The Flying Boat

ts to Shanghai, but could not long be spared from their branches. The intense cold made hydroplaning or flying a pastime of doubt

wild fowl; but the country was becoming more and more disturbed; the unrest which is always fermenting in out-of-the-way parts of China broke out in riots and other disorders; and one day they received a polite request from the viceroy of the province to keep within the precincts of the settlement. The viceroy had a nervous dread lest they should come to some harm, and their Government cause trouble, which would result possibly in his dismissal from office and the cons

om absent, and with one or two other Germans in the settlement he spent the long evenings over cards. Errington would sometimes rise from his seat in the little sitting-room he shared with Burroughs, pace the floor restlessly, then, with

The card-players played for stakes, and as the season advanced, the amount of the stakes, as so frequently happens, advanced too. Errington never deliberately intended to play high, b

f all his money, but in debt to Reinhardt. This position was irksome to a high-spirited temperament. The idea of owing money to his sup

d chap?" he said with an assume

is manner that he was the culprit. He knew very well what was coming, and felt instinctive

you like, Pidge--in

enty or thirty dollars just

alk such rot. What's mine'

ton absented himself from Reinhardt's parties. He repaid Burroughs at once, and for a week or two never went out in the evening. But then the old restlessness crept upon him; once more he joined the jolly party; then not an

ips, quite unlike his wonted self, he asked

iend, determinedly cheerful, "but

rrington hotly, his old resent

ut it's a pity, don't you think, to let tha

or months Burroughs had not once opened his mouth on the subject. "What's a fellow to do if he can't enjoy a harmless game? It's all straight; you don't suppose I'd play with sharpers; a

roughs quietly. "You're a bit off colour, old c

einhardt and all his works once and for ever. But shame, the sense of being in the wrong, false pride, an

ack within a few days--before, as he knew, Errington

said as he laid the notes besid

was much disturbed in mind. If his chum had won the money, it would encourage him to go on gambling. If he had not won it, how had he obtained it so soon? Burroughs hoped with all his heart that he had

roughs never again uttered it, the lad was foolish enough to apply to the Chinese money-lenders. They were ready to oblige a young Englishman, and fixed their

ried state of mind, was annoyed at his friend's manner, all the more because he knew very well that he himself was in the wrong. His high spirits gave way to moodiness and irritability, and after a time he avoided Burrou

s card-parties. It appeared that Reinhardt himself was frequently the winner when the stakes were high, and Burroughs became less and less tolerant of a man who ought to have been particularly scrupulous in ke

s negotiating a very large transaction with a Chinese broker, and stated the terms on which the consignment of goods was

d incidentally to himself, for both he and Errington had a small interest in the turnover of their branches, as well as a salary. He

ar from his comprador that the transaction in which he had

said to the man, feeling indi

d out his hands dep

ame, sah. Mass' Ellington

I don't be

breakfast with a pale face and weary eyes, and the look of a man who had not slept. Could it be that, in his urgent need of money, he had fallen to the temptation of snatching this business out of the hands of the other house? If it had been Reinhardt, Burroughs would not have been at all surprised; but that Errington had taken advantage of the information casually given him to steal a march on his frien

d always been accustomed to do, though not frequently of late, straight into his room. Once, Errington would ha

"what's this I hear about Feng Wai doing better with you than with me?

ne, told Errington that he was labouring under some strong feeling

, if I were you," he said; "n

d seen with my own eyes what I wouldn't believe when I hear

't you help it? Say straight out that you think

seen your order, signed with your initials. After our agreement it would have been bad enough if

ing accusations against me for months past, and I've had enough of it. You always had the mak

he office, he slammed

d to apologize. He felt that he had asked for information in a perfectly civil way; and though, in his heart, he could not help suspecti

of the quarrel was proved by the fact that Er

ton?" he asked of C

e man, grinning. He was glad to have se

deeply incensed. To repay him with money borrowed from the German seemed the finishing stroke to their old friendship. In the old days, a quiet tal

eleased from his contract. It happened that Errington was out at the time, but Reinhardt was there. Scenting a chance of raising a difference between the two friends, Reinhardt agreed to give the enhanced price, merely altering the figures in the contract note, taking care to make the new figures as like Errington's as possible. The Chinese merchant is usually as go

He owed Burroughs the grudge which a mean and dishonourable man often owes a more honourable one for no other reason than that he is more honourable. He was now anxious that Errington should not discover the c

utbidding Burroughs with Feng

nitialled ze contract

es

: I show you zat to-morro

ment in his private ledger under what an Englishman would call "squeeze." The invoice, consequently, satisfied Errington that there was no foundation for Burroughs' suspicion, and he nourished a deep resentment against his old fri

r more acute. With Errington, the mere idea that he could be suspected by his friend of such a trick as he had accused him of rankled more and more as time went on. He found himself harbouring bitter thoughts, not only of him, but

unable to bring the matter home to him, he grew at length almost convinced that Reinhardt was a swindler. This, coming upon the loss of his friend, which in his better moments he felt deeply, so worked upon him that he found his situation unendurable, and applied to his firm for a transfer still farther up the ri