CHAPTER XI.
PURSUED BY THE YAH-YU.--THE BOAT WRECK.
When the boat had run a sufficient distance from the prison, Sing, forhe it was who had so ably aided in the escape, putting a pole in thehands of Nicholas, and taking one himself, they forced the little craftalong the waters with the greatest possible speed. As for Chow, notfinding another pole, and resolved not to be left out of the good work,he took off his boots, threw his legs over the stern, and helped topropel the boat by paddling against the water with his feet. By thesemeans, in a very short time, they arrived at the back of Sing's house,which fortunately faced the canal. It was thus, indeed, that theinnkeeper had been enabled to pass to the prison in the little san-panwhich he had borrowed from a friendly boatman.
Going into the house to caution his wife against feeling alarmed at hisprobably prolonged absence, he left them for a few minutes, and when hereturned they had no small cause to rejoice at his thoughtfulness, forhis wife had just heard from one of the prison attendants, who lived atthe inn, that about half an hour after their escape the relief guard ofgaolers had discovered their absence, and sent a body of yah-yu, both byland and water, to recapture them.
"By the toe of the Emperor, the villain god has deceived me, for hepromised a fortunate day," said Chow.
"It is thy head and heart, and not the foolish images, that havehitherto helped thee, Chow. We will now trust to the same aids, and bythe assistance of the One true God, these rogues shall not overtake us,"said Nicholas.
"The noble youth is brave, but he may not perform impossibilities,"replied Sing.
"Truly it is not far to the river," said Nicholas.
"The river!" exclaimed Sing, with affright. "Truly Fo himself could notmake a boat live upon the river such a night as this, at the full of themoon."
"It is our only safety, for these rascal yah-yu dare not follow," saidNicholas, who regarded the great and dangerous waters of the river ashis native element, adding, "If thou, Chow, but show a brave heart."
"Truly, my master, Chow fears not men, but surely it would be a vilething to anger the god of the waters, who may this night swallow all whodare to pass from the estuary."
"Art thou an idiot, that after the exhibition at the monastery, thefolly of these toy gods of the bonzes is not imprinted upon thineeyeballs?" said Nicholas, adding angrily, "But if thou fearest, hidethee with the good Sing, and thy master will brave the torrents alone."
"This thing may not be, O noble Nicholas, for rather than leave thee,thy servant would be a hundred times swallowed by Yen-Vang himself,"said Chow.
"Thou art brave, youth, and may it please Fo to conduct thee safely tothy journey's end," said Sing, adding with alarm, "But see, yonder isthe boat of the yah-yu, for surely no other would be in motion at thishour of the night."
"Then," said Nicholas, looking at a red light which appeared to be fixedat the prow of a moving boat, "we must labor for our lives, Chow."
Then taking a silent but hearty farewell of the innkeeper, the youthsclutched the poles and in another minute they were gliding along thewater street unheeded, except by the watchmen, whose questions theyanswered with a few copper coins, and they pushed on through the darknight, till nearly worn out with the exertion. The fact, however, thatthey were toiling for their lives, lent them additional strength, soafter a short rest, away they went again in right good earnest; then thehum of distant voices floated through the night air. Resting for amoment Chow placed his ear near to the water, saying, "Truly they arefollowing us, but more, my master, we are near the great dike, which itwould be as easy to pass as to swallow a mountain."
"Courage, O Chow, let us pass the dike, and the rats will never overtakeus," said Nicholas, toiling harder than ever at the pole.
This dike or sluice divided from the canal the waters of the river whichNicholas had been so anxious to reach, but as Chow knew they could notget the boat hauled over by Coolies at that hour of the night, he couldperceive nought but a barrier that by arresting their progress, must putthem in the hands of their enemies; still not liking to disobey, hetoiled at his pole, and speedily the boat came alongside some twentyothers, which had arrived too late to be hauled over that night.
