With the Allies to Pekin: A Tale of the Relief of the Legations, Page 4

  CHAPTER II

  THE BOXERS

  All was ready at last, and Mr. Bateman went down with Rex to join thesteamer at Gravesend. As they went out on the tender Mr. Bateman saidto a gentleman of about his own age, “Hello, Chambers, who would havethought of seeing you here? Why, I haven?t seen you since I came home.”

  “No, I came three months after you did. I wonder we never ran acrosseach other before. Surely you are not going out again?”

  “No, I have done with the glorious East for good,” the other laughed.“I am only here to see my nephew off. You will hardly remember him; hewas only about twelve when he came home with me.”

  “I certainly should not have known him again, Bateman. I am here onthe same errand as you. My son is going out to Runciman?s. I am stillin the firm, and act as their agent here. I wonder we have never runagainst each other. My son is two or three years older than yournephew. Shake hands, you two young fellows. It will be pleasant for youboth, starting with someone you know; it makes you feel comfortable atonce. I know the purser of the _Dragon_, and will get him to shift oneof you so that your cabins may be together. I know he will do that forme if the ship is not very full, which it is not likely to be at thistime of year.”

  The two lads shook hands with each other. They had no time for anywords, for at this moment the tender came alongside the steamer.

  “You had better leave your traps here, boys,” Mr. Chambers said, “whileI run down and see the purser before he gets the whole crowd at hisheels.” In three minutes he returned. “I have managed that for you,”he said. “Bring all your light traps down and take possession. Hehas ordered one of the stewards to put your names on No. 17. It is athree–berth cabin, but you will have it to yourselves. When you haveput all your light traps in, you had better come and watch the baggageput on board. I suppose you have already sent on board your nephew?sboxes for the hold, Bateman?”

  “Yes; he has only two flat trunks for the voyage, made, of course, togo under the berths.”

  “That is just what my son has, plus a couple of gun cases.”

  “Rex has the same, a double barrel and a Lee–Metford.”

  “You don?t think he will want that, do you?”

  “I hope not; but my brother James writes so gloomily about the prospectthat we thought it just as well to get him a weapon that might beuseful in case of trouble.”

  “Well, I gave my lad two good double–barrels, not bad weapons in caseof a sudden ruction with the natives. I should think that would be theworst danger. My people tell me that there is a great deal of talk, butthey do not think anything will come of it.”

  “I hope not, I am sure. It would play the deuce with trade, but Iagree with you in thinking that after the lessons we have given theChinese, and the tremendous thrashings they have had from the Japs,they will not be foolish enough to want to do any more fighting. I doknow, though, that they have been buying huge quantities of guns of allsorts, and rifles. Still, I fancy that is only because they don?t meanto be caught napping again.”

  While the elders were talking, the two lads made their way below. Theyfound a steward, who took them to the cabin, on which their names hadalready been stuck, and they deposited their light traps there.

  “This will be very jolly, Bateman,” Chambers said, “especially as weare going to the same place. I have been at home for the past tenyears, so it will be all new to me.”

  “I have only been at home for four,” Rex said. “I dare say, however, Ishall feel it strange when I go out again.”

  “Who is the Chinese fellow who came off with you?”

  “He is one of the boys from my father?s place. He was my special boytill I came home, so they sent him over with me, and he has been at myuncle?s ever since.”

  “It seems rum keeping him over here all this time.”

  “Well, he was kept over here for my sake. I had leave out of schooltwice a week, and spent it with him in order to keep up my Chinese.”

  “You mean to say you can talk it?”

  “Yes, as well as English.”

  “By Jove, that is splendid! I wish they had done the same with me. Isuppose I talked it when I came over, though I don?t know a word of itnow, and shall have all the beastly grind of learning it.”

  “Well, anyhow, it will be easier for you than if you had never knownit. They say if anyone has once known a language and then forgotten it,it is much easier for him to pick it up again. Well, we had better goupstairs now and look after our baggage.”

