As they neared the Legations they could hear occasional firing. In this part the shops were all closed, and there was no traffic whatever in the streets. At some points large numbers of Boxers were gathered. Avoiding these, they turned into a narrow lane which led towards the British Legation. They went nearly to the end of this, and here Rex entered a doorway, took off his Chinese clothes, under which he had his own, wrapped up his pigtail, and put over it a Scotch cap he had carried with him. Then he and Ah Lo started out at a run for the Legation. Here and there men were grouped on the walls, and these, on seeing a European coming along, shouted words of welcome to him. Half a dozen shots were fired from neighbouring houses, but they arrived at the entrance untouched. A dozen soldiers were stationed here.
“You have managed that well, sir,” the sergeant in command said as they entered. “Have you come far?”
“I have come on from the relieving force. They are at Lang Fang.”
“Will they be here soon, sir?”
“I very much doubt whether they will get through at all. The line is all torn up, and they will be opposed by an immense force. I fear that you will have to wait till a much bigger force is gathered.”
“That is bad news, sir, but I expect we shall hold out all right. They donʼt seem very anxious to come to close quarters.”
Rex went straight to the ambassadorʼs quarters and sent in his name, and he was at once admitted.
“So you are back again, Mr. Bateman?”
“Yes, sir; I came up with the relieving force two thousand strong under Admiral Seymour. They had reached Lang Fang, but I have great doubts whether they will get much farther, as the railway has been completely destroyed, and they are without means of carriage. There is no doubt that they will be met by an ever–increasing resistance as they move forward, and twenty thousand regular troops have moved round to the south gate to oppose them if they get as far as that. The communications are already cut behind them, and so large a force is concentrated near Tientsin that that town will probably be attacked.
“The Taku Forts will be attacked very shortly. Troops are on their way from India, Port Arthur, and Japan, and I have no doubt that before long an army will be gathered sufficiently strong to fight its way up. But I fear that it must be some weeks before they are in a position to do so.”