Rejoiced that the tedious sea-voyage was at an end and that the princess would, in all probability, by a few day's rest, gain health and strength sufficient for the long land journey before them, you may guess the vexation of Nicholas, on arriving at the inn, to find a crowd of persons around the door enjoying the following scene. The innkeeper was kneeling before the chair of a tax-gathering mandarin, surrounded by his bamboo sticks in waiting, who seemed to have in their charge three beggars.
Mandarin.—"Thrice hath the dog's hide been corrected, and yet his tribute is not ready."
Innkeeper.—"Is it not true, O tribute-collecting lord, that but little may be gleaned from an empty purse?"
Mandarin.—"Therein is thy crime, slave, that having thrice received our paternal correction, thy vile purse should still remain empty. Know, thou mean dog, that the purse of the subject should be ever at the service of the Emperor."
Innkeeper, giving his empty purse.—"The laws of the empire must be obeyed, there is thy servant's purse."
Mandarin, angrily.—"Would the vile innkeeper laugh in our face?"
Innkeeper.—"Surely, O great mandarin, the owner of an empty purse hath but little cause for laughing!"
Mandarin.—"Thou incorrigible dog, where hath been thy industry, that thou hast not sufficient even to pay thy taxes?"
Innkeeper.—"Truly the wars and the robbers have driven from the province its trade, and thy servant hath not rice sufficient to sustain life in the mean bodies of himself and family."
Mandarin.—"If these are straight words, the dog's life cannot be of value to him; let him, therefore, pay the debt he owes to the Emperor, by humbly begging of the Tartar-subduing General, Woo-san-Kwei to let him offer his carcass of full measure to the barbarians, that he may shield the life of a better man."
Innkeeper.—"Truly, O fountain of wisdom the officers of the rebel-subduing general have already stolen from thy servant his four sons."
Mandarin.—"Stolen, thou vile rat! Let the rogue receive twenty blows for this word of disrespect, and fifty for half the debt he owes to the Emperor."
In an instant the innkeeper was thrown upon his face, and while one man held his head, and another his feet, a third belabored the poor fellow till he roared again. When the punishment was concluded, and the innkeeper had, according to custom, thanked the official for his kindness, the mandarin said, "Such is the punishment of rogues who will not pay their taxes;" adding, "But that the cheating innkeeper may not escape too easily, let him provide food and lodging for these three poor people till his debt be paid."
"May thy servant inquire the amount of this innkeeper's debt; for it is fitting that the taxes should be paid?" said Nicholas, coming forward to the astonishment of the official, who said, sternly, "The sum, bold stranger, is one ounce of silver."
"Then, may thy servant be permitted to pay this silver; for he would engage for himself and sister the man's house, which cannot be large enough for these poor people also?"
"Truly it may not be refused," replied the mandarin, taking the money, and rescinding his order for the accommodation of the poor people; but adding, as he left the spot, "It is a maxim that people should settle their own debts before paying those of others."
"Where is the justice now, my master; for although he has received the debt in full, that rat of the taxes hath not taken back the blows from this poor man's hide?" said Chow, fortunately for himself in such soft tones that he could not be heard by the mandarin. More pleased than otherwise at the scene which they had considered good fun, the crowd dispersed; when, silencing the noisy gratitude of the innkeeper, who, after all, had been more frightened than hurt with the blows which had been dealt out to him, as much as a matter of form as a punishment, Nicholas and his party entered the inn, and having secured the two best rooms, one for the princess and her attendant, the other for himself and Chow, he gave the bird's nests to the wife of the innkeeper for the use of the ladies.
As for themselves, the boys made a good meal, and then whiled the time away in conversation till it became dark, when they both sought their beds; which, queer as it may seem to you—being nothing but piles of bricks shaped to the human form, and heated from beneath with charcoal, the flame and heat of which are dispersed by pipes joined to an upright tube, which carries the smoke through the roof—they greatly enjoyed after their long journey.
The next morning Nicholas visited the princess, and to his surprise and delight found that she had recovered her strength. "This is indeed joy, O my princess!" said he, kneeling; when, taking him by the hand, the royal lady said, "Kneel not before her whom thou hast so much befriended, O noble youth; for it is naught but the poor fatherless girl La-Loo who is before thee, and would indeed be thy sister."
"This is not possible; the daughter of the Ming can never be less in the world than its princess—first in beauty as in rank," said Nicholas.
"The daughter of the Ming, or the girl La-Loo, be she whom she may, noble youth, will travel alone through this dreary province in search of her brother, if she can not journey as thy sister."
"Then be it so, for thy servant dares not disobey, O beautiful La-Loo!" said Nicholas; adding, "Is it the will of the princess, to proceed upon her journey?"
"The will of her adopted brother is the will of La-Loo," replied the princess, and Nicholas left the room; but pushing the door before him, imagine his surprise to find the innkeeper at the threshhold with his little head upward, his short arms stretched forward from his great body, and his legs in the hands of Chow, who appeared to be pulling him from the door.
"Release thy mean servant from the hands of this vile person, O noble youth, or his legs will be pulled as easily from his body as those of a crab," said the man, piteously looking in the face of Nicholas.
"The rascal, the rogue, the elephant in size, but mouse in honesty, was listening to thy conversation, O my master," said Chow.
"Let the mean rat rise upon his bamboo legs," said Nicholas; adding, "What has the dog learned of his guests' affairs?"
"Truly so grand a mien could belong to none but the son of a king, and so beautiful a lady, could be none other than a princess," said the man.
"Thou rascal," said Nicholas; but adding, more prudently, "Canst thou be honest, and serve us?"
"For ever, O noble youth," replied the innkeeper.
"Trust not so small a mouse," said Chow.
"The innkeeper shall be rewarded according to his merits. Let him conduct his guest to the merchants of the town, and he shall receive some silver," said Nicholas, quitting the house with the man, who led him to the various dealers and merchants, from whom he purchased a camel, a mule, a tent, provision, and in short all things necessary for a long journey overland.
When he had made these purchases, he whispered some secret instruction in the ear of Chow, and sent him with the animals and articles back to the inn; after which he said, "Will the worthy innkeeper open his lips in a temple, and promise to keep to himself the secret he has discovered?"
"Truly the noble youth does not doubt that the words of his servant are straight?" replied the man, evasively.
