Under the Chinese Dragon: A Tale of Mongolia

"A FLAME SUDDENLY ILLUMINATED THE 'TWEEN DECKS

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'On to him,' shouted David.'I'll see to the other.'

His hand dipped into his pocket swiftly, and reappeared with his magazine pistol.Before the flame had quite died out, or the Chinaman could reach him, he pressed the trigger, and caught a glimpse of the fellow as he doubled up like a rabbit, and crashed to the boards.A second later he was swept from his feet by Ho Hung and the Chinaman, who had by now reached the foot of the ladder.

If ever there were a time when David felt inclined to lose his head and act in an aimless manner, it was at this very moment, when he was swept from his feet by the fall of Hung and the villain who had grappled with him.Tumbled on the deck with a crash, he stretched out his hands to help himself to rise, and, instead of feeling his fingers fall upon the boards, realised at once that they had come in contact with a man.He pounced on the fellow, and after gripping his arms, he shifted his fingers to the neck.A growl of vexation escaped him.

'He's the other fellow.The chap I shot a moment ago.Call this acting steadily?'he asked himself fiercely.'Where's Hung?What's he doing?'

It was useless to ask the question, for the sound of a violent scuffle at his feet, and the fact that he was again nearly felled to the deck provided sufficient answer to any but the most unintelligent.Obviously Hung was locked in the arms of one of the enemy, and in the darkness who could say who was the victor?Then that coolness which David had momentarily lost, and which was so essential under such circumstances, returned to him like a flash.He dropped his pistol into his pocket, extracted a box of matches and struck one.

'Now,' he thought, 'we shall see how matters are going.Ah!another of the fellows.'

The many faces of which he had caught a glimpse a little while before filling the dark square of the hatchway were blotted out by the figure of a Chinaman sliding down the ladder, while the light was reflected brightly from almost a yard of steel that was gripped between the newcomer's teeth.In a second or two he would be at the bottom of the ladder, and then, even if David wished to help Hung, he would be unable to.It was just one of those acute moments when instant decision is necessary, and immediate action, consequent on that decision, of vital importance.We have said that David Harbor was assailed but a minute earlier by one of those strange panics which come to the best of men, to the very bravest.Who knows?perhaps his meeting with the burglars in the store so close to Bond Street had in a measure unnerved him; or even, though his healthy colour and obvious robustness gave the lie direct to the suggestion, he was not yet entirely recovered from his injury sustained in that memorable conflict with Henricksen and his accomplices.Whatever the cause, David had without a shadow of doubt been on the verge of losing his head and his coolness entirely within a few seconds of Hung's arrival to help him.Perhaps the shame he felt immediately afterwards helped him now to behave in the coolest possible manner, and with a promptness that was commendable.Seeing the Chinaman just at the foot of the ladder, he tossed the match to the floor, and stepping forward seized the man round the waist.Then he lifted him from his feet as if he weighed a mere nothing, and using all his strength threw him across the alley-way.The crash had hardly died away when he had another match burning.

'Now we will run to the cabin, Excellency,' he heard Hung say, and turning towards him he saw the gallant fellow standing within a foot of him, a long knife in one hand, and the staff which he had carried at the foot of the ladder.Also the light showed the hatchway above, with its gallery of staring faces, and a huddled figure at Hung's feet.As for the man David had tackled, he lay in a heap against the bulkhead, stunned and helpless after such a rough experience.

'Lead the way,' commanded David, promptly.'I'll bring the ladder with me.Stand aside, and let us have another match.'

He gripped the sides of the steep ladder leading from the hatchway, and, as Hung fumbled for a match, tore it from its flimsy fastenings.Then he pointed down the alley-way, and seeing Hung advance, slid along after him.Nor was their retreat undertaken a moment too soon.For as David stepped away from the hatchway a dozen more heads were suddenly shown there, standing out dimly against the starlight.Men shouted and bellowed, while one yellow ruffian slid a long, skinny arm downwards, took hasty aim, and pulled the trigger of a huge horse pistol.The concussion in the narrow alley-way deafened our hero, though the bullet did not touch him—for it was as big almost as a pigeon's egg—and crashing against the deck planks, it bored a hole clean through them.The smoke which belched from this antique weapon formed an excellent screen, behind which Hung and his companion were able to cloak their movements.

'You follow closely, Excellency,' David heard the Chinaman say.'Not safe to strike more matches, for some of the men may have dropped through the hatchway and will fire at us.Follow closely, and bring the ladder.Our friends are within short distance of us.'

'And they have warned the others?'asked David.'They have made some preparation to hold the enemy?'

'That I cannot say,' came the swift answer.'But Jong is cunning, while the others will have obeyed his Excellency's orders.Ah!we have arrived.Hist!we are coming towards you.'

In the black darkness at the end of the alley-way a faint sound was heard, as if some one had sharply closed the lid of a metal match-box, though as a matter of fact it was the cocking of a pistol held in Dick's hands.Then the light from a lantern was thrown for one brief instant in David's direction, showing the walls of the alley-way, Hung's hurrying figure, and ahead of him a huge square mass, covered in sacking.Dick's cheery voice broke the silence immediately.

'Cheer oh!David!'he cried.'What news?We were beginning to get the fidgets about you.Thought those fellows might have bagged you altogether.What's happened?'

'Heaps,' came the laconic answer.'Just let me get past this bale and take a breather.I've never been so scared in all my life.'

There was a savage note in his voice, a note altogether foreign to David, and hearing it Dick realised that something altogether out of the common had happened.

'Come and sit down on the deck beside me,' he said.'You can go up into the cabin later.I've sent word to say you were arriving.What's upset you?'

'Look here,' David blurted, turning upon him, 'would you feel yourself if you had been within an inch of proving a funk, of running away with your tail between your legs?Would you?Eh?That's the question.'

'Depends,' came the cautious answer.'Perhaps there was reason for getting funked.I tell you I was at first when you woke me.Well?What's all the bother?'

'I'll tell you,' said our hero, feeling somewhat relieved and in better favour with himself, now that he heard Dick admit to the fact that he himself had been scared.'I met our men at the bottom of the hatchway, and sent them on various errands.Then, as I watched from the top of the ladder a beggar threw himself on me, and we both went crash to the bottom.A second fellow followed, and then a third, whom Hung tackled.Well, I stunned my first man, and knocked the breath out of the second.I could feel Hung scuffling with his man in the darkness, and I tell you I nearly bolted.I got into a panic, and might very well have fired in all directions.Gurr!It makes a fellow ashamed of himself.'

Dick roared with laughter, till a sharp command from the cabin above stopped him.'You do amuse me, David,' he said, dropping his voice to a whisper.'Stun one man, knock the wind out of another, and then get scared.As if a fellow hadn't a right to be, after such an experience; but what happened then?'

'Pulled myself together, I suppose; did the only sensible thing under the circumstances.I struck a match, and only just in time.There was another beggar at the foot of the ladder, with a whole heap staring through the hatchway.I bet I shook that last rascal.I heaved him across the alley-way as if he were a box, and I should say that he's hardly fit to move yet awhile.Talk about collaring a chap out of the scrum, or getting a quick man extra well when coming all out down the field—that Chinaman don't need to fear a game of footer in the future.He'll never be collared or slung harder.Well, there you are: Hung had finished his man with the most murderous knife you ever saw, while I ended the matter for the moment by tearing the ladder away; but they won't be long in coming after us.What have you done?'

'Half-blocked the alley-way near the bottom of our hatchway with bales of cotton, leaving room for you to come through.Jong's been shoving others into position since.Beyond that I've done nothing; the Professor and Alphonse have been watching the door of the cabin.'

'Then supposing we show that lamp again,' said David.'If all's clear I'll hop up and report progress, then I'll get leave to come down to you.There'll be a ruction in this neighbourhood before many minutes.'

Dick reached for the dark lantern from the corner in which he had placed it, and turned the slide swiftly, showing first the figures of Jong, of Hu Ty, and Lo Fing crouching behind the barrier erected in the alley-way.Then he flashed the light over the top of the bales of cotton, and illuminated the alley-way beyond.The rays fell upon a dozen eager faces, upon a mass of half-clad men hemmed in the narrow place, and was reflected from a number of brandished weapons.A deafening shout greeted the appearance of the lantern, and the bales it showed barring the progress of the attacking party.Then the same lean, skinny arm which had dropped from the other hatchway, and had fired a horse pistol, jerked itself into a horizontal position, a crashing report filled the alley-way, while a bullet roared between the heads of Dick and David, and thundered against the woodwork behind.Hidden by the eddying smoke the Chinese pirates struggled forward and threw themselves with fury upon the barrier behind which lay the Professor's slender party.

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CHAPTER VIII

In a Tight Corner

'Excellency, we will see to those men for a time,' said Hung, as the mass of Chinese pirates crowding in the dark alley-way came charging forward.'The bales of cotton will hold them in check, and a knife will be easier to use in such crowded quarters.But bring the lamp; hold it above our heads, so that the rays do not fall upon us, but upon the enemy.'

He gabbled the words at such a rate that David could scarcely follow his meaning, nor Dick either.But Jong came rapidly to the rescue, stopping for a while on his way to the barrier.

'Him tink you speakee and understandee ebelyting, Excellencies,' he said, smiling as if the fact amused him, and as if the affair in hand was a mere nothing.'Hong say, supposee you comee along, leavee de fight altogeder to us Chinaboys.Yo hold de light high, so as to shine on de enemy only.Soon kill all dem men.'

He was wonderfully confident, and now went forward at a run.Meanwhile the other three Chinamen had reached the immediate neighbourhood of the barrier, which was placed some four yards along the alley-way, leaving, therefore, ample room for the defenders to stand at the foot of the ladder leading to the cabin above.At once Dick snatched up the lantern, while David dragged his magazine pistol from his pocket.

'Come along,' he shouted, for the din in this confined space was appalling.'I think I know a trick that'll trouble them.Get along with the lantern, and hold it up at arm's length.I'll make use of the ladder I took from along there, and get well above our fellows; then I shall be able to shoot down into the enemy.Ain't they kicking up a row?'

'Enough to deafen any one; but be careful when you're roosting on that ladder.Don't forget the fellow with the pistol.'

David made a note of the warning promptly, and having reached the scene of the conflict, reared his ladder against one wall of the alley-way, leaving, however, ample room between its foot and the bales for Hong and his comrades to have free movement.Dick pushed his way right to the centre of the barrier, and finding a foothold on the edge of a low case, which formed the base of the obstruction, stepped on to it, and lifted the lantern at arm's length.At once he heard an exclamation of satisfaction come from their friends, for till that moment it was almost impossible for the defenders to take any action against the enemy.All they knew was that the latter were slashing and tearing at the far side of the bales, and with such exertion that the whole barrier threatened to topple over.However, the lamp flung its rays forward on to the struggling mass of men, leaving the part behind the barrier in dense darkness.At once a roar of anger went up from the pirates.One thin and exceedingly active man, whose eyes seemed actually to blaze in the lamp-light, pushed his comrades back forcibly, and with a howl of rage leaped at the top of the barrier.Clutching the sacking with his fingers, and digging his bare toes into any crevice he could find, he was on the summit in a wonderfully short space of time.Then his hand sought the long knife which, as seemed to be the custom with these marauders, he carried in his mouth.He was on the point of launching himself down upon the defenders, while David had already levelled his pistol at the man, when Hung gave a loud shout.

'Stand aside, let me deal with him,' he cried, and turning swiftly, as he dropped his pistol, David was able to catch a view of the gallant fellow as he prepared for the attack.His arms were thrown back over one shoulder, and the faint light reflected from the sides of the alley-way, and from the cotton clothes of the enemy, showed that he gripped in his hands the huge staff which he had showed some minutes before to our hero.It swished through the air as Hung swung forward, and meeting the Chinaman above as he leaped downward it felled him to the deck, striking him so hard that the man never even moved once he had fallen, but lay in a heap, his limbs curled up and contorted beneath him.Then, indeed, the turmoil and the din became so great that those defenders might have been forgiven had they suddenly lost heart, and, turning tail, had rushed to the ladder, there to struggle for the right to be the first to ascend to the security of the cabin above.But Hung was no chicken.To look at Jong he loved this class of thing, for he burst into a roar of laughter as the Chinaman was struck down, while Hu Ty and his comrade crouched behind the barricade, their sallow faces flushed, their eyes dancing, eager for more active effort.But let us remember that David and Dick never once flinched.The latter had been forced to step aside, else the man who had leaped upon the barricade would have jumped down on him, and also he would have been in Hung's way.But he was back in his place now, smiling, still holding the lamp above his head, cheering madly at this first success.As for David, all his old coolness had come back to him.Perched on the ladder well above the combatants, he felt as a general does who is posted on some commanding hill from which he is able to observe every movement in a battle, and give swift orders accordingly.He shouted encouragement to Hung, and then called suddenly to all his comrades to be cautious.

'Some more men have come into the alley-way,' he said, 'and there'll be a strong rush in a moment.Keep well down below the barricade; I can see that rascal reloading his pistol.'

He handled his own weapon, for through a break in the mass of men in front he had caught a view of the skinny individual, who was possessed, by the way, of a most malevolent and ugly countenance, busily ramming a fresh charge into his ancient pistol.Through the sudden silence, which followed the downfall of the man who had attempted to scale the barricade, there came the ring of a ramrod, and now as David watched he saw the rascal pushing his way forward.

'Lie low all of you,' he called again.'That fellow's going to fire his pistol.'

Up went his own weapon, though he did not fire, for other men as yet covered the ruffian.Suddenly the man with the pistol appeared to have caught a glimpse of the figure perched above the level of the barricade.He shouted; the same skinny arm was thrown up, and before David could realise his danger he was staring into the expanded muzzle of as murderous a weapon as could be found anywhere.Yes, murderous; for it was but ten feet away, and carried a ball like a young cannon-shot.And how it roared as the rascal pulled the trigger!A wide stream of flame spurted from the muzzle, and then such a dense cloud of smoke that the alley-way, the men within it, even the barricade was swallowed up.Moreover, the bullet as near as possible put an end to this narrative, and to the quest of David Harbor; for it tore past his cheek, rattled and ricochetted along the stout wooden wall of the passage, and striking the runner of the ladder behind more than half severed it.In addition, it considerably startled our hero.

'Hit?'called out Dick, swinging his head round, for, of course, he like David had obtained a clear view of the man.'There still, old chap?'

A growl was his only answer, and then a hasty order.

'You've swung the light off him, though the smoke is too thick to let one see just now.Get it shining down the passage.We must put a stop to that fellow's antics; his bullet as near as possible took my head off.Ah, steady!I can see.'

Yes, he could see.The lamp-light shining into the alley-way was directed upon the ruffian who had just fired; but it showed more than he.It showed a couple of dozen men pressing along behind him, the look on their faces telling plainly that they were determined to rush the barricade.Instantly David gave warning, and levelling his own weapon fired at the pirate who had so recently discharged the pistol; but he did not stop him.The bullet went astray, and striking a man just behind him brought him tumbling to the deck.However, the next proved more successful.The rascal howled with pain, then, as if driven frantic by it, he threw his pistol at the figure which he could only dimly discern above the barricade, and led his comrades forward.For ten whole minutes none of the defenders had so much as a breathing spell.Those four Chinamen at the back of the barricade fought as if they were possessed, and fought too, like Englishmen, in silence.Their knives rose and fell constantly.Now one of them would spring upward, and grabbing an attacker by the shoulder would haul him within reach; now Hung would give vent to a guttural exclamation, at which Dick and his comrades would unconsciously move aside.Then there came the thud of the huge club he wielded, a sickening, dull thud, followed by a heavy fall on the far side of the bales placed across the alley-way.A sudden fusillade from David's magazine pistol drove the assailants out of sight, and allowed the defenders to rest after their exhausting efforts.

'Put the lamp on the top of the bales,' said David at once.'We must chance a fellow firing at it and smashing it altogether.Hung, post a man up here to watch.I'll go up and report progress, unless, of course, you'd like to, Dick.'

The latter shook his head vigorously, and was about to answer when another voice came from behind them in the alley-way.It was the Professor, jaunty and high-spirited as ever, a silent witness of the late conflict.He stepped from the foot of the ladder, and came towards them, turning the slide of a lantern he carried.And the light reflected from the narrow passage showed up everything distinctly—the dead Chinaman at the foot of the barricade; David on the ladder, and Dick and the other defenders at their posts.It even showed the huge splinter of wood half torn from the ladder by the bullet which had so nearly put an end to the existence of one of the party.And the Professor was as easily seen as any one.There was a bland smile on his clean-shaven face.His eyes sparkled; he laughed outright.

'Please don't move,' he said, coming closer.'A more perfect picture I never beheld; but I do congratulate you all.You know I hate fighting, and always have done so; but when it's necessary, I can admire the men who show a good front.No need to report, David boy; my own eyes have shown me everything.'

Turning suddenly to the Chinamen, he spoke to them in their own language, which he knew as a native, praising them warmly, and sending the blood flying once more to their cheeks.

'A gallant fight, well organised and generalled,' he said, turning again to Dick.'Whose idea was the ladder?'

'His,' came the curt answer.'He fixed everything: David is a born leader.'

'I say!'came indignantly from our hero, who was still perched on his ladder.

'It's true,' came warmly from Dick, for the young fellow had formed a great opinion of David.Secretly he had admired the lad, partly for the courage which he knew he possessed, for had he not been instrumental in saving Dick's mother; and also there was the case of those burglars at Bond Street.But it was not pluck alone that roused his enthusiasm for our hero; it was his grit, his staunchness.

'Just fancy a fellow doing so much all on his own,' Dick had exclaimed more than once to the Professor.'Many fellows of his age would have been browbeaten by that man who married his stepmother.Very few would have taken the post of lift-boy as he did.I've known young fellows sent up to London to make their way who would have turned up their noses at it, and because they could not get just the class of job that suited them would prefer to live with relatives and do nothing.That's out and out cadging.And here's David, still all alone, determined to go out to China to find a will which may never have existed.'

