed by a veritable fusillade
-of Chinese squibs, rockets and crackers.
-
-Indeed it might have been an Eastern Fifth of November. A great bundle
-of gunpowder crackers, tied to the poop of the vessel, went off in a
-kind of *feu de joie*, sending out so many sparks in all directions
-that it appeared that the ship was in danger of catching fire. The
-idea and object of this custom, which is universal throughout China
-from Tonkin to the Great Wall, is to scare away the evil spirits which
-might be disposed to embark on board the departing ship. The Chinese
-believe in the potency and the ubiquity of evil spirits. A
-European--commonly called "a foreign devil"--is invariably accompanied
-by a host of such attendant ghosts. Indeed, it is extremely difficult
-for any man, even a virtuous Chinese, to avoid being shadowed by
-malignant spooks who desire nothing more than to lead him into calamity
-and misfortune. There is, as every Chinese is well aware, but one
-method of driving away these evil spirits, and that is by exploding so
-much gunpowder and creating such a noise, that they flee in all haste
-back to the spirit land whence they come.
-
-Frank Armitage observed this ceremony from the forepart of the boat.
-He had often witnessed such a scene before in the Chinese quarter of
-the harbour of Hong-Kong, but he had seldom seen such an expensive and
-gorgeous display. It was evident that the master and owner of the junk
-was a rich man who could afford to insure his property at the maximum
-premium. Also, this particular junk had an unusually large pair of
-eyes painted upon the bows. As the captain himself explained later in
-the day, if a junk has no eyes it cannot see where it is going. If a
-junk cannot see where it is going, it will probably, sooner or later,
-strike a rock or another ship, or run ashore. That would be a disaster
-for both the junk and its owner. Hence a junk must have eyes the same
-as a man. This argument is thoroughly Chinese and would be entirely
-rational provided the painted eyes upon the bows of a Chinese ship were
-of the slightest practical use.
-
-All that day they sailed down-stream towards the centre of the great
-valley of the West River. Every mile the country became more and more
-thickly populated. They passed many villages situated upon both banks
-of the river, the houses in the majority of cases overhanging the
-water, supported by heavy wooden piles. The country was exceedingly
-fertile, being given over almost exclusively to the cultivation of
-rice. There were few trees and few hills except far in the distance,
-towards the north, where the foothills of the great Nan-ling Mountains
-stood forth upon the horizon like a wall.
-
-Late the following afternoon the river joined a wider stream flowing
-towards the south-east. This Frank at first believed to be the West
-River itself, but he was informed by the captain of the junk that the
-Si-kiang was still fifty *li* to the south.
-
-It was midnight when they turned into the main stream, and soon
-afterwards they saw before them the bright lights of the city of
-Sanshui, which is situated about twenty-five miles due west of Canton.
-
-At this place, Frank was in two minds what to do. He might go straight
-on to Canton and thence down the river to Hong-Kong, at both of which
-places he would be able to get in touch with his friends. On the other
-hand, he had every reason to suppose that Men-Ching was at that very
-moment in the city of Sanshui. The junk had made good headway down the
-river, and the boy knew that the boat on which Cheong-Chau's messenger
-had come south was to call at Sanshui to take on a cargo.
-
-Now there is no doubt that Frank Armitage would have been wise had he
-first considered his own safety. He was already practically out of
-danger; there was no vital necessity for him to put his head
-deliberately into the lion's mouth. If his determination appears to be
-rash, it may be supposed that he was guided by some natural instinct
-that warned him that, in this case, the most dangerous course was the
-only means by which his uncle and Mr Waldron could be saved.
-
-Be that as it may, he argued thus: from the very moment he escaped from
-the cave his journey had been extraordinarily uneventful; he saw no
-reason why it should not continue to be so. If Cheong-Chau's men were
-in pursuit he had seen nothing of them; he had apparently left them
-miles behind. He had every reason to be satisfied with his disguise;
-he was fairly confident that even if he found Men-Ching he would not be
-recognised, since he knew the old man to be extremely short-sighted.
-Throughout his journey, he had experienced no difficulty in passing
-himself off as a Chinese. The barber, the proprietor of the opium den,
-the fisherman and the captain of the junk--all had taken him to be a
-native of the country. The boy was sanguine of success; he never
-dreamt for a moment of failure. He saw no reason why he should not
-succeed in finding Men-Ching, in tracking the old rascal all the way to
-Hong-Kong and there having him arrested by the British police
-authorities. He even considered the possibility of completing the
-remainder of his journey actually in the company of Men-Ching and his
-companion.
-
-He therefore asked the captain of the junk to set him ashore. He paid
-the man according to his agreement, and found himself, at about one
-o'clock in the morning, in the centre of a very dilapidated and
-evil-smelling city.
-
-Since he had slept a good deal on board the junk--there being nothing
-else for him to do--he decided to remain awake until daybreak, keeping
-a close watch upon the *bund*, alongside which the junks and
-river-boats were moored. He felt sure, from what he had overheard in
-the opium den, that one of the many *wupans* that lay alongside the
-wharves was that upon which Men-Ching had come down the river. His
-object was first to discover the *wupan*. He would then have no
-difficulty in finding Men-Ching himself.
-
-The boy seated himself upon the end of a jetty whence he could obtain a
-good view of the harbour. A watery moon was low in the heavens, and
-this, together with the stars, illumined the river with an iridescent,
-ghostly light, by which it was possible to see for a considerable
-distance.
-
-The hour was as yet too early for the riverside workmen to begin work.
-The *bund* was deserted save for a number of rats, which were to be
-seen quite clearly continually crossing the open space that separated
-the houses from the ships.
-
-Though the night was warm the air was somewhat damp, and Frank, fearing
-that he would contract malarial fever, rose to his feet and strolled
-casually down the jetty. At the corner of a narrow street he came
-quite suddenly face to face with a most alarming personage.
-
-The expression "face to face" cannot be taken literally, for the man
-was a giant, and Frank's face was scarcely on a level with his chest.
-In the shadowy slums of a poverty-stricken Chinese town, at such a
-ghostly hour as two o'clock in the morning, to find oneself
-unexpectedly confronted by an individual of the stature of a Goliath
-and with the countenance of a demon, is an experience well calculated
-to give a jolt to the nervous system of anyone. To put the truth in a
-word, Frank Armitage was frightened out of his wits, and these fears
-were by no means dissipated when the Herculean stranger, without the
-least warning, grasped him by the collar of his coat and lifted him
-bodily from off his feet.
-
-"Ha!" the man roared, in the Cantonese of the educated classes. "A
-river-side thief! A junk rat! A prowler by night! Tell me, friend
-weasel, have you stolen rice from on board a Canton junk, or a
-night-watchman's supper?"
-
-"I pray you, sir," cried Frank, "put me down upon my feet again. I am
-no thief, I assure you, but a peaceable citizen of Wu-chau, who goes
-upon a visit to his grandfather."
-
-"A peaceable citizen!" roared the man, bursting into laughter. "That's
-good, indeed. I would have you to know that all citizens are peaceful
-when they fall into the hands of the mighty Ling."
-
-So if Frank were none the wiser, the reader at any rate is better
-informed. Frank Armitage had never in his life, to the best of his
-knowledge, heard of the mighty Ling. The reader, however, has made
-that extraordinary man's acquaintance. He knows that Ling was not by
-any means one who could be trifled with, and he has been given some
-kind of a notion of the character and reputation of this same
-unmitigated villain who was wont to call himself "the mighty Ling."
-
-The giant set down the boy upon his feet, planting him immediately in
-front of him.
-
-"I have need of you," said he. "It is possible you may be able to
-render me some assistance. You doubtless have not failed to observe
-that the gods have made me too big to hide myself without considerable
-inconvenience. It is in this regard that you can help me. If you do
-so faithfully I shall reward you. If you attempt to play the fool with
-me, you go into the river with a twisted neck. And now, follow, my
-junk rat! Follow me!"
-
-At that, he grasped the boy by a wrist and, taking such tremendous
-strides that Frank was obliged almost to run, dragged him along the
-wharf.
-
-
-
-
-CHAPTER XII--HOW MEN-CHING ESCAPED
-==================================
-
-Ling led the way to one of the many warehouses which were situated
-along the wharf--which in China are called "go-downs." On attempting
-to open the door and finding it locked, with one wrench the Chinaman
-tore the hinges from the jamb and, casting the door aside, dragged
-Frank into a great darkened chamber that smelt of grease or some kind
-of oil. There he struck a match.
-
-One of the first objects that attracted his attention was a candle
-stuck in the neck of a bottle, and this he at once lighted so that the
-place was dimly illumined.
-
-The "go-down" was filled with all manner of packing-cases, casks,
-barrels and bales. Picking these up, one after another, as though each
-weighed but a few pounds, the great Honanese--who might have been in a
-towering rage--threw them right and left, breaking many open, and
-creating such a disturbance that Frank was surprised that the whole
-town was not awakened.
-
-After a while, by means of such brutal violence, he had make a way for
-himself to the farther end of the warehouse. Thither he ordered Frank
-to bring the candle, and then proceeded to ascend a step-ladder that
-led through a trap-door, such as one usually finds over stables, to an
-upper story.
-
-The boy, following his captor, found himself in a kind of loft,
-containing all manner of things--rope, sails, fishing-nets, straw and
-sacks of millet. Here Ling, holding the candle well above his head,
-carefully examined the roof.
-
-He very soon found what he was looking for, and, laughing aloud,
-ordered Frank to come to him. Laying one of his enormous hands upon
-the boy's shoulder, he suddenly burst forth into the following eulogy
-upon his own abilities and prowess.
-
-"The mighty Ling," he declared, "is the favoured child of the gods;
-swift as the kite, wise as the tortoise, strong as the tigers of Amoy.
-There are few things within the attainment of mortal man that Ling
-cannot accomplish. Scholar, poet, robber, soldier, merchant,
-mandarin--all these am I, and more. But there is one thing, I declare
-to you, that is beyond me. Guess, my little junk rat, what it is?"
-
-Fortunately Ling did not appear to expect an answer, for he ran on,
-without giving the boy time to reply:
-
-"Do you see that man-hole in the roof?" he asked, pointing upward.
-"Well, the sages themselves could not devise a method by which the
-mighty Ling could pass through there. But you can, my monkey, and
-thither you go, whether you want to or not."
-
-"What am I to do when I get there?" asked Frank, who could think of no
-way of escaping from this truculent, swaggering monster.
-
-"Know you nothing," roared Ling, "of the sayings of the seers? How it
-is written truly that 'Patience filleth the stomach, whereas he that
-hurries to the feast falleth by the way'? Hearken unto me and ask no
-questions."
-
-He placed the candle upon the ground and seated himself straddle-legged
-across a sack, with his great legs sprawled out before him. Frank
-regarded the man's face in the candlelight, and thought that he had
-never seen anyone of appearance more formidable and sinister.
-
-His huge countenance was like a mask of some weird and evil Eastern
-god. There were deep lines scored about his forehead, mouth and
-eyes--lines of wrath; so that even in moments of rest he appeared to be
-in the throes of an uncontrollable passion. And this expression of
-fierceness and of anger was intensified by his black, glittering eyes,
-which seemed to pierce whatsoever he regarded. In addition to this,
-Frank was impressed by the gigantic proportions of the Honanese: his
-great sinewy hands, the muscles in his neck, his thighs, each as thick
-as the waist of a smaller man.
-
-"Listen," said he. "Listen to the description of the man who goes by
-the name of Men-Ching, who is a fool who believed in his blindness that
-he and his cur-dog friends could cheat the mighty Ling."
-
-It was as if Frank Armitage had been struck. He was so astonished at
-the sudden mention of Men-Ching's name that he caught his breath in a
-kind of gasp. Fortunately Ling was not looking at him at the moment.
-The man had drawn a long knife of Malay design from his belt, and was
-examining it fondly, feeling the sharpness of the blade with his thumb.
-
-"This man," said Ling, "is over sixty years of age--old in crime, but a
-babe in matters of intelligence. He has a long thin beard upon his
-chin and his grey queue is no larger than the tail of a rat. He wears
-a faded scarlet coat, and limps with his left foot when he walks.
-Also, he rubs his hands together as if he were always pleased.
-Pleased!" roared Ling. "When he sets eyes upon me, the pleasure will
-go out of him as a candle is blown out in the draught. But, tell me,
-you have listened and will remember?"
-
-Frank answered that he had paid strict attention. He did not think it
-incumbent upon him to advise the "mighty Ling" that he already knew
-Men-Ching perfectly well. He was both amazed by the coincidence and
-utterly bewildered as regards the business which these two could have
-in common. He did not dream for a moment that Ling was as dangerous to
-himself as the redoubtable Cheong-Chau: that he now found himself in
-the presence of the man who would soon hold in his great hands the
-trump cards in this colossal game of Death.
-
-Ling picked up the candle, and rose to his full height.
-
-"If I lift you up by the feet," said he, "you should be able to reach
-that rafter. Thence, without difficulty, you should be able to gain
-the man-hole, and so to the roof. From the roof you will obtain an
-excellent view of the harbour. The moonlight should be sufficient to
-enable you to see anyone who approaches. Keep your eyes open, and the
-moment you see the man whom I have described let me know. I will
-remain here."
-
-Frank had no alternative but to obey the instructions of this
-extraordinary ruffian. Indeed, he was powerless as a mouse in the jaws
-of a cat. He was ordered to straighten himself, to remain in a
-position perfectly upright and rigid, and then he was lifted high above
-the man's head until he was within easy reach of one of the rafters.
-Swinging himself on to this, he gained the man-hole which had been
-pointed out to him, and a moment after he found himself upon the roof.
-
-Thence--as Ling had predicted--he was able to look down upon the
-numerous wharves and jetties along the bank of the river. The moon was
-sinking low, but it was so magnified by refraction on account of the
-moisture in the atmosphere that the boy was able to see quite clearly,
-not only the various junks, *wupans* and *sampans* that lay anchored
-along the shore, but also the whole extent of the *bund* itself.
-
-A party of coolies was already at work, and in several places there
-were signs of life on board the ships. Frank, looking down through the
-man-hole through which he had passed, could see the mighty Ling, who
-had taken a book from his pocket and was reading aloud by means of the
-candlelight. He was reading the *Analects of Confucius*, a volume that
-is admitted to contain some of the purest ethical reasoning in the
-world. The man read aloud in a deep voice that sounded to Frank like a
-roll of far distant thunder. He was obviously fully conscious of the
-literary and philosophic beauty of the famous maxims.
-
-As for Frank, his thoughts were purely material. He could not think
-why this singular and terrible man should be so anxious to find
-Men-Ching. He knew, however, that it was essential that he himself
-should get into touch with Cheong-Chau's second-in-command.
-Personally, he was not in the least inclined to render assistance to
-Ling. But he could not deny the fact, even to himself, that he feared
-the man more than he had ever feared anyone before--even the giants and
-ogres of which, as a child, he had been wont to dream. He knew that
-his life was at stake, that Ling would not hesitate to kill him if,
-through any fault of his, Men-Ching managed to escape.
-
-There could be no doubt that Men-Ching was at that moment in the town,
-probably in one of the numerous opium dens which are to be found in
-every Chinese city. Frank had gleaned that information, and somehow or
-other Ling was equally well informed. It was also certain that some
-time that morning Men-Ching would embark and proceed upon his journey
-to Canton. Frank, therefore, kept a sharp look-out for the man, but it
-was only fear of Ling that impelled him to do so.
-
-About half-an-hour before sunrise, when the first signs of daybreak
-were visible in the east, Men-Ching and his companion were among the
-first people to arrive upon the wharf. They went straight to a *wupan*
-that was moored at a distance of about two hundred yards from the door
-which Ling had broken from its hinges. There Men-Ching called out in a
-loud voice in order to awaken the owner of the boat, who was asleep
-under the awning. Frank had no doubt that he had found the right man,
-for he recognised his voice, and besides the light was sufficient to
-enable him to identify the old man's scarlet coat.
-
-The boy looked down through the man-hole into the great loft below.
-Ling was still reading, though the candle had almost burned out.
-
-"He is on the wharf," cried Frank. "He is about to go on board. The
-fisherman is preparing to hoist his sail."
-
-On the instant, Ling closed his book and, springing to his feet,
-hastened to the head of the step-ladder that led to the room below. He
-did not trouble himself in the least about Frank, who was left upon the
-roof. By no means content to remain an inactive spectator of what was
-to follow, the boy descended rapidly to the rafter, and thence dropped
-to the floor, stinging his feet severely. A few seconds later he was
-swarming down the ladder, hastening after Ling, who had already gained
-the *bund*.
-
-Men-Ching had just boarded the boat, when for the first time he caught
-sight of the mighty Ling, who charged down upon him like an infuriated
-tiger. Frank was in time to see the expression of absolute horror and
-dismay which was stamped upon every feature of the old man's face. At
-the sight of Ling, Men-Ching's jaw dropped and his eyes opened wide,
-and seemed in danger of springing from his head.
-
-"Make haste!" he shrieked. "If I fall into that man's hands,
-everything is lost!"
-
-With feverish hands the old man uncoiled the rope that secured the bows
-of the *wupan* to a wooden bollard. He succeeded in doing this in the
-nick of time, for when he was in the very act of pushing the boat clear
-of the wharf by means of a long boathook, Ling gained the shore and
-snatched the boathook from his hand.
-
-.. _`"LING SNATCHED THE BOATHOOK FROM HIS HAND"`:
-
-.. figure:: images/img-134.jpg
- :align: center
- :alt: "LING SNATCHED THE BOATHOOK FROM HIS HAND."
-
- "LING SNATCHED THE BOATHOOK FROM HIS HAND."
-
-
-In the meantime Men-Ching's companion, who had accompanied him
-throughout his journey from the cave, had seized an oar, with which he
-propelled the boat clear of the clustered shipping. By that time the
-fisherman who owned the *wupan* had hoisted his sail, which, filling
-immediately with the strong west wind, carried the boat down-stream at
-a considerable velocity.
-
-Ling was like a raging beast. Stamping with his feet, he filled the
-air with the most terrible Chinese oaths--and there is no language in
-the world richer in expletives than the dialect of Southern China. The
-man's rage lasted no more than a moment. Determined not to allow
-Men-Ching to get out of sight, he looked about him for some method of
-following in pursuit. His eyes fell immediately upon a small sailing
-*sampan*, with a long oar fastened to the stern which did duty as a
-rudder.
-
-"That will serve my purpose," he exclaimed, and then, lifting his great
-voice to the full extent of his lungs, he shouted after the *wupan*.
-
-"Men-Ching," he cried, "you can never hope to evade me. Go north to
-beyond the Great Wall, or south to Singapore, and the mighty Ling shall
-follow."
-
-Then, turning, he beheld Frank Armitage at his elbow.
-
-"And you shall come with me," he roared. "There must be two of us to
-manage the boat."
-
-He bundled the boy, neck and crop, into the *sampan*, and a few minutes
-later they were flying down-stream in pursuit of the *wupan*, upon the
-broad waters of the great West River that flows through the mammoth
-city of Canton.
-
-
-
-
-CHAPTER XIII--HOW FRANK WAS CAUGHT IN THE TOILS
-===============================================
-
-Throughout the greater part of the morning the pursuit continued
-without the *sampan* gaining upon the larger boat. Indeed, when they
-had sailed a few miles towards the east it became apparent to Ling that
-they were losing ground, that the distance between the two boats was
-gradually becoming greater.
-
-The man was infuriated. He stood at his great height in the bows of
-the *sampan* from time to time, shaking his fist at the scarlet coat of
-Men-Ching, who was plainly visible upon the deck of the river-junk.
-After a time, however, Ling's wrath subsided; and seating himself, he
-confined his attention to the management of the sail. Frank, who was
-in the stern of the boat, had received orders to steer.
-
-Ling shrugged his great shoulders and came out with a kind of grunt.
-
-"He shall not escape me," said he, talking aloud to himself. "The old
-fool would be wiser to haul down the sail of the *wupan* and throw
-himself upon my mercy."
-
-Frank, summoning to his aid all his moral courage, decided to question
-the man outright, taking the bull by the horns.
-
-"Why do you want this man Men-Ching?" he asked.
-
-Ling looked up, lifting his black eyebrows, and then chuckled.
-
-"Men-Ching carries upon his person certain letters," said he. "I would
-have you to know that those letters are worth thousands of dollars."
-
-Frank Armitage was so much astonished that it was some moments before
-he could recover his presence of mind. How was this man, of all
-people, in possession of such information? Ling was certainly not a
-member of Cheong-Chau's brigand band. It was only a week before that
-Men-Ching had been entrusted with the letters--indeed, he had not been
-given possession of them until immediately after they were written.
-The whole thing was a mystery that Frank was in no position to solve.
-
-Sitting amidships in the boat, the man continued to chuckle.
-
-"I will find him in Canton," said he. "He is certain to go to the
-house of Ah Wu. There I will find him. I will take possession of
-those letters. A score of men could not prevent me. If Men-Ching
-hands them over quietly all will be well. If he resists, I cannot say
-what will happen." And Ling shrugged his shoulders.
-
-Frank was dismayed. It took him some time to realise the extreme
-gravity of the situation. There was something in the aspect of the
-boisterous Honanese giant, seated immediately before him, that made the
-boy feel quite sure that Ling seldom failed in any enterprise he
-undertook. The man was at once clever, strong and unscrupulous. He
-meant to obtain those letters, and Frank felt quite sure that he would
-not fail to do so.
-
-That brought the boy face to face with the fact that the lives of his
-uncle and Mr Waldron were in the greatest danger. Ling no doubt
-intended to appropriate the ransom, thus foiling Cheong-Chau. In these
-circumstances, there could be but little doubt that the brigand chief,
-robbed of what he already regarded as his own property, would put both
-his captives to death out of sheer fiendish spite.
-
-Frank could not for the life of him think what course he should take.
-His brain was in a whirl. In the end he decided that at any cost he
-must escape from Ling the moment they arrived at Canton, where he hoped
-to gain an interview with the British consul.
-
-Throughout the remainder of the journey the boy's thoughts ran
-continuously upon the mystery in which he found himself enveloped. He
-could not explain it, and after a time he gave up attempting to do so.
-He neither knew who Ling was nor how the man had such intimate
-knowledge of Cheong-Chau's affairs. He regretted bitterly that he had
-rendered Ling such valuable assistance. He was, however, determined
-never to do so again, and during the pursuit down the river he even
-went so far as to hold the *sampan* back by means of the oar with which
-he was supposed to be steering. All the time he was doing so his heart
-was beating rapidly, since he dared not think what would happen to him
-if Ling discovered his deception.
-
-When they reached the great city of Canton it was still early in the
-morning. Ling hauled down the sail and himself took charge of the
-stern oar, by means of which he propelled the boat into the narrow
-creek that separates the main part of the city from the island of
-Shamien. Running into the bank alongside a sea-going junk, he ordered
-Frank to step ashore. The boy did so, determined to avail himself of
-his first chance to escape. In such narrow, close-packed streets as
-those of the great southern city, he thought he would have many
-opportunities of giving Ling the slip. He did not expect any
-difficulty in getting away, since he had no reason to believe that Ling
-required his services any longer.
-
-Frank--as the saying goes--had counted his chickens before they were
-hatched. They had not progressed thirty yards along one of the main
-streets of the city before Frank dived down a side street, brushed past
-a party of coolies, and then turned into a still smaller street to the
-right. There he found a ricksha. Jumping into this, he ordered the
-ricksha coolie to go ahead as fast as he could. The man had picked up
-the shafts, and was about to set forward, when Frank was seized by the
-scruff of the neck and lifted bodily from the seat. He was then thrown
-so violently to the ground that one of his knees was cut and his elbows
-badly bruised.
-
-Gathering himself together, he looked up, and found himself at the feet
-of Ling.
-
-"Do you take me for a fool?" roared the man. "Why have you run away?"
-
-"I did not think," answered the boy, somewhat weakly, "that you needed
-me any longer."
-
-"No more I do," said Ling. "But you know too much about me. When I
-have run Men-Ching to ground, and emptied the old rascal's pockets,
-then you are free to go where you like. For the present you remain
-with me."
-
-He bent down, and seizing the boy by a wrist, dragged him to his feet.
-Then he set off walking briskly through the narrow streets, dragging
-the boy after him like a dog on a leash and roughly thrusting aside
-everyone who got in his way.
-
-In about ten minutes they found themselves in the neighbourhood of the
-Mohammedan Mosque. Having crossed the main street that runs parallel
-to the river, Ling turned into a by-street, and thence into the blind
-alley, at the termination of which was Ah Wu's opium den.
-
-He kicked open the door with his foot and thrust the boy inside. Frank
-found himself standing before the embroidered curtains that were
-suspended across the entrance of the smoking-room. Ling lifted his
-great voice in a kind of shout, mingling his words with triumphant
-laughter.
-
-"Ah Wu," he cried, "give welcome to a visitor who loves you. There is
-one here whom it will rejoice your heart to see. Come forth, old fox,
-and greet the mighty Ling!"
-
-Having delivered himself thus dramatically, he flung the curtains
-aside, and stepped into the opium den, dragging Frank with him.
-
-Ah Wu, as fat and crafty-looking as ever, stood in the centre of the
-lower room in front of the stairs that led to the balcony above.
-
-He was holding in his hand a blue china bowl filled with *samshu*. And
-so dismayed was he when he set eyes upon his gigantic guest that the
-bowl fell from his hand and smashed to atoms on the floor.
-
-"Ling!" he gasped.
-
-"The same," roared Ling. "And this time I come not to debate and
-argue, to exchange words with liars. I come for Men-Ching. I have
-reason to believe that he is here."
-
-Ah Wu strove to pretend he was delighted to welcome Ling. He smiled
-from ear to ear, his little eyes almost disappearing in the fat of his
-face. He bowed, folding his hands in the prescribed Chinese fashion.
-He even took a few steps forward, so that he was almost within reach of
-the long arms of the Honanese.
-
-"Men-Ching," said he, still smiling, "is not here."
-
-And no sooner had the words left his lips than he was given a practical
-and somewhat painful demonstration of the violent character of the man
-with whom he had to deal. Upon the right of the entrance, adorned by
-the embroidered curtains, was a lacquer table, upon which stood a heavy
-china vase. Without a word of warning, Ling seized this vase by the
-neck, and hurled it with all his force at the proprietor of the opium
-den. The ornament must have weighed several pounds, and it struck Ah
-Wu fair in the chest, with the result that he went over backwards and
-lay, stretched at his full length, at the foot of the staircase.
-Almost a minute elapsed before he struggled to his feet. Ling had not
-moved.
-
-"And now," he roared, "lie to me again."
-
-In the meantime, in spite of such extraordinary happenings, Frank had
-taken in his surroundings. Ah Wu's opium den has been already
-described--except that we saw it before at night, when the place was
-crowded. On this occasion there was only one man asleep upon a couch
-in the lower room. It was about twelve o'clock in the morning, and at
-this hour, as a general rule, Chinese opium dens are empty, the smokers
-of the previous evening having departed and the day's customers not
-having arrived.
-
-Strangely enough, the vase had not broken, but in falling to the floor
-it had made a considerable noise, and this was sufficient to awaken the
-sleeper, who evidently suffered from a guilty conscience. The man
-sprang to his feet, and rushed to the entrance, as if he intended to
-escape. There, of course, he found his way barred by Ling, who lifted
-one of his huge fists as if to strike the fellow. The man jumped
-backward like a cat that finds itself face to face with a dog. And it
-was then, once again, that Ling burst into one of his boisterous fits
-of laughter.
-
-"And here's the flunkey!" he cried. "Here's the Hong-Kong cur-dog!
-Have you also a mind to lie to me, or do you set a value on your life?
-I tell you truly, I am not here to exchange words. I know what I want,
-and I am come to get it. Hands up!" he shouted, seeing the man move
-one of his hands to his waistbelt, under his coat, where he might have
-carried a firearm. "Hands up, or I wring your neck like a duck!"
-
-In fear and trembling the man lifted both hands above his head. Frank
-regarded him then for the first time. And it was as if the boy's heart
-had suddenly ceased to beat when he recognised Yung How, his uncle's
-servant.
-
-
-
-
-CHAPTER XIV--HOW LING SNUFFED THE CANDLE
-========================================
-
-Frank had every reason to suppose that he would be recognised in spite
-of his disguise. To deceive Men-Ching was one thing, but Yung How had
-known the boy for years. More than ever he desired to escape. It was
-clear that both Yung How and even Ah Wu himself were equally anxious to
-get away from the room. All three of them, however, were caught like
-rats in a trap, for Ling guarded the entrance, and it was as much as
-the life of any one of them was worth to attempt to pass, either by
-force or stealth.
-
-Ling approached Yung How, lifted the man's coat and drew a large
-nickel-plated revolver from his belt.
-
-"I thought so," said he. "I draw the jackal's teeth."
-
-So saying, he thrust the revolver into his pocket.
-
-"And now, Ah Wu," he cried, "is Men-Ching here or not?"
-
-Some seconds elapsed before Ah Wu could summon sufficient courage to
-answer.
-
-"Yes," said he at last. "He is."
-
-"Where?" asked Ling.
-
-"In the little room--asleep."
-
-"Asleep! He could not have arrived more than an hour ago!"
-
-"He was very frightened," said Ah Wu, who was now certainly speaking
-the truth. "His nerves were shaken. He knew you were in pursuit. He
-smoked opium to calm himself, and now he sleeps."
-
-"Lead the way," said Ling. "And you too," he added, addressing himself
-to Yung How. "I drive you before me like a herd of pigs."
-
-This was indeed a very accurate description of the proceeding, for Ling
-was determined that neither of the Chinese nor Frank should for a
-moment get out of his sight. It was remarkable that one man should
-have so much power--by which we mean will-power as well as physical
-force. But undoubtedly, the most extraordinary thing about him was the
-unbounded confidence he seemed to have in himself. And it was this
-self-confidence, even more than his courage and great physical
-strength, that made this man a master over others.
-
-Into the little room under the staircase he hustled the three of them.
-There he locked the door and pocketed the key. Upon the only couch in
-the room lay Men-Ching in his faded scarlet coat--sound asleep.
-
-Ling bent down and placed both hands upon the sleeper's chest. Then he
-smiled, and turning slowly round, looked Ah Wu straight in the face.
-
-"They are here," said he. "It is the custom of the gods to reward
-those who deserve to prosper."
-
-"What do you seek?" asked Ah Wu, upon the features of whose face was
-stamped an expression of the most profound dismay.
-
-"The letters," said Ling. "The letters for which I have searched for
-fourteen days."
-
-"Fourteen days ago," retorted Ah Wu, "they were not written."
-
-"Of that," answered the other, "I confess I know nothing, and care
-less. It is sufficient for me--and for you, too--that I have found
-that for which I sought."
-
-There was a pause. And then Yung How asked a question.
-
-"How did you know about these letters?" said he.
-
-Ling smiled again. "Do you think," he asked, "that when I found you
-three rascals with heads together in this very room--do you think I did
-not know that something was afoot, something into which it might be
-worth my while to inquire? Do you suppose for a moment I believed your
-lies? No. I watched. And I sent a spy here to smoke opium and to
-pretend to sleep--a spy who listened to all you had to say, who told me
-that Cheong-Chau had sent a messenger with the news that the fish had
-been landed high and dry, and a promise that both Ah Wu and yourself
-would have your share of the ransom as soon as it was paid. I had but
-to watch the river. And when I was told that one of Cheong-Chau's men
-had been seen in Sanshui, and the description of that man agreed with
-Men-Ching, I should be little short of a fool if I did not guess that
-Men-Ching carried with him letters demanding a ransom. And now," he
-concluded, "these same letters are mine."
-
-He bent down, and very gently unbuttoned Men-Ching's coat. Then,
-without waking the sleeper, who appeared to be heavily drugged with
-opium, he tore open the lining and drew out the two letters: that of
-Cheong-Chau, written in Chinese, and Sir Thomas Armitage's letter,
-written in English.
-
-Neither of these was in an envelope, but both were sealed in the
-Chinese fashion. Without a moment's hesitation Ling broke the seals,
-and Sir Thomas's gold signet ring fell to the floor. He stooped and
-picked it up, and then read both letters to himself. And as he read
-his smile broadened, displaying his fang-like yellow teeth.
-
-"It is fortunate," said he, "that I can read English. It is of
-advantage in this life to be a scholar. The ignorant man works in the
-paddy-field wading knee-deep in the mud, but the wise man eats the
-rice." Then he remained silent for some minutes, still reading to
-himself.
-
-"I see," he remarked, "this matter has been well arranged. Cheong-Chau
-threatens to take the lives of the foreigners if he does not receive a
-ransom of twenty thousand dollars before the new moon. It interests me
-to learn that the money must be hidden before that date in the Glade of
-Children's Tears, upon the banks of the Sang River. I know the place
-well. I even remember the red stone--though I admit I did not know
-there was a vault beneath that stone. Certainly the matter has been
-well arranged."
-
-During this soliloquy--for Ling had to all intents and purposes been
-speaking to himself--Frank could not help regarding the countenances of
-Ah Wu and Yung How. The expression upon the face of each was
-suggestive of the most complete disgust. Disappointment and infinite
-distress were conveyed in every feature. Ling looked at them and burst
-into laughter.
-
-"Two fools!" he cried. "Had you been wise men you had taken me into
-your confidence and allowed me a share of the plunder. As it is, you
-may see not a cent of it. It will be very simple for me to deliver
-these letters and to keep watch upon the Glade of Children's Tears."
-
-His laughter had disturbed the sleeper, for Men-Ching turned over upon
-his back and mumbled a few incoherent words in his sleep. Then, still
-sleeping, he moved a hand to the breast of his coat, to the place where
-he had carried the letters.
-
-Almost at once he sat bolt upright--wide awake.
-
-"Stolen!" he cried, his hands still clutching at his coat. "Stolen,"
-he repeated.
-
-Then he set eyes upon Ling.
-
-Upon his face an expression of dismay turned, as in a flash, to one of
-uncontrollable anger. He sprang to his feet, at the same time drawing
-from his belt a long curved knife. Though he stood upon the couch
-itself, he was little taller than Ling. With a savage oath he raised
-the knife above his head. And then he struck downward, straight for
-the heart of the gigantic Honanese.
-
-The tragedy that now took place was the work of a few seconds.
-Men-Ching's wrist was caught. He let out a shriek of pain as that grip
-of steel tightened under such steady, inevitable pressure that the very
-wrist-bone was in danger of breaking like a piece of rotted wood. Then
-he was caught by the throat. He was jerked forward. Something
-snapped. And then he was thrown down upon the floor--dead. It was all
-over in an instant.
-
-Frank Armitage was horror-stricken. He had never seen anything so
-terrible in all his life. And this was murder. And the man who had
-committed the crime merely shrugged his shoulders.
-
-"Take warning," said he. "Behold the fool who tried to kill me. He
-who lives by violence comes to a violent end. I had no wish to kill
-him; he attempted to stab me. I have dealt with him in the same way as
-I would snuff a tallow candle."
-
-Here Ah Wu fell into a kind of hysterical panic. Wringing his hands
-together, he worked himself up to such a pitch of emotion that the
-tears streamed from his eyes.
-
-"What is to become of me?" he cried. "This thing has happened in my
-house. If the *tao-tai* hears of it I shall be led to my execution in
-a potter's yard. Woe is me that such a crime should be committed under
-my roof!"
-
-Ling laughed.
-
-"You make a great fuss about nothing," said he. "Put him away till
-darkness falls. Then set him up in a ricksha, place a lighted
-cigarette between his lips, run him down to the river, and throw him
-in. Such things have happened before in this city of Canton. You make
-much of nothing. What was the old scoundrel worth? Not a snap of the
-finger. And in any case he had but a few years to live."
-
-Ah Wu seated himself upon the couch, immediately above the body of the
-murdered man. Placing his elbows upon his knees and his head between
-his hands, he rocked himself from side to side. As for Frank, the
-whole thing seemed to him like some terrible nightmare. He had lived
-in China all his life, but he had lived in a different China--a land of
-comfort and civilisation. This was a world of devilry and crime. And
-all this time Yung How stood by, motionless, speechless, his face pale
-with terror.
-
-Ling stooped down and thrust the body under the couch.
-
-"What is death?" he asked. "A sleep--no more. A long sleep in
-which--for aught we know--the divine spirit roams the eternal heavens.
-Sweeter by far the adventures of the soul than the dreams that come
-from opium. A moment since he slept upon the couch, and now he sleeps
-beneath it. Why grieve, old fool? Why weep? Men-Ching is already
-with the spirits of his fathers."
-
-Taking the key from his pocket, he unlocked the door.
-
-"Come," said he. "We will hold converse together; there are many
-things that I wish to discuss. See that the outer door is locked, that
-no one is allowed to enter the house. We four will be alone."
-
-
-
-
-CHAPTER XV--OF CHEONG-CHAU'S MESSENGER
-======================================
-
-To the reader who is unacquainted with China, the conduct of Ling may
-appear to be highly improbable. In any other country in the world such
-a crime might be committed, but in no other country would the criminal
-not be seized with alarm. He would know that there was direct evidence
-against him and, in consequence, he would be obliged either to fly for
-his life or else stand his trial on a charge of murder or manslaughter,
-as the case might be.
-
-In this regard China is unique--a country without police, in which
-evidence is extremely hard to obtain, no man presuming to testify
-against his neighbour. Under the old imperial regime there were no
-real courts of justice beyond the summary jurisdiction exercised by the
-local government official--the prefect, the *tao-tai* or the viceroy.
-And so far as we are aware, these very necessary reforms have not yet
-been instituted in the modern republican China of the twentieth century.
-
-Ling had little or nothing to fear. Men-Ching had no relations who
-might carry the tale to the viceroy's *yamen*. Both Ah Wu and Yung How
-had been frightened out of their lives, and the Honanese had no
-apprehensions in regard to the unfortunate boy whom he had kidnapped in
-Sanshui.
-
-In less than a minute after this deed of violence had been
-accomplished, Ling was sprawled at his great length upon one of the
-couches in the outer room. There, puffing complacently at a pipe of
-opium, he appeared to have dismissed the incident from his mind. He
-was busy making plans for the future. Ah Wu had now sufficiently
-recovered his composure to attend to the wants of his unwelcome guest.
-He brought Ling opium; he lighted the spirit-lamp; he rolled opium
-pills in his fat little fingers.
-
-To all intents and purposes, Ling had taken complete possession of the
-opium den. He himself might have been the proprietor. He offered Yung
-How a pipe of opium, which Yung How accepted. He ordered Frank to be
-seated, and the boy had no option but to obey. Then he delivered
-himself as follows, addressing himself to Ah Wu.
-
-"Ah Wu," said he, "I desire that you will be so good as to make a
-complete confession. There are certain details connected with this
-affair concerning which I am completely in the dark. For instance, who
-was to go for the treasure to the Glade of Children's Tears?"
-
-"I was," said Ah Wu.
-
-"Alone?"
-
-"No. Yung How was to accompany me." And Ah Wu indicated his Hong-Kong
-friend by a motion of the hand. "We were to hire a junk in which to
-take away the money. We were to be assisted by Men-Ching and another
-man."
-
-Ling looked across at Yung How and nodded pleasantly.
-
-"And so, my tame cat, your name is Yung How. A fit name for one who
-washes plates and brushes a foreigner's clothes."
-
-"I do not wash plates," said Yung How; "that is coolies' work."
-
-"I beg your pardon," said Ling. "Since it is beneath your dignity to
-wash plates I am sorry for you, for presently I propose to eat at Ah
-Wu's expense. And you shall wash the plates which it shall be my
-pleasure to use."
-
-Yung How made a wry face, and dropped his eyes to the ground. Frank
-observed that the man muttered to himself.
-
-The boy was astonished that Yung How had not yet recognised him. Was
-it possible that he would fail to do so? The thought seemed too good
-to be true. On the other hand, it was possible that Frank had already
-been recognised, that Yung How knew who he was, and had managed to
-conceal his surprise. The average Chinese is quite capable of such
-extraordinary self-control. The boy's train of thought was interrupted
-by Ling, who took up the thread of his cross-examination.
-
-"And so," said he, "you, Ah Wu, and Yung How, were to go together to
-the Glade of Children's Tears, having first ascertained that the
-neighbourhood was safe, that the foreigners in Hong-Kong had not
-thought fit to send armed men to capture you?"
-
-"That is so," said Ah Wu.
-
-"And the money was to be brought here by river?"
-
-Ah Wu nodded. "To Canton," said he.
-
-"Where Cheong-Chau would come by night, giving you your share and
-taking the rest back with him to Pinglo, to divide amongst his gang?"
-
-Ah Wu nodded again.
-
-"A simple business," said Ling. "A well-laid plot that has come to
-grief. Well, I am generous. My soul is of honey. I am soft of heart.
-You will find me a better master than Cheong-Chau. I can be generous
-to those who help me, as I know how to deal with those who declare
-themselves my enemies." And he jerked a finger in the direction of the
-little room beneath the stairs.
-
-"Do you mean," asked Yung How, "that you propose to buy our silence?"
-
-The man rose upon his couch like a bearded lion.
-
-"I mean nothing of the sort," he cried. "Go to the viceroy if you will
-and tell him that you saw Ling take the life of Men-Ching in the opium
-den of Ah Wu--say I murdered the man. It will be a lie, I tell you.
-He attempted to stab me and I killed him in self-defence. Still you
-are free to go to the *yamen* with any tale you like, and when you have
-fulfilled your errand, I tell you frankly, upon the word of a man who
-holds the truth as sacred, that you shall not live for forty-eight
-hours. That is the manner of man I am, and that is the way in which I
-buy your silence."
-
-Yung How did not move a muscle of his face.
-
-"Then I fail to understand you," said he.
-
-"I will make my meaning plainer," said the other. "This afternoon I
-send these letters to Hong-Kong by post, by the night boat. They will
-arrive to-morrow morning. In two--or at the most three--days, the
-ransom will be paid: twenty thousand dollars will be conveyed by some
-means from Hong-Kong to the Glade of Children's Tears. I think no
-soldiers will be sent because the Englishman in his letter has
-expressly stated that such a course would not be wise."
-
-At that moment there came a loud, persistent rapping on the outer door,
-which Ah Wu had already locked. Ling at once ceased talking, but it is
-a singular fact that he was the only one of the four of them who showed
-no signs of being alarmed. They sat in silence, listening for several
-minutes, during which time the knocking upon the door continued. It
-was Ling who was the first to speak.
-
-"Who is there?" he asked, addressing himself to Ah Wu.
-
-"I have no idea," replied Ah Wu.
-
-Ling got to his feet, strolled across the room, and drawing the
-curtains, unbolted the door. On opening it he beheld, standing before
-him upon the threshold, a man dressed in the scarlet coat of
-Cheong-Chau's brigand band.
-
-"What do you want?" asked Ling.
-
-"Men-Ching," said the man.
-
-"And who, may I ask, is Men-Ching?"
-
-"He is a friend of mine."
-
-"He is not here," said Ling. "You can come in, if you like, and see
-for yourself."
-
-The man entered the opium den, advancing down the centre of the room.
-Frank recognised him at once: he was the man who had accompanied
-Men-Ching upon his journey from the mountains. He went straight up to
-Ah Wu, to whom he bowed, folding his hands in accordance with the
-custom of his nation.
-
-"You, I believe, are Ah Wu?" he asked. "You are the landlord of this
-establishment?"
-
-"I am," said Ah Wu.
-
-"I come for a friend of mine, Men-Ching by name. I think you know him.
-He told me he would be here."
-
-"He is not here," said Ah Wu, who, palpably nervous, from time to time
-glanced in the direction of Ling.
-
-"That is strange," said the man. "He certainly told me that I should
-find him here. Can you tell me where he is?"
-
-Ah Wu shook his head. "I cannot say," said he.
-
-The man looked perplexed. He stood for a moment stroking his chin, as
-if he was undecided what to do. Then Ling laid one of his great hands
-upon the man's shoulder.
-
-"I will tell you where he is," said he. "He left here in great
-haste--and unexpectedly. He has gone upon a journey--a long journey.
-He did not say where he was going, for two reasons: firstly, he had no
-time to tell us; secondly, I do not believe he knew. And so, my
-friend, we can give you no information likely to be of value. Who are
-we, that we should know all things, that we should be able to solve the
-riddles of the universe? We are poor mortals, with little wisdom and
-great hopes. We arrange our lives in accordance with our own ideas,
-and those ideas are but guess-work, the product of imagination. We
-know nothing. We live in the dark. The printed page of the book of
-mysteries lies open before us, but we are blind and unable to read.
-Could I soar higher than an eagle, traversing the eternal plains of
-space, I might be able to tell you something of Men-Ching. As it is, I
-cannot." And Ling, with a shrug of the shoulders, turned away.
-
-The man regarded his broad back in amazement. He could make neither
-head nor tail of what he had been told. And at the same time he was in
-a dilemma: he could do nothing without Men-Ching; in a great city like
-Canton--with which he was not well acquainted--he had no idea where to
-look for him.
-
-"It is of the greatest importance," said he, "that I find Men-Ching
-without delay. I have news for him."
-
-Ling whipped round at once.
-
-"News," he exclaimed. "I tell you, my good man, you may be perfectly
-frank with us. We are in the secret."
-
-"You are!" cried the man.
-
-"All four of us," said Ling, whose capacity for falsehood appeared to
-be in proportion to his other faculties.
-
-The man looked in surprise from Ling to Ah Wu, from Yung How to Frank.
-
-"I see you doubt me," continued Ling. "Permit me to enlighten you.
-You are one of Cheong-Chau's band--that is evident from your coat. You
-came south with Men-Ching in order to convey certain letters to
-Hong-Kong. Cheong-Chau demands a ransom of twenty thousand dollars as
-the price of the lives of three European prisoners whom he holds in his
-hands. This sum of money is to be conveyed by junk, before the new
-moon, to the Glade of Children's Tears. It has already been arranged
-between my very good friend, Cheong-Chau, and Men-Ching, that we four,
-accompanied by Men-Ching himself, proceed to the Glade of Children's
-Tears in order to take possession of the money. I am surprised that
-Men-Ching did not inform you of all this. I presume you no longer
-doubt me?"
-
-"I cannot doubt you," said the man. "You know more of the matter than
-myself. I was aware that Cheong-Chau had agents in Canton, but I was
-never informed who they were. Perhaps you will be so good as to advise
-me what to do."
-
-Ling stroked his black moustache. He appeared to be deep in thought.
-
-"If I were you," said he, "I should leave the matter in Men-Ching's
-hands. He cannot be far away. If I were you I should return at once
-to Cheong-Chau."
-
-"That is not necessary," said the man.
-
-Ling looked up quickly, lifting his eyebrows. For a moment his eyes
-flashed, suggesting something of the fierce sudden intelligence of a
-beast of prey that scents its quarry.
-
-"How do you mean?" he rapped out.
-
-"It is not necessary," said the man, "that I return to Cheong-Chau, for
-the simple reason that Cheong-Chau himself has come to me."
-
-Ling closed his mouth with a snap.
-
-"Ah!" he exclaimed. "So Cheong-Chau is--in Canton?"
-
-"He approaches Canton," said the man. "That is the information that I
-desired to give to Men-Ching."
-
-"He approaches Canton," repeated Ling. "This is indeed interesting!
-And can you tell me why Cheong-Chau approaches Canton?"
-
-"Yes," said the man. "One of his prisoners has escaped."
-
-At the word Frank Armitage caught his breath. With a great effort of
-will he managed to control himself. He stared hard at the opium bowl,
-filled with the sticky, treacle-like substance, that was immediately in
-front of him.
-
-The boy felt like a helpless bird, imprisoned in a cage of poisonous
-snakes. He could not be blind to the peril in which he stood. Hardly
-a minute passed when it was not made evident to him that his life hung
-upon a thread. At any moment he might be discovered, and then, in the
-hands of such a man as Ling, he could hope for little mercy.
-
-"What you tell me interests me vastly," said Ling, still addressing
-himself to the brigand. "You have no idea how annoyed I am. And so
-one of the prisoners has escaped! I think you had best return to
-Cheong-Chau, taking with you a written message from my friend, Ah Wu."
-
-Ah Wu looked up at Ling in something like despair. The fat proprietor
-of the opium den, at that moment, bitterly regretted that he had ever
-had anything to do with the business. He feared Cheong-Chau, but he
-was terrified of Ling. He now found himself between the hammer and the
-anvil.
-
-"What do you wish me to do?" he asked, in a weak voice. "What sort of
-a message am I to send to Cheong-Chau?"
-
-"Tell him the truth," said Ling. "Tell him that Men-Ching called here
-this morning, and soon afterwards departed unexpectedly, in a great
-hurry. Say that you presume he has gone to Hong-Kong. He told you, I
-believe, that the letters were safe."
-
-And even as Ling said these words he placed one of his hands upon the
-pocket of his coat--and they all heard the crinkling sound of the stiff
-rice paper upon which the letters had been written. Both Yung How and
-Frank regarded Ling in astonishment. The man was beyond doubt an
-accomplished and unmitigated villain. He was never at a loss. As for
-Ah Wu, very meekly he crossed the room to the writing-desk where he
-kept his accounts. There he wrote a letter, handling with skill the
-long Chinese ink-brush. And as he wrote Ling strolled up to him,
-glanced over his shoulder, and strolled away. Then Ah Wu folded the
-letter and sealed it and gave it to Cheong-Chau's man, who a few
-moments afterwards left the opium den.
-
-No sooner was he gone than Ling bolted the door and came back quickly
-into the room.
-
-"This," said he, "is going to be a touch-and-go affair. It will be an
-open question now who gets to the Glade first: Cheong-Chau or I. You
-three shall help me. I take it, you prefer to be on the winning side.
-I shall need the assistance of every one of you. You will have your
-fair share of the plunder, more than you would have got from
-Cheong-Chau--I promise you that. But I have warned you once, and I
-warn you again: play me false, and I deal with you as I dealt with
-Men-Ching. It is already late in the afternoon. There is much to be
-done to-night. Ah Wu, you must keep the place closed; you must put up
-a notice outside saying that no customers will be admitted. Tell me,
-is there a back entrance?"
-
-Ah Wu nodded his head.
-
-"Good!" exclaimed Ling. "You and I must get the body of that fool out
-of the way. We shall be able to do that as soon as it is dark. As for
-these two, they can remain here till we return. I care not how many
-men Cheong-Chau has brought with him. I know how to settle him. The
-man is an opium fiend, and by opium he shall fall. Now then, Ah Wu,
-are we to be friends or foes?"
-
-"Friends," said Ah Wu.
-
-"Then swear friendship."
-
-And Ah Wu swore, with a hand uplifted, by the Five Sacred Books.
-
-And then Yung How swore fidelity to Ling, who rounded upon Frank.
-
-"And you, my little smooth-faced infant, whom I have truly taken to my
-heart, you have not told me yet your name?"
-
-"Ah Li," said Frank, who for some time had been prepared for such a
-question.
-
-"And you also swear?"
-
-And Frank swore, following the example of Ah Wu and Yung How, and using
-the same words to be faithful to the mighty Ling. And as he made the
-declaration he satisfied his conscience that he attached no more
-importance to the words than did Ling to the life of the man whom he
-had killed.
-
-
-
-
-CHAPTER XVI--OF THE REPENTANCE OF YUNG HOW
-==========================================
-
-Thus it was that they became the unwilling servants of Ling. They had
-no option but to obey him. By reason of his gigantic strength, Ling
-was the master of the situation.
-
-Ah Wu was as crafty as a fox. All his life he had been connected with
-the opium business; and an opium den is a place where a Chinese may
-gain a very intimate knowledge of his fellow-men. He learns much in
-connection with human character. Whatever may have been the feelings
-of Frank Armitage and Yung How, the proprietor of the opium den had not
-the least doubt that in agreeing to follow Ling they had taken the
-wisest course.
-
-During the few hours that elapsed between the departure of the brigand
-and sunset, they were given a further opportunity of observing the
-singular abilities of this inhuman monster. There is no doubt that the
-man might have succeeded in almost any walk of life. His plans were
-not only elaborate, and so carefully laid that they allowed for almost
-every possible contingency, but they were made rapidly without a
-moment's hesitation.
-
-In the course of the afternoon Ah Wu's three attendants arrived,
-gaining entrance into the opium den by means of the back door. These
-were sent upon various errands, from which they could not possibly
-return until after dark. As soon as Ling himself had conveyed the
-mortal remains of the unfortunate Men-Ching from the opium den, the
-place was to be open, customers were to be admitted. These customers
-were to be entertained by Yung How until Ah Wu himself returned. The
-establishment was to remain open, day and night, throughout the next
-few days. Ling made no secret of his intention to decoy Cheong-Chau to
-the opium den, where he was to be drugged, whilst Ling gained
-possession of the ransom, which by that time should have arrived from
-Hong-Kong.
-
-About the middle of the afternoon Ling went out, and was absent about
-twenty minutes. This in itself is sufficient proof of the
-self-confidence of the man. It was within the power of Ah Wu, Yung
-How, or the youth who had called himself "Ah Li," to betray him. These
-three were left alone in the opium den with the horrid evidence of
-Ling's guilt.
-
-During his absence, Ling posted his letters. The night boat left
-Canton at eight o'clock, and Ling himself took the letters on board.
-He returned to the opium den, and was admitted at the back door by Ah
-Wu himself. He did not seem in the least curious as to whether they
-had been discussing him whilst he was away.
-
-Soon after nightfall, Ling and Ah Wu departed on their gruesome errand,
-taking with them the body of Men-Ching. This they secreted under the
-hood of a double ricksha, and Ah Wu, much to his dismay, was made to
-seat himself beside a lifeless companion. As for Ling, he stripped
-himself to the waist, coiled his pigtail round the top of his head,
-after the manner of a coolie, and himself drew the ricksha through the
-dark, narrow streets of the great city. Frank and Yung How stood at
-the small back door of the opium den when Ling took his departure.
-They heard the wheels rattling over the cobble-stones of the streets,
-and then the ricksha disappeared in the darkness, and with it that
-which had formerly been Men-Ching, Cheong-Chau's second-in-command.
-
-Yung How and Frank returned to the main room, where they lighted the
-lamps, and shortly afterwards the three attendants returned. The
-establishment was then opened, and it was not long before customers
-began to arrive. Most of these were regular patrons of Ah Wu's, who
-knew how to look after themselves. Having ordered what they wanted,
-they disposed themselves on couches in the lower room. There they
-smoked opium, drank *samshu*, and nodded off to sleep.
-
-Frank regarded Yung How. The man lay upon a couch; his arms were
-folded; he was staring blankly in front of him, thinking possibly of
-Ling and how that villain had placed himself between Yung How and a
-fortune. For there could be little doubt that, under the original
-arrangement, Yung How was to be treated handsomely, and the man
-attached little or no value to Ling's promise. It does not necessarily
-follow that one rogue will trust another.
-
-Frank, as he looked at the man, was busy with his thoughts. Two things
-were evident to him: first, that Yung How had not recognised him and
-that he was now scarcely likely to do so; second, that he might be
-persuaded to operate against Ling--provided he could do so without
-great personal risk.
-
-Now in order not to overestimate the boldness of the step which Frank
-Armitage then and there proposed to take, it is necessary to realise
-that the boy could see no other way out of his difficulties, to
-remember that not only his own life but the lives of Mr Waldron and his
-uncle depended upon his success, and to remember also that he stood in
-no fear of Yung How, whom he had known since he was a child.
-
-It was above all things necessary for Frank to communicate with
-Hong-Kong if he could not go there himself. The moment Ling left the
-opium den it occurred to Frank that he might write a letter. He could
-not, however, do this without being observed by Yung How, who had
-received strict orders from Ling not to allow the boy out of his sight
-for a single moment. Frank therefore decided to play a bold card; but
-he would never have taken a step so hazardous had he not had something
-more than an inkling that he was likely to meet with success. He
-crossed the room to the couch upon which Yung How was lying, and asked
-the man if he would be so good as to accompany him to the balcony at
-the head of the stairs.
-
-"I have something of the greatest importance to say to you," said he.
-"It may be to your advantage as well as mine."
-
-Yung How looked at him in surprise, then got to his feet, and walked
-slowly up the stairs, followed by Frank.
-
-They seated themselves, side by side, upon a couch in a darkened
-corner. Now that Frank found himself confronted by the greatest crisis
-in all his strange adventures, he hesitated to begin. Several minutes
-elapsed before he could speak, and he did not do so then without a word
-of encouragement.
-
-"Well?" asked Yung How.
-
-"I am surprised, Yung How," said Frank, "that you have not recognised
-me."
-
-Yung How knitted his brows, and drawing away from the boy, turned and
-stared at him. Frank Armitage did not move.
-
-"I should have thought," he added, "you would have known me."
-
-Yung How's voice came in a kind of gasp.
-
-"Master Frank!" he exclaimed.
-
-The boy smiled. It was as much as he could do, but he managed it
-somehow, knowing full well that everything depended upon his presence
-of mind. He had learned something from Ling.
-
-"Are you blind, Yung How?" he asked.
-
-"I did not know you," said the man, who had not yet recovered from his
-astonishment. "The shaven head! The pigtail! Your clothes! Besides,
-you are the last person I expected to see. I thought you hundreds of
-miles away."
-
-"So I was," said Frank. "I escaped."
-
-"Ah! It was you who escaped! I did not think of that." Then he
-lowered his voice. "But why have you told me?"
-
-"Because, Yung How, though you have behaved like a rascal, I cannot
-believe you to be such a villain that you would allow my uncle, who has
-been a good master to you for years, to be murdered."
-
-Yung How was silent for more than a minute.
-
-"That is true," said he; "that is very true."
-
-"I suppose you realise," Frank went on, "that if I remain here, Ling
-may gain possession of the ransom, and in that case both my uncle and
-Mr Waldron will be killed. You know also that, if you betray me to
-Ling, I shall be killed. Do you remember, Yung How, when I was a
-little boy who had only just learned to walk, you used to take me up to
-the top of the Peak, and we would walk upon the asphalt paths, and you
-would tell me Chinese fairy tales? I remember them to this day. Then,
-it was you who taught me to speak your language. Do you remember when
-the plague came to Hong-Kong, and people were dying in the streets?
-Have you forgotten that you too fell ill, and my uncle himself carried
-you in his arms and sent you in a chair to the hospital? Have you
-forgotten that?"
-
-The face of Yung How had grown very serious. Slowly he shook his head.
-
-"My master," said he, "I have not forgotten."
-
-"You had the plague," said Frank, "and my uncle took you in his arms.
-In doing so, he risked his life to save yours."
-
-"That is true," said the Chinaman, who sat quite still and rigid,
-staring straight in front of him.
-
-"Is there no gratitude," said Frank, "in all the Chinese race?"
-
-There was again a long pause; and then Yung How quite suddenly fell
-down upon his knees. Clenching both his fists, he raised them high
-above his head, shaking them violently, as if he suffered anguish.
-
-"Oh, how blind am I!" he cried. "Opium has done this. Opium, my young
-master, has brought me here. You smoke a little and it is good; your
-troubles vanish, your pains are no more, your dreams are sweet. Then
-you must take more, until, at last, you smoke all night, in order to
-forget the troubles of this world. And all that costs money. There
-comes a time when even ten dollars will not secure the treasures, the
-delights of opium. The craving was strong upon me, and all my money
-had gone, when I heard that my master was about to undertake a journey
-to the Nan-ling Mountains. I knew that I could get into communication
-with Cheong-Chau through Ah Wu. I knew also that Cheong-Chau would
-give me a good share of the ransom. I thought there would be no harm
-in it. I was assured that no one should suffer death. And now I am
-filled with remorse when I think of what has happened, when I think of
-this man, Ling, and realise that the lives of us all hang upon a
-thread. I have had my fill of opium. I want no more of it. Believe
-me, my young master, I am prostrate with grief!"
-
-It was fortunate that there was no one else on the balcony, for not
-only was Yung How's emotion great, but he had raised his voice, and had
-there been anyone near at hand, he must have been overheard. Frank
-realised, with a sense of relief, that he had nothing to fear from the
-man, that Yung How would not betray him. He saw also that Yung How
-must master himself before Ling returned. The boy stretched forth a
-hand and touched the Chinese upon the chest.
-
-"Listen, Yung How," said he, "you need not despair. With your help, I
-believe, we can not only escape ourselves but save my uncle and Mr
-Waldron. Ling watches me. Without your help I can do nothing. But
-you have friends in Canton; it should be possible for you to get a
-message through to Hong-Kong. To-morrow morning Cheong-Chau's letter
-will be delivered to the Governor. The ransom will be paid, but Ling
-will get hold of it if troops are not sent down to capture him. This
-message should go to Hong-Kong to-night. The boat leaves at eight
-o'clock. It is now half-past seven."
-
-Yung How sprang to his feet.
-
-"We have delayed matters too long," he cried. "Why should not we two
-escape at once without wasting a moment?"
-
-Frank grasped the man's hand and pressed it. "I promise you my uncle
-will forgive you. More than that, on his behalf, I promise you a
-reward."
-
-"That is not necessary," said Yung How. "I am disgraced; you have made
-me realise my own baseness. I should like you to see that a Chinaman
-can be an honest man. But, I repeat, we do but waste time in words.
-We must go together and we must go now--at once--if we are to catch the
-boat!"
-
-Even as he continued speaking, he moved forward rapidly, followed by
-Frank. They passed hastily down the stairs, and thence, passing the
-little room in which Men-Ching had been done to death, they went to the
-back door, with the object of letting themselves out.
-
-As Frank Armitage stretched forth a hand to take hold of the handle,
-the door swung back, as on its own accord. And there entered Ling, who
-had to stoop in order that his gigantic form might pass beneath the
-lintel.
-
-"And so," cried Ling, "we have returned. Men-Ching sleeps with his
-fathers. As the West River flows eastward to the sea, the waters sing
-a song of sleep to the celestial graves on either bank. Opium, Ah Wu!
-Give me opium to smoke, for like the long-tailed horse of a Manchu
-warrior, the mighty Ling scents battle from afar."
-
-
-
-
-CHAPTER XVII--HOW LING WAS TOO LATE
-===================================
-
-It was, with Ling, something in the nature of a pose to speak after the
-fashion of the scholars, using the flowery language of the writers of
-poesy, or quoting the philosophical maxims of the sages. None the
-less, the moment he entered the opium den, though he spoke of other
-things, it was apparent both to Frank Armitage and Yung How that Ling
-had detected the fact that they were about to make their escape.
-
-In his customary boisterous manner, the great Honanese ushered them
-into the room. Ascending the stairs, he sprawled at full length upon
-the couch upon which Frank had been seated but a few moments before,
-when Yung How made his confession.
-
-"At last," said Ling, "Cheong-Chau and myself are to meet. He knows me
-of old. This will not be the first time that I have snatched the ripe
-fruit from his mouth. Cheong-Chau has no cause to love me. I have
-heard it said that he regards me as his deadly enemy, the only man who
-ever foiled him."
-
-He puffed at the opium pipe which Ah Wu had brought him. The amount of
-the drug that the man consumed was extraordinary, and moreover, it
-seemed to have very little effect upon either his physical or mental
-constitution. As he sent thin clouds of blue smoke upward to the
-ceiling, in the close, stifling atmosphere of the room, he half closed
-his eyes, and appeared to be lost in his thoughts.
-
-"Well," said he, "I have no fear of Cheong-Chau and all his rascals. I
-shall win. There is little doubt as to that. The wolf cannot stand
-before the tiger. Therefore you would be wise to side with me. If the
-wolf shows his teeth, he goes the way of Men-Ching. And thither go all
-who oppose me. For your own guidance, I advise you to remember this."
-
-He opened his eyes and fixed them upon Yung How, who stood at hand.
-Yung How did not flinch. He was as calm and dignified as usual.
-Indeed, for a few moments only had Frank seen him otherwise, and then
-he had appeared absolutely carried away by anguish and remorse. It
-occurred to Frank how strange it was that a man who, as a general rule,
-was outwardly so calm and collected should be capable of such
-deep-seated and demonstrative emotion. However, the Chinese are an
-inexplicable race, as Frank knew well enough. He regarded Yung How,
-and was delighted to observe that the man never faltered in his honest
-resolution before the steady, piercing gaze of the implacable Honanese.
-
-"I desire to know," said Ling, "where you two were going as I chanced
-to enter."
-
-Yung How did not answer a word. He continued to look Ling straight in
-the face.
-
-"Very well," said Ling, "you need not tell me. I have a shrewd
-suspicion that you were up to no good. I shall take the necessary
-precautions and ask you, for the sake of your own welfare, to remember
-my warning."
-
-He disposed himself as if for sleep, throwing back his head upon the
-pillow. Ah Wu busied himself about the establishment, entertaining his
-guests, of whom there were now many, and seeing that his assistants
-went about their duties. As for Frank and Yung How, they lay down upon
-couches on the balcony, the former because he was thoroughly tired, and
-felt that he required a rest.
-
-Suddenly Ling sat up, and cried out that he was hungry. Shouting down
-into the room below, he ordered one of Ah Wu's men to bring him food,
-and then turned to Yung How.
-
-"And you shall wait on me," he declared. "I have heard it said that
-you have a great reputation in Hong-Kong, that you squeeze even ricksha
-coolies for copper cash and make more money than a comprador. You
-shall attend to my wants; and when I have eaten all that I desire, you
-shall--as I promised you--wash up the bowls and plates."
-
-Presently one of Ah Wu's assistants mounted the staircase, carrying in
-his hands a large tray upon which was a number of Chinese dishes. The
-tray was set down upon a small table at which Yung How was ordered to
-preside, handing the mighty Ling whatever dish he might call for.
-
-Now Yung How had made up his mind to escape, and even as he waited upon
-Ling he took careful stock of his surroundings. He knew that he could
-not rely upon any help from Ah Wu, who was now hand and glove with the
-Honanese. He had noticed that Ah Wu had locked the back door, putting
-the key in one of his pockets. There was a clock in the room, towards
-which Yung How repeatedly carried his eyes. It was twenty minutes to
-eight. Yung How had, indeed, very little time if he was to make good
-his escape and catch the Hong-Kong boat. He could not very well cross
-the room, and go out by the main entrance, because Ling would certainly
-see him and follow in pursuit. The man was beginning to despair when
-he observed a window at the farther end of the balcony.
-
-This window was closed, but it might be possible to open it. Also,
-since the floor of the lower room was somewhat below the level of the
-street, the window could not be far from the ground. The difficulty
-that confronted Yung How was how to reach the window without arousing
-the suspicions of Ling.
-
-Now Yung How, like the majority of his countrymen, was by no means
-devoid of inventive powers. The Chinaman is an adept at finding an
-excuse, and it must be confessed that the device of Yung How was
-ingenious.
-
-In handing a small bowl of rice to Ling, the man purposely knocked over
-the small opium spirit-lamp which stood burning upon the table by the
-side of the couch upon which Ling was lying. This nearly resulted in a
-general conflagration that might have destroyed the whole
-establishment. The oil ran out, and set fire to the dry matting with
-which the floors were carpeted; and this burned like tinder-wood, the
-fire running with rapidity along the balcony and filling the whole
-place with smoke.
-
-Ling, springing to his feet, utilised one of the cushions of the couch
-to smother the fire. Frank was not slow to follow his example, and Ah
-Wu and several men from the lower room, hastening up the steps,
-resorted to various means to quench the fire, or at least to hold it in
-check.
-
-For the best part of a minute the whole place was uproar and confusion.
-Those who were already asleep from the effects of opium were awakened
-by cries of "Fire!" One or two in alarm left the establishment by the
-main entrance, spreading the report in the city that Ah Wu's opium den
-had actually been burned to the ground.
-
-Long before that Yung How had made the most of his opportunity. At the
-moment when the danger was most imminent, when the attention of both
-Ling and Ah Wu was fully engaged, the man passed unseen to the window,
-which he opened. Leaning over the sill and looking down, he satisfied
-himself that it was not more than twelve feet to the ground. As quick
-as thought he crawled through, hung for a moment at the full extent of
-his arms, and then dropped to the street. Instantly he set off running
-as fast as he could in the direction of Shamien.
-
-When the fire was extinguished, Ling gave vent to his feelings, cursing
-Yung How for his carelessness and folly. However, he had not
-unburdened himself of more than a few sentences when, to his
-astonishment and indescribable wrath, he discovered that Yung How was
-gone. Seeing the opened window, he rushed to it, and looked out.
-Beyond there was nothing but darkness, an unlighted by-street, not more
-than two or three yards in width.
-
-Ling descended the stairs like an infuriated tiger. Quite suddenly he
-came to a halt in the middle of the room. Thence he returned up the
-staircase, four steps at a time, at the top of which he encountered
-Frank. He seized the boy by the throat, and then, lifting him off his
-feet, tucked him under an arm, as a man might carry a hen.
-
-He again descended the stairs, unlocked the door of the little room,
-threw the boy inside, and locked the door upon him. A moment later, he
-was in the street, rushing forward at such a tempestuous rate that he
-cleared all obstructions from his path. He thrust an empty ricksha
-aside with such violence that he broke the shafts. He knocked over
-three men: a fat old merchant, a beggar, and a blind man. He killed a
-duck by crushing it underfoot, and finding his way barred by a pig, he
-picked it up and threw it over a wall, the animal squealing in terror.
-
-Gaining the narrow creek that separates Shamien from the main part of
-the city, Ling dashed across the bridge of boats. That night the few
-Europeans who were walking along the *bund* in front of the hotel and
-the club beheld the remarkable apparition of a Chinese giant who
-charged forward like a madman, his long pigtail flying out behind him,
-making in the direction of the harbour.
-
-On a sudden, Ling stopped dead. His headlong course had been arrested
-by a peculiar sound, or rather combination of sounds, the explanation
-of which was not difficult to seek. There was the shrill whistle of a
-siren and the sound of large paddles violently thrashing the water.
-
-Almost at once, the Hong-Kong boat hove in sight. The decks were
-ablaze with light. Upon the bridge, Ling could distinguish both the
-Chinese pilot and the English captain.
-
-"Hi!" he shouted. "I have missed the ship. If you slow down and lower
-a rope I can come on board from a *sampan*."
-
-He spoke in excellent English. There is no doubt that the captain both
-heard and understood him, for Ling received his answer.
-
-"Too late, my friend!" shouted the captain. "We sail to time, and if
-you're not here it's your own fault. You'll have to wait till
-to-morrow--eight o'clock in the morning."
-
-Ling's answer was neither in the English language nor at the top of his
-voice. It was in Cantonese, and as a matter of fact it cannot be
-translated. And if it could be translated, no one would print it. For
-Ling had not failed to observe Yung How, standing alone upon the upper
-deck.
-
-
-
-
-CHAPTER XVIII--OF THE SPIDER AND THE WEB
-========================================
-
-When Frank was thrown into the little room beneath the stairs, and
-heard the key turn upon him, he at first believed himself to be in
-utter darkness. But very soon his eyes became accustomed to the dim
-light that emanated from several cracks in the woodwork.
-
-These cracks were in the stairs that led from the lower room to the
-balcony. The opium den was, of course, well illumined by several
-paraffin lamps. The little room in which Frank was imprisoned extended
-from the foot of the staircase to the back wall, the staircase itself
-forming the ceiling, which was in consequence only about three feet
-high at one end of the room, and about twelve feet high at the other.
-Now it so happened that the largest crack was at the lower end of the
-room, and Frank Armitage was not slow to discover that, by placing his
-eye to this, he could see quite easily into the opium den.
-
-When he looked into the outer room he was able to observe several opium
-smokers, and Ah Wu himself, who was seated at his desk at the doorway.
-There was, however, no sign of Ling, and Frank rightly concluded that
-the Honanese must have left the establishment in pursuit of Yung How.
-
-There could be no doubt upon this point; for not only could the boy
-see, but he was able to hear quite distinctly, the woodwork of which
-the small room was constructed being extraordinarily thin. If Ling had
-been either upon the balcony or in the lower room Frank must have heard
-him; for the man seldom spoke without raising his voice to such a pitch
-that he might have been giving a word of command to a regiment of
-cavalry.
-
-Fully an hour elapsed before the Honanese returned. He was then in a
-towering rage. He called for Ah Wu, who chanced to be absent in the
-kitchen. Frank heard Ling inform the proprietor of the opium den that
-Yung How had escaped on the Hong-Kong boat. Both men then repaired to
-Ah Wu's private apartments, where they remained for the greater part of
-the night, Ah Wu occasionally looking in upon the opium den to see that
-his business prospered.
-
-Until about eleven o'clock the following morning, Frank Armitage was
-left to his thoughts; and these were none of the pleasantest. He was
-suffering considerable discomfort. It was a long time since he had had
-any food; and the great heat and stifling atmosphere of the opium den,
-together with the pungent smell of the smoke, had served to make him so
-thirsty that his lips were dry and his tongue clave to the roof of his
-mouth. He regretted bitterly that he had not been able to escape with
-Yung How. He felt that he could not stand the extreme suspense of his
-situation much longer. It seemed to him inevitable that before long
-Ling would discover who he was.
