by G. A. Henty
CHAPTER V
WITH SEYMOUR?S COLUMN
That evening after dinner Rex told the envoy in full the story of hisadventures. The chiefs of two or three other Legations were present,and all expressed great surprise that a mere lad should have carriedout so desperate an undertaking.
The next morning the doctor called to see Rex.
“You are thinking of going down at once, are you not?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Well, I have come in to tell you that your cousins cannot possibly gowith you. Their recent experiences have been a terrible strain on them,and as a result of the reaction, both are completely prostrated. Theyounger one is very feverish, and is, I expect, in for a sharp illness.”
“I am very sorry to hear that, sir, though I cannot say that I amsurprised. They have held on very well, but they were weak when theystarted, and throughout the journey they have had no chance of pickingup strength. I was afraid that they would break down before they gothere. At any rate I shall run down to Tientsin to see my father andmother, who are no doubt suffering great anxiety, and shall then, Ihope, be able to arrange to come back for them. I suppose I can seethem before I start?”
“Certainly, but the shorter your visit the better. You may be quitesure that they will have every attention here. I don?t think thereis any reason for being uneasy about them. It is the natural reactionafter the strain, and I hope that in another fortnight or so they willbe able to travel. I will go across with you to their room now.”
Rex at once went over.
“I have come to say good–bye, Jenny,” he said, as he entered the shadedroom in which his cousins were lying. “The doctor says that you won?tbe fit to travel for another fortnight, and you know I must run down tosee my father and mother, who will by this time be in a great state ofalarm about you. I shall be back for you, and I hope if I come at theend of a fortnight I shall find you both in a fit state to go. If youare not, I shall wait till you are. Good–bye, dear!”
“Good–bye, Rex! Of course you ought to go to Tientsin, and we shalllook forward to your return. Thank you a thousand times for all thatyou have done for us, and thank Ah Lo too!”
Mabel was lying with her eyes half–closed and her cheeks flushed withfever, and Rex, seeing that it was of no use trying to rouse her to saygood–bye, kissed Jenny and went quietly out of the room.
“I shall keep your clothes until I come back again, Sandwich,” Rex saidwhen he was taking leave of his friend.
“You are perfectly welcome to them if you don?t bring them back,” theother laughed. “I have any number of suits, and if trouble comes on weshall not be particular about washing.”
“I expect I shall be back before long, for if there is a row here Ishould like to be in it.”
Rex and Ah Lo went to the railway–station in time for the train whichstarted at ten o?clock. Several merchants and others were going downalso. The journey was a tedious one, for the train travelled slowlyand stopped frequently. It was just breakfast–time next morning whenthey arrived. Rex walked in unannounced just as his father and motherwere sitting down to breakfast. They leapt to their feet with cries ofsurprise and delight.
“I cannot blow you up now, Rex,” his father said after the first joy ofthe meeting had passed, “but it was the maddest thing that I ever heardof. I am too glad, however, at your safe return to scold you. We werebeginning to lose all hope of your return. We thought you might get toChafui, and of course it was a great satisfaction that you had Ah Lowith you; but when you found that everyone had been massacred, whatprevented you from returning at once?”
“The fact, Father, that I found that they were not all massacred. Myuncle and aunt had both fallen, but the girls were prisoners in thegovernor?s yamen. It was a close affair, for they were to have beengiven to the Boxers to be massacred the very next day. We got them out,however, and took them safely to Pekin, and they are at present stayingat the Legation.”
“You have saved the dear girls!” his mother exclaimed; “that is indeedgood news. But where are they?”
“They are at Pekin, Mother. They bore up splendidly until they gotthere, and then they broke down, and the doctor said that they wouldneed careful treatment and rest before they could be moved. So I randown here to tell you of my safety, and am going back again in a fewdays to bring them home. I will give you full particulars when I havegot into my own clothes and had some breakfast. We brought a goodstock of provisions with us, but finished the last morsel yesterdayafternoon. It has been a tremendously long journey, and, as you mayimagine, I am pretty peckish. Before sitting down, however, I will runupstairs and change, for I must have a wash before eating. I shall bedown again in ten minutes.”
