Two weeks passed away, and there was still no news of the long-expected relief. Food was so scarce that it was indeed wonderful how the besieged managed to exist. Four of them had died, and were now lying in the little cemetery in the corner of the enclosure. Others were seriously ill, and it was feared that, unless relief came speedily, they, too, would soon succumb.

The Boxers had altered their plans on finding that they could not carry the mission buildings by assault, and now relied upon starving out the defenders. By day or by night scarcely a single Boxer was to be seen, although hundreds were within a stone's-throw. Every building that could be seen from the mission had a Boxer flag planted on it, and every house facing it had been fortified. From these houses the Boxers, day and night, fired on the mission, the residential part of which, except the basement, was in a ruined condition. To cross from the platforms to the mission house was a work of danger, for some trained Chinese soldiers, who had joined the Boxers, were by no means bad shots, and, as they could look down into the enclosure, they fired every time that one of the defenders was seen. They used a large amount of ammunition, but without drawing the fire of the missionaries and their friends.

Another week passed—the most disastrous that the besieged had gone through. Two more of them had died from fatigue, fever, and want of proper food. The mule which had drawn the missionaries' trap for some years, had been killed and skinned, and in the course of two or three days the last of it would be eaten. When that was gone there would not be an atom of food left. If it had not been for the women and children, the men would have made a sortie and died facing overwhelming odds.

'We must remain where we are for their sake,' Barton declared, and the rest agreed with him. Then they discussed how to make the remainder of the mule-flesh last a day or two longer than they hoped; but they were already on such short rations that it was almost impossible to reduce them.

'What's that?' Charlie exclaimed, suddenly. 'Didn't you hear anything?'

'Only those two shots which the Boxers fired,' Fred replied.

'No, not that. I thought I heard a cheer.'

'Imagination, I'm afraid,' Barton said, sorrowfully, but he had scarcely uttered the words when the sound of firing in the distance was heard distinctly.

'Relief!' Charlie declared, excitedly. 'I'm certain it was an English cheer which I heard.'

'The firing is outside the town,' Ping Wang remarked, 'and the Boxers have heard it. Look, they're leaving their shelter.'

The sound of the firing had evidently caused the greatest excitement among the Boxers. They streamed out of the houses and ran off in the direction of the gates through which the advancing force, whether friend or foe, would have to enter the town.

The sound of firing in the distance now became louder, and it was plain that a fierce fight was raging somewhere near the town gates. Soon they knew that the force attacking the town was winning, for several terror-stricken Chinamen rushed past the mission, seeking some place in which to hide.

(Continued on page 402.)



AFLOAT ON THE DOGGER BANK.

A Story of Adventure on the North Sea and in China.

(Continued from page 399.)

CHAPTER XXIV.

Three-quarters of an hour after the first sound of firing was heard by Charlie and his friends, a loud, unmistakably British cheer rang through the air.

'They've entered the town,' Fred exclaimed, and cheered wildly. Every Englishman, and Ping Wang also, joined in the cheer. Then they fell into silence, listening to the distant sounds. The Boxers were yelling furiously, hoping to terrify the Englishmen who had entered the town.

'They're marching straight through the town,' one of the missionaries declared anxiously. 'Perhaps they don't know that we are here.'

'They are certain to be aware of that,' Barton answered. 'No doubt they are going to secure the other gate.'

'My cally message to Number One soldier man,' Number One suggested. 'Say Clistian missionalies big piecee hungy.'

'But the Boxers might kill you,' Barton hinted.

'Boxer man nebber killee me. My plenty clebber. Boxer man nebber catchee me.'

'All right then; you may go.'

Number One grinned with delight, and, when the bamboo ladder had been lowered over the wall, went off at a run.

Charlie, Fred, and their friends found the time pass very slowly. They could hear that the English were fighting their way steadily through the town, and every minute their anxiety to see their gallant countrymen increased. Presently a loud British cheer told them that the other gate had been captured. The firing now became less frequent, and in about ten minutes it ceased entirely.

The excitement in the mission enclosure was now intense. The surviving women and children came out of the basement where they had been prisoners for more than three weeks, and climbed up on the platforms to get the first view of their deliverers. The native Christians, who had borne the hardships of the siege uncomplainingly, chatted and laughed gaily. The sick and wounded lay in the little hospital with their eyes fixed on the door.