'I beg your pardon; it did exist,' the Professor corrected.'I knew Edward Harbor.If he said he had made a new will, he had done so without doubt.He was most exact and painstaking in everything.He made that will in David's favour, but circumstances over which he had no control prevented his having it conveyed to a safe quarter.He perished; perhaps the will perished with him.Perhaps it was purloined along with his other belongings by some rascally mandarin, and is lying forgotten at the bottom of a heap of rubbish at this moment.But I interrupted.'

'I was saying he's so determined,' said Dick.'He says he'll go to China when he has hardly a sixpence to bless himself with.But he takes the post of lift-boy, and in a twinkling he's made enough to take him round the world.It's grit that does it, sir.Sheer perseverance and doggedness.'

'And knowing that your cause is just; yes,' reflected the Professor.

But to return to our friends in the alley-way, the Professor again demanded who had led in the conflict which he had watched from the foot of the ladder.

'He did without a doubt,' declared Dick, pointing at David.'Ask him about the ruction along there, sir, and then ask Hung and the others.'

Slowly the Professor dragged the details from David and from the Chinamen.Then he solemnly shook hands with every one present.

'I'm awfully glad I wrote that letter to you, David boy,' he said, when he came to the figure still perched on the ladder, 'and it was a lucky chance which sent Dick here along to trouble me.Together you've made a fine defence in this quarter.Alphonse will be delighted.But now let us go to the cabin; Hung and his friends will watch here and send us a warning if there is to be another attack.Meanwhile, there are other parts to be considered.I tell you plainly, those demons will not rest till they have taken every one of us and looted our belongings.I know the pirates of this gulf; they are a detestable set of cut-throats.But don't let that statement trouble you; we're a long way from being taken, or I'm much mistaken.'

The smile came back to his face, a cheery, confident smile.He spoke swiftly to the men present, and then skipped to the ladder.

'My word,' he cried, as he reached it, and his lamp fell upon the woodwork.'That must have been done by the shot I heard.It was a big bullet that tore away this piece of the ladder.'

'And precious nigh took David with it,' laughed Dick.'He got quite angry.'

That set them all laughing, for, somehow, what with the success they had already had, and the Professor's cheery presence, there seemed ample cause for merriment, merriment that was accentuated to no small degree when they reached the cabin; for Alphonse was there, in his shirt sleeves, and posted beside a huge rent torn through the doorway.

'Ah, ha!'he cried, coming towards them.'You have made much noise below.There has been shooting.None are hurt I hope?'

'None but the fellows who attacked us,' answered Dick.'How have things gone here?'

'Wonderful!I tell you, wonderful.'

The little man puffed out an enormous chest, and stretched his arms before him.He was pomposity itself, while the manner in which he swung the rifle, that he gripped with one hand, hardly gave one confidence.That and his peaky little beard, which seemed to project even more abruptly forward now, the huge check pattern of his shirt, and the long pointed-toe boots, which he still insisted on wearing, made one more inclined to smile at little Alphonse; and if not at his appearance, then at his gestures and his antics, for the lamp which the Professor carried played full upon him.But a moment or two later one gathered a different impression of the man.

'Ah!' he ejaculated suddenly, bending his head to one side as if he were a bird, and placing his hand behind the ear. 'Did I hear some one coming? Monsieur, Alphonse was never deaf, and he has trained his ears to catch the sound of bare feet. You do not believe it? Bien, then see.'

His eyebrows went up a little, as if he were unable to credit the fact that his listeners did not believe him, then calling on all for silence, he stole towards the door of the cabin, and almost at once his rifle went to his shoulder.He bent swiftly, then there came a sharp report.A crash on the deck outside, and a thunderous explosion told all within the cabin that Alphonse had accomplished something, and crowding at once to the gaping hole which the ringleader of the pirates had torn in the door with his muzzle-loader, they stared beyond at the deck.A man was crawling painfully along the boards, while immediately outside the door, as shown by the lantern, the blunder-bus the man had carried, that undoubtedly he had intended firing through the hole in the door, lay still smoking after its recent discharge.

'Parbleu! Did I not say so?' declared Alphonse with a flourish. 'I have ears to hear, monsieur. I caught the slither of a bare foot and I was warned. My shot caught him just at the right moment. But it might be well to hold a council. Eh? A council of war, monsieur.'

He dragged a seat close to the door, and sat down there with his head at the jagged opening.The Professor drew a cigar from his pocket, bit the end off with a snap, and lit the weed.

'A council, yes,' he said.'I will state the facts.We chartered a ship at Shanghai captained by a rascal, and with a crew none the better.They had accomplices in the Gulf of Pechili, and the ruffians hoped to secure their booty without a struggle.Of course, we should have been cut to pieces and dropped overboard.'

Alphonse shivered, though every one could see that he was merely making pretence to be frightened.'Dites donc,' he cried pleadingly, 'but that is dreadful.It makes me feel faint.They would surely not be so harsh with us.'

The grimace he made set Dick roaring, while the Professor smiled grimly.

'Easy enough to make fun of it, Alphonse, but if it hadn't been for your watching we should be down below already.Other Europeans have suffered in the same way, have disappeared and never been heard of again.'

Unconsciously David's thoughts went to his father.He had been assailed more than once when in China; for even at this day, when Western influence is slowly beginning to gain ground in the Celestial Empire, Europeans are still foreign devils to the common mob, intruders, to be killed whenever possible.True, in some quarters the old animosity is beginning to disappear.Wealthy Chinese travel now-a-days, and return home imbued with the wish to give up old and useless institutions and habits, to substitute a modern education for one dating back to the days of Confucius, and to throw open the doors of their native land, so that the miles and miles of rich territory may be developed and bring forth its wealth.That is something.Thirty years ago there was hardly one single Chinaman amongst all the millions the Emperor boasted of who had been away from his native shores, and though an ambassador here and there may have returned with his eyes widely opened, with a desire to westernise his country, what was the value of his influence when all else were against him?It was death almost to suggest change.Arrogance was always a failing of the pig-tailed race, and only time and severe lessons could teach the people that there were other races on a higher footing.And lessons China has had.She has seen foreigners snatch corners of her territory.She has stood helplessly aside and watched Russia enter Manchuria and lay her railways to Port Arthur, and again has watched her neighbour, whom she formerly despised, throw herself upon the Russians and conquer them.And why?Because she had westernised her people.Because Japan had organised her navy and her army on modern lines, and armed them with modern guns.Then why should China not follow?Slowly but surely the desire to do so is filtering through the country, and slowly the change will come.As we have said, a European is still a 'foreign devil' to the bulk of the people to-day.To-morrow he may be as a brother.

'My father was killed during a sudden attack,' said David.'He was up country, north of Pekin——'

'Where I shall hope to take you all,' interrupted the Professor.'That is to say, if these rascals will allow us.'

'There was a missionary with him, one who knew the people well.But they were murdered for what they carried, and, as it afterwards appeared, on a sudden suggestion made to the people in the nearest village.There had been several cases of fever, and four persons had died.It was put down to the white men, and that was the excuse for their murder.'

'And that is nearly always the case ashore,' agreed the Professor.'A missionary, for example, is the best of fellows.He helps the people, is great friends with them, and all goes well till some bigoted ruffian comes along.He wants the odds and ends the missionary possesses.He trumps up some paltry charge, works up his ignorant comrades into a fury, and sends them to murder the "foreign devil."The rascal himself generally disappears with all the white man's possessions.But here there is no working up.The pirates of the Gulf have existed for centuries; murder and pillage is their profession.'

'Hark!I heard something more; stay still if you please, messieurs.'

Alphonse again canted his head to one side like a bird, and one could see that he was listening.His peaky little beard seemed actually to bristle.He jerked his head.His blue eyes sparkled in the lamp-light, then he leaped to his feet.

'The lamp, monsieur,' he cried, 'put it out.They are above us; they have clambered on to the roof of the cabin.'

David could hardly believe it, and though the whole party stood absolutely silent for nearly five minutes, it was not till that time had elapsed that a sound came to their ears to confirm Alphonse's statement.There was a loud bang on the roof, followed by others.

'Pardon, monsieur,' said Alphonse quietly, taking the lantern from the Professor's hand.'I go to see what is doing.Perhaps one of the messieurs will support me.'

He moved to the doorway promptly, and David sprang to follow.Dick and the Professor drew the bolts silently, though there was little fear of being heard, for the noise above was now very great, the sound of rending wood coming clearly to them.Then they pulled the door open, and Alphonse and David stepped out.

'Up the ladder, mon cher,' whispered the Frenchman.'I will climb, and you after me.I will cast the light upon them, and at once descend.You can cover me with your pistol; but first to see if the deck is clear.'

They stood still for some seconds, staring into the gloom.But already the light was coming, so that they could see further than at the beginning of the attack.Without a doubt the deck was unoccupied, save by the bodies of those who had fallen.Alphonse nudged David at once, and slid across to the ladder that mounted to the roof of the cabin right at the side of the ship.In a minute both were high enough, then Alphonse coolly turned the slide and threw a broad beam on the enemy.The roof was packed with them.A dozen men, at least, armed with native adzes, were hacking at the deck in as many different places.The Frenchman, undismayed by the angry shouts which greeted his appearance, coolly cast the beam on either side, and only desisted when one of the enemy, a huge fellow with muscular limbs, leaped forward, swinging his adze.

'Monsieur, I think it rests with you,' he said quickly, sliding to one side to allow David to clamber a little higher.'Monsieur shoots well.He has nerve, eh?That fine fellow will trouble us no longer.'

There was no trace of excitement about him, even when David with a well-directed shot brought the ruffian crashing to the deck.Alphonse merely chuckled, then squeezed himself still more to one side, politely making more room for our hero.

'We will return now if monsieur is ready,' he said.'Merci, I will follow.'

He came slowly down the ladder after David, and entered the cabin again as unconcerned as if he had merely been out to look at the weather.As for our hero, the recent exploit concerned him far less than did the report he brought to the Professor.

'Two dozen of them, working like demons to break through into the cabin,' he said.'I can't see how we can prevent them.We can shoot through one or more of the gaps, but when there are so many we shall not be able to watch them.'

The Professor took a long pull at his cigar.David and Dick saw the end of the weed redden in the darkness, while the smoke he blew from his lips was visible in the reflected light.Then Alphonse opened just a crevice of the lamp, thus allowing them to see one another.Even now the features of the leader of the expedition were anything but mournful.The jaw was, if anything, a little squarer.The Professor wore the appearance of a man who is confident, but who at the same time has his back against a wall.

'Call Hung,' he commanded, and when that worthy appeared, 'Run along beyond the barricade,' he urged him.'Take Hu Ty with you.Report if men are in the bows, and if so, how many.Do not appear on deck.Send the other two to me.'

They came clambering up from the dark alley-way a moment later, Jong still grinning, the more so when he listened to the racket taking place overhead, while Lo Fing kow-towed before his master.

'We are here, Excellency,' he said.'Your orders?'

'Take everything you see that is of value.You know what the boxes contain; carry them down below at once.Quickly!There is no time to lose.Dick, David, Alphonse, put your backs into the work.'

'Going to make a stand down below,' thought our hero.'The only move we can make.I wonder if we could get right forward.'

Like the others, he seized upon the boxes that contained all their possessions, and which the Professor, with a knowledge of Chinese cupidity and cunning, had insisted should be stacked in the cabin.Then, when after some three minutes every bale and box was below, he ventured to broach his ideas to the Professor.

'Thought of it myself,' came the short answer.'Go along with Hung.He's been back to say that the coast is clear.Report as soon as possible if there is a place where we can make a stand.I don't care for this alley-way.Too much like rats in a trap.Quick with it, David.'

In that instant, if never before, David realised that here was indeed a leader; for the Professor was not in the smallest degree flurried.His cheroot still glimmered redly.He drew in the smoke and blew out huge billows.But all the while he was listening to the sounds above, calculating the chances of his party, thinking how best to act so as to secure their safety.

'Why not?'he suddenly exclaimed aloud.'It's been done before.Why not again?'

'Pardon, monsieur,' ventured Alphonse, standing beside his master, as if to guard him.'You spoke.'

'Of something that occurred to me.All in good time, my friend.What do you think of the situation?'

The Frenchman threw up his eyes and shrugged his shoulders in a manner sufficiently expressive.'Monsieur knows better than I,' he said.'I shall still live to cook and valet for monsieur.'

'Then you shall if I can contrive it.Ah, there is David.Well?'asked the leader of the party.

'Not a soul forward.It's lighter by a long way,' reported our hero.'I sneaked on deck, and counted forty-three Chinese over our heads.They are hacking away like madmen.'

'Then we will leave them to it.In five minutes at least they will have broken through into the cabin.Get below and shoulder a box, David.We are following.'

The Professor marshalled his little force into the alley-way, and stepped coolly down the ladder after them.Not one word did he utter to hint what were his intentions.All that his supporters knew was that they were retreating from a position that was no longer tenable.But as to the future—well, Alphonse's shrug gave them little indication.

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CHAPTER IX

A Game of Long Bowls

'Excellency, we have come to the end of the passage; we can go no further,' declared Hung, some two minutes after the Professor and his party had set out down the alley-way.'A ladder leads to the deck above, while there are sleeping places for the crew on either side.Is it here that you will make a stand?'

'Halt!Put your loads on the floor and wait.Come with me, David.'

The leader of the expedition, still puffing heavily at his cigar, and showing an almost unruffled countenance in the lamp-light, stepped casually to the foot of the ladder and began to ascend to the deck of the native craft which he had chartered at Shanghai for the accommodation of his staff, and upon which such a treacherous and unforeseen attack had been made.But if he were the essence of coolness, and declined to hurry, he was by no means a fool, as he showed very plainly in the course of a minute.For while the Professor refused to be frightened and scared out of his wits, he declined at the same time to throw away the lives of his party for the want of necessary caution.

'Don't come higher,' he whispered to David.'I'll beckon if I want you.Ah, it is still too dark for those ruffians to see us from the poop where they are at work.Come up, lad, and look about you.'

He tossed his cigar over the side, and David heard the hiss of the water as it met the burning weed.A moment later he was beside the Professor.

'Well?'demanded the latter, when some seconds had elapsed.'What do you say to the situation?Critical I think, eh?Very critical.By the row those demons are making they have broken through into our cabin in more places than one.In a few minutes they will have a leader, and then there will be a rush.We certainly couldn't have stemmed it; they would have killed us with the greatest ease; but where shall the next stand be made?'

Where indeed?David cast his eyes in every direction, piercing the gloom as far as possible.The bare decks gave no promise of successful defence.To retreat to the wide cabin below, which served as the crew's quarters, was but to repeat a former experiment.There remained the rigging and the alley-way, and neither was very enticing.He shrugged his shoulders, as if he had caught the habit from Alphonse, and then turned to his employer.

'We can put up a fight anywhere almost,' he said.'Out here we should soon be rushed and knocked down.In the alley-way we could hold them for hours.But it couldn't go on for ever; there are too many of them.My idea was calmly to board the other ship and push her off.That would give us a breathing spell.We could then discuss matters again and consider our plans from a different standpoint.'

The Professor chuckled loudly; unconsciously he reached in an inner pocket for his cigar case, and extracting a weed, bit the end off.David even heard the sharp snap of his teeth coming together.'Boy,' suddenly exclaimed the leader, 'they say that great minds think alike; then yours and mine are great indeed, for the plan you have suggested is mine also.That is why we carried our baggage all along the alley-way.Summon the others on deck.We go aboard the stranger and merely change our quarters; but bid them be silent, for even now those fiends might hear something to rouse their suspicion.'

However, it was not a likely contingency, for as David went to the hatchway to call to those below fiendish yells rose from the poop of the vessel.Then some ponderous weapon was fired, the flame for a moment allowing the Professor to catch a sight of the crowd on the roof of the cabin.A second later they were swallowed up in the gloom, though their shrieks and shouts still told of their presence.

'All on deck, sir,' reported David in his most official manner.

'Then follow to the other ship.Not a sound, friends; not a sound.Once aboard David and Dick run to find a suitable place which we can defend; Hung and his comrades set their boxes down and prepare to stop a rush.Alphonse and I cut the hawsers which hold the two ships and push them apart.Forward!'

In one corner of his mouth the unlighted weed was held, and all unconscious of the fact that he had not set flame to it, the Professor sucked hard at the weed, exclaiming as he found it did not draw.Then, as if habit were too strong for him, or perhaps because he realised that none were likely to see him in that gloom, he stepped back to the hatchway, descended a few rungs of the ladder, and opening his lantern sucked at the flame.Then he followed the others, and was soon at the side of the vessel.Casting his eyes upward, he could see the rigging of the other ship against the stars, while a dull creaking, and an occasional bump showed that the two ships were riding close together.

'But with rope fenders between them,' he told himself, 'else in this swell they'd grind holes in one another.Ah, the rascals threw planks across from rail to rail, which was most thoughtful of them.'

With half his attention given to the enemy, and the other half to his own following, he helped to hand the various bales and boxes across the planks connecting the two ships.Then he crossed over himself, and searched for the ropes it was necessary to sever.Here a sudden difficulty presented itself.One of the connecting links was a stout chain, which the swell and the drift of the vessels had pulled so taught that there was no unloosening it.

'We shall have to cut it,' cried the Professor.'Alphonse, an axe, quick, those rascals are dropping into our cabin.'

But to call for such an article when just arrived on a strange ship is one thing; to find it an altogether different matter.Neither Alphonse nor Hung, nor any of the Chinese could hit upon one.And while they searched the uproar made by the enemy, which had almost ceased for a time, became of a sudden even more deafening.

'Discovered our absence; awfully bothered,' ejaculated the Professor.'But they won't be long in discovering our ruse.Can no one find an axe?David, the scheme fails if we do not hit upon one within the minute.'

