“And so you are getting stronger, Mabel? You are looking ever so much better.”
“Oh yes! I am feeling ever so much better, and the doctor says I shall soon be strong and well again.
“We are getting quite full here now, for numbers of the native Christians are coming in for shelter. Everyone is told off to do something. Jenny is to help serve out food to the women and children, and I expect that I shall soon be able to assist also.”
“Yes, I expect we shall all be made useful,” said Rex.
“Ah Lo has come up too, I suppose?”
“Yes, he came with me as a matter of course, and we shall both aid in the defence.”
“I wish I were a boy,” Jenny said. “I should like to help kill some of the Boxers. I dare say a good many of those who were at Chafui have come here and will be among those who are going to attack us.”
“You will be just as useful in your own way, Jenny, as if you were a boy and could carry a gun.”
“You must give us each a pistol, Rex, so that if they should take the place we can shoot ourselves. We have both made up our minds that we will do that rather than fall into their hands again. You donʼt think it would be wicked to kill ourselves, do you?”
“Certainly not, Jenny; but in the first place I donʼt think that there is much chance of their capturing the Legations, and in the next place I hope that if they did so, Ah Lo and I should be able to get you out again in disguise. But at any rate I donʼt think you need have any fear. There are four hundred soldiers here, and the employees of all the Legations would certainly make a hundred more. Besides these there are the merchants and other people, and I expect they will form a corps out of the Christians who have come in. Most of these Legations are strong buildings, and it will be hard if we cannot beat off any attack. It is lucky that all the Legations lie within a short distance of each other, and can all be defended together. When I leave you I will go round and see what has been done to fortify them.”