"The worthy innkeeper must do this, or forfeit these two ounces of silver," replied Nicholas, exhibiting the money, which had the desired effect.
"There is but one temple for this poor town, and that is upon the mountain without the walls."
"To that we will proceed, if the worthy innkeeper will show the way."
The man obeyed; they passed through the gates of the town into a narrow road, which led them to the foot of a high mountain, near the summit of which stood a small temple.
"It would be better to seek an altar within the inner apartments of thy servant's inn, the gods would be equally as attentive to his promise, and the noble youth would be saved the necessity of climbing so steep a hill."
"Truly this temple can not be used often, or some easier means of ascent would be made," said Nicholas.
"The words of the noble youth are wise, for truly this temple is but used on the festivals of the first of the month."
"When is the next festival, O worthy innkeeper?"
"To-morrow."
"Then ascend."
Obeying, the innkeeper commenced climbing the narrow and slippery stairs cut in the hill side; when they reached the top and stood in the temple before a huge wooden god, who seemed to form part of the back wall of the temple, out of which he had been cut, Nicholas, pointing to one of the arms of the idol, said, "Truly, the god hath been neglected and requires painting." Turning his back to Nicholas to examine the idol, the man gave a shriek of alarm. Nicholas had taken a cord from his vest, thrown it over his arms, and made him as harmless as if he had been in a straight jacket.
"What means the youth; is he a robber?"
"Silence thou ungrateful hog," said Nicholas, pulling him toward the idol, to which he secured his body, legs and arms.
"Now, thou dog, open thy lips, and say what fell into thine ears whilst thou wast listening at the door of the ladies' apartments."
"Truly, thy mean servant could not hear much, for little was said by the princess."
"Then how, thou trembling rogue, couldst thou know it was a princess who spoke?"
"Thy servant divined that the lady must be of exalted rank; for in the first place, had she not been a great lady escaping from the province of Pekin, she would not have crossed the gulf in such weather, neither would so noble a youth as thyself have treated a sister with such exalted respect."
"Thou art a cunning dog, whose words are dust; and if thou dost not admit that thy vile ears were at that door before the time when thou wert caught, I will slay thee," said Nicholas, drawing his short sword, and holding it threateningly.
"Pardon, O noble youth; but as iron can not resist the lode-stone, neither can the ears of thy servant resist a secret: he did—did listen," said the man trembling with fear.
"What didst thou hear, dog?" the sword was now at his throat.
"That the Emperor Wey-t-song was slain, and that the Emperor Li had offered a great reward for the Princess of the Mings."
"Should I kill thee, thou mean rat, thou wouldst but meet thy merits."
"The magnanimous youth would not soil his sword with the blood of so mean a person."
"No; but thou shalt remain here till we are beyond the reach of harm from thy vile tongue."
"Surely the noble youth would not starve so ill-conditioned a person," said the man in a whining tone. "Thou art now safe, thou rogue, and I will pay thee the two taels I promised; but if even when released from thy bondage when the temple is visited to-morrow, thou speak but the name of the lady you have seen, I will return and punish thee, if it is years to come." So saying Nicholas threw the silver upon the floor, closed the door of the temple, descended the mountain, and made as much haste as possible back to the inn.
By the time Nicholas returned to the inn, Chow had prepared every thing for their departure; the camel was laden with a litter for the two ladies, behind which were two tents, rough sleeping mats, furs and a supply of food and fuel.
"All is prepared, O noble Nicholas, according to thy order," said Chow.
"Thou art as nimble as thou art brave, Chow," said Nicholas, passing to the room of the princess, whom he found with the mother of Chow well wrapped in furs.
"It is well that thou art prepared, O beautiful and illustrious La-Loo, for the villain innkeeper heard our conversation, and I doubt not intended to earn the rebel Li-Kong's reward." At this the limbs of the princess trembled, and her face became pale with fear.
"Let us haste then, O noble brother, for La-Loo fears that demon Li-Kong, and would rather that her parent's blow had proved effective than fall into his power."
"The weather is severe and the journey drear, and fraught with dangers of savage beasts and still more savage men," said Nicholas, as fearful of the danger of proceeding as of remaining; adding, "At least the innkeeper can not return till to-morrow, and early morning would be less dangerous than the darkness of this winter's night."
"The last of the line of the great Tait-sou have the courage of their ancestors. Let us on our journey, my brother," said the princess.
Without another word Nicholas led the princess and her attendant to the camel, and assisted them into the litter.
"Surely," said La-Loo, "there are times when women should have the courage of men. An arrow sped by my hand would be as useful as one from the bow of my brother."
Understanding the meaning Nicholas gave the princess his own bow, and quiver full of arrows.
"Truly my venerable and beloved parent can pull a bow-string to save her life," said Chow giving his bow and arrows to his mother.
"This is not well, Chow, for we are left unarmed, except with our short swords, which will be of little use," said Nicholas.
"The noble Nicholas left Chow to provide for the journey, and so, knowing that female arms, like female tongues, can fight when the time comes, he provided weapons for each," said Chow, taking two bows from the sides of the mule.
"Thou hast the wisdom and foresight of a colao, O Chow," said Nicholas, laughing; then adding, seriously, "But the guide."
"Is here, O noble stranger, and as he hopes to have his tomb well dusted, will conduct thee safely to the distant mountains," said a youth, stepping forward with an unlighted torch in his hand.
Nicholas then mounting behind the camel, Chow upon the mule, and the guide taking hold of the cord which was tied to the great animal's mouth, they proceeded on their journey, and as it was just within the time of closing the gates, they passed out of the town into the open country of teas and drugs; and so quickly did they travel, that before night came on they had reached a narrow gorge between two mountains, which was good, inasmuch as they would be protected from the keen winds. The darkness came on, and the guide lighted his torch, which flamed so terrifically, that they might have passed for one of our slow night trains.
So for some hours they traveled, till they came to a forest so dense with trees that the guide would go no further, and they pitched the two tents, one for the ladies, and the other for themselves, surrounding both with a great fire, made of stubble, to keep off the wolves or other beasts of prey. The following morning they resumed their journey, till as they were leaving the forest, they could hear the distant howling of wolves; the camel exhibited its fright by making strange noises, and the mule grew restless, snorted, and every now and then turned its head as if to look for its enemies. The whole party fixed arrows in their bows, ready for an attack, and for some time their hearts palpitated with alarm. Ordering the little caravan to stop, Nicholas sent Chow to examine the probability of an attack. He had been absent half an hour when they heard the trampling of horses near at hand. What could it mean? surely they were not pursued? Then came Chow, who, running forward, said, "We are lost, O my master, for there are banditti near."
