The Flying Boat

n China. But Mr. Errington was his own worst enemy. Generous and impulsive, he lacked balance; and though he had a positive genius for business

ltimately lost almost all his fortune in one black year. When he died suddenly of heart failure, it was found that he had left just

t with scrupulous honour, but with no excess of kindness. Pierce became very sick of hearing from his guardian, at least once a term and more often during the holidays, that he had no prospects, and must look t

out the same age, and their sons were born within a few months of each other. When the time came for them to go to England for education, the boys were sent to the same preparatory school, and entered at the same public school. They had been companions since babyhood, and the friendship between the fathers seemed to be only intensif

an." "Remember never to feel after a pin on the bottom of the ocean." "It is folly to covet another man's horse and to lose your own ox." Sentences like these occurred in all Mr. Ting's letters--all warning him against attempting impossibilities, or leaving the substance for the shadow, or letting his impulses run away with him. Of course Errington knew that Mr. Ting had occupied a special position in his father's h

everybody trading on the China coast knew him and trusted him, except some few "mean whites" who were incapable of any decent feeling towards a Chinaman. He had now taken advantage of a business visit to London to call upon the boy in whose welfare he was more deeply interested than

arm to his conversation; and when it came out casually that his business in England had involved several interviews with the Foreign Secretary, he went up as high in the estimation of the prefects as his athletic feat had carried him

fo'e long," he said, "and I

from China that filled them at once with regret and with excitement. Mr. Burroughs wrote that Ted

EAR

vities, and lots of branches in all parts of China. With them you will gain valuable experience of intrinsic excellence. You will not be blind fowl picking after worms. Your friend Mole is to come to China next month; I vote you

G C

es and fresh experiences. They were delighted at the prospect of going out together, and found themselves looking

hs. "It will be a jolly sight more interesting than a British ship, a

he "funny foreigner" might also find some interest in studying them; but after certain exciting experiences which befell

ating, he had bought first a skiff for use on the river during holidays and then a small motor launch. Just before leaving school he had happened to see a hydroplane in the Solent, and it occurred to him that he and Errington, when they got to China, would find

uncommon as to mark him out for special notice; but the boys observed, after a few days, that this man, though possessing the most engaging manners, seemed to be somewhat shunned by the rest of the German passengers. They did not actually cut him, but they appeared to hold themselves aloof. He belonged to none of the sets into which passengers on a long voyage invariably split up; he was never invited to join their card-parties.

mark about the charming weather. He spoke English very well, with scarcely anything to reveal his nationality except the customary difficulty with the th. There was something attractive about the

said the German. "Am I mistaken, or are you ze so

know him?" a

ounced the word "dess") "was a blow to me. And you, Mr. Burroughs--I hope I may

id the Mo

ng absent, at school, no doubt; and you, Mr. Errington, will not remember me; ze years wipe out early impressions;

kid when I left Shanghai. We've been at school, as you gue

ays, especially ze sport. You will find good golf i

at school because he's Burroughs; but I'm going to a

companion was so communicative: but "I

ghted zat I shall have you for a colleague. It is a good firm: naturally I say so; but every one

otton and grass-cloth fibre; their difficulties with the Customs and with river pirates, and so on, i

of course?" said E

arcely perceptible constraint in his manner. "An excellent man of business; a little difficult, pe

he's kept up a correspondence with me, and i

. Ting is a good man of business, highly respected. To place you wiz us shows zat he

began to teach Errington some card games of which he had never before heard, Burroughs felt uneasy. On the first occasion, when he was asked to join them, he declined, and they did not ask

n't think I'd play cards much

s our highest stake: are you

rdt isn't liked on board; there m

othing against the man. For goodness' s

the German grew chilly, and he could not help noticing that Errington was somewhat nettled at his friendly warni

ing against Herr R

ered his beard b

nothing. But don't let your fr

an before, and watched the growing in