Nicholas, however, knowing the influence of money, determined to getover the difficulty. So fetching the lantern from the cabin, he soshaded its light with his robe, that while it could not be seen by theirpursuers, he could see moored some distance from them a little fleet ofsan-pans. This he had expected, so gently pushing the boat alongside oneof them he tapped upon the egg-like roof, and in another minute a manput out his head, when putting a piece of silver in his hand, as anearnest of a greater reward, the boatman acquiesced, and in a fewminutes more he had aroused some of his fellows, who very nimbly setabout mooring their boats till they had drawn them across the canal, soas to form a barricade, in the event of the enemy making its appearance;after which the boatman fastened a stout rope around the stern of theboys' boat, got into his own, and cautioning them to hold on by the roofof the cabin, with the assistance of some dozen of his mates in theirboats, forced the little craft to the summit of the stone slope, whenall clinging to the rope, let her slide gently down the other side intothe river, when silently the san-pans moved back to their moorings, sothat upon their arrival at the dike the yah-yu must have been strangelypuzzled at the boy's escape from their clutches.
The dangers of the river, however, were far greater than Nicholas hadcalculated, for the great stream upon whose bosom they had embarked, wasat times as tempestuous as the ocean, and they possessed neither oarsnor sails; as for the poles, the great depth of the river rendered themuseless. Again, the night was so dark, that except by the feeble lightof their lantern they could not see each other's faces; their onlyconsolation was, that the waters were then as smooth and tranquil asthose of the canal, except that a rapid current seemed to be sweepingthem along without an effort of their own.
"May the great god Fo protect us against Ma-tsoo-po, to whom we canoffer no incense," said Chow.
"How! Can it be that one so brave on land should be so great a cowardupon water?" said Nicholas.
"Truly it is a maxim, my master that, 'all are cowards who can't helpthemselves.' Chow in the waters would be less than the least of littlefishes, for he cannot swim," was the gloomy reply.
"It is also a maxim, 'that the gods forsake those who forsakethemselves,'" said Nicholas, adding, "But it is fatigue, my poor Chow,that destroys thy courage; get thee, therefore, into the cabin and restfor a time, while I keep watch."
"Nay, Fo protect us, or we are food for the favorites of the god of thewaters," replied Chow, as the boat at that moment made a tremulousmovement, which so alarmed Nicholas, that clutching hold of Chow's arm,he said, "Now put forth all thy energies or we are lost, for the 'bore'is upon us."
This was sufficient, for in the presence of real danger Chow soon droveaway the troubled fancies of his brain.
"The poles are our only chance," said Nicholas, and, quickly as thought,they fastened their poles to the sides, so that they stretched out liketwo great arms. "Let us but keep our whole weight steadily upon thehandles, and we may keep her course straight," said Nicholas; and nosooner had they thrown themselves across the poles than a noise likethat of distant thunder rumbled through the air; it was the great tidewave rolling like a mountain toward them. Now they could not escape; so,commending their souls to Heaven, they awaited its approach withsuspended breath. It came, and, with a roar, caught up the boat,carrying it to a height of fifty feet; in another second the boys werecovered with a cold sweat at the narrowness of their escape, which hadbeen owing to their precaution. Then followed a calm, as if the anger ofthe watery element had subsided. The boys slackened their hold of thepoles, and so they continued for two hours, going they knew not whither.Suddenly the boat began to rock.
"To your pole, Chow," cried Nicholas. No sooner had he complied, thanthey found they had entered upon a rapid, for the little craft shotforth almost with the velocity
of an arrow. Then came the first faintstreaks of daybreak, and they trembled, for they saw that they hadentered a narrow creek. "Steady, for our lives, there is hope yet, foryonder vessel may see us," said Nicholas. The vessel to which he alludedwas a large junk, so skilfully handled that she seemed to be stemmingthe torrent. Gaining hope, the boys clung to their only chance, namely,keeping the poles in their fixed positions. Another half hour, however,and their strength became exhausted, the poles quivered, the boys feltthey could not hold out much longer; still another determined effort;their minds lent strength to their limbs. Then the first light of thesun, an eastern sun, shone upon the junk, and disclosed a huge paintedeye (the government emblem), at the sight of which, and screaming aloud"The yah-yu!" Chow let go his hold, fell backward, and one pole beingthus released, the boat lost its equilibrium, the pole of Nicholassnapped, and she swang round like a Catherine wheel. They were in awhirlpool--nothing could save them--then came a fearful crash, andneither Chow nor Nicholas could distinguish more.
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