-
-This was all the more probable, since--according to Ling--Cheong-Chau
-himself was coming to the opium den. The brigand would be far more
-likely than anyone else to recognise Frank--because he knew which of
-his prisoners had escaped, and had evidently come south in order to
-hunt for the fugitive.
-
-Frank was seized with a great dread that Cheong-Chau had already made
-away with his other prisoners, that he had murdered both Sir Thomas
-Armitage and Mr Waldron. There was a possibility, on the other hand,
-that he had brought his captives with him, which he might have done
-quite easily on board a river-junk. Knowing full well that he could
-not hope to obtain the ransom if Sir Thomas and Mr Waldron were known
-to be dead, he may have decided to send further evidence to Hong-Kong
-to the effect that his hostages were still alive. On thinking the
-matter over, Frank was inclined to the belief that this was what had
-actually happened.
-
-There was another aspect of the business which demanded consideration.
-It was now Cheong-Chau's intention to go himself to the Glade of
-Children's Tears, in order to procure the money as soon as it arrived.
-This, as we know, was a privilege that the mighty Ling had chosen to
-reserve for himself; and so a meeting between these two redoubtable
-villains was sooner or later inevitable. Cheong-Chau would have upon
-his side the advantage of numbers. Ling, on the other hand, was in
-possession of the more accurate information: he knew Cheong-Chau's
-whereabouts and his intentions, whilst Cheong-Chau knew nothing about
-him; he knew also that Yung How had escaped to Hong-Kong and that
-intervention by the British was by no means improbable--a circumstance
-of which the brigand chieftain remained in ignorance.
-
-That night Frank endeavoured to work out every possible contingency,
-until his brain grew dizzy with thinking. At last, dead tired, feeling
-sick with suspense, hunger and thirst, with such a splitting headache
-resulting from the foul atmosphere of the den that he could hardly open
-his eyes, he flung himself down upon the couch and almost at once fell
-fast asleep.
-
-In the boy's last waking thoughts he found some degree of comfort. He
-had come to realise that he himself could do nothing. He was at the
-mercy of fate, in the hands of Providence--just as helpless as a wisp
-of straw carried down-stream upon the current of a river. So far as
-his own safety was concerned, he had come to such a pass that it might
-almost be said that he no longer regarded it. To himself it did not
-seem a matter of supreme importance whether he lived or died. He had
-not given up hope, but physical exhaustion and mental strain had done
-their work.
-
-During the earlier hours of the night his sleep was disturbed and
-restless. He was conscious all the time of the voices of men talking
-in the outer room, and these voices were in some way mingled with his
-dreams, which were nothing but a series of nightmares, in which the
-sinister figure of the colossal Ling was ever present--Ling with his
-great hands and brute strength, his long glistening pigtail, his evil,
-snake-like eyes, his rude jokes, his loud laughter, and the
-half-mocking, half-serious manner in which he quoted from the writings
-of the great Chinese philosophers. But, given a fair chance, a sane,
-healthy and youthful constitution will in the end triumph over both
-mental and bodily disorders, and towards the small hours of the morning
-the boy fell into a heavy, dreamless sleep, from which he was not
-awakened until Ling unlocked the door of the little room about eleven
-o'clock in the morning.
-
-The Honanese regarded his captive for some moments without speaking.
-
-"You have slept well?" he asked.
-
-"I have slept well," said Frank.
-
-"They say," said Ling, "that sound sleep is a sign of a pure
-conscience. I myself am in the habit of sleeping like a child. And
-yet," he added, in a doubtful voice, "I am half of opinion that I ought
-to put you out of the world."
-
-"You are free to do as you wish," said Frank.
-
-"I thank you," said Ling. "I am aware of it."
-
-"At the same time," said the other, "I beg to remind you that I am not
-here of my own free will. I did not ask to accompany you; you can
-scarcely say that I intruded. You kidnapped me and demanded that I
-should assist you. I did so to the best of my ability. I confess I
-had no other alternative. That does not alter the fact that had you
-left me to mind my own affairs I should not have interfered with you.
-You told me a great deal about yourself. I did not ask you to. You
-brought me here, where in my presence you committed a crime----"
-
-"No, no," Ling interposed. "You do me a great injustice. I have
-committed no crime. I did but defend my life. I usually do so with
-success."
-
-"Have it your own way," said Frank, who now--for some reason or
-other--felt bolder in the man's presence that he had ever felt before.
-"It is not a matter that concerns me. A few days ago I had neither
-seen nor heard of you. It was a misfortune for me that I encountered
-you that morning upon the wharf at Sanshui. You have no right to
-detain me. I have no valuables upon me, but a few copper *cash*. If
-you want them you can take them. You are welcome to what I have. I
-ask but one thing: to be allowed to go free, to go about my own
-affairs."
-
-"That is well spoken," said Ling. "I admit I am fond of you. I think
-I have told you already that I have admitted you into the innermost
-chamber of my heart. Had I a son, I would that he were such as you. I
-would bring him up in the way that he should go. I would not entrust
-his education to the *literati* of China. I would teach him myself."
-
-"To be a robber?" asked Frank.
-
-"Robbery," said Ling, "is a profession. I think that education should
-be regarded merely as a groundwork, a kind of foundation upon which to
-build. A man should be left to discover his own talents. His natural
-inclinations will not lead him astray. One man will make a good
-priest, another a good pirate. An excellent *scroff* may make a fool
-of himself as a schoolmaster. You cannot grow mangoes upon a
-cherry-tree, neither will a river fish live in the salt water. I would
-teach you, my son, the divine philosophies of China; I would instruct
-you in astronomy, music and mathematics. Then, when you were grown up,
-you would be able to fend for yourself. It would be all one to me
-whether you were a government prefect, a mandarin of the Red Button, or
-a brigand like Cheong-Chau, whom I hope to meet this evening."
-
-"I see," said Frank, "that you would confer many favours upon my humble
-self. I ask but one small boon--to be allowed to go away from this
-place where you have thought fit to imprison me."
-
-"And that is the one request," said Ling, "that I am unable to grant.
-It so happens that I want you."
-
-"Why?"
-
-"Our friend, Ah Wu, has gone away. He has gone upon a visit to
-Cheong-Chau. Cheong-Chau and he are old friends; they are brother
-pigs, who have eaten many a time from the same trough. Ah Wu will
-bring Cheong-Chau here. Cheong-Chau is a great opium smoker, and, as
-all Canton is well aware, no better opium can be obtained in the city
-than that which is sold by Ah Wu. So Cheong-Chau will come."
-
-"And what has this to do with me?' asked Frank.
-
-"It has a great deal to do with you," said the other, "for, in the
-meantime, I am left in charge of this establishment; hence, for the
-second time, I need your assistance. Cheong-Chau knows me very well by
-sight. He would not remain in this place two seconds if he saw me when
-he entered. Therefore, once again, I must hide."
-
-"Where?" asked Frank.
-
-"There is a small storeroom between the curtains and the outer door.
-There I shall be. Thence I shall be able to see everyone who enters or
-who leaves. There will be no other way of exit, for the back door will
-be locked and I shall have the key. When Cheong-Chau enters you are to
-attend to his wants. When he asks for opium to smoke, you are to take
-it to him; but you are to come to me for it, and the opium which I will
-give you will be drugged. That is all you have to do. It will be very
-simple. You cannot hope to escape, for I myself guard the outer door,
-and I shall be armed with the revolver that I took from Yung How. I
-need hardly tell you that, if necessity arises, I shall shoot."
-
-Frank realised at once that this plan of Ling's involved the utmost
-peril for himself. It was probable that Cheong-Chau, when he came,
-would recognise the fugitive. What the result of this would be, Frank
-dared not imagine. On the other hand, he saw no way of escaping from
-Ling. It was as if the boy was no more than a fly which had been
-caught in the meshes of the huge net woven by this implacable and
-terrible spider.
-
-Throughout the whole of that day, he was kept busily employed in the
-opium den, brushing the couches, sweeping the floor and cleaning the
-spirit-lamps. He was given food to eat, and plenty of green tea to
-drink, which had the effect of getting rid of his headache. And all
-the time he was working he endeavoured to collect his thoughts; he
-tried to think of some definite plan of action. But rack his brain as
-he might, he could see no way out of his difficulties. He could think
-of no means of staving off the calamity which was impending.
-
-During the afternoon the den began to fill. Customers continually
-dropped in, some to smoke opium, others to purchase it and take it
-away. At nightfall, there was about a dozen people in the place, and
-when the clock which was suspended upon the railings of the balcony
-struck the hour of ten, the voice of Ah Wu was heard without the main
-entrance. Immediately afterwards, the fat proprietor entered,
-accompanied by Cheong-Chau, the brigand chief.
-
-
-
-
-CHAPTER XIX--HOW LING READ CONFUCIUS
-====================================
-
-Frank, who feared instinctively that the worst would happen, retreated
-hastily to the other end of the room. There he busied himself with
-vigorously sweeping the floor, until he was summoned by Ah Wu to attend
-to the wants of the new-comer.
-
-The boy's heart was beating violently. It was as much as he could do
-to lift his eyes from the ground to meet those of the redoubtable
-brigand from whose clutches he had so recently escaped; and when at
-last he did so, he was more than ever dismayed to perceive that
-Cheong-Chau was attended by three of his ruffians, whom Frank knew well
-by sight.
-
-As in a flash, the boy reviewed the circumstances of the predicament in
-which he found himself. He saw no hope that he could avoid detection.
-Even if Cheong-Chau himself failed to recognise the fugitive--a very
-unlikely contingency--one of the other three would be almost sure to do
-so. It must be remembered that the boy had not disguised his features.
-His identity was but thinly veiled by the Chinese clothes he was
-wearing--which had been given him by the tea-grower--the false pigtail
-and the shaven forepart of his head. He could not believe for a moment
-that Cheong-Chau would fail to know him.
-
-In his extreme anxiety, it did not occur to the boy that Yung How, who
-knew him a great deal better than any of the brigands, had been quite
-deceived, that Frank had been obliged to declare his identity to the
-man who had known him since childhood. For all that, even if the boy
-had had either the presence of mind or the inclination to take stock of
-his chances of success, he could not have overlooked a very important
-fact: that Cheong-Chau was looking for him, whereas Yung How, on the
-other hand, had never suspected for an instant that he had escaped.
-
-Cheong-Chau and his men had come south in pursuit of the fugitive. The
-man had been enticed into the opium den by Ah Wu, whom he still
-believed to be his colleague. Here Cheong-Chau was to be drugged by
-order of the subtle and relentless villain who even then lay in
-hiding--like a great cat crouching by the side of a mouse-hole--behind
-the embroidered curtains. And now Cheong-Chau was to find himself,
-suddenly and unexpectedly, confronted by the very fugitive whom he had
-pursued for days.
-
-Frank, cold with fear, certain of disaster, and dreading that he would
-be mercilessly put to death, looked Cheong-Chau in the face. The
-varied sensations he experienced were akin to what those must be of a
-condemned man upon the scaffold. He did but wait for the terminating
-blow to fall.
-
-He could not look at Cheong-Chau for more than an instant. He turned
-and regarded Ah Wu, who was standing on the other side of him. Ah Wu
-was smiling in his oily, plausible manner. He looked the complete
-host, affability itself, and all the time he was planning the
-discomfiture of his guest. A fat, genuine rogue!
-
-"Ah Li," said he, addressing Frank, "you will attend to the wants of
-our distinguished guest. Conduct Cheong-Chau and his friends to the
-more comfortable couches upstairs, smooth the pillows, place a
-spirit-lamp upon each table, and then hasten to the storeroom and
-procure the best quality opium. Cheong-Chau would smoke the Indian
-variety, that which comes from Calcutta, than which there is no finer
-opium in the world."
-
-Frank turned, and departed up the staircase. Indeed, he was devoutly
-thankful to get away. At the top of the steps he paused, and stood for
-a moment trying to think, with his back turned to the room.
-
-Nothing had happened--nothing at all. Cheong-Chau had not spoken.
-None of his men had said a word. The boy was still unrecognised. It
-was too good to be true. It was all like a dream.
-
-Pulling himself together, Frank carried out his orders, thinking all
-the time that the remarkable chain of circumstances which had carried
-him against his will and inclination from one adventure to another was
-something altogether foreign to his former experiences. Life, instead
-of a pleasant and somewhat homely occupation, had become a kind of
-romantic nightmare. It was hard not to believe that presently he would
-awaken to find that Cheong-Chau, Ah Wu and Ling himself were phantasms,
-hallucinations, that would vanish at the moment of waking, their
-sinister and evil personalities fading away, in the boy's memory, like
-smoke upon the air.
-
-He could scarce believe that a few minutes' calm reasoning would not
-instantly dissipate the reality of these strange and terrible people,
-the remarkable events dependent upon the thoughts and actions of a
-ruffian like Ling. Everything was all the more unreal to Frank because
-he appeared to exist, to continue to undergo such singular experiences,
-only by virtue of a series of miracles. The unexpected always happened.
-
-It was also inconceivable to the boy that he himself, the nephew of one
-of the most distinguished government officials in Hong-Kong, a man of
-almost world-wide reputation as a lawyer, should find himself a coolie
-attendant in a Canton opium den, in which he conversed, in terms of
-intimate acquaintance, with Chinese thieves, brigands, swindlers and
-cut-throats. And yet he was not dreaming: he was conscious of a
-headache; both his knees and elbows had been badly bruised; and
-besides, Yung How, who had once been wont to take a small five-year-old
-boy for walks upon the level paths on the crest of the Peak, had known
-him, had fallen upon his knees before him, and had wept tears of
-repentance.
-
-Whilst the boy was busy with these thoughts, he was carrying out his
-duties. He had arranged the couches, lighted the spirit-lamps, and
-seen that there was one of Ah Wu's best carved ivory opium pipes upon
-each lacquer table.
-
-By that time Cheong-Chau and his three companions, attended by the
-officious Ah Wu, had ascended the stairs. Cheong-Chau's eyes glistened
-at the thought of the treat in store for him; while his men--rough
-Chinese of the very lowest class--stared about them in awed amazement
-at the carved wood, the rich draperies, the gilded lacquer that adorned
-Ah Wu's premises. Doubtless they had never before found themselves in
-such a high-class establishment. They had been wont to smoke their
-opium in the foul and verminous dens of the provincial town of Pinglo.
-Possibly they had never before beheld the miraculous city of Canton.
-
-Frank observed all this, and knew that he could find here the reason
-why he had not been recognised. The men were too much impressed by
-their surroundings to take note of details. Place a beggar in a
-palace, and he will most likely fail to notice the pattern of the
-carpet upon which he stands, even though he stare in his embarrassment
-at nothing else.
-
-Cheong-Chau stretched himself upon the couch immediately facing the
-stair-head. His three followers similarly disposed themselves upon his
-left, the one at the end reclining under the window through which Yung
-How had escaped.
-
-Ah Wu rubbed his hands together and addressed himself to the brigand.
-
-"They tell me," said he, "that one of your prisoners has cut off?"
-
-"That is so," said Cheong-Chau, with an oath. "The fools of sentries
-let him through. He got away in the night. I and ten men started at
-daybreak, bringing with us the two other captives, but so far we have
-failed to find the culprit."
-
-Frank, standing near at hand, listened intently to every word. The boy
-had placed himself against the wall, a little behind Cheong-Chau, so
-that the man would have to turn to look at him.
-
-"Can he have reached Hong-Kong, do you think?" asked Ah Wu.
-
-Cheong-Chau shrugged his shoulders.
-
-"I think not," said he. "He has barely had time. But who can say?"
-
-"And you have brought your other captives with you?"
-
-"That was necessary," said Cheong-Chau. "I had to keep them under my
-eye. I cannot trust my men. They allow hostages to escape."
-
-"Did you not find them very much in the way?" asked Ah Wu.
-
-"Not in the least. We came down in one of my own sea-going junks. We
-are now anchored in the Sang River, about two miles from the Glade of
-Children's Tears. Still, I am not here to give information but to
-receive it. What news have you of Men-Ching?"
-
-"He left here yesterday morning," answered the other, without moving a
-muscle of his face.
-
-"Did he not say where he was going?"
-
-"Not a word."
-
-"Strange," said Cheong-Chau. "A surprising circumstance! He knew well
-enough that you were in our confidence. He ought to have spoken openly
-to you."
-
-Ah Wu laughed.
-
-"Of course," said he. "Why, it was I myself who arranged the whole
-matter."
-
-"And what of the other man, Yung How, the Hong-Kong servant?"
-
-"He also is gone."
-
-Cheong-Chau was silent a moment.
-
-"We must suppose," said he, "that Men-Ching has gone on to Hong-Kong
-with the letters. We may therefore presume that the letters have
-already reached their destination. The money may arrive at the Glade
-to-morrow. As for Yung How, I do not know the man. But if he
-contemplates treachery, it will go ill with him. And now, Ah Wu, my
-opium. I would smoke."
-
-Ah Wu turned to the boy and ordered him to bring four bowls of Indian
-opium from the storeroom. Frank descended the stairs, passed down the
-length of the lower room, drew back the embroidered curtains and
-entered the storeroom, where he found Ling seated upon a stool. It was
-one of those high stools upon which Chinese of the merchant class are
-wont to do their accounts, similar to the old-fashioned clerks' stools
-sometimes seen in offices in England. When seated upon one of these,
-the average man rests his feet upon a cross-piece, several inches from
-the ground. Ling, however, sat with one foot upon the floor and the
-other leg crossed upon his knee.
-
-When the boy entered, Ling was reading, but he at once looked up from
-his book.
-
-"The writings of Confucius," said he, "assure me that the perfect life
-cannot be attained by any man. Troubles, disappointment, sorrows and
-failure are bound to accompany us wherever we go. Divine philosophy
-instructs us to accept our destiny with grace. The coat of every man
-is patched; there are cracks in the armour upon which he depends to
-defend himself from the arrows of adversity. He who thinks himself
-infallible falls the most heavily; the conceited man lays the trap by
-which he himself is caught; his own vanity trips him up. He who
-attempts much, hopes for much, but is prepared to go unrewarded, is he
-to whom success is doubly assured. I trust, my youthful friend, you
-follow me."
-
-"Perfectly," said Frank.
-
-"That is well," said Ling, laying down his book. "And now we will
-poison Cheong-Chau."
-
-"Poison him!" exclaimed the boy.
-
-"Fear not," said Ling. "Send him comfortably to sleep--a sleep that
-will last for some days. By then I shall have gathered the harvest at
-the Glade of Children's Tears, and you, my little one, will be
-free--your heart's sole desire."
-
-He turned and picked up a large pale blue bowl in which he had stirred
-a quantity of opium, mixing it with a colourless fluid contained in a
-bottle.
-
-"There are four of them, I understand?" said he.
-
-"Yes," said Frank.
-
-"It is as well," observed Ling, "that I have made enough. I fill four
-small bowls--one for each. These fools will not taste anything; they
-will not suspect. They will smoke and dream, and enjoy to the full the
-delights of opium. And they will fall gradually into such a sleep that
-the firing of a cannon in the room would not awaken them."
-
-He handed to the boy the four small bowls upon a tray of carved black
-wood.
-
-"Take it," said he, "and leave me to my reading. Happiness is to be
-found in wisdom, not wisdom in happiness. In prosperity the heart
-withers; in adversity, it blooms. Farewell."
-
-Frank went out, holding the tray before him, and ascended the flight of
-steps.
-
-
-
-
-CHAPTER XX--HOW THE TIGER SPRANG
-================================
-
-Upon the balcony Frank found Cheong-Chau still in conversation with Ah
-Wu. No one would have suspected from the demeanour of the fat
-proprietor of the opium den that he plotted the overthrow of the
-redoubtable brigand chief. The man was all smiles and Chinese
-courtesy. He rubbed his hands together; he flattered his guest; he
-bowed repeatedly. Frank advanced, carrying the tray upon which were
-the four bowls of opium.
-
-"Ah!" exclaimed Ah Wu. "We have here the choice opium of which I
-spoke. I guarantee that the distinguished Cheong-Chau has never smoked
-the like of it. I procure it from an agent in Burma. This, I believe,
-is the only house in China in which it is sold."
-
-"I thank you, Ah Wu," said the brigand, who had divested himself of the
-greater part of his clothing. "I thank you from my heart. I am a
-rough man, accustomed to the wilds. Such luxuries seldom come my way.
-At the same time, Ah Wu, who is this boy? It occurs to me that I have
-seen him before."
-
-The man was staring at Frank, who felt his heart sink within him. Ah
-Wu's answer, given without hesitation, was somewhat reassuring.
-
-"He has been here," said Ah Wu, "for many months."
-
-"Strange," said Cheong-Chau, "that I have never seen him before!"
-
-Frank was, at first, at a loss to explain what motive Ah Wu could have
-for telling such a deliberate falsehood. It then occurred to him that
-Ah Wu could not explain truthfully who he was without mentioning Ling;
-and it was--from Ah Wu's point of view--of extreme importance to keep
-the name of Ling out of the whole affair. If Cheong-Chau but knew that
-the great Honanese was in the building, he would not have remained in
-the place for five seconds, much less would he have been so careless as
-to allow his physical and mental capacities to be temporarily subdued
-by the subtle fumes of the opium poppy.
-
-"Come here, boy," said Cheong-Chau, who had not yet removed his eyes
-from Frank. "I want to look at you more closely."
-
-The boy went forward in fear and trembling. Cheong-Chau grasped him by
-a wrist, and drew him downward, so that their faces were not more than
-a foot apart.
-
-"You bear," said Cheong-Chau, speaking very deliberately, "a most
-remarkable resemblance to the very man I am looking for. What is your
-name?"
-
-"Ah Li," said Frank.
-
-The boy's heart was beating like a sledgehammer. He felt instinctively
-that the Sword of Damocles, which had been suspended for so long above
-his head, was at last about to fall. That the result would be fatal to
-himself, and those whose lives depended upon him, he could not for a
-moment doubt.
-
-"I come from Sanshui," said he, in a weak voice that quailed.
-
-Cheong-Chau suddenly rose to his feet and lifted his voice to a kind of
-shriek. It was the voice Frank had heard when Cheong-Chau addressed
-his followers in the gloomy nave of the temple; it was the same voice
-the man had used on the occasion when he staggered into the cave,
-senseless and drugged with opium.
-
-"It is in my way of thinking," he shouted, "that you come from
-Hong-Kong, that your name is no more Ah Li than mine is, that you are a
-foreign devil in disguise!"
-
-Ah Wu opened his eyes in astonishment. He lifted both hands with
-fingers widespread. He looked like an old woman who has seen a ghost.
-
-"There is some mistake!" he cried.
-
-"This boy," roared Cheong-Chau, "is a foreigner."
-
-His voice was so loud that it carried to the farther end of the room.
-Everyone heard his words, and those who were not asleep raised
-themselves upon their elbows to ascertain what the disturbance was
-about. Behind the embroidered curtains the mighty Ling, who had been
-listening to all that was said, crouching like a cat, rose stealthily
-and slowly to his feet. He was like a great beast of prey that
-suddenly scents danger. It was as if he stretched the great muscles of
-his body, preparatory to action.
-
-"You are a foreigner!" cried Cheong-Chau.
-
-Frank knew not which way to look. He had put down the tray upon a
-small lacquer table by the side of Cheong-Chau's couch. The brigand
-still held him tightly by a wrist. Realising that he could not deny
-the truth of the man's words, the boy made a foolish, headstrong effort
-to escape. With a quick wrench, he freed his arm, and turned upon his
-heel with the intention of dashing down the steps. Since subterfuge
-had failed, he felt that he had nothing else to rely upon but physical
-agility.
-
-He had almost reached the head of the stairs when Ah Wu stretched forth
-a hand to detain him. It is strange that the boy's exposure should
-have been brought about by Ah Wu, in whose interests it was for the
-deception to continue--at least, whilst Cheong-Chau was in the house.
-
-Ah Wu attempted to seize the boy by a shoulder, and failing in this, he
-clutched at Frank's pigtail, which was flying out behind him. Needless
-to say, as the boy plunged down the stairs, he left behind him his
-false pigtail in the hands of the dumbfounded Ah Wu. Before he could
-stop himself, Frank was at the bottom of the stairs, and there, for the
-first time, he remembered that he would have to pass Ling at the outer
-door.
-
-For the brief space of a moment, Frank looked about him like a hunted
-beast. He could see no way of escape. Ling, he knew, was in front of
-him, though not visible. The back door was locked. There were no
-windows in the lower room. On the other hand, escape from one of the
-balcony windows was impossible, for Cheong-Chau and his three followers
-stood at the stair-head. The voice of Cheong-Chau filled the room,
-uttering, in a weird, sing-song voice, a kind of triumphant pæan.
-
-"I am Cheong-Chau," he cried, "and men fear me from the Nan-ling
-Mountains to the sea. I have hunted down the fugitive and I have found
-him. Those who foil me can expect no mercy. I live by the knife, and
-my enemies die by the knife. Death to foreign devils!"
-
-At that, he dashed down the stairs. As he did so he drew from his belt
-a long, curved Chinese knife, which he raised high above his head.
-
-Frank turned and fled down the room, but Cheong-Chau was upon him as a
-cat springs at a mouse. The boy was caught by the coat, and jerked
-backward. With difficulty he maintained his balance. Looking up, he
-beheld Cheong-Chau's knife raised on high, whilst the man's eyes were
-fixed upon the region of the boy's heart.
-
-"By the knife!" shrieked Cheong-Chau. "By the knife!"
-
-The cruel weapon glittered in the light emanating from the paraffin
-lamps. Frank closed his eyes, knowing that the end was about to come.
-He felt that he had not strength to look longer into that impassioned
-face.
-
-Then, quite suddenly, there came a roar like that of a charging lion.
-Frank was pushed aside and sent flying across the room, to pitch, head
-foremost, over an unoccupied couch. Gathering himself together, he
-beheld a feat of strength that was amazing.
-
-.. _`"THERE CAME A ROAR LIKE THAT OF A CHARGING LION"`:
-
-.. figure:: images/img-208.jpg
- :align: center
- :alt: "THERE CAME A ROAR LIKE THAT OF A CHARGING LION."
-
- "THERE CAME A ROAR LIKE THAT OF A CHARGING LION."
-
-
-The mighty Ling had swooped down upon his rival as an eagle snatches
-his prey. A blow from his great fist sounded like a pistol shot, and
-Cheong-Chau, without a sound, fell in a heap senseless on the floor.
-And then two of the brigand's followers were seized by the throat, and
-their two heads were brought together with a crash. One man pitched
-forward on the instant, and lay upon his face, flat across the body of
-his leader. As for the other, he went reeling round the room like a
-man dazed and drunken. Then he dropped down upon both knees by the
-side of a couch, holding his head between his hands.
-
-The third man turned and fled in trepidation at the sight of the fate
-of his comrades. However, he had gone no farther than half-way up the
-stairs, when Ling snatched up one of the small lacquer tables, and
-hurled it at the fugitive with such force that it crashed to atoms
-against the banisters. This projectile was followed, a fraction of a
-second later, by a lighted paraffin lamp, which stretched the man
-senseless upon the balcony at the feet of the amazed Ah Wu.
-
-All this had happened in less than a minute. Frank Armitage had only
-just time to observe that the lamp had fortunately gone out, and that
-there was no danger of the place being set on fire. And then he
-himself was plucked violently from off his feet.
-
-Ling had picked him up as though he were a babe in arms. In his haste
-and violence, the man tore down the embroidered curtains. Frank heard
-the front door slam, and then he was conscious of the fact that he was
-being borne onward at a terrific pace, through the dark and narrow
-streets of the great Chinese city.
-
-
-
-
-CHAPTER XXI--OF THE GLADE OF CHILDREN'S TEARS
-=============================================
-
-Frank had neither time to consider the extraordinary sequence of events
-narrated in the previous chapter nor the slightest inclination to
-speculate in regard to the future. He realised, somewhat dimly, that
-he was no more than a pawn in the game. A few moments since, he had
-stood defenceless in the stifling atmosphere of the opium den; he had
-beheld the knife raised to strike him down. He had been delivered with
-dramatic suddenness at the eleventh hour. At the same time, he could
-not help realising that, in all probability, he had fallen out of the
-frying-pan into the fire. If his deception had been detected by
-Cheong-Chau, his identity had also been discovered by the formidable
-Ling.
-
-In the meantime he was being carried away to some unknown destination.
-The boy realised the futility of attempting to struggle, and if he
-cried out for help in those dark streets, no one was likely to take the
-least notice of him.
-
-Ling kept--so far as he was able--to the by-streets: the narrow,
-twisting lanes that form a veritable labyrinth in the poorer parts of
-this wonderful and mysterious city. The hour was tolerably
-late--approaching midnight. The main streets were lighted by means of
-the flares in the shops and upon the hawkers' booths; and when it was
-necessary to cross one of these, the spectacle of the great Honanese
-carrying under his arm one who was apparently a foreign boy, dressed in
-Chinese clothes, attracted no little attention. However, with every
-Chinaman it is a fixed principle of life to mind his own affairs, and
-no one interfered.
-
-At last, Ling set down the boy upon his feet, and taking hold of him by
-a wrist, proceeded to drag him forward. Presently they came forth upon
-the outskirts of the town. It was a bright night; for though the moon
-was on the wane, the sky was clear and there was a glorious canopy of
-stars--stars such as can only be seen east of the Suez Canal. The boy
-was able to make out the great gabled tower, situated upon a hillock to
-the north of the city, which goes by the name of the Five-Storied
-Pagoda. He remembered very well visiting this place, a few weeks
-before, accompanied by Mr Waldron and his uncle.
-
-Ling took a bridle path leading directly to the north, lying in a
-bee-line across the down-like hills. The man strode forward, walking
-at such a great pace that Frank was obliged to run to keep up with him.
-All this time he said nothing. He walked, staring straight in front of
-him--a gaunt, sinister and gigantic figure. Never for a moment did he
-release his hold of Frank's wrist, which felt as if it was held within
-a vice.
-
-After a time they came to a river, or canal. Since the path led
-straight into the water and was visible in continuation upon the other
-bank, it was evident that there was a ford. Ling hesitated a moment,
-and then, hoisting his captive upon his shoulder, carried him high and
-dry to the other side, himself wading in water that reached to his
-knees. Beyond, he once more set down Frank upon the ground; and they
-went forward at the same steady pace. And at every step the water
-squelched in the soft felt shoes the Chinaman was wearing.
-
-At the end of an hour, Frank was beginning to feel fatigued; he was
-considerably out of breath. Ling, on the other hand, appeared to be in
-no way exhausted. They came to a hut--the habitation, in all
-probability, of some swineherd or peasant.
-
-Ling kicked open the door, and they found within an old man, very
-disreputable and dirty, clothed in rags, sound asleep before the
-glowing embers of a charcoal fire.
-
-Ling touched the sleeper upon the shoulder, and the old man sat up.
-
-"The mighty Ling!" he exclaimed, the moment he saw his visitor.
-
-"Peace," said Ling. "I come in peace, my friend. You need not be
-discomfited. I ask for nothing more than you can give me."
-
-The old man, who had now risen to his feet, bowed low.
-
-"A mandarin of the Blue Button has but to speak," said he. "Who is a
-mere drover of foul pigs to gainsay the word of so distinguished a
-personage? Is it food you desire, or water, or an hour's rest upon
-your journey? All I have, sir, is your own."
-
-"I want that which will cost you nothing," answered Ling. "This will
-not be the first time that you have aided me. I will reward you--at a
-later date--if all goes well with me."
-
-"May the gods assist you," said the old man, bowing again.
-
-"I rely upon myself," said Ling. "Tell me, Cheong-Chau's men have come
-from the mountains. They are reported on the Sang River. Have you
-seen anything of them?"
-
-"I have indeed," said the other. "There is a junk anchored about three
-*li* west of the tower. I saw it this afternoon."
-
-"Did you notice how many men were on board?"
-
-"About five or six," said the old man.
-
-"That agrees," said Ling, "with what I already know."
-
-He remained silent for a moment, and then suddenly grasped Frank by an
-arm and thrust him through the door.
-
-"Come!" he cried. "We have no time to lose."
-
-The next moment Frank Armitage was on the road again, and throughout
-the early hours of the morning he continued to travel northward, in
-company with his grim and silent captor. Once the boy dared to speak,
-asking Ling where they were going; but he was at once ordered to hold
-his tongue.
-
-"You need what breath you have," observed the Honanese. "I am not here
-to answer questions."
-
-There was more than a little truth in the first remark, for the boy was
-obliged to keep up a steady jog-trot mile after mile, with never a halt
-or a rest by the wayside.
-
-Presently they gained the crest of a chain of low-lying hills. The
-moonlight was sufficient to enable them to see for a considerable
-distance. Before them lay a valley--so far as Frank could make
-out--exceedingly fertile and picturesque, in which was a tall, thin
-tower, somewhat resembling a short factory chimney, except that at the
-top there was a narrow, circular balcony protected both from the rain
-and the powerful rays of the sun by one of those queer-shaped,
-overhanging roofs that are peculiar to Southern China.
-
-Frank knew at a glance that this was the tower from which, in days gone
-by, it had been the custom of the Cantonese to throw little children,
-whose existence had grown irksome to their parents. At one time this
-barbarous and terrible custom was prevalent in the Middle Kingdom,
-until finally even the Chinese themselves revolted against the laws
-that permitted such a crime.
-
-Flooded by the pure light of the moon, the valley appeared a perfect
-haven of rest. No one would have believed that such a beautiful spot
-had, in former times, been the scene of such terrible brutality. The
-tall tower shone like brass, and at its feet the broad waters of the
-Sang River flowed swiftly to the west.
-
-Ling, still dragging Frank forward, descended the hill, and then turned
-to the right, towards a clump of trees. It was then, for the first
-time since they had left Canton, that, of his own accord, he spoke to
-his prisoner.
-
-"Here is the place," he cried. "The Glade of Children's Tears. Here
-it is that Cheong-Chau's ransom money will be hidden."
-
-Frank did not think it advisable to answer. Ling no longer held him by
-a wrist: such a precaution was now unnecessary. Frank could not
-possibly escape.
-
-For a distance of about a hundred yards they walked in the heavy
-shadows under the branches of the trees, which were thick with leaves.
-And then, quite suddenly, they came once again into the bright
-moonlight, to find themselves confronted by a scene which was both
-grotesque and picturesque.
-
-In ancient times the place had evidently been the site of a temple, of
-which only the ruined walls, a few stone steps and several flagstones
-remained. Here and there, lying upon the ground, overgrown by weeds
-and underwoods, were great broken, hideous idols, many of which were at
-least twelve feet in length. In the ghostly moonlight, it was like
-looking upon a scene which had been the battle-field of giants.
-
-It was manifest that Ling knew the place well, for he walked straight
-up to a great circular stone, considerably darker in colour than the
-surrounding brickwork and rocks. Though this stone must have been of
-enormous weight, he rolled it away without difficulty. Beneath was a
-large hole. Going down upon his knees, the man struck a match, the
-light of which dimly illumined a vault as large as an ordinary room.
-
-"Empty!" he exclaimed. "However, I did not expect to find the money
-here. It should arrive to-morrow, if my calculations are correct. I
-do not think that your friends will venture to waste time. Too much is
-at stake."
-
-"*My* friends?" said Frank.
-
-"Exactly," said the other. "I was so fortunate as to discover who you
-are. I confess that for days you deceived me. I never dreamt for a
-moment that the boy whose services I enlisted in Sanshui was a
-European. I congratulate you upon your accent and your knowledge of
-the Cantonese language. You speak it as well as I, who am a
-Northerner."
-
-"And why," asked Frank, "have you brought me here?" This was the
-question he had long been burning to ask.
-
-Ling shrugged his shoulders.
-
-"You may have deceived me," said he, "but I am not altogether a fool."
-
-And that, apparently, was all the reply he would condescend to give.
-
-"I fail to understand," said Frank.
-
-"Then you are very dense. Let me enlighten you: in a few hours, twenty
-thousand dollars will be hidden in this place. That money is intended
-for Cheong-Chau. Cheong-Chau will not receive a cent."
-
-As he said these words, he rolled the stone back into its place.
-
-"Cheong-Chau's junk lies up-stream," he continued, once again as if
-speaking to himself. "He had ten men with him. He took three with him
-to Ah Wu's opium den. Of those three, I have accounted for one at
-least, and I do not think the man I struck down with the lamp will be
-fit to fight for many a day. In any case, neither those three men nor
-Cheong-Chau himself are here. There are therefore only seven on board
-the junk. It is now about three o'clock in the morning. Six of those
-seven men are sound asleep. I propose to take the junk by storm."
-
-"You mean," said Frank, "that you will do this--single-handed?"
-
-"I have this," said Ling. "If necessary, I shall use it."
-
-At that he produced the revolver he had taken from Yung How. He played
-with it for a moment in his great hands, and then put it back in his
-pocket.
-
-"I shall require the junk," he added, "in order to take the treasure
-away. And even if I fail to get possession of it, I have you, my
-little one, who are so clever. You are worth, to me, at least another
-twenty thousand dollars."
-
-Frank saw the truth as in a flash: once again he was a hostage. Ling
-no doubt intended to demand a second ransom as the price of the boy's
-freedom--perhaps his life. As the man remained silent for some
-minutes, Frank had the greater time to think the matter out. And the
-more he thought of it, the more was he obliged to admire the consummate
-subtlety of Ling, who had the faculty of grasping a situation without a
-moment's waste of time, estimating the salient factors at their proper
-value.
-
-In the opium den, Frank's identity had been unmasked, and his life
-threatened in a period of time which could not have been more than
-thirty or forty seconds. And yet, in those brief and breathless
-seconds, Ling, in hiding behind the curtain, had summed up the position
-at a glance. He had seen that Cheong-Chau--who for the moment was
-blind with rage--was about to throw away a human life that was likely
-to be extremely valuable to himself. It was not a sense of humanity
-that had prompted him to save the boy. He had done so for his own
-personal ends.
-
-"Come," he cried, "to the junk! I promise you I will flutter the
-dovecot. I will scatter them like ducks."
-
-At that he strode forward, followed by Frank, amazed at the man's
-calmness and audacity.
-
-
-
-
-CHAPTER XXII--OF THE CAPTURE OF THE JUNK
-========================================
-
-Ling walked in an easterly direction, keeping at a distance of about a
-hundred yards from the river bank. The morning was exceedingly still;
-nothing disturbed the silence but the ceaseless sound of the current of
-the river, stirring the tall reeds that grew in the shallow water. The
-Sang River, which at this place was about a hundred and fifty yards
-across, is one of the main tributaries of the Pe-kiang, which flows
-into Canton from the north. As Frank knew well, it was navigable for a
-considerable distance, even for sea-going junks. Presently Ling began
-to talk to himself in a low voice, but loud enough for the boy to hear.
-
-"The sages have told us," he observed, "to think before we act. Men
-speak of the 'road of life.' That is a false metaphor. In life there
-are many roads; it is open to us to travel by one or by another. The
-junk will be anchored in midstream." He broke off, turning quickly to
-the boy. "Tell me, can you swim?"
-
-Frank replied that he was a good swimmer.
-
-"That is well," said Ling. "It will be necessary for you to accompany
-me into the water. It is to your advantage to do so. On board, you
-will find the two friends you left in Cheong-Chau's cave in the
-mountains."
-
-"So if you capture the junk," said Frank, "if you overpower those on
-board, you will have three hostages instead of one."
-
-"That is true," said Ling. "But better for you and your friends to be
-in my hands than in the hands of Cheong-Chau, who is a blind, senseless
-fool."
-
-"You will be satisfied with the ransom?"
-
-"Concerning that," said Ling, "I have not yet made up my mind."
-
-He spoke no more, but continued to stride forward, the boy following in
-his footsteps. They came to marshy ground, where their shoes squelched
-in the mud. And here, knowing that they could not be far from the
-junk, they walked more slowly, as silently as possible.
-
-A little after, at a place where the river turned abruptly to the
-north, they found themselves before the junk, which lay at anchor not
-fifty yards from the bank. Ling took off his coat, and the boy
-followed his example. Then, without a word, the Chinese, like a great
-water-snake, glided silently into the river.
-
-Frank hesitated to follow. It was within his power to escape. Perhaps
-the great Chinaman did not care whether he did so or not. For two
-reasons, the boy divested himself of his coat and followed Ling: first,
-he had by now so great a respect for the man's ability and prowess that
-he doubted very much whether he would succeed in getting away;
-secondly, and chiefly, he had an overmastering desire to set eyes upon
-his uncle, to know that both Sir Thomas and Mr Waldron were still alive
-and safe.
-
-The current being somewhat swift, it was fortunate that Frank was a
-strong swimmer. In the moonlight he could see before him the great
-head of Ling, moving rapidly and silently forward upon the surface of
-the water.
-
-The man reached the prow of the junk, and there, laying hold of the
-chain to which the anchor was attached, he lifted himself half out of
-the water, and in this position he remained, waiting for Frank. In a
-few seconds the boy had joined him.
-
-The moonlight fell full upon the Honanese. The man's yellow skin
-glistened. In his teeth he held his revolver which, whilst swimming,
-he had held high and dry. Then quite slowly he drew himself up the
-chain until he had gained the deck--the high forecastle-peak which is
-to be found on every sea-going Chinese junk. There he crouched behind
-the capstan.
-
-In a few minutes, Frank Armitage had joined him. The boy was out of
-breath from swimming.
-
-Side by side, they lay quite still for about five minutes. Ling
-evidently intended to give his young assistant time to recover his
-breath. At last, the man whispered in Frank's ear.
-
-"Fools!" he exclaimed. "They have not even posted a sentry."
-
-As he said the words, a man appeared from behind the mast--a man who
-was smoking a cigarette.
-
-The end of the cigarette glowed brightly. It was plain that the man
-had just lighted it. In all probability he had gone behind the mast
-for that purpose, in order to be sheltered from the wind. He appeared
-to have no suspicion that intruders had come on board, for he walked
-leisurely forward, smoking and singing to himself a weird Chinese
-tune--a melody on three notes, each long sustained.
-
-He reached the peak of the vessel, and there stood still for a moment,
-looking across country towards the hills. And then it was that Ling
-sprang upon him. The man was snatched from off his feet. He had no
-time to cry out, to give the alarm, for almost at once one of the great
-hands of the Honanese was placed upon his mouth. He was gagged in less
-than a minute with an oily rag that was found lying upon the deck,
-which must have been extremely unpleasant to the taste.
-
-There is never any difficulty on board a ship of any kind in finding
-rope, and it was not long before the unfortunate sentry was bound hand
-and foot and left upon the deck.
-
-Then Ling, still followed by Frank, advanced on tiptoe until he came to
-a little hatchway, a kind of trap-door, which communicated with the
-foul cabin in which Chinese fishermen and their families are wont to
-live, eat and sleep.
-
-Lying down at his full length, Ling turned an ear downward and remained
-for some time listening. From below there issued sounds of heavy
-snoring.
-
-Having satisfied himself that everything was in order, the Honanese got
-to his feet, and returned to the man whom he had gagged and bound in
-the forepart of the ship. With his great fingers he tore the man's
-coat into shreds. These he folded carefully. Then, searching the
-deck, he found a long cord, which he cut into several pieces, each
-about a yard in length. Thrusting all these materials into his
-pockets, he returned to the hatchway, where he lowered himself
-carefully and silently into the cabin below.
-
-What followed Frank could only guess. By reason of the darkness in the
-cabin, the boy was able to see nothing. He heard faint sounds of
-struggling--an occasional gasp or choke---once or twice a muttered
-Chinese oath, stifled suddenly in the midst of a syllable.
-
-It was apparent that the mighty Ling fell upon his victims one by one,
-in quick succession. He dealt with them in detail, pouncing upon each
-man when he was deep in heavy slumber.
-
-Not one of these unfortunates was given time to cry out, to give the
-alarm to his comrades. Each in turn was gagged before he was fully
-awake. And then his hands were bound behind his back and his feet tied
-together.
-
-The Honanese had accounted for six in this manner, when he struck a
-match and lighted a hanging paraffin lamp suspended from one of the
-beams that supported the deck. He then ordered Frank to descend.
-
-The boy found himself in a small cabin that extended from one side of
-the ship to the other. It was indescribably dirty. All sorts of
-things were scattered upon the floor: pieces of rope, fishing tackle,
-unwashed plates and rice-bowls and articles of clothing. Upon the
-floor lay six men in a row, gagged and bound, each one wearing the
-scarlet coat which was the distinctive uniform of the followers of
-Cheong-Chau.
-
-The place was not high enough to enable Ling to stand upright. He
-stood in the middle of the cabin, almost bent double, in which position
-he resembled a huge gorilla. He was grinning from ear to ear.
-
-"A simple affair," said he. "They were delivered into my hands by that
-benevolent Providence that unerringly guides the footsteps of those who
-have acquired merit. Were I not a generous and kind-hearted man I
-should throw them, one after the other, into the water. As it is, they
-can lie where they are."
-
-By then he had discovered a door at the after end of the cabin. On
-attempting to open this door, and finding it locked, he turned again to
-Frank.
-
-"Search those fools," he ordered. "On one of them, I have little
-doubt, you will find a bunch of keys."
-
-Frank did as he was commanded, but failing to find that for which he
-looked, suggested that the man on deck might have had charge of the
-keys.
-
-"That may be so," said Ling. "I am not disposed to wait. I have an
-idea that beyond this door we shall find your European friends."
-
-So saying, with a great blow with his foot, he kicked in the door so
-that the lock was broken. He then took the paraffin lamp from the hook
-from which it was hanging, and followed by the boy, entered a small
-cubby-hole.
-
-This place was probably intended for a storeroom, for though it
-extended from one side of the ship to the other, it was little more
-than two yards across, terminating in a bulkhead which divided the junk
-amidships.
-
-Upon the floor were two men, both of whom were sitting bolt upright,
-with their eyes wide open. They appeared to have been fast asleep when
-they had been rudely awakened by the breaking open of the door. Each
-man had his feet tied together, and his hands bound behind his back.
-They were hatless, and their clothes were reduced to rags.
-
-Frank Armitage gave vent to an exclamation of delight, and rushing
-forward, flung his arms around his uncle. The other prisoner, it is
-needless to say, was Mr Hennessy K. Waldron, who had certainly
-undergone some very astonishing and unpleasant adventures since leaving
-Paradise City, Nevada, U.S.A.
-
-
-
-
-CHAPTER XXIII--HOW THE TREASURE ARRIVED
-=======================================
-
-Sir Thomas Armitage did not at first recognise his nephew, and when he
-did so, he could hardly believe the evidence of his eyes.
-
-"Frank!" he exclaimed. "However did you come here?"
-
-"That is too long a story to tell you now," answered the boy. "What a
-relief it is to see you! All these days I have not known whether you
-were alive or dead."
-
-"Say," said Mr Waldron, "are we to be let loose? Am I a free citizen
-of the United States or a condemned criminal? I should like to know."
-
-Frank turned to Ling.
-
-"Those are questions," said he, "which you are better able to answer
-than I."
-
-Ling, finding it inconvenient to remain standing in so cramped a
-position, seated himself cross-legged upon the floor and spoke in
-excellent English.
-
-"You are right," said he. "The situation is in my hands. I hold you
-as hostages until the ransom is paid."
-
-Here Mr Waldron was guilty of an injudicious action. He expressed
-himself with extreme rashness in a moment of deep-seated indignation.
-
-"I assure you," said he, "that I will pay this twenty thousand dollars
-without question and without delay. To be frank, I consider the value
-of my freedom and my safety to be far greater than that. Twenty
-thousand dollars is nothing to me."
-
-"I am glad to hear it," said Ling. "I may demand forty or even fifty
-thousand. In the meantime, I must satisfy myself with what I can get."
-
-"Do I understand," said the judge, addressing himself to the Honanese,
-"that you are not one of Cheong-Chau's band?"
-
-"Does the tiger serve the wolf?" said Ling. "I am neither his coolie
-nor is he mine. Understand that I have taken possession of this junk,
-that at the present moment every man on board is bound hand and foot,
-with the exception of this boy. The crew, the ransom money,
-Cheong-Chau and yourselves--all are at the mercy of the mighty Ling. I
-will tell you plainly what I intend to do.
-
-"At any moment," he continued, "I expect the ransom money to arrive at
-its destination. It is possible that Cheong-Chau may put in an
-appearance. When he recovers his senses, he will probably behave like
-a madman. If he puts his head into the tiger's jaws, the fault is
-his--not mine. It would appear to be a simple matter for me to possess
-myself of this money. I have but to wait here until it arrives, and
-then, taking the treasure on board, to sail down-stream to the North
-River, and thence to Canton. However, I have reason to suspect
-treachery. I must therefore be careful to act with the greatest
-circumspection."
-
-"Treachery from whom?" asked Frank.
-
-"From your friend, Yung How," said Ling, "the Hong-Kong 'boy.'"
-
-He got suddenly to his feet, and passing through the door into the
-cabin beyond, set foot upon the lowest rung of the little
-companion-ladder that led to the deck above.
-
-"I leave you for a few seconds," said he to Frank. "In my absence you
-are not to attempt to unbind your friends. I propose to inconvenience
-them a little longer."
-
-He mounted the ladder and returned soon afterwards, carrying the man
-whom he had overpowered on the upper deck. This fellow he threw down
-upon the ground alongside the others. He then returned to the inner
-room.
-
-"I desire you to come with me," said he, still addressing Frank. "It
-is not so much that I find your company indispensable, as that I am not
-such a fool as to leave you on board. I propose to go to the tower,
-from the top of which we shall be able to obtain a good view of the
-surrounding country. So soon as the money arrives we will return to
-the junk. You will assist me in hoisting the sail and navigating the
-ship down-stream after we have taken our cargo on board. I know of a
-village on the North River where I shall find friends who will assist
-me--good seamen, who know their work. These will sign on as my crew,
-and Cheong-Chau's men can be packed off ashore. We shall sail to an
-island that lies not far from Macao. There I shall keep you and your
-two friends in comfort and in safety--if not in luxury--until I obtain
-a second ransom. This gentleman," he added, indicating Mr Waldron,
-"has been so obliging as to inform me that he can well afford to pay
-fifty thousand dollars. Very well, he shall do so. The matter can be
-arranged."
-
-He then told Frank to ascend the companion-ladder, he himself
-following, the ladder creaking violently beneath his weight.
-
-Upon the deck they were able to observe the first signs of daybreak
-upon the horizon to the east. The old moon was setting; one by one,
-the stars were disappearing in the sky. The river at that hour looked
-ghostly. A thin white mist was drifting down the valley.
-
-Ling, walking to the stern part of the ship, found a small boat, a kind
-of dinghy. This he lowered into the water; and then he and Frank
-climbed down by means of a rope. It required but a few strokes of the
-oar, wielded by Ling's powerful arms, to drive the boat into the bank,
-where he hid it among the rushes. A moment after they set off walking
-rapidly in the direction of the tower and the Glade of Children's Tears.
-
-By that time the first rays of the sun had flooded the valley with a
-stream of golden light. Frank observed that a great many of the trees
-were covered with bloom, and that the surrounding country was rich in
-colour, the slopes across the river being scarlet with the bloom of the
-opium poppy.
-
-Ling came to a halt before a carved door at the base of the tower.
-Opening this, he entered, followed by the boy, and found himself in a
-small circular room. Owing to the semi-darkness of the place, Frank
-could not at first take in his surroundings, but as soon as his eyes
-grew accustomed to the light, he was able to make out a narrow spiral
-staircase, built into the wall itself, which must have been at least
-five feet thick.
-
-By means of this they ascended to the top of the tower, where they
-found themselves upon a narrow, projecting balcony, encircling a little
-room that reminded Frank of a summer-house. From this position they
-were able to look down upon the whole valley, which extended to the
-east as far as the eye could reach, but which to the left vanished at a
-distance of about a mile behind a great fold in the hills.
-
-"We wait here," said Ling. "At any moment the treasure may arrive. If
-you take my advice you will go inside and snatch a few hours' sleep.
-There are strenuous days in front of you. You will have to work for
-your living. But I will reward you. I am a kind master, as those know
-well who serve me to the best of their ability."
-
-Frank, thinking that he might as well follow this suggestion, entered
-the small circular chamber, and there lay down upon the floor, using
-his rolled coat as a pillow. Almost immediately he fell asleep, and
-must have slept for several hours, for, when Ling awakened him, he
-noticed that the sun had passed its meridian, and was already sinking
-towards the west.
-
-The boy was exceedingly hungry, and accepted with eagerness the offer
-of a large piece of rice-cake which Ling produced from his pocket.
-Hardly had he taken a mouthful when he remembered his uncle and Mr
-Waldron.
-
-"Your prisoners!" he exclaimed. "They will be starving!"
-
-The Chinaman shook his head.
-
-"Not so," said he, "whilst you were asleep, I returned to the junk and
-attended to their wants. I gave them food to eat and water to drink.
-Besides, I was anxious to see that all was well."
-
-"Supposing they are found," said Frank, after a pause, "by some junk
-passing up or down the river? There is plenty of traffic upon the Sang
-River, as you know, this part of the country being thickly populated."
-
-"They will not be found," said the Chinaman. "There is no reason why
-anything of the sort should happen. They have no means of
-communicating with anyone passing upon the river. And there is nothing
-extraordinary in the spectacle of a junk lying anchored clear of the
-mid-stream fairway. You yourself often must have seen upon the Chinese
-rivers thousands of such boats with not a soul visible on board. In
-all such cases the crew has either gone ashore to drink *samshu* or to
-smoke opium, or else they lie asleep below. I am anxious about
-nothing--except, perhaps, Yung How," he added, in an altered voice.
-
-"And the money has not come?" asked Frank.
-
-"It is coming," said Ling. "That is why I awakened you."
-
-"It is coming now!" The boy sprang to his feet.
-
-Ling pointed to the west, in the direction of the river. There, sure
-enough, about half-a-mile down-stream, was a small white launch,
-similar to those which may be seen by the score in Hong-Kong harbour,
-heading straight for the southern bank, for the Glade of Children's
-Tears.
-
-Like a great vulture in the heavens that soars higher and higher in a
-series of concentric circles, Ling from the top of the tower looked
-down upon his prey. After the manner of a vulture, he did but bide his
-time.
-
-The launch ran into a narrow creek, and for a moment was hidden from
-view by the trees of the little wood. Shortly after, it appeared
-again, and both Frank and Ling watched the Chinese sailors tie her up
-to a stunted tree that overhung the water. On board were three
-Europeans, dressed in white ducks and wearing sun-helmets. The launch
-was too far away for Frank to recognise these men.
-
-And then they witnessed a sight that made the dark eyes of the great
-Honanese glitter with triumph and greed; his wide mouth expanded in a
-smile. A plank was thrown from the launch to the shore. Across this
-gangway bag after bag was carried, each one so heavy with silver that
-it required two men to lift it.
-
-At last the task was ended. The Europeans, who had superintended the
-discharging of this precious cargo, returned to the launch, which
-presently turned slowly round and made off down-stream. In the red
-light of the setting sun, on the surface of the water, they could see
-the convergent lines of ripples spreading from the bows of the launch.
-
-Ling laughed.
-
-"Come!" he cried, seizing Frank by a wrist and dragging him out into
-the open. "The ripe harvest awaits the reaper; the honey-comb is full.
-Come, come, my little junk rat, let us hasten to the feast. Wisdom and
-prudence are always triumphant. The victory is ever to the strong."
-
-As the words left his lips, there came from the direction of the glade
-the report of a revolver, and a bullet, speeding upon its way with a
-soft, shrill whistle, cut off the lobe of one of the great Chinaman's
-ears. On the instant Ling fell flat upon his face, and Frank was not
-slow to follow his example.
-
-
-
-
-CHAPTER XXIV--HOW THE TIGER VANISHED IN THIN AIR
-================================================
-
-They had thrown themselves down upon the ground in a place where the
-grass was long enough to screen them from view. The light was fading
-rapidly. It would soon be quite dark. A heavy mist was gathering in
-the valley.
-
-Frank looked at his companion. He could see blood flowing profusely
-down the man's neck. For all that, the expression upon Ling's face did
-not suggest that he suffered pain. He was grinning.
-
-He held in his hand the loaded revolver he had taken from Yung How in
-Ah Wu's opium den. It was manifest that every sense was alert.
-Screwing his eyes, he endeavoured to pierce the gloom of the thickets
-immediately in front of them.
-
-Nothing was to be seen. No sound disturbed the silence of the evening.
-Slowly and stealthily Ling began to move forward through the long
-grass, after the manner of a snake, never for a moment lifting his chin
-more than a few inches from the ground.
-
-Frank followed him. There was no reason why the boy should have done
-so, and without doubt he had been wiser had he remained behind in
-safety. But he was consumed by an overmastering desire to see the
-matter out, to follow to the bitter end the fortunes of the mighty Ling.
-
-He followed in the man's wake, Ling in his progress was making a kind
-of pathway through the grass. Frank was careful not to show himself.
-He realised that the exposure of any part of his body would, in all
-probability, immediately be greeted by another shot from the glade.
-
-Ling was making for a great boulder that lay upon the outskirts of the
-wood, about twenty yards from a place where the undergrowth was
-exceedingly dense. He gained this without any mishap; and there, a
-moment later, he was joined by Frank.
-
-"You have followed me?" he asked, in a whisper.
-
-The boy nodded his head, not venturing to speak.
-
-"Then you have done so at your own risk. I am not responsible for your
-life."
-
-Very cautiously, Ling peered round the boulder behind which they lay in
-hiding. Almost at once, a single shot from a revolver was fired from
-the thickets immediately before them.
-
-Ling did not draw back, nor did he flinch. On the contrary, he drew
-himself forward until at least half his body was exposed to view.
-
-Then came another shot from the wood; Frank saw a bullet strike the
-ground not three inches from the man's head. At that moment Ling
-himself fired. Three revolver shots rang out in quick succession, and
-then, with a roar like that of a charging tiger, the man rose to his
-feet and plunged into the wood.
-
-Frank saw the flash of a long knife he carried in his left hand. In
-his right he still held his revolver. He crashed into the undergrowth
-like a wild bull, and the darkness swallowed him up.
-
-The boy waited an instant; then, as nothing happened, he rose to his
-feet and followed after Ling.
-
-He was able to see very little of his surroundings. He found himself
-in twilight. Trees arose on every side of him like gaunt spectres,
-twisted and deformed. Dark shadows upon the ground seemed to be
-moving, floating here and there like silent ghosts.
-
-Knowing not which way to go, for a few seconds the boy remained quite
-motionless. Then suddenly there came a loud shout, in which Frank
-recognised the voice of Ling. This shout was followed by an uproar, a
-noise that bore no small resemblance to the crackling of green wood
-upon a mighty fire. Branches were broken; dry sticks and twigs were
-trampled under the feet of excited, hastening men.
-
-Frank, running forward, found himself, before he had gone thirty yards,
-upon the skirting of the Glade of Children's Tears. Here there was
-more light. The boy could see the great broken idols, overgrown with
-moss and lichen, lying upon the ground; he could see the ruins of the
-ancient temple and the great red stone beneath which the treasure had
-been hidden. Then, on a sudden, he became conscious of the figure of a
-man crouching behind a rock, not ten yards away.
-
-Though he was well in the shadow, there was sufficient light to enable
-the boy to make quite sure that the man in front of him was not Ling.
-One could not fail to identify the gigantic proportions of the
-Honanese; and this was a thin, small man. Moreover, he did not wear
-the long robe of the upper classes in China, but a short jacket,
-reaching not far below the waist; and so far as Frank could make out,
-this coat was red. Also, the man was bareheaded, whereas Ling had been
-wearing the buttoned hat of a mandarin.
-
-Frank remained silent and motionless, scarcely daring to breathe. On
-hands and knees the man moved a few paces forward, which brought him
-into the light. The boy recognised at once the shrunken, evil features
-of Cheong-Chau, the brigand chief.
-
-He could have been given no greater cause to regret the fact that he
-was altogether unarmed. In this conflict, the sympathies of the boy
-were wholly on the side of Ling. That Cheong-Chau was more evil than
-Ling was not to be doubted, since the brigand was never to be trusted.
-Ling, on the other hand--so far as Frank's experience went--was not
-likely to go back upon his word. He was pitiless and wholly
-unscrupulous; but at the same time, he had in his own way certain
-estimable virtues. The boy considered that the worst calamity that
-could, at this juncture, possibly befall him and his friends was for
-Cheong-Chau to regain possession of his hostages. If the brigand
-overpowered Ling, he would possess himself of the ransom money, he
-would recapture his own junk, setting free the crew which Ling had
-bound hand and foot; and then, it was more than probable, he would seek
-satisfaction in the murder of his victims.
-
-Frank therefore was eager to render all the assistance he could to
-Ling. But since he had upon him neither fire-arms nor weapons of any
-sort, he could do nothing but lie still and await the tide of events.
-Cheong-Chau continued to move forward on hands and knees. He turned
-his head rapidly first one way and then another. The boy was well able
-to see that the brigand was armed to the same extent as Ling; in other
-words, he carried in one hand a revolver of European manufacture, and
-between his teeth a long Chinese knife.
-
-It was plain that the man was searching in all directions for his
-adversary. He was still not many yards away from Frank. On a sudden,
-he lay quite still, seeming to flatten himself into nothing, just as a
-cat does when it lies in ambush. He had evidently seen something.
-
-Frank, straining his eyes, observed another man, visible as a mere
-shadow, moving slowly and silently amidst the undergrowth on the other
-side of the glade. This man was steadily approaching. Cheong-Chau did
-not stir.
-
-When the two men were not fifteen paces away from each other,
-Cheong-Chau raised his revolver, and was evidently about to fire, when
-suddenly he brought it down again.
-
-"Tong!" said he, in a loud whisper.
-
-"Is that you, Cheong-Chau?" came back the answer.
-
-"It is myself. And have you seen aught of the tiger?"
-
-By then the two men were together lying side by side behind a fragment
-of the ruined temple wall. They were so close to Frank that, though
-they spoke to one another in whispers, it was easy for him to hear
-every word that they said.
-
-"I thought you were he," said the man who had answered to the name of
-Tong.
-
-"And I too," said Cheong-Chau. "I was about to fire when I saw that
-you were too small to be Ling."
-
-"That is fortunate," said the other, "fortunate--for me."
-
-"And where is Chin Yen?" asked the brigand chief.
-
-"He is close behind me," said the man. "He is here."
-
-Indeed, at that moment they were joined by a third man, who crept
-forward from out of the midst of the shadows. The night was descending
-rapidly; it was already almost dark. Frank, however, had no doubt as
-to the identity of these two men. He remembered very well hearing
-their names when he was in the opium den of Ah Wu. Chin Yen was the
-man who had fallen down upon his knees beside an opium couch, holding
-his head between his hands. Tong was the unfortunate individual who
-had been struck down with the paraffin lamp. It was subsequently
-discovered that the third man never recovered from his injuries.
-
-"Well, Chin Yen," said Cheong-Chau, "where is the tiger? Have you seen
-nothing of him?"
-
-"Nothing at all," came the answer. "Three minutes ago I saw him
-standing on the edge of the glade. I was about to fire, when suddenly
-he disappeared. I think he fell upon his face."
-
-"He is somewhere here," said Cheong-Chau. "He is too big to hide
-himself. We shall find him sooner or later. He cannot have been
-spirited away."
-
-Tong shivered--or rather there was a tremor in his voice.
-
-"I don't like this business," said he. "Presently, without a moment's
-warning, the tiger will spring upon us from out of the darkness. And
-then, woe betide him into whom he digs his claws."
-
-"You are a coward," said Cheong-Chau. "We are three to one, and we are
-all armed with revolvers. What is there to fear, if we keep together?
-Ling's strength will avail him nothing."
-
-"That is true," said Chin Yen.
-
-All the same the tone of his voice carried not the least conviction.
-He was obviously just as frightened of his opponent as his comrade.
-Cheong-Chau himself was the most courageous of the three.
-
-"Obey my orders," said he, "and remain at my side. We will search the
-place thoroughly. He lies somewhere in hiding. Keep as close to the
-ground as possible. He will fire the moment he sees us."
-
-"He may have escaped," said Tong.
-
-"He has done nothing of the kind," said Cheong-Chau. "For two reasons:
-first, we must have heard him; secondly, it is not the custom of Ling
-to run away."
-
-"Let us go first to the junk," said Chin Yen. "We shall then be ten to
-one."
-
-"Fool!" exclaimed Cheong-Chau. "We should never get there. Ling would
-shoot us in the open. Come, we do but waste time talking. The glade
-must be searched."
-
-As he said the words, he began to move forward, straight toward the
-place where Frank was hiding.
-
-The boy's heart was in his mouth. He could scarcely hope that he would
-not be discovered. He could not make his escape without being seen nor
-was he in a position to offer resistance. And if he was discovered, he
-had every reason to believe that Cheong-Chau would kill him.
-
-These were the thoughts that passed rapidly through his mind. He lay
-motionless, fearing to breathe, his eyes fixed upon the crouched,
-gliding forms of Cheong-Chau and his companions. And then the boy was
-discovered. The man called Tong caught sight of him and raised his
-revolver to fire. At the moment Tong pressed the trigger, Frank struck
-the weapon upward, so that the bullet flew wide through the branches of
-the trees.
-
-Knowing that he would be shot if he remained at arm's-length or
-attempted to run away, the boy closed at once with his adversary.
-Flinging himself into Tong's arms, he endeavoured to seize the man by
-the throat; but almost immediately he was overpowered by the three of
-them, and found himself pinned to the ground and once again a prisoner.
-
-Chin Yen peered into the boy's face.
-
-"This is not Ling!" he exclaimed.
-
-Cheong-Chau came out with a brutal oath.
-
-"No," said he. "This is not the tiger; it is the foreign devil who has
-twice slipped through my fingers."
-
-Frank Armitage closed his eyes and caught his lower lip between his
-teeth.
-
-
-
-
-CHAPTER XXV--AND HOW CHEONG-CHAU VANISHED ALTOGETHER
-====================================================
-
-There is little doubt that Cheong-Chau would have killed the boy then
-and there had he not been alive to the fact that he himself stood in
-immediate danger of a sudden onslaught from Ling, who lay in hiding
-somewhere amidst the shadows of the wood.
-
-It was now almost dark. It was scarce possible to see across the
-glade. Cheong-Chau turned to Tong--the man who had endeavoured to kill
-the boy.
-
-"You were a fool to fire," said he. "How so?"
-
-"You have betrayed our whereabouts to the tiger. He cannot be far
-away."
-
-"Let us keep together," whispered Chin Yen. "It will be as much as the
-three of us can do to overpower him."
-
-It was quite plain to Frank that the three brigands stood in mortal
-fear of the mighty Honanese. They had not forgotten their experience
-in the opium den, when Ling had accounted for four of them in less than
-a minute. They knew their opponent, and they were well aware that he
-was the last man in the world to beat a hasty retreat. Indeed, Ling
-had deliberately attacked them, charging blindly like an infuriated
-beast into the darkness of the wood.
-
-For the time being they could give little attention to the boy. They
-remained for a few minutes perfectly still, holding their revolvers in
-their hands, keeping a sharp look-out in all directions.
-
-And then the mighty Ling descended into their very midst. Small wonder
-that they had not discovered him, for the man had climbed up a tree,
-and had for the last four or five minutes been seated upon a branch,
-immediately above their heads, listening to every word that was said.
-They had looked to the right and to the left; their sharp eyes had
-pierced the dark shadows beneath the underwoods and the crumbled ruins
-of the ancient temple; but never for a moment had any one of them
-dreamed of looking upward.
-
-Like a thunderbolt, Ling descended to the ground. His great weight
-fell upon Chin Yen. The man let out a loud cry, prompted by acute and
-sudden pain. Then he lay upon the ground, groaning and writhing with a
-broken arm.
-
-Ling himself staggered, and with difficulty maintained his balance.
-Indeed, he only succeeded in doing so by laying hands upon the
-terrified Tong.
-
-The man had no time to fire. He was snatched from off the ground. He
-endeavoured to struggle, but his efforts were hopeless. His revolver
-was wrenched from his hand and thrown far across the glade. Then he
-himself was hurled after it, thrown away like a half-filled sack. In
-his descent his head struck the side of one of the fallen images, and
-he lay upon the ground, motionless and stunned.
-
-.. _`"HE HIMSELF WAS HURLED AFTER IT"`:
-
-.. figure:: images/img-250.jpg
- :align: center
- :alt: "HE HIMSELF WAS HURLED AFTER IT."
-
- "HE HIMSELF WAS HURLED AFTER IT."
-
-
-In the meantime, Cheong-Chau had made the most of the only chance he
-was ever likely to have. He had fired at Ling at almost point-blank
-range. Frank, who still lay upon the ground, heard a loud groan issue
-from the lips of Ling, and a moment after he was just able to perceive
-the dark blood flowing slowly from the man's side and staining his long
-silken robe.
-
-Cheong-Chau, thinking that he had done his work, turned with the
-intention of seeking safety in flight. He was caught by the pigtail,
-and jerked backward, as a boy might flick a top. A moment after he
-found himself held by the great hands of Ling, gripped by both
-forearms, so that he felt as if he were wedged in a mighty vice.
-
-Fear took strong hold upon him. He knew, no doubt, that his last hour
-had come. He shrieked in pain and in terror, calling upon his
-followers to hasten to his help. But Tong lay senseless, and Chin Yen
-had already gathered himself together and taken to his heels like one
-possessed.
-
-Let it be said for Cheong-Chau that he made no plea for mercy. On the
-contrary, he reviled his adversary, making use of a string of Chinese
-oaths to which the boy was a stranger. And then he kicked, his legs
-being the only part of him which was free. The more violently he
-kicked and struggled, the greater became the pressure upon his arms;
-until at last he was obliged to desist, lest his very bones should be
-broken. Suddenly he became limp from exhaustion and despair.
-
-"Have you done?" asked Ling. His voice was deep and very low, and
-there was in it something of a tremor that made it plain to Frank that
-the man suffered considerable pain.
-
-Cheong-Chau made no answer.
-
-"Listen," said Ling. "Last night, had I wished, I might have killed
-you. I did not do so. The more fool I! And now, you have shot me. I
-am wounded, perhaps mortally--I cannot say."
-
-"We are old enemies," said Cheong-Chau.
-
-Ling laughed. In his laugh there was something of his old boisterous
-manner; but at the same time, it was manifest from his voice that he
-was already weak from loss of blood.
-
-"The wolf," said he, "was never an enemy of the tiger, nor can the rat
-be the foe of the dog. You, Cheong-Chau, are vermin. I would lose all
-pride in myself, in my strength and dignity, if I killed you otherwise
-than with my hands."
-
-A shudder ran through the thin frame of the brigand chief. He had
-lived a life of crime; he had sinned, time and again, against the gods
-and his fellow-men, but he was no coward; he had always known that,
-sooner or later, he must die a violent death.
-
-He had thought that fate would bring him to the dreadful Potter's Yard,
-the public and official place of execution in the city of Canton. The
-inevitable conclusion of the West River pirate is the block. So
-Cheong-Chau was prepared to die.
-
-"You will not torture me?" he asked.
-
-"I would," said Ling, "if I meted out to you the fate you have more
-than once prepared for others. But I am no such fiend. Moreover, I
-have no time to spare. I go down-stream to-night on your own junk,
-with the ransom money that you thought was yours. I go where tide and
-current take me--perhaps to live for the remainder of my days upon the
-fatness of the earth; perhaps to find my way amidst the stars in search
-of the Unknowable."
-
-"What do you mean?" asked the other.
-
-"I mean that--for all I know--the sands of life are running out. The
-blood issues from my wound. It may be that the breath of life goes
-with it. And now, you die, by what strength remains in me."
-
-Frank Armitage was not able to see how it was done--indeed, he turned
-away, and covered his eyes with a hand. It seems that Cheong-Chau was
-taken by the throat and that either he was strangled or his neck was
-broken. At any rate, it was all done in silence. The lifeless body of
-the man was allowed to fall to the ground, and then Ling turned to the
-boy.
-
-"Are you safe?" he asked.
-
-Frank rose to his feet, but did not answer. Ling placed a hand upon
-his shoulder. The boy felt that he was called upon to sustain much of
-the man's great weight.
-
-"You must help me," said Ling. "I am hurt badly. You must help
-me--back to the junk."
-
-Together they left the wood and came out into the starlight. The moon
-was already risen. It was crescent-shaped and very thin. Ling was
-breathing heavily.
-
-"In two days," said he, "it will be a new moon, but I do not think I
-shall behold it. There is something to be said for the creed of the
-Mohammedans, who hold the belief that the lives of us all, down to the
-most insignificant details, are written in an unalterable Book of Fate.
-I wonder," said he. "I wonder."
-
-They walked slowly upon the river bank, Ling still leaning upon his
-young companion. Presently they came to the boat, which they had
-hidden amongst the rushes. Ling seated himself in the bows, and as he
-did so he groaned again. Frank, placing himself in the stern, took
-hold of the little oar.
-
-"Come," said Ling, "row me to the junk."
