“Now,” he said to one of the men, “you go down first. If you find that the water is too deep to wade across, stop where you are.”
One by one the men and women were lowered down by Ah Lo, and Rex was the last to descend. Just as he reached the water, steps were heard running along the wall.
“Keep quiet,” Rex said, “let them go by before we try to cross. They wonʼt notice the rope in the dark.”
Some fifty men ran along the top of the wall, leaving one here and there to watch. One was halted immediately above Rex and his companions.
“Now,” Rex asked in a whisper, “how many of you can swim?”
Three of the men said they could do so.
“Very well,” said Rex, “we must carry across those who cannot; the women first. Swim as noiselessly as you can; that fellow above will hear the least noise.”
The first party crossed without noise, but as the second lot were being taken over one of the Chinamen made a splash. There was an immediate shout from above, and a man leaning over the parapet fired a musket. The swimmers and their burdens, however, reached the other side of the moat without mishap.