He soon returned, and his father and mother asked no questions until hehad finished breakfast, except that his mother asked how he had leftthe girls.
“I think they will both be better for a rest, Mother,” he said. “Theyboth look fagged, which is not to be wondered at, considering all theyhave come through, but they are a good deal better than when I firstsaw them.”
As soon as breakfast was over, and before he questioned Rex further,Mr. Bateman sent for Ah Lo.
“Ah Lo,” he said, when the Chinaman came in, “you did wrong to aid myson to carry out this enterprise. However, as it succeeded so well Icannot blame you, and indeed must thank you heartily for having carriedRex safely through the matter.”
The Chinaman smiled. “I think it is the other way. Mr. Rex carried methrough the affair. He always told me what to do; I did just so and itcame out all right.”
“Well, I shall not forget the great service you have rendered us.” AhLo bowed and went off.
“Now then, Rex, give us an account of your doings, for at present Icannot imagine how you managed to get the girls out from the governor?syamen.”
It took Rex more than an hour to relate his adventures, for he was veryfrequently interrupted by exclamations and questions from his fatherand mother.
“It was a wonderful rescue,” his father said, when he had brought thatpart of the story to a close. “It seems simple enough as you tell it,but I really can hardly imagine how the plan occurred to you. There thegirls were shut up in the strong house of a governor, with sentriesover them and a guard but a few yards away. It was a problem thatmight have puzzled the sharpest brain, and it was carried out withoutthe slightest hitch. It does you extreme credit, Rex, and I feel proudof you. Well, go on with your story.”
There was a fresh outburst of surprise when Rex related the fight withthe twelve Boxers.
“Well, my boy,” Mr. Bateman said when Rex brought his story to anend, “after that you can be trusted to go anywhere, and I don?t thinkyour mother or I will in future feel anything like the same anxietyconcerning you as we have experienced this time.”
“And now, Father, how do matters stand here at present?”
“Things are quiet. A good many sailors have come up, and although alarge number of the rebels are still round the town, we have no fearwhatever that they will be able to take the place.”
“I think the fighting will be pretty hard work, Father, if, as I thinkthere is little doubt, the Boxers attack in earnest. But what are theregular Chinese troops going to do?”
“I think the envoys still hope that they will stand aloof; but as faras I have learned, the general opinion is just the other way. TheEmpress and her ministers profess that the Boxers are a peaceablepeople who only desire well for the empire. They have issued a fewshilly–shallying edicts, which can be read both ways, but it isgenerally believed that the Boxers have been put in the foregroundbecause the Empress thinks they are more than sufficiently strong todestroy the Legations and kill every white and native Christian in thecountry. She doesn?t want the responsibility. Before Europeans shecan, if she chooses, disavow their actions, while at the same timeprofessing her inability to control them, and declaring that as thewill of the people is that no white men shall henceforth live or tradein China she must bow to the
ir wishes. Many think, therefore, that ifthe Boxers can do the work alone they will be allowed to do it; if not,the Imperial troops will join them.
“It is quite certain that an enormous number of native Christianshave been massacred in various parts of China, and I have heard thatsome have been murdered in Pekin itself. I hope that enough troopswill be collected to go up before long. Troops have come in from alldirections, but I am afraid it will be at least a couple of monthsbefore anything like an army can be moved forward. From the ships nowhere probably only two thousand men could be spared for the purpose.”
“I doubt whether that would be enough, Father. There are hordes ofChinese between this and Pekin, and a large number of them are armedwith the best rifles. They have breech–loaders of all sorts, and youknow we must do them the justice to say that they fought bravely enoughround here. I fancy they will fight even better to prevent us fromgetting to Pekin.”
“It is by no means certain, Rex, that in the first place we shall nothave to fight on for our own existence. Great numbers of Boxers andother ruffians throng the town, and if they know their own businessthey will not be fools enough to allow an army to gather here at all.As to the Taku Forts, I believe they will be taken just as easily asthey were last time. Still, the larger vessels cannot come up theriver, and the smaller ones will probably have to be escorted up bytroops. They will doubtless be opposed fiercely, and not improbably weshall be attacked here at the same time, in which case we may have tofight hard.”