'They're coming!' Charlie shouted a few minutes later, and the good news thrilled both Englishmen and Chinamen.

The tramp of drilled men came nearer and nearer, and soon from out of the street, almost facing the mission buildings, marched a British naval officer. He gave a swift glance along the wall, and seeing the men and women peering through the sandbags, he saluted them with his sword. They answered him with a cheer, and instantly some fifty smiling, sun-burnt tars burst into a loud 'Hip, hip, hoorah!'

With the smartness characteristic of our navy the men were formed up in a line with their backs to the mission wall. The officer in command gave one look at them, and then almost ran up the ladder which Barton had lowered.

'It is!' Charlie exclaimed, delightedly, as the officer reached the top of the ladder. 'It's our old friend Williams.'

'So it is,' Fred declared, as he recognised the officer of the revenue cutter, who had captured the coper in which his brother and Ping Wang were unwilling passengers.

Williams heard his name mentioned as he vaulted over the wall on to the platform, and the next moment he recognised his friends.

'Well, this is a delightful surprise!' he exclaimed, as he grasped Charlie's hand.

'It's still more delightful for us,' Fred declared.

'You've had a very rough time, I fear,' said Williams, when he had shaken hands with his three friends. 'You look almost like skeletons, every man of you. However, you shall soon have a good feed.'

'Shall we open the gate?' Barton asked, when he and his colleagues had been introduced to Williams.

'Certainly,' Williams replied; but when he saw how securely the gate had been barricaded, he knew that the task would be more than the half-starved defenders of the mission could accomplish.

'I'll call some of my men to do it,' he said, and in a few moments twelve jovial, sun-burnt, travel-stained sailors had climbed the ladder and entered the enclosure. Instantly the men, women, and children surrounded them, grasping their hands, and showering blessings on them.

'Come along, men,' Williams shouted out. 'Down with that barricade, and open the gates.'

The sailors started their work at once. In a few minutes the barricade, which had taken the missionaries some days to build, was torn down, and the gates thrown open. Number One was the first person to enter the enclosure. He carried a big bowl of cooked rice, which was probably loot, and, hurrying to the ladies and children, placed the tempting dish before them.

'Welly good,' he declared, emphatically; 'makee plenty stlong.'

When every one had had as much as was safe after their long fast, Williams drew Charlie, Fred, and Ping Wang aside. 'I suppose you haven't succeeded in getting that treasure?' he said.

'No, but we got very close to it,' Charlie replied, and then told him of their adventures in Kwang-ngan.

'You've been unfortunate,' Williams admitted. 'However, I'll see what I can do. We expect some Japanese troops here to-morrow, and as soon as they arrive we are all going to march on Kwang-ngan. Tell me exactly where the idol is.'

'Let us go to Kwang-ngan with you,' Charlie suggested.

'But, my dear fellows,' Williams replied, 'you're not in a fit state for any more fighting.'

'It's only sleep we want,' Charlie declared. 'We shall be as fit as any one after we have had a good long rest.'

'If that's the case, I shall be glad of your company; but you must turn in at once.'

'Before we do that we want to know how it is that you are here. When we last saw you, you had no idea of going to China.'

'Well, I'll soon explain that. My capture of that coper on which I found you and Ping Wang won the approval of the authorities, and, fortunately for me, I was able to effect another capture, about three weeks later. Soon afterwards I received orders to go up to London, and in less than a week I was on my way to China to join my present ship.'

Charlie, Fred, and Ping Wang heartily congratulated their friend, but he cut them short by telling them that if they wanted to accompany him to Kwang-ngan they would have to turn in at once, and get as much sleep as possible.

'If that's the case, good-night,' Charlie replied, and all the three hurried away to their beds in the basement, and slept soundly.

When they awoke they found that the Japanese troops had arrived, and that the British sailors were to start within half an hour for Kwang-ngan. After a rapid but hearty breakfast they marched out, with the rifles at the shoulder, to report themselves to Williams, whom they found outside the enclosure inspecting the men. Some of the newly arrived Japanese soldiers had already been posted around the mission wall, and the Japanese flag flew, side by side with the Union Jack, over the gateway.

'Well,' Williams exclaimed, cheerfully, as he shook hands with Charlie, 'do you still wish to come with us?'

'Certainly,' Charlie replied, speaking for all three of them.

'Then you had better say "good-bye" to your missionary friends, for they must all start for Tien-tsin this morning. They will be safer there.'