-
-
-
-
-CHAPTER XXVI--OF GREED OF GOLD
-==============================
-
-When they reached the junk, Ling was not able to ascend by means of the
-rope up which he had swarmed so easily before. Frank went on deck, and
-finding a rope ladder, lowered it over the side of the ship.
-
-By means of this Ling climbed to the deck, whence he descended to the
-cabin below, where the paraffin lamp was still burning brightly.
-
-He asked Frank to procure for him a bucket of river water; and whilst
-the boy was absent, the man took off his coat and the thin under-vest
-that he wore. The bullet had passed under his ribs, on the left side
-of his body. The wound, which was still bleeding profusely, was a
-great, ugly rent. When Frank returned with water he was at once
-shocked and astonished to observe the expression upon the man's face.
-
-His features were pinched and drawn and haggard. The agony he suffered
-had caused deep lines to appear upon his forehead and about his mouth,
-and his eyes seemed to have sunk into his head. Beyond doubt, any
-other man would have fainted; but Ling was possessed of something of
-the vitality of a cat. He was able to speak with difficulty, yet his
-mind was perfectly clear. Assisted by the boy, he washed and dressed
-his wound.
-
-He had evidently small regard for antiseptics, for in place of lint and
-iodoform, he utilised ordinary ship's tow, which he held in place by
-means of a silk sash tied tightly round his waist. Then he ordered
-Frank to search the ship for opium.
-
-The boy found a bowl of the treacle-like substance upon a table in the
-cabin. This he brought to Ling, together with an opium pipe and a
-spirit-lamp.
-
-The man smiled, at the same time thanking the boy for his kindness.
-
-"I am too far gone to smoke," said he. "I desire to be released from
-pain."
-
-At that, he dipped his hand into the bowl and proceeded to eat the
-contents. The boy stood by, amazed. He knew enough of the potency of
-the drug to believe that Ling had swallowed enough to kill himself. He
-knew nothing, however, of the man's capacity for consuming poisonous
-doses of morphine.
-
-In a few minutes the drug began to work. His eyes, which had become
-dull, grew brighter; the wrinkles slowly vanished from his face. When
-he spoke, his voice was stronger.
-
-"You may think," said he to Frank, "that the tables are turned, that
-you are now master of the situation. It may have occurred to you that
-you have but to go into the other room to release your European
-friends, and then it will be an easy thing to overpower a wounded man.
-I assure you, that is not the case."
-
-"I had no such thought," said Frank.
-
-Ling smiled again, regarding the boy even kindly--if such an expression
-may be used in regard to a man whose face was like that of a hawk.
-
-"You are my friend," said he. "I know not why I like you. I think,
-because you are brave. I am not fool enough to believe for a moment
-that you love me; but I am sure that you have always realised that I am
-a just man, whereas Cheong-Chau was no better than a fiend. I would
-have you to understand--lest I be forced to harm you--that, wounded as
-I am, I am still master of this ship and master of you. My strength is
-going rapidly from me, as the tide goes down upon the margin of the
-sea, or as the sun sets when the day draws to its close. But I can
-still shoot, and if you play me false I shall kill you. Whilst the
-breath of life is within me, you will be wise to obey my orders."
-
-He got to his feet, and walking more briskly than before, ascended to
-the upper deck, followed by Frank. There they hoisted the sail, and
-going to the forepart of the ship, hauled up the anchor. A minute
-later, the junk was sailing slowly down the river in the starlight,
-Ling holding the tiller.
-
-With a skill that proved that he had spent a portion of his life upon
-the sea, he steered the junk into the narrow creek which had been
-entered by the launch. There Ling, assisted by Frank, lowered a
-gangway, conducting from the deck to the shore. The sail had been
-hauled down and the ship secured by hawsers made fast to the trunks of
-trees that grew upon the edge of the water.
-
-Frank Armitage is never likely to forget that tragic night, its grim
-work and pitiful conclusion. He was led by Ling to the Glade of
-Children's Tears--so named, perhaps, because, in a barbarous age, the
-murdered infants had been buried there, and the temple erected so that
-men might pray to the heathen gods of China for those young souls who
-had passed so soon into the Celestial Kingdom.
-
-The faint, cold light of the dying moon here and there pierced the
-branches of the trees, so that it was possible to distinguish the old
-moss-clad ruins, the great fallen images, and the lifeless body of the
-man whose very name had once spread terror from the Nan-ling Mountains
-to the sea. There was no sign of Tong; the man had evidently recovered
-consciousness and taken to his heels.
-
-Frank stood by, a mute and wondering spectator of the fruitless efforts
-of the wounded giant. The air was heavy with the scent of the blossom
-which was on the trees; no sound disturbed the silence save the heavy
-breathing of Ling, becoming shorter and shorter as he worked, and the
-ceaseless washing of the water against the river bank.
-
-Ling walked to the centre of the glade. His gait was steady, though
-his stride shorter than usual. He stood at his full height; and had he
-not once or twice carried a hand to his left side, the boy might have
-forgotten that the man suffered grievous pain and was weak from loss of
-blood.
-
-He stood for a moment, thinking. It may have been that then he prayed
-to the god he worshipped, the god of Confucius and Mencius and the
-sages of all China: the Eternal Spirit of the Universe, the
-Incomprehensible Wisdom of the world.
-
-Then he passed on to the great stone, which, not without difficulty, he
-rolled from its place. That done, he descended into the vault below,
-where he struck a match, lighting a candle he had brought with him from
-the junk.
-
-Frank, looking down, beheld a subterranean chamber, about five yards by
-six in area, and not more than six feet deep--for Ling's head and
-shoulders protruded above the level of the ground. And in this vault
-were sacks, to the number of twenty, each of which was filled with a
-thousand Mexican dollars.
-
-Now a thousand silver dollars are no mean weight; and yet Ling unaided,
-and in spite of his fast-failing strength, lifted the sacks one after
-another and placed them upon the ground above.
-
-Then he himself came forth from the vault, and stood for a moment
-holding his left side, with the pale moonlight full upon his face. It
-was the face of death itself.
-
-The man's features were more drawn and haggard-looking even than
-before. It may have been the moonlight that caused his countenance to
-appear snow-white. He breathed like one who is spent from running; his
-great chest heaved, and Frank perceived that his wound had opened
-again, and the red blood was even then staining his clothes. Towards
-this man--of whom, throughout all the adventures through which he had
-passed, he had stood in the greatest dread--the boy now experienced
-feelings of infinite commiseration.
-
-"Let me help you?" he asked.
-
-And Ling laughed aloud--a laugh that sounded forced and hollow, in
-which there was more of irony than mirth. He pointed to one of the
-bags.
-
-"Lift that up," said he.
-
-Frank attempted to do so, but found that he had not the strength.
-
-"You must go back to the junk," said he. "I give you my word of honour
-I will be true to you. I will attend to your wound. I will do all I
-can to help you."
-
-"You do not know me," answered Ling. "I never give in. I go through
-with that which I have begun. And besides, there is no time to lose.
-I feel sure that Yung How has not wasted his time. If I delay I may be
-captured."
-
-"If you do not rest," cried Frank, "you will kill yourself."
-
-Ling was silent a moment. Then he snapped his fingers. "And what does
-that matter?" he asked. "What difference does it make to you--or, for
-the matter of that, to me? Death is nothing. We are only put into the
-world to die."
-
-At that he lifted one of the bags upon his shoulder, and set forward in
-the direction of the place where the junk was moored.
-
-
-
-
-CHAPTER XXVII--HOW LING DRIFTED TO THE STARS
-============================================
-
-Ling staggered under the weight of his burden. For all that, he gained
-the junk, where he threw the sack into an open hatchway in the forepart
-of the ship.
-
-He then returned to the glade, and by a great effort lifted a second
-sack upon his shoulder. In all, he made the journey twenty times; and
-on each occasion his gait was more unsteady, his breathing shorter and
-faster. It appeared to Frank, who watched him, that the man diminished
-in stature; his shoulders became round--when he had once been so
-upright--and he walked like an old man, with bent knees and hollowed
-chest.
-
-He was not able to complete his final journey without a rest. Half-way
-between the glade and the junk, he threw down the last sack upon the
-ground, and seating himself upon it, placed his head between his hands
-and came out with a great sob that was pitiful to hear. He needed his
-last ounce of strength to steady himself to walk the narrow gangway.
-No sooner had he reached the deck of the junk than the sack fell from
-his hands, and he himself collapsed. His knees gave way from under
-him, and he lay for several minutes quite motionless, curled up like a
-great dog that sleeps.
-
-Frank, thinking that the man was unconscious, knew not what to do. He
-began to search for a tin can or pannikin of some sort in which to give
-him water, but he had failed to find anything suitable for such a
-purpose when Ling struggled to an elbow.
-
-"Come here," said he. "I would speak to you."
-
-His voice was so low as to be scarcely audible. Frank hastened to his
-side and, kneeling down, placed an ear close to his mouth.
-
-The boy had no fear now of the mighty Ling. Indeed, it would have been
-mere foolishness to fear one so stricken, in so sorry a plight. Ling
-was no longer an incarnate monster, a blustering, boisterous bully.
-The tiger was caught, choked and enfolded in the meshes of a net. And
-yet, he still struggled for life--struggled to the last.
-
-He was a man who, during the last few hours, had been possessed by but
-one idea, which had absorbed the whole of his mind and strength and
-energy. Call it avarice, greed of gold, or the nobility of a supreme
-endeavour, it is all the same--it means that there was something in him
-of the earthly hero. It means that a power that is immortal had given
-him strength to accomplish all that he desired, had given him courage
-to live but a little longer. And now, with the plunder safely on
-board, and the wide river of the valley extending to the open sea, he
-knew that his days were numbered, his time on earth was short.
-
-"I would speak with you," he whispered. "I would tell you, you are my
-friend. Go below and release the European prisoners, but keep
-Cheong-Chau's men bound hand and foot. You cannot trust them. They
-are all of a breed--of the same breed as their leader. In Canton--if
-you wish it--you can hand them over to justice. Tell the prefect that
-they were captured by the mighty Ling."
-
-In that thought he appeared to find some degree of satisfaction. He
-had always been vain of his strength, his wisdom and his courage.
-
-He was silent a moment. Frank noticed that he smiled--a smile that was
-terrible to see, because his face was so pinched and haggard. His
-thoughts must have turned to things divine, for when he spoke again, it
-was in the words of the Celestial Emperor's prayer. He had turned over
-upon his back, and lay with his eyes wide open, looking up at the stars.
-
-"To Thee, O mysteriously working Maker, I look up in thought. How
-imperial is Thy expansive arch! I, Thy child, dull and unenlightened,
-come to Thee with gladness, as a swallow rejoicing in the spring,
-praising Thine abundant love."
-
-All his vanity had left him now. The heart of the monster was that of
-a little child. The violence of the life he had lived, the cruelty of
-his deeds, departed from him as the life's blood flowed from his wound;
-and the wisdom and the reverence he had learned on earth rose superior
-to earthly joys. He closed his eyes, and lay for a long time,
-breathing more easily, as if asleep.
-
-Frank got to his feet and, descending into the cabin below, cut the
-bonds that bound Mr Waldron and his uncle. In as few words as
-possible, the boy explained exactly what had happened; and then all
-three went on deck, to the place where Ling was lying at the foot of
-the mast.
-
-As they approached, he endeavoured to lift his head, but it fell back
-again, as if he had lost control of the muscles of his neck.
-
-"Can you sail the junk?" he asked, speaking for the first time in
-English.
-
-"I think so," said Frank. "In any case, if we can but get her out into
-mid-stream, she will drift upon the current."
-
-"That is what I would wish," said Ling. "Let me drift into the other
-world. Forty years since, I was born upon the turbulent waters of the
-Hoang-Ho. Let me breathe my last upon the tranquil Pe-kiang. One is
-inclined to believe," he continued, "that destiny is expressed in
-symbols. The Hoang-Ho is the most boisterous, violent and unmanageable
-river in all the thirteen provinces of this celestial land. And my
-life has been such, in very truth. I have lived by violence, and now I
-die a death by violence. But--I know not why--I die calmly, in peace
-with all men and my Maker. I think that, perhaps, the bad that was
-within me has gone out of me with the brute strength that was mine, and
-the good that was within me has taken possession of my soul, to conduct
-me to the expansive arch of heaven. And now, that I may rest in peace,
-bring me a pillow for my head. You cannot move me--I am too heavy.
-Besides, I desire to remain here, to regard the stars."
-
-Searching the junk, they found several cushions, and these they
-disposed so that the man could lie in greater ease. And Mr Waldron,
-who--as a man who had lived much of his life in the wilds--had some
-little experience in surgery and medicine, attended to Ling's wound,
-washing away the blood and folding another and a cleaner bandage.
-
-And then they loosed the junk from her moorings, and with difficulty at
-last succeeded in getting the ship clear of the creek. She at once
-swung round with the current. And when they lowered what little canvas
-she carried, the ship drifted down the river, with Sir Thomas Armitage
-at the tiller.
-
-On this account progress was very slow, and they had not progressed
-many miles when the red dawn began to appear in the east. They passed
-villages upon both banks of the river, surrounded by flooded
-ricefields, purple in the dawn. As the light grew, they were able to
-perceive distant wooded hills, with ancient temples and pagodas built
-upon their slopes.
-
-They had taken turn and turn about at the work of steering, relieving
-one another every half-hour, so that there were always two of them in
-attendance upon Ling. He did not speak again until the sun had risen,
-when he complained that the light was trying to his eyes.
-
-As he had said, he was far too heavy to be moved. They constructed an
-awning above him, a small sail tied to the mast. He thanked them with
-Chinese courtesy, and then closed his eyes again, as if he desired to
-sleep.
-
-A little after, they rounded a bend of the river, and found that they
-had gained the Pe-kiang, or North River, which joins the West River a
-little above Canton. And there, lying in mid-stream, like a watch-dog
-at the mouth of its kennel, was a British gunboat, her paint glistening
-in the sun, the great muzzle of a 4.5 gun directed at the bows of the
-junk. They could see the gunners, each man in his place, standing
-ready to fire.
-
-The junk drifted nearer and nearer to the man-of-war. They could see
-the commander on the bridge. He shouted to them through a megaphone,
-ordering them to heave to and drop their anchors, or else he would open
-fire. When he saw that there were Europeans on board, however, who
-were free to do what they liked, and that the only Chinaman visible was
-a man stretched at full length upon the deck beneath an awning, he
-threw back his head with an exclamation of surprise.
-
-At the commander's side upon the bridge stood a long-coated Chinaman;
-and as the junk drew alongside, Sir Thomas and his nephew recognised
-their old servant, Yung How.
-
-A moment later, the lieutenant-commander was on board the junk,
-listening in astonishment to the extraordinary tale which Frank
-Armitage had to tell. It was not easy to believe, but there was on
-board the junk indisputable evidence that the boy spoke the truth. For
-there was the sack of silver dollars upon the deck, where Ling had
-thrown it; Cheong-Chau's seven men were below, bound hand and foot; and
-there was the great Honanese himself, with the spark of life no more
-than glimmering in that colossal frame.
-
-Whilst Frank was relating his story, Sir Thomas addressed himself to
-Yung How, who stood upon the deck of the gunboat. The man explained
-that he had done all in his power to atone for his treachery and
-ingratitude. He had reached Hong-Kong--as we know--on the same boat as
-the letters, but had not been able to pluck up sufficient moral courage
-to present himself before the police authorities until after he had
-been several hours on the island. The ransom had already been
-despatched, when the Chief of Police presented himself before Sir John
-Macintosh, the Governor.
-
-It would have been easy to telegraph to Canton, instructing those on
-board the launch to wait for His Majesty's gunboat *Ferret*. It was
-decided, however, to allow the ransom money to be taken over by the
-brigands, who could afterwards be brought to book at the junction of
-the Sang River with the Pekiang. It would not be possible for
-Cheong-Chau to remove the treasure by any other means than by junk or
-*wupan*. Of the operations of Ling and the undoing of Cheong-Chau and
-his band, the Hong-Kong police authorities, of course, knew nothing.
-
-Yung How himself was ordered to accompany the ship's doctor, who
-immediately hastened to the assistance of the dying man on board the
-junk. When the servant found himself face to face with his master, he
-immediately fell upon his knees, imploring Sir Thomas to be merciful.
-The judge was not slow to forgive, realising that Yung How had at last
-been made to realise the evils of the drug to which for so many years
-he had been a slave, and the depths of degradation to which the opium
-smoker can sink.
-
-Upon that fateful morning, however, beyond a few brief words of mutual
-congratulation, little enough was said. The attention of all was taken
-up by the prostrate figure of the notorious Canton robber, who for
-years past had defied all authority and law.
-
-The naval surgeon declared that he could do nothing. The man was
-already as good as dead. The surgeon's sole cause for wonderment was
-that Ling still lived.
-
-The great Honanese remained insensible until the moment when
-Cheong-Chau's brigands were brought on deck. Then, opening his eyes,
-he looked at them, at first not appearing to remember who they were.
-Then, very slowly, a smile spread upon his face.
-
-"They go the way of all men," said he; "to the Potter's Yard, if
-evidence can be produced against them; at all events, to the wooden
-cages that are to be found at the gates of the city. As for myself, I
-go before a greater court of justice. And I am not afraid."
-
-He remained silent for a moment, and then, seeing Frank, he asked the
-boy to come to him.
-
-"Had I not met you," said he, "that morning on the wharf at Sanshui,
-perhaps I should not now be bidding farewell to all my earthly
-troubles. Still, that is a matter of no importance. I would like to
-thank you, because you have been true to me. It does not flatter me to
-think that you preferred me to Cheong-Chau. You obeyed me in the first
-instance through fear, and then because you saw that I was one upon
-whom you could rely. Tell me, is that so?"
-
-"I think it is," said the boy, and then he added: "You are a strange
-man indeed."
-
-"I believe I am," said Ling. "A singular mixture: evil and good,
-brutality and kindness, strength and weakness."
-
-"I should not call you weak," said the boy.
-
-"Then you do not know me, after all. What was all my vanity and
-boasting but weakness? What right has any man to boast? In the midst
-of the universe he is smaller than the ant; his voice, beside the
-thunder, is no more than the croaking of a frog. And now, bid me
-farewell, for I am about to die, and would gladly do so, that the pain
-I suffer may be ended."
-
-It was just as if the man passed into the other world of his own free
-will. Slowly he closed his eyes; and then he breathed no more. The
-features of his face relaxed; the hardness and the cruelty, the lines
-of agony and crime, vanished from his features. The tiger was no more.
-And let us believe what he himself believed: that the evil that was in
-him remained upon this earth in that great casket of sinew, nerve and
-muscle, destined to decay, and the good that was within him--all that
-was noble and heroic, the great thoughts that he had had and the wisdom
-he had acquired--was carried by his soul into what he himself had
-described as "the expansive arch of heaven."
-
-
-
-
-.. class:: center small
-
- |
- |
- |
- | THE RIVERSIDE PRESS LIMITED, EDINBURGH
- |
- |
- |
-
-
-----
-
-
-.. class:: center x-large
-
- | A Select List of Books for
- | Young People: Published by
- | Humphrey Milford, Oxford
- | University Press
- |
-
-.. class:: center x-large
-
- | Books for Boys
-
-
-"*Boys who read Mr. Strang's works have not merely the advantage of
-perusing enthralling and wholesome tales, but they are also absorbing
-sound and trustworthy information of the men and times about which they
-are reading.*"--DAILY TELEGRAPH.
-
-
-
-.. class:: center large
-
- | By HERBERT STRANG
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | The Blue Raider
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | Illustrated by C. E. BROCK.
-
-Phil Trentham, a young English trader, and his friend Hoole, an
-American, are amongst the few survivors of a tramp steamer sunk by a
-German raider in the Pacific. Together with Grinson, the boatswain,
-and Meek, a seaman, they reach the coast of New Guinea, and find
-themselves between the devil and the deep sea, in the shape of cannibal
-natives on the one hand and the German raiders on the other. After
-running imminent risk of being devoured, the party come to terms with
-the natives, who have themselves suffered much at the hands of the
-Germans; and they unite against the common foe. By a clever stratagem
-Trentham wrecks the German raider and outwits the crew, who make an
-attack on his party. The fat boatswain, Grinson, and the lean,
-melancholy Meek are good examples of Mr. Herbert Strang's power of
-characterisation.
-
-
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | The Long Trail
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | Illustrated by H. EVISON.
-
-This is a story of African adventure that carries the reader on
-breathlessly. Two English lads, who had gone to Africa prospecting for
-tin, come into contact with the wild race of the Tubus, and unwittingly
-cross the ambitions of their leader, Goruba. They are besieged, with
-their carriers, in a tumble-down fort, have encounters with savage
-beasts as well as savage men, and ultimately, getting the better of
-Goruba, have their reward in the shape of a hoard of ivory which lay
-concealed beneath the fort.
-
-
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | A Gentleman-at-Arms
-
-A Story of Elizabethan Days. Eight plates in Colour by CYRUS CUNEO,
-and thirty-eight line drawings by T. H. ROBINSON.
-
-This book is unique In literature for boys. It relates the adventurous
-career of an Elizabethan gentleman, in a style carefully modelled on
-the simple prose of the century which produced the Authorised Version
-of the Bible. No previous writer for boys has ever attempted a similar
-achievement. Apart from its romantic and exciting incidents, this
-story has great value by reason of its historical and geographical
-information, and its exceptional style.
-
-
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | Sultan Jim
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | Empire Builder. Coloured illustrations by CYRUS CUNEO.
-
-Asia and Australia have been the scene of Mr. Strang's most recent
-romances of Empire. In this book he turns to Africa, where the
-colonising activity of rival powers is raising problems of the greatest
-interest and importance. The presence of a young Englishman in one of
-the debatable lands at a time of upheaval and international rivalry
-enables him to uphold the interests of the Empire against formidable
-opposition. The story is brimful of adventure, and its moral is that
-of patriotic self-sacrifice.
-
-"Father Christmas brings many good things in his train, but It Is
-doubtful If he brings anything better in its own way than a new story
-by Mr. Herbert Strang. The multitude of his youthful readers are
-likely to find their most insatiable thirst for adventure satisfied by
-this new volume."--*Bookman*.
-
-
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | The Air Patrol
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | A Story of the North-West Frontier. Illustrated in Colour by CYRUS
- | CUNEO.
-
-In this book Mr. Strang looks ahead--and other books have already
-proved him a prophet of surprising skill--to a time when there is a
-great Mongolian Empire whose army sweeps down on to the North-West
-Frontier of India. His two heroes luckily have an aeroplane, and with
-the help of a few Pathan miners they hold a pass in the Hindu Kush
-against a swarm of Mongols, long enough to prevent the cutting of the
-communications of the Indian army operating in Afghanistan. The
-qualities which marked Mr. Strang's last long story, "The Air-Scout,"
-and won extraordinarily high commendation from Lord Roberts, Lord
-Curzon, and others, as well as from the *Spectator* and other great
-journals, are again strikingly displayed; and the combination of
-thrilling adventure with an Imperial problem and excellent writing,
-adds one more to this author's long list of successes.
-
-"An exceptionally good book, written moreover In excellent
-style."--*Times*.
-
-"The 'Air Patrol' is really a masterpiece."--*Morning Post*.
-
-
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | The Air-Scout
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | A Story of National Defence. Illustrated in Colour by W. R. S. STOTT.
-
-The problems of National Defence are being discussed with more and more
-care and attention, not only in Great Britain, but also in all parts of
-the Empire. In this story Mr. Strang imagines a Chinese descent upon
-Australia, and carries his hero through a series of exciting
-adventures, in which the value of national spirit, organisation, and
-discipline is exemplified. The important part which the aeroplane will
-play in warfare is recognised, and the thousands of readers who have
-delighted in the author's previous stories of aviation will find this
-new book after their own heart.
-
-LORD ROBERTS writes: "It is capital reading, and should interest more
-than boys. Your forecast is so good that I can only hope the future
-may not bring to Australia such a struggle as the one you so
-graphically describe."
-
-LORD CURZON writes: "I have read with great pleasure your book, 'The
-Air-Scout.' It seems to me to be a capital story, full of life and
-movement: and further, it preaches the best of all secular gospels,
-patriotism and co-operation."
-
-"We congratulate Me. Strang on this fine book--one of the best fighting
-stories we have read."--*Morning Post*.
-
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | Rob the Ranger
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | A Story of the Fight for Canada. Illustrated in Colour by W. H.
- | MARGETSON, and three Maps.
-
-Rob Somers, son of an English settler in New York State, sets out with
-Lone Pete, a trapper, in pursuit of an Indian raiding party which has
-destroyed his home and carried off his younger brother. He is captured
-and taken to Quebec, where he finds his brother, and escapes with him
-in the dead of the winter, in company with a little band of New
-Englanders. They are pursued over snow 'and ice, and in a log hut
-beside Lake Champlain maintain a desperate struggle against a larger
-force of French, Indians, and half-breeds, ultimately reaching Fort
-Edward in safety.
-
-
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | One of Clive's Heroes
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | A Story of the Fight for India. Illustrated In Colour, and Maps.
-
-Desmond Burke goes out to India to seek his fortune, and is sold by a
-false friend of his, one Marmaduke Diggle, to the famous Pirate of
-Gheria. But he escapes, runs away with one of the Pirate's own
-vessels, and meets Colonel Clive, whom he assists to capture the
-Pirate's stronghold. His subsequent adventures on the other side of
-India--how he saves a valuable cargo of his friend, Mr. Merriman,
-assists Clive in his fights against Sirajuddaula, and rescues Mr.
-Merriman's wife and daughter from the clutches of Diggle--are told with
-great spirit and humour.
-
-"An absorbing story.... The narrative not only thrills, but also
-weaves skilfully out of fact and fiction a clear impression of our
-fierce struggle for India."--*Athenaeum*.
-
-
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | Samba
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | A Story of the Congo. Illustrated in Colour.
-
-The first work of fiction in which the cause of the hapless Congo
-native is championed.
-
-"It was an excellent Idea on the part of Mr. Herbert Strang to write a
-story about the treatment of the natives in the Congo Free State....
-Mr. Strang has a big following among English boys, and anything he
-chooses to write is sure to receive their appreciative
-attention."--*Standard*,
-
-"Mr. Herbert Strang has written not a few admirable books for boys, but
-none likely to make a more profound impression than his new story of
-this year."--*Scotsman*.
-
-
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | Barclay of the Guides
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | A Story of the Indian Mutiny. Illustrated in Colour by CYRUS CUNEO.
- | With Maps.
-
-Of all our Native Indian regiments the Guides have probably the most
-glorious traditions. They were among the few who remained true to
-their salt during the trying days of the great Mutiny, vying in
-gallantry and devotion with our best British regiments. The story
-tells how James Barclay, after a strange career in Afghanistan, becomes
-associated with this famous regiment, and though young in years, bears
-a man's part in the great march to Delhi, the capture of the royal
-city, and the suppression of the Mutiny.
-
-
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | With Drake on the Spanish Main
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | Illustrated in Colour by ARCHIBALD WEBB. With Maps.
-
-A rousing story of adventure by sea and land. The hero, Dennis
-Hazelrig, is cast ashore on an island in the Spanish Main, the sole
-survivor of a band of adventurers from Plymouth. He lives for some
-time with no companion but a spider monkey, but by a series of
-remarkable incidents he gathers about him a numerous band of escaped
-slaves and prisoners, English, French and native; captures a Spanish
-fort; fights a Spanish galleon; meets Francis Drake, and accompanies
-him in his famous adventures on the Isthmus of Panama; and finally
-reaches England the possessor of much treasure. The author has, as
-usual, devoted much pains to characterisation, and every boy will
-delight in Amos Turnpenny, Tom Copstone, and other bold men of Devon,
-and in Mirandola, the monkey.
-
-
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | Palm Tree Island
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | Illustrated in Colour by ARCHIBALD WEBB.
-
-In this story two boys are left on a volcanic island in the South Seas,
-destitute of everything but their clothes. The story relates how they
-provided themselves with food and shelter, with tools and weapons; how
-they fought with wild dogs and sea monsters; and how, when they have
-settled down to a comfortable life under the shadow of the volcano,
-their peace is disturbed by the advent of savages and a crew of
-mutinous Englishmen. The savages are driven away; the mutineers are
-subdued through the boys' ingenuity; and they ultimately sail away in a
-vessel of their own construction. In no other book has the author more
-admirably blended amusement with instruction.
-
-"Written as well that there Is not a dull page in the book."--*The
-World*.
-
-
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | Herbert Strang's Romances of Modern Invention
-
-Each of the following stories is concerned with some particular
-discovery of Modern Science, such as the aeroplane and the submarine,
-which is made use of in the working out of the plot; and the heroes of
-these adventures, who face dangers that were unknown in olden times,
-cannot fail to make a strong appeal to boys of to-day.
-
-
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | The Flying Boat
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | Illustrated in Colour.
-
-The flying boat Is a logical development of the hydroplane. At a
-sufficiently high speed, the hydroplane leaves the water and becomes a
-hydro-aeroplane. The possession of such a machine gives the hero of
-the story (the scene of which is laid in China) opportunities of highly
-exciting adventures, and Incidentally the chance of rescuing an old
-chum who has fallen into the hands of Chinese revolutionaries.
-
-"The book is alive with vigorous action from cover to cover, 'The
-Flying Boat' is a rattling good story."--*Bookman*.
-
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | The Motor Scout
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | A Story of Adventure in South America. Illustrated in Colour by CYRUS
- | CUNEO.
-
-In the interest aroused by the solution of the problem of flying, the
-motor bicycle has been entirely overlooked by story-writers. Happily
-Mr. Herbert Strang has now thought of making it the pivot of a story,
-the scene of which is one of the Latin States of South America. Mr.
-Strang tells the story of an Irish boy who is living in this State just
-at the time when one of the periodical revolutions breaks out. He is
-forced to take sides, and with the help of his motor-cycle is able to
-assist his friends, but not without running risks unknown to scouts
-provided with less novel means of traversing the country. "A really
-fine story, full of life, and one that any bay can enjoy."--*Outlook*.
-
-
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | Round the World in Seven Days
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | The Story of an Aeroplane. Illustrated in Colour by A. C. MICHAEL.
-
-"This is a book which any boy would revel in, and which people who are
-no longer boys will read with equally breathless
-interest."--*Educational News*.
-
-
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | The Cruise of the Gyro-Car
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | Illustrated in Colour by A. C. MICHAEL.
-
-(The Gyro-Car, which is a road vehicle or a boat at pleasure, is the
-logical outcome of the gyroscope applied to the bicycle.)
-
-
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | Swift and Sure
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | The Story of a Hydroplane. Illustrated in Colour by J. FINNEMORE.
-
-"It is one of the most exciting of this season's works for boys, every
-page containing a thrill, and no boy will leave it to a second sitting
-if he can help it."--*Teacher*.
-
-
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | King of the Air
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | or, To Morocco on an Aeroplane. Illustrated in Colour by W. E. WEBSTER.
-
-"One of the best boys' stories we have ever read."--*Morning Leader*.
-
-"The best book of its kind now in existence."--*Manchester Guardian*.
-
-
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | Lord of the Seas
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | The Story of a Submarine. Illustrated in Colour by C. FLEMING WILLIAMS.
-
-"The excitement lasts from cover to cover."--*Manchester Courier*.
-
-
-
-.. class:: center medium
-
- | By Captain G. B. McKEAN, V.C., M.C., M.M.
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | Scouting Thrills
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | Illustrated by JOHN DE WALTON.
-
-Captain G. B. McKean is a Canadian officer who served throughout the
-war, first as a private, afterwards gaining a commission, and winning
-successively the Military Medal, the V.C., and the Military Cross. In
-his book he recounts some of his most thrilling experiences on the
-Western Front, particularly the exploit by which he gained the V.C.
-Captain McKean was Scout Officer in his battalion, and his chapters are
-amongst the most vivid and thrilling accounts of the war yet
-written--not the war of "big pushes," massed attacks, bayonet charges,
-and the capture of miles of trenches, but of nights spent crawling
-about in the mud of No-Man's-Land, of lonely vigils in shell-holes,
-bombing raids, and unpleasant experiences "on the wire."
-
-GENERAL SIR ROBERT BADEN POWELL writes: "I have devoured it with great
-relish.... It gives a life-like representation of the risks and
-thrills of scouting and the 'real thing'; and as a moral lesson of
-chucking everything aside to get your duty done, it is bound to have
-powerful results."
-
-
-
-.. class:: center medium
-
- | By HYLTON CLEAVER
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | Brother o' Mine
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | A School Story. Illustrated by H. M. BROCK.
-
-"Brother o' Mine" is a story of Harley, a great public school. Toby
-Nicholson, an old Harleian, after making a shot at one or two possible
-openings for a career, accepts the post of Games Master at his old
-school. To his younger brother Terence the prospect of being at Harley
-with Toby is one of unalloyed pleasure, and as he is pretty sure of his
-First XI. colours next term, the world for him is rose-coloured. But
-his anticipations are not altogether realised, for Slade, the Captain
-of Cricket, having no particular liking for Terence to start with,
-feels that the presence of Toby is a direct challenge to him to assert
-his independence; and on the plea that he will not show favouritism to
-a boy because his brother happens to be Games Master, he refuses to do
-him simple justice and keeps him out of the XI. In the duel that
-ensues, Slade makes several false moves that show him to be actuated by
-petty spite rather than by any high motive of justice and fair-play;
-and his own play proving anything but fair, his career at Harley comes
-to an abrupt conclusion. Terence is a fine bat, and the force of
-public opinion and his own worth secure him the coveted "last place" in
-the XI.
-
-
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | The Harley First Eleven
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | Illustrated by C. E. BROCK.
-
-"The Harley First Eleven" is a collection of Mr. Hylton Cleaver's best
-short stories, all centring on the great public school Harley, and,
-individually, dealing with the sports for which it is famous. Mr.
-Cleaver's knowledge of public school-boy character is extensive and
-profound; he has a ready fund of wit and humour at his call, and he can
-describe a Rugger match in a way that makes the blood tingle with
-excitement. Rugger was Harley's great game, though the school produced
-many first-class cricketers; and the two games form the pivot of
-several stories. Others are concerned with boxing, running and
-swimming; and we are let into secrets regarding the giving or
-withholding of colours for which the school at large saw no
-justification at the time. The book is a history of battles fought and
-won on the playing-fields of Harley.
-
-
-.. class:: center medium
-
- | By CLAUDE GRAHAME-WHITE AND HARRY HARPER
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | Heroes of the Air
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | Illustrated in Colour by CYRUS CUNEO.
-
-This book deals with the labours and exploits of those who have played
-an important part in bringing about the conquest of the air. It not
-only contains personal memoirs of the men themselves, but traces the
-progress of aerial flight from the early gliders to the aeroplanes of
-to-day. The story of the experiments of those who first essayed to
-fly--the problems that long baffled them and the difficulties they
-overcame--together with the accounts of the daring feats of modern
-aviators, make a stirring narrative, and carry the history of heroism
-and endurance a. stage further forward.
-
-"This will prove a great attraction to a multitude of readers who wish
-to read of deeds of great daring and very narrow escapes."--*Nation*.
-
-
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | With the Airmen
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | Illustrated in Colour by CYRUS CUNEO.
-
-Mr. Grahame-White has not only repeatedly proved his skill and daring
-as a pilot, but the well-known type of biplane bearing his name shows
-that he is in the forefront of designers and constructors. With his
-practical and technical knowledge is combined the somewhat rare ability
-to impart his knowledge in a form acceptable to boys, as he has already
-shown in his "Heroes of the Air." This time he has written a vade
-mecum for the young aeroplanist, who is conducted to the aerodrome and
-initiated Into all the mysteries of flying. The structure of the
-aeroplane, the uses of the different parts, the propulsive mechanism,
-the steering apparatus, the work at a flying school, the causes of
-accidents, and the future of the aeroplane are all dealt with.
-
-"It is surely one of the most entertaining books on a technical subject
-that have ever appeared, as well as one of the most instructive and
-comprehensive."--*Nation*.
-
-
-
-.. class:: center medium
-
- | By CAPTAIN CHARLES GILSON
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | On Secret Service. Illustrated by JOHN DE WALTON.
-
-Captain Gilson's new book carries us back to the early days of the war,
-when the hidden menace of spies in our midst was scarcely less
-formidable than the obvious menace from the enemy without. Daniel
-Wansborough, a retired Scotland Yard detective, takes up active service
-again in the hour of his country's need, and becomes aware of a
-well-organised system of espionage at work, with its headquarters in
-London; but for a time he cannot discover whose is the brain directing
-the organisation. His nephew, George, a lad of sixteen, is
-instrumental in obtaining this information. George falls into the
-hands of the arch-spy, and is kept a prisoner in London. Here he
-learns the details of an ingenious plan whereby the chief Government
-offices in Whitehall are to be destroyed by Zeppelins. The detective,
-in trying to unravel the mystery of his nephew's disappearance, finds
-the threads mingling with those of the spy-plot, and when at length he
-locates the house in which the boy is shut up, he finds himself with
-his hand upon the very nerve-centre of the German Secret Service
-organisation. George is able to supply the missing links in the chain
-of evidence, and the scheme for the destruction of Whitehall if
-frustrated at the eleventh hour.
-
-
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | The Spy
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | A Story of the Peninsular War. Illustrated in Colour by CYRUS CUNEO.
-
-To the work of story-writing Captain Gilson brings a remarkable
-combination of talents: an unrivalled knowledge of military history, an
-imagination that never flags, a dramatic literary style, and a keen
-sense of humour. These qualities are seen to perfection in "The Spy."
-The hero, Sir Jeffery Jones, Bart, when a boy of sixteen, secures a
-commission in a famous foot regiment, then under orders to sail for
-Portugal under the command of Sir Arthur Wellesley. His first
-encounter with the enemy takes place before he is fifty miles from
-home, for on the road to London he pursues and comes near to capturing
-a spy in the pay of Bonaparte. Several times subsequently the paths of
-the two cross, and eventually Sir Jeffery is the means of thwarting the
-Frenchman's schemes. He takes part in much of the fighting in the
-Peninsula, and, at the storming of Badajoz and elsewhere, renders his
-country good service.
-
-"Every boy who loves tales of war and perilous enterprise--and what boy
-does not!--will read 'The Spy' with unqualified enjoyment."--*Bookman*.
-
-
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | The Lost Empire
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | A Tale of Many Lands. Illustrated in Colour by CYRUS CUNEO. With Map.
-
-This is the story of a middy who was taken prisoner by the French at
-the time of the Revolution. While in Paris he obtained possession of
-Napoleon's plans for the capture of India, and, after many adventures,
-was the means of frustrating that ambitious scheme.
-
-
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | The Lost Column
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | A Story of the Boxer Rebellion. Illustrated in Colour by CYRUS CUNEO.
-
-At the outbreak of the great Boxer Rebellion in China, Gerald Wood, the
-hero of this story, was living with his mother and brother at Milton
-Towers, just outside Tientsin. When the storm broke and Tientsin was
-cut off from the rest of the world, the occupants of Milton Towers made
-a gallant defence, but were compelled by force of numbers to retire
-into the town. Then Gerald determined to go in quest of the relief
-column under Admiral Seymour. He carried his life in his hands, and on
-more than one occasion came within an ace of losing it; but he managed
-to reach his goal in safety, and was warmly commended by the Admiral on
-his achievement.
-
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | The Pirate Aeroplane
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | Illustrated in Colour by C. CLARK, R.I.
-
-The heroes of this story, during a tour In an entirely unknown region
-of Africa, light upon a race of people directly descended from the
-Ancient Egyptians. This race--the Asmalians---has lived isolated from
-other communities. The scientific importance of this discovery is
-apparent to the travellers, and they are enthusiastic to know more of
-these strange people; but suddenly they find themselves in the midst of
-exciting adventures owing to the appearance of a pirate aeroplane--of a
-thoroughly up-to-date model--whose owner has learnt of a vast store of
-gold in the Asmalians' city. They throw in their lot with the people,
-and are able in the end to frustrate the plans of the freebooter.
-
-"The story is a riot of adventure. There is the groundwork of a
-complete new novel on every page."--*Manchester Guardian*.
-
-
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | The Lost Island
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | Illustrated in Colour by CYRUS CUNEO.
-
-A rousing story of adventure in the little-explored regions of Central
-Asia and in the South Seas. The prologue describes how Thomas
-Gaythorne obtained access to a Lama monastery, where he rendered the
-monks such great service that they bestowed upon him a gem of priceless
-value known as Gautama's Eye. Soon after leaving the monastery he was
-attacked and robbed, and only narrowly escaped with his life. "The
-Lost Island" describes the attempt of one of Thomas Gaythorne's
-descendants to re-discover the missing gem; and he passes through some
-remarkable adventures before he succeeds in this quest.
-
-
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | The Race Round the World
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | An Account of the Contest for the £100,000 Prize offered by the
- | Combined Newspaper League. Coloured Illustrations by CYRUS CUNEO, and
- | a map of the route of *The Swallow*.
-
-Old Silas Agge has invented a new motor spirit, far more potent than
-petrol, and with this secret in his possession he has no doubt that he
-will win the £100,000 offered by a Newspaper League to the winner of
-the Aeroplane Race round the World. But a foreigner, with whom Silas
-has had business relations, succeeds in obtaining, first, the design of
-the aeroplane which the old man has built, and next, a sufficient
-quantity of the new spirit to carry him round the world. The race thus
-becomes a duel between these two rivals. Guy Kingston, a daring young
-aviator and nephew to Silas, pilots his uncle's aeroplane, and at every
-stage of the race finds himself matched against an unscrupulous
-adversary. The story of the race is exciting from beginning to end.
-Readers of Captain Gilson's earlier books will be particularly happy in
-renewing acquaintance with Mr. Wang, the great Chinese detective.
-
-"Suggestive of Jules Verne in his most ambitious and fantastic
-vein."--*Athenaeum*.
-
-"Boys will like it, and they will want to read it more than
-once."--*Scotsman*.
-
-
-
-.. class:: center medium
-
- | SCHOOL STORIES BY DESMOND COKE
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | The Bending of a Twig
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | Illustrated in Colour by H. M. BROCK.
-
-When "The Bending of a Twig" was first published it was hailed by
-competent critics as the finest school story that had appeared since
-"Tom Brown." It is a vivid picture of life in a modern public school.
-The hero, Lycidas Marsh, enters Shrewsbury without having previously
-been to a preparatory school, drawing his ideas of school life from his
-imagination and a number of school stories he has read. How Lycidas
-finds his true level in this new world and worthily maintains the
-Salopian tradition is the theme of this most entrancing book.
-
-"A real, live school story that carries conviction in every
-line."--*Standard*.
-
-"Mr. Desmond Coke has given us one of the best accounts of public
-school life that we possess.... Among books of its kind 'The Bending
-of a Twig' deserves to become a classic"--*Outlook*.
-
-
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | The School Across the Road
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | Illustrated in Colour by H. M. BROCK.
-
-The incidents of this story arise out of the uniting of two
-schools--"Warner's" and "Corunna"--under the name of "Winton," a name
-which the head master fondly hopes will become known far and wide as a
-great seat of learning. Unfortunately for the head master's ambition,
-however, the two sets of boys--hitherto rivals and enemies, now
-schoolfellows--do not take kindly to one another. Warner's men of
-might are discredited in the new school; Henderson, lately head boy,
-finds himself a mere nobody; while the inoffensive Dove is exalted and
-made prefect by reason of his attainments in class work. There is
-discord and insurrection and talk of expulsion, and the feud drags on
-until the rival factions have an opportunity of uniting against a
-common enemy. Then, in the enthusiasm aroused by the overthrow of a
-neighbouring agricultural college, the bitterness between them dies
-away, and the future of Winton is assured.
-
-"This tale is told with a remarkable spirit, and all the boys are real,
-everyday characters drawn without exaggeration."--*British Weekly*.
-
-
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | The House Prefect
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | Illustrated in Colour by H. M. BROCK.
-
-This story of the life at Sefton, a great English public school, mainly
-revolves around the trouble in which Bob Manders, new-made house
-prefect, finds himself, owing to a former alliance with the two wild
-spirits whom, in the interests of the house, it is now his chief task
-to suppress. In particular does the spirited exploit with which it
-opens--the whitewashing by night of a town statue and the smashing of
-certain school property--raise itself against him, next term, when he
-has been set in authority. His two former friends persist in still
-regarding him as an ally, bound to them by their common secret; and, in
-a sense, he is attracted to their enterprises, for in becoming prefect
-he does not cease to be a boy. It is a great duel this, fought in the
-studies, the dormitories, upon the field.
-
-"Quite one of the books of the season. Mr. Desmond Coke has proved
-himself a aster."--*World*.
-
-"Quite the hot school story of the year."--*Morning Leader*.
-
-
-
-.. class:: center medium
-
- | By A. C. CURTIS
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | The Voyage of the "Sesame"
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | A Story of the Arctic. Illustrated in Colour.
-
-The Trevelyan brothers receive from a dying sailor a rough chart of a
-locality where much gold is to be found in the Arctic regions. They
-set out in quest of it, bat do not have things all their own way, for
-some rival treasure-seekers have got wind of the enterprise, and
-endeavour to secure the gold for themselves. There is a race between
-the two expeditions, and fighting takes place, but the crew of the
-Sesame are victorious, and after enduring great hardships amongst the
-ice, reach home safely with the gold on board.
-
-
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | The Good Sword Belgarde
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | or, How De Burgh held Dover. Coloured Illustrations by W. H. C. GROOME.
-
-This is the story of Arnold Gyffard and John Wotton, pages to Sir
-Philip Daubeney, in the days when Prince Lewis the Lion invaded England
-and strove to win it from King John. It tells of their journey to
-Dover through a country swarming with foreign troops, and of many
-desperate fights by the way. In one of these A mold wins from a French
-knight the good sword Belgarde, which he uses to such good purpose as
-to make his name feared. Then follows the great siege of Dover, full
-of exciting incidents, when by his gallant defence Hubert de Burgh
-keeps the key to England out of the Frenchman's grasp.
-
-
-
-.. class:: center medium
-
- | By FRANK H. MASON, R.B.A.
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | A Book of British Ships
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | Written and Illustrated by FRANK H. MASON, R.B.A.
-
-The aim of this book is to present, in a form that will readily appeal
-to boys, a comprehensive account of British shipping, both naval and
-mercantile, and to trace its development from the old wooden walls of
-Nelson's time down to the Dreadnoughts and high-speed ocean liners of
-to-day. All kinds of British ships, from the battleship to the
-trawler, are dealt with, and the characteristic points of each type of
-vessel are explained.
-
-
-
-.. class:: center medium
-
- | By GEORGE SURREY
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | Mid Clash of Swords
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | A Story of the Sack of Rome. Coloured Illustrations by T. C. DUGDALE.
-
-Wilfrid Salkeld, a young Englishman, enters the employ of Giuliano de
-Medici, the virtual ruler of Florence, whom he serves with a zeal that
-that faint-hearted man does not deserve; he meets Giovanni the
-Invincible; and makes friends with the great Benvenuto Cellini. He has
-many a fierce tussle with German mercenaries and Italian robbers, as
-well as with those whose jealousy he arouses by his superior skill in
-arms.
-
-
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | A Northumbrian in Arms
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | A Story of the Time of Hereward the Wake. Illustrated in Colour by J.
- | FINNEMORE.
-
-Harold Ulfsson, companion of Hereward the Wake and conqueror of the
-Wessex Champion in a great wrestling bout, is outlawed by the influence
-of a Norman knight, whose enmity he has aroused, and goes north to
-serve under Earl Siward of Northumbria in the war against Macbeth, the
-Scottish usurper. He assists in defeating an attack by a band of
-coast-raiders, takes their ship, and discovering that his father has
-been slain and his land seized by his enemy, follows him into Wales.
-He fights with Griffith the Welsh King, kills his enemy In a desperate
-conflict amidst the hills, and, gaining the friendship of Harold, Earl
-of Wessex, his outlawry is removed and his lands restored to him.
-
-
-
-.. class:: center medium
-
- | By REV. J. R. HOWDEN, B.D.
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | Locomotives of the World
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | Containing sixteen plates in Colour.
-
-Many of the most up-to-date types of locomotives used on railways
-throughout the world are illustrated and described in this volume. The
-coloured plates have been made from actual photographs, and show the
-peculiar features of some truly remarkable engines. These
-peculiarities are fully explained in the text, written by the Rev. J.
-R. Howden, author of "The Boy's Book of Locomotives," etc.
-
-
-
-.. class:: center medium
-
- | By JOHN FINBARR
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | The Mystery of Danger Point
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | Illustrated by ARCHIBALD WEBB.
-
-A story of a hundred years ago, when there were highwaymen on every
-public road and smuggler! in every cove. When their school breaks up,
-the two youthful heroes go to spend the holidays with Robin's uncle,
-who lives in a tumble-down castle at Danger Point on the western coast,
-and they soon discover that the local people are doing a brisk trade in
-contraband goods. To assist in putting down this illegal business
-seems to them the obvious course. They find a cave which has every
-appearance of being used for smuggled goods, and keep their eyes upon
-certain suspicious characters. In the absence of Uncle Reuben, the
-boys get wind of a big cargo about to be run, and resolve to inform the
-nearest Justice of the Peace; but before they can put their scheme into
-operation, they are quietly smuggled away themselves out of England
-into France. Here an opportunity presents itself for assisting a
-French nobleman and his daughter to escape from the Reign of Terror,
-and they return to England to invoke the aid of Uncle Reuben and his
-ship In this enterprise. Their success brings reward in several ways.
-The story is very brightly written, and has many humorous touches.
-
-
-
-.. class:: center medium
-
- | By JOSEPH BOWES
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | The Aussie Crusaders
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | Illustrated by WAL PAGET.
-
-Mr. Bowes' latest story, "The Aussie Crusaders," deals with the British
-Campaign in Palestine. The hero is a young Australian officer, who,
-having distinguished himself in the Gallipoli struggle, was given a
-commission and quickly attained his majority. He is still, however,
-"one of the boys" in spirit, and the story gives a pretty good idea of
-the informal, friendly relations that existed between the officers and
-men of the A.I.F. Major Smith is taken prisoner by a party of Bedouins
-after the fight at Rafa, and on escaping from them, falls into the
-hands of the Turks, from whom he also breaks free, obtaining possession
-of papers giving valuable information about the enemy's strength and
-movements. After rejoining his squadron, the Major takes part in the
-great sweep that, starting with the attack on Gaza, culminated in the
-fall of Jerusalem.
-
-
-
-.. class:: center medium
-
- | By WILLIAM J. MARX
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | For the Admiral
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | Illustrated in Colour by ARCHIBALD WEBB.
-
-The brave Huguenot Admiral Coligny is one of the heroes of French
-history. Edmond le Blanc, the son of a Huguenot gentleman, undertakes
-to convey a secret letter of warning to Coligny, and the adventures he
-meets with on the way lend to his accepting service in the Huguenot
-army. He shares in the hard fighting that took place in the
-neighbourhood of La Rochelle, does excellent work in scouting for the
-Admiral, and is everywhere that danger calls, along with his friend
-Roger Braund, a young Englishman who has come over to help the cause
-with a band of free-lances.
-
-This story won the £100 prize offered by the Bookman for the best story
-for boys.
-
-
-
-
-.. class:: center medium
-
- | THE ROMANCE SERIES
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | The Romance of the King's Navy
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | By EDWARD FRASER. New Edition, with Illustrations in Colour by N.
- | SOTHEBY PITCHER.
-
-"The Romance of the King's Navy" is intended to give boys of to-day an
-idea of some of the notable events that have happened under the White
-Ensign within the past few years. There is no other book of the kind
-in existence. It begins with incidents afloat during the Crimean War,
-when their grandfathers were boys themselves, and brings the story down
-to a year or two ago, with the startling adventure at Spithead of
-Submarine 64. One chapter tells the exciting story of "How the Navy's
-V.C.'s have been won," the deeds of the various heroes being brought
-all together here in one connected narrative for the first time.
-
-"Mr. Fraser knows his facts well, and has set them out in an extremely
-interesting and attractive way."--*Westminster Gazette*.
-
-
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | The Romance of the King's Army
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | By A. B. TUCKER.
-
-A companion volume to "The Romance of the King's Navy," telling again
-in glowing language the most inspiring incidents in the glorious
-history of our land forces. The charge of the 21st Lancers at
-Omdurman, the capture of the Dargai heights, the saving of the guns at
-Maiwand, are a few of the great stories of heroism and devotion that
-appear in this stirring volume.
-
-"We cannot toe highly commend this beautiful volume as a prize-book for
-school-boys of all classes."--*School Guardian*.
-
-
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | The Romance of Every Day
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | By LILIAN QUILLER-COUCH.
-
-Here is a bookful of romance and heroism; true stories of men, women,
-and children in early centuries and modern times who took the
-opportunities which came into their everyday lives and found themselves
-heroes and heroines; civilians who, without beat of drum or smoke of
-battle, without special training or words of encouragement, performed
-deeds worthy to be written in letters of gold.
-
-"These stories are bound to encourage and Inspire young readers to
-perform heroic actions."--*Bristol Daily Mercury*.
-
-
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | The Romance of the Merchant Venturers
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | By E. E. SPEIGHT and R. MORTON NANCE.
-
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | Britain's Sea Story
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | By E. E. SPEIGHT and R. MORTON NANCE. New Edition, Illustrated in
- | Colour by H. SANDHAM.
-
-These two books are full of true tales as exciting as any to be found
-in the story books, and at every few pages there is a fine
-illustration, in colour or black and white, of one of the stirring
-incidents described in the text.
-
-
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | By MEREDITH FLETCHER
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | The Pretenders
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | With Coloured Illustrations by HAROLD C. EARNSHAW.
-
-A tale of twin-brothers at Daneborough School, Tommy Durrant (the
-narrator) has been a boarder for about a year, when Peter arrives upon
-the scene as a day-boy. The latter's ill-health has prevented him
-joining the school before, and, being a harum-scarum youngster, his
-vagaries plunge Tommy into hot water straight away. The following
-week, unaware of all the mischief he has made, the newcomer, who lives
-with an aunt, urges his twin to change places one night for a spree.
-Tommy rashly consents, and his experiences while pretending to be Peter
-prove both unexpected and exciting.
-
-"Mr. Meredith Fletcher is extremely happy in his delineation of school
-life."--*People's Journal*.
-
-
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | The Complete Scout
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | Edited by MORLEY ADAMS, with numerous Illustrations and Diagrams.
-
-This is a book intended primarily for boy scouts, but It also possesses
-an Interest for all boys who like out-of-door amusements and scouting
-games. It contains many articles by different writers on the various
-pursuits and branches of study that scouts are more particularly
-interested in, such as wood-craft, tracing, the weather, and so on, and
-the book should form a sort of cyclopaedia for many thousands of boys
-who hail Baden-Powell as Chief Scout.
-
-
-
-.. class:: center medium
-
- | By D. H. PARRY
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | Kit of the Carabineers
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | or, A Soldier of Maryborough's.
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | Illustrated in Colour by ARCHIBALD WEBB.
-
-This story tells how Kit Dawnay comes under the notice of the Duke of
-Marlborough while the latter is on a visit to Kit's uncle, Sir Jasper
-Dawnay, an irritable, miserly old man, suspected, moreover with good
-reason, of harbouring Jacobite plotters and of being himself favourable
-to the cause of the exiled Stuarts.
-
-Kit, instructed by the Duke, Is able to frustrate a scheme for the
-assassination of King William as he rides to Hampton Court, and the
-King, in return for Kit's service, gives him a cornet's commission in
-the King's Carabineers. He goes with the army to Flanders, takes part
-in the siege of Liege; accompanies Marlborough on those famous forced
-marches across Europe, whereby the great leader completely hoodwinked
-the enemy; and is present at the battle of Blenheim, where he wins
-distinction.
-
-"The story bristles with dramatic incident, and the thrilling
-adventures which overtake the young hero, Kit Dawnay, are enough to
-keep one breathless with excitement."--*Bookman*.
-
-
-
-.. class:: center medium
-
- | By W. H. G. KINGSTON
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | Hurricane Hurry
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | Coloured Illustrations by ARCHIBALD WEBB.
-
-This Is one of W. H. G. Kingston's best books in the sense that It has
-an atmosphere of reality about it, and reads like the narrative of one
-who has actually passed through all the experiences described; and this
-is no mere illusion, for the author states in his preface that the
-material from which the story was built up was put into his hands by a
-well-known naval officer, who afterwards rose to the position of
-admiral. Mr. Hurry enters the navy as midshipman a few years before
-the outbreak of the American War of Independence, and during that war
-he distinguishes himself both on land and sea.
-
-
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | Will Weatherhelm
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | Coloured Illustrations by ARCHIBALD WEBB.
-
-A splendid tale of the sea, full of incident and adventure, and a
-first-rate account of the sailor's life afloat in the days of the
-press-gang and the old wooden walls. The author reveals his own ardent
-love of the sea and all that pertains to it, and this story embodies a
-true ideal of patriotic service.
-
-
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | By G. A. HENTY
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | In Times of Peril
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | A Story of India. Illustrated in Colour by T. C. DUGDALE.
-
-Major Warrener and his children are stationed at Sandynugghur when news
-arrives that the native troops at Meerut have mutinied and murdered all
-the Europeans there and are marching upon Delhi. Almost immediately
-the Major's house is attacked and his family flee for their lives. The
-Major himself and some of his companions are taken prisoners, but only
-for a short time, for his sons, Ned and Dick, disguising themselves as
-Sepoys, are able to rescue them. The party after an anxious time fall
-in with a body of English troops who are on the way to relieve Delhi.
-Dick and Ned are in Cawnpore when the Europeans are attacked, but they
-escape by swimming instead of trusting themselves in boats. They take
-part in the storming of Delhi, which had been taken by the natives, and
-in the relief of Lucknow. The end of the Mutiny finds the whole family
-once more united.
-
-
-
-.. class:: center medium
-
- | Edited by HERBERT STRANG
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | Early Days in Canada
- | Pioneers in Canada
- | Early Days in Australia
- | Pioneers in Australia
- | Early Days in India
- | Duty and Danger in India
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | Each book contains eight plates in Colour.
-
-The story of the discovery, conquest, settlement, and peaceful
-development of the great countries which now form part of the British
-Empire, is full of interest and romance. In this series of books the
-story is told in a number of extracts from the writings of historians,
-biographers, and travellers whose works are not easily accessible to
-the general reader. Each volume is complete in itself and gives a
-vivid picture of the progress of the particular country with which it
-deals.
-
-
-
-.. class:: center medium
-
- | BOOKS FOR BOYS AND GIRLS
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | HERBERT STRANG'S LIBRARY
-
-This is a new series of standard books for boys and girls, comprising
-the great works of history, fiction, biography, travel, science, and
-poetry with which every boy and girl should be familiar, edited by Mr.
-HERBERT STRANG.
-
-Each volume is prefaced by a short introduction, giving a biographical
-account of the author, or such information concerning the book itself
-as may be useful and interesting to young readers. Notes, maps, and
-plans are given where necessary.
-
-The text of the books, many of which were not written primarily for
-children, is carefully edited both in regard to matters that are
-inherently unsuitable for their reading, and to passages that do not
-conform to modern standards of taste. In these and other respects the
-Editor will exercise a wide discretion.
-
-The Library Is illustrated with colour plates, reproduced by
-three-colour process from designs by H. M. BROCK, JAMES DURDEN, A.
-WEBB, and other well-known artists,
-
-The following volumes are now ready:--
-
-::
-
- Adventures in the Rifle Brigade By Sir John Kincaid
- Westward Ho! By Charles Kingsley
- The Life of Wellington By W. H. Maxwell
- The Boy's Country Book By William Howitt
- Mungo Park's Travels
- The Coral Island By R. M. Ballantyne
- True Blue By W. H. G. Kingston
- Little Women By Louisa Alcott
- Good Wives By Louisa Alcott
- Tales from Hans Andersen
- Stories from Grimm
- Tom Brown's Schooldays By Thomas Hughes
- The Life of Nelson By Robert Southey
- Quentin Durward By Sir Walter Scott
- A Book of Golden Deeds By Charlotte M. Yonge
- A Wonder Book By Nathaniel Hawthorne
- What Katy Did By Susan Coolidge
- What Katy Did at School By Susan Coolidge
- What Katy Did Next By Susan Coolidge
- Ivanhoe By Sir Walter Scott
- Curiosities of Natural History By Frank Buckland
- Captain Cook's Voyages
- The Heroes By Charles Kingsley
- Robinson Crusoe By Daniel Defoe
- Tales from Shakespeare By Charles and Mary Lamb
- Peter the Whaler By W. H. G. Kingston
- Queechy By Elizabeth Wetherell
- The Wide Wide World By Elizabeth Wetherell
- Tanglewood Tales By Nathaniel Hawthorne
- The Life of Columbus By Washington Irving
- Battles of the Peninsular War By Sir William Napier
- Midshipman Easy By Captain Marryat
- The Swiss Family Robinson By J. R. Wyss
-
-
-
-
-.. class:: center large
-
- | Books for Girls
-
-.. class:: center medium
-
- | By CHRISTINA GOWANS WHYTE
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | Uncle Hilary's Nieces
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | Illustrated in Colour by JAMES BURDEN.
-
-Until the death of their father, the course of life of Uncle Hilary's
-nieces had run smooth; but then the current of misfortune came upon
-them, carried them, with their mother and brothers, to London, and
-established them in a fiat. Here, under the guardianship of Uncle
-Hilary, they enter into the spirit of their new situation; and when it
-comes to a question of ways and means, prove that they have both
-courage and resource. Thus Bertha secretly takes a position as
-stock-keeper to a fashionable dressmaker; Milly tries to write, and has
-the satisfaction of seeing her name in print; Edward takes up
-architecture and becomes engrossed in the study of "cupboards and
-kitchen sinks"; while all the rest contribute as well to the
-maintenance of the household as to the interest of the story.
-
-"We have seldom read a prettier story than ... 'Uncle Hilary's Nieces.'
-... It is a daintily woven plot clothed in a style that has already
-commended itself to many readers, and is bound to make more
-friends."--*Daily News*.
-
-
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | The Five Macleods
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | Illustrated in Colour by JAMES DURDEN.
-
-The modern Louisa Alcott! That is the title that critics In England
-and America have bestowed on Miss Christina Gowans Whyte, whose
-"Story-Book Girls" they declare to be the best girls' story since
-"Little Women." Like the Leightons and the Howards, the Macleods are
-another of those delightful families whose doings, as described by Miss
-Whyte, make such entertaining reading. Each of the five Macleods
-possesses an individuality of her own.
-Elspeth is the eldest--sixteen, with her hair "very nearly up"--and her
-lovable nature makes her a favourite with every one; she is followed,
-in point of age, by the would-be masterful Winifred (otherwise Winks)
-and the independent Lil; while little Babs and Dorothy bring up the
-rear.
-
-"Altogether a most charming story for girls."--*Schoolmaster*.
-
-
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | Nina's Career
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | Illustrated in Colour by JAMES BURDEN.
-
-"Nina's Career" tells delightfully of a large family of girls and boys,
-children of Sir Christopher Howard. Friends of the Howards are Nina
-Wentworth, who lives with three aunts, and Gertrude Mannering.
-Gertrude Is conscious of always missing in her life that which makes
-the lives of the Howards so joyous and full. They may have "careers";
-she must go to Court and through the wearying treadmill of the rich
-girls. The Howards get engaged, marry, go into hospitals, study in art
-schools; and in the end Gertrude also achieves happiness.
-
-"We have been so badly in need of writers for girls who shall be in
-sympathy with the modern standard of intelligence, that we are grateful
-for the advent of Miss Whyte, who has not inaptly been described as the
-new Miss Alcott,"--*Outlook*.
-
-
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | The Story-Book Girls
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | Illustrated in Colour by JAMES BURDEN.
-
-This story won the £100 prize In the Bookman competition.
-
-The Leightons are a charming family. There is Mabel, the beauty, her
-nature, strength and sweetness mingled; and Jean, the downright, blunt,
-uncompromising; and Elma, the sympathetic, who champions everybody, and
-has a weakness for long words. And there is Cuthbert, too, the clever
-brother. Cuthbert is responsible for a good deal, for he saves
-Adelaide Maud from an accident, and brings the Story-Book Girls into
-the story. Every girl who reads this book will become acquainted with
-some of the realest, truest, best people in recent fiction.
-
-"It is not too much to say that Miss Whyte has opened a new era in the
-history of girls' literature.... The writing, distinguished in itself,
-is enlivened by an all-pervading sense of humour."--*Manchester
-Courier*.
-
-
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | By J. M. WHITFELD
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | Tom who was Rachel
-
-A Story of Australian Life. Illustrated in Colour by N. TENISON.
-
-This is a story of Colonial life by an author who is new to English
-readers. In writing about Australia Miss Whitfeld is, in a very
-literal sense, at home; and no one can read her book without coming to
-the conclusion that she is equally so in drawing pen portraits of
-children. Her work possesses all the vigour and freshness that one
-usually associates with the Colonies, and at the same time preserves
-the best traditions of Louisa Alcott In "Tom who was Rachel" the author
-has described a large family of children living on an up-country
-station; and the story presents a faithful picture of the everyday life
-of the bush. Rachel (otherwise Miss Thompson, abbreviated to "Miss
-Tom," afterwards to "Tom") is the children's step-sister; and it Is her
-Influence for good over the wilder elements in their nature that
-provides the teal motive of a story for which all English boys and
-girls will feel grateful.
-
-
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | Gladys and Jack
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | An Australian Story for Girls. Coloured Illustrations by N. TENISON.
-
-Gladys and Jack are sister and brother, and, up to the point when the
-story opens, they have been the best of friends. Then, however,
-certain influences begin to work in the mind of Gladys, as the result
-of which a coolness springs up between her and her brother. Gladys
-puts on a superior air, and adopts a severely proper attitude towards
-Jack. Gladys has been in society, has come to be regarded as a beauty,
-and has been made a fuss of; consequently she becomes self-conscious.
-She goes to spend a holiday up-country, and here, too, her
-icily-regular line of conduct seems bound to bring her into conflict
-with her free-and-easy-going cousins. After some trying experiences,
-Gladys finds herself in a position which enables her, for the time
-being, to forget her own troubles, and exert all her strength on behalf
-of the rest. She comes worthily through the ordeal, earns the
-affection of her cousins, and Jack rejoices in the recovery of a lost
-sister.
-
-"We have a large number of characters all clearly differentiated,
-plenty of incident, and much sparkling dialogue."--*Morning Post*.
-
-
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | The Colters
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | An Australian Story for Girls. Illustrated in Colour by GEORGE SOPER.
-
-This book deals with a merry family of Australian boys and girls.
-There are a good many of them, and to each one Miss Whitfeld has
-imparted a distinct individuality. There is Hector, the eldest, manly
-and straightforward, and Matt, the plain-spoken, his younger brother.
-Ruby, quiet and gentle, with an aptitude for versifying, is well
-contrasted with her headstrong, impulsive cousin Effie. The author
-seizes upon the everyday occurrences of domestic life, turning them to
-good account; and she draws a charming picture of a family, united in
-heart, while differing very much in habit and temperament.
-
-
-
-.. class:: center medium
-
- | By ELSIE J. OXENHAM
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | Mistress Nanciebel
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | Illustrated in Colour by JAMES BURDEN.
-
-This is a story of the Restoration. Nanciebel's father, Sir John
-Seymour, had so incurred the displeasure of King Charles by his
-persistent opposition to the threatened war against the Dutch, that he
-was sent out of the country. Nothing would dissuade Nanciebel from
-accompanying him, so they sailed away together and were duly landed on
-a desolate shore, which they afterwards discovered to be a part of
-Wales. Here, by perseverance and much hard toil, John o' Peace made a
-new home for his family, in which enterprise he owed not a little to
-the presence and constant help of Nanciebel, who is the embodiment of
-youthful optimism and womanly tenderness.
-
-"A charming book for girls."--*Evening Standard*.
-
-
-.. class:: center medium
-
- | A NEW ALBUM FOR GIRLS
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | My Schooldays
-
-An album in which girls can keep a record of their schooldays. In
-order that the entries may be neat and methodical, certain pages have
-been allotted to various different subjects, such as Addresses,
-Friends, Books, Matches, Birthdays, Concerts, Holidays, Theatricals,
-Presents, Prizes and Certificates, and so on. The album is beautifully
-decorated throughout.
-
-
-
-.. class:: center medium
-
- | By MRS. HERBERT STRANG
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | The Girl Crusoes
-
-.. class:: left center
-
- | A Story of Three Girls in the South Seas. With Colour Illustrations by
- | N. TENISON.
-
-It is a common experience that young girls prefer stories written for
-their brothers to those written for themselves. They have the same
-love of adventure, the same admiration for brave and heroic deeds, as
-boys; and in these days of women travellers and explorers there are
-countless instances of women displaying a courage and endurance in all
-respects equal to that of the other sex. Recognizing this, Mrs.
-Herbert Strang has written a story of adventure in which three English
-girls of the present day are the central figures, and in which the girl
-reader will find as much excitement and amusement as any boy's book
-could furnish.
-
-
-
-.. class:: center medium
-
- | By WINIFRED M. LETTS
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | The Quest of the Blue Rose
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | Illustrated in Colour by JAMES BURDEN.
-
-After the death of her mother, Sylvia Sherwood has to make her own way
-in the world as a telegraph clerk. The world she finds herself in is a
-girls' hostel in a big northern city. For a while she can only see the
-uncongenial side of her surroundings; but when she has made a friend
-and found herself a niche, she begins to realise that though the Blue
-Rose may not be for her finding, there are still wild roses in every
-hedge. In the end, however, Sylvia, contented at last with her
-hard-working, humdrum life, finds herself the successful writer of a
-book of children's poems.
-
-"Miss Letts has written a most entertaining work, which should become
-very popular. The humour is never forced, and the pathetic scenes are
-written with true feeling."--*School Guardian*.
-
-
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | Bridget of All Work
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | Illustrated in Colour by JAMES BURDEN.
-
-The scene of the greater part of this story is laid in Lancashire, and
-the author has chosen her heroine from among those who know what it is
-to feel the pinch of want and strive loyally to combat it. There is a
-charm about Bridget Joy, moving about her kitchen, keeping a light
-heart under the most depressing surroundings. Girl though she is, it
-is her arm that encircles and protects those who should in other
-circumstances have been her guardians, and her brave heart that enables
-the word Home to retain its sweetness for those who are dependent on
-her.
-
-"Miss Letts has written a story for which elder girls will be grateful,
-so simple and winning is it; and we recognise in the author's work a
-sense of character and sense of style which ought to ensure its
-popularity."--*Globe*.
-
-
-
-.. class:: center medium
-
- | By ANGELA BRAZIL
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | A Terrible Tomboy
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | New Edition. With Coloured Illustrations by N. TENISON.
-
-Peggy Vaughan, daughter of a country gentleman living on the Welsh
-border, is much too high-spirited to avoid getting continually into
-scrapes. She nearly gets drowned while birds'-nesting, scandalises the
-over-prim daughters of rich up-starts by her carelessness in matters of
-dress and etiquette, gets lost with her small brother while exploring
-caves, smokes out wild bees, and acts generally more like a boy than a
-girl. Naturally enough her father and school mistresses find her very
-difficult to manage, but her good humour and kindness of heart make it
-impossible to be angry with her for long. At the end of the story,
-when the family have become too poor to remain any longer in their old
-home, she makes a discovery which enables them to stay there.
-
-
-
-.. class:: center medium
-
- | By E. L. HAVERFIELD
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | The Happy Comrade
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | Illustrated by ALBERT MORROW.
-
-Monica, the heroine of this story, is a wealthy girl who has never been
-to school, but has formed a close home friendship with Penelope, a girl
-somewhat older, upon whom she has been accustomed to lavish valuable
-gifts, partly out of innate generosity, partly from love of
-appreciation. Her affection for Penelope induces her to enter the same
-school, expecting that the home relations will continue there. To her
-chagrin, however, she finds that Penelope's high position as head
-prefect prevents close intercourse, and in some bitterness of spirit
-she allies herself with a set of girls who delight in lawlessness and
-engage in mischievous and unruly pranks. She soon finds herself in
-serious trouble; and the story shows how her better nature overcomes
-her weaknesses, how she learns to despise the dishonourable conduct
-into which her associates have lured her, and how the tribulation which
-she has brought on herself leads ultimately to a firmer, purer
-friendship for the girl whom she has all along admired and loved.
-
-
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | Sylvia's Victory
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | Illustrated in Colour by JAMES BURDEN.
-
-Owing to a change in the family fortunes, Sylvia Hughes is obliged to
-attend a day school in a small seaside town where she has the
-misfortune to make an enemy of the head girl, Phyllis Staunton-Taylor,
-who regards Sylvia as one belonging to an inferior set to her own. One
-day during the holidays Sylvia swims out and rescues Phyllis, who has
-got beyond her depth; but even this fails to establish amity between
-them, and no word of Sylvia's heroism gets abroad in the school. It is
-not until after she has experienced many trials and heartburnings that
-Sylvia learns the reason of Phyllis's apparent ingratitude, and
-friendship is restored.