"On my brother, on, for these rogues are doubtless the troops of the rebel Li-Kong," exclaimed the princess, as she leant forward from the litter with the bent bow in her hand; and onward they went, with open ears, and as noiselessly as possible; passing along the side of a mountain into which the wood opened, till they came to a gorge, when the guide stopped, and proposed that they should make adétour, in order to avoid the passage of the mountain platform.
"It is not possible, my master; for to the right are the banditti, to the left the wolves. Let us keep onward and dare this platform;" and again they proceeded through the gorge. Still the wolves kept up their dreary howling, and the trampling of the banditti, if banditti they were, seemed at no greater distance from them than the animals; at length they passed through the gorge, when a sight was before them that would have caused the stoutest hearts to quail. There, leading from the gorge, was the platform of which the guide had spoken. It was supported by rafters, which stood out some six feet from the rock, a mere shelf, without edge or railing, at least five hundred feet above the level of the sea, which the mountain skirted.
"It would be death to cross with these animals; we must turn back and make thedétour," said the guide.
"Open thy ears. We dare not, O noble Nicholas," said Chow! "for the wolves are upon us."
"Onward, my brother, for there are sounds of more terrible beasts than wolves. Let us trust ourselves in the hands of Providence," said the princess.
Seeing the knees of the guide knocking together with fear, Nicholas said, "Get thee to the rear, and follow the mule, thou coward;" then, dismounting, he caught hold of the reins in the nostrils of the camels and averting his eyes from the chasm beneath, led the sure-footed beast along the platform. They had reached midway, when the wolves, with a howling concert, made their appearance at the commencement of the platform; and as Chow, who brought up the rear, led the mule, he felt the animal tremble, and fearing that if the wild brutes ventured across the platform the terrified beasts would be the means of precipitating the whole party into the abyss, he trembled with anxiety. It was a fearful situation, but the brave youth retaining his presence of mind, crept to the flanks of the mule, and only in time, for one of the wolves who had ventured along the platform, followed by the pack, received an arrow in his brain, and as he rolled over into the abyss beneath, its companions stood with their fore feet stretched forward, and their ears bent, as if astonished, when another arrow flew among them, but so intent had Chow become in this fight, that he was unconscious that the progress of the rest of the party had been stopped midway. For the cause of this we must return to Nicholas; who, as he led the camel, to his horror, saw issuing from a fissure in the rock the head of a serpent of the most venomous kind. He fixed an arrow in his bow, but a moment's thought, and he dared not fire, for should he miss the reptile it would be upon them instantly. What should he do? His sword—yes—he drew it; but then he dared not leave the camel's head, and he called to Chow, little thinking that he was in a more terrible position than himself.
"Let fly thy arrow, my brother; should you miss, here is my bow," said the princess, leaning forward.
Still Nicholas would not move. The situation was fearful; the wolves on one side, the deadly serpent on the other; indeed words are wanting to paint the dread anxiety and terror of all, even the animals who stood transfixed, with their hearts beating against their sides in the agony of fear.
Relief came, but so imperceptibly that it stole over them. A perfume so strong filled the air that the animals coughed, the great snake writhed, and approached nearer to them; they were lost; no, the perfume had entered the nostrils of the reptile; its movement was languid, another second, and their deliverer appeared. It was a musk-deer, or roe-buck, who had pursued the serpent till it had lost it in the fissure for a few minutes only, when, recovering its trail, the deer had pursued it to the platform, where, with one grip at its neck, it killed it, when, startled at the cavalcade, it retraced its steps, not at all to the regret of Nicholas, for, valuable as the musk animal was, his gratitude was too great to have killed it. Having crossed the platform, Nicholas saw the predicament of Chow, who was still employed in keeping the wolves at bay. He had fired many arrows, yet had killed but three, while others sat crouching, as if neither liking to recede or advance, waiting, in fact, for the boy's back to be turned, before they made an attack; so keeping poor Chow in one terrible position, not daring to turn his back or to fire his last remaining arrow, for fear that it should miss. The tables, however, were turned, when Nicholas, followed by the guide, both with fixed bows, came to his rescue; one flight more from the three bows, and the now terrified beasts scampered off, when Chow returned to the other side of the platform with Nicholas, and the whole party offered up thanks to Heaven for their miraculous preservation.
It is in the mountains of Pe-tche-Lee that the musk-deer is generally found by hunters, who find a good market, not only for the musk, but the body, which is in great esteem; and that I may account to you in a reasonable manner for the providential escape of the travelers, I must tell you that the flesh of serpents is the favorite and most common food of this roe-buck, who kills them with ease, however large or numerous; for no sooner does he come near than the serpent becomes overpowered with the scent of the musk; and so well is this fact known to the mountaineers, that when they go to cut wood or make charcoal in the mountains, they carry about their persons a few grains of this musk, and rest and sleep without fear from the venomous snakes, which might otherwise destroy them.
The travelers resumed their journey, and continued till it became dark, when they pitched their tents upon an open plain, lighted a circle of fire around their encampment, and remained for the night; so, for at least three months, they continued this tedious journey, keeping within a few miles of the sea-coast, through mountains, plains and forests, till they reached a small village, at the base of the mountain chain of Lao-yang, where they were once more enabled to rest beneath the roof of a house, without fear of traitors, for Lao-yang was the head-quarters of the governor and general of the province, Woo-san-Kwei.
As they were passing the ridges of these mountains, the guide kept his eyes fixed upon their green sides, as if in deep thought. "Surely my brother can see nothing wonderful in these tree-growing hills," said Chow.
"Thy mean servant was dreaming of his native province, of which these mountains reminded him, although compared with those of my native Chen-si they are dirt heaps."
"The mountains of my brother's province of Chen-si are doubtless great, but they are mole-hills to those of Fokien, where thy unworthy brother was born," said Chow.
"Why, what words are these? Does not the whole world know that Chen-si has a mountain of the shape of a cock, and which sometimes crows so loud that it may be heard for ten miles?"
"Fokien has a mountain which is so high that its summit can not be seen, and foretells storms by moving its great body to and fro like a tree with the wind."