Charlie, Fred, and Ping Wang hurried back to the mission buildings, but Barton was the only one of their late comrades in danger who was not sound asleep. They bade farewell to him, and extracted a promise from him that when next he came to England he would visit them at Lincoln.

While they had been talking, Williams had marched his men off towards the town gate which opened into the road leading to Kwang-ngan. Charlie, Fred, and Ping Wang ran after them and overtook them just as they were quitting the town. They fell in at the rear of the company. Nine of the ten miles which lay between Su-ching and Kwang-ngan were covered in about two hours and a half, and they proceeded more cautiously, but for some time met with no opposition, although, when they drew near Kwang-ngan they were surprised to find that it was a very formidable-looking place, bristling with big guns.

'They are not guns,' Ping Wang declared, smiling. 'They are simply circles which the Boxers have painted on the walls to represent guns, in the hope of frightening us.'

'But I was told that they had two guns,' said Williams.

'That is correct. One is mounted on either side of the gate.'

Ping Wang had barely finished speaking when both guns boomed, and their range was excellent, the shells bursting among the sailors. One man was killed and six were wounded. Charlie was thrown to the ground, but, much to his surprise, he found on getting up that he was not hurt.

The sailors now advanced quickly, and the Chinese gunners being apparently unable to alter their range, the shells passed harmlessly over their heads.

The attacking party soon got to within three hundred yards from the town, and the Boxers lining the wall, having so far received no hurt, became reckless. A few of them fired their rifles, but three hundred yards is a long range for most Chinamen, and not one of them succeeded in doing any damage. Nevertheless, Williams considered that the time had arrived to give the Boxers a warning. He gave the order to his men to lie down and fire a volley. It was a splendid one, and the terror which it caused among the Boxers was almost comical. The uninjured men hid themselves instantly, and not a single threat, or shout of defiance was heard from them as the sailors sprang to their feet and ran a hundred yards nearer to the wall.

They lay there unmolested for three or four minutes until the 'advance' was again sounded. As they rushed forward, the Boxers opened fire upon them with rifles and bows and arrows, and three men fell. But their comrades, breaking into a loud cheer, continued their advance, and arrived at the wall with but few casualties on the way. They had brought from Su-ching twelve long bamboo ladders, and these were speedily placed against the wall at a few yards distance from each other. The Japanese also had provided themselves with ladders.

At the signal from their officers, the men climbed nimbly up the ladders, and all along the south wall the fight became fierce. Many of the attacking party were shot before they reached the topmost rung, but their fall simply added to the determination of their comrades, and in a few minutes nearly a score of them had scaled the wall, and were engaged in a desperate hand-to-hand fight with the Boxers.

Charlie, Fred, and Ping Wang were not among the first dozen to enter the town, as the sailors who had fixed the ladder by which they wished to ascend declared that it was their right to be the first to mount it.

When the Chinamen found that they were unable to drive out the men who had entered the town, and that others were scrambling over the wall to their assistance, they turned and fled, closely pursued by the sailors. Within twenty minutes the whole English force held the village. Before long, Fred, Charlie, and Ping Wang found themselves close to the wall of Chin Choo's residence.

(Concluded on page 410.)



TOYS FROM THE STREETS.

(Concluded from page 390.)

There is not much to be said about our last batch of toys. The cat and her kittens is a wonderful toy for the money; and the round box with a crown on top is a good place to keep the pennies for the next Christmas. The doll in a box, the two other dolls, the fans, and the frog, are all actually made in Japan, and shipped to England. Fancy the little Japanese boys and girls turning their hands—for these toys are all made by hand—to work just to give pleasure to little boys and girls far off in other countries! The reason why these Japanese toys can be made so cheaply and sent so far, and yet sold at a profit, is that the Japanese, old and young alike, are able to live much more frugally and cheaply than Europeans. Japanese shipping companies, too, are anxious to get trade, and carry the toys very cheaply: during the war they actually guaranteed owners against loss or capture by the enemy.



But we must say good-bye to these toys. Remember, if you are fortunate enough to possess any of them, from what distant lands they come, and what pains are taken in making them. Remember, too, what a hard life the poor men and women who sell them have. These toys, like most other gifts, teach the old Christmas lesson of kindness to others and thankfulness for blessings.



AGAINST ODDS.

We knew, on that white frosty morning, Our rivals would make an attack, But doubt and timidity scorning, We held on our snow-covered track.