“All right, Father! I should like it all the better. Knowing, as we do,how they have massacred hundreds of missionaries and their families andmany thousands of native Christians, we shall feel a real satisfactionin fighting these fiends.”
“And yet, Rex, a good deal of allowance must be made for them. Youmust remember that China has always been an exclusive country, andthat the Chinese appear to have an ingrained hatred of foreigners. Tobegin with, we come here because they don?t want to buy our opium, andwe fight them and compel them to open Chinese ports to trade. Well,the Chinese are not fools, and as long as it was only a question oftrade they might put up with us, seeing that they obtained as muchadvantage from trade as we do. This, however, was not enough. We invadethem with a vast crowd of missionaries, who settle themselves in allparts of the country, build themselves houses and churches, and setto work to convert the Chinese. Naturally the Chinese don?t like it.Certainly we should not like it ourselves if hundreds of Chinamen wereto settle down in all our towns, open joss–houses, hold out all sortsof advantages to proselytes, and convert the lowest and most ignorantclass of the population to Confucianism or Buddhism. But this is notall. Missionaries take the converts under their protection, set up alittle imperium, demand the right to judge and punish their own people,and generally to set the local authorities pretty well at defiance;and the Catholic bishops have actually insisted upon having the title,rank, and power of Chinese viceroys.
“All these things are odious to the mass of the people, and when, asat present, they find the whole of the European powers engaged in ageneral grab of fresh ports, they say this thing must stop. I need notsay that I hold these massacres in abhorrence, but if they had simplybrought down all the missionaries to the treaty ports and said to them,?If you come outside these walls you will be at once put to death,? Ishould say that they were acting just as most European powers wouldact in similar circumstances, and that from their own point of viewthey were acting wisely. It would be necessary, of course, for usto retain ambassadors at Pekin to protect our treaty rights and tosettle any disputes that might arise, but beyond that I would, if Iwere the Emperor of China, forbid any foreigner from going beyond thetreaty ports, which would be all so strongly fortified that they coulddefy any attack. Of course, foreigners might be allowed to enter theChinese service if invited to do so, drill their troops, manage theirdockyards, build their railways, and conduct their mines.
“To my mind, the game of grab that has been going on of late has beenshocking. The Russians who stepped in to prevent the Japanese fromobtaining any benefit from their defeat of China were the first tobegin by their enormous appropriation of territory. We seized a portopposite to them, and the Germans, Italians, and French all seizedports and territories. Can one wonder that China was moved to the core,that this sect of Boxers, which has existed for a very long time,suddenly became a violent political association, and that the Empresshas gladly availed herself of their assistance? It would be strangeindeed if it were not so. You must remember that the Chinese as a raceare extremely intelligent. Owing to the denseness of the populationand the poverty of the people the weakly die off in childhood, andthe struggle for life is so severe that the wits of the people becomesharpened. They are the cleverest bargainers in the world. Everytransaction is a battle in which purchaser and seller try to get thebetter of one another. Physically they are fine men; and their livesbeing for the most part hard, they have little or no fear of death.
“When you take all these things into consideration, you can see thatthere is a great deal to be said for the action of the Chinese.They have perpetrated horrible cruelties upon the missionaries andnative Christians, but they have lived under a cruel régime. Capitalpunishment under the most atrocious conditions is very frequent amongthem, and they have become habituated and hardened to it. You mustremember that at home as late as the reign of Queen Elizabeth anypersons found begging were executed, or, as a mild punishment for afirst offence, had their hands or ears cut off.
“Of course, if we are attacked, I shall aid in the defence; butalthough I have lost my sister–in–law and her husband, I shall feel nopersonal animosity towards the Chinese, for I consider that we have,from their point of view, given them ample grounds for endeavouring toget rid of us.”
“Well, I don?t think that I ever thought of it in that light, Father,but it certainly does seem rough on them that we should seize portafter port on the smallest pretext, and send our people interferingwith their customs and religions all over the country. Certainlyat ordinary times they have always seemed to me an inoffensive setof people, placid and good–tempered, which makes it all the moreextraordinary that they should go in for such hideous massacres.However, Father, whatever excuse they have, it is quite certain that wemust not let them take Tientsin if we can keep them out of it.”