Alphonse ground his teeth in a manner which would have made our hero squirm on any ordinary occasion.The Professor sucked hard at his cigar and muttered beneath his breath, while Hung threw himself upon the tantalising chain and tugged vainly at it.Then David recollected an incident he had watched at the beginning of the battle between themselves and the Chinese pirates.

'One moment, sir,' he said.'An axe?Yes, I know where to find one.'

Without hint of his intentions, he cooly stepped on to the planks still uniting the two vessels, and leaped down upon the deck of the one which had proved such insecure shelter for them.Not a sound did his light shoes make, while his figure was swallowed up within a few seconds; for though it was already lighter, the dawn was not there yet, and gloom still hung over the water.Behind him he left a Professor not so unruffled as he had been.To speak the truth the leader of the party was dumfounded for the moment, and only awoke to the danger our hero was necessarily likely to encounter when the latter was already out of sight.He called to him loudly; he even leaped on to the planks himself.Then Alphonse stopped him with a grimace and a tug at the sleeve of his jacket.

'Pardon, monsieur,' he said, 'a leader stays with the bulk of his command.It is the young and brave who attempt such deeds.Monsieur David is no chicken; he will be back with us within the minute.'

'Or hacked to pieces by those villains; but you are right, I will stay.Still I wish that I had guessed his intentions.Dick there, and all the others, get ready, in case he is seen and pursued.'

Alphonse clicked the lock of his rifle promptly, while Dick ranged up at the end of the planks, his magazine revolver gripped in his hand.Then the ever-smiling Jong lisped an apology, pushed the Professor aside, and solemnly clambered on to the planks and crossed them.There was a huge knife in his hand, and his smile was but the cloak to a most sinister expression.

'Velly likely he no wantee helpee,' he lisped, as he dropped to the deck of the other vessel.'But velly likely also he velly glad.Jong stay here unless he happen to see de Excellency; den p'laps he go towards him.'

The words had hardly left his lips, and his padded soles scarcely gained the deck when a figure was seen coming swiftly towards him.It was David.No, it was a Chinaman, a burly, thick-shouldered individual; then close on his heels another figure followed.

'David,' whispered Dick, scarcely able to breathe.'George!that other chap is coming aboard.'

Certainly that was the man's intention.He was returning to his own ship to fetch a mighty muzzle-loader which he had previously forgotten.He reached the rail, placed a hand upon it, and was about to spring on to the plank bridge when Jong was upon him.And if any one had ever doubted the grinning Chinaman's courage before, his doubts would have been for ever silenced if he could have witnessed what followed.For this was not one of those sudden conquests, when an unsuspecting man is struck down without time for self-protection.The stranger saw Jong as the latter moved towards him, and faced round with the swiftness of a panther.Then his head went back, and such a shout went up that none could have failed to hear it.A moment later the two were locked in one another's arms, rolling this way and that on the deck, tearing madly at one another.And over them David stepped, with an axe across his shoulders.

'Grandly done!Bravely done!'cried the Professor, showing not a little excitement.'David, stand by to cut that chain.Hung.'

But Ho Hung was not there to acknowledge the summons.He had flown across the bridge of planks the instant David gave room for passage, while Lo Fing chased close on his heels.How exactly they ended the contest between the two rolling figures none of their own party ever knew; but end it they did.

Meanwhile a lamp flared suddenly in the cabin which David and his friends had so recently vacated, while shouts resounded from various parts.Then the half shattered door of the cabin was burst open with a bang, and a crowd of men swarmed on to the deck.They were met by another group ascending from the hatch by which the Professor had brought his party, and then by a solitary man, who shouted and bellowed at them.

'They have fooled us; they have slipped across into the other vessel.While we have been cutting holes through the roof of the cabin they have been transferring themselves and their possessions.'

The greeting which the news received was such that Dick winced, and felt almost unnerved for the moment.But the Professor reassured him; a glance at the leader showed that he was still drawing heavily at his weed, while his features and his general pose were almost jaunty.

'Shout yourselves hoarse, my beauties,' Dick heard him say.'I fancy we've fooled you finely.Now, lad, you can strike your hardest.'

And strike David did, careless of the shots which two of the enemy aimed at him.He brought the edge of his axe down with a thud on the chain, and severed it easily.Then he leaped from the plank bridge and helped to throw the boards over.

'Moving asunder already, sir,' he said.'Might just as well get under cover.'

'Quite so; it will want an active man to leap that breach.Get beneath the rail all of you,' commanded the Professor.'Don't trouble to return their fire, for they cannot damage us easily, while we have already read them a handsome lesson.Ah, they are more than vexed, I fear.'

Through the rising gloom it was seen that the rail of the ship which had so lately borne David and his friends, and which had proved well nigh a death-trap, was lined with men.Some had clambered on to it, and held their places there with the aid of the rigging.All were shouting and gesticulating, all save the few possessed of fire-arms, and these rammed charges home with frantic haste, and poured their shot into the vessel slowly and steadily drifting away.If their defeat so far had enraged the piratical crews, their anger now was almost stifling.At the very beginning the feat of murdering the foreign devils, and of purloining all their possessions, was one not to be considered twice.Had the Professor been gifted with second sight, or had he had the help of some clever native detective, he would have learned that the rascally captain who had been so eager to charter his boat was already gloating over his gains when the ship set sail from Shanghai, while the leader of the pirates treated the whole affair as if already accomplished.There was to be a secret meeting, a sudden attack, and then cold-blooded murder.And see the result!Men here and there stark and dead on the deck or in the alley-way, others grovelling in the scuppers useless to their comrades, stricken hard by the knives of Hung and his fellows, or by the bullets of the foreign devils.Worse than all, the men whose death had been aimed at were drifting quietly away, not showing so much as a head, bearing with them all their possessions—yes, all their possessions.The pirate leader had already assured himself of that fact, exclaiming bitterly at it.David and his friends caught a glimpse of the man, a bull-necked, almost bald-headed Chinaman, with long, swinging pigtail, and possessed of most powerful arms and legs.They saw him standing on the rail, clinging to the rigging, brandishing a huge sword which, could it have come into close contact with them, would have done grave injury to more than one.The rascal seemed to be almost mad.The failure of a well-laid scheme, the loss of his own vessel on top of that, seemed to have combined to rob him of his wits.His eyes were staring.He frothed at the mouth, while the cruel lips curled back from a row of fangs as yellow as his own skin.And how he shrieked!Then he suddenly dropped back on to the deck, and they saw him beckoning to his comrades, rushing at those nearest him and dragging them along with him by main force.He drove them with threats from his weapon to the halyards, and shouted at them as they hauled at the rigging.

'Going to set sail on her,' said the Professor, raising his head now that a greater distance separated the two vessels, and the shot had ceased to hail upon the one on which he and his party had taken refuge. 'Well, two can play at that game. I'm not much of a sailor myself, but Alphonse knows something about other things besides cooking and valeting. Eh, mon ami?'

'Parfaitement; the Professor has a memory.Alphonse can certainly sail a boat, though he has never attempted much with one of these native craft.But the thing shall be done.Will monsieur be good enough to order the hands to come to the rigging?'

It was remarkable how swiftly the gloom lifted, now that the dawn was actually at hand.A second or so before it had seemed certain that the two vessels drifting slowly apart would soon be out of sight of one another.But though the distance sensibly increased David could still see men lining the rail of the enemy.He could still hear frantic shouts, while now and again a muzzle-loader belched forth its contents, the flame of the discharge showing less redly than on former occasions.Then the dawn arrived.The expanse of oily, yellow sea, hitherto invisible, widened on every hand, while a pinky redness towards the east told of an approaching sunrise.The Professor sucked with satisfaction at his weed and glanced aloft.Alphonse was swarming into the rigging, no doubt to inform himself of its arrangement.Then he came scuttling down, his frightful check shirt fluttering in the fresh morning breeze.

'It is easy, monsieur,' he said, with a bow, dropping on the deck at the Professor's feet. 'All is plain and straightforward. I shall set the sails with the help of our friends, and then I shall go below and see what can be done in the way of coffee and something to eat. Parbleu! but the inside needs attention after such a night There are things a man loves more even than fighting.'

He called loudly to the Chinese, and then, with David and Dick and the Professor to help him, soon got sail on the ship. A vast expanse of coarse canvas was soon stretched from the rigging, and catching the breeze caused the vessel to careen nicely. She gathered way, and was soon tearing away with white foam washing about her stern post. Meanwhile the pirates had crowded every stitch of canvas they could find on to their own ship, and came heading up a little in rear and on a parallel course with the one the Professor had so cleverly taken from them. As for the latter, his jovial, fleshy face shone with good humour and bonhomie as he stood at the tiller. Now and again he took his cheroot from his lips and regarded it affectionately, then he put it back between his fine, white teeth with such relish that one could see that he was decidedly enjoying it. In fact, Professor Padmore was proving himself a leader in more than one respect. For after all, beyond the power to command, such an one has need to show other virtues. Of what use even the most astute leader, if he be not confident even in the midst of acute danger? For confidence is as catching as is a display of fear. Men will run from a fight with little reason if there be one suddenly to set the base example and arouse needless alarm. And on the other hand even those possessed of no extravagant share of courage will stand firm if they have a leader who laughs at danger, who scoffs at the enemy, who openly exposes himself to bullet and shot. But here there were no cravens. David and Dick had proved their fortitude, while the four Chinamen were to be trusted entirely. But the odds were vastly against them, so great indeed that even bold men might have been intimidated. However, the Professor smoked as if he had forgotten the existence of the enemy, though now and again he cast his eye over his shoulder.

'Holding them nicely, I think, David.They're not likely to come alongside before breakfast's ready, and that'll be a comfort, for I confess to being ravenous.Just fancy a professor being anything so vulgar.But there you are, I admit to the vulgarity; this morning breeze spurs a man's appetite.'

He felt in his waistcoat pocket, and drew out a metal case, somewhat bigger than a watch.With a movement of the finger he sprang the lid open, and exposed the face of a compass.

'H-hm!North-north-east,' he said.'That's our course.Not for a moment will I allow those ruffians to set me off it.'

Perhaps a quarter of an hour elapsed from the time when sail had been set before Alphonse put in an appearance.He came clambering to the deck, his enormous hat set far back on his head, and showing the stubbly growth beneath it.In one hand he bore a smoking coffee pot, and with it beckoned to the Professor.

'I have the honour to announce breakfast!'he exclaimed, in his most pompous manner, and with his most portly bow.'There is a cabin below decks, not big, monsieur, not very clean either; but serviceable, and possessed of a table.There I have laid the things.'

The whole thing seemed so impossible, that as they squatted before a table not more than a foot high, and ate rashers of bacon which were steaming hot, David could hardly believe that but an hour ago they had been fighting desperately.The change in their circumstances was so extraordinary.It was so entirely unexpected, and withal, so fortunate.And here they were, satisfying the inner man, for Alphonse was an excellent caterer.The boxes which the Professor had brought with him contained a multiplicity of things, including cameras and other instruments necessary for exploration.And amongst them was one fitted with all the implements to make a field kitchen.There was a charcoal stove, as well as one designed for the use of kerosene under air pressure, an instrument with which a good-sized kettle of water could be made to boil within a few minutes.Then there were pots and pans innumerable, while other boxes contained stores of groceries and tinned goods sufficient to keep every member of the expedition satisfied for a considerable period.

'Now to discuss the position,' said the Professor, when he had swallowed a third cup of coffee and had begun to smoke again.'Hung has just sent a report to inform me that we still hold our place ahead of those men who so dearly long to draw level with us.We sail, as I have said already, on a course which suits us exactly.That being so, we shall continue till we reach some port, where we will run in and demand protection, or until we meet with some other vessel.There are gun-boats in these waters at times, and we might have the fortune to hit upon one belonging to Great Britain, or to France or Germany.I fancy those rascals would quickly beat a retreat if that were to happen.'

'Meanwhile, perhaps, sir,' began David, 'we might as well see if, supposing the worst were to happen, there are means aboard to make those fellows keep their distance.'

'Cannon?'asked the Professor.

David nodded.'That was my idea, sir,' he said.'This vessel belongs to pirates; the chances are that they have some sort of weapons.'

'And we might make good use of them.Good!we'll make a search.Alphonse, we leave you here for the moment.'

They clambered to the deck hurriedly, to find the ship careening well to a freshening breeze, and bowling along merrily through a sea that was sunlit in all directions.Some distance astern, and now on a dead line with them was the other craft, white foam at her fore foot.Even her white decks could be seen as she canted over, while with the naked eye one could distinguish figures moving about on it.Suddenly Dick gave a shout of satisfaction, and pointed to a canvas cover at the back of the steersman.

'A long tom, or I'm much mistaken!'he cried.'Covered up to keep the weather from it, and used only to bring some stubborn captain to his senses.Couldn't we manage——'

'I rather think so,' agreed the Professor, smiling gleefully.'I rather fancy we might make use of that weapon, Dick.Strip the covering, and let us obtain a glimpse of it.'

It took but little effort to lift the cover which had attracted Dick's attention, and then, as they had suspected, there was a long, swivel gun cast in brass, and no doubt capable of throwing a shot some considerable distance.

'Then we'll put it in action,' decided the Professor.'Not that I want to damage any more of those rascals; but there might be some accident to our rigging.Or, in a fresher breeze, which I fancy is coming, this vessel might prove slower than the other.We'll make the most of fairly smooth water and of our new possession; perhaps it will scare them.'

Once more the handy and invaluable Alphonse was in request.The natty little Frenchman seemed to have had a hand in almost everything.He could cook, as all knew, particularly his employer, while he was the tidiest of valets.Moreover, Alphonse could fight, and with a spirit that matched the Professor's.Now he showed his capacity as a gunner.He led the search for shot and powder, and then ranged himself behind the gun.

'Once I was a soldier, monsieur,' he said, 'and though I did not belong to the artillery, still I had to do with a gun; for I was in garrison where a mid-day gun was fired, and to me that duty fell. Oui, vraiment, we shall be able to manage.We must guess the charge of powder.Not too much at first, monsieur David; else there will perhaps be only pieces of us left for the pirates.We will watch where the ball strikes the water, and add more if necessary.You shall see; Alphonse will send those men a pill which will make them ill at ease and cause them to go elsewhere in search of a doctor.Ah, there is the powder; we have rammed it home.Now a piece of the sacking as a wad.Now the ball.Push with me on the rod and we will soon send it home.'

The practical little fellow slewed the muzzle of the gun round, and used the screw as he squinted along the sights.Already he had sprinkled powder on the touch hole, and presently announced that all was in readiness.

'I have laid it to be fired as we rise to the top of the swell,' he said.'Now for a match with which to fire it.'

David had thoughtfully prepared a match, consisting of a candle end tied to a stick, and shaded by a paper hood which kept the wind from it.It was a makeshift affair, and the flame blew out twice in succession.Then the gun splashed out a stream of flame, followed by a dense volume of smoke, which, however, blew away instantly.Their ears were still tingling after the loud report when a jet of water was seen to rise a hundred yards in front of the pursuer.Instantly Alphonse tossed his hat into the air and shouted.

'Bon!Bon! The next time we will do it, yes,' he said. 'Now to sponge the gun clean, and then for a fresh charge.'

That second shot proved far more encouraging.The ball struck the surface just to one side of the vessel that was following them, and ricochetted some three or four times before it finally sank to the bottom.But the third shot plumped clear on to the deck of the enemy, causing considerable commotion.

'Bien, we have the charge at last, and with this long swivel the aim is easy,' cried the Frenchman.'Let us try again.'

A roar of applause greeted the fifth shot, for though fired by amateurs it struck the mast of the pursuer, and as they watched, the Professor and his friends saw the rigging sway and come tottering over.

---

"A ROAR OF APPLAUSE GREETED THE FIFTH SHOT"

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'Thus ends all our trouble,' he cried.'We can shorten sail, and go on slowly.'

Late that evening Hung announced a ship in the offing, and before darkness had fallen a gun-boat ranged up beside them.In fact, she fired a shot across the bows of this suspicious-looking vessel, and then sent a boat's crew aboard her.A dapper little Chinese officer swarmed up on her deck, and even he, with all his native impassiveness, showed unusual surprise as his eyes fell upon the Professor and his party.

'English?'he asked pleasantly, bowing courteously, and then, when he had received an assuring answer, 'Then there is something to explain.We are in search of a notorious pirate.'

He spoke English with hardly an accent, and his face lit up wonderfully as the Professor answered.Then, as he listened to the tale the latter told him, a flush rose to his sallow cheeks.

'You will please to come aboard at once,' he commanded.'This news is very important.My commander will require the fullest information.'

It appeared, in fact, that news of the pirate's presence in those waters had come to the Chinese navy officials, who had despatched a gun-boat.

'Some one gave information in Shanghai,' explained the dapper little officer.'No doubt he did so for a reward.But we learned that some Europeans had set off in a native boat, and that there was a plot to seize them.We made sure when we sighted you that you were the pirate.Now, of course, we shall take them easily.'

Which actually happened, for four hours' steaming brought the gun-boat within easy range of the vessel that had so lately accommodated the Professor and his party.Then, such is the summary justice handed out by the celestial race, the ship was callously bombarded, and sent with all the villains aboard her to the bottom.

'For which one cannot really grieve, though it does seem a barbarous way of executing them,' said the Professor.'And now to get ashore and pursue our search for ruins.'

Two days later saw them landed, and within a little while the expedition had left for the interior.

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CHAPTER X

Ebenezer Clayhill's Inspiration

Mr. Ebenezer Clayhill was not the man to be thwarted without displaying some show of opposition, and though the course which David Harbor had taken, and the result of his action in the Courts had considerably perturbed the owner of 'The Haven,' the latter did not remain despondent for long.