"It is a dirt-hill compared to another in Chen-si, that at the sound of a drum breathes forth fire and flame."
"Rat's flesh! thy mountain is nothing to the good hill of Fokien, which makes thieves so giddy when they gaze upon it, that they drop down their plunder and run for their lives," said Chow.
"That may be useful, my brother, but how can its qualities be compared to another of my mountains, which has the power of conferring immortality upon all who live thereon?" replied the guide.
"It is even of doubtful merit compared to the mountain of Fokien, which has grown into the exact shape of the god Fo, and is so large that its eyes are three miles round, and its nose ten miles long." The guide having no other on his list, turned sulkily aside, and so ended this conversation, which, I may tell you, did not spring from the imaginations of either, for the assertions on both sides are accredited by the people of China.
Delighted at the probability of their being near the end of their journey, and as much so at the prospect of a few days' rest, you may imagine the dismay of the party at being awakened early the next morning by a great tumult. What could it mean? They were not long in doubt, for the master of the inn came to them with tears in his eyes. "Arise, O worthy strangers, this is an unfortunate day for us all; the thieves, the rats of the ocean have landed," said he.
"What words are these, O worthy friend?" said Nicholas, jumping to his feet.
"The Emperor Li is marching a great army to beseige Lao-yang, where the great Woo-san-Kwei is encamped; but far worse, the sea wasps have landed within a day's journey, and are scouring the country, joined by the rogues and thieves of the province, and the people are flying with what goods they can collect to the places of refuge; if the noble stranger is wise he will follow," said the man, leaving the room to make preparation for the departure of himself and family.
Of the places of refuge, of which the man spoke, there were many in the province of Leao-tong. Some were in the open plains, encompassed by strong walls, and entrenched ditches of great depth; others were erected upon the summits of mountain crags, and approachable only by great ladders, or secret steps in the rock.
Fearing for the safety of the princess, Nicholas lost no time in securing the aid of the innkeeper, who, for a handsome present, and in compassion for the ladies, offered to secure them a safe asylum. So when the greater portion of the terrified inhabitants of the little hamlet had fled to their different places of refuge, taking with them the bulk of their property, the innkeeper, placing his wife and daughter in a cart, led the way through a defile of the mountain, and many times was he stopped by his flying neighbors, who implored of him to seek a safer place than the open mountains, where the rogues could so easily follow. Keeping steadily along the ridge, while they were in sight, the last had no sooner disappeared than he turned through a great cleft, just large enough for the cart and camel to pass, when, pointing to a crag which hung over the summit, at a great height, he said, "The rogues will not reach us there."
"Are we birds, that we can fly?" said Chow, with astonishment.
When they had proceeded some distance through the opening, they came to another and narrower cleft, cut out of its sides, to pass through which they were compelled to unharness the mules and camel, when they entered a wide, open space, like a courtyard.
"Even now we want wings, my brother," said Chow, shuddering, as he gazed upward at the great height.
"Our wings are here," said the man, turning aside what appeared to be a huge block of rock, but was only an ingenious imitation, when before them there was a flight of steps, steep, and so narrow, that they looked as if the ascent would squeeze a fat man a foot taller.
However, pleased at the discovery of such a place of refuge, they did not stop to examine it, but passed onward; the princess first, and the other women followed by the men, who carried articles of food, fuel, or raiment with them. Having reached the uppermost step, they crept through a hole large enough only for one person, and found themselves in one large room, the roof of which was indeed the summit of the rock. In the walls were small loopholes, from which could be seen many miles of country; there was also a large space in one side for a fire, which was immediately made use of by Chow, who had carried the fuel. Then the guide was sent to fetch other matters, after which they all sat down upon their mats, and partook of hot tea and rice cakes.
"Truly this is a wonderful place," said Nicholas, who, although he knew that places of refuge were common in all the frontier provinces, had no notion of their real strength and security.
"See," said the man, pointing to some huge stones near the entrance, and some heavy bars of iron hanging upon the walls, "should the dogs discover our retreat, they may be crushed as small as tea-dust."
"Truly they could but starve us out."
"Not so, noble youth," said the man pointing to a massive slab of rock; and adding, "This is a door and leads to another part of the mountain."
"Truly our ancestors were wise."
"Necessity made them so, O youth; for two thousand years this border province has been invaded at intervals by the Tartar barbarians."
When night came on, the men of the party descended to the cavern beneath, the women kept to the turret, and were rocked to sleep by the roaring wind, which brought to them the flame, smoke, and sparks, from below. They, however, were secure, although the enraged rogues had made a bonfire of their village—and they slept.
After a sojourn of three days in this hiding-place their provisions grew short; moreover, it was probable that the enemy had left the village, if, indeed, they had not taken their departure upon the first day; therefore, it was arranged that one of the party should proceed upon a tour of observation, and as the guide not only volunteered, but from his profession seemed to be the most fitting person, he was sent. After an absence of some hours, he brought them the information that not only had the enemy left the neighborhood, but there was plenty of game at hand, the great proof of which was the carcass of a yellow goat that he carried across his shoulders; and so joyful was Nicholas at the news, that he proposed their immediate departure.
"It would not be wise, O my young friend, for these thieves are artful, and may be only lurking near till they can pounce upon us like tigers," said the innkeeper.
This advice being reasonable, and, fearing more for the princess than himself, Nicholas readily agreed to remain for a few more days; but then, tired of confinement, and knowing that one small kid would be insufficient, he took his bow in his hands, saying, "Leave not this place, O Chow, till I return."
"This may not be, O my master, for while here, there are two men, and a strong room to protect the ladies; among the hills it will be as much as two can do to protect each other from strolling thieves," said Chow; which reasonable view, being supported by the princess and the innkeeper, Nicholas was compelled, although against his will, to comply with; and so the two youths started off in company.
Along mountain ridges, through valleys, and up steep crags, they toiled for some hours without meeting man or beast. At length, however, as they crossed a small hill covered with trees there was a rustling among the underwood, and they heard the grunt of some animal. "It is a boar, prepare thy bow," said Nicholas.