  In a few minutes they picked out their boxes and saw them taken down totheir cabin. Then they rejoined their friends until the bell rang. Thepartings were made with at least a show of cheerfulness.

  “I am awfully obliged to you for all your kindness to me, uncle,” Rexsaid. “I have had a jolly time, thanks to you, and shall always lookback upon it.”

  “I have been glad to have you, Rex, and shall feel like a fish out ofwater without you. Give my love to them out there. I hope you will findthings all quiet and comfortable.”

  They stood at the rail until the tender steamed away up the river, andthen stood watching the passengers, many of whom were still huntingfor missing boxes. Then they went down and tidied up their cabin, andafterwards walked on deck until the bell rang for dinner.

  Dick Chambers had been educated at Marlborough, had played in theeleven, and had represented the school at rackets. He had also beenlieutenant in the school corps, and had shot in their Bisley team. Hewas a pleasant young fellow, though he put on airs on the strength ofhis two years? seniority.

  “Well, are you glad you are going home?” he said, when they wentforward together to speak to the Chinaman.

  “Glad some ways, not other ways,” Ah Lo said. “Velly nice summer time,too much rainee winter time.”

  “But it is not very cheerful weather always in Tientsin, Ah Lo,” Rexsaid.

  “I want to get home to see palents. Sent home money to them, but datnot likee seeing them. Good piecee people here.”

  “You haven?t got to talk English very well,” Dick laughed, “consideringyou have been four years over here.”

  “Always talk China–talk with Massa Rex. Talk with Master Robert samein China. Never let me talk English to Massa Rex. Talk lillie Englishto girls in kitchen. Dey always make fun of Ah Lo. Laugh at him face.Didn?t talk much with them. Just talk pidgin English.”

  “No, I have never talked to him in English from the time when he firsttook charge of me until now. My father and uncle always talked to himin Chinese, so he really has had very little chance.”

  “Not want very much learn English,” Ah Lo said; “if learn English,people in house say ?Ah Lo don?t do this,? ?Ah Lo do that,? keep himalways at work.”

  “You are like the monkeys who could talk well enough if they liked, butdidn?t do so lest they were made to work.”

  Ah Lo grinned, and then said in Chinese to Rex, “Ah Lo can work hardfor his master, but not care to work hard for women who only make funof him.”

  “I don?t think the women meant to make fun of you, Ah Lo. My uncle toldme that his housekeeper always spoke very well of you, and said thatthey all liked you.”

  “Always laughed at Chinaman?s English.”

  “Well, of course it was curious to English servants. Pidgin Englishis very curious to people who are unaccustomed to it, with your funnyway of sticking in ?piecee? at every other word, and ?number one firstchop,? and things of that sort. At any rate there were never anyquarrels between them and you. Are you pretty comfortable down below?”

  “Not bad. Ah Lo expects that he will have to hit three or four of thosemen who pretend to turn up their noses at him. Ah Lo very peaceable,not want to fight, but not to be treated like poor common Chinaman. AhLo hit very hard.”

  “Yes, I know you do, Ah Lo,” said Rex, “and I have no doubt that youwill astonish them in that way if you begin. Still, it is better not todo it unless they provoke you a great deal.”

  He then walked aft again with Dick
.

  Three days later a serious complaint was brought before the captain,that three men had been grievously assaulted and battered by a Chinaman.

  The captain was speaking to Rex when the complaint was made.

  “That is my servant, no doubt,” Rex said. “He is a very quiet andpeaceable man, and no doubt some of the men forward must have beenplaying tricks on him.”

  The captain ordered the three complainants and the Chinaman to bebrought aft. The faces of the former bore the signs of violenttreatment, while the Chinaman was evidently none the worse of theconflict, and wore the usual placid air of his race.

  “Now, let us hear your story,” the captain said.

  The three men each repeated the story, how without the smallest reasonthe Chinee had suddenly sprung upon them and beaten them.