'The young rascal!'he exclaimed to his wife one day, as they sat in the flat which they had rented in London, for longer residence in their own house was hardly possible, the publication of their doings having roused the ire of the countryside.Indeed, both Ebenezer and his wife had been hooted in the village, while, on rising the morning after their return from the trial of the case they had been astounded to discover a huge notice board in the garden, prominently displayed, with 'To Let' in large figures, a very obvious hint that their presence in those parts was no longer required.

'The young rascal!'he exclaimed again, blowing his huge nose with unusual violence.'I suppose he thinks to have things all his own way.'

'And so far he has won all along the line,' came the brusque if not very encouraging answer from Mrs. Clayhill.'I knew what it would be if you quarrelled with the boy.A more stubborn, strong-headed youth I never met.It was your sending him from home which upset matters.'

Mr. Ebenezer glared at his wife over the top of his handkerchief, and when he at length exposed the whole of his countenance it was flushed a deep red to match the wonted colour of his proboscis.

'We won't discuss that,' he said icily.'The boy hasn't won, though he appears to have done so.Recollect that he has yet to find that will, and China is a big country.'

The reflection appeased Mrs. Clayhill for the moment.'Yes, China is a big country,' she agreed, thoughtfully.Then she again recurred to David's stubbornness, as she was pleased to characterise his pluck and staunchness.Indeed, the reader will have been able to draw his own conclusions.If standing up for oneself, and fighting one's own battles when a most evident wrong was attempted was stubbornness, then David was undoubtedly of that persuasion, decidedly stubborn to say the least.'China is a big country, as Edward Harbor was never tired of telling me.But he'll do it.If that will exists, as I believe it does—for my late husband was most careful and particular—then David will discover it.Drat the boy!'

'Precisely!We will allow that he will hunt high and low,' said Mr. Ebenezer, assuming a soothing tone of voice.'We will even assume that he will find the will, though of that I am extremely doubtful.But will he bring it back in safety?That is the question.'

At his words his wife looked up sharply.She was accustomed to Ebenezer now, and had found him to be a schemer.Not that that fact annoyed her.On the contrary, as has been already mentioned, this lady was not of the nicest disposition.Had the whole truth been known, she had schemed to marry Edward Harbor, knowing him to be a rich man, while she was almost penniless.She was, indeed, not altogether guiltless of scheming herself, and found in Ebenezer a man somewhat after her own heart.She looked up sharply, questioningly, and waited for him to continue.

'Well?'she demanded, after a while, finding he remained silent, save for the fact that he drew his handkerchief from his pocket again and applied it to his nose, trumpeting loudly, an old and disagreeable habit that was often annoying.'Put that handkerchief away, Ebenezer, and tell me what you mean.What are you driving at?The boy may find the will, you say, but you doubt his bringing it back safely.Why shouldn't he be able to do so?If he actually finds this will, surely that is the most difficult part of the task.I don't understand you.'

'My dear,' came the answer, as Ebenezer pulled at his handkerchief again, and then, suddenly remembering that it annoyed his wife, tucked it away.Instead he rose and placed himself in his favourite position on the hearth-rug, expanded his chest, and put on an air of great importance.'My dear,' he said, 'let us assume that he gets this document.He discovers it in China, in the part where his father carried out research work in connection with some old Mongolian city.I say, let us assume that he is so fortunate.Well, China is a country of disturbances.Foreign devils are not over loved, and—er—well, you see—er—sometimes there are robberies committed.Edward Harbor was murdered, probably for his small possessions, his guns and other things necessary to him on such an expedition.David might——'

'Be murdered!You don't mean that!'exclaimed Mrs. Clayhill, holding up her hands in horror, and sitting up sharply in her chair.For that was going too far.A scheme was a scheme, she told herself.She had gone so far already in her efforts to oust her stepson from all benefit in his father's possessions, that she would not hesitate to scheme further; but she drew the line sharply at personal violence.That was against her wishes altogether.

'Ebenezer,' she cried severely, 'I forbid you even to talk of such a thing.If we cannot enjoy this money without doing actual violence to David, then I will at once go to the solicitor, Mr. Jones, and show him that letter Edward wrote me.If I produced it, there is not a shadow of doubt but that a judge would advise a jury against the will we have put forward.The wording is so strong that there can be no doubt not only of my late husband's intentions, but also of the fact that he actually executed a will in David's favour.It would end the matter for good and all; we should be almost paupers.'

Mrs. Clayhill was quite agitated, to say the least, and was almost angry with her husband.In any case she was consistent; for while she was not averse to a scheme which would do no one personal or bodily harm, she would rather resign all interest in the possessions of her late husband than have David injured.And as might be expected, Ebenezer was not left altogether unruffled.The excitement was too much for his powers of self-control.He dragged his handkerchief from his pocket and trumpeted again, a shrilly, discordant note which seemed to match with Mrs. Clayhill's temper.Then he regained his coolness, and held his hands up in a soothing manner.

'My dear, my dear,' he cried, somewhat querulously, still hot and perturbed at the thought of the consequences of such an act as his wife had threatened, 'whoever said a word about violence?Not I; of that I am sure.I merely remarked that China was a disturbed country, and that Europeans are hated people, open to robbery and violence.I was about to proceed when——'

'What then?' asked Mrs. Clayhill, abruptly, relieved to hear that no violence to David was premeditated, and eager at the same time to learn what her crafty husband could have thought of. 'What is the scheme, Ebenezer? You keep me in a whirl. The anxiety of this will is making me quite miserable. See what has happened already. The people in the village actually insulting, hooting us in the street; servants leaving us en masse, even the outside staff ceasing work and departing.Why, we shall have to let the house.We can never show our faces there again.And then think of what the papers said.It makes me hot and cold all over in turn as I remember the names they called us.'

It was all very true.Mr. Ebenezer and his scheming wife had imagined that everything would go very smoothly for them; for they had but a lad to deal with.Up to the time of David's being told that he must now work, and must leave home for London, there had not been even a question as to the succession to Edward Harbor's money.It had been a recognised fact that all his wealth was to descend, and at once too, to Mrs. Ebenezer Clayhill and her husband.Even the solicitor, Mr. Jones, with a natural liking for our hero, and, therefore, with every wish to see him done justice to, had been unable to demur.Unwillingly, it is true, but as a matter of ordinary business, he had carried through the proving of the will put forward by Mr. Ebenezer Clayhill and his wife, and had obtained judgment allowing him to presume Edward Harbor's death.Then, when everything should have gone smoothly, trouble had begun.David had for the first time shown an inclination to contest the will.He had mentioned the existence of a letter from his late father, evidently written at the same time as that sent to Mrs. Ebenezer, and intimating that he was to be the chief beneficiary under his father's will.That bomb-shell had caused consternation, even greater consternation than David's sudden determination to leave home.From that moment the two schemers had known little peace; their scheme was threatened.They began to wonder whether they would actually succeed to the money, and whether also by their action in suppressing that important communication from Edward Harbor they laid themselves open to punishment.David's sudden accession to popularity, the laudatory remarks made concerning him in the papers after the burglary at the store near Bond Street had served to increase their ire and vexation.Finally, they were forced to attend the courts to show reason why the will of the late Edward Harbor should not remain unexecuted, pending a search for a later one mentioned in the letter which David's advisers laid before the courts.Let the reader imagine their anger and mortification.Let him add to that the fact that Ebenezer and his wife were the talk of the country, universally condemned by all, and that their own home no longer afforded them an asylum; he will then readily agree that retribution was coming, that these two schemers were not finding their path of the smoothest.But they were not beaten.Ebenezer spread out his hands again, in an attitude meant to be most soothing, and addressed his wife once more.

'We are wandering from my point,' he said, as placidly as he could, though he found it hard to keep his temper.'I mentioned no violence to the young cub whom you have the misfortune to own as a stepson.I merely said that he might find it difficult to bring the document home with him, even if he were so fortunate as to discover it.'

'Ebenezer, you have something to tell me,' came the sharp answer.'What is it?You have been hatching some plan.'

His wife smiled encouragingly at him, and awaited his reply with obvious eagerness.For she had found in this new husband a crafty fellow, and even now had faith in his powers to bring this matter to a successful issue.'Come,' she said, 'what have you done?'

'I have had a most distinct piece of good fortune.All this prominence which the papers have given us, and which has been so disagreeable, has been useful nevertheless.It has roused a vast amount of interest in the case.People have read every word the papers have written.'

'As we know to our cost,' sniffed Mrs. Ebenezer.

'Precisely.People have read every word, even foreigners, and as a result I received a few days ago a letter from a man living in the east end of London—from a Chinaman.'

Mrs. Ebenezer pricked up her ears; the plan was beginning in a promising manner.'A Chinaman,' she ejaculated.'Indeed!'

'A Chinaman engaged in the East End; a man recently come from his own country, where he had come in contact with Europeans.He had actually been with Edward Harbor on one occasion, and seems to have made himself invaluable, for he speaks English well, and can cook and do other things.He offered to help us.'

'For money, of course!'exclaimed Mrs. Ebenezer, satirically.

'Of course, my dear; for what else?He has no direct interest in us.But supposing he were to succeed in helping us, then his interest comes in.We could afford to reward him handsomely.'

The lady leaning back in her chair nodded sharply, and looked at her husband with a cunning gleam in her eyes.She was beginning to see daylight Here, perhaps, was a means to defeat David Harbor and without subjecting him to violence.She fanned herself with a newspaper, for the sudden hope which the tale brought made her feel oppressively hot.'We could afford to reward him handsomely,' she declared, in the most unctuous manner.'What did you offer?'

'I gave him a hundred pounds for his expenses, and promised a thousand if he were successful.'

Mrs. Ebenezer clapped her hands energetically.She was delighted, and thoroughly in agreement with her husband.What a shrewd fellow he was, to be sure, she thought.Why, a thousand pounds was well spent if only they could destroy that will, the existence of which paralysed their own schemes, and might make paupers of them.Then a sudden doubt came to her mind, for like every schemer and dishonest person this lady was quick to perceive where this plan might break down.She imagined herself in the place of the Chinaman who had come to her husband, and cogitated what she would do under similar circumstances.

'Why,' she suddenly declared, in no little alarm, 'a hundred pounds is riches to a Chinaman.Supposing this ruffian makes off with your money, and does not try to help you.Supposing he forgets all about us once he has left the country?'

'He has left the country already,' came the swift and somewhat disconcerting answer.'I sent him off hurriedly; he will not fail us.'

'Why?'Mrs. Clayhill was insistent.More than that, she was more than usually artful.In fact, Edward Harbor, poor fellow, could not have come across a woman less suited to his tastes and feelings, while Ebenezer Clayhill found in the widow of the late Edward Harbor a woman cunning and clever, and to some extent unscrupulous.To some large extent one might say, for who could describe the action of this pair as other than unscrupulous?Alas!the attempt to deprive a near relative of possessions due to him is nothing new.The same sort of sordid scheme has been practised many a time with variations, and sometimes with success.Not every case has been associated with a lad of David Harbor's nature, nor with one possessed of his determination and courage.Still, if in this particular affair there were such a person, as these two schemers had found already to their chagrin and cost, on the other side our hero was opposed to a couple of crafty people, of whom Mrs. Clayhill was by no means the inferior.

'How do you know that this fellow will not fail us?'she demanded, rising from her seat and walking to the window, which she threw up, as if the room were too hot for her.'How?I am suspicious.'

'You always are, my dear,' chuckled her husband.'But it will be all right.This Chinaman is the very man we want.I told you it was a piece of extraordinary good fortune his writing to me, for there is more to tell you about him.He is a deposed mandarin.'

'I thought no such person existed,' said Mrs. Clayhill quickly.'A mandarin at fault is a dead mandarin, so far as I have been able to gather.'

'Unless he escapes.Unless he escapes, my dear,' suggested Mr. Ebenezer.

'Then this man?——'

'Escaped.Disguised himself, and made for Canton on a river boat.Then, thanks to his knowledge of English, he was able to ship aboard a vessel sailing for England.Once China was left behind he was safe, and the crafty fellow so contrived matters that it was assumed in his own country that he had become desperate, and had thrown himself into the river.That mandarin, to all intents and purposes, is dead.He can begin life again in China as an altogether different person, without incurring any suspicion.No one, not even the mandarin who had his trial in hand, and who had caused him to be arrested for an attack upon some Europeans would recognise him.Dao Chang is a name which none will associate with Hang Chiou, the mandarin who was to have been beheaded.'

'Attack on Europeans!This man a mandarin, and yet a servant to Europeans,' protested Mrs. Clayhill.'I am bewildered.There is something missing in your description, Ebenezer.'

It was not at all remarkable that she was to some extent confused, for at the beginning of his tale of this Chinaman, the ruffian, who was the instigator of this attempt to rob David Harbor, had declared that the man had taken service with some Europeans, and could cook, as well as speak English.Then how could he be servant and mandarin at one and the same time?Surely there was an error in the narrative!But Ebenezer smiled cunningly as he noticed his wife's bewilderment, and again spread his hands out in a manner calculated to soothe her.Then he made a dive for his handkerchief, but remembering in time, rubbed both fat members together as if he were washing them.To speak with absolute impartiality the man looked, as he stood there in front of the fire, precisely and exactly what he was.He had the appearance of a mean, sneaking villain, capable of planning the most cunning plot from the security of his fireside, but sure to turn tail and decamp at the first sign of danger.But his wife was blind to his imperfections.Had she been as other women are, no doubt, she would have recoiled from this man.But Mrs. Clayhill was what she was, and guile and cunning pleased her.She went back to her chair, and sat down in the most placid manner, as if she were listening to the most ordinary tale.

'Go on, Ebenezer,' she lisped.'You interest me vastly.Tell me more of this man who was mandarin and common servant.'

'And who was arrested for complicity in the murder of certain Europeans,' remarked her husband, promptly, and in the quietest tones, to which, however, he contrived to lend some subtle note that was easily detected.Swiftly his wife looked up, loosing all appearance of placidity.

'For complicity in the murder of certain Europeans,' repeated Ebenezer, watching his wife closely, and bringing into special prominence the last two words of his short sentence.

'Certain Europeans 'What do you mean?Ebenezer, I do declare, you bewilder me.Certain Europeans!Why, you can't mean that——'

There was a sleek smile on the man's face as she looked up at him.He appeared to be in that position where he hardly knew whether it would do, considering all the circumstances, to show pleasure here, though, knowing his wife as he did, he rather fancied she would not take umbrage if he were to show some trace of satisfaction.And he was right.Mrs. Clayhill smiled.After all, poor Edward Harbor was only a bitter memory to her.

'You can't mean that this man had to do with the murder of poor Edward,' she cried, attempting to assume horror, though there was no doubt at all that she was vastly interested.'Tell me more,' she demanded eagerly.'This man is a find indeed.I can't believe it possible.He implicated in that wretched affair!You will tell me next that he had something to do with this will which David has gone in search of.'

If Ebenezer ever allowed himself to laugh outright, he was as near as possible permitting himself that luxury on this occasion.His fat face reddened and beamed.His nose became peculiarly prominent on account of its heightened colour, and once more his hands washed oilily together.Ugh!He would have given an honest person a cold shiver.

'You are wonderfully far-seeing, my dear,' he laughed.'And now you seem to have got to the depth of the story.This Hang Chiou, or to give him his modern name, Dao Chang, is as crafty as he is long-headed.It appears that Edward Harbor and his staff were working in his district, for Chang was only a minor official, and very poor at that.He saw that the expedition was possessed of certain riches, and moreover, he knew that they had discovered ancient bronzes which would bring money in one of the open ports.He decided to have that money.He gave out that he was going to Pekin on an official visit, and quietly disguised himself as a coolie.Then he took service with Edward Harbor and his partners.One day he led a band of coolies against them, and killed them all.Then he swore all the coolies to secrecy, and declared himself as the mandarin of the district.Of course, the bulk of the booty fell to him, and with it all Edward's papers.He had hardly returned home, however, making believe that he was from Pekin, when he was betrayed by a coolie, and at once arrested.You know the rest of the story.'

Truly it was a marvellous narrative; it was almost unbelievable—yet, why not?Unless the whole thing was a plot to obtain money.Mrs. Clayhill promptly voiced the doubts in her mind.

'He may have fooled you,' she declared.'One hundred pounds would hardly tempt him to return to China.Most likely he is still here.'

But there was no doubt in the face of the man who had been speaking.Ebenezer looked confident.He chuckled as he thought of his own astuteness.

'My dear,' he proclaimed, with unusual emphasis, 'it requires a clever man to deceive me.Besides, I am very careful.I booked the man's passage.I saw him off.He was aboard when the ship was in mid-ocean.The wireless telegraph told me that with ease and certainty.No, let us have no doubts.Dao Chang does not require money alone to tempt him to China.He willingly risks his head to get even with the coolie who betrayed him, as also to work his revenge on the mandarin who was the actual cause of his downfall.Besides there is another reason.If he could earn the money I have promised, he could buy evidence to clear his name with the greatest certainty.He could even buy a position of some power, and of greater affluence.In fact, he could reinstate himself.There is his object.'

'But——'

'You cannot see farther.Quite so,' said this soft-spoken ruffian.'I will proceed at once.Chang sailed promptly so as to land in China before the party to which David is attached.He will enter himself as one of their servants.Then he will earn his reward from us by taking possession of the will should they happen to find it.If not, he himself will make search for it on his own account.Should that happen he will have done with your stepson and his friends, though I suspect that he will relieve them of any valuables.He will send us the document so that we may destroy it, and will then be free to carry out his own business.Our affair first, you understand, his own afterwards.'