-
-
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | Audrey's Awakening
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | Illustrated in Colour by JAMES DURDEN.
-
-As a result of a luxurious and conventional upbringing, Audrey is a
-girl without ambitions, unsympathetic, and with a reputation for
-exclusiveness. Therefore, when Paul Forbes becomes her step-brother,
-and brings his free-and-easy notions into the Davidsons' old home,
-there begins to be trouble. Audrey discovers that she has feelings,
-and the results are not altogether pleasant. She takes a dislike to
-Paul at the outset; and the young people have to get through deep
-waters and some exciting times before things come right. Audrey's
-awakening is thorough, if painful.
-
-"Is far above the Average tale of school and home life."--*Aberdeen
-Free Press*.
-
-
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | The Conquest of Claudia
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | Illustrated in Colour by JAMES BURDEN.
-
-Meta and Claudia Austin are two motherless girls with a much-occupied
-father. Their upbringing has therefore been left to a kindly
-governess, whose departure to be married makes the first change in the
-girls' lives. Having set their hearts upon going to school, they
-receive a new governess resentfully. Claudia is a person of instincts,
-and it does not take her long to discover that there is something
-mysterious about Miss Strongitharm. A clue upon which the children
-stumble leads to the notion that Miss Strongitharm is a Nihilist in
-hiding. That in spite of various strange happenings they are quite
-wrong is to be expected, but there is a genuine mystery about Miss
-Strongitharm which leads to some unforeseen adventures.
-
-"A convincing story of girl life."--*School Guardian*.
-
-
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | Dauntless Patty.
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | Illustrated in Colour by DUDLEY TENNANT.
-
-Patricia Garnett, an Australian girl, comes over to England to complete
-her education. She is unconventional and quite unused to English ways,
-and soon finds herself the most unpopular girl in the school. Several
-times she reveals her courage and high spirit, particularly in saving
-the life of Kathleen Lane, a girl with whom she is on very bad terms.
-All overtures of peace fail, however, for Patty feels that the other
-girls have no real liking for her, and she refuses to be patronised.
-Thus the feud is continued to the end of the term; and the climax of
-the story is reached when, in a cave in the face of a cliff, in
-imminent danger of being drowned, Patty and Kathleen for the first time
-understand each other, and lay the foundations of a lifelong friendship.
-
-"A thoroughly faithful and stimulating story of schoolgirl
-life,"--*Schoolmaster*.
-
-"The story is well told. Some of the incidents are dramatic, without
-being unnatural; the interest is well sustained, and altogether the
-hook is one of the best we have read."--*Glasgow Herald*.
-
-
-
-.. class:: center medium
-
- | By BRENDA GIRVIN
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | Jenny Wren
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | Illustrated by C. E. BROCK.
-
-Jenny Ferguson, the only child of a retired admiral, is sent as
-wireless decoder to a Scottish naval base. On her arrival she meets an
-old friend of her childhood, Henry Corfield, who is apparently the
-skipper of a fishing trawler. Jenny, ignorant of the real object of
-the man's "trawling," calls him a slacker. In his turn, Corfield, who
-has a lively recollection of Jenny's impulsive tongue, reminds her of
-her nurse's saying, "Miss Jenny can never keep a secret," and says he
-will not shield her should she fail to preserve secrecy in her work.
-After a few days, Jenny finds that information is leaking out. Code
-books are lost and mysteriously replaced, envelopes lapped. Corfield
-attributes this leakage to Jenny's carelessness. In the nick of time
-Jenny has a clue and tracks down the criminal. The breach between the
-two friends, however, is a long time in healing, for Jenny does not
-learn till towards the end of the book that "Skipper" Corfield, on his
-humble little boat with her hidden guns, is one of the heroes of the
-war. The story ends with the coming of peace.
-
-
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | The Girl Scout
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | Illustrated in Colour by N. TENISON.
-
-This is the story of a patrol of Girl Scouts, and the service they
-rendered their country. Colonel Norton announces that some silver
-cups, which he values as souvenirs of the time when he could win races
-and gymnastic competitions, have been stolen, and calls on the Boy
-Scouts to catch the thief, promising, if they succeed, to furnish their
-club-room in time for the reception of a neighbouring patrol. Aggie
-Phillips, sister of the boys' leader, hears of this, and at once
-organises a girls' patrol to help solve the mystery. In tracing the
-thief, the girls manage to entrap two foreigners, who, in all kinds of
-disguises, try to get hold of valuable papers in the hands of the
-Colonel. Meanwhile the boys continually follow up the tracks left by
-the girls, or are purposely misled by Aggie. The girls win the prize
-but arrange to join forces with the boys.
-
-
-
-.. class:: center medium
-
- | By ANNA CHAPIN RAY
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | Teddy: Her Daughter
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | Illustrated in Colour by N. TENISON.
-
-Many young readers have already made the acquaintance of Teddy in Miss
-Anna Chapin Ray's previous story, "Teddy: Her Book." The heroine of
-the present story is Teddy's daughter Betty--a young lady with a strong
-will and decided opinions of her own. When she is first introduced to
-us she is staying on a holiday at Quantuck, a secluded seaside retreat;
-and Miss Ray describes the various members of this small summer
-community with considerable humour. Among others is Mrs. Van Hicks, a
-lady of great possessions but little culture, who seeks to put people
-under a lasting obligation to her by making friends with them. On
-hearing that a nephew of this estimable lady is about to arrive at
-Quantuck, Betty makes up her mind beforehand to dislike him. At first
-she almost succeeds, for, like herself, Percival has a temper, and can
-be "thorny" at times. As they come to know each other better, however,
-a less tempestuous state of things ensues, and eventually they cement a
-friendship that is destined to carry them far.
-
-
-
-.. class:: center medium
-
- | By CHRISTINE CHAUNDLER
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | Pat's Third Term.
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | Illustrated by HAROLD EARNSHAW.
-
-Pat Baxter is a turbulent, impulsive member of the Lower Fourth in a
-famous Girls' School. She begins her Third Term by "cheeking" the Head
-girl herself, thereby earning a good deal of hostility. She falls from
-favour in other quarters as the story goes on, for though she has a
-genius for getting into scrapes, she is too honest and honourable to
-disavow her share in any plot, as many of her school-fellows do.
-Through her disobeying a stringent rule, and going alone into the town,
-the whole school, upper and lower, is put into quarantine, the result
-of this isolation being that Rhoda, the Head girl, generally beloved in
-the school, will have to "scratch" from a local tennis match, the
-winning of which would have brought her her coveted tennis colours.
-The whole school, in indignation, unknown to Rhoda, sends Pat to
-"Coventry." Pat also becomes the object of a good deal of mean, unfair
-treatment from a few of her form fellows, about which, in the end,
-Rhoda herself learns. Horror-stricken at the treatment meted out,
-Rhoda puts Pat under her special protection, and a deep friendship
-springs up between the two. Pat finishes her third term by saving the
-life of her greatest enemy, earning a special medal for bravery.
-
-
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | By MARY BRADFORD WHITING
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | A Daughter of the Empire
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | Illustrated by JOHN CAMPBELL.
-
-Christina, a curiously vivid character, is suddenly thrown from the
-backwoods of Australia into the family circle at Strafford Royal, where
-Lady Stratford, her second cousin, reigns supreme. Lady Strafford
-dislikes Christina from the first, patronises her and snubs her, and
-the girl is thrown for sympathy and companionship into the society of
-Miss Luscombe, a lovable woman whose home is on a neighbouring estate.
-Christina finds herself continually faced by the stone wall of the
-prejudices of Lady Strafford, who looks on all foreigners with
-suspicion and her own family with placid pride, and is continually
-voicing her determination that the War shall not be allowed in any way
-to upset the even tenour of her life. Just how the War very
-successfully breaks in on to Strafford Royal, sweeping away the heir,
-rendering halt and maim the second son, is told in the course of the
-story. Christina's part in the denouement is characteristically plucky
-and honourable, and in the end she breaks down even Lady Stratford's
-dislike and mistrust. The story is told with much charm and sympathy.
-
-
-
-.. class:: center medium
-
- | By L. B. WALFORD
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | A Sage Of Sixteen.
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | Illustrated by JAMES DURDEN.
-
-Elma, the heroine of this story, is called a sage by her wealthy and
-sophisticated relations in Park Lane, with whom she spends a
-half-holiday every week, and who regard her as a very wise young
-person. The rest of her time is passed at a small boarding-school,
-where, as might be supposed, Elma's friends look upon her rather as an
-ordinary healthy girl than as one possessing unusual wisdom. The story
-tells of Elma's humble life at school, her occasional excursions into
-fashionable society; the difficulties she experiences in her endeavour
-to reconcile the two; and the way in which she eventually wins the
-hearts of those around her in both walks of life.
-
-
-
-.. class:: center medium
-
- | By ANNIE MATHESON
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | A Day Book for Girls
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | Containing a quotation for each day of the year, arranged by ANNIE
- | MATHESON, with Colour Illustrations by C. E. BROCK.
-
-Miss Annie Matheson is herself well known to many as a writer of hymns
-and poetry of a high order. In "A Day Book for Girls" she has brought
-together a large number of extracts both in poetry and prose, and so
-arranged them that they furnish an inspiring and ennobling watchword
-for each day of the year. Miss Matheson has spared no pains to secure
-variety and comprehensiveness in her selection of quotations; her list
-of authors ranges from Marcus Aurelius to Mr. Swinburne, and includes
-many who are very little known to the general public.
-
-
-
-
-.. class:: center large
-
- | Books for Children
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | A Book of Children's Verse
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | Selected and Edited by MABEL and LILIAN QUILLER-COUCH.
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | Illustrated in Colour by M. ETHELDREDA GRAY.
-
-This is a splendid anthology of children's verse. In addition to the
-old favourite poems, the volume contains many by modern authors, and
-others not generally known. The work of selection has been carried out
-with great care, and no effort has been spared to make the volume a
-worthy and comprehensive introduction to English poetry. The book is
-illustrated by a series of magnificent plates in colour.
-
-
-
-.. class:: center medium
-
- | By LUCAS MALET
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | Little Peter
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | A Christmas Morality for Children of any age. New Edition.
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | Illustrated in Colour by CHARLES E. BROCK.
-
-This delightful little story Introduces to us a family dwelling upon
-the outskirts of a vast pine forest in France. There are Master Lepage
-who, as head of the household and a veteran of the wars, lays down the
-law upon all sorts of questions, domestic and political; his meek wife
-Susan; their two sons, Anthony and Paul; and Cincinnatus the cat--who
-holds as many opinions and expresses them as freely as Master Lepage
-himself; and--little Peter. Little meets, and all who read about him
-will certainly make friends with *him*.
-
-"It is quite an ideal gift book, and one that will always be
-treasured."--*Globe*.
-
-
-
-.. class:: center medium
-
- | By CHRISTINA GOWANS WHYTE
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | The Adventures of Merrywink
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | Illustrated by M. V. WHEELHOUSE.
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | This story won the £100 prize in the Bookman competition for the best
- | story for children.
-
-This story tells of a pretty little child who was born into Fairyland
-with a gleaming star in his forehead. When his parents beheld this
-star they were filled with gladness and fear, and they carried their
-little Fairy baby, Merrywink, far away and hid him, because of two old
-prophecies: the first, that a daughter should be born to the King and
-Queen of Fairyland; the second that the King should rule over Fairyland
-until a child appeared with a star in his forehead. Now, on the very
-day that Merrywink was born, the little Princess arrived at the Palace;
-and the King sent round messages to make sure that the child with the
-gleaming star had not yet been seen in Fairyland. The story tells us
-how Merrywink grew up to be brave and strong, and fearless and truthful.
-
-
-
-.. class:: center medium
-
- | By MRS. HENRY DE LA PASTURE
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | The Unlucky Family
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | New Edition with Coloured Illustrations by C. E. BROCK.
-
-This is one of the most humorous children's books published in recent
-years, and the many awkward dilemmas and diverting experiences which
-ensue upon the Chubb family's unexpected rise in the social scale
-cannot fail to delight young readers as well as their elders. In the
-matter of showing the propensity for gelling into mischief these
-youngsters establish a record, but their escapades are generally of a
-harmless character and lead to nothing very serious.
-
-"It is a clever and amusing talc, full of high spirits and good-natured
-mischief which children not too seriously inclined will
-enjoy."--*Scotsman*.
-
-
-
-.. class:: center medium
-
- | By M. I. A.
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | Sir Evelyn's Charge
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | New Edition, Illustrated in Colour.
-
-"Sir Evelyn's Charge" is one of the most popular books for Sunday
-School prizes published within recent years, and has already run into
-very many editions. The object of the story is to show how the quiet,
-unconscious influence exerted by a little child upon those around him
-may be productive of lasting good. This new edition, with a. new
-cover and colour plates, makes a very attractive gift-book.
-
-
-
-.. class:: center medium
-
- | THE PENDLETON SERIES
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | The Pendleton Twins
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | By E. M. JAMESON, Author of "The Pendletons," etc. With Coloured
- | Illustrations.
-
-The adventures of the Pendleton Twins begin the very day they leave
-home. The train is snowed up and they are many hours delayed. They
-have a merry Christmas with plenty of fun and presents, and in the
-middle of the night Bob gives chase to a burglar. Nora, who is very
-sure-footed, goes off by herself one day and climbs the cliffs,
-thinking that no one will be any the wiser until her return. But the
-twins and Dan follow her unseen and are lost in a cave, where they find
-hidden treasure, left by smugglers, buried in the ground. Len sprains
-his ankle and they cannot return. Search parties set out from Cliffe,
-and spend many hours before the twins are found by Nora, cold and tired
-and frightened. But the holidays end very happily after all.
-
-"Miss Jameson's books are written with such humour and lightness of
-touch that they hold the young readers, and not only amuse but instruct
-them."--*Dundee Courier*.
-
-
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | The Pendletons
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | By E. M. JAMESON.
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | New Edition. Illustrated in Colour.
-
-"Young people will revel in this most Interesting and original story.
-The five young Pendletons are much as other children in a large family,
-varied in their ideas, quaint in their tastes, and wont to get into
-mischief at every turn. They are withal devoted to one another and to
-their home, and although often 'naughty,' are not by any means 'bad.'
-The interest in the doings of these youngsters is remarkably well
-sustained, and each chapter seems better than the last. With not a
-single dull page from start to finish and with twelve charming
-illustrations, the book makes an ideal reward for either boys or
-girls."--*Schoolmaster*.
-
-
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | Peggy Pendleton's Plan
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | By E. M. JAMESON. New Edition. Illustrated in Colour by S. P. PEARSE.
-
-To many young readers the Pendleton children are quite old friends, as
-indeed they deserve to be, for they are so merry, so full of fun and
-good spirits, that nobody can read about them without coming to love
-them. In the opening chapter of this book the family meet together in
-solemn conclave to discuss plans for the holidays, which have just
-commenced. Every one of them has a favourite idea, but when the
-various selections are put to the vote, it is Peggy Pendleton's plan
-that carries the day. All the other children think it splendid. What
-that plan was, and what strange adventures it led to, are here set
-forth.
-
-
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | The Book of Baby Beasts
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | By FLORENCE E. Dugdale. Illustrated in Colour by E. J. DETMOLD.
-
-This book contains a series of simple little talks about baby animals,
-both wild and domestic. Each chapter is accompanied by a charming
-picture in colour by E. J. DETMOLD, whose work as an illustrator is
-well known, and whose characteristic delicacy of colouring is
-faithfully reproduced.
-
-
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | The Book of Baby Dogs
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | By CHARLES KABERRY. With nineteen plates in Colour by E. J. DETMOLD.
-
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | The Book of Baby Pets
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | By FLORENCE E. DUGDALE. Illustrated in Colour by E. J. DETMOLD.
-
-"A valuable family possession, and one which admirably fulfils the role
-of guide, counsellor and friend."--*Athenaeum*.
-
-
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | The Book of Baby Birds
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | By FLORENCE E. DUGDALE. Illustrated in Colour by E. J. DETMOLD.
-
-"Simply irresistible."--*Observer*.
-
-
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | Queen Mab's Daughters
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | From the French of JEROME DOUCET. Illustrated by HENRY MORIN.
-
-This book consists of twelve stories, each concerned with an episode in
-the life of one of Queen Mab's daughters. These are very enterprising
-and adventurous princesses, somewhat wilful, indeed; and their
-activities, innocent though they are, often bring them into hot water.
-They fall into the hands of witches and wizards, and are the means of
-releasing from enchantment an equal number of princes who have been
-changed into bears, eagles, monkeys, and other animals by the powers of
-witchcraft. Their adventures are related with the charming daintiness
-wherein French fabulists, from Perrault downwards, have excelled; and
-the book is a decided acquisition to the store of fairy literature in
-which all children delight.
-
-
-
-.. class:: center medium
-
- | By VIOLET BRADBY
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | The Capel Cousins
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | Illustrated in Colour in C. E. BROCK.
-
-The children in the Capel family hear that a cousin from South America
-is to live with them until his education is finished. On his arrival
-he is found to be very frank and outspoken, accustomed to say just what
-he thinks; and as his cousins are more reserved, the misunderstandings
-are by no means few. In time, however, he becomes used to English
-ways, and his good nature and cleverness win his cousins' admiration
-and affection. Mrs. Bradby writes as one who knows children
-thoroughly, and her pictures of home life are very charming.
-
-"The authoress shows a power of depicting a large family of delightful
-and quite natural children which recalls the stories of Miss Yonge at
-her brightest."--*Church Times*.
-
-"A very pleasant, natural, and brightly written story "--*Lady*.
-
-
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | The Happy Families
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | Illustrated by LILIAN A. GOVEY.
-
-Most children have probably played the game of "Happy Families," and it
-Is possible that they have woven stories round the grotesque characters
-that appear on the cards. This is what Mrs. Bradby has done in this
-book, and she has imagined a little girl being suddenly transported to
-Happy Family Land and finding herself beset on all hands by the Grits,
-the Chips and the Boneses, and all the other members of this strange
-and wonderful community.
-
-
-
-.. class:: center medium
-
- | By FLORENCE E. DUGDALE
-
-.. class:: center small
-
- | (MRS. THOMAS HARDY)
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | In Lucy's Garden
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | Illustrated in Colour by J. CAMPBELL.
-
-Miss Dugdale describes Lucy's garden from month to month, the plants
-that grow there, the insects that visit it, and the imaginary beings
-with which Lucy peoples it. During the first year Lucy is without any
-companion to share her experiences, but at the beginning of the second
-year, just when she begins to feel lonely, she makes the acquaintance
-of a little boy, Peter, who is staying with his grandmother next door,
-and who, too, has grown tired of playing by himself. They gladly
-arrange that in future they will play together, as they like each other
-very much. Little ones who have gardens of their own will enjoy
-reading about Lucy's, especially when they know that she was capable of
-understanding what the apple trees and leaves and roses had to tell her
-about things in general and themselves in particular.
-
-"A delightful 'Nature story' written in a charming vein of playful
-fancy, and daintily illustrated."--*Lady*.
-
-
-
-.. class:: center medium
-
- | By TERTIA BENNETT
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | Gentleman Dash
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | Illustrated in Colour by P. H. JOWETT.
-
-This is a book that will appeal to all lovers of animals. Gentleman
-Dash Is a fine collie who lives at a big house with a number of other
-dogs and cats. In spite of his handsome appearance, however, Dash
-sometimes falls so far from dignity as to run away and steal meat from
-butchers' shops. Then he is brought back and punished, and the other
-four-footed members of the family come round and offer sympathy--which
-is not pleasant. The relations that exist between the various dogs and
-cats of the establishment are friendly on the whole, though not
-invariably so. In the course of their conversations, the animals throw
-fresh light on the problems of life as viewed from the kennel and the
-yard.
-
-
-
-.. class:: center medium
-
- | By ALICE MASSIE
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | The Family's Jane
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | Illustrated in Colour by JOHN CAMPBELL.
-
-This is the story of a little girl's search for her lost brothers and
-sisters. At first Jane did not know that she had any brothers or
-sisters, and she used to feel lonely. Then one day, quite by accident,
-she discovered that such was indeed the case, although for some
-unexplained reason they did not live at home and she had been kept in
-ignorance of them. Then Jane set to work to reunite the dismembered
-family. The fact that Jane was only eight, and some of the others were
-quite grown up, with children of their own, did not turn her from her
-purpose, and eventually her efforts had the happy issue which they well
-deserved.
-
-
-
-
-.. class:: center medium
-
- | The Children's Bookcase
-
-.. class:: center medium
-
- | Edited by E. NESBIT
-
-"The Children's Bookcase" is a new series of daintily illustrated hooks
-for little folks, which is intended ultimately to include all that is
-best in children's literature, whether old or new. The series is
-edited by Mrs. E. Nesbit, author of "The Would-be Goods" and many other
-well-known books for children; and particular care is given to binding,
-get-up, and illustrations.
-
-
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | Mrs. Overtheway's Remembrances
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | By JULIANA HORATIA EWING.
-
-A delightful little book of short stories in which "the little old
-lady" who lives over the way relates incidents from her girlhood for
-the amusement of a young friend.
-
-
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | The Little Duke.
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | By CHARLOTTE M. YONGE.
-
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | Sonny Sahib
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | By SARA JEANNETTE DUNCAN (Mrs. Everard Cotes).
-
-A charming story of Anglo-Indian life.
-
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | The Water Babies.
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | By CHARLES KINGSLEY.
-
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | The Old Nursery Stories.
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | By E. NESBIT.
-
-In this book Mrs. E. Nesbit relates the old stories of the Nursery--
-"Cinderella," "Sleeping Beauty," etc.
-
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | Cap-o'-Yellow.
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | By AGNES GROZIER HERBERTSON.
-
-A charming series of fairy stories by one of the very few modern
-writers whose work compares with the classics of fairy-tale literature
-such as Grimm and Perrault.
-
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | Granny's Wonderful Chair.
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | By FRANCES BROWNE.
-
-The author of "Little Lord Fauntleroy" declared this book to be the
-best fairy story ever written. Two generations of little readers have
-been of the same opinion as Mrs. Frances Hodgson Burnett.
-
-
-
-
-.. class:: left medium
-
- | BY THE SAME AUTHOR
-
-.. class:: left small
-
- | THE LOST EMPIRE. A Tale of the Battle of the Nile.
- | THE LOST COLUMN. A Tale of the Boxer Rebellion.
- | THE LOST ISLAND. A Tale of the Mysterious East.
- | THE SWORD OF FREEDOM. A Tale of the English Revolution.
- | THE SPY. A Tale of the Peninsular War.
- | THE RACE ROUND THE WORLD. A Tale of a New Motor Spirit.
- | THE PIRATE AEROPLANE. A Tale of Ancient Egypt.
- | IN ARMS FOR RUSSIA. A Tale of the Great War in Russia.
- | IN THE POWER OF THE PIGMIES. A Tale of the Great Forest.
- | ON SECRET SERVICE. A Story of Zeppelins.
- | A MOTOR SCOUT IN FLANDERS. A Tale of the Fall of Antwerp.
- | ACROSS THE CAMEROONS. A Tale of the Great War in West Africa.
- | SUBMARINE U93. A Tale of the Great War at Sea.
- | THE MYSTERY OF AH JIM. A Tale of the Sea.
- | THE FIRE-GODS. A Tale of the Congo.
- | THE SCARLET HAND. A Chinese Story.
- |
- |
- |
- |
-
-.. pgfooter::
diff --git a/39254-rst/images/img-086.jpg b/39254-rst/images/img-086.jpg Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index ef806f1..0000000 --- a/39254-rst/images/img-086.jpg +++ /dev/null diff --git a/39254-rst/images/img-134.jpg b/39254-rst/images/img-134.jpg Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index 6bf5c25..0000000 --- a/39254-rst/images/img-134.jpg +++ /dev/null diff --git a/39254-rst/images/img-208.jpg b/39254-rst/images/img-208.jpg Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index 1529360..0000000 --- a/39254-rst/images/img-208.jpg +++ /dev/null diff --git a/39254-rst/images/img-250.jpg b/39254-rst/images/img-250.jpg Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index ecba1ce..0000000 --- a/39254-rst/images/img-250.jpg +++ /dev/null diff --git a/39254-rst/images/img-cover.jpg b/39254-rst/images/img-cover.jpg Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index 16148a1..0000000 --- a/39254-rst/images/img-cover.jpg +++ /dev/null diff --git a/39254-rst/images/img-front.jpg b/39254-rst/images/img-front.jpg Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index b097e12..0000000 --- a/39254-rst/images/img-front.jpg +++ /dev/null diff --git a/39254.txt b/39254.txt deleted file mode 100644 index e41aa91..0000000 --- a/39254.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,8691 +0,0 @@ - HELD BY CHINESE BRIGANDS - - -This ebook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and -most other parts of the world 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 -http://www.gutenberg.org/license. If you are not located in the United -States, you'll have to check the laws of the country where you are -located before using this ebook. - - - -Title: Held by Chinese Brigands -Author: Charles Gilson -Release Date: March 24, 2012 [EBook #39254] -Reposted: May 09, 2015 [correction of author in PG header] -Language: English -Character set encoding: US-ASCII - - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HELD BY CHINESE BRIGANDS *** - - - - -Produced by Al Haines. - - - - -[Illustration: Cover art] - - - -[Illustration: "'I AM CHEONG-CHAU,' HE CRIED." _See page_ 63.] - - - - HELD BY CHINESE BRIGANDS - - - BY - - CAPTAIN CHARLES GILSON - - - - ILLUSTRATED BY - - JOHN DE WALTON, A.R.W.A. - - - - - HUMPHREY MILFORD - THE OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS - LONDON, EDINBURGH, GLASGOW - TORONTO, MELBOURNE, CAPETOWN, BOMBAY - 1921 - - - - - To - BARBARA PARTRIDGE - - - - - ---- - - - - -CONTENTS - - - CHAPTER I--HOW HENNESSY K. WALDRON "TRIPPED AROUND" - CHAPTER II--OF AH WU'S OPIUM DEN - CHAPTER III--OF THE TIGER AND THE FOXES - CHAPTER IV--HOW CHEONG-CHAU CAME FORTH OF THE TOWN OF PINGLO - CHAPTER V--HOW CHEONG-CHAU STRUCK AT DEAD OF NIGHT - CHAPTER VI--HOW CHEONG-CHAU STATED HIS TERMS - CHAPTER VII--HOW THE LETTER WAS WRITTEN - CHAPTER VIII--AND HOW FRANK RESOLVED TO FOLLOW IT - CHAPTER IX--OF THE HOSPITALITY OF THE TEA-GROWER - CHAPTER X--HOW FRANK WAS IN LUCK'S WAY - CHAPTER XI--OF THE REAPPEARANCE OF LING - CHAPTER XII--HOW MEN-CHING ESCAPED - CHAPTER XIII--HOW FRANK WAS CAUGHT IN THE TOILS - CHAPTER XIV--HOW LING SNUFFED THE CANDLE - CHAPTER XV--OF CHEONG-CHAU'S MESSENGER - CHAPTER XVI--OF THE REPENTANCE OF YUNG HOW - CHAPTER XVII--HOW LING WAS TOO LATE - CHAPTER XVIII--OF THE SPIDER AND THE WEB - CHAPTER XIX--HOW LING READ CONFUCIUS - CHAPTER XX--HOW THE TIGER SPRANG - CHAPTER XXI--OF THE GLADE OF CHILDREN'S TEARS - CHAPTER XXII--OF THE CAPTURE OF THE JUNK - CHAPTER XXIII--HOW THE TREASURE ARRIVED - CHAPTER XXIV--HOW THE TIGER VANISHED IN THIN AIR - CHAPTER XXV--AND HOW CHEONG-CHAU VANISHED ALTOGETHER - CHAPTER XXVI--OF GREED OF GOLD - CHAPTER XXVII--HOW LING DRIFTED TO THE STARS - - ---- - - LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS - -"'I am Cheong-Chau,' he cried" . . . . . . _Frontispiece in colour_ - (_see page_ 63) - -"Mr Waldron never moved an inch" - -"Ling snatched the boathook from his hand" - -"There came a roar like that of a charging lion" - -"He himself was hurled after it" - - - - - - - -CHAPTER I--HOW HENNESSY K. WALDRON "TRIPPED AROUND" - - -We have heard it said, by those who are widely travelled, that there are -three beautiful harbours in the world: Rio de Janeiro, in Brazil; Sydney -Harbour, and--most beautiful of all--the harbour of Hong-Kong. - -The famous Peak rises above the town of Victoria and, at a height of -about two thousand feet, buries its crest in the clouds. The harbour -itself is in the shape of a crescent, enclosing the red, bare hills of -Kow-lung. By day, from Lyemun to Stonecutter's Island, ferry-boats, -_sampans_, _wupans_ and launches scurry here and there, in and out among -the great anchored men-of-war, like so many mice romping in a cage of -sleeping tigers. - -The slopes of the mountain are green with palm-trees, mango, orange and -lichen, in the midst of which can be seen innumerable white, flat-roofed -villas, each with its upper-story verandah and green-latticed windows. -To the east the hills are more rugged; streams, traced through the glens -by straggling brushwood, descend in a succession of waterfalls to the -level of the sea. In the Pass of Lyemun the traveller finds himself in -the midst of an inhospitable grandeur, similar to that of the western -Scottish isles. - -It is, however, by night that Hong-Kong Harbour is at its best. With a -sky of a million stars, and the pale, round China moon hanging like a -lantern in the midst of the heavens, reflecting its light upon the -surface of the dark, tranquil water, the moving lights upon the -_sampans_ and the countless lanterns in the streets of China town, this -place is surely one of the most romantic in the world. Here the Far -East and the West touch; it is the one place in all China where the -foothold of the European is secure. - -Upon this beautiful island, with its rugged hills and feathery palms, -the white man stands, under his own flag--as it were, upon the very -threshold of the mysterious, eternal "Middle Kingdom." Over the way, to -the north-west, is the great estuary of the Canton river, the -Chau-kiang--the main trade highway of the south. Canton itself, a city -of two and a half million inhabitants, lies at the junction of three -rivers, which meet almost at right angles: the first flowing from the -east, the second from the north, and the third--and greatest---from the -west. Canton is a city of mysteries and marvels; it is a city of many -industries, insufferable heat, intolerable smells, and almost -unbelievable devilry and crime. - -The whole of the great province of Kwangsi and the eastern portion of -Yunnan is drained by the West River and its hundreds of tributaries. -These tributaries for the most part find their sources upon the -watershed of the Nan-ling Mountains, which extend from the Tung-ting -Lake to the city of Kin-yuen, a distance of over five hundred miles. - -Of that great stretch of country little or nothing is known. Thanks to -the early Jesuit explorers, we are provided with excellent maps. But a -map is no more than a coloured piece of paper which--at the best--is -backed with linen. Names in themselves convey nothing. Though you study -the map of China for a fortnight you will know less of the Si-kiang, or -West River, than the naval lieutenant who ran his gunboat past Wu-chau, -and blew the mud huts of a pirate village into a dust-heap with the -pound-and-a-half shells of his Maxim-Nordenfeldt. For, if to this day -there are wild men anywhere upon the face of the earth, who know neither -mercy nor pity nor the laws of God or man, they are to be found in the -tract of country that lies between the West River and the Nan-ling -Mountains to the north. And thither we are about to journey, into the -midst of a land that is by no means a wilderness, but which is populated -for the most part by peaceable, hard-working peasants. - -There are, however, certain members of the community who are neither -peaceable nor industrious, who care no more for the gunboats of His -Britannic Majesty upon the wide reaches of the river than they do for -the _yamen_ of the Viceroy of Canton, who so terrorise the province that -each honest man knows that it is more than his life is worth to give -information against them. - -The chiefs of these pirates or brigands are, as often as not, highly -educated Chinese, sometimes entitled to wear the blue or red button of a -mandarin. They hold sway by dint of their cruelty and their cunning. - -Such a man was Cheong-Chau, whose headquarters were established in the -town of Kong-chin, at the foot of the mountains. Thence he and his men -were wont to descend to Pinglo, where they would board a sea-going junk, -in which they would steal past Wu-chau to Canton, and thence to the open -sea, to rob fishing-junks and sometimes even cargo ships. If they passed -a gunboat or destroyer upon the broad waters of the estuary they were -simple fishermen, on a cruise to Macao or Amoy. But under their fishing -nets and tackle was always a veritable armoury of blood-curdling -cutlasses and knives. - -For the time being we will leave this cutthroat resting on his -ill-gotten wealth, dazed from opium in a filthy den in the city of -Pinglo, and return to the sublime and tranquil beauty of the harbour of -Hong-Kong. There we are to meet a gentleman of appearance more -personable, and personality more engaging, than the redoubtable -Cheong-Chau. We refer to Mr Hennessy K. Waldron, of Paradise City, -Nevada, U.S.A. - -Mr Waldron was engaged upon what he termed a "trip around." He had made -a pile of money out of cattle, silver, a patent egg-whisk, and pigs. -His "trip around" had already lasted two and a half years. He had been -to London, Paris, Switzerland, and Venice. He knew the height of the -dome of St Paul's Cathedral, the number of bricks in the Mont Cenis -tunnel, and the names of all the famous Venetian painters. He had gazed -at the Pyramids, he had contemplated the Coliseum, and standing upon the -Bridge of Sighs in Venice, he had quoted Byron, sentimentalising over -the narrow stretch of water that divides the Doges' Palace from the -gloomy dungeon to the right. - -And wherever Hennessy K. Waldron had been he had been well received. -Before leaving New York he had taken the precaution of arming himself -with so many letters of introduction to influential persons in all parts -of the world that he was obliged to carry them about with him in a large -tin-lined box. He had not been two hours in Hong-Kong before he had -called upon his Excellency the Governor, _Sir_ John Macintosh--with the -accent, according to Mr Waldron, on the "Sir." - -He had also a letter from the British Ambassador in Washington to Sir -Thomas Armitage, the Chief Justice of the Colony, upon whose verandah he -was now seated, with his legs sprawled out in front of him, a Manila -cheroot in the corner of his mouth and a whisky-and-soda at his elbow. -Hennessy K. Waldron believed in "tripping around" in comfort. - -"Judge," said he, "I've scheduled Hong-Kong for a six weeks' stay. -Calculate I can do South China in that time?" - -Sir Thomas smiled and shook his head. - -"Mr Waldron," he replied, "you can't 'do' South China in six years, and -you'll know precious little about it even at the end of sixty." - -"Waal, I guess I'm not slow in the uptake. I can run my eye over the -Tower of London, the Matterhorn, or the Louvre, in less time than a New -York elevator would take to conduct you to the thirteenth story of the -Flat Iron Building. And, sir, I'm speaking of things I know. Guess -I've got face value out of every dollar's worth of shoe leather I ever -purchased, or I never knew the difference between glue and honey." - -"That may very well be," said the judge, "but there is so much about -China to learn, so much that is confusing, and even contradictory, that -I must confess, even after thirty years in the country, I know very -little about it." - -"Reckon," observed Mr Waldron, "the lingo would twist the tongue of a -rattlesnake. I'm not referring to that." - -"Whilst you are in China," asked Sir Thomas, "what is it, Mr Waldron, -you most desire to see?" - -For some moments Mr Hennessy K. Waldron appeared to be deep in thought. -It was as if he considered the question worthy of earnest consideration. - -"Temples," said he, at last. "Judge, I'm just crazy on temples." - -"It so happens," said Sir Thomas Armitage, "that I'm interested in the -same subject. For many years I have made a study of the religions of -China--a vast, and to me an absorbing subject, upon which I am writing a -book." - -"Waal, now," exclaimed Mr Waldron, "that's very interesting, Judge. I -always understood the Chink worships the spirits of his ancestors, and -that's about as far as he gets." - -"That is by no means correct," said the judge. "There are many -religions in China. The upper classes are, practically without -exception, Confucianists. It is true Confucianism is scarcely a -religion; it is a system of moral philosophy which, however, serves its -purpose. There are few Mohammedans in China, though great numbers of -Buddhists--Chinese Buddhism differing in several interesting particulars -from the corruption of the religion which exists to-day in India. -However, the great bulk of the people, especially in the rural -districts, are Taoists. Taoism is extremely difficult to understand, -and even harder to explain. The original Taoist doctrine was a -philosophy of fatalism; it has deteriorated, however, into a belief in -evil spirits, alchemy, black magic, and so forth. Taoism and Buddhism -have become confused; in the Taoist temples images can be seen of Buddha -and his disciples." - -"Guess that's what I want to see," cut in Mr Waldron. - -The judge was silent a moment. - -"I am about to undertake a long and somewhat arduous journey," he -continued. "I have had a great deal of work of late, and am taking a -six weeks' vacation. In pursuit of my hobby I intend to journey up the -West River, to visit a very famous and ancient Taoist temple, situated -in the hills, not far from the town of Pinglo. If you would like to -accompany me, Mr Waldron, I am sure I shall be delighted. I warn you, -however, that it will be no picnic. The heat will be excessive--for the -summer is here--and we shall be called upon to undergo certain -inconveniences and even hardships." - -"Sir," exclaimed the American, "I began life as a cow-puncher in Texas. -I have consorted, in the course of my career, with Mexican caballeros, -bar tenders and pugilists. I'm not likely to get cold feet at the sight -of a mosquito or a heathen god." - -The judge laughed, and rose to his feet. Mr Waldron knocked the ash -from the end of his cigar. - -The moonlit harbour lay immediately beneath them. The mast-head -signalling-lights upon the anchored cruisers winked their dots and -dashes from one to the other. The round Chinese lanterns upon the -_sampans_ moved restlessly, like fire-flies, upon the dark surface of -the water. Somewhere, to the right, in the midst of the trees, a -military band was playing; now and again they caught the strains of -_Light Cavalry_ or _The Pilgrim's March_, from _Tannhaeuser_. To the -left, the flaming lights in the streets of the Chinese quarter threw -their reflection upon the dark foliage of the palms and orange-trees on -the slopes of Mount Davis. Strange two-stringed instruments and shrill -Chinese voices, heard faintly in the distance, conveyed to Mr Hennessy -K. Waldron the impression that he was thousands of miles away from -Paradise City. - -"That's settled, then," said the judge. "We travel together, Mr Waldron. -I shall be delighted to have the pleasure of your company." - -"Judge," said Mr Waldron, "the pleasure is mine, sure. If it's temples, -I'm your man. If there's going to be danger, I carry a six-shooter; and -I can handle a gun as well as any." - -"I trust," said the other, "that no such necessity will arise. However, -in the region of the Nan-ling Mountains anything may happen. I myself -will go unarmed." - -At that moment a boy of about sixteen years of age entered the verandah -from the dimly lighted drawing-room beyond, where he had been seated for -some time engrossed in a book. Though he was a good-looking and -well-built lad, he had the yellow complexion similar to that of the -Chinese themselves, which sooner or later comes to every European who -has lived for any length of time in the Far East. - -"Are you talking about your journey up the West River, uncle?" he asked, -with his eyes upon the heavy Colt revolver that Mr Waldron had produced -from the hip-pocket of his trousers. - -"Yes," said Sir Thomas. "Mr Waldron has agreed to come with me. I have -promised him that the expedition will be full of interest." - -"I am going too?" asked the boy. - -The judge laid a hand upon his nephew's shoulder. "I believe," said he, -"that was arranged. Here, Mr Waldron," he added, turning to the -American, "is our interpreter. I have studied the Chinese language all -my life and can speak a little in the Mandarin dialect. But Frank is -lucky. He learnt the language from his amah, or Chinese nurse. He could -talk Cantonese before he knew fifty words of English. When I am -travelling on the mainland I always take Frank with me. The Chinese are -extraordinary people. If you speak their language badly they will not -attempt to understand you, but Frank can talk the Southern dialect as -well as the peasants themselves." - -"I'm in luck's way," observed Mr Waldron. "In the old days in Texas, if -I was prospecting for gold, I struck oil; if I was looking for oil, I -found gold. That's how I made my pile. I guess there're not many -globe-trotters who get such an opportunity of leaving the beaten track, -of seeing China from the inside. And, Judge, I'm no good on the stump, -but let me tell you, sir, I appreciate the honour; and if ever you find -yourself in Paradise City, Nevada, U.S.A., you'll find my name a free -pass to anything that's going, from a ten-cent circus to a pocketful of -cigars. And that's a bargain, Judge." - -Whilst Mr Waldron was expressing, in his own peculiar fashion, his sense -of obligation, there appeared, in the shadows of the room that gave upon -the verandah, a tall, dark-eyed Cantonese servant, a man of about thirty -years of age, with a black glistening pigtail which reached almost to -his knees. - -Wearing soft, felt-soled shoes, he glided across the room as noiselessly -and as stealthily as a cat. At the casement window he caught sight of -the shining barrels of Mr Waldron's nickel-plated revolver. And at once -he disappeared--behind a curtain. - -"And now, Judge, may I ask when you intend to start?" asked the -American. - -"In a week's time," said Sir Thomas. "That will give you a few days in -which to see the sights of Hong-Kong. Bring no more baggage than one -man can carry. We are going into a country where there are no roads, -only a few footpaths between the ricefields. And above all, Mr Waldron, -I must request you to say nothing about it to anyone. Our destination -must remain a secret. I do not trust even my own personal attendants." - -"Your wishes will be obeyed, Judge," said Mr Waldron. "But may I ask, -sir, why these precautions are essential?" - -"They are not essential," said the judge, "but I think you will agree -with me they are wise when I tell you that the West River abounds with -pirates, and there are several gangs of Chinese bandits in the Nan-ling -Mountains, especially in the neighbourhood where we are going. The town -of Pinglo has an exceptionally bad reputation. You yourself, Mr -Waldron, are a wealthy man, and I have a position of some importance in -this colony. It might be well worth the while of some rascal who is in -touch with the West River pirates to give information against us." - -"I get your meaning, Judge," said Mr Waldron, returning his revolver to -his hip-pocket. "I'm as dumb as a dewberry pie. And now I must get back -to my hotel. Good-night, and, sir, I'm pleased and honoured to have met -you." - -"One moment," said the judge. "Let me send for a ricksha. I am afraid -my own chair coolies have gone to bed." - -Sir Thomas entered the drawing-room, unconscious of the fact there was a -man not five paces away from him hiding behind the curtain. He rang a -small bronze hand-bell and returned to the verandah. - -The man behind the curtain dropped down upon his hands and knees, and -keeping in the shade of the various chairs and tables he gained the -door, opened it, and passed through silently. - -Two seconds afterwards he re-entered, standing at his full height, with -an expression of profound dignity, even of contempt, upon every feature -of his face. - -He closed the door with a bang, marched with a stately stride across the -room, and presented himself at the window. - -"Master rang," said he. - -"Yes," said Sir Thomas. "Yung How, please order a ricksha for Mr -Waldron, to take him to the King Edward Hotel." - -The man bowed--if an almost imperceptible downward movement of the head -may be so described. - -"Yes, master," said he. - -Stepping upon the verandah, he picked up the empty glass which had -contained Mr Waldron's whisky-and-soda. Holding this in his hand, as if -it were something sacramental, Yung How stalked gravely from the room. - -That night, tossing restlessly upon his bed in the stifling heat of the -breathless tropic night, Mr Hennessy K. Waldron, of Paradise City, Nev., -dreamed of heathen gods. - - - - -CHAPTER II--OF AH WU'S OPIUM DEN - - -The small river-launch steamed away from the narrow creek which divides -Canton city from the island of Shamien. The Chinaman at the wheel -navigated the little craft into the very midst of the clustered -shipping, the mass of junks and river-boats that thronged the entrance -to the creek. Her prow cutting the water in a long, arrow-shaped, -feathery wave, the launch gained the fairway of the main river, and -thence worked up-stream. Seated in a comfortable chair in the bows, a -cigar in his mouth and a pair of field-glasses in his hand, was Mr -Hennessy K. Waldron, of Paradise City, Nevada, U.S.A. - -Sir Thomas Armitage drew a basket-chair into the shade afforded by an -awning. There he produced his spectacles and, opening a book, settled -himself to read. His nephew, with his coat off and his sleeves rolled -up, was occupied with an oil-bottle in the little engine-room. - -In the stern of the launch stood Yung How, with folded arms. His dark -face was expressionless. For all that, his eyes were fixed upon the -northern bank of the river, where the houses of the city were so -close-packed that a man standing with outstretched arms in one of the -narrow streets could have touched with his finger-tips the walls on -either side. - -At the extremity of one of these dark, stifling lanes stood a Chinaman, -wearing a faded scarlet coat. This man was an old man, with a grey tuft -of hair upon his chin, and a queue that was white and short and thin as -a monkey's tail. He stood motionless, shading his eyes with the palm of -a hand and looking out across the river. As the launch hove into sight -he drew back a little, hiding himself in the doorway of an adjacent -house. The launch passed within fifty yards of the shore. - -He observed Mr Waldron and he observed Sir Thomas Armitage, who was -engrossed in his reading. Moreover, he observed Yung How, who slowly -raised his right hand and laid it upon the shaven forepart of his head. - -At that the man disappeared. He vanished into the gloom of an even -narrower side street. Five minutes afterwards he appeared in the open -space on the western side of the Temple of the Gods. Here a coolie was -standing, holding the bridle of a thick-necked, short-legged Mongolian -pony, of the breed common in the north of China but seldom seen in the -south. The man with the faded scarlet coat flung himself into the -saddle. - -"It is the West River!" he cried, and he was off like the wind, riding -due north, leaving the suburbs of the great city to his right. - -Such an extraordinary incident stands, perhaps, in need of explanation. -The judge's party had spent a week in Canton, during which time Mr -Waldron had inspected the Five-Story Pagoda, the Water Clock, the -temples of the Five Genii and the Five Hundred Gods; he had witnessed -theatrical performances and a public execution; he had smelled the -smells of Canton. - -As for Yung How, he also had not been idle. He had gone by night to a -certain opium den in the vicinity of the Mohammedan mosque--the opium -den of Ah Wu. Thither we must accompany him if we are to make head or -tail of the narrative that follows. - -Yung How had appeared before Sir Thomas Armitage. "Master," said he, "I -have a brother in Canton." - -The judge smiled. He had lived many years in China. He knew that -Chinese servants always have brothers and aunts and grandmothers. - -"And you want a day's leave, Yung How?" he asked. - -"No, master," said Yung How. "Go away to-night, after dinner-time. Come -back to-morrow morning." - -Sir Thomas guessed that Yung How's "brother" was nothing more or less -than an opium pipe. He knew, however, that it would be useless to -refuse the man leave. Yung How was sadly addicted to opium; in -Hong-Kong he often appeared in the morning with the pupils of his eyes -no bigger than pinheads. And Sir Thomas knew also that, once a Chinese -has become a slave of the opium pipe, nothing will ever cure him. The -judge shrugged his shoulders. - -"Very well, Yung How," said he, "you can go." - -"Thank you, master," said Yung How. And he stalked in a majestic manner -from the dining-room of the Shamien Hotel, where the judge and his party -were staying. - -Yung How crossed the little bridge of boats that connects the island -with the main part of the city to the north. He found himself in -narrow, twisting streets densely packed with people, the majority of -whom were of the coolie class and wore little or no clothes. The shops -and booths were ablaze. Everyone was shouting at once, swearing, -wrangling, bargaining till they were hoarse. The heat was insufferable, -the atmosphere humid. The foul smells of the city would have sickened a -European, but they did not seem to affect the Oriental nostrils of Yung -How, the Cantonese. - -He walked slowly with long strides, turning to the left, then to the -right, then to the left again. He was evidently familiar with the city. -Brushing past half-naked, gesticulating coolies, and thrusting children -aside, he came presently upon a great sow, sleeping in the middle of the -street. Since there was no room to pass on either side he kicked the -animal violently. As the pig got grunting to its feet, Yung How swept -past with an expression of contempt upon his face. - -He found himself, at last, outside the Mohammedan Mosque. Crossing what -the Europeans call "West Street," he entered a dark thoroughfare, a -blind alley, at the end of which was a solitary, blood-red Chinese -lantern, suspended above a door. - -Yung How did not knock. He walked straight in and found himself in the -presence of Ah Wu. - -Now Ah Wu was a notorious character; he was also a notorious scoundrel. -He was a little, fat man, with a round, smiling, cherubic -countenance--except that there was nothing cherubic about his eyes, -which were small and evil, and glittered like those of a snake. - -"Ha!" he exclaimed, the moment he set eyes upon Yung How. "You have -returned to Canton! Ah Wu bids you welcome. If he eats rice under the -roof-tree of Ah Wu, Yung How shall have of the best. He shall smoke the -finest Chung-king opium." - -"I desire none of these things," said Yung How. - -Ah Wu looked disappointed, for Yung How was a rich man as Chinamen went, -who paid for his night's entertainment in brand new Hong-Kong dollars. - -"Ah Wu," said Yung How, in a low voice, "I desire to speak with you upon -a matter which is private. It will be worth your while to help me if -you can." - -Ah Wu's eyes glistened. He rubbed his hands together. "Come with me," -said he. - -He drew aside a heavy, richly embroidered curtain and, passing through, -they found themselves in the opium den. This was a room of two stories, -with a flight of stairs in the middle leading to the upper story, which -was a kind of balcony. All around the walls, both upstairs and -downstairs, were couches, and by the side of each couch was a small -lacquer table. Upon every table was an opium pipe, a small bowl -containing a substance that resembled treacle, and a little spirit-lamp. -And upon each couch was a man, stretched at full length, wearing no more -clothes than a kind of towel tied around his waist, for the heat of the -room was like that of a Turkish bath. - -Some of these men were engaged in smoking, rolling the opium into little -pills, holding these pills over the flame of the spirit-lamp until they -frizzled in the heat. Some were lying flat upon their backs, with their -arms folded behind their heads, staring with eyes wide open at the -ceiling. Others were motionless, insensible, asleep--drugged into -oblivion. The room reeked with the pungent smell of the drug. - -Yung How, taking no notice of the occupants of the den, followed the -proprietor into a small room under the stairs. There a paraffin lamp of -European manufacture burned upon a table. Ah Wu offered his guest a -chair and seated himself on the opposite side of the table. He produced -a matchbox from the sleeve of his coat, struck a match, and lighted a -small spirit-lamp. This, together with a bowl of opium and a large -ivory pipe, he shoved across the table. - -"You will smoke?" he asked. - -Yung How could not resist the temptation. He snatched up the little -skewer and dived it into the brown glutinous substance. - -"Thank you," said he. "I can think better when I smoke. The matter of -which I have to tell you, Ah Wu, is of some importance. It may be very -profitable to me, and also, in some degree, to you--if you are able to -assist me." - -Ah Wu's little almond-shaped eyes glistened more than ever. His face -became wreathed in smiles. He got to his feet and went to a cupboard, -from which he produced his own opium pipe. Then he seated himself again -at the table, and with their heads very close together these two sleek, -shaven, unmitigated rascals rolled their little pills and filled the -room with bitter-smelling smoke. - -And as they fell under the influence of the wonderful and subtle drug -that holds sway over the whole of the Far East, from Shanghai to Bombay, -they discussed in low voices the affairs of Mr Hennessy K. Waldron, of -Paradise City, Nevada, U.S.A. - -"Tell me," asked Yung How, "do you ever see anything of Cheong-Chau, the -robber?" - -"He himself," said Ah Wu, "comes often to Canton. He invariably stays -here. He is a great smoker. He smokes opium by day and walks abroad by -night. He will not show himself in the streets by daylight, in case he -should be recognised by the soldiers of the Viceroy." - -"He is a brave man," said Yung How--avoiding, after the manner of the -East, the point at issue. - -"He fears not death," said Ah Wu. "But the day will come when he will -be led to his execution, to the Potter's Yard, where they will cut off -his head, and the heads of all his followers." - -"How many men has he?" asked Yung How. - -Ah Wu shrugged his shoulders. - -"Some say twenty," said he; "some say thirty. Men-Ching, his -second-in-command, is always here. He is one of my oldest patrons." Ah -Wu nodded his head towards the door. "He is in there now," he added, -"sound asleep. I saw him as we passed." - -It is not the custom of a Chinese to convey surprise, satisfaction or -displeasure, or any other emotion, upon the features of his face. Yung -How's countenance remained expressionless. He did not raise an eyebrow. -And yet he was delighted. He was in luck's way, and he knew it. - -"What sort of a man is this Men-Ching?" he asked. - -"He is an old man," said Ah Wu, "a grandfather. He wears a small grey -beard, and his pigtail is almost white." - -Yung How leaned across the table and whispered in Ah Wu's ear: - -"I know of a party of Europeans," said he, "who are going up one of the -rivers--I am not sure which. I have not yet discovered their -destination. They are rich men. How much will Cheong-Chau give, do you -think, if I deliver them into his hands?" - -Ah Wu chuckled. Then, very carefully, he rolled another opium pill and -puffed the smoke from his mouth. - -"This can be arranged," said he, rising to his feet. "I will fetch -Men-Ching. He returns to Pinglo to-morrow." - -Ah Wu entered the opium den and, ascending the stairs, awakened a man -who was sleeping upon one of the couches. This was an old man with a -small grey beard and so little hair upon his head that his pigtail was -not six inches long. - -Men-Ching listened to Ah Wu's apologies, and then got slowly to his -feet. He put on his faded scarlet coat and followed the proprietor down -the stairs. In the little room below, he was introduced to Yung How, -and a Chinese introduction is a serious and ceremonious occasion. For -the better part of five minutes the two men paid each other compliments, -which were neither the truth nor intended to be such. Then all three -seated themselves at the table, and presently the smoke from three opium -pipes, instead of two, was filling the room with the bitter, pungent -smell. - -They discussed the matter in every detail; they regarded it from every -aspect. They calculated the risk and speculated upon their own share of -the plunder. They tried to estimate the illimitable wealth of Mr -Hennessy K. Waldron. Perhaps Ah Wu had visions of retiring from -business and settling down in his native town of Chau-chau, on the banks -of the Han river, where the rice is the best in China. - -At all events they were three great scoundrels, and although Cheong-Chau -himself may have been a greater one, there was a certain man who--even -whilst they were closeted together--had entered the opium den, who was -without doubt the greatest villain in all the thirteen provinces, in all -that land of thieves and knaves and cut-throats, from the Great Wall of -China to the Shan States, upon the borderland of Burmah. - -And this man was Ling. He burst into the opium den with such violence -that the outer door was in danger of being broken from its hinges. He -thrust aside the embroidered curtains so roughly that several of the -wooden rings that secured them at the top were broken. Once inside the -room, he bellowed for Ah Wu, the proprietor of the establishment, and -his voice was so great that he awakened many of the sleepers. - -Being informed that Ah Wu was privately engaged, he strode into the -little room beneath the stairs, and there found himself confronted by -Men-Ching, whom he knew well by sight and reputation, and Yung How, whom -he had never seen before. - -For some moments he stood regarding the three men. Then he -laughed--just as a jackal laughs. - -"What's this?" he cried. "Three such heads were never brought together -to discuss Confucius or the writings of the learned Lao Tzu. An old -fox, Ah Wu--one of Cheong-Chau's paid assassins, and a smooth-faced -Hong-Kong 'boy'! Vulgar men, all three, who breathe from their throats, -and walk in fear and trembling. Fetch me a pipe, Ah Wu, and take us -into your council. I have a mind to learn the reason of these -whisperings." - -We have said that the Oriental does not betray his innermost feelings -upon his features. We have stated that the Chinese countenance is -incapable of expression. The case was overstated, for all three of -them, the moment they set eyes upon this self-confident intruder, became -visibly alarmed. It is true that to no small extent the personal -appearance of Ling may have been responsible for this. - -The man was a giant. Yung How was a tall man; but when he stood at his -full height, the shaven top of his head was not level with the shoulders -of the new-comer, who must have been at least six feet eight inches in -height. His complexion was so sallow as to be almost green; his cheeks -were hollow like those of a human skull. At the same time, he had -enormous features: a great hooked nose; a square, massive chin; a mouth -that almost reached to his ears when he grinned. He had coal-black -eyebrows which met upon the bridge of his nose, and slanted slightly -upwards. Upon his upper lip was a long black moustache, the ends of -which hung down below his chin. His bones were mammoth-like; he had -enormous fists; and when he walked, his great shoulder-blades could be -seen moving under his long blue silken robe. Ah Wu looked up at him, -with the glint of fear in his little fox-like eyes. - -"We were discussing the rice crop," said he. - -"_Liar!_" roared Ling. - -And he brought down his fist upon the table with such force that the -opium bowls jumped, and one of the spirit-lamps went out. - -"Liar!" he repeated. "Fetch me a pipe, as I bid you, and speak true -talk. This is a human affair and concerns me as much as you. Were it a -question of divine philosophy, I should be the last to intrude. Come, I -propose to give you advice." - -Thereupon, without the least warning, he seized Yung How by the scruff -of his neck, and lifted him bodily out of his chair. - -"This foreign devil's flunkey shall increase the wisdom of the mighty -Ling," he shouted. "He shall tell me in his Hong-Kong jargon why he -holds conference with one of Cheong-Chau's bandits, and one who has -grown so old in wickedness, and so rich in ill-gotten gains, that his -eyes are sunk in the wrinkled fat of his face." - -He dumped Yung How back into his chair, and for once the habitual -expression of serene dignity had departed from that gentleman's -countenance. Indeed, he looked terribly frightened--but not more so -than Ah Wu himself, who now came forward, holding in his trembling hand -an opium pipe, which he offered politely to this gigantic Oriental -swashbuckler. - -Ling examined the pipe critically; and then, apparently satisfied with -the appearance of it, proceeded to roll opium pills in his huge, -flat-tipped fingers. - -"I smoke," said he, "not like fools, to dream. I smoke to fight, to -think, and to make fools of others." - -As he said these words he flung off his long coat. Underneath he was -wearing a thin vest of the finest Chifu silk. Around his waist was a -belt, attached to which was a great knife--a Malay _kris_--the handle of -which was studded lavishly with jewels. - - - - -CHAPTER III--OF THE TIGER AND THE FOXES - - -Ling was a Northerner. He hailed from the province of Honan, a land of -rugged hills and dark, inhospitable valleys, through which flows the -unnavigable Hoang-Ho, the turbulent Yellow River that thrashes its way -into the Gulf of Pe-chili, over cataracts and rocks, through dark, -precipitous ravines. - -The Honanese are a warlike race. From this province the viceroys of the -north were wont to recruit the majority of their soldiers--wild, -raw-boned men who, in the old days, guarded the sacred presence of the -Emperor. - -The pirates of the West River may be compared to wolf-packs that roam -the southern provinces in search of plunder. But Ling may be likened to -a solitary beast of prey, a man-eating tiger, or a rogue elephant--than -which there is no more dangerous beast in all the world. He lived by his -wits, his great strength and cunning. He had established such a -reputation for himself in the provinces of Kwang-si and Kwei-chau that -he was feared alike by peasants, priests, and mandarins. He committed -crime openly and gloried in it; for in China there are no police, and -prefects and magistrates can be bought with silver _taels_. - -And Ling was a man of great wealth. He employed bribery when that was -likely to succeed. Otherwise he relied upon his Malay kris, or his -great hands, with which he could strangle the life out of an ordinary -man in no more time than it would take to wring the neck of a hen. - -The wonder of this man was that he was a great scholar. He had passed -several of the public examinations in which the candidates could be -numbered by the thousand. He was learned in the classic books: _Spring -and Autumn_, _The Doctrine of the Mean_, _The Analects of Confucius_, -and the books of History, Rites and Music, and the Odes. - -He was in the habit of quoting Confucius and the writings of the sages; -and he could always, by twisting the meaning of the proverbs of -antiquity, find excuses for his crimes. - -"To the good I would be good," he would quote, adding: "As there are no -good on this earth, there is no necessity to be other than I am." - -In no other country in the world would such a man have been allowed to -walk at large in the streets of a populous city. Everyone knew him, and -everyone feared him; but no one had the courage to step across his path. -He came and went at his pleasure, laughing in his loud, boisterous -manner, quoting from the writings of Confucius, Mencius, and the learned -Lao Tzu, the founder of the Taoist religion. It must be remembered that -China is a country in which everyone minds his own affairs. The sages -have taught the Chinese to believe that the destiny of every man is in -his own hands, and that whether he lives foolishly or wisely, whether he -does evil or good, is a question solely between that man himself and the -Spirit of the Universe. No one has the right to interfere. - -In this world there are those who talk and those who act. Ling did -both. He bullied and threatened and stormed; he was childishly vain of -his learning, and in seven dialects he scattered his knowledge -broadcast. At the same time, he was a man of action; he was resolute -and brave, and without scruples or a sense of pity. - -But neither courage nor brute strength nor wisdom, nor a combination of -the three, can accomplish all things. And in Ah Wu's opium den, the -mighty Ling found himself in the presence of three subtle, -smooth-tongued Cantonese; and the whole world across, from San Francisco -to Yokohama by way of Port Said, there is no more capable and fluent -liar than the lemon-skinned, almond-eyed Chinese who hails from the -province of Kwang-si. It is difficult to say who could lie most -gracefully, who was the greatest hypocrite--Ah Wu, Yung How, or -Men-Ching, the brigand. Each in his own way was a past master in the -craft of falsehood. - -Moreover, they had no intention of taking Ling into their confidence. -They may have been frightened of the man, but not even fear could make -them behave like imbeciles. They knew that if Ling gained knowledge of -the presence of Mr Hennessy K. Waldron upon the upper reaches of one of -the rivers, there would be but little booty left for themselves. And so -they lied--gracefully, easily, pleasantly, and with admirable -consistency. - -What that lie was is immaterial to the skein and texture of this story. -It was a presentable and passable falsehood, you may be sure, but it was -not good enough to deceive Ling, who, however, professed that he -believed every word they had told him, whilst he complacently smoked -pipe after pipe of opium--at Ah Wu's expense. - -And then he left the opium den, paying for nothing, quoting from Mencius -in regard to the virtue of hospitality. In the dark streets of the -mammoth city his colossal figure became lost in the shadows; but he left -behind him, in the opium den, in the little room beneath the stairs, an -atmosphere of tension--a feeling that a great typhoon has passed, which -by a miracle had caused but little damage. The three conspirators -continued to discuss their plot, but they were no longer conscious of a -sense of security. Once or twice Ah Wu, who was the most nervous of the -three, glanced anxiously over his shoulder, whenever a heavy footstep -was heard in the room beyond. - -They had lied to Ling to the best of their ability--which was saying -much. For all that, they had no reason to suppose that the gigantic -Honanese had believed a single word of what they had told him. In -consequence, they feared him all the more. The tiger was on the prowl, -and the three foxes, their heads close together, whispered in the ears -of one another and rolled their little pills. - -They arranged matters to their satisfaction. Yung How was to attempt to -discover the destination of Sir Thomas Armitage and the wealthy -American. Men-Ching would lie in wait upon the river bank. Yung How -would signal to him as the launch went by. If their destination was the -North River, Yung How was to place his left hand upon the shaven -fore-part of his head. If it was the West River, he was to raise his -right hand. In either case, Men-Ching was to take horse and ride to -Pinglo, where he would inform Cheong-Chau that the fish were swimming -into his net. As for Ah Wu, at a later date, he was to play a certain -part for which--on account of his cunning and secretive nature--he was -eminently suited. - -It was an exceedingly well-arranged plot, which will be duly explained -in the appointed place. There was some discussion in regard to what sum -it would be possible to obtain; but in the end it was decided that -twenty thousand dollars would be sufficient, allowing that Cheong-Chau -would take the bulk of it himself. - -It was long past midnight when they came to the end of their -deliberations. By then they were heavy with opium, and their eyes -glazed from the drug. They threw themselves down upon the soft matted -couches in the outer room, and slept and dreamed--as Chinese will--of -things celestial, transcendental, such as cannot be expressed in words. -For all that, the following morning Yung How presented himself at the -breakfast-table of Sir Thomas Armitage in the Shamien Hotel. - -"Well, Yung How," said the judge, "did you see your brother in Canton?" - -"Yes, master," said Yung How, without moving a muscle of his face. "He -makes bobbery with his wife." - -"You mean," said Sir Thomas, for the edification of Mr Waldron, "that he -and his wife have quarrelled?" - -"Yes, master. She does not like that he smokes opium--once a week." - -The judge made a wry face. "A nasty habit," said he. - -"Yes, master," said Yung How; "only bad men smoke opium." - -Sir Thomas looked at Yung How's eyes. The pupils were shrunken to the -size of little beads. - -"Yes," said he. "You are right, Yung How; only bad men smoke opium." - -"Opium does harm," said Yung How, who, five minutes later, appeared in -the hotel kitchen. Several coolies were eating rice upon a doorstep, -and one of these was the engineer of Sir Thomas's river-launch. It is -not pleasant to watch lower-class Chinese eat rice. They hold the bowl -about two inches from their mouths, which they open very wide, and then -they scoop up the rice with their fingers in much the same manner as one -might brush pieces of fluff from the sleeve of a coat. - -"Ah Su," said Yung How, to the engineer, "has the judge told you where -we are going?" - -"No," said Ah Su. - -"The weather," said Yung How, "is very hot." - -He then departed to the vestibule of the hotel, where he encountered the -comprador. In China, the comprador knows everything. - -"Are there any letters for the judge?" asked Yung How, in a lordly -manner. - -"He has them," said the comprador. "He himself took them into the -breakfast-room." - -"We leave to-day," said Yung How casually. - -"So I understand," said the other. - -"I suppose letters will be forwarded?" - -"The judge has given instructions. All letters and parcels are to be -forwarded to the British Consulate at Wu-chau." - -"In Wu-chau," said Yung How, "I have a brother." - -He turned away and went upstairs, where he entered the bedroom of Mr -Waldron. In one of the small drawers of the dressing-table he -discovered the millionaire's cheque-book; and since he could read -English tolerably well, he spent a pleasant five minutes studying the -counterfoils. Then quite suddenly Mr Waldron came in. - -"Say," said he, "what are you doing here?" - -"Have cleaned hairbrushes," said Yung How, without a moment's -hesitation. - -"Then, git!" cried Mr Waldron. "Guess I can fill my own grip-sack. When -I want a slit-eyed son of Satan hanging around my boudoir, I'll send for -him. So, git!" - -And Yung How "got." He walked gravely from the room with his head held -proudly in the air, and his eyes fixed upon the ground. He appeared -grossly insulted. - -He knew very well, however, that the great city of Wu-chau lies upon the -West River, and is not so far--as the crow flies--from the town of -Pinglo, where Cheong-Chau was in the habit of smoking opium. - - - - -CHAPTER IV--HOW CHEONG-CHAU CAME FORTH OF THE TOWN OF PINGLO - - -Mr Waldron appreciated the journey up the West River even more than the -sights of Canton. Stretched comfortably upon his deck-chair, he -surveyed through his binoculars the rich, prosperous landscape of -Southern China. He interested himself in the straw-hatted peasants at -work in the tea-gardens and the ricefields. As the launch steamed upon -its way, he inspected river-side villages, temples, gateways and -pagodas. - -The party arrived at Wu-chau, spent two or three days seeing the sights, -and then proceeded up-river. A few days later, the launch arrived at -the town of Pinglo--three days after Men-Ching, seated astride his -little Mongolian pony, had ridden in from the East. - -Since there was little or nothing to see in Pinglo, Sir Thomas Armitage, -Frank and Mr Hennessy K. Waldron, accompanied by Yung How and one other -personal servant, set out on a journey across country towards the north. -They carried knapsacks upon their backs, and proceeded by way of the -narrow paths separating the ricefields. The heat was excessive, but as -they progressed, and reached higher altitudes, it became cooler, and at -the end of three days' march the Nan-ling Mountains stood out before -them like a great wall. - -They found the Taoist temple, surrounded by trees, tucked away in the -corner of a picturesque valley, where there were great numbers of birds -of brilliant plumage. - -Mr Waldron was delighted. The temple was deserted, and appeared to have -been neglected for centuries. The plaster had crumbled from the walls -and lay in heaps upon the floor. The place consisted of one huge hall, -with several smaller rooms on either side. Everything of value had been -stolen; but the architecture remained, solid and fantastic, and of the -greatest antiquity. - -Ranged around the walls were the figures of scores of gods and -goddesses, chief amongst whom was Buddha. Sir Thomas was able to -identify several of the images, one of whom he recognised as Mohammed, -another as St Paul, and a third as Marco Polo. That Marco Polo should -have risen in China to the dignity of a deity is conceivable, since this -dauntless adventurer was the first European to reside in the ancient -Tartar kingdom of Kublai Khan. But it was indeed remarkable that the -fame of such great preachers as St Paul and the founder of the -Mohammedan religion should have reached--across the whole of Asia--the -heart of the Chinese Empire. This is no treatise on Chinese theology, -else we could write much concerning the Taoist temple on the southern -slopes of the Nan-ling Mountains, at the very back of the beyond. It is -sufficient to say that the judge took copious notes, and Mr Hennessy K. -Waldron was delighted. As a memento of the expedition he knocked off a -stone gargoyle from above the porchway of the temple. - -In many ways the expedition resembled a delightful picnic, in a country -that was charming and romantic. The ruined temple was surrounded by -flowering shrubs and queer-shaped deciduous trees, and there were -moss-grown banks upon which one could lie at ease during the heat of the -day or sleep tranquilly by night, when thousands of frogs were croaking -in the valley below, and crickets were singing in the long _kiao-liang_ -that grew upon the mountain-side. - -The place was a natural garden, scented with almond and mimosa. During -the heat of the day there was shade in plenty; after sunset the -temperature was cool and refreshing. Yung How and his assistant -attended to their wants; gave them four-course luncheons and dinners, -produced from a saucepan and a frying-pan by means of a small wood fire -laid between two bricks. Neither Mr Waldron nor the judge himself -showed the slightest inclination to return to the steaming valley of the -river. As for Frank, he was happy all day long, exploring the -neighbourhood, climbing to the crest-line of the hills, whence he could -survey a vast panorama of terraced paddy-fields, winding rivers, -scattered villages and towns, each with its joss-houses and its temples -and its great horseshoe graveyards. - -On the second day of their visit, whilst his uncle and the American were -occupied in inspecting the temple, Frank Armitage ascended a steep -bridle-path which crossed the mountains at a narrow pass. To the north -he found his view obstructed by another and even more rugged range of -mountains. Anxious to gain a more commanding position, the boy left the -bridle-path and climbed, on hands and knees, the steep face of the -adjacent peak. - -It took him the greater part of an hour to gain the top, but there he -found his efforts rewarded by a view that reminded him of many scenes -pictured by Gustave Dore, illustrating _Don Quixote_ or _Paradise -Lost_--pictures that had fascinated and frightened him as a child. - -Immediately before him was a second valley, at right angles to the one -dividing the parallel ranges, resembling a huge, deep sword-cut in the -barren, savage hills. This valley narrowed as it rose to a higher -altitude, and finally became lost in mountain mist. There were few -trees upon the steep, glistening slopes, and such as were to be seen -were stunted and deformed. There were no roads or paths; no sign of -life or civilisation. The sun itself appeared to have been shut out for -ever from this stretch of desolation. - -Frank turned and looked towards the south. In this direction were green -trees, green fields--a plain, rich, fertile, well-watered and thickly -populated. It was almost impossible to believe that a narrow watershed -could divide landscapes so different that they might have been scenes -from different planets. He glanced again at the dark sinister valley; -and as he did so he caught a glimpse of something red, moving slowly -across the spur that formed the angle of the two valleys immediately -below. - -He could not at first make out what this could be, for the moving object -almost at once disappeared behind a hillock. When it appeared again, -however, it was in mid-valley; and he recognised a party of men dressed -in scarlet coats, who were marching in close formation, making in the -direction of the pass across the range. - -Frank knelt down behind a boulder and watched with interest, and not -without apprehension, the approaching figures. A natural instinct -warned him that it would not be wise to show himself. There was -something in the forbidding nature of the valley itself that warned him -that its sole occupants were not likely to be men whom one could trust. - -They climbed the bridle-path, gaining at last the pass whence Frank -himself had ascended to the hill-top. They were now easy to -distinguish. The party numbered about thirty. They were brown-skinned -Chinese, evidently mountain-born; all were armed with scythe-like spears -or long, curved knives, and one or two carried pistols in their belts. -All wore scarlet coats, some of which were bright and new, others being -so faded that they were a kind of dirty pink. At the head of the party -marched a little shrivelled man, whose scarlet coat was trimmed with -gold. Frank Armitage did not know it--though within eight hours he was -to learn the truth--but this was the redoubtable Cheong-Chau -himself--the brigand chief who plundered the southern provinces from the -Nan-ling Mountains to the sea. - -As they passed, swinging on their way, these men sang a low, wailing -chant that might have been a funeral dirge, but which was, in fact, a -pirate song of blood and lust and murder. At the rear of the party was -an old man, seated upon the back of a short-necked Mongolian pony. This -was Men-Ching, who had ridden post-haste from the city of Canton, -bringing greetings to Cheong-Chau from Ah Wu, who kept an opium den in -the vicinity of the Mohammedan mosque. - -Men-Ching had seen Yung How in the city of Wu-chau, and had there heard -news of the ancient Taoist temple upon the southern slopes of the -mountains. And Cheong-Chau had shaken off the sleep of opium and, -gathering his men, had issued from the town of Pinglo, and had marched -by night into the mountains, the sovereignty of which he shared with the -eagles and the kites. - - - - -CHAPTER V--HOW CHEONG-CHAU STRUCK AT DEAD OF NIGHT - - -It was late by the time Frank returned to the temple, where he found his -uncle and Mr Waldron engaged in an animated discussion upon the subject -of the untapped resources of China. The boy had taken some time to -climb down the mountain-side. Having no wish to fall into the hands of -the scarlet-coated band who had descended into the valley to the south, -he had given the bridle-path a wide berth, with the result that he had -been obliged to go down upon all fours, and descend stealthily foot by -foot. - -He lost no time in relating to his uncle all that he had seen. The -judge was somewhat surprised, but he did not show any signs of being -nervous. - -"I trust they didn't see you, Frank?" he asked. - -"I have no doubt as to that," replied the boy. "I remained hidden all -the time. Besides, they were immediately below me, and I should have -noticed if any man had looked up." - -The judge shrugged his shoulders. - -"All's well that ends well," said he. "Nevertheless we may consider -ourselves lucky. There can be no question that the party you saw was -one of the brigand bands that are said to infest these mountains. We -are far from civilisation. We could expect neither mercy nor -consideration if we fell into the hands of such desperate rascals." - -"Judge," said Mr Waldron, "it looks as if I may have a use for my -six-shooter after all." - -"I don't think so," said the judge. "Frank was