  “But how came you,” said the captain, “three of you, to let this manassault you in the way you describe. Does your man speak English, Mr.Bateman?”

  “He understands it perfectly, sir, but only speaks pidgin English. If,however, you will question him in English I will translate his repliesto you.”

  “Well, sir, what do you mean by beating these men in this style?”

  “These men make fun of me,” Ah Lo said. “Ah Lo is a very quiet man,no want to have row. Men always keep on saying things against him. AhLo pretended not to understand, then they get worse. Presently oneman push against Ah Lo one side, and then take off his hat and say,?Beg pardon,? Then another push other side and say just the same. Thenanother man tumble against Ah Lo, then they all laugh very loud. ThenAh Lo say better look out, then they laugh again and push Ah Lo stillmore. That not proper treatment, so Ah Lo take two of them by scruffof neck and knock their faces together. Then other man run in, and AhLo think it is about time to begin and hit him on nose, quite a littlehit, but made blood run very hard. Then the other men try again, and AhLo slap them, and they tumble down. That is all. Ah Lo very gentle andquiet, but not proper for men to go too far with him.”

  The captain laughed when Rex translated this.

  He said: “Well, my men, it seems to me that what you have got servesyou right. You thought because this Chinaman was quiet and inoffensivethat you could play any tricks you liked with him. You have made a badmistake. It is evident that he is an uncommonly strong fellow, and hehas given you what you deserved. I should say it would be wise for youto leave him alone in future, because if this is his way of being veryquiet and gentle it might be serious if he lost his temper with you.”

  “Ah Lo is quiet and good–tempered,” Rex said, as the others wentforward. “One day when a couple of bargees upset a boat with some ofour fellows in, Ah Lo took one of them and chucked him right out intothe river. You never saw a fellow so astonished. But even then youwould not have said that he was out of temper, for he looked as placidas possible, and only smiled when the fellow stood in the river andhurled bad language at him. He has been with me since I was a child,and I have never once seen him put out about anything.”

  From that time there were no more complaints of Ah Lo. The voyagepassed, as most voyages do pass, without any particular incident. Theyhad one gale in the China seas, but no serious damage was done exceptthat a boat was washed away and the bulwarks stove in. Rex and Dickhad become great friends by the end of the voyage, and had promised tosee a good deal of each other when they landed. They were not sorry,however, when the voyage came to an end, for Rex was looking forwardto seeing his father and mother after their long separation, and Dickto reviving his very faint recollections of the country, and to makingthe acquaintance of the other young fellows of the establishment, andto entering upon serious work. They went ashore for a few hours atHong Kong, and at Shanghai were transhipped to a comparatively smallsteamer, in which they made the journey to Taku. As soon as the vesseldropped anchor Mr. Bateman came on board. He had known the date atwhich she was due, and had come down by rail on the previous day.

  “Well, you are grown a big fellow,” he exclaimed, after the firstgreeting. “Of course, I knew that you would have grown, but I did notexpect to see such a big fellow as you are. Ah, Ah Lo, so there youare! I have heard capital accounts of you from my brother, and Rex hasnever failed to give news of you in every letter he wrote.”

  As soon as the first questions had been asked and answered on bothsides, Rex said, “This is Dick Chambers, father. We have been greatchums on the voyage. He is coming out to Runciman?s house.”

  “Oh yes, of course! I know your father very well. I am glad you cameout together. It must have been more pleasant for both of you. One ofthe clerks of your house is somewhere about. He came down here to meetyou, but I suppose he has not yet identified you.”

  An hour later all their belongings were got on shore, and a short timeafterwards the train started. There was a great deal for father and sonto talk about, and although the journey across the low flat countrywould have been considered very slow in England, it seemed to passrapidly. It was not until the next morning that Rex had time to talkof anything but England, and to ask about local matters.