"No, no, master, no; he is running from us," said Chow, who was upon higher ground and could see better. "See," he added, as Nicholas came by his side, "he is sniffing something good; what can it be?" For a minute they watched the animal, who was quietly sniffing the ground near a small opening of the mountain. "See, he seeks the entrance, we must not lose him," said Nicholas; and in another minute the boar fell over with an arrow in his side when, drawing his sword, Nicholas ran up to it. The animal, however, was too quick, for instead of being unduly alarmed at the sudden attack, like a sensible beast, he had, with his teeth, plucked the arrow from his body; an operation he effected so quickly, that before Nicholas could stop, the boar met him half-way, tripped him over, and, placing his huge paws upon the boy's face, would speedily have killed him, but for another arrow which Chow had sent through the brute's thick neck.
"That was a good aim, my brave Chow," said Nicholas, as he arose, and passed his sword through the beast.
"The obstinacy of thy servant in coming with thee was good, O noble Nicholas."
"Thou shalt be rewarded with a leg, at least," said Nicholas.
Thus satisfied with their foraging expedition, they carried the animal between them till they came within a short distance of the refuge, when they stopped to rest; but, starting suddenly Chow said, "Let us listen;" and both put their ears to the ground. "Surely, it is plain, it is the trampling of a large party of horses," replied Nicholas, rising to his feet and running up a steep hill, "still there is nothing to be seen, no living being—yet," he added, "it was the trampling of horses."
"It can not be otherwise," said Chow.
"Let us haste, then, O Chow!" and leaving the carcass of the boar upon the ground, they ran till they reached the cavern. The camel and mules were gone—their worst fears were confirmed; and Nicholas ascended the stairs, followed by Chow, entered the room, when involuntarily placing his hand upon his forehead, as if to assist his astonished vision, he gave a scream of horror.
As for Chow, for a minute his astonishment deprived him of speech; then, falling upon his face, he exclaimed, "My beloved mother!"
Well might they be horrified, for the princess and her attendant were absent; the innkeeper, his wife and daughter, and the guide, were bound with cords and gagged, so that they could neither move nor speak.
While Nicholas released the innkeeper, Chow performed a like office for the women, when they all fell upon the guide, thumping him with their fists, kicking him with their feet, and exclaiming, "Thou rat, thou snake, thou shalt be strangled." As for the miserable fellow, with his limbs bound and his mouth gagged, he could do nothing but roll his eyes at them. Then being released by Nicholas, he would have got upon his legs but for Chow, who threw him upon his back, and, stamping his foot upon his breast, cried, "Lie there, thou dog, for thou art the villain."
"It is not so, Chow, or he would not himself be so bound and gagged," said Nicholas.
"Nevertheless, he is the traitor; he it was who brought the soldiers upon us, who discovered our retreat," said the innkeeper, giving the prostrate rogue another kick.
"Open thy lips, thou rascal; say what has become of the two ladies, or I will slay thee," said Nicholas.
"Speak, thou rogue," said Chow, almost breathless with anxiety.
"Truly it was the misfortune and not the crime of thy servant; for had he not been chosen as thy guide, this thing could not have happened," replied the trembling fellow.
"Open thy lips to a purpose, thou rogue; give me a clue to the track of these robbers, and thy life shall be spared," said Nicholas, more anxious to rescue the princess than to punish the guide, who, gaining courage from the promise, said, "Truly, then, the princess is on her way to the camp of the Emperor."
This was too much for Nicholas, who fell upon the man, and would have killed him, but for Chow, who, in his turn, becoming more calm, said, "Let the rogue earn his life by enabling us to follow these thieving rats."
Perceiving the wisdom of this, Nicholas removed his hand from the throat of the rogue, who said, "Truly this is a heavy misfortune; for till thy servant left this place, he intended no mischief, when in the mountains he met with a party of soldiers, who have been pursuing us all the way from Kin-Chow for the purpose of earning the reward offered for the princess."
"How is this possible, thou rogue?" said Nicholas.
"On the day of the festival, these soldiers landed on their way to gather troops for the service of the Emperor Li, whom they were ordered to join on the borders of the province; on the same day that thy outrage upon the person of my uncle, the innkeeper of Kin-Chow, was discovered, and the venerable man in his indignation told the soldiers that the princess, for whom so large a reward was offered, was on the road to Lao-yang, accompanied by a woman, two youths, and his nephew, who might be known by the name of Leang, and who would, doubtless, when he heard of the affront put upon his uncle, aid in capturing the whole party. The soldiers, anxious to obtain the reward, pressed forward with such haste, that, but for our crossing the platform, they would have overtaken us," said the guide; adding, "And would that they had, for then thy servant would have been innocent."
"If innocent, then, thou rogue, what hath since caused thee to become a traitor," said Nicholas.
"When the soldiers informed the nephew of the affront offered to his venerable uncle, how under heaven and the social laws could he refuse to aid in the punishment of such offenders?"
"How came it, O thou great rogue, that the soldiers should repay thy great services with so much ingratitude?"
"Truly thy mean servant is not a god, that he can foresee the ingratitude of mankind."
"These are dog's words, O noble youth," said the innkeeper; adding, "This fellow had promised the thieves to keep thee under some pretence till they came up, when they intended to have sold thee as a slave; and finding that they had missed a portion of their expected prize, partly in their rage, and partly that the rogue should not claim a portion of the reward, they first beat and then left him as you found him, not doubting that upon your return you would kill so false a rascal."
"Shall we not kill the traitor, who has stolen my beloved mother and the princess?" said Chow, very fiercely.
"Truly we will do better—make him useful," said Nicholas; adding, "Is the rogue certain that these soldiers have proceeded to Lao-yang?"
"It must be so, for it is to that city the Emperor Li is marching to besiege the rebel Woo-san-Kwei," said the guide.
"Thou rascal, to call so great a thief an emperor, and so great a general a rebel," said Chow, menacing him with his fist; adding, as he again bound his arms to his side, "Thou shalt at least be in safe keeping till either the princess be discovered, or thy day arrives to be strangled."
The excitement past, then came despair. The soldiers had stolen the mules and camel; it was, therefore, useless to attempt to overtake them, even if their numbers had been sufficiently large. What was to be done? and they both sat with their heads upon their hands. Nothing! At length Nicholas said, "Bring the rogue with us, we will seek the General Woo-san-Kwei."
"The roads are dangerous, and may be filled with rebels," said the innkeeper.
"Then must we fight our way through the vermin," said Nicholas.
"This rogue shall go before and get the first sword in his wretched body," said Chow, jerking the rope by which he held the guide, whose teeth chattered together with terror at the notion.
