“Help me!” answered Gilbert. “I have been attacked by two Chinese assassins.”
“Give yourselves hup!” roared the second cavalryman. “Hif you don’t, Hi’ll fire!”
But Chow Ching had no intention of giving himself up; and, dagger in hand, he made for the nearest building. Instantly both cavalrymen fired their pistols at him; but, if he was hit, he gave no sign. He disappeared behind the building; and, though Gilbert and the Englishmen hunted for him half an hour, he could not be found. It may be as well to add here that the young lieutenant never saw Chow Ching again.
While the hunt was going on, the soldiers had kept their eyes on Tung, who still lay groaning in the roadway. The search over, a guard was called, and the Celestial was made a prisoner. When examined, he said that Chow Ching had told him that Gilbert was the murderer of Chow Fun. He was sent to the rear, and later on placed in the prison at Tien-Tsin.
The adventure had given Gilbert all he wanted of roaming around in the dark alone; and, after that, he stuck close to camp, excepting when duty called him elsewhere.
“You must be careful,” said Captain Banner again. “We’ve lost officers enough already. At this rate, there won’t be a handful of us left by the time we reach Pekin.”
Although the night had looked like rain, the sun came up clear and strong on the following morning; and by ten o’clock the heat was almost unbearable. The march was resumed, the Japanese and Russians having gone on ahead.
“Where to now?” asked Gilbert.
“To Ho-Si-Wu, and from there to Matow,” answered Captain Banner.
“And how far is that from Pekin?”