Chatterbox, 1905 Part 116

Concealing their excitement, Charlie, Fred, and Ping w.a.n.g continued walking on until they came face to face with the men, who wore yellow cloths round their heads and also round their bodies and legs. One of them spoke sharply, and Ping w.a.n.g replied promptly and cheerfully. His reply evidently pleased them, for they spoke to him in a friendly manner. Charlie and Fred stood silently a foot or two in rear of their friend, and, as they did not understand anything of what was being said, it was easy for them not to show any sign of interest. Suddenly one of the men spoke to Charlie, who acted his part well, continuing to gaze at Ping w.a.n.g's back, and appearing ignorant of the fact that he had been addressed. Ping w.a.n.g turned round instantly, and, with a sorrowful air, spoke to the man. Charlie and Fred guessed from Ping w.a.n.g's manner, and the surprise which his words created, that he had declared that they could not speak or understand.

When the people had, apparently, expressed their sorrow, Ping w.a.n.g suddenly addressed the crowd in a loud voice. He pointed to Charlie and Fred, and, as he did so, his tone became more indignant, his manner more excited. When he had brought his speech to an end, the crowd behaved like a gathering of madmen. Swords, spears, and sticks were flourished about in a most reckless and threatening manner.

After the performance, which might be called a war-dance, had subsided, a portly Chinaman, with a red cloth tied round his head, and cloth of a similar colour covering his body and legs, advanced to within a yard of Ping w.a.n.g, and shook hands with himself. Ping w.a.n.g instantly shook his own hands. Having thus greeted each other, the two men entered into an earnest conversation, and it was clear that they were discussing a matter of importance from the manner in which the crowd closed on them, so as to hear everything that was said. And then it was that Charlie and Fred noticed that every man present was wearing either a yellow or a red cloth round his head. The majority wore yellow ones, those who were wearing red being, evidently, the bodyguard of the fat gentleman who was talking to Ping w.a.n.g.

At length the conversation came to an end, and from the smile on the portly Chinaman's face Charlie and Fred concluded, rightly, that Ping w.a.n.g had succeeded in pleasing him. But what followed puzzled them completely. The crowd moved back, leaving them with Ping w.a.n.g and the big man in the centre of a circle. Then three men advanced to join them.

One was carrying a long cane, the second two lighted incense candles, and the third a handful of square pieces of paper, on which were written some Chinese characters. The fat man and Ping w.a.n.g then went down on their knees, face to face, and so close to each other that their noses almost touched. As they knelt, the man with the paper set light to one of the pieces, and tossed it in the air above the kneeling men. As he did so Ping w.a.n.g and the man opposite to him bent down their heads, and b.u.t.ted each other gently. When the kneeling men had b.u.t.ted each other seven times, the man with the cane struck Ping w.a.n.g one blow across the back. The b.u.t.ting ceased at once, and Ping w.a.n.g stood up, the crowd giving vent to harsh cries, which were meant for applause.

The fat man remained on his knees, and Ping w.a.n.g signed to Charlie to take the position which he had just left. Charlie was put through the same performance as Ping w.a.n.g, and when he rose up, Fred knelt down, and went through the same ceremony.

When the portly Chinaman had got on his feet, he shouted to some one in the crowd, and a man ran to him, carrying in his hand three pieces of yellow cloth. These were presented to Ping w.a.n.g and the Pages. Ping w.a.n.g did not don the yellow cloth, but placed it in his pocket, and Charlie and Fred followed his example.

The crowd now separated, some men proceeding towards Kw.a.n.g-ngan, and others starting off to more distant villages. The Pages and Ping w.a.n.g went with the former; but, as they walked slowly, they were soon left behind, much to their satisfaction. Having looked round and satisfied himself that the nearest men were more than a hundred yards ahead of them, Charlie said to Ping w.a.n.g, in an undertone, 'What was the meaning of it all?'