wise enough not to show -himself, and the men went down into the valley. There is no reason why -they should know anything about our presence in the neighbourhood." - -It was then that Yung How appeared, silently, from the midst of the deep -shadows beneath the temple ruins. He moved stealthily and with -something of the supple grace of a cat. - -"Master," said he, "dinner is served." - -"Thank you," said the judge. But Yung How remained, his features calm -and expressionless, a table-napkin thrown over his left forearm, after -the manner of waiters all the world across. - -"Guess," said Mr Waldron, "I shall sleep with my gun ready loaded." - -"That is no more than a wise precaution," said the judge, "and we should -be well advised to post a sentry. We could divide the night into three -watches of three hours each. Frank, as the youngest, shall take the -first watch, from nine to twelve; I myself propose to take the middle -watch, from twelve to three--unless you, Mr Waldron, would prefer it?" - -"As you like, Judge," replied the American. "Early morning suits me -well enough. In the old days in Texas, six days out of seven I was in -the saddle before sunrise." - -"Master," repeated Yung How, "dinner is served." - -The judge whipped round upon his servant. "What are you doing here?" he -demanded. "You have announced dinner already. We are all hungry enough -not to forget it." - -"Very good dinner," said Yung How, lapsing into pidgin-English, and -without moving a muscle of his face. "Hot soup, all belong one piece -tin; number one fish, all belong river; two piece chicken and top-side -apricots, all belong tin, all same soup." - -"And a very good dinner too," said the judge. "The sooner we get to -work the better." - -They dined by the light of a Chinese lantern suspended from one of the -branches of an almond-tree, beneath the temple wall, where they were -sheltered from the cool evening breeze that was blowing from the west. -The thin mountain air, after the insufferable, humid atmosphere of the -river valley, had served to give them a healthy appetite. The soup was -half cold, the chickens were very tough, and the West River fish tasted -horribly of mud; for all that, hungry men, encamped in a wilderness many -miles from the nearest outpost of civilisation, will regard such fare as -delicacies. They ate with a relish everything that Yung How placed -before them, and washed down their meal with pannikins of crystal-clear -water from the mountain spring that flowed past the temple. - -After dinner the judge lighted his pipe, and Mr Hennessy K. Waldron one -of his choice Manila cheroots. They talked of many things, but above -all of China, of its immensity and mystery, its wealth, vitality, and -future. And then the judge and Mr Waldron spread their blankets and -laid them down to sleep. - -There is no life in the world to compare with that which is lived in the -open air. A moss-grown bank supplied a bed as comfortable as any spring -mattress. The wind, gently stirring the leaves of the trees, the -distant croaking of the frogs, and the singing of the crickets, combined -to form a sort of lullaby that soothed and enticed the wayfarers to -slumber. There was no moon that night; but in a sky unbroken by a -single cloud, a gorgeous canopy of stars illumined a scene that might -have made a fitting setting for a fairy-tale. - -Frank Armitage selected his sentry-post at the foot of a great tree -immediately before the temple steps. Hence he was able to obtain a fair -view both of the bivouac and the mountain slope to the south. Knowing, -however, that it would be wise not to neglect the northern side of the -temple, he decided to patrol the entire building at least once every -quarter of an hour. Armed with Mr Waldron's revolver, he kept well in -the shade, knowing that a good sentry is one who observes without -himself being seen. - -An hour passed and then another hour, without the occurrence of anything -unusual. The judge and Mr Waldron were both sound asleep, the latter -snoring loudly. Yung How and his companion lay in the shadow of the -temple wall: the former curled up in his blankets, the coolie lying flat -upon his back, his mouth wide open, dreaming, perhaps, that he was back -in the Chinese quarter of Hong-Kong, where lived his wife and seven -children, all of whom he supported upon the astonishing sum--expressed -in English coinage--of nineteen shillings a month. - -Frank, as he went his rounds, frequently paused to listen. The frogs -and the crickets continued their uproar. The wind murmured in the -trees; once or twice he could hear wild-duck flying high in the night -sky towards the north, towards the great marshes of the Yangtsi and the -Yellow River. But no other sound disturbed the silence of the night. - -In course of time he came to consider the utmost vigilance unnecessary. -He began to interest himself in trivial things. Mr Waldron had ceased -to snore and Yung How was engaged in a kind of duet with the coolie. -They snored alternately, the one on a deeper note than the other. Frank -paused upon one of his rounds and stood for a moment looking down upon -the two sleeping Chinese, thinking how vastly different from himself -they were. Then he passed on upon his way, conscious that as the hour -grew later the air was becoming colder. On that account, it was -advisable to keep moving. He walked round the front of the temple, -across the great stone steps leading to the entrance, and found himself -on the farther side of the ruined, rambling building. There, in the -deep shadow of a tall, gabled gateway, he stopped quite suddenly, -thinking that he had heard a twig snap underfoot. - -He was so sure of this that almost at once he became aware that his -heart was beating rapidly. He held the revolver in his hand, gripping -the handle tightly. The starlight enabled him to see a considerable -distance, except where the shadows were deep under the temple wall -itself and beneath the trees. - -At his right hand was a massive stone pillar that supported the roof of -the gateway. He stood stock-still, listening; and then, close to him, -he heard a sound that might have been the wind, but which, on the other -hand, might have been the heavy breathing of a man. As quick as -thought, he stepped behind the pillar, and at once, quite suddenly, and -yet without noise or violence, his revolver was taken from his hand. - -For the fraction of a second he was too astonished to cry out. He took -a quick step backward, which brought him into the starlight, and at that -moment both his wrists were grasped, and he beheld before him a face, -sinister, fierce, and yet expressionless. It was the face of Yung How, -his uncle's servant. - -He let out a shout, a loud cry for help--a shout that was stifled in a -second. Someone had seized him from behind. The palm of a hand was -placed so tightly upon his mouth that he found it difficult to breathe. - -For a moment he endeavoured to struggle, but soon realised the -uselessness of an attempt to extricate himself by physical force. He -had been seized by at least three men; and almost before he had time to -recover from his surprise, he was thrown violently upon the ground, his -hands bound behind his back, and a gag thrust between his teeth. - -He lay quite motionless, wondering what had happened, and what would -happen next. Men were talking in whispers in harsh Cantonese voices, -but too softly for him to catch the meaning of their words. - -He was bidden rise. He hesitated a moment, and was then lifted bodily -to be dumped down upon his feet. He found himself confronted by a -Chinaman who was small in stature, the skin of whose face was wrinkled -and weather-beaten. This man wore a scarlet coat, richly embroidered -with gold thread that glittered in the starlight. He came quite close -to Frank, and peered into the boy's face, grinning from ear to ear, -showing dirty, fang-like teeth--teeth that resembled those of a dog. - -The boy turned away in disgust, and looked straight into the face of -Yung How. Yung How neither smiled nor lowered his eyes. He appeared to -be neither delighted nor ashamed. His features were expressionless; his -eyes looked straight into Frank's. Behind Yung How stood some twenty -men, all dressed in scarlet coats. Frank took them in at a glance, and -the thought flashed across his mind that it would be difficult to select -from the party the one who appeared the greatest villain, whose -countenance was the most hideous and repulsive. They were Cantonese of -the coolie class, high of cheek-bone, with low, receding foreheads, and -cruel, snake-like eyes. - -The man who was wearing the gold embroidered coat turned and walked -rapidly towards the temple steps, ordering the others to follow him. -Frank was led forward, a great raw-boned Chinaman on either side of him, -each of whom grasped him tightly by an arm. He was made to ascend the -steps, and was brought to a halt in the shadow of the porchway of the -temple. - -Hence he could look down upon the sheltered glade where he and his -friends had been encamped for two days. In the starlight he could see -the figures of his uncle and Mr Waldron, both of whom were still fast -asleep. - -So far, all that had happened had come to pass so rapidly that Frank had -not had time to feel alarmed. But now, when he beheld his uncle--as he -had every reason to believe--in the greatest danger, he was filled with -apprehension. He made a lurch forward as if he would escape--for his -feet had not been bound--but he was at once roughly thrown back by the -men who guarded him, one of whom struck him a violent blow in the face. - -At that moment it was as if the boy was incapable of feeling physical -pain or moral indignation. He was filled with remorse. He had been -given a position of responsibility and trust--and he had failed -pitifully. And now, perhaps his uncle's life was in danger. - -He was obliged to remain an impotent and conscience-stricken spectator -of the scene that followed. He could neither cry out nor hasten to the -assistance of his friends. He saw both his uncle and Mr Waldron seized -whilst they were sound asleep, handled roughly by savage, lawless men; -gagged and bound, and then led into the great hall of the temple. - -As soon as they were all inside, about a dozen torches were lit, and -these were planted upright between the stone flags that paved the floor; -so that they resembled as many candles, illuminating that fantastic, -mediaeval chamber. - -Indeed, it is almost impossible to imagine a scene more weird and -dream-like. The three captives in the centre of the hall; the -evil-looking, criminal faces of the brigands, made to look even more -alarming and sinister by the flickering light of the torches; and around -that great, dingy room, the implacable, sedate, inevitable figures of -the Chinese gods and goddesses, over whom presided the huge Buddha, -seated cross-legged upon a stone plinth, immediately opposite the -entrance. - -Frank Armitage caught his uncle's eye. He tried his utmost to convey in -a glance the remorse and anguish he endured. Sir Thomas must have -understood him, for he slowly shook his head. Then someone from the -back of the room commanded that everyone should be seated; and when this -order had been complied with, one man alone remained upon his feet. -This was he whose scarlet coat was embroidered heavily with gold, who -now stepped into the centre of the circle, where he stood in the full -light of the torches. - -"I am Cheong-Chau," he cried. "And those who fall into the hands of -Cheong-Chau must pay in silver _taels_ or else in blood." - - - - -CHAPTER VI--HOW CHEONG-CHAU STATED HIS TERMS - - -The situation in which the judge and his companions found themselves was -certainly not of the pleasantest. It so happened that Sir Thomas knew -nothing of the reputation of the redoubtable Cheong-Chau. However, the -man's character was made evident upon every feature of his face. - -Standing in the centre of the hall, gesticulating wildly, he harangued -his audience for the better part of twenty minutes without once pausing -for breath. Sir Thomas was sufficiently acquainted with the Cantonese -language to follow the drift of the man's speech, whereas Frank was able -to understand every word. Mr Waldron, of course, comprehended nothing. - -The American was under the impression that he was about to be put to -death. He regarded, with a kind of timorous curiosity, the murderous -weapons of the bandits and the villainous facial contortions of -Cheong-Chau. The man held forth in the flowery language of the Chinese -of the southern provinces. He talked a great deal about his own power -and cruelty. He did not seem to care in the least whether or not anyone -listened to him. He boasted in regard to his past crimes; he spoke of -his courage and audacity; he uttered innumerable threats. And in the -end the captives were led away into one of the smaller rooms that gave -upon the great hall of the temple. - -There they remained until late the following evening, when the whole -party--with the exception of Yung How, who returned to Canton--set out -across the mountains, traversing the narrow pass from above which Frank -Armitage had first beheld the brigands. They entered, at dead of night, -the bleak, desolate valley extending towards the north. Cheong-Chau -himself led the way, following a path, carrying in his hand a large -Chinese lantern suspended from a pole about six feet long. - -Daylight found them still upon the line-of-march. They had by then -ascended to a high altitude, where the atmosphere was both cold and -damp. The crests of the mountains were wreathed in a thin white mist, -similar to that which is found in Scotland, which drenched them to the -skin. - -They were brought to a halt at the mouth of a certain cave, in a very -desolate, inhospitable region--a country of sheer barren slopes, rugged -peaks and turbulent mountain streams that descended thousands of feet in -series of roaring cataracts. They had been conducted to a spot upon the -globe's surface where, in all probability, no white man had ever been -before. - -The entrance to the cave was hidden behind an enormous boulder, almost -as big as a fair-sized house, which balanced itself upon the very brink -of a steep slope that descended at an angle of about forty-five degrees. -Upon these slopes a few withered shrubs were growing: leafless, twisted -things, tortured by the bitter east winds that swept those cheerless -valleys. - -Inside, the cave was comparatively comfortable. In the centre a wood -fire was burning brightly, and though this filled the place with smoke, -it served to introduce both light and warmth into that gloomy prison; -for indeed the cave was destined, for many days to come, to play the -part of a prison. For all that, some attempt had been made to give this -place a homely aspect. Several Chinese mats were spread upon the floor, -and there were wooden shelves loaded with provisions: dried fish, rice, -and bags of green China tea. - -To give so redoubtable a rogue as Cheong-Chau the little justice he -deserves, it must be stated that his captives were treated with every -consideration. They were well fed, on simple Chinese food, which must -have been carried miles across the desolate mountains upon the backs of -coolies. They were given straw mattresses upon which to sleep, and were -allowed to warm themselves by the fire. Mr Waldron--as the only member -of the party who was a stranger to the country--expressed the greatest -anxiety in regard to their fate. His mind was filled with vague fears -to the effect that their lives were being preserved in order that they -might eventually be tortured. He had interested himself in all manner -of gruesome subjects; he had heard of the "death by a thousand cuts," -the Chinese "corkscrew," and the wholesale manner in which Cantonese -executions were usually carried out. None the less, he was not afraid. -He was a man who had led a hard life, who had faced danger more than -once, and who had learnt--in spite of his riches--to regard his own -existence as by no means an essential part of the great scheme of -universal things. He speculated in regard to his destiny after the -manner of a man who backs horses without knowing anything whatsoever -about what--for some reason or other--has been called "the sport of -kings." - -"Say, Judge," said he, "I don't cotton to this notion of a thousand -cuts. Guess one cut's enough for me. If they're going to kill us, why -don't they do it and have done with it, instead of stuffing us full of -rice and rotten fish?" - -Sir Thomas shook his head. - -"There is every reason to suppose," he answered, "that this is a case of -ransom. If this rascal had meant to murder us he would have done so -before emptying our pockets of all the money, watches and valuables in -our possession. You may be sure, Mr Waldron, he has brought us here for -a purpose. That is not troubling me in the least." - -"It troubles me," said the American. "I left Paradise City with the -idea of seeing the world; but I guess, Judge, this is one side of human -experience that it was not my original intention to investigate. Wish I -was back in Nevada." - -Frank Armitage laughed aloud. It was the first time he had done so -since the calamity had befallen them. Sir Thomas sat cross-legged by -the fire, stirring the embers with a stick, his brows set in a frown. - -"Even now," said he, in a quiet voice, "even now I can't realise that -Yung How is the unmitigated villain he is." - -Frank bit his lip. "If I ever get the chance," said he, "I'll be even -with that scoundrel." - -"He has been in my service," continued Sir Thomas, "for nearly seven -years. During the whole of that period he has never once given me cause -to suspect or to mistrust him. That shows you very clearly, Mr Waldron, -what a subtle rascal a Chinaman can be. For seven years he has been -obedient, faithful, and even honest; and yet--it is now apparent--all -that time he was but waiting his chance." - -Mr Waldron made a wry face. - -"Guess he might have waited another seven years," said he, "or at least -till I was clear of Hong-Kong. Why his chance should have come the -moment I arrive in the colony is a mystery to me." - -"I am sorry to say, Mr Waldron," said Sir Thomas, "I can't regard that -coincidence in the light of a mystery. I have a very shrewd suspicion -that your wealth is the sole cause of all our trouble." - -"Not the first time," added Mr Waldron, "by a long chalk, that money has -led to disaster. I tell you frankly, I was a happier man in the old -days--when I lived on fifteen dollars a week--than after I had made my -pile." - -"I can very well believe it," said Sir Thomas. "That, however, doesn't -alter the situation in the least. Mark my words, very soon Cheong-Chau -will show his hand." - -It is clear that the judge had correctly estimated both the -circumstances of the case and the character of Cheong-Chau; for scarcely -had the last words left his lips when the brigand chieftain himself -entered the cave, accompanied by Men-Ching, his second-in-command. - -Cheong-Chau seated himself cross-legged upon the ground, and for a few -moments warmed his hands by the fire, without uttering a word. Then he -spoke in the Cantonese language, addressing himself to the judge: - -"Those who fall into the hands of Cheong-Chau," said he, "must purchase -their freedom in silver _taels_ or in blood." - -The judge did not reply. After a pause Cheong-Chau continued. Though -he was a little man, his voice was both deep and guttural. He spoke -slowly and with great deliberation, as if particularly desirous that his -words should not be misunderstood. - -"I make you a fair offer," said he. "It is not my habit to mince -matters. I hold you captive. You are my prisoner. I can do with you -what I like. No one will ever find you here. Neither can you escape; -day and night there are sentries at the mouth of the cave. They tell me -that you have the reputation of being a wise man. If that is so, you -cannot fail to see that you and your companions are in my power--birds -caught in the fowler's net." - -He paused again and looked at the judge, who merely nodded his head. - -"This is my offer," he continued. "After I have explained matters I -shall give you ten minutes in which to make up your mind. You are to -write a letter to the Governor of Hong-Kong, or to anyone else you may -choose. In that letter you are to say that your life, and the lives of -those who are with you, are in the hands of Cheong-Chau, and that -Cheong-Chau demands, as the price of your freedom, the sum of twenty -thousand Hong-Kong dollars, to be paid in cash before the new moon." - -Having laid down his conditions, the man remained silent whilst the -judge explained the meaning of his words to Mr Waldron. - -"It is as I told you," said Sir Thomas. "Twenty thousand dollars. The -rascal certainly cannot be accused of being modest." - -Mr Waldron snapped his fingers. - -"So far as I am concerned," said he, "he can have it. Don't let the -money worry you, Judge. I've paid that for a picture." - -The judge turned to Cheong-Chau and asked him to continue. The man -grinned--an unholy grin of fiendish satisfaction. To him and his -cut-throats the sum was more than a fortune; it would serve to keep the -whole gang of them in luxury for the rest of their lives. - -"The matter," said he, "is quite simple to arrange. Write your letter, -and I will undertake to have it conveyed to Hong-Kong. The moon is but -three days old. We have therefore twenty-five days. Together with your -letter I will send one of my own, in which I propose to demand that the -money be left hidden in a certain place upon the Sang River, not far -from Canton. If the whole of this sum is safely deposited in the proper -place before the conclusion of the waning of the moon, you and your -friends shall be set at liberty. If, however, for any reason, the -ransom is not paid, I swear by the Five Sacred Books that all three of -you will be put to death. Concerning the manner of your death," he -added, "I say nothing--beyond a warning that those who die by order of -Cheong-Chau die neither easily nor swiftly." - -The man got to his feet. - -"And now," said he, "you have ten minutes in which to discuss the -question with your friends, in which to make up your mind. Say that you -agree, and my messenger leaves for Hong-Kong within an hour. Refuse, and -you die before another sun has risen." - -With that Cheong-Chau turned upon his heel and, followed by Men-Ching, -shuffled from the cave. - - - - -CHAPTER VII--HOW THE LETTER WAS WRITTEN - - -Neither the judge nor Mr Waldron desired so much as ten minutes in which -to arrive at a decision. Twenty thousand dollars is by no means an -impossible sum to a man who is a millionaire. Even the judge himself -would have found little difficulty in producing the money with a few -days' notice. - -Cheong-Chau, and even Yung How, who was more conversant with the manners -and customs of Europeans, had underestimated the wealth of Mr Waldron. -To them twenty thousand dollars represented almost fabulous wealth. It -never occurred to them that they might have asked twice as much, and -secured it with no greater difficulty; for we meet the real miser more -in fiction and in fable than in real life, and there are few men who -will not part readily with the whole of their fortune in exchange for -the most valuable of all human possessions: life, the right to walk upon -the face of the earth, to breathe the air of heaven. - -Cheong-Chau re-entered the cave, holding in the palm of his hand the -gold watch he had stolen from Mr Waldron. - -"Ten minutes," said he. "I trust you are ready with your answer." - -Men-Ching stood at his side, and behind his back was a score of his -ruffians, each man with a naked sword. - -"We have considered your proposal," said the judge, "and we agree to -it." He spoke the Cantonese language with difficulty, and his -pronunciation was faulty. However, there is little doubt that -Cheong-Chau understood him, for the man nodded his head with an air of -satisfaction. - -"You are wise," said he. "Rumour has not lied." - -"One moment," said Sir Thomas, taking him up. "There is one question we -would ask you. If the money is sent from Hong-Kong, and taken in safety -to your hiding-place, what guarantee do you propose to give us that you -will set us at liberty or even spare our lives?" - -"How would I gain by killing you?" asked the bandit, with a shrug of his -narrow shoulders. - -"I have lived in China," said the judge, "for more than thirty years. I -know that there are men in this country--and I see no reason why you -should not be numbered amongst them--to whom murder is a pastime, who -kill for the sake of killing, who derive a fiendish pleasure from -torturing the innocent." - -Cheong-Chau carried a hand to his face and stroked his wrinkled chin. - -"I see that you are prudent," said he. "For myself, I never bargain -with fools." - -"Do you mean," asked the judge, "if the conditions are fulfilled on our -part, you will guarantee our safety?" - -"I mean no such thing," said Cheong-Chau. "I guarantee nothing." - -"Then we have naught to rely upon," the judge answered, "but your -oath--the oath of a robber?" - -"That is so," said the other. - -"And may I ask," said the judge, "how much Cheong-Chau reverences the -Five Sacred Books?" - -The Chinese answered nothing, but stretched forth a hand, and -deliberately snapped his fingers. - -Sir Thomas shrugged his shoulders and turned away. - -"We must make the best of a bad business," said he to Mr Waldron. "I -tell you frankly, I don't trust these men. I know what such scoundrels -are." - -He spoke in English, and whilst he did so was conscious of a gentle -touch upon the shoulder. He turned and beheld Men-Ching, who presented -him with a brass Chinese ink-box, a large piece of rice-paper and a -writing-brush. "Write your letter," said the old man, "to the English -Viceroy of Hong-Kong. Tell him that the sum of twenty thousand dollars, -in silver, must be hidden under the red stone in the Glade of Children's -Tears, before the waning of the moon." - -"Where is this place?" asked Sir Thomas. - -"On the Sang-kiang, five Chinese _li_ to the north of the city of -Canton. A narrow path leads due north from the Five-Storied Pagoda. -This path crosses the hills and descends into the valley of the Sang -River--a very beauteous place." - -"Are they long _li_?" asked Sir Thomas, understanding well the vagueness -of all Chinese measurements, "or short _li_?" - -"They are short _li_," answered Men-Ching, "for the road runs up-hill -until you come to the last _li_, where the traveller descends into a -wide valley of ricefields and fruit trees, li-chi and mango. In the -Sang valley there is a tall tower, from the top of which, in days gone -by, fathers were wont to throw the she-children they could not afford to -keep. A woman child is no use in the world. From the day of her birth -to the day of her death she does little else but talk. On the west side -of the tower is a small wood, and in the centre of this wood is a glade -where the birds sing in summer-time, whilst the water of the river makes -sweet and pleasant music. In the glade are rocks; but in one place -there is a great red stone, almost round. Two strong men can roll it -away from the place where it is; but they must use all their strength. -And when the red stone is rolled away, it will be seen that it rests -upon a great hole in the ground. It is like the lid of a kettle. -Inside this hole there is room enough for twenty thousand dollars." - -The judge had listened intently, committing each detail to memory. A -little after, Men-Ching left the cave, and the three white men found -themselves together. Sir Thomas turned to his nephew. - -"Did you hear what the rascal said, Frank?" he asked. - -"Every word," replied the boy. - -"And you remember it all?" - -Frank nodded. - -"Then," said the judge, "help me to write this letter. It will be by no -means easy to write. I shall have to explain matters very clearly to -Sir John, and I've got to write it with a brush." - -In the temple they had been deprived of their pencils and notebooks, and -everything else their pockets contained, and these had not been brought -by Cheong-Chau to the cave. Otherwise Sir Thomas might have asked for -his own fountain pen. As it was, he was now obliged to write in English -characters with a Chinese brush, and this was a tedious business. In -the end, however, the letter was written, covering in all five pages of -Chinese rice-paper, in shape longer than foolscap, but not so broad. - -Sir Thomas had written fully. He had explained where and by whom they -had been captured; he even went so far as to give the name of the bandit -chieftain and to relate how he had been betrayed by his own personal -servant, Yung How. He said that he had not the slightest doubt that, if -the rascals were not paid in full upon the stroke of time, the three of -them would be ruthlessly put to death. He ended the letter by -explaining the exact whereabouts of the "Glade of Children's Tears," -describing the red stone beneath which the ransom money was to be -hidden. He also expressed the opinion that it would be useless to -endeavour to capture the brigands in the neighbourhood of the glade -itself, and he strongly advised the Governor not to attempt to lay an -ambush. He pointed out that such a plan would most assuredly fail, -since the Chinese were sure to exercise the utmost caution, and to have -spies in the neighbourhood. Moreover, the discovery of such a plan -would undoubtedly lead to the immediate death of Sir Thomas himself and -his companions. It would be time enough to think of reprisals, of -taking steps to track down the brigands, after the judge and his party -had returned safely to the island. - -As the judge wrote, aided by the flickering light of a torch, Frank and -Mr Waldron looked over his shoulder, each offering occasional -suggestions. - -"Do I understand," asked Mr Waldron, "that you don't trust these -fellows?" - -"I am afraid I am very far from trusting them," replied the judge. "Men -of this type, in this mysterious, savage country, are as often as not -without honour, cruel beyond description, and incapable of showing -mercy. Moreover, in moments of delight--I know for a fact--they are -capable of committing the most terrible atrocities. I don't wish to -alarm you unnecessarily, Mr Waldron, but I tell you honestly that I fear -the future. Sir John will send the money, provided the letter reaches -him in safety--which I have no doubt it will. But once the money is in -Cheong-Chau's possession, it is quite possible he will kill us, out of -sheer devilry, in the moment of his triumph." - -Mr Waldron thrust his hands into his trousers pockets, and shaped his -lips as if he desired to whistle. No sound, however, came from his -lips. He paced backwards and forwards in the cave like a wild beast -that is hungry. For all that, upon his clear-cut, regular features -there was no sign of apprehension. His manner suggested impatience more -than fear. - -"It's just cruel luck," said he, as though he were speaking to himself. -"Guess I can't look upon it in any other light. Why did I leave -Paradise City!" - -"There's not much paradise about this," said Frank, taking in his hand a -burnt stick and stirring the embers of the fire. A flame sprang forth -that illumined the rugged walls of the cave. Here and there upon the -hard rock were narrow, streaky grooves, where the moisture had trickled -down. - -"We're helpless," Mr Waldron burst out, "helpless as the little children -these fiends used to throw from the top of that tower. That's what gets -me on the raw, Judge. I never before felt helpless. In the course of -my life, I have found myself in a great many awkward places; but I have -always been able to see a way out and I have made good in the end. This -thing's different. Hennessy K. Waldron may be a great man in the state -of Nevada; but in this blamed country I guess he don't count more than a -copper cash." - -And Mr Hennessy K. Waldron was about right--a copper cash, in the -coinage of China, having the approximate value of the fifth part of a -farthing. - - - - -CHAPTER VIII--AND HOW FRANK RESOLVED TO FOLLOW IT - - -That same evening, Men-Ching, accompanied by another man, set forth upon -his journey to the south. It was calculated that he could reach the -river in five days, though to do so he would have to travel by night as -well as day. The prisoners had little doubt that he would find a -river-junk at Pinglo or at some other river-side village where the -brigands had established outposts. With the help of the current and a -favourable wind, he could reach Canton in a few days, and thence the -last stage of the journey could be completed by steam-boat--ships -leaving Canton for Hong-Kong at least twice a day. - -There was, therefore, plenty of time--provided no mishap befell him--for -Men-Ching to fulfil his mission. Cheong-Chau, who knew his business, -had taken steps to convince the Governor that the plight of the judge -was genuine. He had included in the envelope containing his own letter -a gold signet ring, which he himself had taken from the finger of Sir -Thomas. - -When Men-Ching left the cave it was raining hard. He brought the two -letters to the fireside, desiring in all probability to satisfy the -prisoners that there was to be no mistake, that he was not going to take -any risks. He took off his faded scarlet coat, ripped up the lining -with a sharp knife, and sewed the letters inside. That done, he tied a -sash around his waist, threw a straw raincoat across his shoulders, and -put on a large straw hat such as the coolies wear when at work in the -southern ricefields. Then he and his companion departed, Men-Ching -carrying in his hand a long stick. They followed the narrow path that -traversed that bare, desolate region, at one moment on the crest-line of -a watershed, at another upon the very brink of a precipice. - -The rain descended in torrents, shutting out completely the last rays of -the setting sun. A great darkness descended upon the wilderness. The -water in the gullies and ravines mounted with the rapidity of -quicksilver; and presently the night was alive with savage, discordant -sounds: the wind howling amongst the rocks, the roar of cataracts, -turbulent streams plunging, as if demented, down the mountain-side. But -in spite of the darkness and the rain, Men-Ching and his companion -continued to move rapidly towards the south. He was an old man, as we -know, but he was by no means inactive. Also, he knew every inch of the -road. It was probably for that reason that Cheong-Chau had selected him -to undertake the journey. - -They did not halt to rest until many hours after daybreak, and then -snatched only a few hours' sleep, after eating a handful of rice. The -storm had cleared. Men-Ching took off his raincoat, and stretched it -out upon the ground, in order that it might dry in the sun. Placing -both his hands upon his faded scarlet coat, he expressed the greatest -satisfaction to find that it was absolutely dry. The letters were safe; -he could feel them inside the lining. There was no chance that the rain -had washed out the ink. Indeed, in the whole world, there is probably -no more efficient waterproof garment than the straw raincoat of the Far -East. - -In course of time Men-Ching gained the southern extremity of the -Nan-ling Mountains, at a place not far from the town of Pinglo. The -rich, fertile valley lay before him, extending as far as the eye could -reach. He had left behind him China, the desolate, the barbarous, the -unknown; before him lay China, the civilised, the prosperous, the land -of ceaseless industry and untold wealth. - -And there, for the time being, we may leave him, still travelling -towards the south upon his robber's errand. We will leave him to his -fate, to the mercy of the heathen gods he may or may not have -worshipped. His destiny was already sealed, though little did Men-Ching -dream that that was so. - -In the cave, day followed day, so far as the captives were concerned, -with the same dreary monotony; the same fears and half-foolish hopes. -They could take no exercise, and they had no books to read. There was -nothing for them to do but to talk, to discuss amongst themselves the -tragedy of their position. - -And as time passed they had less and less reason to trust Cheong-Chau, -to think that they could rely upon his word. The man proved himself a -reprobate. He was an opium drunkard; and that is a thing not so common -in China as the majority of Europeans imagine. - -It is true that opium is smoked throughout the length and breadth of the -East. Indeed, the opium pipe in China is the equivalent to the British -workman's glass of beer, and opium dens in that country are as common as -public-houses in this. - -At the same time, most Chinese are only moderate smokers. They do not -smoke enough opium even to injure their health. The reason for this is -obvious: opium, even in China, is very expensive, and the ordinary man -cannot afford to buy much of it. Neither does opium happen to be a drug -that does a great deal of harm unless it is taken in excess; it probably -does infinitely less harm than alcohol. If taken in large doses, -however, its results are disastrous and terrible. - -For some reason or other--never explained by physiologists--repeated -doses of opium sap the moral fibre. A man begins to smoke opium in a -small way, but after a time he finds that he has to smoke double the -quantity of pipes in order to get the desired result. And so on, until -he finds himself taking doses that would kill one who was not inured to -the drug. By that time he has lost everything a man should value most: -his sense of honour, his will power, much of his physical strength, and -his power of concentration. He is a degenerate whose mind is filled -with the foulest, most perverted fancies, who is a stranger to truth, -and who delights as often as not in committing the most fiendish of -crimes. - -Now Cheong-Chau was evidently such a man; for one night he rolled into -the cave, awakening his captives--who for many hours had been fast -asleep--by the blasphemy and violence of his language. His gait was -unsteady; the pupils of his eyes, visible in the bright light of the -fire, were small as pinheads. He carried in his hand a naked sword. - -"I am Cheong-Chau," he shrieked. "Death to all foreign devils who dare -set foot upon the sacred soil of China!" - -Bursting into a loud laugh, he raised his sword as if he would strike -down Mr Waldron, who had risen to his feet. - -"Stay," cried the judge. "Have we not your oath--that if the money is -paid you will not stain your hands in blood?" - -"Oath!" cried the robber. "What are oaths and blood to me? Am I a -Canton flower-girl or a Buddhist priest that I should not shed blood -when the fancy takes me? Know that I am Cheong-Chau, the robber, who -cares for neither oaths nor gods nor men." - -For some reason or other he had singled out the American; and it looked -most certain that, at that moment, the life of Mr Hennessy K. Waldron -was in the greatest danger. However, Mr Waldron never moved an inch; he -neither drew back nor showed the slightest sign of alarm. He held his -ground, staring the villain boldly in the face. - -[Illustration: MR. WALDRON NEVER MOVED AN INCH.] - -It was, in all probability, solely his courage that saved him. The -Chinese was so low down in the scale of humanity that he was not far -removed from the beasts; and it is well known that no animal can for any -length of time look a strong man in the eyes. The eyes of Mr Waldron -were those of one who had carved a way for himself in the world, -who--starting life in a very humble sphere--had conquered a thousand -difficulties; thereby proving himself a strong man who could not fail to -be conscious of his strength. - -Cheong-Chau was unable to maintain his threatening and defiant attitude -before that steel-grey, steady gaze. Slowly his sword descended; his -eyes dropped to the ground. Mr Waldron, with admirable calmness, -deliberately placed a hand upon the man's shoulder, and addressed him in -the English language in a tone that was even kindly. - -"Say, old cockolorum," said he, "you ought to retire from business. -You're doing yourself no good, you know. Guess you want a good six -weeks at some quiet seaside resort, where there's no more excitement -than a dance-hall or a merry-go-round. Take the missus and the kids." - -Cheong-Chau turned away with an oath. No doubt he supposed that Mr -Waldron had delivered a brief speech, somewhat in the tragic vein, -suitable to the occasion; for neither in the expression upon the -American's face nor in the serious tones of his voice was there anything -to convey the intelligence that Mr Waldron was disposed to be frivolous. - -For all that, they could not overlook the fact that, whether or not the -ransom were paid, their lives were in the greatest danger. The man who -held them in his power was subject to ungovernable fits of wrath, during -which his mental condition bordered upon that type of insanity which is -inseparable from the truly criminal character. At such times--which -invariably followed a debauch of opium smoking--Cheong-Chau was -certainly not responsible for his actions; and discussing the question -among themselves, they came to the conclusion that at any moment the -order to murder them might be issued. By no such act of treachery could -the brigand forfeit the ransom, since both the prisoners and Cheong-Chau -himself had no means of direct communication with Hong-Kong. Men-Ching -should be now well upon his way, approaching the city of Canton. - -It was Mr Waldron who suggested that one of them should endeavour to -escape. At first, this idea struck the judge as a piece of outrageous -folly, since if one of the three even did succeed in getting away from -the cave and crossing the mountains--a very unlikely contingency--the -murderous Cheong-Chau would be so furious that he would probably not -hesitate to make short work of the unfortunate two who remained. On -debating the matter, however, Mr Waldron was able to throw quite another -light upon the situation. - -He explained that if a survivor reached Hong-Kong who could not only -identify Cheong-Chau himself and the majority of his men, but who could -actually guide an avenging expedition to the neighbourhood of the cave, -the brigands would be hunted from pillar to post, and if not captured, -certainly driven from the province. The robber could not be unaware -that in the British colony were both English and Indian troops, whilst a -large fleet lay at anchor in the harbour, and he must have known enough -of the British Government to remember that the cold-blooded murder of -British citizens was an act not likely to be overlooked. He could not -wish to involve both himself and the members of his gang in -international complications. He would therefore, in all probability, -hesitate to do away with his captives. - -It is true that an attempt to escape might fail, in which case the -plight of the prisoners would be, if anything, somewhat worse. But in -any case, as day succeeded day, they became more and more convinced that -Cheong-Chau intended to kill them. He did but bide his time, waiting to -hear news of Men-Ching to the effect that the ransom had been duly paid. -For these reasons it was eventually decided that one of them should -endeavour to escape. - -It was next necessary to settle who should go. The judge himself was -too old to attempt to cross the mountains alone upon so long and -hazardous a journey. The choice, therefore, lay between Frank Armitage -and Mr Waldron. - -The American--who had already proved himself a man of the greatest -courage, both physical and moral--was naturally anxious to take the risk -himself. However, he could not be blind to the fact that he laboured -under several very serious disadvantages. - -In the first place, he was entirely ignorant of both the language and -the country. He knew neither the habits and customs of the people nor -the topography of Southern China. Frank, on the other hand, had been -born and had lived all his life in China; on many a former occasion he -had proved himself quite capable of conversing even with the most -untutored and obstinate peasants. Moreover, the boy was the most active -member of the party: he was a good runner; he could climb, if necessary, -to the top of mountain peaks, and he was an adept at swimming--an -important item, since he might have to cross the West River, as well as -several tributaries, in order to reach Canton or the coast. - -It was this consideration that settled the question in the mind of Mr -Waldron. The American was obliged to confess that he could not swim -except for a short distance in salt water. If he endeavoured to cross -the strong current of a great river without even taking his clothes off, -he would most assuredly drown. - -"And in that case," he observed, "I might as well have stayed here to -have my throat cut in my sleep, or sample the death by a thousand cuts." - -He spoke of such atrocities as if they were nothing. He was so calm -about it all that the judge looked at him, wondering whether he was one -of the few really brave men in the world, or whether he was entirely -devoid of imagination. In any case, Mr Waldron withdrew his claim to be -allowed to undertake the adventure; and the choice fell upon Frank. - -Once this all-important question was settled, it was obvious that there -was nothing to be gained--indeed, there was much to lose--by putting off -Frank's departure. The sooner he was away the better, though they did -not then realise the supreme importance of time, the alarming fact that -the lives both of Sir Thomas and Mr Waldron were to hang upon the thin -thread of a few seconds. - -It was decided that Frank should endeavour to make his escape from the -cave that night. It was in the act of passing the sentries, posted at -the entrance, that the bulk of his danger would lie. Once the boy -succeeded in getting away from the cave, his absence would probably not -be discovered until the following morning. He would, in that case, have -several hours' start of any pursuers whom Cheong-Chau might think fit to -send after him. - -Frank had already considered the contingency of making a dash for -liberty. He had, so far as he had been able to do so from the interior -of the cave, studied the lie of the land. He had noticed that the -sentries were not particularly vigilant and that they were armed with -old-fashioned, out-of-date fire-arms which they possibly knew not how to -use. One of these was a Martini-Henry carbine, and Frank had on one -occasion seen a Chinese trying in vain to lower the lever, which was so -rusted on to the lock that it was quite certain that the breech could -never be opened. - -Immediately before the entrance to the cave was the huge boulder, or -rock, which has already been described. On either side of this rock a -sentry was always posted. But these men did not necessarily face the -cave. Indeed, as often as not, they looked the other way, interesting -themselves in the wide panorama extended before them. None the less, -since the two passages on either side of the boulder were very narrow, -one could never hope to pass without being seen. Escape that way, -therefore, was impossible without a struggle, which meant that the alarm -would be given and a party would immediately start in pursuit of the -fugitive. - -This was what Frank most wanted to avoid. He knew that his attempt was -doomed to failure if he did not succeed in getting well away. He -therefore examined the rock itself, and saw at once that it would be -quite easy to climb to the top of it. Since he could not pass _round_ -this obstacle he would have to go _over_ it. On the other side, as he -knew, was the steep mountain slope descending hundreds of feet to the -bed of the valley. Whether he could climb down the slope at all, much -less do so silently, so as not to be overheard by the sentries, was -another question. He was resolved, however, to take the risk. It was -clear that there was no other alternative. It was a perilous business, -but he must make the best of it, trusting to Providence, as well as his -own agility and presence of mind. - - - - -CHAPTER IX--OF THE HOSPITALITY OF THE TEA-GROWER - - -They waited until nearly midnight, when Cheong-Chau and his ruffians -were sound asleep, and only the sentries awake. That day, both Sir -Thomas and Mr Waldron had eaten no food since the morning meal, so that -Frank might not set forth upon his journey unprovided. He would -certainly not be able to procure anything to eat in the desolate -mountain region, though with his intimate knowledge of the Chinese -language the boy should not experience any difficulty in procuring rice, -millet, or even fish, in the valley of the main river. - -The most precarious part of the whole business, however, was to escape -unseen from the cave. In this, neither of the older men could render -the slightest assistance to the boy, who would have to rely solely upon -his own initiative. All three lay down upon their straw mattresses, and -pretended to sleep, breathing heavily and even snoring, in order to -arouse no suspicion on the part of the two sentries. They had purposely -allowed the fire to burn down quite low, so that there was only an -exceedingly dim and somewhat fitful light in the cave. - -Choosing a moment about an hour after the sentries had been relieved, -Frank Armitage rose stealthily upon his hands and knees, and slowly -began to crawl towards the entrance to the cave. Neither his uncle nor -Mr Waldron moved. The latter continued to snore. - -Frank approached the entrance from an angle, whence he peered cautiously -round the corner. He was surprised, and somewhat dismayed, by the -exceeding brightness of the night. The sky was wonderfully clear; a -full, round moon illumined the rugged mountain ridges, making them -appear so white that they might have been snow-clad, whereas the valleys -seemed by contrast to be buried in the deepest shadow. By reason of the -firelight in the cave, the brightness of the moon, attended by a -solitary and gorgeous planet, had not been noticeable from within. - -The light, however, enabled Frank to take stock of the sentry who was on -the same side of the boulder as himself. He was able to observe the man -at his leisure, since he himself was in the shade. - -The man was evidently wide awake, for he was moving his arms backwards -and forwards with a kind of rocking gesture. His back was turned. He -sat cross-legged upon the ground, upon a plaited mat of straw, surveying -the magnificent scene that extended before him. Perhaps, despite his -brutal features, and low, receding forehead, there was at least a spark -of sensibility, a small power to appreciate the beautiful in nature and -the most wonderful works of God, in the untutored mind of this Chinese -robber and cut-throat. At any rate, he seemed in a kind of ecstasy, for -he was talking softly to himself. - -Frank silently crawled across the entrance. And there was the other -man, walking slowly to and fro, stamping his feet from time to time, as -if he suffered from the cold. Clearly, it would be madness to attempt -to escape until this fellow had settled down. He was far too wide -awake. - -The boy lay flat upon his face, in a position not exposed to the -moonlight. Here he was sure he could not be seen, whereas he was well -able to observe the walking sentry. - -Five minutes elapsed, ten, a quarter of an hour. Frank was becoming -anxious. Perhaps the man never would sit down; perhaps he did not -intend to relax his vigilance until another came to relieve him of his -duties. - -Even as the thought crossed the boy's mind, the man stopped, yawned -loudly, and then, seating himself upon the ground with his back resting -against the great central rock, produced an opium pipe and proceeded to -roll a pill. - -Frank's heart was in his mouth. He knew that the moment of his great -ordeal had come. The man had played into his hands; for not only was -the opium bound to make him drowsy, but he had planted himself in the -very situation that gave the boy his best opportunity. Frank intended -to climb over the central boulder, and had already satisfied himself -that the ascent would be a matter of no difficulty at all. - -What lay beyond was another question. He had never had any means of -ascertaining whether or not he would be able to climb down the other -side of the rock, much less make the descent of the slope. He who is -over-cautious will, however, accomplish nothing. The traveller who -considers the pitfalls in his way and the many dangers that lurk upon -the highroad makes little or no progress, and as often as not fails to -arrive at his destination. He who would gain all must risk all; he who -will risk nothing gains nothing--or, at least, does not deserve to do -so. - -Frank glanced back into the cave. By the dim light of the fire he was -able to see that both his uncle and Mr Waldron were stretched at full -length upon their mattresses, looking up. No doubt each was unable to -bear the continued suspense, the silence that had endured so long, but -must take one last look at him who carried with him the fortunes of all -three. - -The boy glided into the shadow of the rock. There he paused a moment, -waiting breathlessly to learn whether or not he had been observed whilst -he was crossing the narrow strip of moonlight. A minute passed, and as -nothing happened Frank knew that he was still safe. - -Then, very slowly, he began to climb. He had taken off his boots, and -these were suspended by means of the laces around his neck. He was -careful not to make the slightest sound; he was fearful almost to -breathe. He knew that the whole enterprise was in jeopardy, that at any -moment a loose stone might fall from the rock, thus attracting the -attention of the sentries. - -He succeeded in gaining the top, and there lay flat upon his face. -Knowing that the utmost caution was of far more importance than haste, -he did not move for some time. Then, slowly lifting his head, he took -in his surroundings. - -The sentry on the right had not shifted his position. He still rocked -his arms and sat staring straight at the moon. The man on the left was -invisible to Frank, being immediately under the rock. He had probably -smoked his pipe of opium, and was now in that semi-dazed, self-satisfied -condition that invariably follows an administration of the drug. The -boy wormed himself forward, until he had gained the furthermost edge of -the rock, which was flat-topped, like a table. Thence he was able to see -into the second cave, where Cheong-Chau and his men were fast asleep, -lying close as dogs around the dying embers of a great charcoal fire. - -When Frank peered over the edge of the rock, in order to decide upon the -most suitable means of descent, his heart for a moment failed him. It -was as if he was gazing down into one of the uttermost pits of Hades. - -The cliff appeared to be perpendicular, which the boy knew was not the -case. Moreover, it seemed to descend to eternity, to fade away into a -great expanse of darkness that was like the sea. It occurred to him -that if by any chance he slipped and fell, his body would be dashed to -atoms thousands of feet below. - -Then fortunately he had the strength of mind to remember that -imagination makes cowards of us all. It was no affair of his what lay -at the bottom of the valley; his immediate business was to descend from -the top of the rock, and he had therefore best confine his attention to -the few square yards in front of him. - -Immediately he did so he saw that he was confronted by a proposition by -no means difficult of solution. To descend was easy enough. In the -face of the rock was a narrow cleft down which it would be quite easy to -climb. Without hesitating an instant, he lowered himself, and in a few -seconds found himself at the base of the rock, where he again paused and -listened. - -He was so close to the man whom he had seen light the opium pipe that he -could actually hear him breathing. Neither, however, could see the -other, since the sharp corner of the rock intervened. However, the -situation was so dangerous that Frank was resolved to have no more of it -than he need; and almost at once he began to descend on all fours the -steep face of the cliff. - -He realised that in the first ten yards or so his greatest danger lay. -He could not tell for certain whether or not he was within sight of -either of the men. He could but take the only possible precaution. -Lying almost flat upon his face, he slid, very slowly indeed, at about -what seemed to him a snail's pace, down the smooth, rocky slope. - -In three minutes he knew that he was out of immediate danger. He had -escaped. Moreover, no alarm had been given. - -Two courses now lay open to him: he might continue to descend until he -eventually reached the bottom of the valley, or he might work his way -along the cliff, parallel to the bridle-path above, until, having gained -comparative safety, he could ascend to the higher level and then follow -the road to the south. - -He wisely selected the latter alternative, since he knew not whether the -slope was accessible lower down. Besides, it might so happen that there -was neither path nor road in the valley. - -Owing to the steepness of the slope, he could not stand upright, nor was -there any need to do so. He could progress, if not with comfort, at -least at a very tolerable pace, on all fours. - -He had traversed in this way a distance that, was probably about a -quarter of a mile, when he deemed that it would be safe to ascend to the -path above by means of which he and his fellow-captives had been -conducted to the cave. This he gained without difficulty, it being -easier to mount the slope than to progress transversely across it. - -Once upon the bridle-path he found the moonlight of the greatest -possible assistance; for having put on his boots he was able to set -forward running, knowing full well that every step lengthened the -distance between himself and those who he knew would certainly, sooner -or later, set forth in pursuit. - -It would be wearisome to describe in detail Frank Armitage's adventurous -journey across the mountains. Sunrise found him still upon the road, -alternately walking and running, hurrying forward for life itself. - -The fact that for three whole days he saw not a single soul speaks for -itself in regard to the desolation of this wilderness. On the morning -of the fourth day he found himself in the midst of the foot-hills, with -a clear view before him of the fertile valley of the West River. By -then he had consumed all the provisions he had brought with him from the -cave. He was, indeed, almost famishing, and felt tempted to take almost -any risk to procure something to eat. That afternoon he encountered -several peasants, who all regarded him with undisguised curiosity. -Knowing that Cheong-Chau was sure to have despatched a party in pursuit, -and realising the supreme importance of time, he considered that it -would be advisable to ask one of the inhabitants of the country the -shortest route to the nearest main tributary of the river. - -He selected his man with care, and after a considerable amount of -hesitation, addressed himself to a little thin, prosperous-looking -Chinaman of the middle class whom he overtook upon the narrow mule-track -he had followed for several miles. - -On being interrogated, the Chinaman was not a little surprised, though -he was far too well-bred and polite to say so. He was surprised at two -things: first, he had never expected to meet with a European in such an -out-of-the-way corner of the province; secondly, he was amazed that the -young Englishman should address him so fluently in his own language. - -"You have travelled far?" he asked. - -"From Hong-Kong," answered Frank. - -"That is a long way." - -"It is of the greatest importance," said Frank, "that I return without -delay." - -"Many days' journey is before you," said the Chinese. "I should be -greatly honoured if you would deign to accept such hospitality as my -miserable self is in a position to offer. I am a tea-grower," he -continued. "My house is not far from here. I should be deeply -gratified if you would eat rice under my dilapidated roof." - -It immediately occurred to Frank that the tea-grower might be able to -assist him in more ways than one. He readily accepted the man's offer -in the manner duly approved by Chinese etiquette and custom. - -"Such a despicable, beggarly foreigner as myself," said he, "would be -inexpressibly delighted to partake, in your palatial residence, of such -nourishing and delicious provender as, I am sure, it is the custom of -yourself and your honoured family to consume." - -The Chinaman smiled. - -"You speak our language to perfection," he remarked. "Few foreigners -are able to do so. But what is even more extraordinary to me is that -you appear to be acquainted with our forms of ceremony. As a general -rule, the European cannot speak to you for five minutes without being -guilty of a dozen breaches of etiquette, defying every canon of good -behaviour." - -"You see," said Frank, "I have lived in China for many years." - -"Come with me," said the tea-grower. "Allow me to have the honour of -conducting you to my hovel of a dwelling." - -Together they followed the mule-track for about a quarter of a mile, and -then the Chinese turned to the left, walking along a narrow bank that -separated two flooded ricefields. Beyond they passed through a field of -_kiao-liang_, in the midst of which the crickets were singing merrily, -and then found themselves in an extensive tea-garden. - -In the centre of the garden was a considerable house, built after the -manner of all better-class houses in China--that is to say, a -one-storied rambling building, together with several outhouses and a -fair-sized yard, the whole surrounded by a mud wall about eight feet in -height. The building was situated upon a gentle slope that faced due -south, and from the outer gate it was possible to survey the greater -part of the plantation. - -Here the tea-grower entertained Frank Armitage. He gave him green tea -to drink and a cup of alcoholic beverage--called _samshu_--which is made -from fermented rice. And then came a dinner of about fourteen courses. -There were various kinds of fish, sharks' fins, larks' tongues, -birds'-nest soup, small pieces of meat on little skewers, rice, millet -and edible seaweed from Japan. Frank devoured all these delicacies with -a relish. It was not the first time that he had eaten a Chinese dinner. -Although the tea-grower lived in the wilds of the province he was -evidently a rich man. He had the true gift of hospitality, and with -more sincerity than is usually the case in China he offered his guest -everything that his house contained. - -Now Frank might have refused this offer. In fact, the rules of ceremony -decreed that he should do so. He had a mind, however, to disguise -himself, and he therefore begged the tea-grower to be so good as to -provide him with a suit of Chinese clothes. - -The man did not hesitate. He supplied the boy with a long robe, a pair -of white trousers and a pair of felt-soled shoes. Thus attired, Frank -Armitage bade his host adieu and crossed the tea-garden late that night, -when the moon, which had guided him throughout the past three or four -days, was rising in the east. - -The tea-grower seemed to have taken a fancy to the boy, for he -accompanied Frank almost a mile upon his journey, putting him upon the -road which led to the village in which the majority of his coolies, or -workpeople, lived. In bidding good-bye to him, Frank thanked the man -from his heart for all his hospitality and kindness. He shook hands -with himself in the approved Chinese fashion, and bowed so low that his -nose almost touched his knees. Then he was about to set forward alone -when the tea-grower cried out to him, asking him if he had any money. - -Frank replied that he was without a cent in the world, telling the -truth--that he had been robbed of all he possessed in the mountains. -Whereupon the tea-grower took from his neck a long string of copper -cash. These he threw over the boy's head, at the same time quoting -Confucius: "_Be charitable to the stranger from a far country! so that, -when thou thyself art a stranger, doors may be opened to thy knock._" - - - - -CHAPTER X--HOW FRANK WAS IN LUCK'S WAY - - -Frank found the village without any difficulty. Although it was then -almost midnight, there were lights in the majority of houses, and -several shops were open. The Chinese are a singular race. One of the -first things that strikes a visitor to that remarkable country is the -fact that the inhabitants never appear to go to bed. No people in the -world work harder by day, and no people in the world are more inclined -to talk, laugh, quarrel and gamble throughout the night, into the small -hours of the morning. - -Frank marched boldly into a barber's shop, where he expressed a desire -to have the forepart of his head shaven. The barber could scarce -contain his astonishment when he observed that his patron had no -pigtail. He was vastly curious with regard to the matter, asking -several questions as he sharpened his big Chinese razor--which was -something after the shape and about the size of the business-end of a -Dutch hoe. Frank informed the man that he had been robbed, and no doubt -the fellow presumed that the robbers had cut off their victim's queue. - -The boy rightly supposed that he could talk quite frankly about his own -affairs in a village which was populated almost exclusively by honest -men who worked in the tea-gardens. But what most surprised him, and at -the same time afforded him the greatest possible satisfaction, was that -no one in the barber's shop appeared to notice the fact that he was a -European. - -Now a Chinaman can suffer no greater disgrace than the loss of his -pigtail. Viewed historically, this is a strange circumstance. The -mediaeval Chinese did not wear pigtails. It was the Manchu race, who -conquered the Chinese in the fifteenth century, who grew their hair long -and plaited it in the well-known manner. The Manchus were horsemen of -whom it might be said that they almost worshipped their horses, and the -queue was originally grown in imitation of a horse's tail. For the same -reason the Manchu warriors adopted those wide coat-sleeves, which even -to this day are called "horseshoe sleeves." It was mainly by means of -their excellent cavalry that the Tartar warriors were able to overcome -the Chinese foot-soldiers. - -A conquering race invariably enforces certain obligations and -restrictions upon the vanquished, and one of the first Manchurian -imperial edicts issued was to the effect that all Chinese should adopt -the pigtail as a symbol of their submission to the dominant people. In -the course of a few centuries what was originally a token of defeat -became a source of national prejudice and pride. The Chinaman of the -nineteenth century was as loth to part with his pigtail as his -forefather had been to adopt it. - -The barber sympathised with Frank. Moreover, his sympathy took a -practical turn. He undertook for a few copper cash to supply the boy -with a new pigtail, and also to attach it to his head in such a manner -as would make it appear to be natural. All this, however, took time, -and it was past one o'clock in the morning when Frank Armitage left the -village and continued on his way, downhill, through tea-gardens and the -ricefields, following the narrow path which, he had been told, would -conduct him to the river. - -What the name of the river was he had not been able to ascertain. -Everybody he asked told him a different name. That is usually the case -in China. One man will say a village is called the Village of the Wu -family; another will say it is the Village of the Chin family; and a -third will be equally certain that it is called One-Tree Village. And -when you get there, you will find it is called Bad-Weather Village, or -the Village of Starving Dogs. Knowing this, Frank did not bother -himself about the name of the river. Provided he came to it, he would -be satisfied, since the water of that river must eventually find its way -into the main stream which flowed past Wu-chau to Canton, and thence to -the great estuary, at the mouth of which was the island of Hong-Kong. - -He reached the river at about midday. By then the heat in the valley -was excessive, and the boy thoroughly exhausted. He had been travelling -day and night for several days. With the exception of the almost regal -banquet he had enjoyed at the house of the tea-grower, he had had -insufficient nourishment. There had been few nights when he had had -more than three or four hours' sleep. He felt quite unable to progress -farther on foot. - -He therefore hailed a fisherman whom he observed approaching down the -stream in a small _sampan_, or river-boat. The man--so soon as he -understood that a bargain was afoot--drew in to the bank and undertook -for an exceedingly small sum of money to take Frank down-stream to a -certain large town to which he himself was going. Frank got into the -boat, and lying down beneath the matted awning that sheltered the stern -part from the fierce rays of the sun, he was soon fast asleep. Whilst -he slept, he covered several miles of his journey. The fisherman had -hoisted a sail, and the wind being from the north, and the strength of -the current great, the boat travelled at a considerable velocity. - -When the boy awoke, refreshed from his sleep, he found to his surprise -that the sun had set. Darkness was spreading rapidly, and a thick white -mist clung to the river-valley. The atmosphere, however, was -exceedingly close and humid, and the air was alive with myriads of -mosquitoes and gnats. - -Frank asked the fisherman where they were, and the man replied, with -Oriental vagueness: - -"We come soon to Kwang-Chin," said he. "That is the end of my journey!" - -"And where is Kwang-Chin?" asked Frank. - -"Very nice town," replied the man, evading the question. "Plenty -cooked-dog shops. Little Kwang-Chin dogs are very good to eat, better -than little Canton dogs." - -Frank knew the uselessness of trying to get anything definite out of the -fisherman. He therefore lay back in a comfortable attitude, and gave -himself up to thoughts of the perilous situation in which he had left Mr -Waldron and his uncle. - -He wondered how far Men-Ching had progressed upon his journey to the -coast. So far as he could guess, the rascal should be already in -Canton. At the same time, though he did not know where the town of -Kwang-Chin was, he believed that he himself could not be far from the -great capital of Southern China. Canton was but a few hours by river -steamboat from Hong-Kong. The boy had therefore completed the greater -part of his journey. - -They arrived at Kwang-Chin in the small hours of the morning, and Frank -could not persuade the fisherman to take him any farther. He was -therefore obliged to go ashore and attempt to find a lodging for what -remained of the night. - -This was no easy matter, for the town appeared to consist of nothing but -opium dens. It was an old walled city, the ramparts and gateways of -which must have been built centuries before, in the days when China was -harassed and ravaged by continual internecine wars. Frank, who did not -feel capable of travelling farther that night, decided to wait till -morning, when he might be able to find another fisherman who would -consent to take him down-stream, probably as far as the main river, if -not to Canton itself. In the meantime, he realised that he could do -nothing better than snatch a few hours' additional rest, recognising the -fact that he would still be called upon to undergo considerable -hardships and dangers. - -He therefore plucked up courage, and entered the first opium den he came -to, in the doorway of which he had observed a light. He found himself -in an establishment similar in all respects to that which has already -been described as nourishing in the slums of Canton under the -proprietorship of Ah Wu. This place, however, was very much dirtier, -and--with the exception of Cheong-Chau's brigands--Frank had never seen -a more villainous collection of men than the habitues of the place, who -were sprawled in all manner of attitudes upon the various couches. And -then he was astounded, and at the same time considerably alarmed, to -observe that several of these coolies were wearing scarlet coats, -similar in all respects to those worn by the bandits. But, once inside, -he could not very well beat a hasty retreat. He summoned to his aid all -his presence of mind and addressed himself to the proprietor, a -venerable-looking man with gold-rimmed spectacles and a white -goat's-beard. - -"I desire, for a few hours," said the boy, speaking in his best -idiomatic Cantonese, "a couch upon which to sleep. I am a poor man," he -added, "but I will pay you to the best of my ability." - -"You will not smoke opium?" asked the host, opening his eyes in -surprise. - -"I have not the habit," said Frank. - -The proprietor adjusted his spectacles upon the very tip of his nose and -regarded the boy from over the top of the glasses. - -"How very remarkable!" he observed. "Every man, however, can please -himself. You may certainly sleep here. My charge is forty _cash_." - -Now forty cash is the equivalent of two-pence, and this does not appear -to the European mind to be an exorbitant charge for a night's lodging. -But Frank Armitage knew the Chinese character. He had a part to act, -and he knew how to act it. He remembered that a Chinaman loves a -bargain. - -"I will give you thirty cash," said he. - -The old man pointed to the couch. "It is an excellent bed," said he. -"The hangings are of silk, and I guarantee that the mattress is free -from vermin. I will let you have it for thirty-eight cash." - -"I offer you thirty-two," said Frank. "Remember, I require it for a few -hours only." - -"In that case," said the landlord, "we will say thirty-six." - -"I will give you thirty-four." - -"Good!" cried the landlord. "We will call it thirty-five and have done -with the matter." - -Thereupon Frank counted out thirty-five of the little copper coins which -the tea-grower had given him and which he carried upon a string slung -around his neck like a necklace. Indeed each _cash_ has a little square -hole in the middle of it for this purpose. - -Having settled his account, the boy took off his coat, for the heat of -the room was intense and the atmosphere foul with the mingled odour of -paraffin oil, opium smoke and Chinese garlic He arranged the pillow, -then stretched himself at full length upon the couch. A group of three -or four men at the other end of the room were talking loudly, and it was -the constant sound of their voices that made it difficult for the boy to -fall asleep. - -He was dozing off, and in that blissful state which lies midway between -slumber and consciousness, when he was startled by a remark that came to -his ears very distinctly from the other end of the room. - -"They tell me that Cheong-Chau has returned to the mountains." - -The answer was a chuckle. - -"Cheong-Chau is never idle," came the reply. "Rumour has it that there -are fine fish in his net. Do you know that Men-Ching passed through -here late yesterday afternoon?" - -"Indeed! And where was he going?" - -"He did not say." - -"Some secret business," said the other. "Men-Ching is no more than the -coolie of Cheong-Chau. He does all the dirty work. He runs the -errands." - -It was here that the voice of a third man joined in the conversation. - -"I know where Men-Ching was going," said he. "I made it my business to -find out. He goes to Canton to the opium den of Ah Wu, which lies near -the Mohammedan Mosque. He did not leave this place till nearly ten -o'clock to-night, after having smoked several pipes of opium. He is a -great smoker, Men-Ching. He went down the river on a _wupan_ that was -taking a cargo of rice to Canton. The _wupan_ calls at Sanshui, to take -on board certain chests of tea." - -The man who had spoken first laughed loudly. - -"You know everything, Hsien-Lu," said he. "You are always prying into -other people's affairs. For myself, though I wear the scarlet coat, I -think it well to give Cheong-Chau as wide a berth as possible. He will -have his head cut off some day. That is beyond all doubt. And on that -occasion I should prefer not to accompany him. And now, good-night. I -desire to sleep. The opium has made me drowsy." - -After that there was silence. Frank gave them about ten minutes in -which to prepare themselves for slumber. Then he got up from his couch, -put on his coat and, unobserved, left the opium den. - -Outside he took in a deep breath of the fresh night air, then hurried in -the direction of the river. He realised that fortune had played in a -remarkable manner into his hands. Men-Ching was but a few hours in -front of him. He intended, if possible, to overtake the man and possess -himself of the letters. He might be able to do this by stealth if he -could not succeed by force. He could, at any rate, make sure that the -letters reached their destination, since the lives of both his uncle and -Mr Waldron depended upon their delivery into the hands of the Governor -of Hong-Kong. - - - - -CHAPTER XI--OF THE REAPPEARANCE OF LING - - -Walking rapidly, the boy soon found himself upon the right bank of the -river. Though there was as yet no sign of daybreak in the east, several -people were already abroad, for the Chinese begin their day's work early -in the morning and do not cease till late at night. Parties of men were -engaged in loading the junks and _wupans_ which were moored to the -wharves and jetties. - -Frank walked along the river-side until he found a junk about to sail. -He hailed the captain, a tall, sun-burnt Chinaman with his pigtail -coiled round the top of his head, who wore hardly any clothes at all. -This man informed him that the junk was bound upon a fishing cruise upon -the open sea. He readily agreed to take Frank as far as Canton for a -small consideration in the way of copper cash; and a minute later, the -boy was on board, whilst the junk moved down-stream under full canvas. - -Nearly all the relatives of the captain and his crew had come down to -the wharf to bid them good-bye. There were small-footed Chinese women, -and little round-faced, naked children, each of whom appeared to have -eaten so much rice that he looked in danger of bursting. There was much -wailing and gnashing of teeth--for the Chinese on occasion can be -exceedingly emotional--and no sooner was the junk clear of her moorings -than the silence of the morning was disturbed by a veritable fusillade -of Chinese squibs, rockets and crackers. - -Indeed it might have been an Eastern Fifth of November. A great bundle -of gunpowder crackers, tied to the poop of the vessel, went off in a -kind of _feu de joie_, sending out so many sparks in all directions that -it appeared that the ship was in danger of catching fire. The idea and -object of this custom, which is universal throughout China from Tonkin -to the Great Wall, is to scare away the evil spirits which might be -disposed to embark on board the departing ship. The Chinese believe in -the potency and the ubiquity of evil spirits. A European--commonly -called "a foreign devil"--is invariably accompanied by a host of such -attendant ghosts. Indeed, it is extremely difficult for any man, even a -virtuous Chinese, to avoid being shadowed by malignant spooks who desire -nothing more than to lead him into calamity and misfortune. There is, -as every Chinese is well aware, but one method of driving away these -evil spirits, and that is by exploding so much gunpowder and creating -such a noise, that they flee in all haste back to the spirit land whence -they come. - -Frank Armitage observed this ceremony from the forepart of the boat. He -had often witnessed such a scene before in the Chinese quarter of the -harbour of Hong-Kong, but he had seldom seen such an expensive and -gorgeous display. It was evident that the master and owner of the junk -was a rich man who could afford to insure his property at the maximum -premium. Also, this particular junk had an unusually large pair of eyes -painted upon the bows. As the captain himself explained later in the -day, if a junk has no eyes it cannot see where it is going. If a junk -cannot see where it is going, it will probably, sooner or later, strike -a rock or another ship, or run ashore. That would be a disaster for -both the junk and its owner. Hence a junk must have eyes the same as a -man. This argument is thoroughly Chinese and would be entirely rational -provided the painted eyes upon the bows of a Chinese ship were of the -slightest practical use. - -All that day they sailed down-stream towards the centre of the great -valley of the West River. Every mile the country became more and more -thickly populated. They passed many villages situated upon both banks -of the river, the houses in the majority of cases overhanging the water, -supported by heavy wooden piles. The country was exceedingly fertile, -being given over almost exclusively to the cultivation of rice. There -were few trees and few hills except far in the distance, towards the -north, where the foothills of the great Nan-ling Mountains stood forth -upon the horizon like a wall. - -Late the following afternoon the river joined a wider stream flowing -towards the south-east. This Frank at first believed to be the West -River itself, but he was informed by the captain of the junk that the -Si-kiang was still fifty _li_ to the south. - -It was midnight when they turned into the main stream, and soon -afterwards they saw before them the bright lights of the city of -Sanshui, which is situated about twenty-five miles due west of Canton. - -At this place, Frank was in two minds what to do. He might go straight -on to Canton and thence down the river to Hong-Kong, at both of which -places he would be able to get in touch with his friends. On the other -hand, he had every reason to suppose that Men-Ching was at that very -moment in the city of Sanshui. The junk had made good headway down the -river, and the boy knew that the boat on which Cheong-Chau's messenger -had come south was to call at Sanshui to take on a cargo. - -Now there is no doubt that Frank Armitage would have been wise had he -first considered his own safety. He was already practically out of -danger; there was no vital necessity for him to put his head -deliberately into the lion's mouth. If his determination appears to be -rash, it may be supposed that he was guided by some natural instinct -that warned him that, in this case, the most dangerous course was the -only means by which his uncle and Mr Waldron could be saved. - -Be that as it may, he argued thus: from the very moment he escaped from -the cave his journey had been extraordinarily uneventful; he saw no -reason why it should not continue to be so. If Cheong-Chau's men were -in pursuit he had seen nothing of them; he had apparently left them -miles behind. He had every reason to be satisfied with his disguise; he -was fairly confident that even if he found Men-Ching he would not be -recognised, since he knew the old man to be extremely short-sighted. -Throughout his journey, he had experienced no difficulty in passing -himself off as a Chinese. The barber, the proprietor of the opium den, -the fisherman and the captain of the junk--all had taken him to be a -native of the country. The boy was sanguine of success; he never dreamt -for a moment of failure. He saw no reason why he should not succeed in -finding Men-Ching, in tracking the old rascal all the way to Hong-Kong -and there having him arrested by the British police authorities. He -even considered the possibility of completing the remainder of his -journey actually in the company of Men-Ching and his companion. - -He therefore asked the captain of the junk to set him ashore. He paid -the man according to his agreement, and found himself, at about one -o'clock in the morning, in the centre of a very dilapidated and -evil-smelling city. - -Since he had slept a good deal on board the junk--there being nothing -else for him to do--he decided to remain awake until daybreak, keeping a -close watch upon the _bund_, alongside which the junks and river-boats -were moored. He felt sure, from what he had overheard in the opium den, -that one of the many _wupans_ that lay alongside the wharves was that -upon which Men-Ching had come down the river. His object was first to -discover the _wupan_. He would then have no difficulty in finding -Men-Ching himself. - -The boy seated himself upon the end of a jetty whence he could obtain a -good view of the harbour. A watery moon was low in the heavens, and -this, together with the stars, illumined the river with an iridescent, -ghostly light, by which it was possible to see for a considerable -distance. - -The hour was as yet too early for the riverside workmen to begin work. -The _bund_ was deserted save for a number of rats, which were to be seen -quite clearly continually crossing the open space that separated the -houses from the ships. - -Though the night was warm the air was somewhat damp, and Frank, fearing -that he would contract malarial fever, rose to his feet and strolled -casually down the jetty. At the corner of a narrow street he came quite -suddenly face to face with a most alarming personage. - -The expression "face to face" cannot be taken literally, for the man was -a giant, and Frank's face was scarcely on a level with his chest. In the -shadowy slums of a poverty-stricken Chinese town, at such a ghostly hour -as two o'clock in the morning, to find oneself unexpectedly confronted -by an individual of the stature of a Goliath and with the countenance of -a demon, is an experience well calculated to give a jolt to the nervous -system of anyone. To put the truth in a word, Frank Armitage was -frightened out of his wits, and these fears were by no means dissipated -when the Herculean stranger, without the least warning, grasped him by -the collar of his coat and lifted him bodily from off his feet. - -"Ha!" the man roared, in the Cantonese