It was a crafty piece of scheming when all things were considered, and looking at the matter from Ebenezer's point of view there was no reason at all why he should not be eminently satisfied.For fortune seemed to have played fairly with him.The very ruffian who had instigated the murder of Edward Harbor had offered his services; and it was this Chinaman's direct interest to find the will for which David was journeying to the country of the Celestials.It was not as if the man had been asked to discover a jewel of vast value.For then one might easily have suspected his honesty and good intentions.Here only a document was in question, a piece of parchment, perhaps, with a few written lines upon it, valueless to all but our hero and the two schemers who should have been father and mother to him.Valueless in any case to Chang, the ruffianly Chinaman, so useless, in fact, that he would be eager to change it for the thousand pounds so readily offered by Ebenezer.Undoubtedly, the man who had married David's stepmother was delighted, and by the time he had finished his narrative, so also was Mrs. Clayhill.

'It is all wonderful and most fortunate.I can sleep in peace,' she ventured, 'for I know that no violence will be offered.'

She departed from the room in high feather, while hardly had the door closed when her husband smiled broadly, and in a most suggestive manner.'

'Clever woman,' he told himself.'Precious clever; but I have to remember that she is a woman, with natural distaste of murders and sudden attacks.Glad I didn't tell her all that Chang hinted.What luck to be sure to have dropped on the fellow.You could have knocked me down with a hat pin when I received his letter.'

Perhaps it was as well that Ebenezer had not told his wife all the story; for there were parts of it to which that lady would most certainly have taken exception.As Ebenezer had remarked, Chang had hinted many things, and had, in fact, spoken openly.

'You leave it to me to stop this English boy, then?'he had asked, prior to his departure on the boat.'If, for instance, I could send certain news that he was killed or drowned, or something of that sort, that would be sufficient?'

'I will pay a thousand pounds for that will with pleasure,' Ebenezer answered promptly.'Of course, should this young fellow come by an accident, and his death be sworn to by a British Consul, then the money would be paid with equal pleasure.'

There was no need to say more.The two ruffians parted with the most perfect understanding, Chang to formulate schemes to bring about David's undoing.And very soon he had an opportunity to carry them out.He disembarked at Hong-Kong, and waited for the arrival of the steamer on which David and his friends had left England.Then he sneaked on board as a deck passenger, disembarking at Shanghai, where it will be remembered, the Professor and his party landed.And at once news reached Chang that a native boat was about to be chartered.It was an opportunity not to be missed.The Chinaman dived in amongst the ruck of men in the bazaar, and soon discovered others of equal villainy.It took little persuasion on his part to induce a man to offer his boat to the Professor, and but little work to organise a scheme of attack with a piratical vessel.Then Chang watched the departure with a grin on his ugly features.

'I think I shall be able to apply for that money very quickly,' he told himself.'The scheme of attack is one which can hardly fail to be successful.'

Yet it failed, much to his fury.Thanks to Alphonse's watchfulness, and to the heroism of the whole party David and his friends escaped.It was the miscreants hired by Chang who suffered in the adventure, and indeed lost life and everything.Chang found himself at the beginning of his task again, and what was worse, was now far removed from the Professor and his party.However, that was a matter which could be remedied, and taking a boat along the coast it was not long before he landed at the port where the gun-boat commanded by the dapper little, English-speaking Chinese officer had set them.

'Foreign devils marched up country,' he was told, when he made cautious enquiries.'Been gone some days, but you will easily catch them.They are making for the Ming To ruins.'

It was in that neighbourhood that the rascal Chang actually came up with the expedition, and thereafter set his wits to work to bring about the destruction of the party, and failing that, the death of David Harbor.

'I can crawl into the camp at night and slay him,' he told himself.'Or I can fire at him while at work in the ruins.Yes, that is better.I shall certainly kill him.'

He crept off to a hovel where he had obtained a lodging, and throwing himself upon the kang, closed his eyes and gave himself up to deep contemplation.In Chang David had all unknowingly an enemy even more subtle and more dangerous than Ebenezer Clayhill.

---

CHAPTER XI

David goes on a Journey

'And now to investigate the secrets of the ruined city wherein dwelled Tsin the mighty, Tsin, the ruler of a tiny principality, who years and years ago set himself one of the biggest tasks man has ever undertaken.'

They were seated in their tent in the light shed by a candle lamp, and the Professor lolled back on the tiny camp-bed which was to be his own special property.Indeed, a glance round the camp showed clearly that the expedition was organised thoroughly, and promised by the equipment it carried to give comfort to every one.For first, there was the large tent for the use of the Professor, David, and Dick, with its three narrow beds, its collapsible table and chairs, and its waterproof flooring.Then, a little distance away was a smaller, bell tent, in which Alphonse was to repose, and beside it, within easy reach, a field kitchen, while further still was a third tent, similar to that occupied by Alphonse, for the accommodation of the four Chinese.

'Of course, those whom we employ to help us with the digging will have to find their own quarters,' said the Professor at the very beginning of their forming camp.'There happens to be a village some two miles away, and no doubt the inn there will take them in.But there are also one or two old buildings still standing in this ruined place, and they will probably elect to settle there.'

That, in fact, was what the dozen coolies whom he had hired had decided on.Already they had secured the basement of what had been a two-storied house, though now the upper part had gone, while to effect an entrance into that below needed quite a lot of excavation.For the rest, the camp was pitched on a grassy knoll some hundred yards from the ruins and within three miles of the huge Chinese wall, which, not so perfect now-a-days as it was wont to be, is still a marvel of human ingenuity and perseverance, stretching as it does for fourteen hundred miles over hill and valley, cutting the northern provinces of China from the rest of the world.

'As I was saying,' began the Professor again, 'we are about to investigate the ruins of the city—quite a small place, I imagine—in which dwelt Tsin, the one-time ruler of a small province in this neighbourhood.You must understand that he was one of many kings controlling the numerous provinces into which China was divided some two thousand years ago, a somewhat different condition to that now ruling, for there are only some fifteen provinces now-a-days.Tsin, like all the rest of these little kings, was for ever squabbling with his neighbours, so that there were frequent little wars, and as a natural consequence many additions were made to, or territory taken from, the various lands belonging to these kings.However, Tsin seems to have been fortunate, for he made additions.In fact, he ate up his neighbours, and with more wealth and more men increased wonderfully in power.He ended by conquering every part of China, and becoming Emperor of the Celestial Empire.'

'And richly deserved his reward, no doubt,' ventured David.'I should imagine that the people were all the happier for having one ruler only.Trade and other matters must have gone more smoothly.'

'I agree with you; things probably were more fortunate.But Tsin was not without his troubles; his kingdom was for ever being invaded by Mongolian nomads from the north, nomads who were as elusive as they were warlike.They devastated portions of his kingdom, and when armies were sent in pursuit they melted away, taken in ambush, or lost hopelessly in the desert.It was to check those nomads that Tsin started the Great Wall of China beside which we lie, and no doubt, once completed, it fulfilled its purpose.It will repay a visit one of these days.'

Dick and David had, as a matter of fact, already visited the huge wall, and had marvelled at its vastness.For this Great Wall of China is not merely an erection two bricks thick; it is a huge earth wall, faced with masonry, buttressed and supported everywhere, and freely supplied with fortified gates and quarters for its garrison.Fourteen hundred miles of it, stretching across the kingdom!Think of the enormous labour, think of the host required to guard its length.And to-day it is deserted, or almost so.The broad track on its summit, constructed of such a width that three carts could conveniently be driven side by side, is now no longer of service.Mongolia has ceased to send in her nomads.Perhaps the very presence of the wall has prevented them, or maybe they have become less warlike.There the wall lies, a work to rouse the admiration of modern-day people.

'And now to speak of these ruins.They are small, as I have said already,' the Professor told them, 'and since I do not expect to discover much of interest, I have decided to send you two lads forward.John Jong shall go with you, while the naval officer who spoke such excellent English has provided me with passports.It seems that his father is a mandarin, and commands the district a hundred and fifty miles north, where are located the Mongolian ruins I am so anxious to investigate.Will you go?'

Would they go?David and Dick were as eager as the Professor himself to dip into the past by investigating the ruins of the city in which Tsin had dwelled so many hundreds of years before.But a journey through China offered superior attractions; and besides, there was another city to be visited, or rather the ruins of one that had formerly existed.

'Go, sir?Of course!'declared David, with marked enthusiasm.'Nothing I should like better.'

'Quite a little experience for us, sir,' declared Dick.'Do we march or ride?'

'The latter.You will go in state; that is, you must create a good impression wherever you travel, for that will appeal to the natives.I don't think that there should be any difficulty, nor any danger.The passports I have and the letter you will carry to Twang Chun should command attention, for it seems that he is a very important official.More than that, like his son, he is westernised, speaks English and French, and longs for the day when his country will be less bigoted and cramped.Of course you will take arms with you, and since it is always as well to keep on the right side of the natives and attract little attention, you will travel in native costume.Jong will see to that part for you.'

There was jubilation in the faces of our hero and his friend.They glanced at one another as the Professor ceased speaking, and then grinned openly.

'Ripping!'exclaimed the latter.'Swells we shall be.Jong will be too big after such a journey to speak to his countrymen.But how about putting up for the night, sir?'

'As far as possible you will avoid staying in a village, and in case it should happen that you find yourselves a long way from a town of any importance, you will camp in the open. I brought three tentes d'abris with me, and those will accommodate you very nicely. Of course you might go to the native rest-house or inn; but I don't advise it. There is, as a rule, only one guest-chamber, with one long kang or couch on which to lie, and since the Chinese are none too clean in their persons you would find such quarters most unpleasant, besides laying yourselves open to robbery. In the big towns you will at once ask for the residence of the mandarin, and this letter which I shall entrust to you will certainly obtain a lodging under a fine roof and with comfortable surroundings, unless, of course, the mandarin happens to be bigoted, and hates all foreign devils. There are few, I imagine, who will care to displease Twang Chun, the Governor of the province. Now, as practice in such matters is excellent for all people, I leave it to you two to organise your own expedition. Get out a list of the things you imagine you will want. You will each have a Tartar pony for riding purposes, and can take three more besides the one Jong will ride, making roughly a spare horse apiece for your baggage. Let me see the list when completed.'

It may be thought that such a task as was now given to the two young fellows would take but a little while to complete.But when they came to make the list of which the Professor had spoken they discovered that they were often in doubt.For instance, with regard to the question of ammunition.

'Twelve rounds apiece for magazine pistols, ditto for rifles,' said Dick, as if he had been at this sort of work a long while.

'More!'exclaimed David, with a knowing wag of his head.'There might be a ruction; we might be attacked.'

'Pooh!Never did come across such a firebrand,' laughed Dick.'Always imagining that we are going to run our heads up against some sort of trouble.Still, if you think so, we'll carry more.Say forty rounds each.How's that?'

'Right; far more sensible.Now for grub.My word, we mustn't run short of that!'

David was always a good man at his trencher.The open-air life they were now leading, the novelty of his surroundings, and the exercise he enjoyed had given him an appetite there was no denying.

'Of course we might shoot something,' he said, 'though we haven't seen much so far that would be worth the while.Besides, in this queer country one hardly knows what it would be proper to kill and what not.The Professor says one has to be careful not to touch other people's belongings, and the latter are often straying about.Vote we make our list of stores a handsome one.'

In the end they took sufficient tinned meats to last them for two weeks, having reckoned that the journey would not take longer than eight days.A small bottle of brandy was included in their stores, rice for Jong, a bag of biscuit, and a box of dried apples.

'Makes a splendid sweet,' declared David.'Soak 'em over night in water, or milk if you can get it.Same with the rice you mean to use.Then put the two into a cloth, tie up the top and pop the whole into a kettle.Boil it, my boy, till the rice is done to a turn, and serve it with a sprinkling of sugar.That reminds me—tea's wanted, sugar too, and don't forget a kettle, a frying-pan, and a saucepan.'

'Besides tin mugs, a teapot, spoons, forks and knives.'

'And a filter to pass the water through.Can't be too careful,' said David.'Water supplies in this country are not often too reliable, and though one can be quite secure by drinking boiled water, yet one hasn't always the time, nor the fuel, so we'll take a filter.'

Having completed their list to their entire satisfaction, they consulted Jong, and with his help packed their stores into three lots, which were so arranged as to be easily secured on the pack saddles which the Professor had purchased.Then they took their list to the latter and asked for his approval.

'Very complete,' he agreed.'All that I can suggest now is cash.You will want an abundance of the small coins on which the Chinese coolie places such value.A little scattered now and again will gain friends for you.A handful will buy you a sack of rice when your store is exhausted; I shall hand over a sufficiency, while for funds on your arrival, should you need money, this letter will obtain the same from Twang Chun.And now, the sooner you get away the better; let us say to-morrow.You had best be up early so that Jong can complete your toilets.Don't forget that it is necessary that your appearance should be correct in every particular, just as if you were endeavouring to disguise yourselves.'

On the following morning, before the sun had risen, and while still a grey mist hung over the cold land, David and Dick turned out of the tent, took a dip in a lake close at hand, and then submitted themselves to Jong's attentions.

'Allee lightee,' he lisped, grinning as they came to him.'Soon makee Excellencies same as one Chinaman.Allee same, so that mother not be able to knowee dem.Jong shavee de head now.Den put on de pigtail.Not eber wear him before, Misser Davie?Den you soon see.Fine, Misser Davie.You one great big swell, wid a tail reachin' lightee down to de middle ob you.Now boil de kettle, get de soap, sharpen de razor.'

He set about his work humming a Chinese refrain devoid of all tune, while Alphonse emerged from his tent in his shirt sleeves, and using a native bellows soon had his fire going.It made the lads laugh to watch him hopping quickly about, and to see the extraordinary costume which he still adhered to.For if David and his friends out there in China were still, in spite of their local surroundings, in spite of essentially Celestial environment, undoubtedly Englishmen, Alphonse was as decidedly a Frenchman.His peaky little beard, and the way he carried himself, as well as the quickness of his movements, told one that.It was not necessary to regard his extremely loud shirt, his appalling cap, nor the pointed boots which he found comfort in wearing.

'Bien! You depart to-day. Bon voyage, messieurs,' he said, as he brought them each a steaming cup of tea. 'Let Alphonse tell you that you will find native costume comfortable, as comfortable as is mine, for he has tried it. Oui, messieurs, he has tried it.He owed his life to the disguise once.'

David could not imagine how any disguise could cloak this very obvious Frenchman.He smiled a little dubiously.

'Ah, you do not believe.Then I will tell you.It was on our last journey, the Professor's and mine.The people were angry with us; we were foreign devils who had caused the rain to fall for a month in succession.They surrounded the house; guns were fired; there was a great commotion.'

'What happened then?'asked Dick, eagerly.

'They dragged us out, the Professor and myself. They put us into wooden cages and carried us in them to their mandarin. But he, though he did not love foreign devils, was afraid to harm us. He took us into his house, saying to the mob that he would hand us over in the morning. Then he dressed us like natives, and passed us out through a back door very secretly. Bien, messieurs, we strolled through the mob.They would have torn us to pieces had they known that we were the foreign devils they had captured.We passed through them and got right away.It was what you call a narrow shave.'

'And the mandarin, how did he explain your flight?'asked David, curious to hear how such a matter would be arranged in this country of surprises, of ignorance and bigotry.

'I will tell you.He barred the door and the window.He burned our clothes.In the morning he took the ringleaders of the mob to the room and announced that they were free to kill us.Then he feigned as great surprise as they.He pointed to the charred remains of our clothing, and suggested that we had vanished into the air, perhaps to stop the rain, for as luck would have it, the downpour ceased that very evening.I tell you, for us it was a close shave.'

He bustled off to his camp kitchen, leaving the lads wondering greatly.To them the tale seemed impossible.But then they did not know China very well.They had no idea of the crass ignorance and superstition which even to-day sways the mass of the people.Had they had more knowledge, they would instantly have realised that such a sequel was possible, and that in the Celestial Empire one can encounter hopeless ignorance on one hand, and a depth of cunning adjacent to it.But Jong had his pot of water boiling now, and had put a fine edge on to the wedge-shaped native razor which he intended to use.He quickly lathered the hair over the temples and round the crown of each lad's head, and rapidly removed those portions.Then he produced two wonderful pigtails, and having snipped the hair left on the crown as short as possible, he heated the base of the pigtails, thus melting the adhesive already there, and applied them.A touch with a stick of charcoal to their eyebrows made a vast effect, while a line drawn outside the eyes gave a distinctly Celestial expression.After that it took but little time to don the native costume, and before Alphonse announced breakfast both David and Dick were dressed for their journey.

'You look at least forty,' declared the latter, surveying his friend, and bursting into a merry peal of laughter, 'and as wise as any judge.'

'While you should be at least the governor of a province,' grinned David, delighted at his friend's appearance.'Now for the Professor.'

'Excellent!'declared the latter, walking all round them.'I can find no fault; Jong has turned you out wonderfully well.But you mustn't stride along like that, David—nor walk with such an elastic step, Dick, my lad.Recollect that a Chinese gentleman, as you are supposed to be, has little if any call to show energy.He is essentially a tranquil person.His face is as impassive as that of a Red Indian's, while he seldom smiles.And above all he is deeply imbued with his own dignity.So, however youthful and merry you may feel when by yourselves, remember to look austere when in the company of strangers.And now to discuss the route.I have a map here, and as I have been over the ground before I have been able to put down all the chief towns you will pass.Of course there are thousands of completely walled cities in China, particularly up in this direction, where Mongolian incursions are always likely.You will pass several, and will, no doubt, sleep the night in more than one.Now, I have looked over your list of stores, and have suddenly remembered drugs.Alphonse has packed a box containing useful tabloids and other medicines, besides a supply of bandages and dressings.Ah!breakfast's ready; come along.'

An hour later the little cavalcade was ready to set out, and once more the Professor inspected the lads and their mounts.To speak the truth, even a native of the country would easily have been deceived, for David and his friend looked exactly what they were meant to look, namely, two Chinese gentlemen of some importance travelling through the country with their servant.

'Of course you are not bent on commerce,' said the Professor.'No Chinaman of any importance would soil his hands with trade.You are two officials going through to see Twang Chun.Good-bye!Look for me in a month's time.'