Then telling the innkeeper where to find the dead boar, Nicholas bade him and his family farewell.
"May the great Tien aid thee!" said the woman.
"Leave us thy name, O noble youth, that it may be marked on the memories of our descendants," said the innkeeper.
Nicholas took the man aside, and whispered in his ear.
"It is a terrible name," said the man, bowing his head to the ground.
"It is a good one, and the son will restore thee thy village, O worthy man, if the rebels take not his life," said Nicholas.
"The princess, the princess, and my beloved mother," exclaimed Chow.
"Are protected by Heaven till we rescue them from the hands of the villain Li," said Nicholas, and they proceeded on their journey.
With sorrowful hearts the two boys took leave of the houseless family, and proceeded along the ridges of the mountains till they came to the entrance of a great wood. Chow had custody of the guide, whom he held by the rope, and pressed forward or jerked backward, as his sense of indignation at the loss of his mother arose or subsided. At times he would so slacken the rope that the man could scarcely feel his thraldom; then again, when he thought of the hopelessness of again recovering his mother, he would clench his teeth and pull it so violently, that the miserable guide would fall backward; whereupon Chow would say, "Get thee upon thy bamboo legs, thou rogue, or I will drag thee like a bale of demon's goods, as thou art;" and the fat body of the coward would shake like a blanc-mange, rise upon its legs, and commence a trot, when, after a little while, Chow would give another tug at the rope, saying, as the man tottered backward, "O, thou wouldst escape, wouldst thou, thou mouse of fat measure, who hath stolen the cream of our lives?"
"Truly thy servant has been unfortunate, O noble youth, yet if his body is shaken like a jelly of cold soup, he cannot guide thee through this city of trees."
"The rogue's words are good, Chow, we cannot find our way through these trees without his aid," said Nicholas; adding, "Fasten the rope around thy arm, so that he cannot slip from thy hands."
"Truly the advice of my master is good," said Chow; and as they were then passing through a thick copse, he fastened the rope around his own body, saying, "Now, thou rat, honesty will for once reverse things, and take its place behind roguery, for surely I hear footsteps, and should they be those of thieves, thy thick head may serve to blunt the points of their arrows."
The sounds were unmistakable, and the guide fell backward, trembling so violently that he could not walk, till, taking hold of his shoulders, Chow pushed him forward, saying, "On, thou coward, on;" and so they went along the narrow path, till the sounds became more distinct. Then a voice shouted to them, "stop!" when, trembling more than ever, the guide threw one shoulder backward, and one foot forward, in order to prop himself against the propelling Chow, at the same time exclaiming, "Stay, O generous youth,—for the love of Fo, stay!—or the body of thy servant will become a cushion for arrow-heads."
"Silence, thou dog," said Nicholas; adding in a whisper to Chow, "Let us remain quiet, for doubtless it is some thief."
Then came the twang of a bow, and an arrow flew by, in its flight clipping the ear of the miserable guide, who, now fairly frightened out of his senses, twisted round like a teetotum, and fell upon the ground, carrying Chow with him, exclaiming, "These are the thieves, these are the thieves, O honorable war tiger."
And before Chow had disengaged himself from the rogue, they were all three dragged into an open glade, where they found themselves surrounded by a party of cavalry, the guide upon the ground trembling, and Nicholas and Chow with their arms folded defiantly.
"Who are the dogs? what their names, surnames, and rank?" said the officer.
"Travelers who have no fear of rebel rogues," replied Nicholas dauntlessly, believing them to be troops of Li-Kong.
"Take my life, but save that of my venerable mother," said Chow, in a similar belief.
"These rogues are robbers, who would take a faithful and valiant subject of the great Emperor Li-Kong a prisoner to the town of the thief Woo-san-Kwei," said the guide, jumping upon his feet, with a most warlike mien, knowing that if with the soldiers of Li-Kong he was with friends.
"What means the slave? Who art thou, thou empty rice tub?" said the officer.
"It may please the fierce tiger of war to be amused at the person of his servant; but if he be a rice-tub, he can serve the Emperor."
"Emperor!—what Emperor, thou ox?" said the officer.
"The great Li,—may he live ten thousand years."
"Thy name, surname, and rank?" said the officer.
"The mean name of thy insignificant servant is Leang, and he is the unworthy nephew of Ling, the innkeeper, of Kin-Chow," replied the guide, not doubting that he was in the hands of rebel troopers.
"Then truly, Leang, the unworthy nephew of Ling, is a dangerous though a comical rogue."
"The noble tiger of war is pleased——"
"To have thee strangled with thine own girdle for being a follower of the great thief Li-Kong," said the officer; adding, as he turned to his soldiers, "Let this be done."
At this unexpected result, the terribly mistaken guide's face became paler and longer, and falling upon his knees, he said, "Let the magnificent commander be generous to an insignificant and withered mouse, who is nothing but a poor and faithful guide, as these noble youths, whom he hath conducted all the way from Kin-Chow to the town of the great Woo-san-Kwei, can testify."
"Bend thy neck at the name of the great prince, thou rogue," said the officer, striking him on the back with his sword, and the guide fell flat—that is, as nearly so as his protuberant stomach would permit—when the officer added laughingly, "Truly the animal is fat enough to kill at once; yet, as the rebels may cause us a siege so long that we may be short of provender for our horses, let him be kept in a strong cage till that time arrives;" then beckoning to a soldier, the latter seized the horrified guide and tied him before him on his saddle.
Then turning to Nicholas and Chow, who, notwithstanding their serious position, had been laughing heartily at the merited misery of the guide, the officer said, "Are the rogue's words truth? Do my brothers seek the presence of the great Woo-san-Kwei?" Then when Nicholas had related to the officer the whole of their adventures from Kin, Chow alone prudentially keeping back the fact that the lady of high rank was the princess, he said, "What were the numbers of these rogues?"
"There could have been no less than twenty, O noble commander," said Nicholas.
Then turning to his second-in-command, the officer said, "Let the rogue of a guide be kept tied before thee on thy saddle, O Ching; take fifty horsemen, and return not to the camp till thou bringest these ladies with thee. If the rogue of a guide directs thee so that thou art successful, he shall be rewarded; if not, strangled."