They burst from their gate helter-skelter; We counted them—four against two! There wasn't a moment for shelter, And what could we possibly do?

The snow-balls like bullets were flying, Retreat was unworthy and mean; So, all their wild volley defying, I slipped my umbrella between.

Then I called to my friend, and together, Half sheltered behind it, you know, The storm of the battle to weather, We charged at the midst of the foe.

The gateway they bravely defended, Till forced through the half-open door, And thus, in a victory, ended The battle of two against four.



HIS FIRST WOLF HUNT.

By HAROLD ERICSON.

(Concluded from page 391.)

When we reached Cronstadt Tom's ankle pained him a good deal; he had skated five miles upon it, and the injured part was swollen.

'What about getting home?' I asked in some anxiety, but Tom declared that after a couple of hour's rest at the inn in Cronstadt, where we were stopping for a meal, his foot would be as well as ever it had been. So it was, he said, when, at about two o'clock in the afternoon, we started for home. But there was no life in his skating, and presently he admitted that it hurt him badly. Two miles were covered with pain and difficulty, and many stoppages. Matters began to grow somewhat serious; at least, I thought so, though I said nothing of my fears. We were sitting on the ice, Tom holding his ankle against it in hopes that the cold would reduce the inflammation, when a sound in the distance caused us both to raise our heads. Several black specks had suddenly appeared upon the white ice-field behind us. Were they a party of skaters? Were they——

'I say!' suddenly exclaimed Tom. 'Wolves!'

I am not ashamed to say that my heart sank when my companion pronounced the black, moving spots in the distance to be wolves. I was afraid of wolves, and always had been; I think most boys and girls generally are, and I fancy that 'Little Red Riding Hood' is more or less to blame for it, together with other tales in which these animals figure.

I was frightened, very frightened. My first impulse was to take to my skates and fly like the wind before the coming terror. Then, like a jet of cold water, came the thought of Tom's bad ankle. He had risen to his feet, however, at sight of the wolves, and evidently meant to forget his sprain.

'We had better be off, old chap,' he said. 'They are coming our way. We can race them well enough on skates. It's nearer to Cronstadt than to the half-way hut, but they could cut us off on our way to Cronstadt, and, besides, there is all that horrible cat-ice near the harbour. Are you ready? Skate steadily, then; no need to get done up.'

I said nothing about his ankle, trusting that the greater trouble might possibly have driven away all recollection of the lesser, and for a mile we skated evenly and rapidly forward. Occasionally we looked back over our shoulders to see how we were holding our pursuers, for undoubtedly we were being pursued. We seemed to hold our own fairly well; they had gained upon us, no doubt, but not very much. At this rate there was no danger of our being caught—if only, that is, Tom's ankle did not 'go.' But, alas! scarcely had we covered that one mile when my companion pulled up.

'I can't go on another yard without resting my ankle, Bobby,' he said. 'Go on without me, old chap, I shall think none the worse of you; you couldn't do me any good, you know, if they caught me; besides, look here.' To my surprise and delight Tom suddenly produced from an inner pocket a small revolver. He was sitting on the ground now, and he loaded the little weapon with cartridges, which he took out of his waistcoat pocket. 'This will keep them at bay all right, so, you see, I'm as safe as ninepence. Go on, don't waste time.'

'Don't be an idiot,' said I. 'You must think me a pretty average cad if you suppose I am going to leave you alone and run away.'

Tom glanced up at me and smiled. 'To tell you the truth, old chap, I never supposed you would,' he said; 'but I had to make the suggestion.'

'Why didn't you tell me you had the revolver?' I asked, ignoring the rest of his speech; 'and what made you bring it?'

'My father said he had known wolves about the gulf in severe weather. I said nothing about it for fear you wouldn't care to come. Look at the brutes, they're only a quarter of a mile away! I feel better now; let's see how far I can get this time. If they come too near, I shall fire a shot. Unfortunately I only brought these six cartridges, so we must not waste our fire.'

For a few hundred yards Tom travelled well. We gained on the wolves, which, I suppose, observed this fact, for the leader suddenly set up a howl which set my blood running cold, and the others instantly followed suit. There were nine of them; I had counted them while Tom rested.

Manfully Tom struggled on. I could see that the exertion was hurting him fearfully.

'I don't think I can go on very much farther without a rest,' he said, presently. 'The trouble is that next time we wait about they will catch us up.'