“We shall certainly do our best,” Mr. Bateman laughed, “and I have nodoubt that we shall succeed. Still, we may have some tough work beforeus.
“We have received a despatch from Macdonald urgently asking that troopsshould be sent up at once,” Mr. Bateman said to Rex two days after hisreturn.
“Well, Father, if things really do look bad I should like to go backagain. I told the girls that I would, and I certainly should like tobe there on my own account if there is any fighting.”
“Probably there will be fighting here also, Rex.”
“Yes, Father, but there is no doubt that you will be able to beat themoff here. Marines and blue–jackets will be sent up from the ships totake the place of those who are going forward now. Besides, no doubtan attack will be made on the Taku Forts, and you know they are notformidable. I don?t think, however, that it is anything like so certainthat they will be able to hold out in Pekin. The Legations cover a bigextent of ground, and what with the Boxers, the lower classes of thecity, and the Chinese army, there will be a tremendous pressure uponthem. Now, as Ah Lo and I managed to get the girls away from Chafui,it seems to me possible that, if the worst comes to the worst, we maymanage to rescue them again. At any rate I know it would be a bigcomfort to them if I were there.”
“I don?t know, Rex,” his father said gravely, “that I should bejustified in letting you go. Still, you got so wonderfully out of thelast business that I am disposed to let you have your own way in this.Besides, if there is fighting here, which I think probable, you will,of course, want to take part in it, and are as likely to be killed hereas at Pekin, and as it will certainly be a comfort to the girls to haveyou there, I shall not say ?
No.? There will, however, be no occasionfor you to go up with the troops. Possibly on their arrival therethings will calm down, and in that case the troubles are more likelyto begin here by the sea. I think there is scarcely a shadow of doubtthat the Taku Forts will be bombarded, and that the ships will open apassage for the gun–boats up the river. You had better, therefore, waitfor a week at any rate, by which time we shall hear whether mattershave settled down in Pekin.”
“Very well, Father, but I do not think there is a chance of that. Thereis no doubt that the Empress and her favourites are secretly urging onthe Boxers, and although these will probably begin an attack, they willbe joined in the end by the Imperial troops. I have no doubt, however,that I shall be able to get there in time. You see, Father, if I takepart in the defence of the Pekin Legations it will be something to talkabout all my life.”
“I am afraid, Rex,” his father said with a smile, “that, although I donot say that you are not anxious to be at hand if your cousins are indanger, you would be just as eager to go if they were not at Pekin atall. I begin to think that I have made a mistake in your education,that I should have done better if I had kept you by me and sent youto the College of Student Interpreters at Pekin. It seems to me thatyou are more fitted for the profession of a knight–errant than a sobertrader.”
“Oh, I don?t think so, Father! When things are quiet I shall be quitecontent to be quiet, to work hard all day, and to take a ride or sailin the evening.”
“Well, we shall see when matters do settle down, Rex, as I have nodoubt they will after a time. I shall be quite content if we resumetrade at the treaty ports as before, and I hope that the result of thiswar will not be the further breaking up of China.”
The next morning the glad news was heard that strong detachments fromall the ships of war were coming up and were going to march on Pekin.Admiral Seymour was to be in command, and the force would amount toabout two thousand.
“This is splendid, isn?t it, Father?” said Rex.
“It is capital news, my boy; but two thousand men are but a small bodyto go through a bitterly hostile country defended by an army which,including the Boxers, cannot be put at much less than forty thousandmen. There is no doubt that the railway will have been greatly damagedby the Boxers, and if our men trust to that, they will have no meansof transport when they come to the point where the line is destroyed,which will probably be about half–way between this and Pekin. At thesame time it is undoubtedly right that the effort should be made. Ourcountrymen cannot be allowed to perish if it be possible to save them.We know that so far they are unhurt, for the telegraph wire is stillopen to Shanghai, and we get messages from there, contradictory ones,it is true, but still, in spite of the varying nature of the reports,there is little doubt that up to the present time the Legations aresafe.