'Gee-up!'shouted Dick, shaking his reins.'Good-bye, Professor!'

They headed at once for the road that stretched across the country adjacent to the camp, and which perhaps had even borne Tsin, the mighty ruler of the Celestial Empire in those far-off days.Then they settled down to their long journey, David and Dick alongside one another, chatting and laughing, and Jong behind, his bare toes in the stirrups,—for the cold weather was not yet on them,—his reins knotted on his pony's neck, and leads from the other three animals attached to the bow of his native saddle.

'I rather fancy it will be as well to have some sort of regulations for marching,' said David, when they had accomplished some ten miles, and the camp was only a memory to them.'You see we are foreigners, though we don't look it, and something might turn up when we least expect it.'

Dick laughed loudly.David vastly amused him, and, if he had only made a clear confession, interested him also.For the lad displayed so many sides to his character.At one moment he was as dashing and plucky as one could wish.A regular fire-eater he had shown himself in the affair in the gulf of Pechili.And at other times he was as cautious as any old woman.

'You do make me smile,' declared Dick, searching for a handkerchief, a luxury which neither had yet abandoned, but for which, nevertheless, it was somewhat difficult to find a handy place in the strange garments they were wearing.''Pon my word, you make a chap roar.Always imagining danger's coming; always taking precautions; always getting ready; and then, no sooner does something spring up, all unforeseen, as it were, than you chuck all precautions, venture out into the open, and practically invite people to shoot you.Look at the ship—helped to get the party away from what was an ugly trap, and then, when all were safe, walked peacefully back in search of an axe.You do really take it.'

'Shut up!'growled David, crossly.'I'm serious.'

'So am I.'

'Look here,' declared our hero, with some warmth, 'I'll not stand any more of—oh, I say, let's be serious,' he laughed, for who could be angry with Dick—Dick the merriest and most light-hearted of the party?For if ever contrasts were asked for, a better example could not be brought forward than David and his companion.The one, as Dick had said, a strange mixture of dash and daring, and of shrewd, almost nervous caution; and the other, Dick Cartwell, as jolly as the day was long, the most thoughtless individual breathing, an inconsequent, harmless sort of fellow, who made friends of all and sundry with an ease which was astonishing.Caution!Dick threw it to the winds.

'Don't get looking round for trouble till trouble troubles you, old boy,' he had said on more than one occasion when twitting David.Dick followed the proverb strictly.He made no effort to look into the future, to prepare for squabbles, even in a country not altogether friendly.Left in command of the Professor's party, he would have been soundly asleep when the pirates so stealthily slipped aboard the vessel and slid along the decks towards the cabin.But once the danger was present, once he was with his back against a wall, there was no better nor more reliable fellow.Dick fought with as light a heart as he possessed when eating his dinner.Light-heartedness was his one fault, in fact, if one could actually declare it a fault; for on the march and under everyday conditions it cheered his companions and helped wonderfully to keep every one going.

'Well, let's hear all about this matter,' he asked, smiling at our hero, and urging his steed beside him with a kick from his heel.'You are anticipating trouble.'

'Nothing of the sort.I do declare you are an aggravating fellow.I say that we are in a country where foreign devils are not too popular, and though we don't appear to be foreigners, yet people might discover our nationality.In fact, they are sure to when we put up in the towns.Very well, then.We must take it turn and turn about to watch, Jong doing his share with us.Of course I'm speaking of the time when we are out on the road, or in camp, should we settle down outside a village or town.In the house of a mandarin we should be free from interference.Now, what do you say to the plan?'

'A beastly bother, but necessary perhaps.I agree.When do we start?'

'Right away; nothing like getting settled down to our duties.We'll have a chat with Jong.'

They pulled their ponies round and edged them up alongside the single store pony trotting at the Chinaman's left hand.

'We're going to take it in turns to watch when on the road,' said David.'I'll start now, and continue till noon; then Dick till late in the afternoon; then you'll come on duty.We'll share the night out evenly when we're in the open.'

Jong took a few minutes to absorb his meaning.Not that the man was dense; it was simply because he had not a very abundant command of English.

'Allee lightee; savvey,' he exclaimed at last, with a curious little lisp which rather became him.'Jong say dat allee lightee.Watch, den no easy to be cut to piecee.Neber know who or what comin' along.P'laps dere robbers.Dey make mincemeat of de lot of us before you have time to breathe.Jong watch like a dog.Him savvey!'

'Then I start right off; let's get back to our places.'

The two young fellows kicked their lazy little ponies into a canter, and pulled them in again when they were some fifty yards ahead of the Chinaman.And until the hour of noon David kept a careful eye all about him.Then they halted for a spell, Jong quickly getting a kettle over a fire and the water boiling.A cup of tea and a slice from a tin of meat put all in a good temper, and made them ready to proceed.That evening, as the shades were lengthening, they slid through the gates of a walled city.Dick's hours for duty were almost ended.In a little while they would be under a roof and, they hoped, in hospitable quarters.But neither Dick nor David nor the talkative Jong saw that figure trailing along behind them on the main road.Not one had observed a man creep from a ditch a mile from the gates of the city, and slink cunningly after the party.For it was Chang, and his object so far was to remain in the background, undiscovered till the hour for action had arrived.

---

CHAPTER XII

Chang announces his Errand

Never before had David or Dick been within a Chinese city, and from the moment of their arrival at Hatsu they were vastly interested with their surroundings.

'Lidee light through de gate, Misser Davie,' advised Jong.'Not take no notice of de guards.Dey common fellows.Den Jong lead you to de house of de mandarin; you have fine food and lodgin' dere.'

But as it turned out, there was no easy admission to the city.A dozen quaintly dressed Tartar soldiers barred the way, bearing modern rifles across their shoulders.

'Who are you?Say where you come from!'demanded one, who seemed to be an under-officer.'Do you come from the country where sickness rages?'

Jong at once came forward as interpreter.

'My masters come from the sea-coast,' he said, with an air of authority, which carried weight at once with the soldiers.'There is no sickness in the parts where they have been.They bear important letters to Twang Chun, and passports for your governor.'

'Show them,' demanded the Tartar under-officer, who seemed to be bursting with his own importance.'Perhaps you are telling lies.Show the letters.'

He stepped up to David and seized his pony by the head.Then he closely scrutinised our hero.

'Bring a lamp,' he ordered one of his men.'It's too plaguey dark to see, particularly under this gateway.Bring a light; we shall then be able to look at these fellows.'

He jerked at the bit, causing the animal to rear, and the man himself to let go his hold.At once David put his heel to the pony's side, and sent him plunging in amongst the soldiers, upsetting the officer with a crash.At the same instant a lamp was brought, and the light showed the Tartar picking himself up, while already he had drawn his sword.Then, fuming with rage, he advanced again and seized the pony.

'Let us look closely at you, you who bear important letters,' he cried.And then he gave vent to a shout of astonishment.'Mandarins of importance, did you say, rogue?'he shouted, turning on Jong.'These are foreigners, white men, hated foreigners from the West.'

He gripped at David's clothing and would have torn it from him, had not the young fellow again set his mount plunging.Then Jong pressed his own animal forward; for whatever else he might be, however amusing and garrulous, Jong was not a laggard where blows were being given and received, nor did he hang in the background when there was need for instant action.He gripped the Tartar by the shoulder and shook him as a dog would shake a rat.

'Fool!he growled, angrily.'Who said that my masters were indeed mandarins?They are people of importance, and bear important letters.Are you so anxious then to incur the anger of Twang Chun, the Excellency who commands the province, that you thus interfere with us?My masters will show the letters, but you shall not read them.Bring the lamp; if you are not careful we will take you with us to His Honour who commands in this city.'

At a sign from the faithful fellow David produced the pouch in which the letters were carried, and showed them to the man, looking askance as he did so at the soldiers, for it was evident that they were fully ready for mischief.Indeed, had he but known it, Hatsu bore none too enviable a reputation.It appeared, indeed, that only some few months before an attack had been made in this city upon some European missionaries, and had resulted in the death of one.As a consequence the commander of the place had been dismissed, while a number of the delinquents had been beheaded; and the common people still smarted under what they imagined was a grievance.However, the magic name of Twang Chun carried the day.The Tartar officer drew back grudgingly, eyeing Jong as if he would dearly have loved to kill him.Nor did he regard the disappearing figures of David and his merry companion with any better favour.

'Foreign devils in disguise!'he growled to his men.'Why in disguise?Tell me that.Answer me that question.Why do foreign devils come to our city and demand entrance when the dusk has fallen?Why?'

He held the lamp up to each face in turn, and receiving no answer bade them enter the guard-house with him.He caused the doors to be closed, and then spoke with no little show of excitement.

'Why do foreign devils reach us when the evening has come, and attempt to pass us disguised as mandarins?I will tell you now.You who are ignorant and do not gather news have heard only as a rumour, perhaps, the fact that death stalks through the provinces of Manchuria—black death!'

They recoiled from him at the words.Lethargic and eminently fatalists as are the Celestials, their fatalism and their easy resignation to all that is inevitable are not proof against the terrible epidemics that sweep across the country at times.Even small-pox, which makes its ravages in different quarters practically the year through, and being, therefore, no new thing to the natives, scares them wonderfully when it makes its appearance in any particular locality.But small-pox is not to be compared with the black death, not to be mentioned in the same breath with that hideous pneumonic plague, which decimates cities in a week, attacks both young and old, and once it has seized a victim, rarely spares his life.Besides the Tartar officer was right.Pneumonic plague had appeared in Manchuria, and was stalking through the land.Cases had even been reported in the adjacent provinces of Russia, while the disease was spreading in the direction of Pekin.Everywhere in the neighbourhood of the infected area distracted creatures were fleeing, carrying the disease with them, and spreading it across the land.What more natural thing in a country of amazingly simple and ignorant people than that the onset of this black death should here and there be put down to some outside influence?The foreign devil was a target at which to throw all the blame.And this Tartar under-officer, no doubt as bigoted and ignorant as his fellows, found in the coming of David and Dick a subtle scheme to import the plague to Hatsu.

'We have heard that there is great sickness,' said one of his men.'We have been told that plague assails the people.It has even been reported that soldiers have been called to positions north and east of Pekin to hold the frightened people back.'

'True, comrade, true, every word of these reports.Our commander has himself been called away to receive orders with regard to the placing of the soldiers.But see how the foreign devils manage these things.They come to us in disguise.They enter our city with letters of introduction to his Excellency Twang Chun.With forged letters, you may be certain.'

The gaping mouths of his audience showed how the news affected them.Give the Tartar soldier his due, he is one of the best soldiers China possesses, but he is as ignorant and as bigoted as any of the people.Moreover, he is just as ready to run from the cry of plague as he is ready to discover in a European the cause of his misfortune.Growls of anger came from the men, disturbed, however, a moment later by a loud challenge from the sentry.He was calling for men to help him to shut the gates—for the hour for closing the city had arrived—and as he did so espied a figure creeping in through the archway.He brought the man to a stop with his bayonet within an inch of his breast.

'Move not,' he commanded, 'else will I plunge the blade home and send you to converse with your ancestors.Son of a dog, what do you here at this time?'

Another shout brought the Tartar officer running out with his men, while one carried the native lantern, a huge affair of oiled paper.They held it up close to the stranger's face, while the officer approached closely.

'Who are you?'he asked suspiciously.'A follower of those foreign devils?'

'In their service, no,' came the emphatic answer.'Take this; let us talk.'

The man pulled a handful of money from a bag suspended to his girdle, and gave it to the under-officer.'Let us talk,' he repeated.'I follow these foreign devils it is true, but not as their servant.I come to bring a warning.'

'There!did I not say so?'declared the officer instantly, his sallow face flushing.'I have but just told these comrades that Hatsu would be well without such visitors.I have warned them of the plague.'

Chang, for he it was—the rascal paid to proceed to China in search of David, paid by Mr. Ebenezer Clayhill—beamed on the soldiers, and followed them into the guard-house eagerly.To speak the truth, the artful scoundrel knew something of the history of Hatsu, and recollected that certain of her people had received punishment for an attack on Europeans.He had come to the city with the intention of stirring up popular hatred of the foreigners, if that were possible, and of setting the people on them.If not here, then elsewhere.And here, there was already a beginning with an excellent excuse for further action; for the faces of the Tartar guard showed that even the mention of foreign devils caused them to grunt with anger.

'Then you have been speaking to them, friend,' said Chang, when he was comfortably seated.'Tell me their story.'

'There is little in it I was suspicious of them on the instant my eyes fell upon them, in spite of the dusk.Mark you, these foreign devils came in the gloaming, in disguise, and told of letters to Twang Chun, the Excellency who commands the province.'

Chang's crafty features twisted at the mention of the high official, for he recollected that it was he who would have executed him.But he told himself that absence and his change of name, to say nothing of the fact that it was supposed that he had been drowned, made him safe from detection.He laughed loudly at the story.

'And you believed all this?'he asked, feigning incredulity.

'I knew they lied.I was but just telling my comrades that they came to bring plague to us, no doubt to increase the punishment already suffered by our people for the justifiable attack made on others of the same race.'

'Then you told them the truth.The foreign devils will scatter the plague in this city of a certainty if they be not removed.Listen, friends.Who knows of their arrival, who but you?'

'None, none save the deputy-commander,' came the answer.'They have gone to him to seek a lodging.Their letter to his Excellency Twang Chun will command attention.They will be handsomely lodged.'

'And this deputy-commander; tell me of him.'

Chang's eyes gleamed maliciously as he listened to the reply.He tucked his hands into his baggy sleeves and hugged himself with unrestrained delight.Already he began to feel the weight of that thousand pounds which his rascally employer had promised.

As for the Tartar officer, he at once allied himself with this stranger who had come so opportunely to warn the people of Hatsu.Not only because in his ignorance he was genuinely a believer in the fable that David and his friend, or any other Europeans for the matter of that, could at will bring a plague to the city.No, that was not the only reason for his instant decision to help this Chang.It was because he himself, this Tartar under-officer, had suffered for the death of that European attacked some while before.Cunning alone had saved him his head.He had been degraded and soundly thrashed, for in China punishments are by no means half-hearted.People are still put to the torture, wretched criminals still suffer penalties that have long since disappeared from the penal codes of other nations.The man had been degraded and soundly thrashed, and the indignity and the sting of the lash were still fresh with him.

'Listen,' he whispered hoarsely, his eyes glinting dangerously.'This deputy-commandant is no lover of the foreign devil.It is well known, though it is denied, mark you, that he it was who led the soldiery in that affair when certain people of the west were attacked.He would have been governor here, but the suspicion that he was one of the attackers caused him to lose the high post.Of a surety he is with us.'

'And would dare to hang these wretches on the report we bring him?'asked Chang, his wicked face lit up with eagerness.'He is bold enough for that?'

The cunning smile on the face of his listener told its own tale.What need had such a man as Chang to question further?For had he not arranged such little matters himself many a time?To a Chinaman was there any difficulty in such an affair, demanding cunning and intrigue?Let it be remembered that in all our dealings with the Celestial race craft has been always met with.In business circles amongst the large commercial firms of which China can now boast, it has come to be well understood and believed in that a Celestial's word is as good as his bond; that he does not depart dishonourably from an undertaking; but amongst the high officials such trust has not been gained.China's word has too often been broken.And here was this deputy-governor of Hatsu at that very moment receiving David and Dick with every sign of deference, though, to speak the truth, the man's ugly face was heavy with scowls when his guests were not observing.Would he dare to attack the foreigners who were about to eat his salt and partake of his hospitality?

'My brother,' declared the Tartar officer, becoming wonderfully friendly with the stranger, 'his Excellency Tsu-Hi will defend his guests if need be with his life.But——'

'But, Yes——'

'But he has other duties.He goes the rounds two hours after sundown, and repeats the visit once more before he goes to his repose.In his absence——'

Chang grinned an expansive grin.This little Tartar was a man after his own heart, and was proving a wonderful ally.He sat as immovable as a statue for some few minutes, his eyes shut, reviewing every side of the situation.

'No one knows of their arrival save these guards here,' he told himself, 'and, of course, the servants employed by his Excellency.Now if a mob in the quarter of the city where his house is situated rises when he is absent on the walls, and captures these foreign devils, how can his Excellency be blamed?How can I be made to appear in the matter, when there is this lusty Tartar to do the work for me.It shall be done.I will proceed without delay.'

Meanwhile David and Dick had been received by the deputy-governor of the city, and had been shown to their rooms, which were plainly but beautifully furnished.Then, as the governor excused his immediate absence on the plea of duty, the two lads called upon Jong to supply them with refreshment 'Not like dis,' said the faithful fellow, as he came into David's room bearing a steaming dish with him.'Dis not receiving guests as a mandarin or high officer should do.Not at all.Not light.Him should stay and give a feast dat takes much time eating.He should put allee de best dat he have before de foleigners.He should bow allee de time, and ask what next he can do.Not go off as if he hate de sight of white men.'

'Can't say I took a violent fancy to the fellow myself,' laughed Dick, who ate as if he were as hungry as a hunter.'Can't say the beggar was over handsome either.Seemed to wear a scowl on his face most of the time, as if he particularly disliked foreign devils.But that don't make any difference to a fellow's appetite, do it?Pass along that dish again, David.My!Jong's a cook in a hundred.'

The Chinaman grinned appreciatively, while David scarcely seemed to have heard his friend.His brow was furrowed; he paused long and often between the mouthfuls.

'Bothering again.Letting trouble come along and trouble you before it's time to trouble?'laughed Dick.'Here, David, I give you fair warning.This is my second go.If you're not pretty slippy the dish'll be empty.You'll be hungry when you go to your bed.'

'I shall sit up to-night.'