"Will not the noble commander let these horsemen be placed under the charge of his younger brother, who truly hath the greater right to bring these rogues to punishment?" said Nicholas, imploringly.
"This may not be, my brother; for, although I doubt not thy honesty, it would be at the risk of my life that I let thee pass from my sight till thou hadst been taken before the prince."
Although vexed that the chance of rescuing the princess, and punishing the soldiers who had made her prisoner, had been denied to him, Nicholas felt too well pleased at the slightest possibility of her being rescued, to complain; and, therefore, without another word, the boys followed the troops upon their march to Lao-yang, not by any means regretting that they had fallen into the hands of this foraging party of Woo-san-Kwei's army.
Unlike any place Nicholas had seen since he left his father's fleet, Lao-yang exhibited sure signs of the determination and energy of its commanders. Surrounded by a deep ditch of great width, its formidable walls were manned at every point with the picked and most disciplined men from the northern provinces—soldiers who had been fighting for many years against the invading Tartars—and armed to the teeth with swords, cross-bows, shields, helmets, and breast and back plates. At short distances were planted small brass cannon, or bombards, which, although they had been set aside for so many years that the art of using them had become forgotten, Woo-san-Kwei had not only brought again into use, but taught his troops to serve effectually. Then, again, although the matchlock men were fewer than upon the walls of Pekin, they had been so well exercised in the use of that weapon that they could handle it nearly as well as bows and arrows,—a great matter at that period, as you will understand when I tell you that some few years previously, when matchlocks were first introduced, to defend a frontier town against the Tartars, the latter were so much astonished at a weapon which possessed the magic power of slaying them at so great a distance, that they fled in dismay, when, making a sortie, or onset, the Chinese destroyed many thousands. The next assault, however, the Tartars provided their front ranks with shields of wood, so large and thick, that they were as safe from bullets, as they would have been behind walls, consequently the fire of the Chinese proved useless; moreover, before they could reload, the second rank of the Tartars scaled the walls and fell upon them so quickly, that even those who had time to load handled their pieces so clumsily and nervously that the rebound knocked them over, and the whole garrison were killed. This affair so disgusted the Chinese with the matchlock, that henceforward they kept it more as a matter of show, or to use when there was no chance of coming to close quarters, than as a regular weapon of war.
With greater foresight, the General Woo-san-Kwei had not only re-adopted the weapon, but, by incessant practice, and offerings of rewards and promotion to those who exhibited peculiar dexterity, he succeeded in forming a good body of matchlock men.
When they had passed through the gates, the officer left Nicholas and Chow to amuse themselves as best they might, while he proceeded to report the arrival of himself and his prisoners (for in that light he regarded them) to the prince general.
Had Nicholas entrusted his name, or that of the princess, to the officer, there can be no doubt that the general would have granted him an immediate interview; as it was, he had to wait till the following day. Previously, however, to seeking the audience, he went to the great square, where, to his surprise, he saw a large body of troops drawn out under arms, with their banners and wind instruments, as if to receive some important personage, and officers were galloping to and fro between the palace and the great gates. The meaning of all this puzzled him. Truly it would be unfortunate if Woo-san-Kwei should be about to take his departure upon some expedition. The riddle, was, however, soon explained; for, even while he was pondering, the general's own bodyguard passed to the gate; when, drawing themselves up on either side, a noble-looking horseman, followed by a train of some twenty others, rode into the city, and was escorted to the palace; but, great as this personage evidently was, the Chinese soldiers kept a dread and sullen silence, making no movement except to involuntarily clutch the triggers of their pieces, or the strings of their bows. As for Nicholas, he stared with astonishment, grasped the hilt of his sword—the sight was indeed extraordinary. A Mantchou prince and his train of Tartars, those most dreaded enemies of the empire, within the very palace of the barbarian-subduing general, not in chains, but as a friend, received with honor.
Indignant at the sight, Nicholas rudely grasped the arm of a soldier, saying, "Can my brother tell a stranger how it is that such barbarian thieves are within these walls? Surely the kid does not invite the wolf to its own bosom!"
"Would my brother keep his head upon his shoulders and not be thrown from the walls like a dead rat, he will not seek to know the barbarian-exterminating general's secrets," said the surly soldier; adding, however, directly afterward, "The Tartar dogs may have come to offer their submission."
Whatever might have been the business of the Tartar prince with the Chinese general, it did not last an hour, for in less than that time he left the city, and shortly after the officer who had brought Nicholas into the town conducted him to the presence of the general, who, in full military costume, surrounded by a great number of officers, was standing (a rare thing for a Chinese grandee) at a table, busily engaged in examining some papers.
Having performed the same ceremony of running up the middle of the apartment, and bowing to the ground, as at an audience of the Emperor, he awaited the command of the prince to rise, which being given, Woo-san-Kwei no sooner saw his features than he said, "This is indeed a fortunate day, that brings to us the son of Chin-Chi-Loong. Thy presence, bold youth, is welcome; yet," he added sternly, "so brave a servant should have died defending his imperial master."
"The silken voice of the illustrious general is music to his servant, whose words must not fall into the ears of all," replied Nicholas, glancing at the officers around.
"This is but wisdom, youth," replied the prince, motioning to the officers to withdraw from the apartment, after which he said, "Let the noble youth open his lips;" whereupon Nicholas gave a faithful recital of his adventures from the time that Woo-san-Kwei had himself left Pekin for the army. During the recital, the general listened attentively, at intervals giving vent to exclamations of surprise, rage, or approval. When, however, Nicholas related the escape of the princess, he said, warmly, "Noble youth, thy wisdom, like thy bravery, is beyond thy years; and when these rebel dogs have been swept from the earth, thou shalt have the kingdom that thy father seeketh." Then, when the enthusiasm of the moment had passed, bethinking himself, he said, "But truly the servant of the Mings forgets his duty to the daughter of his murdered Emperor; lead me to her, O youth."
Then Nicholas, for the first time in his life, trembled; an arrow through his heart would have been more welcome than that command, and falling upon his knees, as if he had betrayed a sacred trust, he said, "These words should be my last, O general. The princess is in the power of the rebel Li-Kong."