'Then you will have to shoot, that's all,' said I, as cheerfully as I could, considering that I was in reality shivering with terror.

'Yes, I shall have to shoot. One shot will be enough, I expect. Probably they will turn and run straight back to the forest at Lachta or Oranienbaum, or wherever they come from. You are not frightened, old chap, are you?'

'Rather not,' said I. Then I added, conscientiously, 'At least, not very much. It's—it's rather a new experience for me, you see.'

A minute later Tom pulled up and sat down.

'Come behind me,' he said, 'just in case any of these brutes should spring at us before I get my little toy to work on them. I shan't shoot until they are within ten yards or so. I want to make sure of one, then they will stop and eat him if they don't run away.'

I got behind Tom and crouched down, and we watched them coming. They were now in full cry, heads down, like a pack of hounds. When within fifty yards of us, the leader raised his head and saw us. He gave a great yelp, and came scudding along, followed by his band. At twenty yards they slowed down and stopped, seeming to lose heart. Suddenly one sat down on his haunches, and his example was followed by two or three others.

As for me, my teeth were all a-chatter with terror. I wished to suggest to Tom that he should try the effect of a careful shot at one of the sitting wolves, but no words would come. I felt as though I were in the grip of a night-mare, awake to the horror of our position, and yet quite helpless. Tom suddenly spoke.

'I am going to fire,' he said. 'Don't speak or move for a minute.' He pointed his pistol, took a long aim, and pulled the trigger.

No wolf fell, but the shot produced a curious effect.

In an instant every wolf of the nine had 'dispersed' as though the pack had been scattered by some mysterious force. They fled in every direction except towards us. Tom uttered a cry of triumph. For a hundred or two yards the wolves careered as though they were mad. At a furlong's distance every wolf stopped and turned round. Not one of them uttered a sound.

'What a bad shot!' said Tom. 'Idiot that I was! I don't understand these things. Are you any good with them?'

I had found my tongue, and replied that I had practised at a mark occasionally. 'You take one more shot, and then let me try one,' I suggested.

'Good,' said Tom. 'I have been thinking. It's only about a mile to that wide crack, the ten-footer. I think I could skate as far as that with an effort. When we get near, I'll rest if necessary, and after that we will fly it. I doubt if the wolves will follow us over.'

This was an excellent idea. We started off. If either of us had hoped that the savage brutes at our heels would have been discouraged from further pursuit, we were soon disappointed, for within a minute all nine were again in full cry after us at two hundred yards' distance. For three-quarters of a mile Tom skated on in agony.

'Now we will stop, and I will fire my second shot,' he said.

Once more our nine snarling friends found discretion the better part of their valour, and stopped at a biscuit-toss from us, whining and howling and looking grim enough to frighten the most iron nerves. Perhaps Tom's hand shook a bit; at any rate, he missed again, and handed me over the revolver with an exclamation of disgust. And again the wolves retired, but not so far away this time.

We waited two or three minutes.

'Now we'll go,' said Tom, 'and this time we will reach and fly the water-jump without stopping. Let them come close to our heels till we are within fifty yards, then put on all the pace we can, and over we go. I want to see whether we can't drown one or two of the brutes; they don't look where they are going.'

We carried out this programme to the letter. At fifty yards from the fissure we put on all the pace we could command, and we flew the open water side by side, Tom clearing it beautifully in spite of the wrench it gave him to do so. Then we stopped.

Having gone slowly for the last quarter of a mile, we had allowed the wolves to gain upon us. This had excited them, and as we cleared the water we could hear them in full bay close behind us. I dare say the sound at our heels gave us wings.

The pack reached the fissure but ten yards behind us. The leader and three others realised too late that they must rise to a leap; they endeavoured to stop, but their impetus carried them over the edge and into the water; of the rest, two leaped in a half-hearted manner, being in two minds whether to stop or jump; both fell short into the water. The last three cleared the fissure, and these, of course, occupied our attention, for, too excited to remember discretion this time, they made straight for us, open-mouthed. Tom had hurriedly taken off one skate, and stood swinging it behind me, intending to make a fight of it. As for me, when the nearest wolf—looking all fangs and blazing eyes—was five yards from me, I pulled the trigger. I think I shut my eyes, but of this I am not quite certain.

