Held by Chinese Brigands

ces of China. The boy had taken some time to climb down the mountain-side. Having no wish to fall into the hands of the scarlet-coated band who had descended into the

t he had seen. The judge was somewhat surprised,

idn't see you,

d hidden all the time. Besides, they were immediately bel

hrugged his

hat the party you saw was one of the brigand bands that are said to infest these mountains. We are far from civ

looks as if I may have a use

w himself, and the men went down into the valley. There is no reason

st of the deep shadows beneath the temple ruins. He moved

id he, "dinn

res calm and expressionless, a table-napkin thrown over his l

on, "I shall sleep wit

ivide the night into three watches of three hours each. Frank, as the youngest, shall take the first watch, from nine

ing suits me well enough. In the old days in Texas, six

ed Yung How, "di

ou doing here?" he demanded. "You have announced dinn

a muscle of his face. "Hot soup, all belong one piece tin; number one fish, all bel

" said the judge. "The soone

, humid atmosphere of the river valley, had served to give them a healthy appetite. The soup was half cold, the chickens were very tough, and the West River fish tasted horribly of mud; for all that, hungry men, encamped in a wilderness many miles from the

. They talked of many things, but above all of China, of its immensity and mystery, its wealth, vital

ing the leaves of the trees, the distant croaking of the frogs, and the singing of the crickets, combined to form a sort of lullaby that soothed and enticed the wayfarers to slu

the mountain slope to the south. Knowing, however, that it would be wise not to neglect the northern side of the temple, he decided to patrol the entire building at le

ion lay in the shadow of the temple wall: the former curled up in his blankets, the coolie lying flat upon his back, his mouth wide open, dreaming, perhaps, that he was back in the

ind murmured in the trees; once or twice he could hear wild-duck flying high in the night sky towards the north, to

n one of his rounds and stood for a moment looking down upon the two sleeping Chinese, thinking how vastly different from himself they were. Then he passed on upon his way, conscious that as the hour grew later the air was becoming colder. On that account, it was advisable to keep moving. He

ld the revolver in his hand, gripping the handle tightly. The starlight enabled him to see a conside

m, he heard a sound that might have been the wind, but which, on the other hand, might have been the heavy breathing of a man. As quick as

rought him into the starlight, and at that moment both his wrists were grasped, and he beheld before

a second. Someone had seized him from behind. The palm of a hand was

physical force. He had been seized by at least three men; and almost before he had time to recover from his surpr

uld happen next. Men were talking in whispers in harsh Cantonese

n stature, the skin of whose face was wrinkled and weather-beaten. This man wore a scarlet coat, richly embroidered with gold thread that glittered in the starl

ooked straight into Frank's. Behind Yung How stood some twenty men, all dressed in scarlet coats. Frank took them in at a glance, and the thought flashed across his mind that it would be difficult to select from the pa

rs to follow him. Frank was led forward, a great raw-boned Chinaman on either side of him, each of whom grasped him tig

nds had been encamped for two days. In the starlight he could see the f

e had every reason to believe--in the greatest danger, he was filled with apprehension. He made a lurch forward as if he would escape--for his

dignation. He was filled with remorse. He had been given a position of responsibility

cry out nor hasten to the assistance of his friends. He saw both his uncle and Mr Waldron seized whilst they were so

ere planted upright between the stone flags that paved the floor; so that th

he brigands, made to look even more alarming and sinister by the flickering light of the torches; and around that great, dingy room, the implacable, sedate, inev

hook his head. Then someone from the back of the room commanded that everyone should be seated; and when this order had been complied with, one man alone remained upon h

who fall into the hands of Cheong-Chau mu