  “Things are very unsettled,” said his father. “There are reports ofmassacres of missionaries at several places, but these reports mustbe received with a great deal of suspicion. For myself I am not verymuch inclined to believe them; and they always have to pay so heavilyfor indulging in freaks of this sort that I should hardly think theywould be so foolish as to repeat them. You see, the last murder oftwo German missionaries gave Germany an excuse for seizing the portof Kiaochow. That action has been in all respects unfortunate. Theprovince is considered a sort of Holy Land by the Chinese, and theyhave consequently resented the seizure of that port very bitterly.Besides, naturally it seems an altogether preposterous price to payfor the murder of two foreigners. I am wholly with them there. Supposetwo Chinese had been killed in Germany, what do you think the Germanswould say if China were to demand as compensation Bremerhaven? You onlyhave to look at it in that light to see the monstrosity of the affair.Why, after defeating China and taking Pekin and expending some millionsof money, all that the Allies demanded was that five ports should beopen for commerce; and yet Germany takes as her own a port, with thesurrounding country, for the death of two missionaries. Still, eventhat gross act of spoliation would, one might think, hardly excitethe people to rise against missionaries in general. I cannot believethat at the worst these are anything more than isolated outbreaks,and I believe they will be very severely punished by the authorities.Still, it may safely be said that there is not an Englishman alive, noteven Mr. Hart, who really understands the Chinese, or who can predictwhat they will do in any given circumstances. They are very likechildren: they will bear desperate oppression and tyranny with passivesubmission, and they will then break out furiously at some fanciedwrong.

  “We never really get near the Chinese. They live in their nativecity; we live in our own settlement. We draw what labour we requirefrom them, it comes and it goes again; but as far as the people areconcerned, their ways, their talk, and their manner of life, we knowno more of them than if the native town were situated in the moon.Their whole existence differs in almost every respect from ours. AChinaman, if he is aggrieved by another, will go to the house of theman he has quarrelled with, and will cut his own throat at the door,and public opinion demands that the other man shall also cut his. If aman commits a crime and bolts, they don?t trouble greatly to catch him.They simply inflict the punishment due to him on his nearest relative.I don?t say that the system doesn?t act well, for the ties of familyare tremendously strong, and few Chinamen, indeed, would so utterlydisgrace themselves as to allow their fathers to be executed in theirplace.

  “As to religion, it can scarcely be said that they have any exceptworship of ancestors. They have superstitions, but no real religion.They look at everything, in fact, in a light that differs directly fromthat in which we regard it. Every Chinaman will cheat in a bargain ifhe can, and only laugh if he is found out, for he has no shame whateverin conduct which he considers
natural if not meritorious. But theyhave not the slightest fear of death. I do not know that they have thesame fatalism as the Mohammedans, but practically it comes to the samething. I don?t know whether you have heard in England about the Boxers?”

  “Yes, I have heard something about them, but not much.”

  “The sect has existed some two hundred years. It doesn?t seemoriginally to have had any very positive aims. Its members performedcertain rites and certain exercises in a secret sort of way, but Ifancy that is pretty well all that is known of them. It is reallyonly lately that they have become at all prominent, and have gone infor recruiting their numbers to any extent. The whole basis of theassociation has been changed. It was formerly an association apparentlywithout any political aims, and to some extent resembling our ownfreemasonry; and it has become an active, militant, and in a certainsense a national movement, directed principally against foreigners,but also against the corruption of the Chinese Court and the terriblecondition of the people in general.

  “In one of their early proclamations they say the whole populace issunk in wretchedness, and that all the officials are spoilers of theirfood. The condition of the Yamen is unspeakable. In every market andin every guild nothing can be done unless the officials are bribed.All sorts of exactions are made. They are all alike; ill–gottenwealth is their one object; right has disappeared from the world,and sins are unnumbered. In the Yamens it is of no avail to have aclear case; unless you bribe, you will lose the day. All this isunquestionably true. After reciting these things the proclamation thenturns to foreigners. It says: ?Greater calamities have overtaken thenation. Foreigners, devils come with their teaching, and converts toChristianity, Roman Catholics and Protestants, have become numerous.These are without human relations, but being most cunning they haveattracted all the greedy and covetous as converts, and to an unlimiteddegree they have practised oppression.?

