Thus encouraged, Nelly replied:
'I am a foreigner, and of course I have large feet.'
'What are you doing here?' asked the man.
'I have been brought here,' replied Nelly vaguely, 'and I want to get away, but Ku Nai-nai will be very angry if she knows I am talking to you.'
'Then don't tell her,' said the man. 'I shan't. She is the woman who speaks so loudly, I suppose. I'll bob down if she comes. Where do you live?'
'Peking, the British Legation.'
And then Nelly told the man all about Little Yi and herself being brought to Yung Ching by Hung Li and Ku Nai-nai. When she had finished the man seemed to be considering for some time. At length he said:
'Perhaps I can help you to escape. You had better not say a word to any one. Would you come with me and leave the Chinese girl?'
'Oh no,' replied Nelly. 'Little Yi does not mind being here nearly so much as I do, but she does not want to stay, and I am afraid they would never take her home without me. I wish An Ching could come with us.'