“It is probable, indeed, that those four hundred men who went up toPekin six weeks ago as guards to the Legation have so far saved thesituation. The Chinese, as you know, did all in their power to preventthem from coming. Fortunately the ambassadors had by that time so fullyrecognized the danger of the situation that they brought them up inspite of the Chinese Ministers. It is but a small force to resist awell–armed army and a vast crowd of Boxers and the rabble of the town,but there must be a good number of white men there, missionaries of thecity, and many who have made their way in from country stations. TheEuropean shopkeepers, too, and such merchants as have not left, willbetween them considerably raise the fighting force. Besides, you toldme that at any rate some slight defences had been thrown up when youcame away; no doubt these have since been increased. It is fortunatethat all the Legations are fairly close to each other, and can probablybe connected with each other without much difficulty.
“The German, French, Japanese, and Pekin Hotels make practically oneblock, the Spanish is but a short distance away, the British Legationis separated from the Palace of Prince Su only by the street, theRussian Legation lies close to the British, and the United StatesLegation and Russian Bank face it. I should fancy that the line ofdefence will include all these. The Dutch Legation is isolated onone side, and the Italian on the other. The Austrian and the BelgianLegations also lie apart, and close to the former are the post–officeand customs. These, however, are all that are outside the probableline. I should hope that the Tartar wall, which overlooks the whole andis close to the United States and German Legations, will also be held.It is a big area for seven or eight hundred men to defend; but it wasnot a much larger force that held Lucknow, and what can be done in oneplace can be done in another.”
“I do hope, Father, that you will allow me to go up with the troops.If, as you think, they are not able to reach Pekin, I could push on indisguise and get into the town as easily as I left it. I don?t thinkthere will be the least difficulty about that. I am very anxious aboutthe girls, and might, if the worst came to the worst, escape with themin disguise, as I did before. Even if Admiral Seymour?s force shouldfight its way into the town, I should think that they will be in asimilar position to that in which General Havelock found himself whenhe fought his way into Cawnpore. He would certainly be able to defendthe Legations against the whole Chinese force, but he might not be ableto cut his way out, encumbered as he must be, with a mass of nativeChristians who certainly could not be left there to be murdered. Evenputting the girls aside, I should like, above all things, to take partin the defence.”
“I don?t know that you would be able to go with the troops even if Igave you leave, Rex.”
“Well, you see, I should become an interpreter. They will be sure towant some men with them who know the language, to question prisoners,and buy stores, and so on.”
“Well, I will think it over. I must speak to your mother before Isettle on such a question as that. Of course there will be a good dealof danger, but I have very little doubt that as soon as these troops goup, the Chinese will attack us here. Large numbers of them are in theneighbourhood, and if they find they cannot resist the advance of theforce, they will close in behind it and march upon this town. Certainlywe could not hope to hold the native quarter, but I feel sure that wecould defend the settlement. Still, we might lose many men. There will,of course, be no fear of our having to stand a long siege, for thefleet are sure to batter down the Taku Forts, and the gun–boats willshortly be sent up the river. Besides, the troops from India and PortArthur, and the Japanese, will soon arrive, and will no doubt come upto our succour. I can quite understand your desire to take part in thesiege, to say nothing of your idea of getting the girls away. Going upwith two thousand men also is a very different affair from starting offon your own account.”
The next morning at breakfast Mr. Bateman said: “I have talked thematter over with your mother, and though she is very reluctant to partwith you, she has given her consent, as I have pointed out to herthat naturally at your age you want to take part in a defence whichis likely to be historical, and that you would certainly be a comfortto your cousins and might be of vital service. You have already showngreat presence of mind and resource, and I have no doubt would do soagain in case of necessity.”
“But you must promise me,” Mrs. Bateman said, “that you will take careof yourself, and not expose yourself needlessly. You must remember,my boy, that, fond as we are of your cousins, you are all in all tous. You are our only child, and for our sakes you must promise not tothrust yourself needlessly into danger.”
“I will not run risks more than I can help, Mother. Of course, if I doget into Pekin, I must take part in the defence.”