  “The great impulse was given in Shan Tung in the north, but themovement spread like wildfire. At first the authorities at Pekin werealtogether hostile to it, but, seeing its increasing power, there canbe little doubt that the Empress has secretly encouraged it, with theobject, no doubt, of diverting it from internal reform to hostilityto foreigners. On the other hand, the more enlightened of the Chinesesee the danger of the association. Several of the viceroys have takenmeasures against them, and General Nieh is preparing to attack them.The nine Yangtze viceroys are strongly opposed to the association. Atpresent there has been no overt movement. It seems, as I said, trueenough that some small missions in the interior have been attacked, buteven this is unconfirmed. The cloud may blow over, or it may burst.I hope that in any case it will be confined to Northern China. If itextends over the whole country there can be little doubt that everymissionary settlement in China will be wiped out, and the Europeansettlements in all the mission towns will be attacked and theirposition become precarious in the extreme.

  “As long as the movement is confined to the North it will bemanageable. I do not say that the position of the European inhabitsof Pekin will not become one of terrible peril, and we here may getour share of trouble; but Pekin is comparatively close to the sea,and although for a time the movement may have its own way, it will beonly a repetition of the last troubles. A fleet of the Allied Powerscould batter down the Taku forts and an army march to Pekin. They wouldhave a battle or two to fight on the way, but they would defeat theChinese with great slaughter, capture Pekin, and force the Empress tomake terms. This will, to my mind, be almost assuredly the way thingswill go, unless the Empress takes firm ground, issues a proclamationdenouncing the Boxers in the strongest terms, and orders all viceroysand generals to take prompt and energetic steps against them. I maytell you, however, that a considerable number of the British colonyhere do not share my views, and believe that the thing will die out.

  “At any rate, for the present there is nothing to do but go on withour regular work, and see what comes of it. Your work will not be veryheavy, for trade is nearly at a stand–still, and no one is gettingfresh goods up from Shanghai. So you will have an easy breaking–in towork, which will give you an opportunity of looking up the few youngfellows you knew before you left. There are, I think, only five or sixwho have not been home, but there are others who, being a few yearsolder than you, went home before you and have since returned. Thereare, of course, some pleasant families here, and these I will giveyou an opportunity of knowing by having some of them to dinner everynight this week. In that way you will speedily get to feel at home inthe place. I shall, of course, take you up to the club. You used to doa good deal of drilling with Ah Lo before you went away, and as youwould no doubt like to keep up your rowing, you will have plenty ofopportunities of doing so on the river.”

  For the next three weeks Rex had a very pleasant time. He spent themorning always in his father?s office, where he was instructed in themethod of book–keeping employed, and in the general work of the house.Of an afternoon he either went with Ah Lo for a ramble in the nativecity or for a sail on the river, and sometimes played at cricket. Ofan evening he either dined at home or at other houses, and at the endof the three weeks had made the acquaintance of almost all the Britishfamilies in the settlement. Dick Chambers was generally at liberty inthe afternoon and shared in the amusements.

  “Stick to your amusements, Rex,” said his father. “The great thing inthis country is to take to outdoor exercise as much as possible, andto make life go pleasantly when your work is done. I consider that forthe next two or three years it will be quite sufficient for you towork here from nine till one, except on mail days, when you will findit necessary to stick at it all day. The more amusement you get out ofyour life the better I shall be pleased.”