'What!sit up!Watch in the house of the governor of Hatsu?David, you're a bit mad I'm beginning to think,' cried Dick, still eating heartily and quizzing his comrade.'But, seriously,' he went on, 'where's the need?The jolly old fellow didn't wear the most handsome of faces, as I've admitted; but then he's our host.Twang Chun—beg his pardon, his Excellency—seems to be the kind of boy it would be bad practice to fall foul of.Supposing this governor fellow, what's his name?——'

'Tsu-Hi, deputy-governor, I understand.'

'Don't mind what sort o' governor he is any way,' laughed Dick, who was feeling wonderfully jolly and facetious. 'Let's call him Hi for short. This Hi, we'll suppose, hates foreign devils like poison; but there's always Twang Chun, ain't there? There's always this jolly old boy Twang, who, we're told, is ready to wring the neck of any fellow who doesn't offer us hospitality. Bien! as Alphonse says. There we are, safe as houses.'

'Just so,' agreed David, curtly.'All the same, I shall watch to-night.I've got a kind of feeling that something may happen.'

'Indigestion!'cried Dick.'Better let me dose you, my boy.One of those pills of the Professor's'll make you feel as right as a hay-stack—A1, in fact.A good sleep'll put you right by morning.'

But though David enjoyed his friend's chaff, and indeed laughed heartily at his last suggestion, he shook his head when invited to turn in. Why, he could not explain. But the fact remained, indigestion or no indigestion, the lad was filled with a sense of insecurity. Perhaps it was the roughness of the Tartar under-officer, perhaps it was the sounds of brawling which had come lately to his ear—who knows? It may have been a genuine premonition. He saw Dick plump himself on the narrow kang in his room, and bade him good-night. Then he lay down on his own, his eyes wide open and staring.

'Suppose it must be indigestion,' he said after a while, 'or is it the face of this Tsu-Hi?I didn't like him.I swear I caught him scowling and muttering.'

As is so often the case with those who lie awake in the silence, David's busy brain was occupied with a vast number of things—matters some of little moment, passed and done with, others of greater interest, his own aims and ambitions in this country of China.He wondered what his stepmother was doing, and sighed when he thought of how things might have been had she been a different woman.Then his mind branched off to the sturdy sergeant of police who had lodged him, to his pleasant little wife, and to Mr. Jones, staunchest of friends and solicitors.Then he gave his thoughts to the matter always uppermost in his mind, the finding of his father's papers; perhaps the discovery of some evidence which would prove or disprove his death.Perhaps even an agreeable surprise was awaiting him.Stranger things had occurred before.It might be even that Edward Harbor was still living.Ah!there was a noise of shouting out in the street.David rose and went to the window.Gently pushing back the wooden frame, with its oiled-paper covering in lieu of glass, he stood in the moonlight listening.

'Nothing,' he told himself.'Some brawlers, perhaps.I suppose even in this country of placid people, there are men who return late to their houses, and who make a noise in doing so.I'll leave 'em to it.'

He lay down once more, his head on his hands, and gave himself again to thinking. It seemed but a minute later when he awoke with a start, for he had been sleeping. There were men in the room, though none of them uttered so much as a syllable. Four or more gripped his hands and feet, while another thrust something between his teeth with decided roughness. Then David pulled himself together; he strained every muscle to throw off his silent attackers. He struggled, kicking one man to the end of the room, and causing the kang to topple over; but, in spite of his strength and the rage which added to it, he was helpless. The men held him as if he were in a vice. In a trice he felt ropes being tied about his hands and feet, while one of the attackers secured the gag in its place with a strip of linen, thereby almost smothering our hero. A minute later he was being carried from the room, and before he could realise what was happening, was tossed like a bundle into what was evidently a basket. And then how he kicked! He made the basket roll on its side with his efforts, while he himself was pitched half out of it; but a moment later he was hustled into the depths again, while something pricked his chest, causing him a twinge of pain.

'Lie still, fool,' he heard in English, though the man who spoke was decidedly a foreigner.'Lie still, else will I plunge the blade home here and now.A dog of an Englishman deserves no mercy.'

Bewildered and utterly confused by all that had happened, and not a little exhausted after his efforts, David lay still as he was ordered, and presently the silent band lifted the basket and bore it between them.A gust of cool air came through the wicker, while David fancied he could see stars overhead.Or was it the light of the moon?He could not be certain, for a length of cotton matting had been thrown over the basket.He found himself counting the almost noiseless footfalls of his bearers, then he eagerly strained his ears to catch the sound of rescuers; but none came.The street was silent, silent but for the slither of the padded soles of the attackers, silent save for that and the almost soundless tread of others following bearing a similar burden.

'That fellow Tsu-Hi is responsible for this, I suppose,' groaned David, breathing as deeply as he could.'But what is his object, and how is it that they took us unawares?'

Bitterly did he blame himself for his carelessness in falling asleep; for he realised now with a pang of remorse that that was what had happened.

'Made a whole heap of fine resolutions,' he growled beneath his breath, 'and then was weak enough to break them.I deserve to be trapped.But why?What can be the meaning of this sudden attack?'

Well might he ask the question, for there must be some reason.David had no knowledge of that rascal Chang, hired with Mr. Ebenezer Clayhill's money.He had no idea that the sinister individual who had married his stepmother was even then awaiting news from the Chinaman he had engaged to do his bidding, and that, with a cunning which matched that of the Celestial, Ebenezer had arranged that anything might be done if only David Harbor could be silenced and finished—anything at all.Yet, when his wife broached the subject, as she did with great regularity, once at least every day, he would smile and answer her in a manner all his own.It was always his habit to take up a commanding position on the hearth-rug, and there, with a preliminary blast of his gigantic and exceedingly red nasal organ, to hold forth with a pomposity which suited him not at all.

'Violence, my dear!Violence to be offered!Why do you harp so constantly on such a matter?Of course there will be no violence.This man Chang goes in search of the will, not of the young pup you have the misfortune to own as a stepson.Don't be alarmed; no harm will come to him through Chang.'

But, once his wife's back was turned, the ruffian would tell himself with a chuckle that if anything did actually happen to David, why, it would be at the hands of some others hired by the rascal he had sent to China.

'She'll never, know,' he said.'As for me, I'd rather hear he was dead than have the actual will sent to me; for that young pup is capable of mischief.I'll not be comfortable till he's dead.'

Seeing that David was ignorant of Chang's existence, what else could he put this sudden attack down to?Tsu-Hi's cunning and enmity?Why?Then to what?For in these days of slowly gathering enlightenment a European can travel in China with some degree of safety, particularly when armed with a letter to the powerful governor of a province.True, there are sudden fanatical attacks; but then, he reflected, in such cases there is always a cause.Where was there a cause here?where the smallest excuse for this violence?

However, no amount of wondering helped him.His indignation merely made his breath come faster, and seeing that breathing was already a matter of difficulty, he soon lay quiet at the bottom of the basket, listening dully to the footsteps of his bearers; and then he felt that he was being carried up some stairs.A chilly sensation came to him, while the faint light flickering in through the wicker was cut off entirely.More stairs were mounted, the basket being borne at an angle that sent David into a heap at the lower end.Then the bearers went through a doorway.Of that he was sure, for he heard the creak of the hinges and the rattle of bolts.An instant later the basket was tossed to the ground with as much ceremony, or lack of ceremony, as would have been devoted to a bale of clothes.

'Bring him out,' he heard in guttural Chinese.'Now cut his bonds; fetch the light hither.'

David was rolled out of the basket, jerked to his feet, and then relieved of his bonds, while the gag was dragged from between his teeth.It was a welcome relief.He breathed easily for the first time for some minutes.

'Now,' said the same voice, but in broken English this time, 'you see me, no doubt.You are David Harbor.'

'Right,' nodded our hero.

'I am Chang; I helped to kill your father.'

'And will probably kill me,' answered David, somewhat bewildered, and inclined to look upon this fellow as a madman.

'You are right.To-morrow evening you will be beheaded.I myself shall carry out the sentence.'

'But why?'asked David, cringing slightly, for the ordeal was trying.Indeed, the man standing over him, with the lamp shining in his face, looked a most heartless villain.

'Why?'he repeated, mocking our hero.'The answer is simple.David Harbor has become a nuisance.There is a man of the name of Ebenezer Clayhill; he does not love David Harbor.'

So there it was.Even in his lowest estimation of the man who had married his stepmother, David could not imagine such a depth of villainy.But this fellow Chang was in earnest.He was undoubtedly speaking the truth.What answer could our hero give to him?He merely bowed his head, while a shiver of apprehension passed through him.Then he pulled himself together and faced the ruffian.

'I hear you,' he said.'What then?'

'For you, nothing; for me, reward.'

The Chinaman swung round on his heel, gave a swift order, and strode out of the place.Then one by one the bearers followed.The door was banged to, the bolts shot home, and David was left alone, alone in his prison, with the moon staring in at him through a window high up in a stone wall, staring in inquisitively as if to ask how this young fellow would face the coming ordeal.

'So it is like that?Ebenezer's hatred of me reaches even to Hatsu,' thought our hero.'He has hired this rascal to kill me, and it looks as if the man would succeed.So he will if I don't move a little.But I'm not dead by a long way yet; I've still got a kick or two left in me.'

---

CHAPTER XIII

In a Chinese Prison

If Chang, the man who had so unexpectedly and suddenly led an attack upon the little party journeying via Hatsu to interview Twang Chun, the governor of the province, imagined that he had left David in a condition of terror at the thought of the execution he had threatened for the evening of the morrow, he was very much mistaken, and showed therefore that he knew his prisoner very little indeed; for David was not the one to be long down-hearted.It was not in his nature to give in without a serious struggle.No sooner had the door of his prison been banged and barred, than his spirits rose wonderfully, while he set about seeking for a remedy to enable him to beat his enemies.And the first thing that caused him joy was a discovery he made within a couple of minutes.

'The fools!'he whispered to himself, chuckling.'The fools!They took me because I was idiot enough to fall asleep, but they forgot to search my pockets.Why, here is my magazine shooter, and here the letters I was carrying.George!Mr. Chang, I shall have something to say when the time for execution comes along; but I ain't going to wait for it if I can help; let's have a look at this cage they've put me in.'

It was a long, narrow cell, with walls formed of hewn blocks of hard stone, and lit by a range of narrow windows placed close to the ceiling. The openings themselves were innocent of glass, or of the Chinese equivalent, namely, oiled paper. Otherwise, the floor was of stone, the ceiling of a dusky white, while, save for himself and the basket in which he had been carried to the place, there was not another thing present. All was in darkness, except a wide stretch of floor on which the moonbeams played, as they crept up one of the walls till the bright patch of light ended at an abrupt edge, a faithful silhouette of the range of windows above placed on the outside wall of the prison.

'Door as safe as houses; heard the bolts shot home,' David told himself.'Then I've got to reach those windows.Should say they're a good twelve feet from the floor; perhaps the height's even greater.Couldn't reach 'em I fancy, even with a big leap.However, I'll try; nothing like trying.'

There was nothing like keeping up his pluck either, which David did with a vengeance.He was even smiling as he stared up at the range of windows, with their edges so unnaturally abrupt as the moonbeams streamed past them, while one hand went every now and again to the depths of the secret pocket in which his magazine pistol was lying.Then he walked over to the wall and felt the surface with his fingers.

'One could get a grip with these cotton-padded soles, I should say.I'll try a running jump and see where it will land me.'

He went back to the opposite wall, and squeezed hard against it; then he sprang forward, and leaping at the far wall endeavoured to run up it.He succeeded in gaining a point within two feet of the windows, or perhaps it was less.Then he tried again and again till he was exhausted.

'No good; can't do it,' he told himself.'I shall have to think of something else.'

He sat down on the basket and cudgelled his brains, but the more he thought and worried, the longer he stared at the range of windows, the more impossible the task seemed.Then he swung round swiftly.There was a clatter outside the door, the bolts were being pushed back from their sockets.A moment or two later the hinges creaked, while the door was thrown open.A coolie entered at once, while a second held a lamp behind him.There were half a dozen more just outside in a dimly lit passage, while in their midst stood none other than the Tartar under-officer.David rubbed his eyes, and wondered where he had seen the fellow before.Then hearing him speak, he remembered.

'Put the food and water down,' he commanded, 'and leave.It is time that we were all in our beds.Do not go near the foreign devil.There is never any saying when he and his may do injury to one of our people.'

He eyed his prisoner with none too friendly a glance, and hurried the coolie from the room.David heard the bolts shot to again, and the faint slither of departing feet.Then he rose to his feet with flushed face and a new hope in his heart.Not a second thought did he give to the food and water, for who could say that it was not poisoned?If Ebenezer Clayhill could hire a ruffian to come all that way to molest him anything might be expected.No, the food and drink did not attract him.Our hero was roused by the help which the lamp had brought him; for it had shone on the basket on which he was seated, and in a flash David realised that the affair was not merely a flimsy collection of wicker, but a well-made basket of considerable length, strengthened with pieces of bamboo, which, although light, kept the whole in shape, and gave it considerable power to resist weights placed within it.He picked it up with an effort, and running his fingers along it, came upon the holes left for the bamboo runners with which it was hoisted on the bearers' shoulders.Then, with the utmost care, and in deadly silence, he propped it up on end against the wall, at the summit of which ran the range of windows.Would it reach high enough?David stepped back, and cast an anxious eye upward.

'Might,' he said, with a doubtful shake of his head.'Might not; anyway, I'm going to reach those windows.'

He gathered his somewhat ample allowance of Chinese garment about his knees so as to free his legs, and began to clamber upward; and presently he had reached the summit.To stand there and balance himself on the end was no easy matter, and as if to persuade him of that fact the basket suddenly canted, bringing itself and our hero with a crash to the ground.Instantly his hand went to his pistol, while he crouched over the fallen basket, endeavouring to regain his breath, for the jar of the fall had driven it out of his body.But there was not a sound from the passage; not a sound from outside his prison.Not a foot stirred; no alarm was given.

'Shows I'm in an out-of-the-way place, for that basket made no end of a clatter.When once beat, try again.Don't give up in a hurry.'

He propped up the basket again, but this time with greater care, and swarmed up it, finding little difficulty in that part of the task, for it was almost as easy as climbing a ladder, there being numerous gaps affording a foothold in the wicker.Then he steadily raised himself to his full height, and stretched his arms above his head.The window was within two feet of his fingers.

'And has to be reached.Can't get much of a spring here,' he thought, 'but it's worth trying.I'll chance the fall, for if I miss, there's a good chance of coming down standing.'

With a sharp kick he leaped at the window, and actually contrived to grip the edge with the fingers of one hand.But they slid off instantly, and within a second he was back on the floor of his prison, not so shaken or jarred on this occasion, but hot and desperate, exasperated at his want of good fortune.But as we have had occasion to remark before, David was nothing if not determined.It was that very characteristic in the lad which troubled his stepmother, and which had, no doubt, carried him safely and successfully through many an undertaking.He propped the basket into place again, ascending with all speed and caution, and drawing in a long breath, made a huge spring at the window.On this occasion the fingers of both hands obtained a grip of the edge, and retained it.He hung in mid-air, flattened against the wall of his prison, listening to the basket as it slid sideways, and finally came with a crash to the floor.Then he pulled himself up, flung one arm round a pillar dividing the window, and soon had himself hoisted higher.After that it was easy enough to squeeze his body through the narrow opening, and to lie there securely while he regained his breath.

'And what now?'he asked himself, when he was again ready for further exertion.'Outside here there's nothing that's very promising.We came up stairs.That is to say, I recollect that my bearers carried me up a flight before entering the prison.That makes the drop below me pretty big, bigger than I'm anxious to tackle.But there's nothing else.'

It did appear as if there were no other alternative, for as he cast his eyes downwards David could detect nothing that offered a foothold below him.The smooth stone wall descended sheer to the street, which ran along under the bright moonbeams some thirty or more feet under the window.It was not an impossible drop.On the other hand, it was none too easy, and might very well result in a sprained ankle, or something equally hampering and disagreeable.Then David did the wisest thing under the circumstances.Bearing in mind the old motto, perhaps, 'look before you leap,' he cast his eyes in all directions, first in front and then behind him, without obtaining any encouragement, and then up over his head.Ah!He could have shouted: the roof was within a few inches of his hand, a roof composed of large, flat tiles, with a deep channel at each side, and sloping so gradually that to walk upon it should be easy.He reached up a hand, gripped the edge of the roof, and hoisted himself cautiously upon it.Then he lay down flat, and rolled himself slowly upward.For there was something to alarm him.A man was standing out in the moon-lit road, and was gesticulating violently.

'Seen me I'm afraid,' thought David.'Wants to make sure before he kicks up a ruction; but they don't have me without a little trouble.Out here on this roof I ought to be able to put up a fight that'll make them careful.Bother that chap!He must have been hiding in the deep shadow over yonder, and have watched me as I clambered out of the window.'

'Misser Davie, Misser Davie.'

The words came to him as if in a nightmare.David could not believe that he had actually heard them.He put his fingers to his ears and rubbed them vigorously.But he had no sooner removed them than the words came again, 'Misser Davie, Misser Davie.'

'Awfully queer,' he thought, mopping his forehead with the tail end of a voluminous sleeve, 'I could have sworn that that——'

'Misser Davie, am dat youself, Misser Davie?'

It was undoubtedly some one calling him, and that some one was the man down below in the street.The figure gesticulated even more violently, while the voice was raised to a higher pitch.

'Am dat youself, Misser Davie?Dis Jong, John Jong, de China boy, what's you sarvint.'

It set David's heart beating like a sledge hammer.He slid at once to the very edge of the roof and stared over.

'Jong,' he called.'That you?What's all this business about?'

'Not know't all, Misser. Me asleep, den hear a noise, and hide under de kangMen come into de place and look for me.Den hear dem going away carryin' baskets.'

'Carrying me, Jong.I was a prisoner till a moment ago.I've just crept out of the cell in which they placed me.'

'Where Misser Dick, den?'asked Jong, promptly.

'Dick?Isn't he with you?'