“Yes, Rex, of course, I understand that; I only beg of you not toexpose yourself recklessly.”
“I promise not to do so, Mother. Of course I shall take Ah Lo withme. I am awfully obliged to you for giving your consent; it would bea splendid thing to go through the siege. It is not like an ordinarysiege in an ordinary war. They have attacked us and perpetrated themost horrible massacres all over the country; they have lied throughthick and thin; they are treacherous and cruel brutes, who wi
llcertainly show no mercy if they capture the place, so that I shall feelthat I am fighting in a good cause, and that these men deserve all theywill get.”
Tientsin presented a busy appearance. Troops arrived fast by train fromthe coast, and it became known that an expedition of some two thousandmen was going to advance to Pekin under the command of Admiral Seymour.
“Do you think, Father, that you could get leave for me to accompany theexpedition. I could make myself useful as an interpreter.”
“I was introduced to Admiral Seymour this morning, Rex, and the ideadid occur to me then, but I thought it well to wait until I talked thematter over with you again. It would certainly be far less risky togo with the troops than to make your way up in disguise, for by allaccounts the Boxers and the roughs who have joined them are clearingout the villages and putting numbers of people to death. So you seeyour disguise could not be any great protection. However, I shall seeAdmiral Seymour again this afternoon, for I am supplying a good manyarticles they require. If you go with me I shall introduce you to him,and we shall hear what he says about it.”
Admiral Seymour was at the railway–station seeing to the detrainmentof a strong body of marines and blue–jackets and to the unloading oftheir stores. Mr. Bateman waited until he was disengaged, and as he wasleaving the station went up to him.
“I have sent the things you wanted to the depot, and shall be willingto send any further supplies that you may require. Everything in mystore is entirely at your disposal.
“Will you allow me to present my son to you? He has only latelyreturned from a most hazardous journey which he accomplished indisguise. He went to save two girl cousins of his who were the solesurvivors of a mission station at Chafui. He succeeded in rescuing themand taking them to Pekin, where he was obliged to leave them, as theywere prostrated by what they had gone through. He is very anxious toreturn there; and as he speaks Chinese perfectly, he thought perhapsthat you would be kind enough to allow him to accompany your expeditionin the character of an interpreter. He might be useful in questioningprisoners or villagers. He could carry arms also, for he and a nativeservant annihilated a party of twelve Boxers who attacked them whilethey were bringing his cousins down.”
“I have already got two or three interpreters, Mr. Bateman, but I haveno doubt that I could do very well with another. I will attach him tothe company of marines and blue–jackets from the _Centurion_.”
“Thank you very much indeed, Admiral!”
“Ah, here is Major Johnston, who commands the marines!” said theadmiral; “I will put you under his charge at once.
“Major Johnston, I shall be glad if you will take charge of this younggentleman. He speaks Chinese fluently, and no doubt you will find himvery useful as an interpreter. He is most anxious to get up to Pekin,because two of the young ladies there are his cousins. He will probablyhave a yarn to tell you of how he rescued them from the Boxers atChafui. You will, of course, attach him to your mess.”
“Very well, sir, I shall be very glad to have someone with me whospeaks Chinese; we are pretty sure to get hold of some wounded Boxers,and we may get valuable information from them.”
Again thanking the admiral, Rex went off with the major, whose men werequartered in the customs–house. He was soon busy translating orders tothe coolies who were assisting in bringing up cases of ammunition andother stores. In a couple of hours all was quiet.
“My father will be very glad, sir,” he said to the major, “if you willtake up your abode at his house. I have no doubt that all the officerswill be quartered among the residents. I think that we can very wellhouse four, and, if they don?t mind squeezing, six or seven.”
“Thank you, Mr. Bateman! I don?t know whether we have been told off toquarters, but if not, I will very gladly accept your offer.”
Rex hurried home, and his father returned with him and assured theofficer that it would be a great pleasure to him to have as manyofficers as the house would hold, and that he could very well contriveto take in ten of them.
“Thank you very much, Mr. Bateman! It will take some little time to seethe men properly quartered. I notice that a quantity of straw has beenprovided for them. What time do you dine?”