  So Rex joined in all that was going on. He and Dick were at onceenrolled in the volunteer corps that had recently been formed, andof which all the clerks and younger members of the firms there hadbecome members as soon as there were signs of possible trouble. As thenews from without became daily more serious, cricket was given up andthe evenings were devoted to drilling and shooting. The latter wasspecially attended to. It was evident that so small a body of men couldhave small occasion for manœuvres of any kind, but that individualshooting might be of extreme importance. Dick Chambers had been electedcaptain of the corps, as he had learned his work at Marlborough and wasthe best marksman of his year.

  “It isn?t much of a place for defence,” he said to Rex, “but of coursewe shall have troops up from the ships; and at any rate five–and–twentyof us, if we shoot straight, can do a good deal; and of course all theheads will join if necessary, though they may not think it worth whileto do so now. There is no doubt that the news gets worse every day, andthat there are large numbers of these Boxers all over the country. Ithink the Chinese general is really, as he says, hostile to them, butof course what he does when the time comes will depend upon what ordershe gets from the Empress, who is in every sense an unknown quantity inthe problem. If he fights the Boxers, we sha?n?t have to; if he joinsthem, we shall all have our work cut out for us. In case of a row wemay take it as certain that the population of the native town will alljoin in, partly because, like the rest of them, they hate us, partly toget a share in the loot. I hear that some of the traders are gettingalarmed, and are sending their goods down to the port to be shippedback to Shanghai by the first steamer that comes along. I don?t thinkthat our people are going to do so.”

  “I am sure my father will not,” Rex said. “He thinks there is no doubtthat we shall be able to defend ourselves with the aid of the forcethey will send up, and I believe he expects that they will send sometroops up from Shanghai very shortly. Things may hang on as they arefor some time. He rather calculates that a good many of the coolieswho have been in the employ of the various houses for the past ten ortwelve years will stand by us. I don?t think that any strong nationalfeeling exists among them, and I believe they will stick to those whohave paid and treated them well. I don?t mean that he thinks thatthey will fight, but they will th
row up barricades and strengthen thegodowns. In that way they would be of immense use.”

  “It all depends, from what I hear,” Dick said, “upon whether they havefamilies in the town. Those that have will be obliged to leave uswhatever their own feelings may be, otherwise their families would bemassacred at once. Of course if a man has come from a distance with awife and a child or two he will probably bring them in here, but thoseborn and bred here who have lots of relations would have no option inthe matter, poor beggars!”

  More alarming reports from up country continued to arrive, and thegreatest anxiety began to prevail as to the fate of the missionaries.One morning when Rex went in to breakfast he found his mother in tearsand his father looking very grave.

  “What is the matter?” he asked.

  “There is a report in the town that there has been a riot at Chafui.The mission–house has been attacked, and certainly some of themissionaries have been killed. Others, it is said, were taken to thegovernor?s Yamen. What has been their fate no one knows. It is certainthat what troops there were in the town did not in any way interferewith the Boxers, and whether the governor had the power or the willto resist them is not known. Robson had no right to keep his wife andgirls there. I wrote him again and again begging him to send them downhere, but he is one of the most obstinate men I ever knew. If he likedto risk martyrdom, of course he was at liberty to do so, but he had noright to expose them to such a fate. However, it is useless to talk ofthat now. It is maddening to think that Kate and the two girls shouldbe in the power of these fiendish scoundrels.”

  “Can nothing be done, father?”

  “What can be done?” Mr. Bateman said bitterly. “It will be as much aswe are able to do to hold our own here. The whole country round is intheir hands, and it is very doubtful whether Admiral Seymour can, withevery man that possibly can be spared, fight his way to Pekin, whichis two hundred miles away. Certainly no force can be spared to rescuepeople who fall into the hands of the Boxers so far away.”

  Rex stood in silent consternation. He had not seen his uncle or any ofthe family since his return, but his aunt and the two girls had beenstaying some weeks at the house before he went away. “It is awful!” hesaid at last; “and Uncle must have been mad not to have sent them downwhen the troubles began.”