'Simply this,' Ping w.a.n.g answered with a smile, 'we have been sworn in members of the Big Sword, or Boxer Society--a Society which exists for the sole purpose of ferreting out and killing foreigners.'

Before Charlie and Fred had recovered from the surprise of this announcement, the people in front started running quickly towards the town.

'The town gates are about to be closed for the night,' Ping w.a.n.g explained. 'We will stay out here until they are opened to-morrow. Let us hide among these bushes, in case any more men should come along and be suspicious of us for not hurrying.'

They pushed their way through the dwarf bushes until they came to a small clearing. Then they sat down and waited silently until the last townsman had hurried by.

'They have all gone,' Ping w.a.n.g declared a quarter of an hour after the last man had pa.s.sed, 'so now I will tell you all about the Boxers. After we had exchanged greetings they told me that they were members of the Big Sword or Big Fist Society, commonly known as Boxers, and asked me to join them. I agreed to do so; if I had refused we should not be alive now. Then they told me that the Empress Dowager, Tsi-Hsi, and most of the mandarins were supporting them, and had approved of their plan to destroy every European and native Christian in the land. I asked when the rising was likely to take place, and was told that, as far as they knew, it would begin in about three weeks' time. Then I heard a man address you, and therefore declared at once that you could not speak, and after that I made a speech pretending to be very hostile to foreigners.'

'Don't you think,' said Charlie, 'that we ought to hurry back to warn Barton and his friends of the threatened rising?'

'We can warn them without going back to them. I will send word to my cousin. Since he has become a Christian, all the members of his family, excepting his youngest brother, have refused to speak to him. His youngest brother, who is in Kw.a.n.g-ngan, is very fond of him, and when I tell him of his brother's danger, he will, I am certain, hurry off to warn him--and, of course, my cousin will tell Barton.'

[Ill.u.s.tration: "They b.u.t.ted each other gently."]

Then they began to discuss once more the object of their visit to China--the recovery of the idol.

'I'm very anxious to get that treasure,' Charlie declared, 'but I feel just now as if I would willingly sell my share of it for a good meal.

I'm both hungry and cold.'

'Then let us walk about,' Ping w.a.n.g suggested. 'It will keep us warm.

Our hunger we shall have to put up with for several hours, I'm afraid.'

As they tried to get warm, Ping w.a.n.g told them of many curious customs of his countrymen, to make the time pa.s.s. But in spite of his stories they became very tired and hungry, and were exceedingly thankful when, at last, daylight appeared.

(_Continued on page 354._)

[Ill.u.s.tration: "He hit out with all his force."]

THE EAGLE'S NEST.

Frank Ardlamont and his younger brother d.i.c.k had a liking for every kind of country sport, and were always ready for any adventure which required skill and daring. When, therefore, they were spending a holiday in the Highlands of Scotland, and learned that there was an eagle's nest built upon an almost inaccessible ledge on the steep side of Ben Galt, scarcely three miles away from the house where they were staying, they thought it would be a fine thing to try and capture one of the young.

The lads had recently seen an eagle in one of the cages of a travelling menagerie, and they thought that if they could capture a young one, they might perhaps be able to rear it. They talked the matter over, arranged their plans, and finally proceeded to carry them out.

The nest was a little below the edge of a steep cliff, and there was a rugged, winding path, leading up to the top of the cliff. Having provided themselves with a strong iron bar, a rope, and several stout sticks, Frank and d.i.c.k started out for Ben Galt, accompanied by a Scotch gillie. They climbed to the top of the cliff without much difficulty, and drove the iron bar firmly into a crevice of the rock. Then Frank tied one end of the rope round his waist, and having fastened the other to the iron bar, he pa.s.sed the middle of the rope round it in a loop, and told the others how to pay it out in sailor fas.h.i.+on. This done he dropped over the edge of the cliff, and began his descent.