of the educated classes. "A -river-side thief! A junk rat! A prowler by night! Tell me, friend -weasel, have you stolen rice from on board a Canton junk, or a -night-watchman's supper?" - -"I pray you, sir," cried Frank, "put me down upon my feet again. I am -no thief, I assure you, but a peaceable citizen of Wu-chau, who goes -upon a visit to his grandfather." - -"A peaceable citizen!" roared the man, bursting into laughter. "That's -good, indeed. I would have you to know that all citizens are peaceful -when they fall into the hands of the mighty Ling." - -So if Frank were none the wiser, the reader at any rate is better -informed. Frank Armitage had never in his life, to the best of his -knowledge, heard of the mighty Ling. The reader, however, has made that -extraordinary man's acquaintance. He knows that Ling was not by any -means one who could be trifled with, and he has been given some kind of -a notion of the character and reputation of this same unmitigated -villain who was wont to call himself "the mighty Ling." - -The giant set down the boy upon his feet, planting him immediately in -front of him. - -"I have need of you," said he. "It is possible you may be able to -render me some assistance. You doubtless have not failed to observe -that the gods have made me too big to hide myself without considerable -inconvenience. It is in this regard that you can help me. If you do so -faithfully I shall reward you. If you attempt to play the fool with me, -you go into the river with a twisted neck. And now, follow, my junk -rat! Follow me!" - -At that, he grasped the boy by a wrist and, taking such tremendous -strides that Frank was obliged almost to run, dragged him along the -wharf. - - - - -CHAPTER XII--HOW MEN-CHING ESCAPED - - -Ling led the way to one of the many warehouses which were situated along -the wharf--which in China are called "go-downs." On attempting to open -the door and finding it locked, with one wrench the Chinaman tore the -hinges from the jamb and, casting the door aside, dragged Frank into a -great darkened chamber that smelt of grease or some kind of oil. There -he struck a match. - -One of the first objects that attracted his attention was a candle stuck -in the neck of a bottle, and this he at once lighted so that the place -was dimly illumined. - -The "go-down" was filled with all manner of packing-cases, casks, -barrels and bales. Picking these up, one after another, as though each -weighed but a few pounds, the great Honanese--who might have been in a -towering rage--threw them right and left, breaking many open, and -creating such a disturbance that Frank was surprised that the whole town -was not awakened. - -After a while, by means of such brutal violence, he had make a way for -himself to the farther end of the warehouse. Thither he ordered Frank -to bring the candle, and then proceeded to ascend a step-ladder that led -through a trap-door, such as one usually finds over stables, to an upper -story. - -The boy, following his captor, found himself in a kind of loft, -containing all manner of things--rope, sails, fishing-nets, straw and -sacks of millet. Here Ling, holding the candle well above his head, -carefully examined the roof. - -He very soon found what he was looking for, and, laughing aloud, ordered -Frank to come to him. Laying one of his enormous hands upon the boy's -shoulder, he suddenly burst forth into the following eulogy upon his own -abilities and prowess. - -"The mighty Ling," he declared, "is the favoured child of the gods; -swift as the kite, wise as the tortoise, strong as the tigers of Amoy. -There are few things within the attainment of mortal man that Ling -cannot accomplish. Scholar, poet, robber, soldier, merchant, -mandarin--all these am I, and more. But there is one thing, I declare -to you, that is beyond me. Guess, my little junk rat, what it is?" - -Fortunately Ling did not appear to expect an answer, for he ran on, -without giving the boy time to reply: - -"Do you see that man-hole in the roof?" he asked, pointing upward. -"Well, the sages themselves could not devise a method by which the -mighty Ling could pass through there. But you can, my monkey, and -thither you go, whether you want to or not." - -"What am I to do when I get there?" asked Frank, who could think of no -way of escaping from this truculent, swaggering monster. - -"Know you nothing," roared Ling, "of the sayings of the seers? How it -is written truly that 'Patience filleth the stomach, whereas he that -hurries to the feast falleth by the way'? Hearken unto me and ask no -questions." - -He placed the candle upon the ground and seated himself straddle-legged -across a sack, with his great legs sprawled out before him. Frank -regarded the man's face in the candlelight, and thought that he had -never seen anyone of appearance more formidable and sinister. - -His huge countenance was like a mask of some weird and evil Eastern god. -There were deep lines scored about his forehead, mouth and eyes--lines -of wrath; so that even in moments of rest he appeared to be in the -throes of an uncontrollable passion. And this expression of fierceness -and of anger was intensified by his black, glittering eyes, which seemed -to pierce whatsoever he regarded. In addition to this, Frank was -impressed by the gigantic proportions of the Honanese: his great sinewy -hands, the muscles in his neck, his thighs, each as thick as the waist -of a smaller man. - -"Listen," said he. "Listen to the description of the man who goes by -the name of Men-Ching, who is a fool who believed in his blindness that -he and his cur-dog friends could cheat the mighty Ling." - -It was as if Frank Armitage had been struck. He was so astonished at -the sudden mention of Men-Ching's name that he caught his breath in a -kind of gasp. Fortunately Ling was not looking at him at the moment. -The man had drawn a long knife of Malay design from his belt, and was -examining it fondly, feeling the sharpness of the blade with his thumb. - -"This man," said Ling, "is over sixty years of age--old in crime, but a -babe in matters of intelligence. He has a long thin beard upon his chin -and his grey queue is no larger than the tail of a rat. He wears a -faded scarlet coat, and limps with his left foot when he walks. Also, he -rubs his hands together as if he were always pleased. Pleased!" roared -Ling. "When he sets eyes upon me, the pleasure will go out of him as a -candle is blown out in the draught. But, tell me, you have listened and -will remember?" - -Frank answered that he had paid strict attention. He did not think it -incumbent upon him to advise the "mighty Ling" that he already knew -Men-Ching perfectly well. He was both amazed by the coincidence and -utterly bewildered as regards the business which these two could have in -common. He did not dream for a moment that Ling was as dangerous to -himself as the redoubtable Cheong-Chau: that he now found himself in the -presence of the man who would soon hold in his great hands the trump -cards in this colossal game of Death. - -Ling picked up the candle, and rose to his full height. - -"If I lift you up by the feet," said he, "you should be able to reach -that rafter. Thence, without difficulty, you should be able to gain the -man-hole, and so to the roof. From the roof you will obtain an -excellent view of the harbour. The moonlight should be sufficient to -enable you to see anyone who approaches. Keep your eyes open, and the -moment you see the man whom I have described let me know. I will remain -here." - -Frank had no alternative but to obey the instructions of this -extraordinary ruffian. Indeed, he was powerless as a mouse in the jaws -of a cat. He was ordered to straighten himself, to remain in a position -perfectly upright and rigid, and then he was lifted high above the man's -head until he was within easy reach of one of the rafters. Swinging -himself on to this, he gained the man-hole which had been pointed out to -him, and a moment after he found himself upon the roof. - -Thence--as Ling had predicted--he was able to look down upon the -numerous wharves and jetties along the bank of the river. The moon was -sinking low, but it was so magnified by refraction on account of the -moisture in the atmosphere that the boy was able to see quite clearly, -not only the various junks, _wupans_ and _sampans_ that lay anchored -along the shore, but also the whole extent of the _bund_ itself. - -A party of coolies was already at work, and in several places there were -signs of life on board the ships. Frank, looking down through the -man-hole through which he had passed, could see the mighty Ling, who had -taken a book from his pocket and was reading aloud by means of the -candlelight. He was reading the _Analects of Confucius_, a volume that -is admitted to contain some of the purest ethical reasoning in the -world. The man read aloud in a deep voice that sounded to Frank like a -roll of far distant thunder. He was obviously fully conscious of the -literary and philosophic beauty of the famous maxims. - -As for Frank, his thoughts were purely material. He could not think why -this singular and terrible man should be so anxious to find Men-Ching. -He knew, however, that it was essential that he himself should get into -touch with Cheong-Chau's second-in-command. Personally, he was not in -the least inclined to render assistance to Ling. But he could not deny -the fact, even to himself, that he feared the man more than he had ever -feared anyone before--even the giants and ogres of which, as a child, he -had been wont to dream. He knew that his life was at stake, that Ling -would not hesitate to kill him if, through any fault of his, Men-Ching -managed to escape. - -There could be no doubt that Men-Ching was at that moment in the town, -probably in one of the numerous opium dens which are to be found in -every Chinese city. Frank had gleaned that information, and somehow or -other Ling was equally well informed. It was also certain that some -time that morning Men-Ching would embark and proceed upon his journey to -Canton. Frank, therefore, kept a sharp look-out for the man, but it was -only fear of Ling that impelled him to do so. - -About half-an-hour before sunrise, when the first signs of daybreak were -visible in the east, Men-Ching and his companion were among the first -people to arrive upon the wharf. They went straight to a _wupan_ that -was moored at a distance of about two hundred yards from the door which -Ling had broken from its hinges. There Men-Ching called out in a loud -voice in order to awaken the owner of the boat, who was asleep under the -awning. Frank had no doubt that he had found the right man, for he -recognised his voice, and besides the light was sufficient to enable him -to identify the old man's scarlet coat. - -The boy looked down through the man-hole into the great loft below. Ling -was still reading, though the candle had almost burned out. - -"He is on the wharf," cried Frank. "He is about to go on board. The -fisherman is preparing to hoist his sail." - -On the instant, Ling closed his book and, springing to his feet, -hastened to the head of the step-ladder that led to the room below. He -did not trouble himself in the least about Frank, who was left upon the -roof. By no means content to remain an inactive spectator of what was -to follow, the boy descended rapidly to the rafter, and thence dropped -to the floor, stinging his feet severely. A few seconds later he was -swarming down the ladder, hastening after Ling, who had already gained -the _bund_. - -Men-Ching had just boarded the boat, when for the first time he caught -sight of the mighty Ling, who charged down upon him like an infuriated -tiger. Frank was in time to see the expression of absolute horror and -dismay which was stamped upon every feature of the old man's face. At -the sight of Ling, Men-Ching's jaw dropped and his eyes opened wide, and -seemed in danger of springing from his head. - -"Make haste!" he shrieked. "If I fall into that man's hands, everything -is lost!" - -With feverish hands the old man uncoiled the rope that secured the bows -of the _wupan_ to a wooden bollard. He succeeded in doing this in the -nick of time, for when he was in the very act of pushing the boat clear -of the wharf by means of a long boathook, Ling gained the shore and -snatched the boathook from his hand. - -[Illustration: "LING SNATCHED THE BOATHOOK FROM HIS HAND."] - -In the meantime Men-Ching's companion, who had accompanied him -throughout his journey from the cave, had seized an oar, with which he -propelled the boat clear of the clustered shipping. By that time the -fisherman who owned the _wupan_ had hoisted his sail, which, filling -immediately with the strong west wind, carried the boat down-stream at a -considerable velocity. - -Ling was like a raging beast. Stamping with his feet, he filled the air -with the most terrible Chinese oaths--and there is no language in the -world richer in expletives than the dialect of Southern China. The -man's rage lasted no more than a moment. Determined not to allow -Men-Ching to get out of sight, he looked about him for some method of -following in pursuit. His eyes fell immediately upon a small sailing -_sampan_, with a long oar fastened to the stern which did duty as a -rudder. - -"That will serve my purpose," he exclaimed, and then, lifting his great -voice to the full extent of his lungs, he shouted after the _wupan_. - -"Men-Ching," he cried, "you can never hope to evade me. Go north to -beyond the Great Wall, or south to Singapore, and the mighty Ling shall -follow." - -Then, turning, he beheld Frank Armitage at his elbow. - -"And you shall come with me," he roared. "There must be two of us to -manage the boat." - -He bundled the boy, neck and crop, into the _sampan_, and a few minutes -later they were flying down-stream in pursuit of the _wupan_, upon the -broad waters of the great West River that flows through the mammoth city -of Canton. - - - - -CHAPTER XIII--HOW FRANK WAS CAUGHT IN THE TOILS - - -Throughout the greater part of the morning the pursuit continued without -the _sampan_ gaining upon the larger boat. Indeed, when they had sailed -a few miles towards the east it became apparent to Ling that they were -losing ground, that the distance between the two boats was gradually -becoming greater. - -The man was infuriated. He stood at his great height in the bows of the -_sampan_ from time to time, shaking his fist at the scarlet coat of -Men-Ching, who was plainly visible upon the deck of the river-junk. -After a time, however, Ling's wrath subsided; and seating himself, he -confined his attention to the management of the sail. Frank, who was in -the stern of the boat, had received orders to steer. - -Ling shrugged his great shoulders and came out with a kind of grunt. - -"He shall not escape me," said he, talking aloud to himself. "The old -fool would be wiser to haul down the sail of the _wupan_ and throw -himself upon my mercy." - -Frank, summoning to his aid all his moral courage, decided to question -the man outright, taking the bull by the horns. - -"Why do you want this man Men-Ching?" he asked. - -Ling looked up, lifting his black eyebrows, and then chuckled. - -"Men-Ching carries upon his person certain letters," said he. "I would -have you to know that those letters are worth thousands of dollars." - -Frank Armitage was so much astonished that it was some moments before he -could recover his presence of mind. How was this man, of all people, in -possession of such information? Ling was certainly not a member of -Cheong-Chau's brigand band. It was only a week before that Men-Ching -had been entrusted with the letters--indeed, he had not been given -possession of them until immediately after they were written. The whole -thing was a mystery that Frank was in no position to solve. - -Sitting amidships in the boat, the man continued to chuckle. - -"I will find him in Canton," said he. "He is certain to go to the house -of Ah Wu. There I will find him. I will take possession of those -letters. A score of men could not prevent me. If Men-Ching hands them -over quietly all will be well. If he resists, I cannot say what will -happen." And Ling shrugged his shoulders. - -Frank was dismayed. It took him some time to realise the extreme -gravity of the situation. There was something in the aspect of the -boisterous Honanese giant, seated immediately before him, that made the -boy feel quite sure that Ling seldom failed in any enterprise he -undertook. The man was at once clever, strong and unscrupulous. He -meant to obtain those letters, and Frank felt quite sure that he would -not fail to do so. - -That brought the boy face to face with the fact that the lives of his -uncle and Mr Waldron were in the greatest danger. Ling no doubt -intended to appropriate the ransom, thus foiling Cheong-Chau. In these -circumstances, there could be but little doubt that the brigand chief, -robbed of what he already regarded as his own property, would put both -his captives to death out of sheer fiendish spite. - -Frank could not for the life of him think what course he should take. -His brain was in a whirl. In the end he decided that at any cost he -must escape from Ling the moment they arrived at Canton, where he hoped -to gain an interview with the British consul. - -Throughout the remainder of the journey the boy's thoughts ran -continuously upon the mystery in which he found himself enveloped. He -could not explain it, and after a time he gave up attempting to do so. -He neither knew who Ling was nor how the man had such intimate knowledge -of Cheong-Chau's affairs. He regretted bitterly that he had rendered -Ling such valuable assistance. He was, however, determined never to do -so again, and during the pursuit down the river he even went so far as -to hold the _sampan_ back by means of the oar with which he was supposed -to be steering. All the time he was doing so his heart was beating -rapidly, since he dared not think what would happen to him if Ling -discovered his deception. - -When they reached the great city of Canton it was still early in the -morning. Ling hauled down the sail and himself took charge of the stern -oar, by means of which he propelled the boat into the narrow creek that -separates the main part of the city from the island of Shamien. Running -into the bank alongside a sea-going junk, he ordered Frank to step -ashore. The boy did so, determined to avail himself of his first chance -to escape. In such narrow, close-packed streets as those of the great -southern city, he thought he would have many opportunities of giving -Ling the slip. He did not expect any difficulty in getting away, since -he had no reason to believe that Ling required his services any longer. - -Frank--as the saying goes--had counted his chickens before they were -hatched. They had not progressed thirty yards along one of the main -streets of the city before Frank dived down a side street, brushed past -a party of coolies, and then turned into a still smaller street to the -right. There he found a ricksha. Jumping into this, he ordered the -ricksha coolie to go ahead as fast as he could. The man had picked up -the shafts, and was about to set forward, when Frank was seized by the -scruff of the neck and lifted bodily from the seat. He was then thrown -so violently to the ground that one of his knees was cut and his elbows -badly bruised. - -Gathering himself together, he looked up, and found himself at the feet -of Ling. - -"Do you take me for a fool?" roared the man. "Why have you run away?" - -"I did not think," answered the boy, somewhat weakly, "that you needed -me any longer." - -"No more I do," said Ling. "But you know too much about me. When I -have run Men-Ching to ground, and emptied the old rascal's pockets, then -you are free to go where you like. For the present you remain with me." - -He bent down, and seizing the boy by a wrist, dragged him to his feet. -Then he set off walking briskly through the narrow streets, dragging the -boy after him like a dog on a leash and roughly thrusting aside everyone -who got in his way. - -In about ten minutes they found themselves in the neighbourhood of the -Mohammedan Mosque. Having crossed the main street that runs parallel to -the river, Ling turned into a by-street, and thence into the blind -alley, at the termination of which was Ah Wu's opium den. - -He kicked open the door with his foot and thrust the boy inside. Frank -found himself standing before the embroidered curtains that were -suspended across the entrance of the smoking-room. Ling lifted his -great voice in a kind of shout, mingling his words with triumphant -laughter. - -"Ah Wu," he cried, "give welcome to a visitor who loves you. There is -one here whom it will rejoice your heart to see. Come forth, old fox, -and greet the mighty Ling!" - -Having delivered himself thus dramatically, he flung the curtains aside, -and stepped into the opium den, dragging Frank with him. - -Ah Wu, as fat and crafty-looking as ever, stood in the centre of the -lower room in front of the stairs that led to the balcony above. - -He was holding in his hand a blue china bowl filled with _samshu_. And -so dismayed was he when he set eyes upon his gigantic guest that the -bowl fell from his hand and smashed to atoms on the floor. - -"Ling!" he gasped. - -"The same," roared Ling. "And this time I come not to debate and argue, -to exchange words with liars. I come for Men-Ching. I have reason to -believe that he is here." - -Ah Wu strove to pretend he was delighted to welcome Ling. He smiled -from ear to ear, his little eyes almost disappearing in the fat of his -face. He bowed, folding his hands in the prescribed Chinese fashion. He -even took a few steps forward, so that he was almost within reach of the -long arms of the Honanese. - -"Men-Ching," said he, still smiling, "is not here." - -And no sooner had the words left his lips than he was given a practical -and somewhat painful demonstration of the violent character of the man -with whom he had to deal. Upon the right of the entrance, adorned by -the embroidered curtains, was a lacquer table, upon which stood a heavy -china vase. Without a word of warning, Ling seized this vase by the -neck, and hurled it with all his force at the proprietor of the opium -den. The ornament must have weighed several pounds, and it struck Ah Wu -fair in the chest, with the result that he went over backwards and lay, -stretched at his full length, at the foot of the staircase. Almost a -minute elapsed before he struggled to his feet. Ling had not moved. - -"And now," he roared, "lie to me again." - -In the meantime, in spite of such extraordinary happenings, Frank had -taken in his surroundings. Ah Wu's opium den has been already -described--except that we saw it before at night, when the place was -crowded. On this occasion there was only one man asleep upon a couch in -the lower room. It was about twelve o'clock in the morning, and at this -hour, as a general rule, Chinese opium dens are empty, the smokers of -the previous evening having departed and the day's customers not having -arrived. - -Strangely enough, the vase had not broken, but in falling to the floor -it had made a considerable noise, and this was sufficient to awaken the -sleeper, who evidently suffered from a guilty conscience. The man -sprang to his feet, and rushed to the entrance, as if he intended to -escape. There, of course, he found his way barred by Ling, who lifted -one of his huge fists as if to strike the fellow. The man jumped -backward like a cat that finds itself face to face with a dog. And it -was then, once again, that Ling burst into one of his boisterous fits of -laughter. - -"And here's the flunkey!" he cried. "Here's the Hong-Kong cur-dog! Have -you also a mind to lie to me, or do you set a value on your life? I tell -you truly, I am not here to exchange words. I know what I want, and I -am come to get it. Hands up!" he shouted, seeing the man move one of -his hands to his waistbelt, under his coat, where he might have carried -a firearm. "Hands up, or I wring your neck like a duck!" - -In fear and trembling the man lifted both hands above his head. Frank -regarded him then for the first time. And it was as if the boy's heart -had suddenly ceased to beat when he recognised Yung How, his uncle's -servant. - - - - -CHAPTER XIV--HOW LING SNUFFED THE CANDLE - - -Frank had every reason to suppose that he would be recognised in spite -of his disguise. To deceive Men-Ching was one thing, but Yung How had -known the boy for years. More than ever he desired to escape. It was -clear that both Yung How and even Ah Wu himself were equally anxious to -get away from the room. All three of them, however, were caught like -rats in a trap, for Ling guarded the entrance, and it was as much as the -life of any one of them was worth to attempt to pass, either by force or -stealth. - -Ling approached Yung How, lifted the man's coat and drew a large -nickel-plated revolver from his belt. - -"I thought so," said he. "I draw the jackal's teeth." - -So saying, he thrust the revolver into his pocket. - -"And now, Ah Wu," he cried, "is Men-Ching here or not?" - -Some seconds elapsed before Ah Wu could summon sufficient courage to -answer. - -"Yes," said he at last. "He is." - -"Where?" asked Ling. - -"In the little room--asleep." - -"Asleep! He could not have arrived more than an hour ago!" - -"He was very frightened," said Ah Wu, who was now certainly speaking the -truth. "His nerves were shaken. He knew you were in pursuit. He -smoked opium to calm himself, and now he sleeps." - -"Lead the way," said Ling. "And you too," he added, addressing himself -to Yung How. "I drive you before me like a herd of pigs." - -This was indeed a very accurate description of the proceeding, for Ling -was determined that neither of the Chinese nor Frank should for a moment -get out of his sight. It was remarkable that one man should have so -much power--by which we mean will-power as well as physical force. But -undoubtedly, the most extraordinary thing about him was the unbounded -confidence he seemed to have in himself. And it was this -self-confidence, even more than his courage and great physical strength, -that made this man a master over others. - -Into the little room under the staircase he hustled the three of them. -There he locked the door and pocketed the key. Upon the only couch in -the room lay Men-Ching in his faded scarlet coat--sound asleep. - -Ling bent down and placed both hands upon the sleeper's chest. Then he -smiled, and turning slowly round, looked Ah Wu straight in the face. - -"They are here," said he. "It is the custom of the gods to reward those -who deserve to prosper." - -"What do you seek?" asked Ah Wu, upon the features of whose face was -stamped an expression of the most profound dismay. - -"The letters," said Ling. "The letters for which I have searched for -fourteen days." - -"Fourteen days ago," retorted Ah Wu, "they were not written." - -"Of that," answered the other, "I confess I know nothing, and care less. -It is sufficient for me--and for you, too--that I have found that for -which I sought." - -There was a pause. And then Yung How asked a question. - -"How did you know about these letters?" said he. - -Ling smiled again. "Do you think," he asked, "that when I found you -three rascals with heads together in this very room--do you think I did -not know that something was afoot, something into which it might be -worth my while to inquire? Do you suppose for a moment I believed your -lies? No. I watched. And I sent a spy here to smoke opium and to -pretend to sleep--a spy who listened to all you had to say, who told me -that Cheong-Chau had sent a messenger with the news that the fish had -been landed high and dry, and a promise that both Ah Wu and yourself -would have your share of the ransom as soon as it was paid. I had but -to watch the river. And when I was told that one of Cheong-Chau's men -had been seen in Sanshui, and the description of that man agreed with -Men-Ching, I should be little short of a fool if I did not guess that -Men-Ching carried with him letters demanding a ransom. And now," he -concluded, "these same letters are mine." - -He bent down, and very gently unbuttoned Men-Ching's coat. Then, -without waking the sleeper, who appeared to be heavily drugged with -opium, he tore open the lining and drew out the two letters: that of -Cheong-Chau, written in Chinese, and Sir Thomas Armitage's letter, -written in English. - -Neither of these was in an envelope, but both were sealed in the Chinese -fashion. Without a moment's hesitation Ling broke the seals, and Sir -Thomas's gold signet ring fell to the floor. He stooped and picked it -up, and then read both letters to himself. And as he read his smile -broadened, displaying his fang-like yellow teeth. - -"It is fortunate," said he, "that I can read English. It is of -advantage in this life to be a scholar. The ignorant man works in the -paddy-field wading knee-deep in the mud, but the wise man eats the -rice." Then he remained silent for some minutes, still reading to -himself. - -"I see," he remarked, "this matter has been well arranged. Cheong-Chau -threatens to take the lives of the foreigners if he does not receive a -ransom of twenty thousand dollars before the new moon. It interests me -to learn that the money must be hidden before that date in the Glade of -Children's Tears, upon the banks of the Sang River. I know the place -well. I even remember the red stone--though I admit I did not know -there was a vault beneath that stone. Certainly the matter has been -well arranged." - -During this soliloquy--for Ling had to all intents and purposes been -speaking to himself--Frank could not help regarding the countenances of -Ah Wu and Yung How. The expression upon the face of each was suggestive -of the most complete disgust. Disappointment and infinite distress were -conveyed in every feature. Ling looked at them and burst into laughter. - -"Two fools!" he cried. "Had you been wise men you had taken me into -your confidence and allowed me a share of the plunder. As it is, you -may see not a cent of it. It will be very simple for me to deliver -these letters and to keep watch upon the Glade of Children's Tears." - -His laughter had disturbed the sleeper, for Men-Ching turned over upon -his back and mumbled a few incoherent words in his sleep. Then, still -sleeping, he moved a hand to the breast of his coat, to the place where -he had carried the letters. - -Almost at once he sat bolt upright--wide awake. - -"Stolen!" he cried, his hands still clutching at his coat. "Stolen," he -repeated. - -Then he set eyes upon Ling. - -Upon his face an expression of dismay turned, as in a flash, to one of -uncontrollable anger. He sprang to his feet, at the same time drawing -from his belt a long curved knife. Though he stood upon the couch -itself, he was little taller than Ling. With a savage oath he raised -the knife above his head. And then he struck downward, straight for the -heart of the gigantic Honanese. - -The tragedy that now took place was the work of a few seconds. -Men-Ching's wrist was caught. He let out a shriek of pain as that grip -of steel tightened under such steady, inevitable pressure that the very -wrist-bone was in danger of breaking like a piece of rotted wood. Then -he was caught by the throat. He was jerked forward. Something snapped. -And then he was thrown down upon the floor--dead. It was all over in an -instant. - -Frank Armitage was horror-stricken. He had never seen anything so -terrible in all his life. And this was murder. And the man who had -committed the crime merely shrugged his shoulders. - -"Take warning," said he. "Behold the fool who tried to kill me. He who -lives by violence comes to a violent end. I had no wish to kill him; he -attempted to stab me. I have dealt with him in the same way as I would -snuff a tallow candle." - -Here Ah Wu fell into a kind of hysterical panic. Wringing his hands -together, he worked himself up to such a pitch of emotion that the tears -streamed from his eyes. - -"What is to become of me?" he cried. "This thing has happened in my -house. If the _tao-tai_ hears of it I shall be led to my execution in a -potter's yard. Woe is me that such a crime should be committed under my -roof!" - -Ling laughed. - -"You make a great fuss about nothing," said he. "Put him away till -darkness falls. Then set him up in a ricksha, place a lighted cigarette -between his lips, run him down to the river, and throw him in. Such -things have happened before in this city of Canton. You make much of -nothing. What was the old scoundrel worth? Not a snap of the finger. -And in any case he had but a few years to live." - -Ah Wu seated himself upon the couch, immediately above the body of the -murdered man. Placing his elbows upon his knees and his head between -his hands, he rocked himself from side to side. As for Frank, the whole -thing seemed to him like some terrible nightmare. He had lived in China -all his life, but he had lived in a different China--a land of comfort -and civilisation. This was a world of devilry and crime. And all this -time Yung How stood by, motionless, speechless, his face pale with -terror. - -Ling stooped down and thrust the body under the couch. - -"What is death?" he asked. "A sleep--no more. A long sleep in -which--for aught we know--the divine spirit roams the eternal heavens. -Sweeter by far the adventures of the soul than the dreams that come from -opium. A moment since he slept upon the couch, and now he sleeps -beneath it. Why grieve, old fool? Why weep? Men-Ching is already with -the spirits of his fathers." - -Taking the key from his pocket, he unlocked the door. - -"Come," said he. "We will hold converse together; there are many things -that I wish to discuss. See that the outer door is locked, that no one -is allowed to enter the house. We four will be alone." - - - - -CHAPTER XV--OF CHEONG-CHAU'S MESSENGER - - -To the reader who is unacquainted with China, the conduct of Ling may -appear to be highly improbable. In any other country in the world such -a crime might be committed, but in no other country would the criminal -not be seized with alarm. He would know that there was direct evidence -against him and, in consequence, he would be obliged either to fly for -his life or else stand his trial on a charge of murder or manslaughter, -as the case might be. - -In this regard China is unique--a country without police, in which -evidence is extremely hard to obtain, no man presuming to testify -against his neighbour. Under the old imperial regime there were no real -courts of justice beyond the summary jurisdiction exercised by the local -government official--the prefect, the _tao-tai_ or the viceroy. And so -far as we are aware, these very necessary reforms have not yet been -instituted in the modern republican China of the twentieth century. - -Ling had little or nothing to fear. Men-Ching had no relations who -might carry the tale to the viceroy's _yamen_. Both Ah Wu and Yung How -had been frightened out of their lives, and the Honanese had no -apprehensions in regard to the unfortunate boy whom he had kidnapped in -Sanshui. - -In less than a minute after this deed of violence had been accomplished, -Ling was sprawled at his great length upon one of the couches in the -outer room. There, puffing complacently at a pipe of opium, he appeared -to have dismissed the incident from his mind. He was busy making plans -for the future. Ah Wu had now sufficiently recovered his composure to -attend to the wants of his unwelcome guest. He brought Ling opium; he -lighted the spirit-lamp; he rolled opium pills in his fat little -fingers. - -To all intents and purposes, Ling had taken complete possession of the -opium den. He himself might have been the proprietor. He offered Yung -How a pipe of opium, which Yung How accepted. He ordered Frank to be -seated, and the boy had no option but to obey. Then he delivered -himself as follows, addressing himself to Ah Wu. - -"Ah Wu," said he, "I desire that you will be so good as to make a -complete confession. There are certain details connected with this -affair concerning which I am completely in the dark. For instance, who -was to go for the treasure to the Glade of Children's Tears?" - -"I was," said Ah Wu. - -"Alone?" - -"No. Yung How was to accompany me." And Ah Wu indicated his Hong-Kong -friend by a motion of the hand. "We were to hire a junk in which to -take away the money. We were to be assisted by Men-Ching and another -man." - -Ling looked across at Yung How and nodded pleasantly. - -"And so, my tame cat, your name is Yung How. A fit name for one who -washes plates and brushes a foreigner's clothes." - -"I do not wash plates," said Yung How; "that is coolies' work." - -"I beg your pardon," said Ling. "Since it is beneath your dignity to -wash plates I am sorry for you, for presently I propose to eat at Ah -Wu's expense. And you shall wash the plates which it shall be my -pleasure to use." - -Yung How made a wry face, and dropped his eyes to the ground. Frank -observed that the man muttered to himself. - -The boy was astonished that Yung How had not yet recognised him. Was it -possible that he would fail to do so? The thought seemed too good to be -true. On the other hand, it was possible that Frank had already been -recognised, that Yung How knew who he was, and had managed to conceal -his surprise. The average Chinese is quite capable of such -extraordinary self-control. The boy's train of thought was interrupted -by Ling, who took up the thread of his cross-examination. - -"And so," said he, "you, Ah Wu, and Yung How, were to go together to the -Glade of Children's Tears, having first ascertained that the -neighbourhood was safe, that the foreigners in Hong-Kong had not thought -fit to send armed men to capture you?" - -"That is so," said Ah Wu. - -"And the money was to be brought here by river?" - -Ah Wu nodded. "To Canton," said he. - -"Where Cheong-Chau would come by night, giving you your share and taking -the rest back with him to Pinglo, to divide amongst his gang?" - -Ah Wu nodded again. - -"A simple business," said Ling. "A well-laid plot that has come to -grief. Well, I am generous. My soul is of honey. I am soft of heart. -You will find me a better master than Cheong-Chau. I can be generous to -those who help me, as I know how to deal with those who declare -themselves my enemies." And he jerked a finger in the direction of the -little room beneath the stairs. - -"Do you mean," asked Yung How, "that you propose to buy our silence?" - -The man rose upon his couch like a bearded lion. - -"I mean nothing of the sort," he cried. "Go to the viceroy if you will -and tell him that you saw Ling take the life of Men-Ching in the opium -den of Ah Wu--say I murdered the man. It will be a lie, I tell you. He -attempted to stab me and I killed him in self-defence. Still you are -free to go to the _yamen_ with any tale you like, and when you have -fulfilled your errand, I tell you frankly, upon the word of a man who -holds the truth as sacred, that you shall not live for forty-eight -hours. That is the manner of man I am, and that is the way in which I -buy your silence." - -Yung How did not move a muscle of his face. - -"Then I fail to understand you," said he. - -"I will make my meaning plainer," said the other. "This afternoon I -send these letters to Hong-Kong by post, by the night boat. They will -arrive to-morrow morning. In two--or at the most three--days, the -ransom will be paid: twenty thousand dollars will be conveyed by some -means from Hong-Kong to the Glade of Children's Tears. I think no -soldiers will be sent because the Englishman in his letter has expressly -stated that such a course would not be wise." - -At that moment there came a loud, persistent rapping on the outer door, -which Ah Wu had already locked. Ling at once ceased talking, but it is -a singular fact that he was the only one of the four of them who showed -no signs of being alarmed. They sat in silence, listening for several -minutes, during which time the knocking upon the door continued. It was -Ling who was the first to speak. - -"Who is there?" he asked, addressing himself to Ah Wu. - -"I have no idea," replied Ah Wu. - -Ling got to his feet, strolled across the room, and drawing the -curtains, unbolted the door. On opening it he beheld, standing before -him upon the threshold, a man dressed in the scarlet coat of -Cheong-Chau's brigand band. - -"What do you want?" asked Ling. - -"Men-Ching," said the man. - -"And who, may I ask, is Men-Ching?" - -"He is a friend of mine." - -"He is not here," said Ling. "You can come in, if you like, and see for -yourself." - -The man entered the opium den, advancing down the centre of the room. -Frank recognised him at once: he was the man who had accompanied -Men-Ching upon his journey from the mountains. He went straight up to -Ah Wu, to whom he bowed, folding his hands in accordance with the custom -of his nation. - -"You, I believe, are Ah Wu?" he asked. "You are the landlord of this -establishment?" - -"I am," said Ah Wu. - -"I come for a friend of mine, Men-Ching by name. I think you know him. -He told me he would be here." - -"He is not here," said Ah Wu, who, palpably nervous, from time to time -glanced in the direction of Ling. - -"That is strange," said the man. "He certainly told me that I should -find him here. Can you tell me where he is?" - -Ah Wu shook his head. "I cannot say," said he. - -The man looked perplexed. He stood for a moment stroking his chin, as -if he was undecided what to do. Then Ling laid one of his great hands -upon the man's shoulder. - -"I will tell you where he is," said he. "He left here in great -haste--and unexpectedly. He has gone upon a journey--a long journey. He -did not say where he was going, for two reasons: firstly, he had no time -to tell us; secondly, I do not believe he knew. And so, my friend, we -can give you no information likely to be of value. Who are we, that we -should know all things, that we should be able to solve the riddles of -the universe? We are poor mortals, with little wisdom and great hopes. -We arrange our lives in accordance with our own ideas, and those ideas -are but guess-work, the product of imagination. We know nothing. We -live in the dark. The printed page of the book of mysteries lies open -before us, but we are blind and unable to read. Could I soar higher than -an eagle, traversing the eternal plains of space, I might be able to -tell you something of Men-Ching. As it is, I cannot." And Ling, with a -shrug of the shoulders, turned away. - -The man regarded his broad back in amazement. He could make neither -head nor tail of what he had been told. And at the same time he was in -a dilemma: he could do nothing without Men-Ching; in a great city like -Canton--with which he was not well acquainted--he had no idea where to -look for him. - -"It is of the greatest importance," said he, "that I find Men-Ching -without delay. I have news for him." - -Ling whipped round at once. - -"News," he exclaimed. "I tell you, my good man, you may be perfectly -frank with us. We are in the secret." - -"You are!" cried the man. - -"All four of us," said Ling, whose capacity for falsehood appeared to be -in proportion to his other faculties. - -The man looked in surprise from Ling to Ah Wu, from Yung How to Frank. - -"I see you doubt me," continued Ling. "Permit me to enlighten you. You -are one of Cheong-Chau's band--that is evident from your coat. You came -south with Men-Ching in order to convey certain letters to Hong-Kong. -Cheong-Chau demands a ransom of twenty thousand dollars as the price of -the lives of three European prisoners whom he holds in his hands. This -sum of money is to be conveyed by junk, before the new moon, to the -Glade of Children's Tears. It has already been arranged between my very -good friend, Cheong-Chau, and Men-Ching, that we four, accompanied by -Men-Ching himself, proceed to the Glade of Children's Tears in order to -take possession of the money. I am surprised that Men-Ching did not -inform you of all this. I presume you no longer doubt me?" - -"I cannot doubt you," said the man. "You know more of the matter than -myself. I was aware that Cheong-Chau had agents in Canton, but I was -never informed who they were. Perhaps you will be so good as to advise -me what to do." - -Ling stroked his black moustache. He appeared to be deep in thought. - -"If I were you," said he, "I should leave the matter in Men-Ching's -hands. He cannot be far away. If I were you I should return at once to -Cheong-Chau." - -"That is not necessary," said the man. - -Ling looked up quickly, lifting his eyebrows. For a moment his eyes -flashed, suggesting something of the fierce sudden intelligence of a -beast of prey that scents its quarry. - -"How do you mean?" he rapped out. - -"It is not necessary," said the man, "that I return to Cheong-Chau, for -the simple reason that Cheong-Chau himself has come to me." - -Ling closed his mouth with a snap. - -"Ah!" he exclaimed. "So Cheong-Chau is--in Canton?" - -"He approaches Canton," said the man. "That is the information that I -desired to give to Men-Ching." - -"He approaches Canton," repeated Ling. "This is indeed interesting! And -can you tell me why Cheong-Chau approaches Canton?" - -"Yes," said the man. "One of his prisoners has escaped." - -At the word Frank Armitage caught his breath. With a great effort of -will he managed to control himself. He stared hard at the opium bowl, -filled with the sticky, treacle-like substance, that was immediately in -front of him. - -The boy felt like a helpless bird, imprisoned in a cage of poisonous -snakes. He could not be blind to the peril in which he stood. Hardly a -minute passed when it was not made evident to him that his life hung -upon a thread. At any moment he might be discovered, and then, in the -hands of such a man as Ling, he could hope for little mercy. - -"What you tell me interests me vastly," said Ling, still addressing -himself to the brigand. "You have no idea how annoyed I am. And so one -of the prisoners has escaped! I think you had best return to -Cheong-Chau, taking with you a written message from my friend, Ah Wu." - -Ah Wu looked up at Ling in something like despair. The fat proprietor -of the opium den, at that moment, bitterly regretted that he had ever -had anything to do with the business. He feared Cheong-Chau, but he was -terrified of Ling. He now found himself between the hammer and the -anvil. - -"What do you wish me to do?" he asked, in a weak voice. "What sort of a -message am I to send to Cheong-Chau?" - -"Tell him the truth," said Ling. "Tell him that Men-Ching called here -this morning, and soon afterwards departed unexpectedly, in a great -hurry. Say that you presume he has gone to Hong-Kong. He told you, I -believe, that the letters were safe." - -And even as Ling said these words he placed one of his hands upon the -pocket of his coat--and they all heard the crinkling sound of the stiff -rice paper upon which the letters had been written. Both Yung How and -Frank regarded Ling in astonishment. The man was beyond doubt an -accomplished and unmitigated villain. He was never at a loss. As for -Ah Wu, very meekly he crossed the room to the writing-desk where he kept -his accounts. There he wrote a letter, handling with skill the long -Chinese ink-brush. And as he wrote Ling strolled up to him, glanced -over his shoulder, and strolled away. Then Ah Wu folded the letter and -sealed it and gave it to Cheong-Chau's man, who a few moments afterwards -left the opium den. - -No sooner was he gone than Ling bolted the door and came back quickly -into the room. - -"This," said he, "is going to be a touch-and-go affair. It will be an -open question now who gets to the Glade first: Cheong-Chau or I. You -three shall help me. I take it, you prefer to be on the winning side. I -shall need the assistance of every one of you. You will have your fair -share of the plunder, more than you would have got from Cheong-Chau--I -promise you that. But I have warned you once, and I warn you again: -play me false, and I deal with you as I dealt with Men-Ching. It is -already late in the afternoon. There is much to be done to-night. Ah -Wu, you must keep the place closed; you must put up a notice outside -saying that no customers will be admitted. Tell me, is there a back -entrance?" - -Ah Wu nodded his head. - -"Good!" exclaimed Ling. "You and I must get the body of that fool out -of the way. We shall be able to do that as soon as it is dark. As for -these two, they can remain here till we return. I care not how many men -Cheong-Chau has brought with him. I know how to settle him. The man is -an opium fiend, and by opium he shall fall. Now then, Ah Wu, are we to -be friends or foes?" - -"Friends," said Ah Wu. - -"Then swear friendship." - -And Ah Wu swore, with a hand uplifted, by the Five Sacred Books. - -And then Yung How swore fidelity to Ling, who rounded upon Frank. - -"And you, my little smooth-faced infant, whom I have truly taken to my -heart, you have not told me yet your name?" - -"Ah Li," said Frank, who for some time had been prepared for such a -question. - -"And you also swear?" - -And Frank swore, following the example of Ah Wu and Yung How, and using -the same words to be faithful to the mighty Ling. And as he made the -declaration he satisfied his conscience that he attached no more -importance to the words than did Ling to the life of the man whom he had -killed. - - - - -CHAPTER XVI--OF THE REPENTANCE OF YUNG HOW - - -Thus it was that they became the unwilling servants of Ling. They had -no option but to obey him. By reason of his gigantic strength, Ling was -the master of the situation. - -Ah Wu was as crafty as a fox. All his life he had been connected with -the opium business; and an opium den is a place where a Chinese may gain -a very intimate knowledge of his fellow-men. He learns much in -connection with human character. Whatever may have been the feelings of -Frank Armitage and Yung How, the proprietor of the opium den had not the -least doubt that in agreeing to follow Ling they had taken the wisest -course. - -During the few hours that elapsed between the departure of the brigand -and sunset, they were given a further opportunity of observing the -singular abilities of this inhuman monster. There is no doubt that the -man might have succeeded in almost any walk of life. His plans were not -only elaborate, and so carefully laid that they allowed for almost every -possible contingency, but they were made rapidly without a moment's -hesitation. - -In the course of the afternoon Ah Wu's three attendants arrived, gaining -entrance into the opium den by means of the back door. These were sent -upon various errands, from which they could not possibly return until -after dark. As soon as Ling himself had conveyed the mortal remains of -the unfortunate Men-Ching from the opium den, the place was to be open, -customers were to be admitted. These customers were to be entertained -by Yung How until Ah Wu himself returned. The establishment was to -remain open, day and night, throughout the next few days. Ling made no -secret of his intention to decoy Cheong-Chau to the opium den, where he -was to be drugged, whilst Ling gained possession of the ransom, which by -that time should have arrived from Hong-Kong. - -About the middle of the afternoon Ling went out, and was absent about -twenty minutes. This in itself is sufficient proof of the -self-confidence of the man. It was within the power of Ah Wu, Yung How, -or the youth who had called himself "Ah Li," to betray him. These three -were left alone in the opium den with the horrid evidence of Ling's -guilt. - -During his absence, Ling posted his letters. The night boat left Canton -at eight o'clock, and Ling himself took the letters on board. He -returned to the opium den, and was admitted at the back door by Ah Wu -himself. He did not seem in the least curious as to whether they had -been discussing him whilst he was away. - -Soon after nightfall, Ling and Ah Wu departed on their gruesome errand, -taking with them the body of Men-Ching. This they secreted under the -hood of a double ricksha, and Ah Wu, much to his dismay, was made to -seat himself beside a lifeless companion. As for Ling, he stripped -himself to the waist, coiled his pigtail round the top of his head, -after the manner of a coolie, and himself drew the ricksha through the -dark, narrow streets of the great city. Frank and Yung How stood at the -small back door of the opium den when Ling took his departure. They -heard the wheels rattling over the cobble-stones of the streets, and -then the ricksha disappeared in the darkness, and with it that which had -formerly been Men-Ching, Cheong-Chau's second-in-command. - -Yung How and Frank returned to the main room, where they lighted the -lamps, and shortly afterwards the three attendants returned. The -establishment was then opened, and it was not long before customers -began to arrive. Most of these were regular patrons of Ah Wu's, who -knew how to look after themselves. Having ordered what they wanted, -they disposed themselves on couches in the lower room. There they -smoked opium, drank _samshu_, and nodded off to sleep. - -Frank regarded Yung How. The man lay upon a couch; his arms were -folded; he was staring blankly in front of him, thinking possibly of -Ling and how that villain had placed himself between Yung How and a -fortune. For there could be little doubt that, under the original -arrangement, Yung How was to be treated handsomely, and the man attached -little or no value to Ling's promise. It does not necessarily follow -that one rogue will trust another. - -Frank, as he looked at the man, was busy with his thoughts. Two things -were evident to him: first, that Yung How had not recognised him and -that he was now scarcely likely to do so; second, that he might be -persuaded to operate against Ling--provided he could do so without great -personal risk. - -Now in order not to overestimate the boldness of the step which Frank -Armitage then and there proposed to take, it is necessary to realise -that the boy could see no other way out of his difficulties, to remember -that not only his own life but the lives of Mr Waldron and his uncle -depended upon his success, and to remember also that he stood in no fear -of Yung How, whom he had known since he was a child. - -It was above all things necessary for Frank to communicate with -Hong-Kong if he could not go there himself. The moment Ling left the -opium den it occurred to Frank that he might write a letter. He could -not, however, do this without being observed by Yung How, who had -received strict orders from Ling not to allow the boy out of his sight -for a single moment. Frank therefore decided to play a bold card; but -he would never have taken a step so hazardous had he not had something -more than an inkling that he was likely to meet with success. He -crossed the room to the couch upon which Yung How was lying, and asked -the man if he would be so good as to accompany him to the balcony at the -head of the stairs. - -"I have something of the greatest importance to say to you," said he. -"It may be to your advantage as well as mine." - -Yung How looked at him in surprise, then got to his feet, and walked -slowly up the stairs, followed by Frank. - -They seated themselves, side by side, upon a couch in a darkened corner. -Now that Frank found himself confronted by the greatest crisis in all -his strange adventures, he hesitated to begin. Several minutes elapsed -before he could speak, and he did not do so then without a word of -encouragement. - -"Well?" asked Yung How. - -"I am surprised, Yung How," said Frank, "that you have not recognised -me." - -Yung How knitted his brows, and drawing away from the boy, turned and -stared at him. Frank Armitage did not move. - -"I should have thought," he added, "you would have known me." - -Yung How's voice came in a kind of gasp. - -"Master Frank!" he exclaimed. - -The boy smiled. It was as much as he could do, but he managed it -somehow, knowing full well that everything depended upon his presence of -mind. He had learned something from Ling. - -"Are you blind, Yung How?" he asked. - -"I did not know you," said the man, who had not yet recovered from his -astonishment. "The shaven head! The pigtail! Your clothes! Besides, -you are the last person I expected to see. I thought you hundreds of -miles away." - -"So I was," said Frank. "I escaped." - -"Ah! It was you who escaped! I did not think of that." Then he -lowered his voice. "But why have you told me?" - -"Because, Yung How, though you have behaved like a rascal, I cannot -believe you to be such a villain that you would allow my uncle, who has -been a good master to you for years, to be murdered." - -Yung How was silent for more than a minute. - -"That is true," said he; "that is very true." - -"I suppose you realise," Frank went on, "that if I remain here, Ling may -gain possession of the ransom, and in that case both my uncle and Mr -Waldron will be killed. You know also that, if you betray me to Ling, I -shall be killed. Do you remember, Yung How, when I was a little boy who -had only just learned to walk, you used to take me up to the top of the -Peak, and we would walk upon the asphalt paths, and you would tell me -Chinese fairy tales? I remember them to this day. Then, it was you who -taught me to speak your language. Do you remember when the plague came -to Hong-Kong, and people were dying in the streets? Have you forgotten -that you too fell ill, and my uncle himself carried you in his arms and -sent you in a chair to the hospital? Have you forgotten that?" - -The face of Yung How had grown very serious. Slowly he shook his head. - -"My master," said he, "I have not forgotten." - -"You had the plague," said Frank, "and my uncle took you in his arms. In -doing so, he risked his life to save yours." - -"That is true," said the Chinaman, who sat quite still and rigid, -staring straight in front of him. - -"Is there no gratitude," said Frank, "in all the Chinese race?" - -There was again a long pause; and then Yung How quite suddenly fell down -upon his knees. Clenching both his fists, he raised them high above his -head, shaking them violently, as if he suffered anguish. - -"Oh, how blind am I!" he cried. "Opium has done this. Opium, my young -master, has brought me here. You smoke a little and it is good; your -troubles vanish, your pains are no more, your dreams are sweet. Then -you must take more, until, at last, you smoke all night, in order to -forget the troubles of this world. And all that costs money. There -comes a time when even ten dollars will not secure the treasures, the -delights of opium. The craving was strong upon me, and all my money had -gone, when I heard that my master was about to undertake a journey to -the Nan-ling Mountains. I knew that I could get into communication with -Cheong-Chau through Ah Wu. I knew also that Cheong-Chau would give me a -good share of the ransom. I thought there would be no harm in it. I -was assured that no one should suffer death. And now I am filled with -remorse when I think of what has happened, when I think of this man, -Ling, and realise that the lives of us all hang upon a thread. I have -had my fill of opium. I want no more of it. Believe me, my young -master, I am prostrate with grief!" - -It was fortunate that there was no one else on the balcony, for not only -was Yung How's emotion great, but he had raised his voice, and had there -been anyone near at hand, he must have been overheard. Frank realised, -with a sense of relief, that he had nothing to fear from the man, that -Yung How would not betray him. He saw also that Yung How must master -himself before Ling returned. The boy stretched forth a hand and -touched the Chinese upon the chest. - -"Listen, Yung How," said he, "you need not despair. With your help, I -believe, we can not only escape ourselves but save my uncle and Mr -Waldron. Ling watches me. Without your help I can do nothing. But you -have friends in Canton; it should be possible for you to get a message -through to Hong-Kong. To-morrow morning Cheong-Chau's letter will be -delivered to the Governor. The ransom will be paid, but Ling will get -hold of it if troops are not sent down to capture him. This message -should go to Hong-Kong to-night. The boat leaves at eight o'clock. It -is now half-past seven." - -Yung How sprang to his feet. - -"We have delayed matters too long," he cried. "Why should not we two -escape at once without wasting a moment?" - -Frank grasped the man's hand and pressed it. "I promise you my uncle -will forgive you. More than that, on his behalf, I promise you a -reward." - -"That is not necessary," said Yung How. "I am disgraced; you have made -me realise my own baseness. I should like you to see that a Chinaman -can be an honest man. But, I repeat, we do but waste time in words. We -must go together and we must go now--at once--if we are to catch the -boat!" - -Even as he continued speaking, he moved forward rapidly, followed by -Frank. They passed hastily down the stairs, and thence, passing the -little room in which Men-Ching had been done to death, they went to the -back door, with the object of letting themselves out. - -As Frank Armitage stretched forth a hand to take hold of the handle, the -door swung back, as on its own accord. And there entered Ling, who had -to stoop in order that his gigantic form might pass beneath the lintel. - -"And so," cried Ling, "we have returned. Men-Ching sleeps with his -fathers. As the West River flows eastward to the sea, the waters sing a -song of sleep to the celestial graves on either bank. Opium, Ah Wu! -Give me opium to smoke, for like the long-tailed horse of a Manchu -warrior, the mighty Ling scents battle from afar." - - - - -CHAPTER XVII--HOW LING WAS TOO LATE - - -It was, with Ling, something in the nature of a pose to speak after the -fashion of the scholars, using the flowery language of the writers of -poesy, or quoting the philosophical maxims of the sages. None the less, -the moment he entered the opium den, though he spoke of other things, it -was apparent both to Frank Armitage and Yung How that Ling had detected -the fact that they were about to make their escape. - -In his customary boisterous manner, the great Honanese ushered them into -the room. Ascending the stairs, he sprawled at full length upon the -couch upon which Frank had been seated but a few moments before, when -Yung How made his confession. - -"At last," said Ling, "Cheong-Chau and myself are to meet. He knows me -of old. This will not be the first time that I have snatched the ripe -fruit from his mouth. Cheong-Chau has no cause to love me. I have -heard it said that he regards me as his deadly enemy, the only man who -ever foiled him." - -He puffed at the opium pipe which Ah Wu had brought him. The amount of -the drug that the man consumed was extraordinary, and moreover, it -seemed to have very little effect upon either his physical or mental -constitution. As he sent thin clouds of blue smoke upward to the -ceiling, in the close, stifling atmosphere of the room, he half closed -his eyes, and appeared to be lost in his thoughts. - -"Well," said he, "I have no fear of Cheong-Chau and all his rascals. I -shall win. There is little doubt as to that. The wolf cannot stand -before the tiger. Therefore you would be wise to side with me. If the -wolf shows his teeth, he goes the way of Men-Ching. And thither go all -who oppose me. For your own guidance, I advise you to remember this." - -He opened his eyes and fixed them upon Yung How, who stood at hand. Yung -How did not flinch. He was as calm and dignified as usual. Indeed, for -a few moments only had Frank seen him otherwise, and then he had -appeared absolutely carried away by anguish and remorse. It occurred to -Frank how strange it was that a man who, as a general rule, was -outwardly so calm and collected should be capable of such deep-seated -and demonstrative emotion. However, the Chinese are an inexplicable -race, as Frank knew well enough. He regarded Yung How, and was -delighted to observe that the man never faltered in his honest -resolution before the steady, piercing gaze of the implacable Honanese. - -"I desire to know," said Ling, "where you two were going as I chanced to -enter." - -Yung How did not answer a word. He continued to look Ling straight in -the face. - -"Very well," said Ling, "you need not tell me. I have a shrewd -suspicion that you were up to no good. I shall take the necessary -precautions and ask you, for the sake of your own welfare, to remember -my warning." - -He disposed himself as if for sleep, throwing back his head upon the -pillow. Ah Wu busied himself about the establishment, entertaining his -guests, of whom there were now many, and seeing that his assistants went -about their duties. As for Frank and Yung How, they lay down upon -couches on the balcony, the former because he was thoroughly tired, and -felt that he required a rest. - -Suddenly Ling sat up, and cried out that he was hungry. Shouting down -into the room below, he ordered one of Ah Wu's men to bring him food, -and then turned to Yung How. - -"And you shall wait on me," he declared. "I have heard it said that you -have a great reputation in Hong-Kong, that you squeeze even ricksha -coolies for copper cash and make more money than a comprador. You shall -attend to my wants; and when I have eaten all that I desire, you -shall--as I promised you--wash up the bowls and plates." - -Presently one of Ah Wu's assistants mounted the staircase, carrying in -his hands a large tray upon which was a number of Chinese dishes. The -tray was set down upon a small table at which Yung How was ordered to -preside, handing the mighty Ling whatever dish he might call for. - -Now Yung How had made up his mind to escape, and even as he waited upon -Ling he took careful stock of his surroundings. He knew that he could -not rely upon any help from Ah Wu, who was now hand and glove with the -Honanese. He had noticed that Ah Wu had locked the back door, putting -the key in one of his pockets. There was a clock in the room, towards -which Yung How repeatedly carried his eyes. It was twenty minutes to -eight. Yung How had, indeed, very little time if he was to make good -his escape and catch the Hong-Kong boat. He could not very well cross -the room, and go out by the main entrance, because Ling would certainly -see him and follow in pursuit. The man was beginning to despair when he -observed a window at the farther end of the balcony. - -This window was closed, but it might be possible to open it. Also, -since the floor of the lower room was somewhat below the level of the -street, the window could not be far from the ground. The difficulty -that confronted Yung How was how to reach the window without arousing -the suspicions of Ling. - -Now Yung How, like the majority of his countrymen, was by no means -devoid of inventive powers. The Chinaman is an adept at finding an -excuse, and it must be confessed that the device of Yung How was -ingenious. - -In handing a small bowl of rice to Ling, the man purposely knocked over -the small opium spirit-lamp which stood burning upon the table by the -side of the couch upon which Ling was lying. This nearly resulted in a -general conflagration that might have destroyed the whole establishment. -The oil ran out, and set fire to the dry matting with which the floors -were carpeted; and this burned like tinder-wood, the fire running with -rapidity along the balcony and filling the whole place with smoke. - -Ling, springing to his feet, utilised one of the cushions of the couch -to smother the fire. Frank was not slow to follow his example, and Ah -Wu and several men from the lower room, hastening up the steps, resorted -to various means to quench the fire, or at least to hold it in check. - -For the best part of a minute the whole place was uproar and confusion. -Those who were already asleep from the effects of opium were awakened by -cries of "Fire!" One or two in alarm left the establishment by the main -entrance, spreading the report in the city that Ah Wu's opium den had -actually been burned to the ground. - -Long before that Yung How had made the most of his opportunity. At the -moment when the danger was most imminent, when the attention of both -Ling and Ah Wu was fully engaged, the man passed unseen to the window, -which he opened. Leaning over the sill and looking down, he satisfied -himself that it was not more than twelve feet to the ground. As quick -as thought he crawled through, hung for a moment at the full extent of -his arms, and then dropped to the street. Instantly he set off running -as fast as he could in the direction of Shamien. - -When the fire was extinguished, Ling gave vent to his feelings, cursing -Yung How for his carelessness and folly. However, he had not unburdened -himself of more than a few sentences when, to his astonishment and -indescribable wrath, he discovered that Yung How was gone. Seeing the -opened window, he rushed to it, and looked out. Beyond there was nothing -but darkness, an unlighted by-street, not more than two or three yards -in width. - -Ling descended the stairs like an infuriated tiger. Quite suddenly he -came to a halt in the middle of the room. Thence he returned up the -staircase, four steps at a time, at the top of which he encountered -Frank. He seized the boy by the throat, and then, lifting him off his -feet, tucked him under an arm, as a man might carry a hen. - -He again descended the stairs, unlocked the door of the little room, -threw the boy inside, and locked the door upon him. A moment later, he -was in the street, rushing forward at such a tempestuous rate that he -cleared all obstructions from his path. He thrust an empty ricksha -aside with such violence that he broke the shafts. He knocked over -three men: a fat old merchant, a beggar, and a blind man. He killed a -duck by crushing it underfoot, and finding his way barred by a pig, he -picked it up and threw it over a wall, the animal squealing in terror. - -Gaining the narrow creek that separates Shamien from the main part of -the city, Ling dashed across the bridge of boats. That night the few -Europeans who were walking along the _bund_ in front of the hotel and -the club beheld the remarkable apparition of a Chinese giant who charged -forward like a madman, his long pigtail flying out behind him, making in -the direction of the harbour. - -On a sudden, Ling stopped dead. His headlong course had been arrested -by a peculiar sound, or rather combination of sounds, the explanation of -which was not difficult to seek. There was the shrill whistle of a -siren and the sound of large paddles violently thrashing the water. - -Almost at once, the Hong-Kong boat hove in sight. The decks were ablaze -with light. Upon the bridge, Ling could distinguish both the Chinese -pilot and the English captain. - -"Hi!" he shouted. "I have missed the ship. If you slow down and lower -a rope I can come on board from a _sampan_." - -He spoke in excellent English. There is no doubt that the captain both -heard and understood him, for Ling received his answer. - -"Too late, my friend!" shouted the captain. "We sail to time, and if -you're not here it's your own fault. You'll have to wait till -to-morrow--eight o'clock in the morning." - -Ling's answer was neither in the English language nor at the top of his -voice. It was in Cantonese, and as a matter of fact it cannot be -translated. And if it could be translated, no one would print it. For -Ling had not failed to observe Yung How, standing alone upon the upper -deck. - - - - -CHAPTER XVIII--OF THE SPIDER AND THE WEB - - -When Frank was thrown into the little room beneath the stairs, and heard -the key turn upon him, he at first believed himself to be in utter -darkness. But very soon his eyes became accustomed to the dim light -that emanated from several cracks in the woodwork. - -These cracks were in the stairs that led from the lower room to the -balcony. The opium den was, of course, well illumined by several -paraffin lamps. The little room in which Frank was imprisoned extended -from the foot of the staircase to the back wall, the staircase itself -forming the ceiling, which was in consequence only about three feet high -at one end of the room, and about twelve feet high at the other. Now it -so happened that the largest crack was at the lower end of the room, and -Frank Armitage was not slow to discover that, by placing his eye to -this, he could see quite easily into the opium den. - -When he looked into the outer room he was able to observe several opium -smokers, and Ah Wu himself, who was seated at his desk at the doorway. -There was, however, no sign of Ling, and Frank rightly concluded that -the Honanese must have left the establishment in pursuit of Yung How. - -There could be no doubt upon this point; for not only could the boy see, -but he was able to hear quite distinctly, the woodwork of which the -small room was constructed being extraordinarily thin. If Ling had been -either upon the balcony or in the lower room Frank must have heard him; -for the man seldom spoke without raising his voice to such a pitch that -he might have been giving a word of command to a regiment of cavalry. - -Fully an hour elapsed before the Honanese returned. He was then in a -towering rage. He called for Ah Wu, who chanced to be absent in the -kitchen. Frank heard Ling inform the proprietor of the opium den that -Yung How had escaped on the Hong-Kong boat. Both men then repaired to -Ah Wu's private apartments, where they remained for the greater part of -the night, Ah Wu occasionally looking in upon the opium den to see that -his business prospered. - -Until about eleven o'clock the following morning, Frank Armitage was -left to his thoughts; and these were none of the pleasantest. He was -suffering considerable discomfort. It was a long time since he had had -any food; and the great heat and stifling atmosphere of the opium den, -together with the pungent smell of the smoke, had served to make him so -thirsty that his lips were dry and his tongue clave to the roof of his -mouth. He regretted bitterly that he had not been able to escape with -Yung How. He felt that he could not stand the extreme suspense of his -situation much longer. It seemed to him inevitable that before long -Ling would discover who he was. - -This was all the more probable, since--according to Ling--Cheong-Chau -himself was coming to the opium den. The brigand would be far more -likely than anyone else to recognise Frank--because he knew which of his -prisoners had escaped, and had evidently come south in order to hunt for -the fugitive. - -Frank was seized with a great dread that Cheong-Chau had already made -away with his other prisoners, that he had murdered both Sir Thomas -Armitage and Mr Waldron. There was a possibility, on the other hand, -that he had brought his captives with him, which he might have done -quite easily on board a river-junk. Knowing full well that he could not -hope to obtain the ransom if Sir Thomas and Mr Waldron were known to be -dead, he may have decided to send further evidence to Hong-Kong to the -effect that his hostages were still alive. On thinking the matter over, -Frank was inclined to the belief that this was what had actually -happened. - -There was another aspect of the business which demanded consideration. -It was now Cheong-Chau's intention to go himself to the Glade of -Children's Tears, in order to procure the money as soon as it arrived. -This, as we know, was a privilege that the mighty Ling had chosen to -reserve for himself; and so a meeting between these two redoubtable -villains was sooner or later inevitable. Cheong-Chau would have upon -his side the advantage of numbers. Ling, on the other hand, was in -possession of the more accurate information: he knew Cheong-Chau's -whereabouts and his intentions, whilst Cheong-Chau knew nothing about -him; he knew also that Yung How had escaped to Hong-Kong and that -intervention by the British was by no means improbable--a circumstance -of which the brigand chieftain remained in ignorance. - -That night Frank endeavoured to work out every possible contingency, -until his brain grew dizzy with thinking. At last, dead tired, feeling -sick with suspense, hunger and thirst, with such a splitting headache -resulting from the foul atmosphere of the den that he could hardly open -his eyes, he flung himself down upon the couch and almost at once fell -fast asleep. - -In the boy's last waking thoughts he found some degree of comfort. He -had come to realise that he himself could do nothing. He was at the -mercy of fate, in the hands of Providence--just as helpless as a wisp of -straw carried down-stream upon the current of a river. So far as his -own safety was concerned, he had come to such a pass that it might -almost be said that he no longer regarded it. To himself it did not -seem a matter of supreme importance whether he lived or died. He had -not given up hope, but physical exhaustion and mental strain had done -their work. - -During the earlier hours of the night his sleep was disturbed and -restless. He was conscious all the time of the voices of men talking in -the outer room, and these voices were in some way mingled with his -dreams, which were nothing but a series of nightmares, in which the -sinister figure of the colossal Ling was ever present--Ling with his -great hands and brute strength, his long glistening pigtail, his evil, -snake-like eyes, his rude jokes, his loud laughter, and the -half-mocking, half-serious manner in which he quoted from the writings -of the great Chinese philosophers. But, given a fair chance, a sane, -healthy and youthful constitution will in the end triumph over both -mental and bodily disorders, and towards the small hours of the morning -the boy fell into a heavy, dreamless sleep, from which he was not -awakened until Ling unlocked the door of the little room about eleven -o'clock in the morning. - -The Honanese regarded his captive for some moments without speaking. - -"You have slept well?" he asked. - -"I have slept well," said Frank. - -"They say," said Ling, "that sound sleep is a sign of a pure conscience. -I myself am in the habit of sleeping like a child. And yet," he added, -in a doubtful voice, "I am half of opinion that I ought to put you out -of the world." - -"You are free to do as you wish," said Frank. - -"I thank you," said Ling. "I am aware of it." - -"At the same time," said the other, "I beg to remind you that I am not -here of my own free will. I did not ask to accompany you; you can -scarcely say that I intruded. You kidnapped me and demanded that I -should assist you. I did so to the best of my ability. I confess I had -no other alternative. That does not alter the fact that had you left me -to mind my own affairs I should not have interfered with you. You told -me a great deal about yourself. I did not ask you to. You brought me -here, where in my presence you committed a crime----" - -"No, no," Ling interposed. "You do me a great injustice. I have -committed no crime. I did but defend my life. I usually do so with -success." - -"Have it your own way," said Frank, who now--for some reason or -other--felt bolder in the man's presence that he had ever felt before. -"It is not a matter that concerns me. A few days ago I had neither seen -nor heard of you. It was a misfortune for me that I encountered you -that morning upon the wharf at Sanshui. You have no right to detain me. -I have no valuables upon me, but a few copper _cash_. If you want them -you can take them. You are welcome to what I have. I ask but one -thing: to be allowed to go free, to go about my own affairs." - -"That is well spoken," said Ling. "I admit I am fond of you. I think I -have told you already that I have admitted you into the innermost -chamber of my heart. Had I a son, I would that he were such as you. I -would bring him up in the way that he should go. I would not entrust -his education to the _literati_ of China. I would teach him myself." - -"To be a robber?" asked Frank. - -"Robbery," said Ling, "is a profession. I think that education should -be regarded merely as a groundwork, a kind of foundation upon which to -build. A man should be left to discover his own talents. His natural -inclinations will not lead him astray. One man will make a good priest, -another a good pirate. An excellent _scroff_ may make a fool of himself -as a schoolmaster. You cannot grow mangoes upon a cherry-tree, neither -will a river fish live in the salt water. I would teach you, my son, -the divine philosophies of China; I would instruct you in astronomy, -music and mathematics. Then, when you were grown up, you would be able -to fend for yourself. It would be all one to me whether you were a -government prefect, a mandarin of the Red Button, or a brigand like -Cheong-Chau, whom I hope to meet this evening." - -"I see," said Frank, "that you would confer many favours upon my humble -self. I ask but one small boon--to be allowed to go away from this -place where you have thought fit to imprison me." - -"And that is the one request," said Ling, "that I am unable to grant. It -so happens that I want you." - -"Why?" - -"Our friend, Ah Wu, has gone away. He has gone upon a visit to -Cheong-Chau. Cheong-Chau and he are old friends; they are brother pigs, -who have eaten many a time from the same trough. Ah Wu will bring -Cheong-Chau here. Cheong-Chau is a great opium smoker, and, as all -Canton is well aware, no better opium can be obtained in the city than -that which is sold by Ah Wu. So Cheong-Chau will come." - -"And what has this to do with me?' asked Frank. - -"It has a great deal to do with you," said the other, "for, in the -meantime, I am left in charge of this establishment; hence, for the -second time, I need your assistance. Cheong-Chau knows me very well by -sight. He would not remain in this place two seconds if he saw me when -he entered. Therefore, once again, I must hide." - -"Where?" asked Frank. - -"There is a small storeroom between the curtains and the outer door. -There I shall be. Thence I shall be able to see everyone who enters or -who leaves. There will be no other way of exit, for the back door will -be locked and I shall have the key. When Cheong-Chau enters you are to -attend to his wants. When he asks for opium to smoke, you are to take -it to him; but you are to come to me for it, and the opium which I will -give you will be drugged. That is all you have to do. It will be very -simple. You cannot hope to escape, for I myself guard the outer door, -and I shall be armed with the revolver that I took from Yung How. I -need hardly tell you that, if necessity arises, I shall shoot." - -Frank realised at once that this plan of Ling's involved the utmost -peril for himself. It was probable that Cheong-Chau, when he came, -would recognise the fugitive. What the result of this would be, Frank -dared not imagine. On the other hand, he saw no way of escaping from -Ling. It was as if the boy was no more than a fly which had been caught -in the meshes of the huge net woven by this implacable and terrible -spider. - -Throughout the whole of that day, he was kept busily employed in the -opium den, brushing the couches, sweeping the floor and cleaning the -spirit-lamps. He was given food to eat, and plenty of green tea to -drink, which had the effect of getting rid of his headache. And all the -time he was working he endeavoured to collect his thoughts; he tried to -think of some definite plan of action. But rack his brain as he might, -he could see no way out of his difficulties. He could think of no means -of staving off the calamity which was impending. - -During the afternoon the den began to fill. Customers continually -dropped in, some to smoke opium, others to purchase it and take it away. -At nightfall, there was about a dozen people in the place, and when the -clock which was suspended upon the railings of the balcony struck the -hour of ten, the voice of Ah Wu was heard without the main entrance. -Immediately afterwards, the fat proprietor entered, accompanied by -Cheong-Chau, the brigand chief. - - - - -CHAPTER XIX--HOW LING READ CONFUCIUS - - -Frank, who feared instinctively that the worst would happen, retreated -hastily to the other end of the room. There he busied himself with -vigorously sweeping the floor, until he was summoned by Ah Wu to attend -to the wants of the new-comer. - -The boy's heart was beating violently. It was as much as he could do to -lift his eyes from the ground to meet those of the redoubtable brigand -from whose clutches he had so recently escaped; and when at last he did -so, he was more than ever dismayed to perceive that Cheong-Chau was -attended by three of his ruffians, whom Frank knew well by sight. - -As in a flash, the boy reviewed the circumstances of the predicament in -which he found himself. He saw no hope that he could avoid detection. -Even if Cheong-Chau himself failed to recognise the fugitive--a very -unlikely contingency--one of the other three would be almost sure to do -so. It must be remembered that the boy had not disguised his features. -His identity was but thinly veiled by the Chinese clothes he was -wearing--which had been given him by the tea-grower--the false pigtail -and the shaven forepart of his head. He could not believe for a moment -that Cheong-Chau would fail to know him. - -In his extreme anxiety, it did not occur to the boy that Yung How, who -knew him a great deal better than any of the brigands, had been quite -deceived, that Frank had been obliged to declare his identity to the man -who had known him since childhood. For all that, even if the boy had -had either the presence of mind or the inclination to take stock of his -chances of success, he could not have overlooked a very important fact: -that Cheong-Chau was looking for him, whereas Yung How, on the other -hand, had never suspected for an instant that he had escaped. - -Cheong-Chau and his men had come south in pursuit of the fugitive. The -man had been enticed into the opium den by Ah Wu, whom he still believed -to be his colleague. Here Cheong-Chau was to be drugged by order of the -subtle and relentless villain who even then lay in hiding--like a great -cat crouching by the side of a mouse-hole--behind the embroidered -curtains. And now Cheong-Chau was to find himself, suddenly