“We will fix our dinner hour to suit you. We generally dine at seven.”
“That will suit us very well. I command two companies, and have sixofficers, whom I will bring with me. You will have to take us in therough, for we have only the uniforms that we stand in.”
“You shall dine in your shirt sleeves if you like, Major.”
Rex returned with his father, and there was for a short time somebustle in the house getting bedrooms ready and making arrangements fordinner. At seven o?clock the officers arrived and were introduced byMajor Johnston to Mr. and Mrs. Bateman. They were a merry party, forthe officers were all in high spirits at being selected to take part inthe expedition. When they heard that Rex had only returned from Pekinthe week before, they asked him innumerable questions as to the countryand the strength of the force that would be likely to oppose them.
“I think that you will have harder work than you expect,” he said.“A considerable portion of the railway is certainly pulled up, and,judging by the number of fires I saw as I came down at night, the enemymust be in very strong force. I have no doubt that they will fighthard, for the Boxers believe that they are invulnerable, and will fightwith fanatical fury.”
“We shall soon teach them that they are mistaken as to theirinvulnerability,” one of the officers laughed, “and I don?t think thatany number of armed peasants, for that is what they are, will stop us.”
“I hope not, indeed,” Rex said. “I only say that I think it will beharder work than you expect.”
“Now, Mr. Bateman,” the Major said, “I hope that you will tell us thestory of the rescue of your cousins, of which the admiral told me.”
“I have had to tell it so many times since I came back,” Rex said,“that I really hope you will excuse me.”
“Oh, no, that is mistaken modesty on your part!”
“I will tell it for him,” his father said; “it is a good story, anddoes the boy great credit.”
“Then I will go and see if everything is ready outside,” said Rex.
It was half an hour before he returned, and by that time his father hadfinished the story. The officers all warmly congratulated him when here–entered the room.
“I wish I had done it,” one of the young lieutenants said. “I wouldhave given anything to have carried out such a plan.”
“I suppose you have not been in England at all,” the Major said; “forif you had been you would scarcely have been able to speak Chinese sowell.”
“Yes, he has been four years there,” Mr. Bateman said, “but I sentover with him a Chinese boy, who has always been his companion, andRex had two days off school each week to go about with him and so keepup his knowledge of the language. I intend to go home myself in a fewyears? time, and as he will then be left in charge it is of the utmostimportance that he should keep up his Chinese. Latin and Greek would beof no value whatever here, so I arranged that he should only take upEnglish subjects and English games.”
“A capital plan, Mr. Bateman. His knowledge of the language has alreadystood him in good stead.”
“What is the latest news?”
“We had a telegram to say that the American Mission buildings at TungChau, twelve miles from Pekin, have been abandoned by the missionaries,and have been looted and burned by the Chinese soldiers sent toprotect them; and further, that seventy–five native Christians,who have been trained for years by the American missionaries, weremassacred there. The British Legation summer residence in the hillsnear Pekin has also been burned. A telegram from Shanghai says thatthere has been a fight between General Nel Hsi Chong, with threethousand men, and the Boxers, and it is reported that the general hasbeen superseded for his trouble.”
“When do you leave?”
“The rest of the force will be up to–morrow, and
we shall start on thefollowing morning. Altogether we shall have nine hundred and fifteenBritish, three hundred and fifteen Germans, three hundred Russians,one hundred and fifty–eight French, one hundred and four Americans,fifty–two Japanese, forty Italians, and twenty–five Austrians.”
“Rather a mixed lot,” Mr. Bateman said. “It is as well that ourcontingent is so strong. Had it not been so, Admiral Seymour might havefound some difficulty with the commanders of so many nationalities.”
“Yes, it is certainly well that we constitute nearly half theforce—more than half the force, if we count in the Americans and Japs,on both of whom we can rely. However, I don?t think that there will beany trouble with the Russians, Germans, and French, who won?t be ableto understand each other, and as it is so short a march they will haveno opportunity of coming to any mutual understanding. We might evencount in the two small parties of Austrians and Italians as going withus.”