The boys had seen the eagles starting out upon their morning hunt, as they were on their way to Ben Galt. The birds were nowhere in sight when Frank swung himself from the cliff, and he had no fear of an attack. He was careful, nevertheless, to carry a good stout stick with him. He dropped upon the edge where the nest was built, and drew down just enough rope to allow him to move about freely. The nest was a flat pile or floor of sticks, covered with rushes, heath, and gra.s.s. It was not hollowed out, but the eaglets upon it were protected to some extent by the overhanging of the cliff itself. About the nest lay the scattered bones of hares, rabbits, and moor-fowl, with here and there a larger one which might have belonged to some young lamb or kid.

Frank stood looking at the nest for a few minutes before he took up one of the young birds. The eaglet gaped hungrily as he lifted it up, and made a sort of screeching noise, struggling apparently to reach something behind Frank. He turned quickly, and was horrified to see one of the parent birds sweeping up from the valley below. His first impulse was to give the signal for those above to haul him up, and to jump off the edge at once; but a moment's reflection showed him that it would be foolish to do so. The eagle was close upon him, and he saw that he would be much more helpless dangling at the end of a rope, than standing firmly upon his feet. So he withdrew as far as he could under the shelter of the overhanging rock, and waited, stick in hand, for the angry bird. As it came up, he hit out with all his force. It was well that he had remained where he was, for the eagle was placed at a disadvantage by having to draw in its wings in order to approach him.

With gaping beak and extended claws it flew at him, but before it could touch him he delivered another heavy blow at its neck, and three or four in quick succession upon its shoulders. The first blow crippled it for the moment, and the succession of them so disabled it that it dropped in the air, and fell fluttering helplessly down into the valley.

Frank cast a quick glance across the sky, and saw the companion eagle returning high in the air. The pair had evidently been hunting in their usual way, one near the ground, and the other at a great height. He saw that he had no time to lose. He gave three sharp tugs at the rope, and sprang from the ledge. In a few minutes he was drawn up safely to the top of the cliff, carrying the eaglet in his arm. The returning eagle flew straight to the nest; then, hearing the cries of his wounded companion, he directed his course to where it lay. The two boys and the gillie, finding the eagles' attention diverted from them, made haste to return to the valley, glad to have escaped without injury.

FAIRY SONG.

Ding-dong, The Sun has gone: A crimson night-gown he put on: I saw him cover up his head: Ding dong, He's now in bed.

Fairy maid, Come to the glade: The meadow is with pearls arrayed: The moonbeams cling to every tree Lovingly.

From thy bower To dance an hour Come, and leave the cosy flower That cradles thee.

Fairy man, Arise, arise!

Stars are dancing in the skies: Leaves are dancing on the trees To the music of night's breeze.

Come a-tripping, Come a-tripping, Time is slipping fast away, Ever slipping towards the day!

Drag each lazy fairy-fellow From his sleepy bed; Dress him up in crocus yellow, Or in roses red.

Arise, arise!

Stars are kissing in the skies.

Ding-dong, The Sun has gone: A crimson night-gown he put on: I saw him cover up his head: Ding-dong, He's safe in bed.

REGIMENTS IN THE CITY.

The regiment of the Third Grenadier Guards not long ago changed its quarters from the Tower to the Wellington Barracks, and marched past the Mansion House in the City of London in full panoply of war, band playing, colours flying, and bayonets glittering in the bright suns.h.i.+ne.

Before, however, their Colonel could thus proudly lead his regiment through the old historic streets of London, he had to obtain permission from the Lord Mayor, who, by virtue of a power dating back to a very remote period, can refuse the marching of troops through the City without his permission.

Two regiments only are exceptions to this law, the 'Buffs,' or East Kent Regiment, and the Honourable Artillery Company; both these are descended from the old trained bands of the City, and therefore have the right to march through when they will, with arms and unfurled colours.

Unfurled colours, it may be mentioned, always claim great honour and respect. When first presented to a regiment, the officer receives them on bended knee, and to this day very many people raise their hats to the colours as they are carried by.