and -unexpectedly, confronted by the very fugitive whom he had pursued for -days. - -Frank, cold with fear, certain of disaster, and dreading that he would -be mercilessly put to death, looked Cheong-Chau in the face. The varied -sensations he experienced were akin to what those must be of a condemned -man upon the scaffold. He did but wait for the terminating blow to -fall. - -He could not look at Cheong-Chau for more than an instant. He turned -and regarded Ah Wu, who was standing on the other side of him. Ah Wu -was smiling in his oily, plausible manner. He looked the complete host, -affability itself, and all the time he was planning the discomfiture of -his guest. A fat, genuine rogue! - -"Ah Li," said he, addressing Frank, "you will attend to the wants of our -distinguished guest. Conduct Cheong-Chau and his friends to the more -comfortable couches upstairs, smooth the pillows, place a spirit-lamp -upon each table, and then hasten to the storeroom and procure the best -quality opium. Cheong-Chau would smoke the Indian variety, that which -comes from Calcutta, than which there is no finer opium in the world." - -Frank turned, and departed up the staircase. Indeed, he was devoutly -thankful to get away. At the top of the steps he paused, and stood for -a moment trying to think, with his back turned to the room. - -Nothing had happened--nothing at all. Cheong-Chau had not spoken. None -of his men had said a word. The boy was still unrecognised. It was too -good to be true. It was all like a dream. - -Pulling himself together, Frank carried out his orders, thinking all the -time that the remarkable chain of circumstances which had carried him -against his will and inclination from one adventure to another was -something altogether foreign to his former experiences. Life, instead -of a pleasant and somewhat homely occupation, had become a kind of -romantic nightmare. It was hard not to believe that presently he would -awaken to find that Cheong-Chau, Ah Wu and Ling himself were phantasms, -hallucinations, that would vanish at the moment of waking, their -sinister and evil personalities fading away, in the boy's memory, like -smoke upon the air. - -He could scarce believe that a few minutes' calm reasoning would not -instantly dissipate the reality of these strange and terrible people, -the remarkable events dependent upon the thoughts and actions of a -ruffian like Ling. Everything was all the more unreal to Frank because -he appeared to exist, to continue to undergo such singular experiences, -only by virtue of a series of miracles. The unexpected always happened. - -It was also inconceivable to the boy that he himself, the nephew of one -of the most distinguished government officials in Hong-Kong, a man of -almost world-wide reputation as a lawyer, should find himself a coolie -attendant in a Canton opium den, in which he conversed, in terms of -intimate acquaintance, with Chinese thieves, brigands, swindlers and -cut-throats. And yet he was not dreaming: he was conscious of a -headache; both his knees and elbows had been badly bruised; and besides, -Yung How, who had once been wont to take a small five-year-old boy for -walks upon the level paths on the crest of the Peak, had known him, had -fallen upon his knees before him, and had wept tears of repentance. - -Whilst the boy was busy with these thoughts, he was carrying out his -duties. He had arranged the couches, lighted the spirit-lamps, and seen -that there was one of Ah Wu's best carved ivory opium pipes upon each -lacquer table. - -By that time Cheong-Chau and his three companions, attended by the -officious Ah Wu, had ascended the stairs. Cheong-Chau's eyes glistened -at the thought of the treat in store for him; while his men--rough -Chinese of the very lowest class--stared about them in awed amazement at -the carved wood, the rich draperies, the gilded lacquer that adorned Ah -Wu's premises. Doubtless they had never before found themselves in such -a high-class establishment. They had been wont to smoke their opium in -the foul and verminous dens of the provincial town of Pinglo. Possibly -they had never before beheld the miraculous city of Canton. - -Frank observed all this, and knew that he could find here the reason why -he had not been recognised. The men were too much impressed by their -surroundings to take note of details. Place a beggar in a palace, and -he will most likely fail to notice the pattern of the carpet upon which -he stands, even though he stare in his embarrassment at nothing else. - -Cheong-Chau stretched himself upon the couch immediately facing the -stair-head. His three followers similarly disposed themselves upon his -left, the one at the end reclining under the window through which Yung -How had escaped. - -Ah Wu rubbed his hands together and addressed himself to the brigand. - -"They tell me," said he, "that one of your prisoners has cut off?" - -"That is so," said Cheong-Chau, with an oath. "The fools of sentries -let him through. He got away in the night. I and ten men started at -daybreak, bringing with us the two other captives, but so far we have -failed to find the culprit." - -Frank, standing near at hand, listened intently to every word. The boy -had placed himself against the wall, a little behind Cheong-Chau, so -that the man would have to turn to look at him. - -"Can he have reached Hong-Kong, do you think?" asked Ah Wu. - -Cheong-Chau shrugged his shoulders. - -"I think not," said he. "He has barely had time. But who can say?" - -"And you have brought your other captives with you?" - -"That was necessary," said Cheong-Chau. "I had to keep them under my -eye. I cannot trust my men. They allow hostages to escape." - -"Did you not find them very much in the way?" asked Ah Wu. - -"Not in the least. We came down in one of my own sea-going junks. We -are now anchored in the Sang River, about two miles from the Glade of -Children's Tears. Still, I am not here to give information but to -receive it. What news have you of Men-Ching?" - -"He left here yesterday morning," answered the other, without moving a -muscle of his face. - -"Did he not say where he was going?" - -"Not a word." - -"Strange," said Cheong-Chau. "A surprising circumstance! He knew well -enough that you were in our confidence. He ought to have spoken openly -to you." - -Ah Wu laughed. - -"Of course," said he. "Why, it was I myself who arranged the whole -matter." - -"And what of the other man, Yung How, the Hong-Kong servant?" - -"He also is gone." - -Cheong-Chau was silent a moment. - -"We must suppose," said he, "that Men-Ching has gone on to Hong-Kong -with the letters. We may therefore presume that the letters have -already reached their destination. The money may arrive at the Glade -to-morrow. As for Yung How, I do not know the man. But if he -contemplates treachery, it will go ill with him. And now, Ah Wu, my -opium. I would smoke." - -Ah Wu turned to the boy and ordered him to bring four bowls of Indian -opium from the storeroom. Frank descended the stairs, passed down the -length of the lower room, drew back the embroidered curtains and entered -the storeroom, where he found Ling seated upon a stool. It was one of -those high stools upon which Chinese of the merchant class are wont to -do their accounts, similar to the old-fashioned clerks' stools sometimes -seen in offices in England. When seated upon one of these, the average -man rests his feet upon a cross-piece, several inches from the ground. -Ling, however, sat with one foot upon the floor and the other leg -crossed upon his knee. - -When the boy entered, Ling was reading, but he at once looked up from -his book. - -"The writings of Confucius," said he, "assure me that the perfect life -cannot be attained by any man. Troubles, disappointment, sorrows and -failure are bound to accompany us wherever we go. Divine philosophy -instructs us to accept our destiny with grace. The coat of every man is -patched; there are cracks in the armour upon which he depends to defend -himself from the arrows of adversity. He who thinks himself infallible -falls the most heavily; the conceited man lays the trap by which he -himself is caught; his own vanity trips him up. He who attempts much, -hopes for much, but is prepared to go unrewarded, is he to whom success -is doubly assured. I trust, my youthful friend, you follow me." - -"Perfectly," said Frank. - -"That is well," said Ling, laying down his book. "And now we will -poison Cheong-Chau." - -"Poison him!" exclaimed the boy. - -"Fear not," said Ling. "Send him comfortably to sleep--a sleep that -will last for some days. By then I shall have gathered the harvest at -the Glade of Children's Tears, and you, my little one, will be -free--your heart's sole desire." - -He turned and picked up a large pale blue bowl in which he had stirred a -quantity of opium, mixing it with a colourless fluid contained in a -bottle. - -"There are four of them, I understand?" said he. - -"Yes," said Frank. - -"It is as well," observed Ling, "that I have made enough. I fill four -small bowls--one for each. These fools will not taste anything; they -will not suspect. They will smoke and dream, and enjoy to the full the -delights of opium. And they will fall gradually into such a sleep that -the firing of a cannon in the room would not awaken them." - -He handed to the boy the four small bowls upon a tray of carved black -wood. - -"Take it," said he, "and leave me to my reading. Happiness is to be -found in wisdom, not wisdom in happiness. In prosperity the heart -withers; in adversity, it blooms. Farewell." - -Frank went out, holding the tray before him, and ascended the flight of -steps. - - - - -CHAPTER XX--HOW THE TIGER SPRANG - - -Upon the balcony Frank found Cheong-Chau still in conversation with Ah -Wu. No one would have suspected from the demeanour of the fat -proprietor of the opium den that he plotted the overthrow of the -redoubtable brigand chief. The man was all smiles and Chinese courtesy. -He rubbed his hands together; he flattered his guest; he bowed -repeatedly. Frank advanced, carrying the tray upon which were the four -bowls of opium. - -"Ah!" exclaimed Ah Wu. "We have here the choice opium of which I spoke. -I guarantee that the distinguished Cheong-Chau has never smoked the like -of it. I procure it from an agent in Burma. This, I believe, is the -only house in China in which it is sold." - -"I thank you, Ah Wu," said the brigand, who had divested himself of the -greater part of his clothing. "I thank you from my heart. I am a rough -man, accustomed to the wilds. Such luxuries seldom come my way. At the -same time, Ah Wu, who is this boy? It occurs to me that I have seen him -before." - -The man was staring at Frank, who felt his heart sink within him. Ah -Wu's answer, given without hesitation, was somewhat reassuring. - -"He has been here," said Ah Wu, "for many months." - -"Strange," said Cheong-Chau, "that I have never seen him before!" - -Frank was, at first, at a loss to explain what motive Ah Wu could have -for telling such a deliberate falsehood. It then occurred to him that -Ah Wu could not explain truthfully who he was without mentioning Ling; -and it was--from Ah Wu's point of view--of extreme importance to keep -the name of Ling out of the whole affair. If Cheong-Chau but knew that -the great Honanese was in the building, he would not have remained in -the place for five seconds, much less would he have been so careless as -to allow his physical and mental capacities to be temporarily subdued by -the subtle fumes of the opium poppy. - -"Come here, boy," said Cheong-Chau, who had not yet removed his eyes -from Frank. "I want to look at you more closely." - -The boy went forward in fear and trembling. Cheong-Chau grasped him by -a wrist, and drew him downward, so that their faces were not more than a -foot apart. - -"You bear," said Cheong-Chau, speaking very deliberately, "a most -remarkable resemblance to the very man I am looking for. What is your -name?" - -"Ah Li," said Frank. - -The boy's heart was beating like a sledgehammer. He felt instinctively -that the Sword of Damocles, which had been suspended for so long above -his head, was at last about to fall. That the result would be fatal to -himself, and those whose lives depended upon him, he could not for a -moment doubt. - -"I come from Sanshui," said he, in a weak voice that quailed. - -Cheong-Chau suddenly rose to his feet and lifted his voice to a kind of -shriek. It was the voice Frank had heard when Cheong-Chau addressed his -followers in the gloomy nave of the temple; it was the same voice the -man had used on the occasion when he staggered into the cave, senseless -and drugged with opium. - -"It is in my way of thinking," he shouted, "that you come from -Hong-Kong, that your name is no more Ah Li than mine is, that you are a -foreign devil in disguise!" - -Ah Wu opened his eyes in astonishment. He lifted both hands with -fingers widespread. He looked like an old woman who has seen a ghost. - -"There is some mistake!" he cried. - -"This boy," roared Cheong-Chau, "is a foreigner." - -His voice was so loud that it carried to the farther end of the room. -Everyone heard his words, and those who were not asleep raised -themselves upon their elbows to ascertain what the disturbance was -about. Behind the embroidered curtains the mighty Ling, who had been -listening to all that was said, crouching like a cat, rose stealthily -and slowly to his feet. He was like a great beast of prey that suddenly -scents danger. It was as if he stretched the great muscles of his body, -preparatory to action. - -"You are a foreigner!" cried Cheong-Chau. - -Frank knew not which way to look. He had put down the tray upon a small -lacquer table by the side of Cheong-Chau's couch. The brigand still -held him tightly by a wrist. Realising that he could not deny the truth -of the man's words, the boy made a foolish, headstrong effort to escape. -With a quick wrench, he freed his arm, and turned upon his heel with the -intention of dashing down the steps. Since subterfuge had failed, he -felt that he had nothing else to rely upon but physical agility. - -He had almost reached the head of the stairs when Ah Wu stretched forth -a hand to detain him. It is strange that the boy's exposure should have -been brought about by Ah Wu, in whose interests it was for the deception -to continue--at least, whilst Cheong-Chau was in the house. - -Ah Wu attempted to seize the boy by a shoulder, and failing in this, he -clutched at Frank's pigtail, which was flying out behind him. Needless -to say, as the boy plunged down the stairs, he left behind him his false -pigtail in the hands of the dumbfounded Ah Wu. Before he could stop -himself, Frank was at the bottom of the stairs, and there, for the first -time, he remembered that he would have to pass Ling at the outer door. - -For the brief space of a moment, Frank looked about him like a hunted -beast. He could see no way of escape. Ling, he knew, was in front of -him, though not visible. The back door was locked. There were no -windows in the lower room. On the other hand, escape from one of the -balcony windows was impossible, for Cheong-Chau and his three followers -stood at the stair-head. The voice of Cheong-Chau filled the room, -uttering, in a weird, sing-song voice, a kind of triumphant paean. - -"I am Cheong-Chau," he cried, "and men fear me from the Nan-ling -Mountains to the sea. I have hunted down the fugitive and I have found -him. Those who foil me can expect no mercy. I live by the knife, and -my enemies die by the knife. Death to foreign devils!" - -At that, he dashed down the stairs. As he did so he drew from his belt -a long, curved Chinese knife, which he raised high above his head. - -Frank turned and fled down the room, but Cheong-Chau was upon him as a -cat springs at a mouse. The boy was caught by the coat, and jerked -backward. With difficulty he maintained his balance. Looking up, he -beheld Cheong-Chau's knife raised on high, whilst the man's eyes were -fixed upon the region of the boy's heart. - -"By the knife!" shrieked Cheong-Chau. "By the knife!" - -The cruel weapon glittered in the light emanating from the paraffin -lamps. Frank closed his eyes, knowing that the end was about to come. -He felt that he had not strength to look longer into that impassioned -face. - -Then, quite suddenly, there came a roar like that of a charging lion. -Frank was pushed aside and sent flying across the room, to pitch, head -foremost, over an unoccupied couch. Gathering himself together, he -beheld a feat of strength that was amazing. - -[Illustration: "THERE CAME A ROAR LIKE THAT OF A CHARGING LION."] - -The mighty Ling had swooped down upon his rival as an eagle snatches his -prey. A blow from his great fist sounded like a pistol shot, and -Cheong-Chau, without a sound, fell in a heap senseless on the floor. And -then two of the brigand's followers were seized by the throat, and their -two heads were brought together with a crash. One man pitched forward -on the instant, and lay upon his face, flat across the body of his -leader. As for the other, he went reeling round the room like a man -dazed and drunken. Then he dropped down upon both knees by the side of -a couch, holding his head between his hands. - -The third man turned and fled in trepidation at the sight of the fate of -his comrades. However, he had gone no farther than half-way up the -stairs, when Ling snatched up one of the small lacquer tables, and -hurled it at the fugitive with such force that it crashed to atoms -against the banisters. This projectile was followed, a fraction of a -second later, by a lighted paraffin lamp, which stretched the man -senseless upon the balcony at the feet of the amazed Ah Wu. - -All this had happened in less than a minute. Frank Armitage had only -just time to observe that the lamp had fortunately gone out, and that -there was no danger of the place being set on fire. And then he himself -was plucked violently from off his feet. - -Ling had picked him up as though he were a babe in arms. In his haste -and violence, the man tore down the embroidered curtains. Frank heard -the front door slam, and then he was conscious of the fact that he was -being borne onward at a terrific pace, through the dark and narrow -streets of the great Chinese city. - - - - -CHAPTER XXI--OF THE GLADE OF CHILDREN'S TEARS - - -Frank had neither time to consider the extraordinary sequence of events -narrated in the previous chapter nor the slightest inclination to -speculate in regard to the future. He realised, somewhat dimly, that he -was no more than a pawn in the game. A few moments since, he had stood -defenceless in the stifling atmosphere of the opium den; he had beheld -the knife raised to strike him down. He had been delivered with -dramatic suddenness at the eleventh hour. At the same time, he could -not help realising that, in all probability, he had fallen out of the -frying-pan into the fire. If his deception had been detected by -Cheong-Chau, his identity had also been discovered by the formidable -Ling. - -In the meantime he was being carried away to some unknown destination. -The boy realised the futility of attempting to struggle, and if he cried -out for help in those dark streets, no one was likely to take the least -notice of him. - -Ling kept--so far as he was able--to the by-streets: the narrow, -twisting lanes that form a veritable labyrinth in the poorer parts of -this wonderful and mysterious city. The hour was tolerably -late--approaching midnight. The main streets were lighted by means of -the flares in the shops and upon the hawkers' booths; and when it was -necessary to cross one of these, the spectacle of the great Honanese -carrying under his arm one who was apparently a foreign boy, dressed in -Chinese clothes, attracted no little attention. However, with every -Chinaman it is a fixed principle of life to mind his own affairs, and no -one interfered. - -At last, Ling set down the boy upon his feet, and taking hold of him by -a wrist, proceeded to drag him forward. Presently they came forth upon -the outskirts of the town. It was a bright night; for though the moon -was on the wane, the sky was clear and there was a glorious canopy of -stars--stars such as can only be seen east of the Suez Canal. The boy -was able to make out the great gabled tower, situated upon a hillock to -the north of the city, which goes by the name of the Five-Storied -Pagoda. He remembered very well visiting this place, a few weeks -before, accompanied by Mr Waldron and his uncle. - -Ling took a bridle path leading directly to the north, lying in a -bee-line across the down-like hills. The man strode forward, walking at -such a great pace that Frank was obliged to run to keep up with him. All -this time he said nothing. He walked, staring straight in front of -him--a gaunt, sinister and gigantic figure. Never for a moment did he -release his hold of Frank's wrist, which felt as if it was held within a -vice. - -After a time they came to a river, or canal. Since the path led -straight into the water and was visible in continuation upon the other -bank, it was evident that there was a ford. Ling hesitated a moment, -and then, hoisting his captive upon his shoulder, carried him high and -dry to the other side, himself wading in water that reached to his -knees. Beyond, he once more set down Frank upon the ground; and they -went forward at the same steady pace. And at every step the water -squelched in the soft felt shoes the Chinaman was wearing. - -At the end of an hour, Frank was beginning to feel fatigued; he was -considerably out of breath. Ling, on the other hand, appeared to be in -no way exhausted. They came to a hut--the habitation, in all -probability, of some swineherd or peasant. - -Ling kicked open the door, and they found within an old man, very -disreputable and dirty, clothed in rags, sound asleep before the glowing -embers of a charcoal fire. - -Ling touched the sleeper upon the shoulder, and the old man sat up. - -"The mighty Ling!" he exclaimed, the moment he saw his visitor. - -"Peace," said Ling. "I come in peace, my friend. You need not be -discomfited. I ask for nothing more than you can give me." - -The old man, who had now risen to his feet, bowed low. - -"A mandarin of the Blue Button has but to speak," said he. "Who is a -mere drover of foul pigs to gainsay the word of so distinguished a -personage? Is it food you desire, or water, or an hour's rest upon your -journey? All I have, sir, is your own." - -"I want that which will cost you nothing," answered Ling. "This will -not be the first time that you have aided me. I will reward you--at a -later date--if all goes well with me." - -"May the gods assist you," said the old man, bowing again. - -"I rely upon myself," said Ling. "Tell me, Cheong-Chau's men have come -from the mountains. They are reported on the Sang River. Have you seen -anything of them?" - -"I have indeed," said the other. "There is a junk anchored about three -_li_ west of the tower. I saw it this afternoon." - -"Did you notice how many men were on board?" - -"About five or six," said the old man. - -"That agrees," said Ling, "with what I already know." - -He remained silent for a moment, and then suddenly grasped Frank by an -arm and thrust him through the door. - -"Come!" he cried. "We have no time to lose." - -The next moment Frank Armitage was on the road again, and throughout the -early hours of the morning he continued to travel northward, in company -with his grim and silent captor. Once the boy dared to speak, asking -Ling where they were going; but he was at once ordered to hold his -tongue. - -"You need what breath you have," observed the Honanese. "I am not here -to answer questions." - -There was more than a little truth in the first remark, for the boy was -obliged to keep up a steady jog-trot mile after mile, with never a halt -or a rest by the wayside. - -Presently they gained the crest of a chain of low-lying hills. The -moonlight was sufficient to enable them to see for a considerable -distance. Before them lay a valley--so far as Frank could make -out--exceedingly fertile and picturesque, in which was a tall, thin -tower, somewhat resembling a short factory chimney, except that at the -top there was a narrow, circular balcony protected both from the rain -and the powerful rays of the sun by one of those queer-shaped, -overhanging roofs that are peculiar to Southern China. - -Frank knew at a glance that this was the tower from which, in days gone -by, it had been the custom of the Cantonese to throw little children, -whose existence had grown irksome to their parents. At one time this -barbarous and terrible custom was prevalent in the Middle Kingdom, until -finally even the Chinese themselves revolted against the laws that -permitted such a crime. - -Flooded by the pure light of the moon, the valley appeared a perfect -haven of rest. No one would have believed that such a beautiful spot -had, in former times, been the scene of such terrible brutality. The -tall tower shone like brass, and at its feet the broad waters of the -Sang River flowed swiftly to the west. - -Ling, still dragging Frank forward, descended the hill, and then turned -to the right, towards a clump of trees. It was then, for the first time -since they had left Canton, that, of his own accord, he spoke to his -prisoner. - -"Here is the place," he cried. "The Glade of Children's Tears. Here it -is that Cheong-Chau's ransom money will be hidden." - -Frank did not think it advisable to answer. Ling no longer held him by -a wrist: such a precaution was now unnecessary. Frank could not -possibly escape. - -For a distance of about a hundred yards they walked in the heavy shadows -under the branches of the trees, which were thick with leaves. And then, -quite suddenly, they came once again into the bright moonlight, to find -themselves confronted by a scene which was both grotesque and -picturesque. - -In ancient times the place had evidently been the site of a temple, of -which only the ruined walls, a few stone steps and several flagstones -remained. Here and there, lying upon the ground, overgrown by weeds and -underwoods, were great broken, hideous idols, many of which were at -least twelve feet in length. In the ghostly moonlight, it was like -looking upon a scene which had been the battle-field of giants. - -It was manifest that Ling knew the place well, for he walked straight up -to a great circular stone, considerably darker in colour than the -surrounding brickwork and rocks. Though this stone must have been of -enormous weight, he rolled it away without difficulty. Beneath was a -large hole. Going down upon his knees, the man struck a match, the -light of which dimly illumined a vault as large as an ordinary room. - -"Empty!" he exclaimed. "However, I did not expect to find the money -here. It should arrive to-morrow, if my calculations are correct. I do -not think that your friends will venture to waste time. Too much is at -stake." - -"_My_ friends?" said Frank. - -"Exactly," said the other. "I was so fortunate as to discover who you -are. I confess that for days you deceived me. I never dreamt for a -moment that the boy whose services I enlisted in Sanshui was a European. -I congratulate you upon your accent and your knowledge of the Cantonese -language. You speak it as well as I, who am a Northerner." - -"And why," asked Frank, "have you brought me here?" This was the -question he had long been burning to ask. - -Ling shrugged his shoulders. - -"You may have deceived me," said he, "but I am not altogether a fool." - -And that, apparently, was all the reply he would condescend to give. - -"I fail to understand," said Frank. - -"Then you are very dense. Let me enlighten you: in a few hours, twenty -thousand dollars will be hidden in this place. That money is intended -for Cheong-Chau. Cheong-Chau will not receive a cent." - -As he said these words, he rolled the stone back into its place. - -"Cheong-Chau's junk lies up-stream," he continued, once again as if -speaking to himself. "He had ten men with him. He took three with him -to Ah Wu's opium den. Of those three, I have accounted for one at -least, and I do not think the man I struck down with the lamp will be -fit to fight for many a day. In any case, neither those three men nor -Cheong-Chau himself are here. There are therefore only seven on board -the junk. It is now about three o'clock in the morning. Six of those -seven men are sound asleep. I propose to take the junk by storm." - -"You mean," said Frank, "that you will do this--single-handed?" - -"I have this," said Ling. "If necessary, I shall use it." - -At that he produced the revolver he had taken from Yung How. He played -with it for a moment in his great hands, and then put it back in his -pocket. - -"I shall require the junk," he added, "in order to take the treasure -away. And even if I fail to get possession of it, I have you, my little -one, who are so clever. You are worth, to me, at least another twenty -thousand dollars." - -Frank saw the truth as in a flash: once again he was a hostage. Ling no -doubt intended to demand a second ransom as the price of the boy's -freedom--perhaps his life. As the man remained silent for some minutes, -Frank had the greater time to think the matter out. And the more he -thought of it, the more was he obliged to admire the consummate subtlety -of Ling, who had the faculty of grasping a situation without a moment's -waste of time, estimating the salient factors at their proper value. - -In the opium den, Frank's identity had been unmasked, and his life -threatened in a period of time which could not have been more than -thirty or forty seconds. And yet, in those brief and breathless -seconds, Ling, in hiding behind the curtain, had summed up the position -at a glance. He had seen that Cheong-Chau--who for the moment was blind -with rage--was about to throw away a human life that was likely to be -extremely valuable to himself. It was not a sense of humanity that had -prompted him to save the boy. He had done so for his own personal ends. - -"Come," he cried, "to the junk! I promise you I will flutter the -dovecot. I will scatter them like ducks." - -At that he strode forward, followed by Frank, amazed at the man's -calmness and audacity. - - - - -CHAPTER XXII--OF THE CAPTURE OF THE JUNK - - -Ling walked in an easterly direction, keeping at a distance of about a -hundred yards from the river bank. The morning was exceedingly still; -nothing disturbed the silence but the ceaseless sound of the current of -the river, stirring the tall reeds that grew in the shallow water. The -Sang River, which at this place was about a hundred and fifty yards -across, is one of the main tributaries of the Pe-kiang, which flows into -Canton from the north. As Frank knew well, it was navigable for a -considerable distance, even for sea-going junks. Presently Ling began -to talk to himself in a low voice, but loud enough for the boy to hear. - -"The sages have told us," he observed, "to think before we act. Men -speak of the 'road of life.' That is a false metaphor. In life there -are many roads; it is open to us to travel by one or by another. The -junk will be anchored in midstream." He broke off, turning quickly to -the boy. "Tell me, can you swim?" - -Frank replied that he was a good swimmer. - -"That is well," said Ling. "It will be necessary for you to accompany -me into the water. It is to your advantage to do so. On board, you -will find the two friends you left in Cheong-Chau's cave in the -mountains." - -"So if you capture the junk," said Frank, "if you overpower those on -board, you will have three hostages instead of one." - -"That is true," said Ling. "But better for you and your friends to be -in my hands than in the hands of Cheong-Chau, who is a blind, senseless -fool." - -"You will be satisfied with the ransom?" - -"Concerning that," said Ling, "I have not yet made up my mind." - -He spoke no more, but continued to stride forward, the boy following in -his footsteps. They came to marshy ground, where their shoes squelched -in the mud. And here, knowing that they could not be far from the junk, -they walked more slowly, as silently as possible. - -A little after, at a place where the river turned abruptly to the north, -they found themselves before the junk, which lay at anchor not fifty -yards from the bank. Ling took off his coat, and the boy followed his -example. Then, without a word, the Chinese, like a great water-snake, -glided silently into the river. - -Frank hesitated to follow. It was within his power to escape. Perhaps -the great Chinaman did not care whether he did so or not. For two -reasons, the boy divested himself of his coat and followed Ling: first, -he had by now so great a respect for the man's ability and prowess that -he doubted very much whether he would succeed in getting away; secondly, -and chiefly, he had an overmastering desire to set eyes upon his uncle, -to know that both Sir Thomas and Mr Waldron were still alive and safe. - -The current being somewhat swift, it was fortunate that Frank was a -strong swimmer. In the moonlight he could see before him the great head -of Ling, moving rapidly and silently forward upon the surface of the -water. - -The man reached the prow of the junk, and there, laying hold of the -chain to which the anchor was attached, he lifted himself half out of -the water, and in this position he remained, waiting for Frank. In a -few seconds the boy had joined him. - -The moonlight fell full upon the Honanese. The man's yellow skin -glistened. In his teeth he held his revolver which, whilst swimming, he -had held high and dry. Then quite slowly he drew himself up the chain -until he had gained the deck--the high forecastle-peak which is to be -found on every sea-going Chinese junk. There he crouched behind the -capstan. - -In a few minutes, Frank Armitage had joined him. The boy was out of -breath from swimming. - -Side by side, they lay quite still for about five minutes. Ling -evidently intended to give his young assistant time to recover his -breath. At last, the man whispered in Frank's ear. - -"Fools!" he exclaimed. "They have not even posted a sentry." - -As he said the words, a man appeared from behind the mast--a man who was -smoking a cigarette. - -The end of the cigarette glowed brightly. It was plain that the man had -just lighted it. In all probability he had gone behind the mast for -that purpose, in order to be sheltered from the wind. He appeared to -have no suspicion that intruders had come on board, for he walked -leisurely forward, smoking and singing to himself a weird Chinese -tune--a melody on three notes, each long sustained. - -He reached the peak of the vessel, and there stood still for a moment, -looking across country towards the hills. And then it was that Ling -sprang upon him. The man was snatched from off his feet. He had no -time to cry out, to give the alarm, for almost at once one of the great -hands of the Honanese was placed upon his mouth. He was gagged in less -than a minute with an oily rag that was found lying upon the deck, which -must have been extremely unpleasant to the taste. - -There is never any difficulty on board a ship of any kind in finding -rope, and it was not long before the unfortunate sentry was bound hand -and foot and left upon the deck. - -Then Ling, still followed by Frank, advanced on tiptoe until he came to -a little hatchway, a kind of trap-door, which communicated with the foul -cabin in which Chinese fishermen and their families are wont to live, -eat and sleep. - -Lying down at his full length, Ling turned an ear downward and remained -for some time listening. From below there issued sounds of heavy -snoring. - -Having satisfied himself that everything was in order, the Honanese got -to his feet, and returned to the man whom he had gagged and bound in the -forepart of the ship. With his great fingers he tore the man's coat -into shreds. These he folded carefully. Then, searching the deck, he -found a long cord, which he cut into several pieces, each about a yard -in length. Thrusting all these materials into his pockets, he returned -to the hatchway, where he lowered himself carefully and silently into -the cabin below. - -What followed Frank could only guess. By reason of the darkness in the -cabin, the boy was able to see nothing. He heard faint sounds of -struggling--an occasional gasp or choke---once or twice a muttered -Chinese oath, stifled suddenly in the midst of a syllable. - -It was apparent that the mighty Ling fell upon his victims one by one, -in quick succession. He dealt with them in detail, pouncing upon each -man when he was deep in heavy slumber. - -Not one of these unfortunates was given time to cry out, to give the -alarm to his comrades. Each in turn was gagged before he was fully -awake. And then his hands were bound behind his back and his feet tied -together. - -The Honanese had accounted for six in this manner, when he struck a -match and lighted a hanging paraffin lamp suspended from one of the -beams that supported the deck. He then ordered Frank to descend. - -The boy found himself in a small cabin that extended from one side of -the ship to the other. It was indescribably dirty. All sorts of things -were scattered upon the floor: pieces of rope, fishing tackle, unwashed -plates and rice-bowls and articles of clothing. Upon the floor lay six -men in a row, gagged and bound, each one wearing the scarlet coat which -was the distinctive uniform of the followers of Cheong-Chau. - -The place was not high enough to enable Ling to stand upright. He stood -in the middle of the cabin, almost bent double, in which position he -resembled a huge gorilla. He was grinning from ear to ear. - -"A simple affair," said he. "They were delivered into my hands by that -benevolent Providence that unerringly guides the footsteps of those who -have acquired merit. Were I not a generous and kind-hearted man I -should throw them, one after the other, into the water. As it is, they -can lie where they are." - -By then he had discovered a door at the after end of the cabin. On -attempting to open this door, and finding it locked, he turned again to -Frank. - -"Search those fools," he ordered. "On one of them, I have little doubt, -you will find a bunch of keys." - -Frank did as he was commanded, but failing to find that for which he -looked, suggested that the man on deck might have had charge of the -keys. - -"That may be so," said Ling. "I am not disposed to wait. I have an -idea that beyond this door we shall find your European friends." - -So saying, with a great blow with his foot, he kicked in the door so -that the lock was broken. He then took the paraffin lamp from the hook -from which it was hanging, and followed by the boy, entered a small -cubby-hole. - -This place was probably intended for a storeroom, for though it extended -from one side of the ship to the other, it was little more than two -yards across, terminating in a bulkhead which divided the junk -amidships. - -Upon the floor were two men, both of whom were sitting bolt upright, -with their eyes wide open. They appeared to have been fast asleep when -they had been rudely awakened by the breaking open of the door. Each -man had his feet tied together, and his hands bound behind his back. -They were hatless, and their clothes were reduced to rags. - -Frank Armitage gave vent to an exclamation of delight, and rushing -forward, flung his arms around his uncle. The other prisoner, it is -needless to say, was Mr Hennessy K. Waldron, who had certainly undergone -some very astonishing and unpleasant adventures since leaving Paradise -City, Nevada, U.S.A. - - - - -CHAPTER XXIII--HOW THE TREASURE ARRIVED - - -Sir Thomas Armitage did not at first recognise his nephew, and when he -did so, he could hardly believe the evidence of his eyes. - -"Frank!" he exclaimed. "However did you come here?" - -"That is too long a story to tell you now," answered the boy. "What a -relief it is to see you! All these days I have not known whether you -were alive or dead." - -"Say," said Mr Waldron, "are we to be let loose? Am I a free citizen of -the United States or a condemned criminal? I should like to know." - -Frank turned to Ling. - -"Those are questions," said he, "which you are better able to answer -than I." - -Ling, finding it inconvenient to remain standing in so cramped a -position, seated himself cross-legged upon the floor and spoke in -excellent English. - -"You are right," said he. "The situation is in my hands. I hold you as -hostages until the ransom is paid." - -Here Mr Waldron was guilty of an injudicious action. He expressed -himself with extreme rashness in a moment of deep-seated indignation. - -"I assure you," said he, "that I will pay this twenty thousand dollars -without question and without delay. To be frank, I consider the value -of my freedom and my safety to be far greater than that. Twenty -thousand dollars is nothing to me." - -"I am glad to hear it," said Ling. "I may demand forty or even fifty -thousand. In the meantime, I must satisfy myself with what I can get." - -"Do I understand," said the judge, addressing himself to the Honanese, -"that you are not one of Cheong-Chau's band?" - -"Does the tiger serve the wolf?" said Ling. "I am neither his coolie -nor is he mine. Understand that I have taken possession of this junk, -that at the present moment every man on board is bound hand and foot, -with the exception of this boy. The crew, the ransom money, Cheong-Chau -and yourselves--all are at the mercy of the mighty Ling. I will tell -you plainly what I intend to do. - -"At any moment," he continued, "I expect the ransom money to arrive at -its destination. It is possible that Cheong-Chau may put in an -appearance. When he recovers his senses, he will probably behave like a -madman. If he puts his head into the tiger's jaws, the fault is -his--not mine. It would appear to be a simple matter for me to possess -myself of this money. I have but to wait here until it arrives, and -then, taking the treasure on board, to sail down-stream to the North -River, and thence to Canton. However, I have reason to suspect -treachery. I must therefore be careful to act with the greatest -circumspection." - -"Treachery from whom?" asked Frank. - -"From your friend, Yung How," said Ling, "the Hong-Kong 'boy.'" - -He got suddenly to his feet, and passing through the door into the cabin -beyond, set foot upon the lowest rung of the little companion-ladder -that led to the deck above. - -"I leave you for a few seconds," said he to Frank. "In my absence you -are not to attempt to unbind your friends. I propose to inconvenience -them a little longer." - -He mounted the ladder and returned soon afterwards, carrying the man -whom he had overpowered on the upper deck. This fellow he threw down -upon the ground alongside the others. He then returned to the inner -room. - -"I desire you to come with me," said he, still addressing Frank. "It is -not so much that I find your company indispensable, as that I am not -such a fool as to leave you on board. I propose to go to the tower, -from the top of which we shall be able to obtain a good view of the -surrounding country. So soon as the money arrives we will return to the -junk. You will assist me in hoisting the sail and navigating the ship -down-stream after we have taken our cargo on board. I know of a village -on the North River where I shall find friends who will assist me--good -seamen, who know their work. These will sign on as my crew, and -Cheong-Chau's men can be packed off ashore. We shall sail to an island -that lies not far from Macao. There I shall keep you and your two -friends in comfort and in safety--if not in luxury--until I obtain a -second ransom. This gentleman," he added, indicating Mr Waldron, "has -been so obliging as to inform me that he can well afford to pay fifty -thousand dollars. Very well, he shall do so. The matter can be -arranged." - -He then told Frank to ascend the companion-ladder, he himself following, -the ladder creaking violently beneath his weight. - -Upon the deck they were able to observe the first signs of daybreak upon -the horizon to the east. The old moon was setting; one by one, the -stars were disappearing in the sky. The river at that hour looked -ghostly. A thin white mist was drifting down the valley. - -Ling, walking to the stern part of the ship, found a small boat, a kind -of dinghy. This he lowered into the water; and then he and Frank -climbed down by means of a rope. It required but a few strokes of the -oar, wielded by Ling's powerful arms, to drive the boat into the bank, -where he hid it among the rushes. A moment after they set off walking -rapidly in the direction of the tower and the Glade of Children's Tears. - -By that time the first rays of the sun had flooded the valley with a -stream of golden light. Frank observed that a great many of the trees -were covered with bloom, and that the surrounding country was rich in -colour, the slopes across the river being scarlet with the bloom of the -opium poppy. - -Ling came to a halt before a carved door at the base of the tower. -Opening this, he entered, followed by the boy, and found himself in a -small circular room. Owing to the semi-darkness of the place, Frank -could not at first take in his surroundings, but as soon as his eyes -grew accustomed to the light, he was able to make out a narrow spiral -staircase, built into the wall itself, which must have been at least -five feet thick. - -By means of this they ascended to the top of the tower, where they found -themselves upon a narrow, projecting balcony, encircling a little room -that reminded Frank of a summer-house. From this position they were -able to look down upon the whole valley, which extended to the east as -far as the eye could reach, but which to the left vanished at a distance -of about a mile behind a great fold in the hills. - -"We wait here," said Ling. "At any moment the treasure may arrive. If -you take my advice you will go inside and snatch a few hours' sleep. -There are strenuous days in front of you. You will have to work for -your living. But I will reward you. I am a kind master, as those know -well who serve me to the best of their ability." - -Frank, thinking that he might as well follow this suggestion, entered -the small circular chamber, and there lay down upon the floor, using his -rolled coat as a pillow. Almost immediately he fell asleep, and must -have slept for several hours, for, when Ling awakened him, he noticed -that the sun had passed its meridian, and was already sinking towards -the west. - -The boy was exceedingly hungry, and accepted with eagerness the offer of -a large piece of rice-cake which Ling produced from his pocket. Hardly -had he taken a mouthful when he remembered his uncle and Mr Waldron. - -"Your prisoners!" he exclaimed. "They will be starving!" - -The Chinaman shook his head. - -"Not so," said he, "whilst you were asleep, I returned to the junk and -attended to their wants. I gave them food to eat and water to drink. -Besides, I was anxious to see that all was well." - -"Supposing they are found," said Frank, after a pause, "by some junk -passing up or down the river? There is plenty of traffic upon the Sang -River, as you know, this part of the country being thickly populated." - -"They will not be found," said the Chinaman. "There is no reason why -anything of the sort should happen. They have no means of communicating -with anyone passing upon the river. And there is nothing extraordinary -in the spectacle of a junk lying anchored clear of the mid-stream -fairway. You yourself often must have seen upon the Chinese rivers -thousands of such boats with not a soul visible on board. In all such -cases the crew has either gone ashore to drink _samshu_ or to smoke -opium, or else they lie asleep below. I am anxious about -nothing--except, perhaps, Yung How," he added, in an altered voice. - -"And the money has not come?" asked Frank. - -"It is coming," said Ling. "That is why I awakened you." - -"It is coming now!" The boy sprang to his feet. - -Ling pointed to the west, in the direction of the river. There, sure -enough, about half-a-mile down-stream, was a small white launch, similar -to those which may be seen by the score in Hong-Kong harbour, heading -straight for the southern bank, for the Glade of Children's Tears. - -Like a great vulture in the heavens that soars higher and higher in a -series of concentric circles, Ling from the top of the tower looked down -upon his prey. After the manner of a vulture, he did but bide his time. - -The launch ran into a narrow creek, and for a moment was hidden from -view by the trees of the little wood. Shortly after, it appeared again, -and both Frank and Ling watched the Chinese sailors tie her up to a -stunted tree that overhung the water. On board were three Europeans, -dressed in white ducks and wearing sun-helmets. The launch was too far -away for Frank to recognise these men. - -And then they witnessed a sight that made the dark eyes of the great -Honanese glitter with triumph and greed; his wide mouth expanded in a -smile. A plank was thrown from the launch to the shore. Across this -gangway bag after bag was carried, each one so heavy with silver that it -required two men to lift it. - -At last the task was ended. The Europeans, who had superintended the -discharging of this precious cargo, returned to the launch, which -presently turned slowly round and made off down-stream. In the red -light of the setting sun, on the surface of the water, they could see -the convergent lines of ripples spreading from the bows of the launch. - -Ling laughed. - -"Come!" he cried, seizing Frank by a wrist and dragging him out into the -open. "The ripe harvest awaits the reaper; the honey-comb is full. -Come, come, my little junk rat, let us hasten to the feast. Wisdom and -prudence are always triumphant. The victory is ever to the strong." - -As the words left his lips, there came from the direction of the glade -the report of a revolver, and a bullet, speeding upon its way with a -soft, shrill whistle, cut off the lobe of one of the great Chinaman's -ears. On the instant Ling fell flat upon his face, and Frank was not -slow to follow his example. - - - - -CHAPTER XXIV--HOW THE TIGER VANISHED IN THIN AIR - - -They had thrown themselves down upon the ground in a place where the -grass was long enough to screen them from view. The light was fading -rapidly. It would soon be quite dark. A heavy mist was gathering in -the valley. - -Frank looked at his companion. He could see blood flowing profusely -down the man's neck. For all that, the expression upon Ling's face did -not suggest that he suffered pain. He was grinning. - -He held in his hand the loaded revolver he had taken from Yung How in Ah -Wu's opium den. It was manifest that every sense was alert. Screwing -his eyes, he endeavoured to pierce the gloom of the thickets immediately -in front of them. - -Nothing was to be seen. No sound disturbed the silence of the evening. -Slowly and stealthily Ling began to move forward through the long grass, -after the manner of a snake, never for a moment lifting his chin more -than a few inches from the ground. - -Frank followed him. There was no reason why the boy should have done -so, and without doubt he had been wiser had he remained behind in -safety. But he was consumed by an overmastering desire to see the -matter out, to follow to the bitter end the fortunes of the mighty Ling. - -He followed in the man's wake, Ling in his progress was making a kind of -pathway through the grass. Frank was careful not to show himself. He -realised that the exposure of any part of his body would, in all -probability, immediately be greeted by another shot from the glade. - -Ling was making for a great boulder that lay upon the outskirts of the -wood, about twenty yards from a place where the undergrowth was -exceedingly dense. He gained this without any mishap; and there, a -moment later, he was joined by Frank. - -"You have followed me?" he asked, in a whisper. - -The boy nodded his head, not venturing to speak. - -"Then you have done so at your own risk. I am not responsible for your -life." - -Very cautiously, Ling peered round the boulder behind which they lay in -hiding. Almost at once, a single shot from a revolver was fired from -the thickets immediately before them. - -Ling did not draw back, nor did he flinch. On the contrary, he drew -himself forward until at least half his body was exposed to view. - -Then came another shot from the wood; Frank saw a bullet strike the -ground not three inches from the man's head. At that moment Ling -himself fired. Three revolver shots rang out in quick succession, and -then, with a roar like that of a charging tiger, the man rose to his -feet and plunged into the wood. - -Frank saw the flash of a long knife he carried in his left hand. In his -right he still held his revolver. He crashed into the undergrowth like -a wild bull, and the darkness swallowed him up. - -The boy waited an instant; then, as nothing happened, he rose to his -feet and followed after Ling. - -He was able to see very little of his surroundings. He found himself in -twilight. Trees arose on every side of him like gaunt spectres, twisted -and deformed. Dark shadows upon the ground seemed to be moving, -floating here and there like silent ghosts. - -Knowing not which way to go, for a few seconds the boy remained quite -motionless. Then suddenly there came a loud shout, in which Frank -recognised the voice of Ling. This shout was followed by an uproar, a -noise that bore no small resemblance to the crackling of green wood upon -a mighty fire. Branches were broken; dry sticks and twigs were trampled -under the feet of excited, hastening men. - -Frank, running forward, found himself, before he had gone thirty yards, -upon the skirting of the Glade of Children's Tears. Here there was more -light. The boy could see the great broken idols, overgrown with moss -and lichen, lying upon the ground; he could see the ruins of the ancient -temple and the great red stone beneath which the treasure had been -hidden. Then, on a sudden, he became conscious of the figure of a man -crouching behind a rock, not ten yards away. - -Though he was well in the shadow, there was sufficient light to enable -the boy to make quite sure that the man in front of him was not Ling. -One could not fail to identify the gigantic proportions of the Honanese; -and this was a thin, small man. Moreover, he did not wear the long robe -of the upper classes in China, but a short jacket, reaching not far -below the waist; and so far as Frank could make out, this coat was red. -Also, the man was bareheaded, whereas Ling had been wearing the buttoned -hat of a mandarin. - -Frank remained silent and motionless, scarcely daring to breathe. On -hands and knees the man moved a few paces forward, which brought him -into the light. The boy recognised at once the shrunken, evil features -of Cheong-Chau, the brigand chief. - -He could have been given no greater cause to regret the fact that he was -altogether unarmed. In this conflict, the sympathies of the boy were -wholly on the side of Ling. That Cheong-Chau was more evil than Ling -was not to be doubted, since the brigand was never to be trusted. Ling, -on the other hand--so far as Frank's experience went--was not likely to -go back upon his word. He was pitiless and wholly unscrupulous; but at -the same time, he had in his own way certain estimable virtues. The boy -considered that the worst calamity that could, at this juncture, -possibly befall him and his friends was for Cheong-Chau to regain -possession of his hostages. If the brigand overpowered Ling, he would -possess himself of the ransom money, he would recapture his own junk, -setting free the crew which Ling had bound hand and foot; and then, it -was more than probable, he would seek satisfaction in the murder of his -victims. - -Frank therefore was eager to render all the assistance he could to Ling. -But since he had upon him neither fire-arms nor weapons of any sort, he -could do nothing but lie still and await the tide of events. Cheong-Chau -continued to move forward on hands and knees. He turned his head -rapidly first one way and then another. The boy was well able to see -that the brigand was armed to the same extent as Ling; in other words, -he carried in one hand a revolver of European manufacture, and between -his teeth a long Chinese knife. - -It was plain that the man was searching in all directions for his -adversary. He was still not many yards away from Frank. On a sudden, -he lay quite still, seeming to flatten himself into nothing, just as a -cat does when it lies in ambush. He had evidently seen something. - -Frank, straining his eyes, observed another man, visible as a mere -shadow, moving slowly and silently amidst the undergrowth on the other -side of the glade. This man was steadily approaching. Cheong-Chau did -not stir. - -When the two men were not fifteen paces away from each other, -Cheong-Chau raised his revolver, and was evidently about to fire, when -suddenly he brought it down again. - -"Tong!" said he, in a loud whisper. - -"Is that you, Cheong-Chau?" came back the answer. - -"It is myself. And have you seen aught of the tiger?" - -By then the two men were together lying side by side behind a fragment -of the ruined temple wall. They were so close to Frank that, though -they spoke to one another in whispers, it was easy for him to hear every -word that they said. - -"I thought you were he," said the man who had answered to the name of -Tong. - -"And I too," said Cheong-Chau. "I was about to fire when I saw that you -were too small to be Ling." - -"That is fortunate," said the other, "fortunate--for me." - -"And where is Chin Yen?" asked the brigand chief. - -"He is close behind me," said the man. "He is here." - -Indeed, at that moment they were joined by a third man, who crept -forward from out of the midst of the shadows. The night was descending -rapidly; it was already almost dark. Frank, however, had no doubt as to -the identity of these two men. He remembered very well hearing their -names when he was in the opium den of Ah Wu. Chin Yen was the man who -had fallen down upon his knees beside an opium couch, holding his head -between his hands. Tong was the unfortunate individual who had been -struck down with the paraffin lamp. It was subsequently discovered that -the third man never recovered from his injuries. - -"Well, Chin Yen," said Cheong-Chau, "where is the tiger? Have you seen -nothing of him?" - -"Nothing at all," came the answer. "Three minutes ago I saw him -standing on the edge of the glade. I was about to fire, when suddenly -he disappeared. I think he fell upon his face." - -"He is somewhere here," said Cheong-Chau. "He is too big to hide -himself. We shall find him sooner or later. He cannot have been -spirited away." - -Tong shivered--or rather there was a tremor in his voice. - -"I don't like this business," said he. "Presently, without a moment's -warning, the tiger will spring upon us from out of the darkness. And -then, woe betide him into whom he digs his claws." - -"You are a coward," said Cheong-Chau. "We are three to one, and we are -all armed with revolvers. What is there to fear, if we keep together? -Ling's strength will avail him nothing." - -"That is true," said Chin Yen. - -All the same the tone of his voice carried not the least conviction. He -was obviously just as frightened of his opponent as his comrade. -Cheong-Chau himself was the most courageous of the three. - -"Obey my orders," said he, "and remain at my side. We will search the -place thoroughly. He lies somewhere in hiding. Keep as close to the -ground as possible. He will fire the moment he sees us." - -"He may have escaped," said Tong. - -"He has done nothing of the kind," said Cheong-Chau. "For two reasons: -first, we must have heard him; secondly, it is not the custom of Ling to -run away." - -"Let us go first to the junk," said Chin Yen. "We shall then be ten to -one." - -"Fool!" exclaimed Cheong-Chau. "We should never get there. Ling would -shoot us in the open. Come, we do but waste time talking. The glade -must be searched." - -As he said the words, he began to move forward, straight toward the -place where Frank was hiding. - -The boy's heart was in his mouth. He could scarcely hope that he would -not be discovered. He could not make his escape without being seen nor -was he in a position to offer resistance. And if he was discovered, he -had every reason to believe that Cheong-Chau would kill him. - -These were the thoughts that passed rapidly through his mind. He lay -motionless, fearing to breathe, his eyes fixed upon the crouched, -gliding forms of Cheong-Chau and his companions. And then the boy was -discovered. The man called Tong caught sight of him and raised his -revolver to fire. At the moment Tong pressed the trigger, Frank struck -the weapon upward, so that the bullet flew wide through the branches of -the trees. - -Knowing that he would be shot if he remained at arm's-length or -attempted to run away, the boy closed at once with his adversary. -Flinging himself into Tong's arms, he endeavoured to seize the man by -the throat; but almost immediately he was overpowered by the three of -them, and found himself pinned to the ground and once again a prisoner. - -Chin Yen peered into the boy's face. - -"This is not Ling!" he exclaimed. - -Cheong-Chau came out with a brutal oath. - -"No," said he. "This is not the tiger; it is the foreign devil who has -twice slipped through my fingers." - -Frank Armitage closed his eyes and caught his lower lip between his -teeth. - - - - -CHAPTER XXV--AND HOW CHEONG-CHAU VANISHED ALTOGETHER - - -There is little doubt that Cheong-Chau would have killed the boy then -and there had he not been alive to the fact that he himself stood in -immediate danger of a sudden onslaught from Ling, who lay in hiding -somewhere amidst the shadows of the wood. - -It was now almost dark. It was scarce possible to see across the glade. -Cheong-Chau turned to Tong--the man who had endeavoured to kill the boy. - -"You were a fool to fire," said he. "How so?" - -"You have betrayed our whereabouts to the tiger. He cannot be far -away." - -"Let us keep together," whispered Chin Yen. "It will be as much as the -three of us can do to overpower him." - -It was quite plain to Frank that the three brigands stood in mortal fear -of the mighty Honanese. They had not forgotten their experience in the -opium den, when Ling had accounted for four of them in less than a -minute. They knew their opponent, and they were well aware that he was -the last man in the world to beat a hasty retreat. Indeed, Ling had -deliberately attacked them, charging blindly like an infuriated beast -into the darkness of the wood. - -For the time being they could give little attention to the boy. They -remained for a few minutes perfectly still, holding their revolvers in -their hands, keeping a sharp look-out in all directions. - -And then the mighty Ling descended into their very midst. Small wonder -that they had not discovered him, for the man had climbed up a tree, and -had for the last four or five minutes been seated upon a branch, -immediately above their heads, listening to every word that was said. -They had looked to the right and to the left; their sharp eyes had -pierced the dark shadows beneath the underwoods and the crumbled ruins -of the ancient temple; but never for a moment had any one of them -dreamed of looking upward. - -Like a thunderbolt, Ling descended to the ground. His great weight fell -upon Chin Yen. The man let out a loud cry, prompted by acute and sudden -pain. Then he lay upon the ground, groaning and writhing with a broken -arm. - -Ling himself staggered, and with difficulty maintained his balance. -Indeed, he only succeeded in doing so by laying hands upon the terrified -Tong. - -The man had no time to fire. He was snatched from off the ground. He -endeavoured to struggle, but his efforts were hopeless. His revolver -was wrenched from his hand and thrown far across the glade. Then he -himself was hurled after it, thrown away like a half-filled sack. In -his descent his head struck the side of one of the fallen images, and he -lay upon the ground, motionless and stunned. - -[Illustration: "HE HIMSELF WAS HURLED AFTER IT."] - -In the meantime, Cheong-Chau had made the most of the only chance he was -ever likely to have. He had fired at Ling at almost point-blank range. -Frank, who still lay upon the ground, heard a loud groan issue from the -lips of Ling, and a moment after he was just able to perceive the dark -blood flowing slowly from the man's side and staining his long silken -robe. - -Cheong-Chau, thinking that he had done his work, turned with the -intention of seeking safety in flight. He was caught by the pigtail, -and jerked backward, as a boy might flick a top. A moment after he -found himself held by the great hands of Ling, gripped by both forearms, -so that he felt as if he were wedged in a mighty vice. - -Fear took strong hold upon him. He knew, no doubt, that his last hour -had come. He shrieked in pain and in terror, calling upon his followers -to hasten to his help. But Tong lay senseless, and Chin Yen had already -gathered himself together and taken to his heels like one possessed. - -Let it be said for Cheong-Chau that he made no plea for mercy. On the -contrary, he reviled his adversary, making use of a string of Chinese -oaths to which the boy was a stranger. And then he kicked, his legs -being the only part of him which was free. The more violently he kicked -and struggled, the greater became the pressure upon his arms; until at -last he was obliged to desist, lest his very bones should be broken. -Suddenly he became limp from exhaustion and despair. - -"Have you done?" asked Ling. His voice was deep and very low, and there -was in it something of a tremor that made it plain to Frank that the man -suffered considerable pain. - -Cheong-Chau made no answer. - -"Listen," said Ling. "Last night, had I wished, I might have killed -you. I did not do so. The more fool I! And now, you have shot me. I -am wounded, perhaps mortally--I cannot say." - -"We are old enemies," said Cheong-Chau. - -Ling laughed. In his laugh there was something of his old boisterous -manner; but at the same time, it was manifest from his voice that he was -already weak from loss of blood. - -"The wolf," said he, "was never an enemy of the tiger, nor can the rat -be the foe of the dog. You, Cheong-Chau, are vermin. I would lose all -pride in myself, in my strength and dignity, if I killed you otherwise -than with my hands." - -A shudder ran through the thin frame of the brigand chief. He had lived -a life of crime; he had sinned, time and again, against the gods and his -fellow-men, but he was no coward; he had always known that, sooner or -later, he must die a violent death. - -He had thought that fate would bring him to the dreadful Potter's Yard, -the public and official place of execution in the city of Canton. The -inevitable conclusion of the West River pirate is the block. So -Cheong-Chau was prepared to die. - -"You will not torture me?" he asked. - -"I would," said Ling, "if I meted out to you the fate you have more than -once prepared for others. But I am no such fiend. Moreover, I have no -time to spare. I go down-stream to-night on your own junk, with the -ransom money that you thought was yours. I go where tide and current -take me--perhaps to live for the remainder of my days upon the fatness -of the earth; perhaps to find my way amidst the stars in search of the -Unknowable." - -"What do you mean?" asked the other. - -"I mean that--for all I know--the sands of life are running out. The -blood issues from my wound. It may be that the breath of life goes with -it. And now, you die, by what strength remains in me." - -Frank Armitage was not able to see how it was done--indeed, he turned -away, and covered his eyes with a hand. It seems that Cheong-Chau was -taken by the throat and that either he was strangled or his neck was -broken. At any rate, it was all done in silence. The lifeless body of -the man was allowed to fall to the ground, and then Ling turned to the -boy. - -"Are you safe?" he asked. - -Frank rose to his feet, but did not answer. Ling placed a hand upon his -shoulder. The boy felt that he was called upon to sustain much of the -man's great weight. - -"You must help me," said Ling. "I am hurt badly. You must help -me--back to the junk." - -Together they left the wood and came out into the starlight. The moon -was already risen. It was crescent-shaped and very thin. Ling was -breathing heavily. - -"In two days," said he, "it will be a new moon, but I do not think I -shall behold it. There is something to be said for the creed of the -Mohammedans, who hold the belief that the lives of us all, down to the -most insignificant details, are written in an unalterable Book of Fate. -I wonder," said he. "I wonder." - -They walked slowly upon the river bank, Ling still leaning upon his -young companion. Presently they came to the boat, which they had hidden -amongst the rushes. Ling seated himself in the bows, and as he did so -he groaned again. Frank, placing himself in the stern, took hold of the -little oar. - -"Come," said Ling, "row me to the junk." - - - - -CHAPTER XXVI--OF GREED OF GOLD - - -When they reached the junk, Ling was not able to ascend by means of the -rope up which he had swarmed so easily before. Frank went on deck, and -finding a rope ladder, lowered it over the side of the ship. - -By means of this Ling climbed to the deck, whence he descended to the -cabin below, where the paraffin lamp was still burning brightly. - -He asked Frank to procure for him a bucket of river water; and whilst -the boy was absent, the man took off his coat and the thin under-vest -that he wore. The bullet had passed under his ribs, on the left side of -his body. The wound, which was still bleeding profusely, was a great, -ugly rent. When Frank returned with water he was at once shocked and -astonished to observe the expression upon the man's face. - -His features were pinched and drawn and haggard. The agony he suffered -had caused deep lines to appear upon his forehead and about his mouth, -and his eyes seemed to have sunk into his head. Beyond doubt, any other -man would have fainted; but Ling was possessed of something of the -vitality of a cat. He was able to speak with difficulty, yet his mind -was perfectly clear. Assisted by the boy, he washed and dressed his -wound. - -He had evidently small regard for antiseptics, for in place of lint and -iodoform, he utilised ordinary ship's tow, which he held in place by -means of a silk sash tied tightly round his waist. Then he ordered -Frank to search the ship for opium. - -The boy found a bowl of the treacle-like substance upon a table in the -cabin. This he brought to Ling, together with an opium pipe and a -spirit-lamp. - -The man smiled, at the same time thanking the boy for his kindness. - -"I am too far gone to smoke," said he. "I desire to be released from -pain." - -At that, he dipped his hand into the bowl and proceeded to eat the -contents. The boy stood by, amazed. He knew enough of the potency of -the drug to believe that Ling had swallowed enough to kill himself. He -knew nothing, however, of the man's capacity for consuming poisonous -doses of morphine. - -In a few minutes the drug began to work. His eyes, which had become -dull, grew brighter; the wrinkles slowly vanished from his face. When -he spoke, his voice was stronger. - -"You may think," said he to Frank, "that the tables are turned, that you -are now master of the situation. It may have occurred to you that you -have but to go into the other room to release your European friends, and -then it will be an easy thing to overpower a wounded man. I assure you, -that is not the case." - -"I had no such thought," said Frank. - -Ling smiled again, regarding the boy even kindly--if such an expression -may be used in regard to a man whose face was like that of a hawk. - -"You are my friend," said he. "I know not why I like you. I think, -because you are brave. I am not fool enough to believe for a moment -that you love me; but I am sure that you have always realised that I am -a just man, whereas Cheong-Chau was no better than a fiend. I would -have you to understand--lest I be forced to harm you--that, wounded as I -am, I am still master of this ship and master of you. My strength is -going rapidly from me, as the tide goes down upon the margin of the sea, -or as the sun sets when the day draws to its close. But I can still -shoot, and if you play me false I shall kill you. Whilst the breath of -life is within me, you will be wise to obey my orders." - -He got to his feet, and walking more briskly than before, ascended to -the upper deck, followed by Frank. There they hoisted the sail, and -going to the forepart of the ship, hauled up the anchor. A minute -later, the junk was sailing slowly down the river in the starlight, Ling -holding the tiller. - -With a skill that proved that he had spent a portion of his life upon -the sea, he steered the junk into the narrow creek which had been -entered by the launch. There Ling, assisted by Frank, lowered a -gangway, conducting from the deck to the shore. The sail had been -hauled down and the ship secured by hawsers made fast to the trunks of -trees that grew upon the edge of the water. - -Frank Armitage is never likely to forget that tragic night, its grim -work and pitiful conclusion. He was led by Ling to the Glade of -Children's Tears--so named, perhaps, because, in a barbarous age, the -murdered infants had been buried there, and the temple erected so that -men might pray to the heathen gods of China for those young souls who -had passed so soon into the Celestial Kingdom. - -The faint, cold light of the dying moon here and there pierced the -branches of the trees, so that it was possible to distinguish the old -moss-clad ruins, the great fallen images, and the lifeless body of the -man whose very name had once spread terror from the Nan-ling Mountains -to the sea. There was no sign of Tong; the man had evidently recovered -consciousness and taken to his heels. - -Frank stood by, a mute and wondering spectator of the fruitless efforts -of the wounded giant. The air was heavy with the scent of the blossom -which was on the trees; no sound disturbed the silence save the heavy -breathing of Ling, becoming shorter and shorter as he worked, and the -ceaseless washing of the water against the river bank. - -Ling walked to the centre of the glade. His gait was steady, though his -stride shorter than usual. He stood at his full height; and had he not -once or twice carried a hand to his left side, the boy might have -forgotten that the man suffered grievous pain and was weak from loss of -blood. - -He stood for a moment, thinking. It may have been that then he prayed -to the god he worshipped, the god of Confucius and Mencius and the sages -of all China: the Eternal Spirit of the Universe, the Incomprehensible -Wisdom of the world. - -Then he passed on to the great stone, which, not without difficulty, he -rolled from its place. That done, he descended into the vault below, -where he struck a match, lighting a candle he had brought with him from -the junk. - -Frank, looking down, beheld a subterranean chamber, about five yards by -six in area, and not more than six feet deep--for Ling's head and -shoulders protruded above the level of the ground. And in this vault -were sacks, to the number of twenty, each of which was filled with a -thousand Mexican dollars. - -Now a thousand silver dollars are no mean weight; and yet Ling unaided, -and in spite of his fast-failing strength, lifted the sacks one after -another and placed them upon the ground above. - -Then he himself came forth from the vault, and stood for a moment -holding his left side, with the pale moonlight full upon his face. It -was the face of death itself. - -The man's features were more drawn and haggard-looking even than before. -It may have been the moonlight that caused his countenance to appear -snow-white. He breathed like one who is spent from running; his great -chest heaved, and Frank perceived that his wound had opened again, and -the red blood was even then staining his clothes. Towards this man--of -whom, throughout all the adventures through which he had passed, he had -stood in the greatest dread--the boy now experienced feelings of -infinite commiseration. - -"Let me help you?" he asked. - -And Ling laughed aloud--a laugh that sounded forced and hollow, in which -there was more of irony than mirth. He pointed to one of the bags. - -"Lift that up," said he. - -Frank attempted to do so, but found that he had not the strength. - -"You must go back to the junk," said he. "I give you my word of honour -I will be true to you. I will attend to your wound. I will do all I -can to help you." - -"You do not know me," answered Ling. "I never give in. I go through -with that which I have begun. And besides, there is no time to lose. I -feel sure that Yung How has not wasted his time. If I delay I may be -captured." - -"If you do not rest," cried Frank, "you will kill yourself." - -Ling was silent a moment. Then he snapped his fingers. "And what does -that matter?" he asked. "What difference does it make to you--or, for -the matter of that, to me? Death is nothing. We are only put into the -world to die." - -At that he lifted one of the bags upon his shoulder, and set forward in -the direction of the place where the junk was moored. - - - - -CHAPTER XXVII--HOW LING DRIFTED TO THE STARS - - -Ling staggered under the weight of his burden. For all that, he gained -the junk, where he threw the sack into an open hatchway in the forepart -of the ship. - -He then returned to the glade, and by a great effort lifted a second -sack upon his shoulder. In all, he made the journey twenty times; and -on each occasion his gait was more unsteady, his breathing shorter and -faster. It appeared to Frank, who watched him, that the man diminished -in stature; his shoulders became round--when he had once been so -upright--and he walked like an old man, with bent knees and hollowed -chest. - -He was not able to complete his final journey without a rest. Half-way -between the glade and the junk, he threw down the last sack upon the -ground, and seating himself upon it, placed his head between his hands -and came out with a great sob that was pitiful to hear. He needed his -last ounce of strength to steady himself to walk the narrow gangway. No -sooner had he reached the deck of the junk than the sack fell from his -hands, and he himself collapsed. His knees gave way from under him, and -he lay for several minutes quite motionless, curled up like a great dog -that sleeps. - -Frank, thinking that the man was unconscious, knew not what to do. He -began to search for a tin can or pannikin of some sort in which to give -him water, but he had failed to find anything suitable for such a -purpose when Ling struggled to an elbow. - -"Come here," said he. "I would speak to you." - -His voice was so low as to be scarcely audible. Frank hastened to his -side and, kneeling down, placed an ear close to his mouth. - -The boy had no fear now of the mighty Ling. Indeed, it would have been -mere foolishness to fear one so stricken, in so sorry a plight. Ling -was no longer an incarnate monster, a blustering, boisterous bully. The -tiger was caught, choked and enfolded in the meshes of a net. And yet, -he still struggled for life--struggled to the last. - -He was a man who, during the last few hours, had been possessed by but -one idea, which had absorbed the whole of his mind and strength and -energy. Call it avarice, greed of gold, or the nobility of a supreme -endeavour, it is all the same--it means that there was something in him -of the earthly hero. It means that a power that is immortal had given -him strength to accomplish all that he desired, had given him courage to -live but a little longer. And now, with the plunder safely on board, -and the wide river of the valley extending to the open sea, he knew that -his days were numbered, his time on earth was short. - -"I would speak with you," he whispered. "I would tell you, you are my -friend. Go below and release the European prisoners, but keep -Cheong-Chau's men bound hand and foot. You cannot trust them. They are -all of a breed--of the same breed as their leader. In Canton--if you -wish it--you can hand them over to justice. Tell the prefect that they -were captured by the mighty Ling." - -In that thought he appeared to find some degree of satisfaction. He had -always been vain of his strength, his wisdom and his courage. - -He was silent a moment. Frank noticed that he smiled--a smile that was -terrible to see, because his face was so pinched and haggard. His -thoughts must have turned to things divine, for when he spoke again, it -was in the words of the Celestial Emperor's prayer. He had turned over -upon his back, and lay with his eyes wide open, looking up at the stars. - -"To Thee, O mysteriously working Maker, I look up in thought. How -imperial is Thy expansive arch! I, Thy child, dull and unenlightened, -come to Thee with gladness, as a swallow rejoicing in the spring, -praising Thine abundant love." - -All his vanity had left him now. The heart of the monster was that of a -little child. The violence of the life he had lived, the cruelty of his -deeds, departed from him as the life's blood flowed from his wound; and -the wisdom and the reverence he had learned on earth rose superior to -earthly joys. He closed his eyes, and lay for a long time, breathing -more easily, as if asleep. - -Frank got to his feet and, descending into the cabin below, cut the -bonds that bound Mr Waldron and his uncle. In as few words as possible, -the boy explained exactly what had happened; and then all three went on -deck, to the place where Ling was lying at the foot of the mast. - -As they approached, he endeavoured to lift his head, but it fell back -again, as if he had lost control of the muscles of his neck. - -"Can you sail the junk?" he asked, speaking for the first time in -English. - -"I think so," said Frank. "In any case, if we can but get her out into -mid-stream, she will drift upon the current." - -"That is what I would wish," said Ling. "Let me drift into the other -world. Forty years since, I was born upon the turbulent waters of the -Hoang-Ho. Let me breathe my last upon the tranquil Pe-kiang. One is -inclined to believe," he continued, "that destiny is expressed in -symbols. The Hoang-Ho is the most boisterous, violent and unmanageable -river in all the thirteen provinces of this celestial land. And my life -has been such, in very truth. I have lived by violence, and now I die a -death by violence. But--I know not why--I die calmly, in peace with all -men and my Maker. I think that, perhaps, the bad that was within me has -gone out of me with the brute strength that was mine, and the good that -was within me has taken possession of my soul, to conduct me to the -expansive arch of heaven. And now, that I may rest in peace, bring me a -pillow for my head. You cannot move me--I am too heavy. Besides, I -desire to remain here, to regard the stars." - -Searching the junk, they found several cushions, and these they disposed -so that the man could lie in greater ease. And Mr Waldron, who--as a -man who had lived much of his life in the wilds--had some little -experience in surgery and medicine, attended to Ling's wound, washing -away the blood and folding another and a cleaner bandage. - -And then they loosed the junk from her moorings, and with difficulty at -last succeeded in getting the ship clear of the creek. She at once -swung round with the current. And when they lowered what little canvas -she carried, the ship drifted down the river, with Sir Thomas Armitage -at the tiller. - -On this account progress was very slow, and they had not progressed many -miles when the red dawn began to appear in the east. They passed -villages upon both banks of the river, surrounded by flooded ricefields, -purple in the dawn. As the light grew, they were able to perceive -distant wooded hills, with ancient temples and pagodas built upon their -slopes. - -They had taken turn and turn about at the work of steering, relieving -one another every half-hour, so that there were always two of them in -attendance upon Ling. He did not speak again until the sun had risen, -when he complained that the light was trying to his eyes. - -As he had said, he was far too heavy to be moved. They constructed an -awning above him, a small sail tied to the mast. He thanked them with -Chinese courtesy, and then closed his eyes again, as if he desired to -sleep. - -A little after, they rounded a bend of the river, and found that they -had gained the Pe-kiang, or North River, which joins the West River a -little above Canton. And there, lying in mid-stream, like a watch-dog -at the mouth of its kennel, was a British gunboat, her paint glistening -in the sun, the great muzzle of a 4.5 gun directed at the bows of the -junk. They could see the gunners, each man in his place, standing ready -to fire. - -The junk drifted nearer and nearer to the man-of-war. They could see -the commander on the bridge. He shouted to them through a megaphone, -ordering them to heave to and drop their anchors, or else he would open -fire. When he saw that there were Europeans on board, however, who were -free to do what they liked, and that the only Chinaman visible was a man -stretched at full length upon the deck beneath an awning, he threw back -his head with an exclamation of surprise. - -At the commander's side upon the bridge stood a long-coated Chinaman; -and as the junk drew alongside, Sir Thomas and his nephew recognised -their old servant, Yung How. - -A moment later, the lieutenant-commander was on board the junk, -listening in astonishment to the extraordinary tale which Frank Armitage -had to tell. It was not easy to believe, but there was on board the -junk indisputable evidence that the boy spoke the truth. For there was -the sack of silver dollars upon the deck, where Ling had thrown it; -Cheong-Chau's seven men were below, bound hand and foot; and there was -the great Honanese himself, with the spark of life no more than -glimmering in that colossal frame. - -Whilst Frank was relating his story, Sir Thomas addressed himself to -Yung How, who stood upon the deck of the gunboat. The man explained -that he had done all in his power to atone for his treachery and -ingratitude. He had reached Hong-Kong--as we know--on the same boat as -the letters, but had not been able to pluck up sufficient moral courage -to present himself before the police authorities until after he had been -several hours on the island. The ransom had already been despatched, -when the Chief of Police presented himself before Sir John Macintosh, -the Governor. - -It would have been easy to telegraph to Canton, instructing those on -board the launch to wait for His Majesty's gunboat _Ferret_. It was -decided, however, to allow the ransom money to be taken over by the -brigands, who could afterwards be brought to book at the junction of the -Sang River with the Pekiang. It would not be possible for Cheong-Chau -to remove the treasure by any other means than by junk or _wupan_. Of -the operations of Ling and the undoing of Cheong-Chau and his band, the -Hong-Kong police authorities, of course, knew nothing. - -Yung How himself was ordered to accompany the ship's doctor, who -immediately hastened to the assistance of the dying man on board the -junk. When the servant found himself face to face with his master, he -immediately fell upon his knees, imploring Sir Thomas to be merciful. -The judge was not slow to forgive, realising that Yung How had at last -been made to realise the evils of the drug to which for so many years he -had been a slave, and the depths of degradation to which the opium -smoker can sink. - -Upon that fateful morning, however, beyond a few brief words of mutual -congratulation, little enough was said. The attention of all was taken -up by the prostrate figure of the notorious Canton robber, who for years -past had defied all authority and law. - -The naval surgeon declared that he could do nothing. The man was -already as good as dead. The surgeon's sole cause for wonderment was -that Ling still lived. - -The great Honanese remained insensible until the moment when -Cheong-Chau's brigands were brought on deck. Then, opening his eyes, he -looked at them, at first not appearing to remember who they were. Then, -very slowly, a smile spread upon his face. - -"They go the way of all men," said he; "to the Potter's Yard, if -evidence can be produced against them; at all events, to the wooden -cages that are to be found at the gates of the city. As for myself, I -go before a greater court of justice. And I am not afraid." - -He remained silent for a moment, and then, seeing Frank, he asked the -boy to come to him. - -"Had I not met you," said he, "that morning on the wharf at Sanshui, -perhaps I should not now be bidding farewell to all my earthly troubles. -Still, that is a matter of no importance. I would like to thank you, -because you have been true to me. It does not flatter me to think that -you preferred me to Cheong-Chau. You obeyed me in the first instance -through fear, and then because you saw that I was one upon whom you -could rely. Tell me, is that so?" - -"I think it is," said the boy, and then he added: "You are a strange man -indeed." - -"I believe I am," said Ling. "A singular mixture: evil and good, -brutality and kindness, strength and weakness." - -"I should not call you weak," said the boy. - -"Then you do not know me, after all. What was all my vanity and -boasting but weakness? What right has any man to boast? In the midst -of the universe he is smaller than the ant; his voice, beside the -thunder, is no more than the croaking of a frog. And now, bid me -farewell, for I am about to die, and would gladly do so, that the pain I -suffer may be ended." - -It was just as if the man passed into the other world of his own free -will. Slowly he closed his eyes; and then he breathed no more. The -features of his face relaxed; the hardness and the cruelty, the lines of -agony and crime, vanished from his features. The tiger was no more. And -let us believe what he himself believed: that the evil that was in him -remained upon this earth in that great casket of sinew, nerve and -muscle, destined to decay, and the good that was within him--all that -was noble and heroic, the great thoughts that he had had and the wisdom -he had acquired--was carried by his soul into what he himself had -described as "the expansive arch of heaven." - - - - THE RIVERSIDE PRESS LIMITED, EDINBURGH - - - - - ---- - - A Select List of Books for - Young People: Published by - Humphrey Milford, Oxford - University Press - - - Books for Boys - -"_Boys who read Mr. Strang's works have not merely the advantage of -perusing enthralling and wholesome tales, but they are also absorbing -sound and trustworthy information of the men and times about which they -are reading._"--DAILY TELEGRAPH. - - By HERBERT STRANG - -The Blue Raider - -Illustrated by C. E. BROCK. - -Phil Trentham, a young English trader, and his friend Hoole, an -American, are amongst the few survivors of a tramp steamer sunk by a -German raider in the Pacific. Together with Grinson, the boatswain, and -Meek, a seaman, they reach the coast of New Guinea, and find themselves -between the devil and the deep sea, in the shape of cannibal natives on -the one hand and the German raiders on the other. After running -imminent risk of being devoured, the party come to terms with the -natives, who have themselves suffered much at the hands of the Germans; -and they unite against the common foe. By a clever stratagem Trentham -wrecks the German raider and outwits the crew, who make an attack on his -party. The fat boatswain, Grinson, and the lean, melancholy Meek are -good examples of Mr. Herbert Strang's power of characterisation. - -The Long Trail - -Illustrated by H. EVISON. - -This is a story of African adventure that carries the reader on -breathlessly. Two English lads, who had gone to Africa prospecting for -tin, come into contact with the wild race of the Tubus, and unwittingly -cross the ambitions of their leader, Goruba. They are besieged, with -their carriers, in a tumble-down fort, have encounters with savage -beasts as well as savage men, and ultimately, getting the better of -Goruba, have their reward in the shape of a hoard of ivory which lay -concealed beneath the fort. - -A Gentleman-at-Arms - -A Story of Elizabethan Days. Eight plates in Colour by CYRUS CUNEO, and -thirty-eight line drawings by T. H. ROBINSON. - -This book is unique In literature for boys. It relates the adventurous -career of an Elizabethan gentleman, in a style carefully modelled on the -simple prose of the century which produced the Authorised Version of the -Bible. No previous writer for boys has ever attempted a similar -achievement. Apart from its romantic and exciting incidents, this story -has great value by reason of its historical and geographical -information, and its exceptional style. - -Sultan Jim - -Empire Builder. Coloured illustrations by CYRUS CUNEO. - -Asia and Australia have been the scene of Mr. Strang's most recent -romances of Empire. In this book he turns to Africa, where the -colonising activity of rival powers is raising problems of the greatest -interest and importance. The presence of a young Englishman in one of -the debatable lands at a time of upheaval and international rivalry -enables him to uphold the interests of the Empire against formidable -opposition. The story is brimful of adventure, and its moral is that of -patriotic self-sacrifice. - -"Father Christmas brings many good things in his train, but It Is -doubtful If he brings anything better in its own way than a new story by -Mr. Herbert Strang. The multitude of his youthful readers are likely to -find their most insatiable thirst for adventure satisfied by this new -volume."