The Flying Boat

m one by one in his mind, he recognized that it was hopeless to apply to any of them. Remorse, bitter self-reproach for his folly, mingled with the harrowing fear of ruin and exposure. He thought o

s help; but there was that miserable difference between them. A simple promise to Mr. Ting would save him; but pride held him back,

came to hi

ing shell ou

ve me a week, Reinhardt; I'l

's all right; I will wait a wee

he evil day--a clutching at a straw; the last desp

for a day's sport. The Viceroy's request that the Europeans would not venture beyond their own settlement was forgotten, in spite of the fact that it had lately been repeated with some urgency. The country was disturbed, and the swamps haunted by the wild fowl were in the midst of the district affected. They surround

roaching the spot of which he had been told, he noticed that Lo San looked uneasi

at is it?

," replied the m

you mean. Why not? There's ple

ah; plenty

nd of the billposter, but we've

hich he had noticed some birds, when his eye was caught by a boat floating apparently towards this open water down a narrow and irregular channel from the Yang-tse. The channel was so much overgrown with reeds and rushes that it was not easy to distinguish the nature of the appr

e suggested Chinamen. All at once a slight turn in their course revealed what had previously not been visible, they were towi

danger out of pure wilfulness. While he was watching the boats, he drew the sam

binocular to his servant, who, how

d in a low voice. "My tinke

w the Englishman's temper, and the rejection of his former word of warning had kept him silent since. Now, however, the

frightened away the ducks, so that there was no present chance of sport. And having nothing better to do for the moment

f to make sure that they were not observed. Screened though he was by the reeds, Errington had the curious sensation which watchers often have, that thos

a moment but for the men's cautious look around; their manner suggested that they were hiding something. It might be no business of his; on the other hand, it struck him that, since the incident had happened in a district infested by pirates, some of these pests had recently made a haul of goods. He felt that at all hazards he must satisfy himself; not that there appeared to be any danger, but he could not tell but

ave expected him to do. Instead, he forced the sampan slowly and with some difficulty through the margin of rushes bordering the pool. Many other channels besides that on which the boat had come, led from the open water to the river. Coming to one of these n

going when he last saw it. It was no longer in sight. With another cautious glance round, pausing for a few moments to listen, he crept out into the pool, and set out for the other side. It was not very difficult to find the narrow opening in the reeds through which the dinghy had passed with the other vessel in tow. But when he had once entered it, he saw how almost impossible it would have been to find his w

attempt had apparently been made to clear a channel. His former idea returned to him; perhaps it led to an encampment after all. He drove the sampan o

swamp, four or five low ramshackle huts, constructed of poles and matting, stood about thirty yards back from the edge of the water. The space between them and the water was littered with an extraordinary miscellany of objects, all of

hiding-place. There were black rings here and there on the ground that were without doubt the marks of camp-fires. But the place had a deserted, a neglected, look. The huts were boarded up, except where they were so tumbledown that no

up, Errington punted the sampan alongside, and lifted a corner of the matting. What he saw gave him a surprise comparable only to a galvanic shock. Underneath was a stretch of canvas that exactly resembled a wing of the flying boa

" then looked fearfully around, as if expecting that the sound would bring a crew

. Perhaps Burroughs himself was on it. Errington puzzled his brain to hit upon any reason why his old friend should have wished to conceal his hydroplane in this swamp. Had he come up on business, or pleasure? Could it be that Mr. Ting, in his journey down-stream, h

ch he and Burroughs had spent so many pleasant hours.) "A pretty ass I should look if I took it back, and found that the

l. The old sore was reopened. The occupation and excitement had for a time banished all recollection of h

bbely,[#] sah!" murm

No

re to urge the sampan less violently; but, on coming safely to the river, resumed his energetic movem