To my complete astonishment, the wolf came rolling and tumbling to my feet, made an effort to rise, swayed and fell back dead. The other two turned, took the fissure at a bound, and fled away. In the water two wolves were still struggling; the rest had presumably gone under the ice while endeavouring to climb over the slippery edge. Tom snatched the pistol from me with a cheer; he put the muzzle to the ear of one of the wolves and fired, killing him on the spot. The last made an heroic effort, and succeeded in climbing out on the farther side. We pulled Tom's wolf ashore.

Then we sat, like two children, and shouted and howled for joy and triumph. We took off our skates and pocketed them, and fastening the straps around the necks of our wolves, we actually dragged them, with many stoppages, to the half-way hut. Here I left Tom, whose ankle was swollen to the size of a dumpling, and skated home as fast as I could move, realising that our 'people' might be anxious if some one did not come to tell the tale. I went on winged feet, so happy was I, and I think if a pack of five thousand wolves had fled howling at my heels, I should not have cared much.

I soon got back, and a relief party was at once sent in the ice-yacht to fetch Tom away in triumph.



AFLOAT ON THE DOGGER BANK.

A Story of Adventure on the North Sea and in China.

(Concluded from page 403.)

CHAPTER XXV.

'Now's our time to get the treasure,' Charlie said. 'The fighting is nearly at an end, and the sailors won't want our help now.'

'Come along, then,' Fred answered; 'and I hope that we shall do better this time than last.'

Much to their surprise they found that the gate was open.

'Chin Choo has fled,' Ping Wang declared, on seeing that the gate was unprotected, and they heard later in the day that the rascally mandarin, after making a very warlike speech to his countrymen, had sneaked out of the town, and was on his way to Peking.

As Charlie, Fred, and Ping Wang entered Chin Choo's enclosure they were more excited than ever they had been during the siege of Su-ching, or the storming of Kwang-ngan; for they knew that in a few minutes they would discover whether or not their journey to China had been a fruitless one. Several of Chin Choo's servants, their pockets and arms loaded with loot, hurried out at the back of the house as Charlie, Fred, and Ping Wang approached it. They did not interfere with the thieves, but the thought that they had, perhaps, already taken away the idol occurred to each of them. They quickened their speed, and ran up the verandah steps together.

'There is the idol!' Ping Wang exclaimed, excitedly; and Charlie and Fred saw a brass image standing in the corner of a room which opened from the verandah.

Ping Wang went down on his knees, and grasping the right forearm of the image, tugged at it. To the amazement of Charlie and Fred, he pulled the idol's arm forward from its body until it was in an almost horizontal position. Then, placing his fingers on the spot where the idol's hand had lain, he pushed to the right its crossed legs, and showed to Charlie and Fred that the brass pedestal on which the figure sat was practically a jewel-box.

'Marvellous!' Charlie muttered; but his and Fred's delight was greater still when Ping Wang took out of it a little piece of cloth, and, unrolling it, exhibited an immense ruby.

'There are at least thirty as good as this one,' Ping Wang declared, joyfully; but, as he spoke, a noise was heard in Chin Choo's enclosure.

'Shut it up quickly,' Charlie said; and just as Ping Wang had done so a middy rushed into the room, accompanied by four sailors.

'Hallo!' he exclaimed, on recognising them as friends of Williams. 'What are you doing here?'

'Oh, we captured the place some ten minutes ago,' Charlie declared, cheerfully.

'Then why don't you guard what you have captured?' the youngster asked, sharply. 'There is no one posted at the gate, and the place could have been recaptured easily.'

Having said this the lad departed with his men in search of some more exciting experience.

'He was quite right,' Fred declared. 'The Boxers might have come upon us suddenly, as he did. I will go to the gate; you two stay here and guard the image.'

Fred's period of sentry-go was a short one, for he had not been at the gate more than ten minutes when he saw Williams advancing, with a portion of his force, towards him.

'Well, have you found it?' Williams asked, after he had acknowledged Fred's salute.

'Yes,' replied Fred.

'That's very good news. I was half afraid that you had come out here on a wild-goose chase.'

Williams said nothing more on that subject just then, for he had much more important business needing his attention.

Such Boxers as had not been put out of action, and had been unable to seek safety in flight, had cast away their yellow badges, and passed themselves off as peaceful citizens. Williams knew very well that the people were not so well disposed towards the Anglo-Japanese force as they pretended, and ordered a sharp look-out to be kept. It was an anxious time, and it was not until ten o'clock at night that, satisfied he had taken every possible precaution, Williams returned to Chin Choo's house, which he had made his headquarters, for an hour or two's rest.