  “I think so, too, Rex. As for his staying himself it is different. Hehas a large number of converts there, and no doubt he hoped that hispresence there would be some protection. You see, one of the principalcauses of the Chinese dislike for us is the missionary question. It isa religious question as much as a political one. The Chinese are insome things very superstitious. They worship to some extent the spiritsof their ancestors, but for other religion they care but little. Thereis no ill–feeling between men of different religion here. No resistancewas offered to the spread of Buddhism; the Taoists do not quarrel withthose who are practically Confucians. But with Christianity it isdifferent. The converts come under the protection of the missionaries,who have behind them the European powers, and consequently they are,to a great extent, independent of the local officials. The feelinghas been greatly aggravated by France insisting that her bishopsshould have the rank of mandarins, and be judges over their nativeconverts. All this has been a great mistake, for which we are payingnow. I believe that our own missions have striven hard to avoid givingoffence, and all missionaries in the up–country stations dress innative costume, for the Chinese regard dress as a serious matter.”

  While this conversation had been going on, Mrs. Bateman had left theroom.

  “You had better sit down and eat your breakfast, Rex. You can give me acup of tea; I could not eat anything now. Kate is very dear to me, andso are the girls. They were here twice while you were away, and stayedwith us each time for some weeks.”

  “I don?t remember much about the girls, father. The elder was threeyears younger than I, and was quite a child, and Mabel was two yearsyounger still.”

  “They were growing up very nice girls,” Mr. Bateman said sadly. “Jennyis now nearly fifteen and Mabel thirteen. Of course they had not thefreshness of girls brought up at home, and I spoke to their mother whenshe was up here, and wrote to your uncle, urging that they should gohome for a couple of years, and offering to pay all their expenses. Hesaid that in another year he would take the matter into consideration.”

  Rex ate a few mouthfuls, and then went out into the courtyard. Ah Lowas sitting there. By his serious face Rex saw that he had heard thenews.

  “This is a terrible business,” Rex began.

  “A very bad business, master.”

  “Is there anything to be done, do you think?”

  The Chinaman knit his eyebrows. “What could be done?” he asked.

  “That I don?t know; but it is horrible to sit here and do nothing whenmy aunt and cousins are, if they are alive, prisoners, and may be putto horrible tortures before they are killed.”

  Ah Lo was silent.

  “Do you think you and I could get there and try to rescue them?”

  The Chinaman?s eyes opened wide. “Do you really mean that, youngmaster?”

  “Yes; I do not see why we should not get there all right, thoughI don?t say that we could rescue them. We could both dress up asvillagers, or as Boxers if you like, and as I speak Chinese as wellas you do, I don?t see why we should not both make our way through.I could stain my skin just a little so as to get it just the rightcolour, and shave my head and put on a pigtail. Many Chinese wearspectacles, great things with thick rims.”

  “Villagers do not often wear them, master, though the literati who weartheir eyes out in staring at a book often do. You could not go as oneof them, for you do not speak the same language.”

  “Well, I should think that you might paint a little line in each cornerof my eyes so as to make them look a little up and down like theChinese eyes.”

  “Ah Lo had better go alone,” the Chinaman said quietly.

  “Not at all,” Rex said. “My aunt and cousins are a great deal to me,they are nothing to you, and I certainly won?t let you go alone.”

  “The master would never let you go,” Ah Lo said positively.

  “I don?t suppose he would; but he would not know anything about ituntil I had gone. I should leave a letter behind telling him why I hadgone, and that I was so disguised that I could pass for a Chinamananywhere. I should say also that I know my chance of succeeding is notgreat, but that I consider the risk of being found out is still less. Ishould, of course, promise to take every precaution.”

  “The master would never forgive me,” Ah Lo said.

  “Oh, yes! he would. I should say further that I had made up my mindto go, and that I told you that if you did not go with me I should goalone, which I mean to do. I am some months past sixteen now, and Ithink I can take care of myself, though I should feel a great deal morecomfortable having you with me.”