--_Bookman_. - -The Air Patrol - -A Story of the North-West Frontier. Illustrated in Colour by CYRUS -CUNEO. - -In this book Mr. Strang looks ahead--and other books have already proved -him a prophet of surprising skill--to a time when there is a great -Mongolian Empire whose army sweeps down on to the North-West Frontier of -India. His two heroes luckily have an aeroplane, and with the help of a -few Pathan miners they hold a pass in the Hindu Kush against a swarm of -Mongols, long enough to prevent the cutting of the communications of the -Indian army operating in Afghanistan. The qualities which marked Mr. -Strang's last long story, "The Air-Scout," and won extraordinarily high -commendation from Lord Roberts, Lord Curzon, and others, as well as from -the _Spectator_ and other great journals, are again strikingly -displayed; and the combination of thrilling adventure with an Imperial -problem and excellent writing, adds one more to this author's long list -of successes. - -"An exceptionally good book, written moreover In excellent -style."--_Times_. - -"The 'Air Patrol' is really a masterpiece."--_Morning Post_. - -The Air-Scout - -A Story of National Defence. Illustrated in Colour by W. R. S. STOTT. - -The problems of National Defence are being discussed with more and more -care and attention, not only in Great Britain, but also in all parts of -the Empire. In this story Mr. Strang imagines a Chinese descent upon -Australia, and carries his hero through a series of exciting adventures, -in which the value of national spirit, organisation, and discipline is -exemplified. The important part which the aeroplane will play in -warfare is recognised, and the thousands of readers who have delighted -in the author's previous stories of aviation will find this new book -after their own heart. - -LORD ROBERTS writes: "It is capital reading, and should interest more -than boys. Your forecast is so good that I can only hope the future may -not bring to Australia such a struggle as the one you so graphically -describe." - -LORD CURZON writes: "I have read with great pleasure your book, 'The -Air-Scout.' It seems to me to be a capital story, full of life and -movement: and further, it preaches the best of all secular gospels, -patriotism and co-operation." - -"We congratulate Me. Strang on this fine book--one of the best fighting -stories we have read."--_Morning Post_. - -Rob the Ranger - -A Story of the Fight for Canada. Illustrated in Colour by W. H. -MARGETSON, and three Maps. - -Rob Somers, son of an English settler in New York State, sets out with -Lone Pete, a trapper, in pursuit of an Indian raiding party which has -destroyed his home and carried off his younger brother. He is captured -and taken to Quebec, where he finds his brother, and escapes with him in -the dead of the winter, in company with a little band of New Englanders. -They are pursued over snow 'and ice, and in a log hut beside Lake -Champlain maintain a desperate struggle against a larger force of -French, Indians, and half-breeds, ultimately reaching Fort Edward in -safety. - -One of Clive's Heroes - -A Story of the Fight for India. Illustrated In Colour, and Maps. - -Desmond Burke goes out to India to seek his fortune, and is sold by a -false friend of his, one Marmaduke Diggle, to the famous Pirate of -Gheria. But he escapes, runs away with one of the Pirate's own vessels, -and meets Colonel Clive, whom he assists to capture the Pirate's -stronghold. His subsequent adventures on the other side of India--how -he saves a valuable cargo of his friend, Mr. Merriman, assists Clive in -his fights against Sirajuddaula, and rescues Mr. Merriman's wife and -daughter from the clutches of Diggle--are told with great spirit and -humour. - -"An absorbing story.... The narrative not only thrills, but also weaves -skilfully out of fact and fiction a clear impression of our fierce -struggle for India."--_Athenaeum_. - -Samba - -A Story of the Congo. Illustrated in Colour. - -The first work of fiction in which the cause of the hapless Congo native -is championed. - -"It was an excellent Idea on the part of Mr. Herbert Strang to write a -story about the treatment of the natives in the Congo Free State.... Mr. -Strang has a big following among English boys, and anything he chooses -to write is sure to receive their appreciative attention."--_Standard_, - -"Mr. Herbert Strang has written not a few admirable books for boys, but -none likely to make a more profound impression than his new story of -this year."--_Scotsman_. - -Barclay of the Guides - -A Story of the Indian Mutiny. Illustrated in Colour by CYRUS CUNEO. -With Maps. - -Of all our Native Indian regiments the Guides have probably the most -glorious traditions. They were among the few who remained true to their -salt during the trying days of the great Mutiny, vying in gallantry and -devotion with our best British regiments. The story tells how James -Barclay, after a strange career in Afghanistan, becomes associated with -this famous regiment, and though young in years, bears a man's part in -the great march to Delhi, the capture of the royal city, and the -suppression of the Mutiny. - -With Drake on the Spanish Main - -Illustrated in Colour by ARCHIBALD WEBB. With Maps. - -A rousing story of adventure by sea and land. The hero, Dennis -Hazelrig, is cast ashore on an island in the Spanish Main, the sole -survivor of a band of adventurers from Plymouth. He lives for some time -with no companion but a spider monkey, but by a series of remarkable -incidents he gathers about him a numerous band of escaped slaves and -prisoners, English, French and native; captures a Spanish fort; fights a -Spanish galleon; meets Francis Drake, and accompanies him in his famous -adventures on the Isthmus of Panama; and finally reaches England the -possessor of much treasure. The author has, as usual, devoted much -pains to characterisation, and every boy will delight in Amos Turnpenny, -Tom Copstone, and other bold men of Devon, and in Mirandola, the monkey. - -Palm Tree Island - -Illustrated in Colour by ARCHIBALD WEBB. - -In this story two boys are left on a volcanic island in the South Seas, -destitute of everything but their clothes. The story relates how they -provided themselves with food and shelter, with tools and weapons; how -they fought with wild dogs and sea monsters; and how, when they have -settled down to a comfortable life under the shadow of the volcano, -their peace is disturbed by the advent of savages and a crew of mutinous -Englishmen. The savages are driven away; the mutineers are subdued -through the boys' ingenuity; and they ultimately sail away in a vessel -of their own construction. In no other book has the author more -admirably blended amusement with instruction. - -"Written as well that there Is not a dull page in the book."--_The -World_. - -Herbert Strang's Romances of Modern Invention - -Each of the following stories is concerned with some particular -discovery of Modern Science, such as the aeroplane and the submarine, -which is made use of in the working out of the plot; and the heroes of -these adventures, who face dangers that were unknown in olden times, -cannot fail to make a strong appeal to boys of to-day. - -The Flying Boat - -Illustrated in Colour. - -The flying boat Is a logical development of the hydroplane. At a -sufficiently high speed, the hydroplane leaves the water and becomes a -hydro-aeroplane. The possession of such a machine gives the hero of the -story (the scene of which is laid in China) opportunities of highly -exciting adventures, and Incidentally the chance of rescuing an old chum -who has fallen into the hands of Chinese revolutionaries. - -"The book is alive with vigorous action from cover to cover, 'The Flying -Boat' is a rattling good story."--_Bookman_. - -The Motor Scout - -A Story of Adventure in South America. Illustrated in Colour by CYRUS -CUNEO. - -In the interest aroused by the solution of the problem of flying, the -motor bicycle has been entirely overlooked by story-writers. Happily -Mr. Herbert Strang has now thought of making it the pivot of a story, -the scene of which is one of the Latin States of South America. Mr. -Strang tells the story of an Irish boy who is living in this State just -at the time when one of the periodical revolutions breaks out. He is -forced to take sides, and with the help of his motor-cycle is able to -assist his friends, but not without running risks unknown to scouts -provided with less novel means of traversing the country. "A really -fine story, full of life, and one that any bay can enjoy."--_Outlook_. - -Round the World in Seven Days - -The Story of an Aeroplane. Illustrated in Colour by A. C. MICHAEL. - -"This is a book which any boy would revel in, and which people who are -no longer boys will read with equally breathless -interest."--_Educational News_. - -The Cruise of the Gyro-Car - -Illustrated in Colour by A. C. MICHAEL. - -(The Gyro-Car, which is a road vehicle or a boat at pleasure, is the -logical outcome of the gyroscope applied to the bicycle.) - -Swift and Sure - -The Story of a Hydroplane. Illustrated in Colour by J. FINNEMORE. - -"It is one of the most exciting of this season's works for boys, every -page containing a thrill, and no boy will leave it to a second sitting -if he can help it."--_Teacher_. - -King of the Air - -or, To Morocco on an Aeroplane. Illustrated in Colour by W. E. WEBSTER. - -"One of the best boys' stories we have ever read."--_Morning Leader_. - -"The best book of its kind now in existence."--_Manchester Guardian_. - -Lord of the Seas - -The Story of a Submarine. Illustrated in Colour by C. FLEMING WILLIAMS. - -"The excitement lasts from cover to cover."--_Manchester Courier_. - - By Captain G. B. McKEAN, V.C., M.C., M.M. - -Scouting Thrills - -Illustrated by JOHN DE WALTON. - -Captain G. B. McKean is a Canadian officer who served throughout the -war, first as a private, afterwards gaining a commission, and winning -successively the Military Medal, the V.C., and the Military Cross. In -his book he recounts some of his most thrilling experiences on the -Western Front, particularly the exploit by which he gained the V.C. -Captain McKean was Scout Officer in his battalion, and his chapters are -amongst the most vivid and thrilling accounts of the war yet -written--not the war of "big pushes," massed attacks, bayonet charges, -and the capture of miles of trenches, but of nights spent crawling about -in the mud of No-Man's-Land, of lonely vigils in shell-holes, bombing -raids, and unpleasant experiences "on the wire." - -GENERAL SIR ROBERT BADEN POWELL writes: "I have devoured it with great -relish.... It gives a life-like representation of the risks and thrills -of scouting and the 'real thing'; and as a moral lesson of chucking -everything aside to get your duty done, it is bound to have powerful -results." - - By HYLTON CLEAVER - -Brother o' Mine - -A School Story. Illustrated by H. M. BROCK. - -"Brother o' Mine" is a story of Harley, a great public school. Toby -Nicholson, an old Harleian, after making a shot at one or two possible -openings for a career, accepts the post of Games Master at his old -school. To his younger brother Terence the prospect of being at Harley -with Toby is one of unalloyed pleasure, and as he is pretty sure of his -First XI. colours next term, the world for him is rose-coloured. But -his anticipations are not altogether realised, for Slade, the Captain of -Cricket, having no particular liking for Terence to start with, feels -that the presence of Toby is a direct challenge to him to assert his -independence; and on the plea that he will not show favouritism to a boy -because his brother happens to be Games Master, he refuses to do him -simple justice and keeps him out of the XI. In the duel that ensues, -Slade makes several false moves that show him to be actuated by petty -spite rather than by any high motive of justice and fair-play; and his -own play proving anything but fair, his career at Harley comes to an -abrupt conclusion. Terence is a fine bat, and the force of public -opinion and his own worth secure him the coveted "last place" in the XI. - -The Harley First Eleven - -Illustrated by C. E. BROCK. - -"The Harley First Eleven" is a collection of Mr. Hylton Cleaver's best -short stories, all centring on the great public school Harley, and, -individually, dealing with the sports for which it is famous. Mr. -Cleaver's knowledge of public school-boy character is extensive and -profound; he has a ready fund of wit and humour at his call, and he can -describe a Rugger match in a way that makes the blood tingle with -excitement. Rugger was Harley's great game, though the school produced -many first-class cricketers; and the two games form the pivot of several -stories. Others are concerned with boxing, running and swimming; and we -are let into secrets regarding the giving or withholding of colours for -which the school at large saw no justification at the time. The book is -a history of battles fought and won on the playing-fields of Harley. - - By CLAUDE GRAHAME-WHITE AND HARRY HARPER - -Heroes of the Air - -Illustrated in Colour by CYRUS CUNEO. - -This book deals with the labours and exploits of those who have played -an important part in bringing about the conquest of the air. It not -only contains personal memoirs of the men themselves, but traces the -progress of aerial flight from the early gliders to the aeroplanes of -to-day. The story of the experiments of those who first essayed to -fly--the problems that long baffled them and the difficulties they -overcame--together with the accounts of the daring feats of modern -aviators, make a stirring narrative, and carry the history of heroism -and endurance a. stage further forward. - -"This will prove a great attraction to a multitude of readers who wish -to read of deeds of great daring and very narrow escapes."--_Nation_. - -With the Airmen - -Illustrated in Colour by CYRUS CUNEO. - -Mr. Grahame-White has not only repeatedly proved his skill and daring as -a pilot, but the well-known type of biplane bearing his name shows that -he is in the forefront of designers and constructors. With his -practical and technical knowledge is combined the somewhat rare ability -to impart his knowledge in a form acceptable to boys, as he has already -shown in his "Heroes of the Air." This time he has written a vade mecum -for the young aeroplanist, who is conducted to the aerodrome and -initiated Into all the mysteries of flying. The structure of the -aeroplane, the uses of the different parts, the propulsive mechanism, -the steering apparatus, the work at a flying school, the causes of -accidents, and the future of the aeroplane are all dealt with. - -"It is surely one of the most entertaining books on a technical subject -that have ever appeared, as well as one of the most instructive and -comprehensive."--_Nation_. - - By CAPTAIN CHARLES GILSON - -On Secret Service. Illustrated by JOHN DE WALTON. - -Captain Gilson's new book carries us back to the early days of the war, -when the hidden menace of spies in our midst was scarcely less -formidable than the obvious menace from the enemy without. Daniel -Wansborough, a retired Scotland Yard detective, takes up active service -again in the hour of his country's need, and becomes aware of a -well-organised system of espionage at work, with its headquarters in -London; but for a time he cannot discover whose is the brain directing -the organisation. His nephew, George, a lad of sixteen, is instrumental -in obtaining this information. George falls into the hands of the -arch-spy, and is kept a prisoner in London. Here he learns the details -of an ingenious plan whereby the chief Government offices in Whitehall -are to be destroyed by Zeppelins. The detective, in trying to unravel -the mystery of his nephew's disappearance, finds the threads mingling -with those of the spy-plot, and when at length he locates the house in -which the boy is shut up, he finds himself with his hand upon the very -nerve-centre of the German Secret Service organisation. George is able -to supply the missing links in the chain of evidence, and the scheme for -the destruction of Whitehall if frustrated at the eleventh hour. - -The Spy - -A Story of the Peninsular War. Illustrated in Colour by CYRUS CUNEO. - -To the work of story-writing Captain Gilson brings a remarkable -combination of talents: an unrivalled knowledge of military history, an -imagination that never flags, a dramatic literary style, and a keen -sense of humour. These qualities are seen to perfection in "The Spy." -The hero, Sir Jeffery Jones, Bart, when a boy of sixteen, secures a -commission in a famous foot regiment, then under orders to sail for -Portugal under the command of Sir Arthur Wellesley. His first encounter -with the enemy takes place before he is fifty miles from home, for on -the road to London he pursues and comes near to capturing a spy in the -pay of Bonaparte. Several times subsequently the paths of the two -cross, and eventually Sir Jeffery is the means of thwarting the -Frenchman's schemes. He takes part in much of the fighting in the -Peninsula, and, at the storming of Badajoz and elsewhere, renders his -country good service. - -"Every boy who loves tales of war and perilous enterprise--and what boy -does not!--will read 'The Spy' with unqualified enjoyment."--_Bookman_. - -The Lost Empire - -A Tale of Many Lands. Illustrated in Colour by CYRUS CUNEO. With Map. - -This is the story of a middy who was taken prisoner by the French at the -time of the Revolution. While in Paris he obtained possession of -Napoleon's plans for the capture of India, and, after many adventures, -was the means of frustrating that ambitious scheme. - -The Lost Column - -A Story of the Boxer Rebellion. Illustrated in Colour by CYRUS CUNEO. - -At the outbreak of the great Boxer Rebellion in China, Gerald Wood, the -hero of this story, was living with his mother and brother at Milton -Towers, just outside Tientsin. When the storm broke and Tientsin was -cut off from the rest of the world, the occupants of Milton Towers made -a gallant defence, but were compelled by force of numbers to retire into -the town. Then Gerald determined to go in quest of the relief column -under Admiral Seymour. He carried his life in his hands, and on more -than one occasion came within an ace of losing it; but he managed to -reach his goal in safety, and was warmly commended by the Admiral on his -achievement. - -The Pirate Aeroplane - -Illustrated in Colour by C. CLARK, R.I. - -The heroes of this story, during a tour In an entirely unknown region of -Africa, light upon a race of people directly descended from the Ancient -Egyptians. This race--the Asmalians---has lived isolated from other -communities. The scientific importance of this discovery is apparent to -the travellers, and they are enthusiastic to know more of these strange -people; but suddenly they find themselves in the midst of exciting -adventures owing to the appearance of a pirate aeroplane--of a -thoroughly up-to-date model--whose owner has learnt of a vast store of -gold in the Asmalians' city. They throw in their lot with the people, -and are able in the end to frustrate the plans of the freebooter. - -"The story is a riot of adventure. There is the groundwork of a -complete new novel on every page."--_Manchester Guardian_. - -The Lost Island - -Illustrated in Colour by CYRUS CUNEO. - -A rousing story of adventure in the little-explored regions of Central -Asia and in the South Seas. The prologue describes how Thomas Gaythorne -obtained access to a Lama monastery, where he rendered the monks such -great service that they bestowed upon him a gem of priceless value known -as Gautama's Eye. Soon after leaving the monastery he was attacked and -robbed, and only narrowly escaped with his life. "The Lost Island" -describes the attempt of one of Thomas Gaythorne's descendants to -re-discover the missing gem; and he passes through some remarkable -adventures before he succeeds in this quest. - -The Race Round the World - -An Account of the Contest for the L100,000 Prize offered by the -Combined Newspaper League. Coloured Illustrations by CYRUS CUNEO, and -a map of the route of _The Swallow_. - -Old Silas Agge has invented a new motor spirit, far more potent than -petrol, and with this secret in his possession he has no doubt that he -will win the L100,000 offered by a Newspaper League to the winner of the -Aeroplane Race round the World. But a foreigner, with whom Silas has -had business relations, succeeds in obtaining, first, the design of the -aeroplane which the old man has built, and next, a sufficient quantity -of the new spirit to carry him round the world. The race thus becomes a -duel between these two rivals. Guy Kingston, a daring young aviator and -nephew to Silas, pilots his uncle's aeroplane, and at every stage of the -race finds himself matched against an unscrupulous adversary. The story -of the race is exciting from beginning to end. Readers of Captain -Gilson's earlier books will be particularly happy in renewing -acquaintance with Mr. Wang, the great Chinese detective. - -"Suggestive of Jules Verne in his most ambitious and fantastic -vein."--_Athenaeum_. - -"Boys will like it, and they will want to read it more than -once."--_Scotsman_. - - SCHOOL STORIES BY DESMOND COKE - -The Bending of a Twig - -Illustrated in Colour by H. M. BROCK. - -When "The Bending of a Twig" was first published it was hailed by -competent critics as the finest school story that had appeared since -"Tom Brown." It is a vivid picture of life in a modern public school. -The hero, Lycidas Marsh, enters Shrewsbury without having previously -been to a preparatory school, drawing his ideas of school life from his -imagination and a number of school stories he has read. How Lycidas -finds his true level in this new world and worthily maintains the -Salopian tradition is the theme of this most entrancing book. - -"A real, live school story that carries conviction in every -line."--_Standard_. - -"Mr. Desmond Coke has given us one of the best accounts of public school -life that we possess.... Among books of its kind 'The Bending of a -Twig' deserves to become a classic"--_Outlook_. - -The School Across the Road - -Illustrated in Colour by H. M. BROCK. - -The incidents of this story arise out of the uniting of two -schools--"Warner's" and "Corunna"--under the name of "Winton," a name -which the head master fondly hopes will become known far and wide as a -great seat of learning. Unfortunately for the head master's ambition, -however, the two sets of boys--hitherto rivals and enemies, now -schoolfellows--do not take kindly to one another. Warner's men of might -are discredited in the new school; Henderson, lately head boy, finds -himself a mere nobody; while the inoffensive Dove is exalted and made -prefect by reason of his attainments in class work. There is discord -and insurrection and talk of expulsion, and the feud drags on until the -rival factions have an opportunity of uniting against a common enemy. -Then, in the enthusiasm aroused by the overthrow of a neighbouring -agricultural college, the bitterness between them dies away, and the -future of Winton is assured. - -"This tale is told with a remarkable spirit, and all the boys are real, -everyday characters drawn without exaggeration."--_British Weekly_. - -The House Prefect - -Illustrated in Colour by H. M. BROCK. - -This story of the life at Sefton, a great English public school, mainly -revolves around the trouble in which Bob Manders, new-made house -prefect, finds himself, owing to a former alliance with the two wild -spirits whom, in the interests of the house, it is now his chief task to -suppress. In particular does the spirited exploit with which it -opens--the whitewashing by night of a town statue and the smashing of -certain school property--raise itself against him, next term, when he -has been set in authority. His two former friends persist in still -regarding him as an ally, bound to them by their common secret; and, in -a sense, he is attracted to their enterprises, for in becoming prefect -he does not cease to be a boy. It is a great duel this, fought in the -studies, the dormitories, upon the field. - -"Quite one of the books of the season. Mr. Desmond Coke has proved -himself a aster."--_World_. - -"Quite the hot school story of the year."--_Morning Leader_. - - By A. C. CURTIS - -The Voyage of the "Sesame" - -A Story of the Arctic. Illustrated in Colour. - -The Trevelyan brothers receive from a dying sailor a rough chart of a -locality where much gold is to be found in the Arctic regions. They set -out in quest of it, bat do not have things all their own way, for some -rival treasure-seekers have got wind of the enterprise, and endeavour to -secure the gold for themselves. There is a race between the two -expeditions, and fighting takes place, but the crew of the Sesame are -victorious, and after enduring great hardships amongst the ice, reach -home safely with the gold on board. - -The Good Sword Belgarde - -or, How De Burgh held Dover. Coloured Illustrations by W. H. C. GROOME. - -This is the story of Arnold Gyffard and John Wotton, pages to Sir Philip -Daubeney, in the days when Prince Lewis the Lion invaded England and -strove to win it from King John. It tells of their journey to Dover -through a country swarming with foreign troops, and of many desperate -fights by the way. In one of these A mold wins from a French knight the -good sword Belgarde, which he uses to such good purpose as to make his -name feared. Then follows the great siege of Dover, full of exciting -incidents, when by his gallant defence Hubert de Burgh keeps the key to -England out of the Frenchman's grasp. - - By FRANK H. MASON, R.B.A. - -A Book of British Ships - -Written and Illustrated by FRANK H. MASON, R.B.A. - -The aim of this book is to present, in a form that will readily appeal -to boys, a comprehensive account of British shipping, both naval and -mercantile, and to trace its development from the old wooden walls of -Nelson's time down to the Dreadnoughts and high-speed ocean liners of -to-day. All kinds of British ships, from the battleship to the trawler, -are dealt with, and the characteristic points of each type of vessel are -explained. - - By GEORGE SURREY - -Mid Clash of Swords - -A Story of the Sack of Rome. Coloured Illustrations by T. C. DUGDALE. - -Wilfrid Salkeld, a young Englishman, enters the employ of Giuliano de -Medici, the virtual ruler of Florence, whom he serves with a zeal that -that faint-hearted man does not deserve; he meets Giovanni the -Invincible; and makes friends with the great Benvenuto Cellini. He has -many a fierce tussle with German mercenaries and Italian robbers, as -well as with those whose jealousy he arouses by his superior skill in -arms. - -A Northumbrian in Arms - -A Story of the Time of Hereward the Wake. Illustrated in Colour by J. -FINNEMORE. - -Harold Ulfsson, companion of Hereward the Wake and conqueror of the -Wessex Champion in a great wrestling bout, is outlawed by the influence -of a Norman knight, whose enmity he has aroused, and goes north to serve -under Earl Siward of Northumbria in the war against Macbeth, the -Scottish usurper. He assists in defeating an attack by a band of -coast-raiders, takes their ship, and discovering that his father has -been slain and his land seized by his enemy, follows him into Wales. He -fights with Griffith the Welsh King, kills his enemy In a desperate -conflict amidst the hills, and, gaining the friendship of Harold, Earl -of Wessex, his outlawry is removed and his lands restored to him. - - By REV. J. R. HOWDEN, B.D. - -Locomotives of the World - -Containing sixteen plates in Colour. - -Many of the most up-to-date types of locomotives used on railways -throughout the world are illustrated and described in this volume. The -coloured plates have been made from actual photographs, and show the -peculiar features of some truly remarkable engines. These peculiarities -are fully explained in the text, written by the Rev. J. R. Howden, -author of "The Boy's Book of Locomotives," etc. - - By JOHN FINBARR - -The Mystery of Danger Point - -Illustrated by ARCHIBALD WEBB. - -A story of a hundred years ago, when there were highwaymen on every -public road and smuggler! in every cove. When their school breaks up, -the two youthful heroes go to spend the holidays with Robin's uncle, who -lives in a tumble-down castle at Danger Point on the western coast, and -they soon discover that the local people are doing a brisk trade in -contraband goods. To assist in putting down this illegal business seems -to them the obvious course. They find a cave which has every appearance -of being used for smuggled goods, and keep their eyes upon certain -suspicious characters. In the absence of Uncle Reuben, the boys get -wind of a big cargo about to be run, and resolve to inform the nearest -Justice of the Peace; but before they can put their scheme into -operation, they are quietly smuggled away themselves out of England into -France. Here an opportunity presents itself for assisting a French -nobleman and his daughter to escape from the Reign of Terror, and they -return to England to invoke the aid of Uncle Reuben and his ship In this -enterprise. Their success brings reward in several ways. The story is -very brightly written, and has many humorous touches. - - By JOSEPH BOWES - -The Aussie Crusaders - -Illustrated by WAL PAGET. - -Mr. Bowes' latest story, "The Aussie Crusaders," deals with the British -Campaign in Palestine. The hero is a young Australian officer, who, -having distinguished himself in the Gallipoli struggle, was given a -commission and quickly attained his majority. He is still, however, -"one of the boys" in spirit, and the story gives a pretty good idea of -the informal, friendly relations that existed between the officers and -men of the A.I.F. Major Smith is taken prisoner by a party of Bedouins -after the fight at Rafa, and on escaping from them, falls into the hands -of the Turks, from whom he also breaks free, obtaining possession of -papers giving valuable information about the enemy's strength and -movements. After rejoining his squadron, the Major takes part in the -great sweep that, starting with the attack on Gaza, culminated in the -fall of Jerusalem. - - By WILLIAM J. MARX - -For the Admiral - -Illustrated in Colour by ARCHIBALD WEBB. - -The brave Huguenot Admiral Coligny is one of the heroes of French -history. Edmond le Blanc, the son of a Huguenot gentleman, undertakes -to convey a secret letter of warning to Coligny, and the adventures he -meets with on the way lend to his accepting service in the Huguenot -army. He shares in the hard fighting that took place in the -neighbourhood of La Rochelle, does excellent work in scouting for the -Admiral, and is everywhere that danger calls, along with his friend -Roger Braund, a young Englishman who has come over to help the cause -with a band of free-lances. - -This story won the L100 prize offered by the Bookman for the best story -for boys. - - THE ROMANCE SERIES - -The Romance of the King's Navy - -By EDWARD FRASER. New Edition, with Illustrations in Colour by N. -SOTHEBY PITCHER. - -"The Romance of the King's Navy" is intended to give boys of to-day an -idea of some of the notable events that have happened under the White -Ensign within the past few years. There is no other book of the kind in -existence. It begins with incidents afloat during the Crimean War, when -their grandfathers were boys themselves, and brings the story down to a -year or two ago, with the startling adventure at Spithead of Submarine -64. One chapter tells the exciting story of "How the Navy's V.C.'s have -been won," the deeds of the various heroes being brought all together -here in one connected narrative for the first time. - -"Mr. Fraser knows his facts well, and has set them out in an extremely -interesting and attractive way."--_Westminster Gazette_. - -The Romance of the King's Army - -By A. B. TUCKER. - -A companion volume to "The Romance of the King's Navy," telling again in -glowing language the most inspiring incidents in the glorious history of -our land forces. The charge of the 21st Lancers at Omdurman, the -capture of the Dargai heights, the saving of the guns at Maiwand, are a -few of the great stories of heroism and devotion that appear in this -stirring volume. - -"We cannot toe highly commend this beautiful volume as a prize-book for -school-boys of all classes."--_School Guardian_. - -The Romance of Every Day - -By LILIAN QUILLER-COUCH. - -Here is a bookful of romance and heroism; true stories of men, women, -and children in early centuries and modern times who took the -opportunities which came into their everyday lives and found themselves -heroes and heroines; civilians who, without beat of drum or smoke of -battle, without special training or words of encouragement, performed -deeds worthy to be written in letters of gold. - -"These stories are bound to encourage and Inspire young readers to -perform heroic actions."--_Bristol Daily Mercury_. - -The Romance of the Merchant Venturers - -By E. E. SPEIGHT and R. MORTON NANCE. - -Britain's Sea Story - -By E. E. SPEIGHT and R. MORTON NANCE. New Edition, Illustrated in -Colour by H. SANDHAM. - -These two books are full of true tales as exciting as any to be found in -the story books, and at every few pages there is a fine illustration, in -colour or black and white, of one of the stirring incidents described in -the text. - -By MEREDITH FLETCHER - -The Pretenders - -With Coloured Illustrations by HAROLD C. EARNSHAW. - -A tale of twin-brothers at Daneborough School, Tommy Durrant (the -narrator) has been a boarder for about a year, when Peter arrives upon -the scene as a day-boy. The latter's ill-health has prevented him -joining the school before, and, being a harum-scarum youngster, his -vagaries plunge Tommy into hot water straight away. The following week, -unaware of all the mischief he has made, the newcomer, who lives with an -aunt, urges his twin to change places one night for a spree. Tommy -rashly consents, and his experiences while pretending to be Peter prove -both unexpected and exciting. - -"Mr. Meredith Fletcher is extremely happy in his delineation of school -life."--_People's Journal_. - -The Complete Scout - -Edited by MORLEY ADAMS, with numerous Illustrations and Diagrams. - -This is a book intended primarily for boy scouts, but It also possesses -an Interest for all boys who like out-of-door amusements and scouting -games. It contains many articles by different writers on the various -pursuits and branches of study that scouts are more particularly -interested in, such as wood-craft, tracing, the weather, and so on, and -the book should form a sort of cyclopaedia for many thousands of boys -who hail Baden-Powell as Chief Scout. - - By D. H. PARRY - -Kit of the Carabineers - -or, A Soldier of Maryborough's. - -Illustrated in Colour by ARCHIBALD WEBB. - -This story tells how Kit Dawnay comes under the notice of the Duke of -Marlborough while the latter is on a visit to Kit's uncle, Sir Jasper -Dawnay, an irritable, miserly old man, suspected, moreover with good -reason, of harbouring Jacobite plotters and of being himself favourable -to the cause of the exiled Stuarts. - -Kit, instructed by the Duke, Is able to frustrate a scheme for the -assassination of King William as he rides to Hampton Court, and the -King, in return for Kit's service, gives him a cornet's commission in -the King's Carabineers. He goes with the army to Flanders, takes part -in the siege of Liege; accompanies Marlborough on those famous forced -marches across Europe, whereby the great leader completely hoodwinked -the enemy; and is present at the battle of Blenheim, where he wins -distinction. - -"The story bristles with dramatic incident, and the thrilling adventures -which overtake the young hero, Kit Dawnay, are enough to keep one -breathless with excitement."--_Bookman_. - - By W. H. G. KINGSTON - -Hurricane Hurry - -Coloured Illustrations by ARCHIBALD WEBB. - -This Is one of W. H. G. Kingston's best books in the sense that It has -an atmosphere of reality about it, and reads like the narrative of one -who has actually passed through all the experiences described; and this -is no mere illusion, for the author states in his preface that the -material from which the story was built up was put into his hands by a -well-known naval officer, who afterwards rose to the position of -admiral. Mr. Hurry enters the navy as midshipman a few years before the -outbreak of the American War of Independence, and during that war he -distinguishes himself both on land and sea. - -Will Weatherhelm - -Coloured Illustrations by ARCHIBALD WEBB. - -A splendid tale of the sea, full of incident and adventure, and a -first-rate account of the sailor's life afloat in the days of the -press-gang and the old wooden walls. The author reveals his own ardent -love of the sea and all that pertains to it, and this story embodies a -true ideal of patriotic service. - -By G. A. HENTY - -In Times of Peril - -A Story of India. Illustrated in Colour by T. C. DUGDALE. - -Major Warrener and his children are stationed at Sandynugghur when news -arrives that the native troops at Meerut have mutinied and murdered all -the Europeans there and are marching upon Delhi. Almost immediately the -Major's house is attacked and his family flee for their lives. The -Major himself and some of his companions are taken prisoners, but only -for a short time, for his sons, Ned and Dick, disguising themselves as -Sepoys, are able to rescue them. The party after an anxious time fall -in with a body of English troops who are on the way to relieve Delhi. -Dick and Ned are in Cawnpore when the Europeans are attacked, but they -escape by swimming instead of trusting themselves in boats. They take -part in the storming of Delhi, which had been taken by the natives, and -in the relief of Lucknow. The end of the Mutiny finds the whole family -once more united. - - Edited by HERBERT STRANG - -Early Days in Canada -Pioneers in Canada -Early Days in Australia -Pioneers in Australia -Early Days in India -Duty and Danger in India - -Each book contains eight plates in Colour. - -The story of the discovery, conquest, settlement, and peaceful -development of the great countries which now form part of the British -Empire, is full of interest and romance. In this series of books the -story is told in a number of extracts from the writings of historians, -biographers, and travellers whose works are not easily accessible to the -general reader. Each volume is complete in itself and gives a vivid -picture of the progress of the particular country with which it deals. - - BOOKS FOR BOYS AND GIRLS - -HERBERT STRANG'S LIBRARY - -This is a new series of standard books for boys and girls, comprising -the great works of history, fiction, biography, travel, science, and -poetry with which every boy and girl should be familiar, edited by Mr. -HERBERT STRANG. - -Each volume is prefaced by a short introduction, giving a biographical -account of the author, or such information concerning the book itself as -may be useful and interesting to young readers. Notes, maps, and plans -are given where necessary. - -The text of the books, many of which were not written primarily for -children, is carefully edited both in regard to matters that are -inherently unsuitable for their reading, and to passages that do not -conform to modern standards of taste. In these and other respects the -Editor will exercise a wide discretion. - -The Library Is illustrated with colour plates, reproduced by -three-colour process from designs by H. M. BROCK, JAMES DURDEN, A. WEBB, -and other well-known artists, - -The following volumes are now ready:-- - - Adventures in the Rifle Brigade By Sir John Kincaid - Westward Ho! By Charles Kingsley - The Life of Wellington By W. H. Maxwell - The Boy's Country Book By William Howitt - Mungo Park's Travels - The Coral Island By R. M. Ballantyne - True Blue By W. H. G. Kingston - Little Women By Louisa Alcott - Good Wives By Louisa Alcott - Tales from Hans Andersen - Stories from Grimm - Tom Brown's Schooldays By Thomas Hughes - The Life of Nelson By Robert Southey - Quentin Durward By Sir Walter Scott - A Book of Golden Deeds By Charlotte M. Yonge - A Wonder Book By Nathaniel Hawthorne - What Katy Did By Susan Coolidge - What Katy Did at School By Susan Coolidge - What Katy Did Next By Susan Coolidge - Ivanhoe By Sir Walter Scott - Curiosities of Natural History By Frank Buckland - Captain Cook's Voyages - The Heroes By Charles Kingsley - Robinson Crusoe By Daniel Defoe - Tales from Shakespeare By Charles and Mary Lamb - Peter the Whaler By W. H. G. Kingston - Queechy By Elizabeth Wetherell - The Wide Wide World By Elizabeth Wetherell - Tanglewood Tales By Nathaniel Hawthorne - The Life of Columbus By Washington Irving - Battles of the Peninsular War By Sir William Napier - Midshipman Easy By Captain Marryat - The Swiss Family Robinson By J. R. Wyss - - Books for Girls - - By CHRISTINA GOWANS WHYTE - -Uncle Hilary's Nieces - -Illustrated in Colour by JAMES BURDEN. - -Until the death of their father, the course of life of Uncle Hilary's -nieces had run smooth; but then the current of misfortune came upon -them, carried them, with their mother and brothers, to London, and -established them in a fiat. Here, under the guardianship of Uncle -Hilary, they enter into the spirit of their new situation; and when it -comes to a question of ways and means, prove that they have both courage -and resource. Thus Bertha secretly takes a position as stock-keeper to -a fashionable dressmaker; Milly tries to write, and has the satisfaction -of seeing her name in print; Edward takes up architecture and becomes -engrossed in the study of "cupboards and kitchen sinks"; while all the -rest contribute as well to the maintenance of the household as to the -interest of the story. - -"We have seldom read a prettier story than ... 'Uncle Hilary's Nieces.' -... It is a daintily woven plot clothed in a style that has already -commended itself to many readers, and is bound to make more -friends."--_Daily News_. - -The Five Macleods - -Illustrated in Colour by JAMES DURDEN. - -The modern Louisa Alcott! That is the title that critics In England and -America have bestowed on Miss Christina Gowans Whyte, whose "Story-Book -Girls" they declare to be the best girls' story since "Little Women." -Like the Leightons and the Howards, the Macleods are another of those -delightful families whose doings, as described by Miss Whyte, make such -entertaining reading. Each of the five Macleods possesses an -individuality of her own. Elspeth is the eldest--sixteen, with her hair -"very nearly up"--and her lovable nature makes her a favourite with -every one; she is followed, in point of age, by the would-be masterful -Winifred (otherwise Winks) and the independent Lil; while little Babs -and Dorothy bring up the rear. - -"Altogether a most charming story for girls."--_Schoolmaster_. - -Nina's Career - -Illustrated in Colour by JAMES BURDEN. - -"Nina's Career" tells delightfully of a large family of girls and boys, -children of Sir Christopher Howard. Friends of the Howards are Nina -Wentworth, who lives with three aunts, and Gertrude Mannering. Gertrude -Is conscious of always missing in her life that which makes the lives of -the Howards so joyous and full. They may have "careers"; she must go to -Court and through the wearying treadmill of the rich girls. The Howards -get engaged, marry, go into hospitals, study in art schools; and in the -end Gertrude also achieves happiness. - -"We have been so badly in need of writers for girls who shall be in -sympathy with the modern standard of intelligence, that we are grateful -for the advent of Miss Whyte, who has not inaptly been described as the -new Miss Alcott,"--_Outlook_. - -The Story-Book Girls - -Illustrated in Colour by JAMES BURDEN. - -This story won the L100 prize In the Bookman competition. - -The Leightons are a charming family. There is Mabel, the beauty, her -nature, strength and sweetness mingled; and Jean, the downright, blunt, -uncompromising; and Elma, the sympathetic, who champions everybody, and -has a weakness for long words. And there is Cuthbert, too, the clever -brother. Cuthbert is responsible for a good deal, for he saves Adelaide -Maud from an accident, and brings the Story-Book Girls into the story. -Every girl who reads this book will become acquainted with some of the -realest, truest, best people in recent fiction. - -"It is not too much to say that Miss Whyte has opened a new era in the -history of girls' literature.... The writing, distinguished in itself, -is enlivened by an all-pervading sense of humour."--_Manchester -Courier_. - -By J. M. WHITFELD - -Tom who was Rachel - -A Story of Australian Life. Illustrated in Colour by N. TENISON. - -This is a story of Colonial life by an author who is new to English -readers. In writing about Australia Miss Whitfeld is, in a very literal -sense, at home; and no one can read her book without coming to the -conclusion that she is equally so in drawing pen portraits of children. -Her work possesses all the vigour and freshness that one usually -associates with the Colonies, and at the same time preserves the best -traditions of Louisa Alcott In "Tom who was Rachel" the author has -described a large family of children living on an up-country station; -and the story presents a faithful picture of the everyday life of the -bush. Rachel (otherwise Miss Thompson, abbreviated to "Miss Tom," -afterwards to "Tom") is the children's step-sister; and it Is her -Influence for good over the wilder elements in their nature that -provides the teal motive of a story for which all English boys and girls -will feel grateful. - -Gladys and Jack - -An Australian Story for Girls. Coloured Illustrations by N. TENISON. - -Gladys and Jack are sister and brother, and, up to the point when the -story opens, they have been the best of friends. Then, however, certain -influences begin to work in the mind of Gladys, as the result of which a -coolness springs up between her and her brother. Gladys puts on a -superior air, and adopts a severely proper attitude towards Jack. -Gladys has been in society, has come to be regarded as a beauty, and has -been made a fuss of; consequently she becomes self-conscious. She goes -to spend a holiday up-country, and here, too, her icily-regular line of -conduct seems bound to bring her into conflict with her -free-and-easy-going cousins. After some trying experiences, Gladys -finds herself in a position which enables her, for the time being, to -forget her own troubles, and exert all her strength on behalf of the -rest. She comes worthily through the ordeal, earns the affection of her -cousins, and Jack rejoices in the recovery of a lost sister. - -"We have a large number of characters all clearly differentiated, plenty -of incident, and much sparkling dialogue."--_Morning Post_. - -The Colters - -An Australian Story for Girls. Illustrated in Colour by GEORGE SOPER. - -This book deals with a merry family of Australian boys and girls. There -are a good many of them, and to each one Miss Whitfeld has imparted a -distinct individuality. There is Hector, the eldest, manly and -straightforward, and Matt, the plain-spoken, his younger brother. Ruby, -quiet and gentle, with an aptitude for versifying, is well contrasted -with her headstrong, impulsive cousin Effie. The author seizes upon the -everyday occurrences of domestic life, turning them to good account; and -she draws a charming picture of a family, united in heart, while -differing very much in habit and temperament. - - By ELSIE J. OXENHAM - -Mistress Nanciebel - -Illustrated in Colour by JAMES BURDEN. - -This is a story of the Restoration. Nanciebel's father, Sir John -Seymour, had so incurred the displeasure of King Charles by his -persistent opposition to the threatened war against the Dutch, that he -was sent out of the country. Nothing would dissuade Nanciebel from -accompanying him, so they sailed away together and were duly landed on a -desolate shore, which they afterwards discovered to be a part of Wales. -Here, by perseverance and much hard toil, John o' Peace made a new home -for his family, in which enterprise he owed not a little to the presence -and constant help of Nanciebel, who is the embodiment of youthful -optimism and womanly tenderness. - -"A charming book for girls."--_Evening Standard_. - - A NEW ALBUM FOR GIRLS - -My Schooldays - -An album in which girls can keep a record of their schooldays. In order -that the entries may be neat and methodical, certain pages have been -allotted to various different subjects, such as Addresses, Friends, -Books, Matches, Birthdays, Concerts, Holidays, Theatricals, Presents, -Prizes and Certificates, and so on. The album is beautifully decorated -throughout. - - By MRS. HERBERT STRANG - -The Girl Crusoes - -A Story of Three Girls in the South Seas. With Colour Illustrations by - N. TENISON. - -It is a common experience that young girls prefer stories written for -their brothers to those written for themselves. They have the same love -of adventure, the same admiration for brave and heroic deeds, as boys; -and in these days of women travellers and explorers there are countless -instances of women displaying a courage and endurance in all respects -equal to that of the other sex. Recognizing this, Mrs. Herbert Strang -has written a story of adventure in which three English girls of the -present day are the central figures, and in which the girl reader will -find as much excitement and amusement as any boy's book could furnish. - - By WINIFRED M. LETTS - -The Quest of the Blue Rose - -Illustrated in Colour by JAMES BURDEN. - -After the death of her mother, Sylvia Sherwood has to make her own way -in the world as a telegraph clerk. The world she finds herself in is a -girls' hostel in a big northern city. For a while she can only see the -uncongenial side of her surroundings; but when she has made a friend and -found herself a niche, she begins to realise that though the Blue Rose -may not be for her finding, there are still wild roses in every hedge. -In the end, however, Sylvia, contented at last with her hard-working, -humdrum life, finds herself the successful writer of a book of -children's poems. - -"Miss Letts has written a most entertaining work, which should become -very popular. The humour is never forced, and the pathetic scenes are -written with true feeling."--_School Guardian_. - -Bridget of All Work - -Illustrated in Colour by JAMES BURDEN. - -The scene of the greater part of this story is laid in Lancashire, and -the author has chosen her heroine from among those who know what it is -to feel the pinch of want and strive loyally to combat it. There is a -charm about Bridget Joy, moving about her kitchen, keeping a light heart -under the most depressing surroundings. Girl though she is, it is her -arm that encircles and protects those who should in other circumstances -have been her guardians, and her brave heart that enables the word Home -to retain its sweetness for those who are dependent on her. - -"Miss Letts has written a story for which elder girls will be grateful, -so simple and winning is it; and we recognise in the author's work a -sense of character and sense of style which ought to ensure its -popularity."--_Globe_. - - By ANGELA BRAZIL - -A Terrible Tomboy - -New Edition. With Coloured Illustrations by N. TENISON. - -Peggy Vaughan, daughter of a country gentleman living on the Welsh -border, is much too high-spirited to avoid getting continually into -scrapes. She nearly gets drowned while birds'-nesting, scandalises the -over-prim daughters of rich up-starts by her carelessness in matters of -dress and etiquette, gets lost with her small brother while exploring -caves, smokes out wild bees, and acts generally more like a boy than a -girl. Naturally enough her father and school mistresses find her very -difficult to manage, but her good humour and kindness of heart make it -impossible to be angry with her for long. At the end of the story, when -the family have become too poor to remain any longer in their old home, -she makes a discovery which enables them to stay there. - - By E. L. HAVERFIELD - -The Happy Comrade - -Illustrated by ALBERT MORROW. - -Monica, the heroine of this story, is a wealthy girl who has never been -to school, but has formed a close home friendship with Penelope, a girl -somewhat older, upon whom she has been accustomed to lavish valuable -gifts, partly out of innate generosity, partly from love of -appreciation. Her affection for Penelope induces her to enter the same -school, expecting that the home relations will continue there. To her -chagrin, however, she finds that Penelope's high position as head -prefect prevents close intercourse, and in some bitterness of spirit she -allies herself with a set of girls who delight in lawlessness and engage -in mischievous and unruly pranks. She soon finds herself in serious -trouble; and the story shows how her better nature overcomes her -weaknesses, how she learns to despise the dishonourable conduct into -which her associates have lured her, and how the tribulation which she -has brought on herself leads ultimately to a firmer, purer friendship -for the girl whom she has all along admired and loved. - -Sylvia's Victory - -Illustrated in Colour by JAMES BURDEN. - -Owing to a change in the family fortunes, Sylvia Hughes is obliged to -attend a day school in a small seaside town where she has the misfortune -to make an enemy of the head girl, Phyllis Staunton-Taylor, who regards -Sylvia as one belonging to an inferior set to her own. One day during -the holidays Sylvia swims out and rescues Phyllis, who has got beyond -her depth; but even this fails to establish amity between them, and no -word of Sylvia's heroism gets abroad in the school. It is not until -after she has experienced many trials and heartburnings that Sylvia -learns the reason of Phyllis's apparent ingratitude, and friendship is -restored. - -Audrey's Awakening - -Illustrated in Colour by JAMES DURDEN. - -As a result of a luxurious and conventional upbringing, Audrey is a girl -without ambitions, unsympathetic, and with a reputation for -exclusiveness. Therefore, when Paul Forbes becomes her step-brother, -and brings his free-and-easy notions into the Davidsons' old home, there -begins to be trouble. Audrey discovers that she has feelings, and the -results are not altogether pleasant. She takes a dislike to Paul at the -outset; and the young people have to get through deep waters and some -exciting times before things come right. Audrey's awakening is -thorough, if painful. - -"Is far above the Average tale of school and home life."--_Aberdeen Free -Press_. - -The Conquest of Claudia - -Illustrated in Colour by JAMES BURDEN. - -Meta and Claudia Austin are two motherless girls with a much-occupied -father. Their upbringing has therefore been left to a kindly governess, -whose departure to be married makes the first change in the girls' -lives. Having set their hearts upon going to school, they receive a new -governess resentfully. Claudia is a person of instincts, and it does -not take her long to discover that there is something mysterious about -Miss Strongitharm. A clue upon which the children stumble leads to the -notion that Miss Strongitharm is a Nihilist in hiding. That in spite of -various strange happenings they are quite wrong is to be expected, but -there is a genuine mystery about Miss Strongitharm which leads to some -unforeseen adventures. - -"A convincing story of girl life."--_School Guardian_. - -Dauntless Patty. - -Illustrated in Colour by DUDLEY TENNANT. - -Patricia Garnett, an Australian girl, comes over to England to complete -her education. She is unconventional and quite unused to English ways, -and soon finds herself the most unpopular girl in the school. Several -times she reveals her courage and high spirit, particularly in saving -the life of Kathleen Lane, a girl with whom she is on very bad terms. -All overtures of peace fail, however, for Patty feels that the other -girls have no real liking for her, and she refuses to be patronised. -Thus the feud is continued to the end of the term; and the climax of the -story is reached when, in a cave in the face of a cliff, in imminent -danger of being drowned, Patty and Kathleen for the first time -understand each other, and lay the foundations of a lifelong friendship. - -"A thoroughly faithful and stimulating story of schoolgirl -life,"--_Schoolmaster_. - -"The story is well told. Some of the incidents are dramatic, without -being unnatural; the interest is well sustained, and altogether the hook -is one of the best we have read."--_Glasgow Herald_. - - By BRENDA GIRVIN - -Jenny Wren - -Illustrated by C. E. BROCK. - -Jenny Ferguson, the only child of a retired admiral, is sent as wireless -decoder to a Scottish naval base. On her arrival she meets an old -friend of her childhood, Henry Corfield, who is apparently the skipper -of a fishing trawler. Jenny, ignorant of the real object of the man's -"trawling," calls him a slacker. In his turn, Corfield, who has a -lively recollection of Jenny's impulsive tongue, reminds her of her -nurse's saying, "Miss Jenny can never keep a secret," and says he will -not shield her should she fail to preserve secrecy in her work. After a -few days, Jenny finds that information is leaking out. Code books are -lost and mysteriously replaced, envelopes lapped. Corfield attributes -this leakage to Jenny's carelessness. In the nick of time Jenny has a -clue and tracks down the criminal. The breach between the two friends, -however, is a long time in healing, for Jenny does not learn till -towards the end of the book that "Skipper" Corfield, on his humble -little boat with her hidden guns, is one of the heroes of the war. The -story ends with the coming of peace. - -The Girl Scout - -Illustrated in Colour by N. TENISON. - -This is the story of a patrol of Girl Scouts, and the service they -rendered their country. Colonel Norton announces that some silver cups, -which he values as souvenirs of the time when he could win races and -gymnastic competitions, have been stolen, and calls on the Boy Scouts to -catch the thief, promising, if they succeed, to furnish their club-room -in time for the reception of a neighbouring patrol. Aggie Phillips, -sister of the boys' leader, hears of this, and at once organises a -girls' patrol to help solve the mystery. In tracing the thief, the -girls manage to entrap two foreigners, who, in all kinds of disguises, -try to get hold of valuable papers in the hands of the Colonel. -Meanwhile the boys continually follow up the tracks left by the girls, -or are purposely misled by Aggie. The girls win the prize but arrange -to join forces with the boys. - - By ANNA CHAPIN RAY - -Teddy: Her Daughter - -Illustrated in Colour by N. TENISON. - -Many young readers have already made the acquaintance of Teddy in Miss -Anna Chapin Ray's previous story, "Teddy: Her Book." The heroine of the -present story is Teddy's daughter Betty--a young lady with a strong will -and decided opinions of her own. When she is first introduced to us she -is staying on a holiday at Quantuck, a secluded seaside retreat; and -Miss Ray describes the various members of this small summer community -with considerable humour. Among others is Mrs. Van Hicks, a lady of -great possessions but little culture, who seeks to put people under a -lasting obligation to her by making friends with them. On hearing that -a nephew of this estimable lady is about to arrive at Quantuck, Betty -makes up her mind beforehand to dislike him. At first she almost -succeeds, for, like herself, Percival has a temper, and can be "thorny" -at times. As they come to know each other better, however, a less -tempestuous state of things ensues, and eventually they cement a -friendship that is destined to carry them far. - - By CHRISTINE CHAUNDLER - -Pat's Third Term. - -Illustrated by HAROLD EARNSHAW. - -Pat Baxter is a turbulent, impulsive member of the Lower Fourth in a -famous Girls' School. She begins her Third Term by "cheeking" the Head -girl herself, thereby earning a good deal of hostility. She falls from -favour in other quarters as the story goes on, for though she has a -genius for getting into scrapes, she is too honest and honourable to -disavow her share in any plot, as many of her school-fellows do. Through -her disobeying a stringent rule, and going alone into the town, the -whole school, upper and lower, is put into quarantine, the result of -this isolation being that Rhoda, the Head girl, generally beloved in the -school, will have to "scratch" from a local tennis match, the winning of -which would have brought her her coveted tennis colours. The whole -school, in indignation, unknown to Rhoda, sends Pat to "Coventry." Pat -also becomes the object of a good deal of mean, unfair treatment from a -few of her form fellows, about which, in the end, Rhoda herself learns. -Horror-stricken at the treatment meted out, Rhoda puts Pat under her -special protection, and a deep friendship springs up between the two. -Pat finishes her third term by saving the life of her greatest enemy, -earning a special medal for bravery. - -By MARY BRADFORD WHITING - -A Daughter of the Empire - -Illustrated by JOHN CAMPBELL. - -Christina, a curiously vivid character, is suddenly thrown from the -backwoods of Australia into the family circle at Strafford Royal, where -Lady Stratford, her second cousin, reigns supreme. Lady Strafford -dislikes Christina from the first, patronises her and snubs her, and the -girl is thrown for sympathy and companionship into the society of Miss -Luscombe, a lovable woman whose home is on a neighbouring estate. -Christina finds herself continually faced by the stone wall of the -prejudices of Lady Strafford, who looks on all foreigners with suspicion -and her own family with placid pride, and is continually voicing her -determination that the War shall not be allowed in any way to upset the -even tenour of her life. Just how the War very successfully breaks in -on to Strafford Royal, sweeping away the heir, rendering halt and maim -the second son, is told in the course of the story. Christina's part in -the denouement is characteristically plucky and honourable, and in the -end she breaks down even Lady Stratford's dislike and mistrust. The -story is told with much charm and sympathy. - - By L. B. WALFORD - -A Sage Of Sixteen. - -Illustrated by JAMES DURDEN. - -Elma, the heroine of this story, is called a sage by her wealthy and -sophisticated relations in Park Lane, with whom she spends a -half-holiday every week, and who regard her as a very wise young person. -The rest of her time is passed at a small boarding-school, where, as -might be supposed, Elma's friends look upon her rather as an ordinary -healthy girl than as one possessing unusual wisdom. The story tells of -Elma's humble life at school, her occasional excursions into fashionable -society; the difficulties she experiences in her endeavour to reconcile -the two; and the way in which she eventually wins the hearts of those -around her in both walks of life. - - By ANNIE MATHESON - -A Day Book for Girls - -Containing a quotation for each day of the year, arranged by ANNIE -MATHESON, with Colour Illustrations by C. E. BROCK. - -Miss Annie Matheson is herself well known to many as a writer of hymns -and poetry of a high order. In "A Day Book for Girls" she has brought -together a large number of extracts both in poetry and prose, and so -arranged them that they furnish an inspiring and ennobling watchword for -each day of the year. Miss Matheson has spared no pains to secure -variety and comprehensiveness in her selection of quotations; her list -of authors ranges from Marcus Aurelius to Mr. Swinburne, and includes -many who are very little known to the general public. - - Books for Children - -A Book of Children's Verse - -Selected and Edited by MABEL and LILIAN QUILLER-COUCH. - -Illustrated in Colour by M. ETHELDREDA GRAY. - -This is a splendid anthology of children's verse. In addition to the -old favourite poems, the volume contains many by modern authors, and -others not generally known. The work of selection has been carried out -with great care, and no effort has been spared to make the volume a -worthy and comprehensive introduction to English poetry. The book is -illustrated by a series of magnificent plates in colour. - - By LUCAS MALET - -Little Peter - -A Christmas Morality for Children of any age. New Edition. - -Illustrated in Colour by CHARLES E. BROCK. - -This delightful little story Introduces to us a family dwelling upon the -outskirts of a vast pine forest in France. There are Master Lepage who, -as head of the household and a veteran of the wars, lays down the law -upon all sorts of questions, domestic and political; his meek wife -Susan; their two sons, Anthony and Paul; and Cincinnatus the cat--who -holds as many opinions and expresses them as freely as Master Lepage -himself; and--little Peter. Little meets, and all who read about him -will certainly make friends with _him_. - -"It is quite an ideal gift book, and one that will always be -treasured."--_Globe_. - - By CHRISTINA GOWANS WHYTE - -The Adventures of Merrywink - -Illustrated by M. V. WHEELHOUSE. - -This story won the L100 prize in the Bookman competition for the best -story for children. - -This story tells of a pretty little child who was born into Fairyland -with a gleaming star in his forehead. When his parents beheld this star -they were filled with gladness and fear, and they carried their little -Fairy baby, Merrywink, far away and hid him, because of two old -prophecies: the first, that a daughter should be born to the King and -Queen of Fairyland; the second that the King should rule over Fairyland -until a child appeared with a star in his forehead. Now, on the very -day that Merrywink was born, the little Princess arrived at the Palace; -and the King sent round messages to make sure that the child with the -gleaming star had not yet been seen in Fairyland. The story tells us -how Merrywink grew up to be brave and strong, and fearless and truthful. - - By MRS. HENRY DE LA PASTURE - -The Unlucky Family - -New Edition with Coloured Illustrations by C. E. BROCK. - -This is one of the most humorous children's books published in recent -years, and the many awkward dilemmas and diverting experiences which -ensue upon the Chubb family's unexpected rise in the social scale cannot -fail to delight young readers as well as their elders. In the matter of -showing the propensity for gelling into mischief these youngsters -establish a record, but their escapades are generally of a harmless -character and lead to nothing very serious. - -"It is a clever and amusing talc, full of high spirits and good-natured -mischief which children not too seriously inclined will -enjoy."--_Scotsman_. - - By M. I. A. - -Sir Evelyn's Charge - -New Edition, Illustrated in Colour. - -"Sir Evelyn's Charge" is one of the most popular books for Sunday School -prizes published within recent years, and has already run into very many -editions. The object of the story is to show how the quiet, unconscious -influence exerted by a little child upon those around him may be -productive of lasting good. This new edition, with a. new cover and -colour plates, makes a very attractive gift-book. - - THE PENDLETON SERIES - -The Pendleton Twins - -By E. M. JAMESON, Author of "The Pendletons," etc. With Coloured -Illustrations. - -The adventures of the Pendleton Twins begin the very day they leave -home. The train is snowed up and they are many hours delayed. They -have a merry Christmas with plenty of fun and presents, and in the -middle of the night Bob gives chase to a burglar. Nora, who is very -sure-footed, goes off by herself one day and climbs the cliffs, thinking -that no one will be any the wiser until her return. But the twins and -Dan follow her unseen and are lost in a cave, where they find hidden -treasure, left by smugglers, buried in the ground. Len sprains his -ankle and they cannot return. Search parties set out from Cliffe, and -spend many hours before the twins are found by Nora, cold and tired and -frightened. But the holidays end very happily after all. - -"Miss Jameson's books are written with such humour and lightness of -touch that they hold the young readers, and not only amuse but instruct -them."--_Dundee Courier_. - -The Pendletons - -By E. M. JAMESON. - -New Edition. Illustrated in Colour. - -"Young people will revel in this most Interesting and original story. -The five young Pendletons are much as other children in a large family, -varied in their ideas, quaint in their tastes, and wont to get into -mischief at every turn. They are withal devoted to one another and to -their home, and although often 'naughty,' are not by any means 'bad.' -The interest in the doings of these youngsters is remarkably well -sustained, and each chapter seems better than the last. With not a -single dull page from start to finish and with twelve charming -illustrations, the book makes an ideal reward for either boys or -girls."--_Schoolmaster_. - -Peggy Pendleton's Plan - -By E. M. JAMESON. New Edition. Illustrated in Colour by S. P. PEARSE. - -To many young readers the Pendleton children are quite old friends, as -indeed they deserve to be, for they are so merry, so full of fun and -good spirits, that nobody can read about them without coming to love -them. In the opening chapter of this book the family meet together in -solemn conclave to discuss plans for the holidays, which have just -commenced. Every one of them has a favourite idea, but when the various -selections are put to the vote, it is Peggy Pendleton's plan that -carries the day. All the other children think it splendid. What that -plan was, and what strange adventures it led to, are here set forth. - -The Book of Baby Beasts - -By FLORENCE E. Dugdale. Illustrated in Colour by E. J. DETMOLD. - -This book contains a series of simple little talks about baby animals, -both wild and domestic. Each chapter is accompanied by a charming -picture in colour by E. J. DETMOLD, whose work as an illustrator is well -known, and whose characteristic delicacy of colouring is faithfully -reproduced. - -The Book of Baby Dogs - -By CHARLES KABERRY. With nineteen plates in Colour by E. J. DETMOLD. - -The Book of Baby Pets - -By FLORENCE E. DUGDALE. Illustrated in Colour by E. J. DETMOLD. - -"A valuable family possession, and one which admirably fulfils the role -of guide, counsellor and friend."--_Athenaeum_. - -The Book of Baby Birds - -By FLORENCE E. DUGDALE. Illustrated in Colour by E. J. DETMOLD. - -"Simply irresistible."--_Observer_. - -Queen Mab's Daughters - -From the French of JEROME DOUCET. Illustrated by HENRY MORIN. - -This book consists of twelve stories, each concerned with an episode in -the life of one of Queen Mab's daughters. These are very enterprising -and adventurous princesses, somewhat wilful, indeed; and their -activities, innocent though they are, often bring them into hot water. -They fall into the hands of witches and wizards, and are the means of -releasing from enchantment an equal number of princes who have been -changed into bears, eagles, monkeys, and other animals by the powers of -witchcraft. Their adventures are related with the charming daintiness -wherein French fabulists, from Perrault downwards, have excelled; and -the book is a decided acquisition to the store of fairy literature in -which all children delight. - - By VIOLET BRADBY - -The Capel Cousins - -Illustrated in Colour in C. E. BROCK. - -The children in the Capel family hear that a cousin from South America -is to live with them until his education is finished. On his arrival he -is found to be very frank and outspoken, accustomed to say just what he -thinks; and as his cousins are more reserved, the misunderstandings are -by no means few. In time, however, he becomes used to English ways, and -his good nature and cleverness win his cousins' admiration and -affection. Mrs. Bradby writes as one who knows children thoroughly, and -her pictures of home life are very charming. - -"The authoress shows a power of depicting a large family of delightful -and quite natural children which recalls the stories of Miss Yonge at -her brightest."--_Church Times_. - -"A very pleasant, natural, and brightly written story "--_Lady_. - -The Happy Families - -Illustrated by LILIAN A. GOVEY. - -Most children have probably played the game of "Happy Families," and it -Is possible that they have woven stories round the grotesque characters -that appear on the cards. This is what Mrs. Bradby has done in this -book, and she has imagined a little girl being suddenly transported to -Happy Family Land and finding herself beset on all hands by the Grits, -the Chips and the Boneses, and all the other members of this strange and -wonderful community. - - By FLORENCE E. DUGDALE - - (MRS. THOMAS HARDY) - -In Lucy's Garden - -Illustrated in Colour by J. CAMPBELL. - -Miss Dugdale describes Lucy's garden from month to month, the plants -that grow there, the insects that visit it, and the imaginary beings -with which Lucy peoples it. During the first year Lucy is without any -companion to share her experiences, but at the beginning of the second -year, just when she begins to feel lonely, she makes the acquaintance of -a little boy, Peter, who is staying with his grandmother next door, and -who, too, has grown tired of playing by himself. They gladly arrange -that in future they will play together, as they like each other very -much. Little ones who have gardens of their own will enjoy reading -about Lucy's, especially when they know that she was capable of -understanding what the apple trees and leaves and roses had to tell her -about things in general and themselves in particular. - -"A delightful 'Nature story' written in a charming vein of playful -fancy, and daintily illustrated."--_Lady_. - - By TERTIA BENNETT - -Gentleman Dash - -Illustrated in Colour by P. H. JOWETT. - -This is a book that will appeal to all lovers of animals. Gentleman -Dash Is a fine collie who lives at a big house with a number of other -dogs and cats. In spite of his handsome appearance, however, Dash -sometimes falls so far from dignity as to run away and steal meat from -butchers' shops. Then he is brought back and punished, and the other -four-footed members of the family come round and offer sympathy--which -is not pleasant. The relations that exist between the various dogs and -cats of the establishment are friendly on the whole, though not -invariably so. In the course of their conversations, the animals throw -fresh light on the problems of life as viewed from the kennel and the -yard. - - By ALICE MASSIE - -The Family's Jane - -Illustrated in Colour by JOHN CAMPBELL. - -This is the story of a little girl's search for her lost brothers and -sisters. At first Jane did not know that she had any brothers or -sisters, and she used to feel lonely. Then one day, quite by accident, -she discovered that such was indeed the case, although for some -unexplained reason they did not live at home and she had been kept in -ignorance of them. Then Jane set to work to reunite the dismembered -family. The fact that Jane was only eight, and some of the others were -quite grown up, with children of their own, did not turn her from her -purpose, and eventually her efforts had the happy issue which they well -deserved. - - The Children's Bookcase - - Edited by E. NESBIT - -"The Children's Bookcase" is a new series of daintily illustrated hooks -for little folks, which is intended ultimately to include all that is -best in children's literature, whether old or new. The series is edited -by Mrs. E. Nesbit, author of "The Would-be Goods" and many other -well-known books for children; and particular care is given to binding, -get-up, and illustrations. - -Mrs. Overtheway's Remembrances - -By JULIANA HORATIA EWING. - -A delightful little book of short stories in which "the little old lady" -who lives over the way relates incidents from her girlhood for the -amusement of a young friend. - -The Little Duke. - -By CHARLOTTE M. YONGE. - -Sonny Sahib - -By SARA JEANNETTE DUNCAN (Mrs. Everard Cotes). - -A charming story of Anglo-Indian life. - -The Water Babies. - -By CHARLES KINGSLEY. - -The Old Nursery Stories. - -By E. NESBIT. - -In this book Mrs. E. Nesbit relates the old stories of the Nursery-- -"Cinderella," "Sleeping Beauty," etc. - -Cap-o'-Yellow. - -By AGNES GROZIER HERBERTSON. - -A charming series of fairy stories by one of the very few modern writers -whose work compares with the classics of fairy-tale literature such as -Grimm and Perrault. - -Granny's Wonderful Chair. - -By FRANCES BROWNE. - -The author of "Little Lord Fauntleroy" declared this book to be the best -fairy story ever written. Two generations of little readers have been -of the same opinion as Mrs. Frances Hodgson Burnett. - -BY THE SAME AUTHOR - -THE LOST EMPIRE. A Tale of the Battle of the Nile. -THE LOST COLUMN. A Tale of the Boxer Rebellion. -THE LOST ISLAND. A Tale of the Mysterious East. -THE SWORD OF FREEDOM. A Tale of the English Revolution. -THE SPY. A Tale of the Peninsular War. -THE RACE ROUND THE WORLD. A Tale of a New Motor Spirit. -THE PIRATE AEROPLANE. A Tale of Ancient Egypt. -IN ARMS FOR RUSSIA. A Tale of the Great War in Russia. -IN THE POWER OF THE PIGMIES. A Tale of the Great Forest. -ON SECRET SERVICE. A Story of Zeppelins. -A MOTOR SCOUT IN FLANDERS. A Tale of the Fall of Antwerp. -ACROSS THE CAMEROONS. A Tale of the Great War in West Africa. -SUBMARINE U93. A Tale of the Great War at Sea. -THE MYSTERY OF AH JIM. A Tale of the Sea. -THE FIRE-GODS. A Tale of the Congo. -THE SCARLET HAND. A Chinese Story. - - - - - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HELD BY CHINESE BRIGANDS *** - - - - -A Word from Project Gutenberg - - -We will update this book if we find any errors. - -This book can be found under: http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/39254 - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law 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. -Special rules, set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this -license, apply to copying and distributing Project Gutenberg(tm) -electronic works to protect the Project Gutenberg(tm) concept and -trademark. Project Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be -used if you charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific -permission. If you do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, -complying with the rules is very easy. 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