'I congratulate you heartily,' Williams said, when Ping Wang showed him the treasure. 'And now the best thing you three can do is to get out of the country as quickly as possible. As long as you are in China you will run great risks of being robbed. I advise you to return to Su-ching early to-morrow morning, and make your way back to England. My instructions are to hold this town until I am reinforced, but it is quite possible that the Boxers will try to recover it before the reinforcements arrive. Therefore, the sooner you quit this place the more likely you will be to get away unhurt.'

'I don't much like leaving you at a time like this,' Charlie replied; 'but I suppose we ought to. The question is, how are we to carry our treasure?'

'The best way,' Ping Wang declared, 'will be for us to divide it into three packages, and each take charge of one.'

The packing being finished, the four friends sat down to have a chat. Of course they spoke chiefly of the Boxer rising, but they discussed also the latest news from the outside world, and finally talked of home.

'Now,' Williams said, when they had chatted for about an hour, 'you had better turn in, for you must start as soon after daybreak as possible. I should advise you to draw some of those rugs together, and sleep here. That's what I'm going to do.'

The friends soon made up, on the floor, four comfortable beds. Williams was sound asleep a few minutes after lying down; but Charlie, Fred, and Ping Wang lay awake for fully an hour, so excited were they at having obtained the treasure for which they had come so far. However, they fell asleep eventually, but only, as it seemed to them, to be aroused almost immediately by Williams.

'Your breakfast is ready,' he declared, cheerfully, 'and your carriages are awaiting you. I have hired a palanquin and coolies for each of you, and some extra coolies to carry the idol, as Ping Wang wants that too.'

'I say, that will be travelling in style. How long have you been up?' Charlie said.

'I went out four hours ago, and have just returned.'

Then the palanquins were brought to the foot of the verandah stairs.

'Good-bye, and God bless you, all three!' Williams said, and shook hands heartily with his friends.

'God bless you, old fellow!' Charlie said; 'and don't forget to look us up when you return to England.'

The procession of palanquins passed out through the streets and along the road to Su-ching. The bearers were hard-working fellows, and shuffled along, half-running and half-walking, at a pace which made the distance from Kwang-ngan appear very short to the travellers. On entering Su-ching, Ping Wang directed the bearers to carry them to the mission, but, on arriving there, a Japanese officer told them that Barton and his friends had started for Tien-tsin the afternoon before.

After remaining at Kwang-ngan for about an hour Ping Wang hired fresh palanquins, and they resumed their journey. It was a very uneventful one, for the Boxers had been cleared out of that part of the country; the only exciting moment being when some Russian or Japanese sentry barred their progress. The arrival of an interpreter on the scene always resulted in the travellers being allowed to continue their journey.

On arriving at the river, they soon found a boatman to take them down to Tien-tsin, and thence they went straight to Hong-kong, where they remained four days as the guest of their former host. In Hong-kong they procured new clothes, and when they went aboard the homeward-bound steamer they felt, for the first time for many weeks, that they need not be ashamed of their appearance.

Fine weather and very agreeable fellow-passengers made the voyage to England an enjoyable one, but, nevertheless, the Pages and Ping Wang were delighted when, at last, the ship reached London. Mr. Page was waiting for his sons on the landing-stage, and was so pleased at seeing them back safe and sound that he almost forgot at first to ask them about their adventures. He was, naturally, delighted with their news.

As soon as possible the jewels were valued by a London diamond merchant, who looked at them very carefully, and, after some thought, offered a price which startled the Pages and Ping Wang. They gladly accepted the offer, and returned home in high spirits to Lincoln, where they enjoyed themselves thoroughly, in spite of being called upon several times a day to relate to various friends their adventures among the Boxers. After a week's holiday Fred went back to London to continue his medical studies, and Mr. Page then began to think what to do with Charlie.

'I have had enough trawling to last me for a life-time,' Charlie declared: so the idea of putting him into a steam-trawler company was dismissed for good.

'Let us two start business together as merchants,' Ping Wang suggested. 'We could soon work up a good connection with China, I'm certain.'

Charlie liked the suggestion, and Mr. Page, having gone into the matter carefully, the firm of Page and Wang was started, and before long promises to be a prosperous one. Ping Wang decided to become a naturalised Englishman.

