“Mother up there—with the Lord,” said the child, pointing to the blue, cloudless sky.
“Who told you that your mother had gone to the Lord?” asked Io.
The same reply came from the child as had been uttered by the old man, “Brother Ko Thah Byu.”
“This is very striking—very, very interesting,” said Io. “Hark! is not that the sound of a gong? There are boys gathering under yon tree.”
“I daresay to worship some hideous idol,” suggested Thud. “It is not safe to disturb savages at their horrible rites.” Thud had not understood a word of the Karen language spoken, and his ideas of savages were principally taken from “Robinson Crusoe.”
“There is no idolatry here,” observed Io. “The boys, in orderly fashion, are sitting down in a circle. This looks for all the world like a little school. The gong only summoned the pupils.”
“We will go nearer and inquire,” said Oscar.
Yes, it was a school in that secluded village in Siam. The master was a simple Karen peasant, and his lesson-booka portion of the Bible. The Coldstreams felt as if they had unexpectedly lighted on a jewel.
“Who started this school?” inquired Oscar of the Karen teacher, who rose from his squatting position in surprise, whilst all his young, half-naked pupils forgot their lessons to gaze open-mouthed on the apparition of a white lady wearing a hat and veil.
“Who started this school?” repeated Oscar.