David asked the question anxiously, for the safety of his friend had given him cause for great anxiety, even in spite of his own sad condition.He had not seen that second basket borne along behind him, and had no idea that his chum Dick was also a prisoner.'Where is he?'he demanded eagerly.

'Not know; but Jong follow de fellers, and see dem carry you both in dere in de baskets.Den him wait here to see what happening.Not know what to do, Misser Davie.If me go back to de palace, den Tsu-Hi take me.'

David whistled in a low key.This was indeed a facer, though, to tell the truth, the presence of Jong in the street below was a wonderful fillip to both courage and spirits.But Dick; what was he to do about his friend?

'Can't leave him all alone, that's certain,' he told himself without the least hesitation.'Supposing I go on a tour of inspection, for it seems to me that there is no one watching or listening.Look here, Jong,' he called out gently, 'stay where you are and watch.I'm going to find Mr. Dick, if it's possible.'

Promptly he crept away over the roof, his feet making not so much as a sound as he went, for his native shoes were as soft as bedroom slippers.Then he came to a sudden halt.David's old characteristic asserted itself.His desire to be practical, to have a plan always where such was possible, came to the fore, and he lay flat again cogitating, trying to decide how to proceed.

'No use ranging round and round aimlessly,' he told himself.'Where's Dick most likely to be kept a prisoner?That's the question.Where's he been put?If only I can find the cell I'll manage somehow to get at him.'

A couple of minutes later he was sidling slowly again to the very edge of the roof, for higher up there was no opening.The slight slope of the big tiles led to a wall some five feet in height, rising abruptly at the highest edge of the roof, and capped itself by a second roof of huge, artistic tiles, which overhung their support far more than was the case down below.This second part went steeply upward to the summit, where the ridge was capped with a number of ludicrous and marvellously wrought dragons.It was a dead end as it were, not only to the building in that part, but also to David's hopes in that direction.Obviously there was nothing to be done there, and equally obviously the wall below him, through which he had contrived to squeeze by way of the window offered something far more likely.For was it not in the bounds of possibility that the range of windows was continued, and, if so, why should Dick not be held a prisoner in a cell into which one of the openings gave light and air?

'Hist!Jong!are you still there?'

The figure of the Chinaman steeped out into the white road, silhouetted blackly against it, and fore-shortened from the aspect from which our hero observed him.

'Misser Davie, here John Jong.'

'I may want a rope; got one?'

'Find him easy; I go now to look.Be back and hide along here till you want me.'

The dark figure slid again into the dense shadow in the far edge of the road, and though David stared and stared into it, not a movement could he discern, not a sound did he catch. Not a sound? Then what was that? Surely voices? Yes, without shadow of doubt. He kneeled up to listen, and then, as if he had forgotten all thought of the windows, one of which, if they did indeed exist, might give access to Dick, he went crawling off up the slope to the erection above it. And arrived there he hastened along the wall till he came to the edge, when he slipped round the corner. About ten feet away there was a large gap in this other side of the building, and a soft light was streaming from it. Voices were also issuing into the night air. David crawled forward without a moment's hesitation, halted when close to the gap, which was, as a matter of fact, another large window, and craned his neck round the edge. Down below him, twenty feet perhaps, there were a number of Chinese, and amongst them the rascally Tartar under-officer who had admitted them to the city. The men were stretched lazily on a long kang, which did service as bed for all of them, and were discussing matters idly.David listened for a while, then, creeping past the opening, hastened to a second of equal size, and from which also a ray of light issued.A glance into the place caused him suddenly to duck his head and retreat a little.

'Chang, Chang, of all people, eating his supper, and writing as he does so.If only I dared.'

If only he had none others to think of, save himself, David could have shot the man where he sat, though such an act would have gone hard against his conscience and his ideas of what was proper and fair play.But there was Dick to be considered, and Dick was somewhere in the building.

'Mustn't wait,' he told himself, 'no good to be obtained by staring down at that fellow.Chang was the name he gave himself.I shall remember, and one of these days I shall hope to meet him under different circumstances.Now for those other windows.'

He slipped back to his old position, crawled to the edge of the roof on to which he had at first climbed, and hung his head over it.Yes, there was a long row of windows, all in darkness, any of which might give access to the cell in which his comrade was a prisoner.

'Can't remember which I came from myself,' he groaned.'But I'll try the lot of them.First thing is to get down, then I'll make my way from one to the other.'

To an active lad the task was nothing out of the ordinary, and in a little while David was seated on the edge of one at the far corner of the building.He peered at once into the interior, and, with the aid of the moon's rays, was able to make out the opposite wall and the actual dimensions of the place.It appeared to be empty, but the dark shadow directly beneath him might contain someone.He called Dick's name gently, repeating it till he was sure that he could not be there.

'Even if he were asleep he'd hear that,' he told himself.'But even Dick, the happy-go-lucky Dick, wouldn't be asleep now.This business would be far too upsetting for any man.I'll get along to the next.Ah!not there.That's the crib from which I so lately scrambled.'

There was no doubt on the last question, for the moonbeams played on the platter of food and the jar of water which had been brought to him, and he realised that this was indeed the cell he had so lately vacated, for the two objects were in precisely the same position in which he had seen them placed.More than that, the edge of the huge basket which had contained his own perspiring and wriggling body was peeping out of the shadow.At once he went crawling on again, peeping into four other cells, only to find each one tenantless.Then a gentle hail from below attracted his attention.

'Masser Davie, I'se got a rope; what den?'

Jong's strange figure stood outlined on the white road again, his face as clearly seen as in broad daylight, so powerfully did the moon play upon it.

'I found de rope along de road here, and borrowed him for a little.You found de oder one?You found Masser Dick?'

There was a note of anxiety in the faithful celestial's voice, and a responding note in that of David's.For his lack of success was making him feel desperate.Supposing he could not find his chum?Could he leave the place and desert him entirely?Never.

'I'm game to do something desperate,' he breathed.'If I don't find him in this place I'll slip along to the palace where we were given quarters, and tackle Tsu-Hi.The rascal must have been an accomplice in this attack, and with him under my pistol I could do a great deal, a very great deal I imagine.'

He sat still for a little while, running the plan over in his head.And desperate as it undoubtedly was, he decided then and there that if he failed in his quest for Dick he would carry the idea out.It should be neck or nothing.It should be Tsu-Hi's life or Dick's.Then another inspiration floated across his mind.

'Chang, why not?'he asked himself.'If he has the power to manage a thing like this, he will have further power.With a pistol to his head he would undo what he has already managed to bring about.But it wouldn't be quite as good as the deputy-governor.What's that, Jong?'

'You sit still dere while I throw up de rope.Now, catch him.'

A coil left the Chinaman's hand, and thrown with dexterity whizzed just in front of David.He caught it with ease, and at once slipped it about his shoulders.

'Remain there,' he said.'I'm going on looking for Mr. Dick.'

'Den you take heap of care.Dere's a light a little farder along de wall.'

Jong's arms slid out and his finger pointed.

Craning his neck and stretching out from the wall as far as possible David thought he could detect a beam of light coming from a window a little farther along.But he was not sure, for the moon was so strong and clear that it stifled every other ray of light, just as the sun's rays quench a fire.However, Jong could see, and guided by him he scrambled to the roof again, crawled along it, and then leaned over.

'A light sure enough.Better investigate—here goes.'

He was over the edge in a twinkling, and since greater caution was needful here, he dropped the toes of his padded shoes very gently on the framing of the window. Then getting a grip of the upper edge he stooped and peeped into the interior. A paper lantern hung from the ceiling and showed him a bare room, with the same stone walls. But in the far corner there was a narrow kang on which a man was seated. He raised his head as David looked in, appearing to have heard a sound. And the brief glimpse our hero obtained told him that this was the Tartar under-officer, the officious individual with whom he had already come in contact.

'Evidently got tired of the others and come to bed.Hallo!here comes another of them.'

Right opposite him was the doorway, the door being half open, and through this stepped the same man who had brought the jar of water and the platter of food.A bunch of keys jangled at his girdle, while the man yawned widely.

'Prisoners safe,' he said.'I shall now go to my rest.'

'One moment.You have fed them?Our friend who came to the city to warn us gave strict orders to that effect.'

The gaoler nodded sleepily.'They are fed,' he answered surlily.'The one nearly an hour ago, the second who is placed next to you this very minute.Now I go to take food and drink to the principal apartment.The stranger of whom you speak, and who indeed seems to be of the greatest importance, tells me that his Excellency comes to talk with him.'

'S-s-she!not a word more.Forget that, friend,' said the Tartar, eagerly, his voice hardly raised above a whisper.'Remember that his highness Tsu-Hi is ignorant as yet of these matters.He goes the rounds on the walls.When he returns to the palace and discovers that his guests are gone he will raise an uproar.He will make good his face for the enquiries which must certainly follow.Mention not the name of the deputy-governor in this affair if you wish to live longer.There, go; I too am sleepy.But wait.You said his Excellency—er—this guest comes now to speak with our friend?'

'He comes now; he is expected any moment.'

'Then I will have a word with him.He must know that I too have had a share in this business.Perhaps it will fall out that I shall regain the post which I lost but lately.Ah!foreign devils were the cause of my undoing.Willingly will I slay all with whom I come in contact.'

'The ruffian!That's the sort of fellow I've got to deal with, is it?'muttered David, who had listened eagerly, and, thanks to his own quickness and keenness to learn the language, had managed to pick up the gist of the conversation.'So Chang and the deputy-governor are hand in glove in this affair, and the deputy seeks to throw dust in the eyes of the authorities, in other words to make his face good, as is the saying in this queer country.Why!If this isn't my opportunity!Supposing I find Dick and hoist him out, we are still in a walled city.We've still to get clear away, and very little chance of doing that as matters are.If this isn't the very thing I've been wanting.'

He shrank back as the gaoler left the room, lurching sleepily, and watched the Tartar as he too stepped towards the door.A moment later the man was gone, leaving the room empty.

'My turn now.Here goes to clear up the whole business.'

With reckless courage, and yet without neglecting his usual caution, David first peered into every corner of the room.Then he rapidly made fast his rope to the centre pillar of the window, waved to Jong in the deep shadow beyond, and at once slipped inside the building.A second later he was sliding down to the floor of the place in which the Tartar had been sitting.

---

CHAPTER XIV

Tsu-Hi is Astonished

For perhaps one whole minute David Harbor stood perfectly still, once he had slid down the rope from the window above and had gained the floor of the room in which he had seen the Tartar under-officer.He leaned forward, still gripping the cord, listening intently for any sounds there might be, and fancied as he did so that he could hear the soft-footed slither of some one in the passage.

'That fellow going along to interview Chang and the deputy-governor.Going to put in a word for himself,' muttered David.'In that case he should be absent sufficiently long to let me take a look round.Let me see.Dick was in the next cell.Right!I'll make straight away for him.'

He crept across the stone-flagged floor, making direct for the doorway, and thrust his head round the edge so as to obtain a good view of the passage.It was empty as far as he could see.Almost directly overhead a huge paper lantern swung in the breeze, emitting a soft light, and casting its rays on either side.It was possible, in fact, to see as far as the end of the passage in one direction, where it evidently turned abruptly to the left and swept round the other side of the building.In the opposite direction shadow and gloom obscured the passage, but it made little difference to our hero.

'Runs along past all the cells into which I have already looked,' he told himself.'I don't need to take any notice of it.Now for the one in which Dick is imprisoned.It ought to be just here on my right.No harm in searching for him at once.There doesn't seem to be a soul about this part of the building.'

He stepped into the passage promptly, and crept cautiously towards the bend where it turned along the other face of the prison.At the very corner there was a door, and the sight set his heart fluttering.But he did not venture to touch the bolts before taking the precaution to look along the gallery after it had turned.He craned his head round the corner, caught a view of a second elaborately painted lantern swaying like the first, for if this building lacked many comforts it was at least well-ventilated.The winds of heaven had free access to the interior by way of the unglazed windows, and gusts came sweeping down the gallery, beautifully cooling gusts which set the lanterns swinging slowly, twisting them upon the plaited ropes by which they were suspended, till they twirled this way and that, presenting a most picturesque appearance.But there were other things to remark on.This second lamp was hung some twenty paces along the gallery, at the foot of a flight of stone steps, by which, no doubt, the gaoler and the Tartar soldier had disappeared.David even noticed that the centre of each step was badly worn, probably with the coming and going of many people, proving either that the prison was of ancient construction, as was extremely probable, or that the stone was of a soft nature and readily worn.But here again was food only for passing interest.A man situated as he was does not find time for delaying, when his life and that of his friend are in the balance.The door just behind him had far more attractions for David, and at once he turned to it, casting his eye over the strong bolts with which it was secured.

'Done!'he groaned.'The gaoler has the keys.How on earth am I to effect an entry?'

Then he suddenly bethought him of the window by which he had made good his own escape.Why should he not climb outside again, and creeping along the roof gain entrance to Dick's cell by way of the window?He turned to retrace his steps, and then stepping swiftly to the door he examined the lock.A second's inspection proved to him that the bolt was not shot.It was easy to make sure of that matter, for the huge, clumsy affair, the work of centuries before perhaps, was placed so far from the catch into which it should glide that one could see at once that it was not in order.

'Good!Then there are only the bolts shot by hand.This lock seems to be out of order.'

Up went his hand to the topmost bolt, and very slowly he drew it out of its socket, shivering lest the grating which was inevitable with such a rusty affair should be heard along the passage.Then he suddenly leaped round the corner of the gallery, for his ears had detected a sound.It was the slip, slip, slip of a native footstep, the slither of a cotton-padded sole coming down the flight of stone steps.The perspiration started to David's forehead, his heart beat against his ribs as if it were a sledge hammer, while the blows dinned into his ears till he felt deafened.And his eyes almost bulged from their sockets as he stared in the direction from which the sounds were coming.For though only the legs of the oncomer were as yet visible, they were sufficiently distinctive.The high boots, with their thick, white soles, could belong only to the Tartar under-officer.The colour of the garment coming into view was the same as that worn by the soldier, while, as the man's girdle came within David's vision, he saw the hilt of his sabre, heard the rattle of the scabbard as it dragged on the steps, and then caught a glimpse of the revolver which the ruffian carried.Yes, of the revolver, for if China to-day still lags behind western nations in much which appertains to learning and commerce and a host of other matters, there have been outside influences at work giving her subtle advice, and urging her to arm her soldiery not as before, with swords and lances and useless bows and arrows, but with modern rifles, with revolvers, and with the latest cannon.In that particular at least the efforts of some western nation have been successful.Careless of those of her own colour who in days to come, days perhaps very close at hand, may find themselves arrayed against the celestial nation, they have forced a market here for the surplus output of their arsenals, and have gathered Chinese gold for modern weapons which may well be employed to slay their own people.But here was only a single illustration.David had remarked when entering this walled city of Hatsu upon the modern rifles of the Tartar-guard.His sharp eyes had detected the weapon carried by their under-officer.And here it was again, proof positive that the man who was descending the last few steps was this very individual, than whom he would have rather encountered any one.What was he to do?Rush back into the cell and clamber up the dangling rope?

'No,' he told himself promptly, though he retraced his steps at once and darted into the cell.'There's no time for that.He'd catch me half-way up, and besides, even if he didn't I couldn't get the rope hauled out of sight before he entered.I might slip along the passage, but I should be no better off, for still he would see the rope.I'll chance a meeting.'

As if it were the old days at school, and he were about to engage in a tussle with the gloves on, he gripped at the baggy sleeves which were such a constant nuisance to him, and folded them up near his shoulders, leaving his arms exposed.Then he stood stiffly upright behind the half-closed door to listen, holding his breath, trying vainly to still the beating of his heart.Suddenly as the Tartar's steps were heard outside the cell, David became as calm as he had ever been in his life before; for after all, he was by no means different from many men of the same temperament as himself.To worry before trouble came along, as Dick was so fond of saying, was only natural to our hero.He was by instinct cautious and careful, and as is the case with many of similar disposition, there was always a tendency to fluster and unusual excitement prior to a struggle.David had been all of a tremble before now, although he had acquitted himself right well when blows were actually falling.And the same thing had happened here.Like the man who enters an action with his knees knocking, and who readily admits that he is nervous, David had prepared for this inevitable meeting with a fast-beating heart, with trembling limbs, and with a forehead from which the moisture was dripping.One who did not know him might almost have accused him of cowardice.But now that the struggle was about to begin he was a different individual.His eyes were bright, his mouth fast closed, and his muscles braced and ready.Not the smallest sound escaped his attention.He heard the Tartar enter the cell, then saw his fingers close on the door and caught the creak of the rusting hinges.Then he stepped forward.

'Silence!'he commanded sternly, placing his back against the door and pushing it to with a bang.'Not a word, or I will kill you.'

Utter astonishment was written on the man's face; the soft rays of the swaying lantern falling on his features showed that he was entirely taken aback.The corners of his mouth drooped suddenly, his eyes started forward, while his fingers clutched at his clothing.But it was only for a moment.An apparently unarmed man stood before him, the youth whom he had so lately helped to capture.Promptly his hand sought his revolver.

'Dog!It is you, then?You are my prisoner.'

The revolver was more than half out of the girdle by now, and in another second would be at David's head; but the latter was watching the Tartar like a cat.His sharp eyes caught every movement, and at once, with a swift movement, he was on the man.His right arm went back quickly, and then jerked out like a flash, the fist striking the Tartar hard and full between the eyes.The result of this telling blow, so far as the Chinese rascal was concerned, was disastrous.He was knocked clear from his feet, for the youth who had struck was no chicken.David had weight and strength behind his arm, and, moreover, a desperate man finds added strength on such occasions.The blow, in fact, tossed the Tartar backward, causing him to perform a half sommersault, and to come to the ground with an alarming crash, his head being the first portion of his anatomy to come in contact with the stone flagging.And in a second David was on him, gripping him by the neck.

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