Their friend, Williams, so they learnt later, was publicly thanked by the Commander-in-chief of the Allied forces in China for conspicuous bravery and valuable services rendered on three different occasions.

H. C. MOORE.



NICOLO IN VIENNA.

Viennese children have a very happy time at Christmas. Not only do they get the ordinary beautiful presents, but there is another festival for them, held at the beginning of December—the 'Nicolo.' This is, properly speaking, only a festival for good children.

Nicolo, who brings the presents, is very strict in inquiring into the behaviour of children, and, should he hear that they have not been good, he does not leave any of his gifts. Every child in Vienna is careful to hang up his stocking on the eve of the 'Nicolo,' and, on the morning of the great day, he wakes up very early to see what is in it. Good children find apples and nuts, but the naughty ones get charcoal instead of something good to eat.

In the afternoon of 'Nicolo' Day, the children get ready to receive the visit of Nicolo himself. A tap is heard at the door, and an old man, with a long white beard and a white gown, appears. He has a large sack on his back, bulging with good things—in fact, the bag is often so full that dolls and whips and whistles can be seen poking out at the top. Behind the kind Nicolo stands another gentleman, dressed in scarlet and black. He does not look either good or kind, and carries a number of birch-rods under his arm. On his back a large basket is strapped; it is made of wood instead of wicker, and is deep and large. This gentleman is the most terrible person in Austria—the much-dreaded 'Krampus.' Fearful stories are told of his dark deeds, and naughty children try to hide themselves when they see the Krampus. But the Krampus keeps behind the good Nicolo, and each child is called forward to give an account of itself.

Nicolo asks the most awkward questions, such as: 'Who stole his sister's sweets last week?' 'Who broke her brother's boat?' When all the questions are answered, the good children receive presents, but naughty boys and girls do not get anything from Nicolo; instead of a puzzle-box, a ball, a new knife, or a doll, they get a gift from the Krampus, and the Krampus only gives one kind of present—a birch-rod. The Vienna confectioners make sugar dolls like the Krampus, and fill his basket with sweets. The Krampus is sometimes made of French plums or almonds and raisins, and his photograph is seen on picture cards.

E. R.



* * * * *



Transcriber's notes:

The following errors in the original have been corrected for this version.

Page 14: overhead corrected to overheard

Page 55: 'I shall drive the youngster back to Castlemore.' Final quote misprinted in original.

Page 91: "Inez hung the changed to '"Inez hung the

Page 102: that Patch changed to than Patch

Page 103: at abont half-past five changed to at about half-past five

Page 131: solitude and silence. Period was missing in original

Page 146: Hats! hats! for those who want them,; extra comma removed

Page 178: blistered them very much, One changed to blistered them very much. One

Page 179: rubbed over the suface changed to rubbed over the surface

Page 183: anything but Mr Turton.' missing period after Mr added

Page 211: refining, the raw changed to refining the raw

Page 214: send in to the authorities changed to send it to the authorities

Page 219: 'You looked about you, then? changed to 'You looked about you, then?'

Page 222: somewhat like a flower. Missing period added

clever way in which the trap is made. Missing period added

keeps it always open. Missing period added

Page 231: wants me to to have my leg cut off, changed to wants me to have my leg cut off,

slopes of the mounttains changed to slopes of the mountains

Page 238: miles away an the changed to miles away on the

Page 246: fond of pacing np changed to fond of pacing up

Page 247: maze and rice fields changed to maize and rice fields

Page 250: beleagured city changed to beleaguered city

Page 275: 'Don't shoot. changed to 'Don't shoot.'

Page 277: Charlie exclaimed to Ping Wing changed to Charlie exclaimed to Ping Wang

Page 278: being seen by them changed to being seen by him

Page 286: "first class," Fred changed to "first class,"' Fred

Page 306: pigs every day, changed to pigs every day.

nest full of fledgings changed to nest full of fledglings

Page 310: do your changed to do you

Page 314: no loiterers here! changed to no loiterers here!'

Page 319: 'isn't it a changed to 'Isn't it a

Page 342: by a moss-grown wall. changed to by a moss-grown wall.'

Page 343: run in the direction changed to ran in the direction

Page 347: hostile to foreigners. changed to hostile to foreigners.'

Page 364: 'violin-beetle changed to 'violin-beetle'

Page 395: aid of a balloon changed to aid of a balloon.

THE END