So like a thunder-clap did these words fall upon the mind of the Woo-san-Kwei, that for a moment he was speechless, but recovering himself, he said, "Thou dog, if these words are true thou shalt die;" but becoming calmer, he commanded Nicholas to finish his story, and when the youth had brought it up to the moment of the audience, the general said, "Thou art, indeed, a brave youth; but this rogue Leang, knows he the road the woman thieves took?" Then, however, without waiting for an answer, and knowing that action was more likely to recover the princess and her attendant than useless sorrow or anger, he ordered the attendance of one of his officers, telling him to send out parties of soldiers in different directions in search of the princess.
Then Nicholas fell upon his knees, and prayed to lead the party himself.
"This cannot be, brave youth, for thou art too serviceable to have thy person risked in a province so wild that no stranger can journey through without a guide."
"Then, O illustrious prince, thy servant dares not meet the heavenly eyes of the Prince Yong-Li, in whose service he has undertaken this long journey," said Nicholas.
"Truly it was an unfortunate day for the son of Woo when he fell under the displeasure of the young Emperor, his royal master," said the general, gloomily.
"Can it be under heaven that Yong Li has forgotten the great services of his most illustrious general?"
"Such is his servant's misfortune," said the general.
"Then," said Nicholas, "let thy servant seek the young Emperor, and upon his knees pray of him to open his heavenly ears to the fragrant advice of the great Woo-san-Kwei."
"This cannot be, for his majesty (may he continue the circle of succession) has left Lao-yang in anger."
"This, then, is indeed an unfortunate day, O my general," said Nicholas, with astonishment; adding, "Surely the cause must have been great for so much anger from so mild a prince."
"Let the noble youth open his ears, and he shall hear how this calamity fell out," said the general; adding, "When his majesty, after the death of his father, so happily escaped the hands of the great thief Li, he fled to the army of his servant, and desired that the whole of the Tartar-subduing army of Leao-tong should be immediately led to Pekin for the purpose of destroying the rebels. Alas! the grief of the prince had destroyed his reason; the plan was not possible, for in my absence the barbarians would have overrun the northern province. Well, for a time the prince submitted to his servant's advice, till one day an envoy arrived from the dog Li, who commanded me to proclaim him Emperor throughout the province, offering, as the price of my obedience, a kingdom; threatening, if I refused, to march against this city with a million of men."
"The illustrious general could make but one answer to so infamous a proposal," said Nicholas.
"And that was to offer a reward of ten thousand taels to the brave man who should lay the head of so black a dragon at my feet," said the general; adding, "Soon after came the news that Li was on his march, with a vast army, to chastise me for the insult, and I began to prepare to receive him; but, finding that the number of my troops was so small that the multitudinous army of the rebels would hew them to pieces in the first battle, rather than suffer such a disgrace, and permit so vile a criminal to remain unpunished, I dared to propose to make peace with the Tartar king conditionally, that he would help me to drive this rogue from the land. This proposition was indignantly resisted by the prince, when (may I be pardoned for so daring an act) I became but the more resolved, and immediately sent a special envoy to the Tartar, who, in return, sent by his brother, the great Amavan, a promise to add to my little army one hundred thousand of his bravest troops. Scarcely, however, had a day elapsed after the departure of my envoy to the Tartar, then the royal Yong-Li left the city in anger."
"Truly, general, the prince was wise, for although in war and council all men are mice by the side of the great Woo-san-Kwei, surely in this his wisdom must have failed him, for, O general, is it reasonable to bring in tigers to chase away dogs?" said Nicholas, warmly.
To which Woo-san-Kwei made no reply, but terminated the audience to keep down his anger.
With terrible anxiety, Nicholas awaited the return of the party sent in search of the princess, but when evening came and they brought not the slightest clue, his grief grew beyond all bounds, and he resolved to seek the general's permission to go himself in search, but, as on the following day, a deserter from the enemy brought news that the main body of the rebels was within a few miles of Lao-yang, he was compelled to remain with Woo-san-Kwei, at least till the enemy had been destroyed or beaten back from whence they came.
Then terrible preparations were made for a close fight, in the event of the enemy assaulting the town before the arrival of the Tartars; but when Li-Kong came in sight, with an army so vast that it covered the country for miles, the hearts of Woo-san-Kwei's troops grew faint, for should the Tartars deceive them, they were lost, for against such numbers it was impossible they could hold out many days. Still, the greatest coward grew courageous when he thought of the merciless cruelty of Li, knowing it would be a far more easy death to fall upon the walls than into his hands, and so for days they held out bravely against the attacks which had now become incessant. Then, through the continued efforts, both by day and night, made by the two youths, to sustain the courage of the troops, the latter recovered their spirits, and so gallantly did the boys help in repelling the assailants, that they were praised by the general in front of the whole army.
Fourteen days had they defended the town, when the provisions became so scarce, that, again losing hope, the troops grew mutinous and threatened to throw down their arms, when, upon the fifteenth, upon a hill that arose far behind the rebel army, there shot up to the heavens a vast body of blue fire, upon which, forgetting their troubles, the soldiers became frantic with joy, offered thanks to Fo, and returned to their duties with renewed energy; and no wonder, for it was the signal that the Tartars were on their march to relieve them.
Li-Kong must also have understood the signal, for from the moment of its appearance one-half of his army began to manoeuvre, so as to present a good front to the new enemy, while the other commenced a fierce assault upon the town. Seeing assistance at hand, Woo-san-Kwei ordered his troops to reserve their arrows and ammunition till their ally had so weakened the enemy's rear that he could judiciously leave the town, and attack them in front. When, however, the besieged slackened fire, the assaulting party retired, and a body of their cavalry, holding their great shields before them to receive stray arrows, rode forward to within half a bow-shot from the walls, when they came to a dead halt.
"What mean the dogs? surely they escort an envoy from the rash rebel," said the general, commanding silence along the walls; and then ordering one of his officers to shout to the party, that they might remove their shields without fear.
This having been done, the men let fall their shields, when the sight that presented itself caused the brave general to reel, so that he would have fallen but for the support of Nicholas. As for Chow, he placed an arrow in his bow, and would have sent it flying at the chief of the party, had not an officer struck the arrow from its rest, saying, "How, wouldst thou disobey the general?" and brought to his senses, the boy stood stamping his feet, gnashing his teeth, and twitching the bow with suppressed rage. Well might the sight cause such consternation on the part of the general, for there upon horseback, heavily laden with chains, sat his father the venerable Woo, with his long gray hair flowing down his bared neck, accompanied by an executioner, who stood by his side, holding a naked sabre.