We saw the wisdom of his proceedings, and followed him, as he took us by the way our enemies had come, straight out into the main street, down it a little way, and then up a turning, which he followed till we came to another important street parallel to the one by which we had come, and began to follow it downward toward the waterside.
“Muchee flighten?” he said.
“Oh, I don’t know,” growled Barkins, who had the deepest voice of the three. “It was startling. Did they mean mischief?”
“Mean chop chop. Allee bad wick’ men. No catchee now. Ching velly much flighten.”
He did not look so, but chatted away with open, smiling face, as he pointed first on one side then on the other to some striking-looking shop or building, though he never paused for a moment, but kept on at a good rate without showing a sign of hurry or excitement.
“How are we to get on board when we get to the river?” I said, as we went on. “There’ll be no boat till sundown.”
“Ching get one piecee boat low all aboard ship.”
“Can’t you keep us in your place till our boat comes?”
The man shook his head. “Mandalin boy come burn um down, makee all lun out. So velly hot. No stay. Get boat, low away.”
“How far is it, do you think?” asked Smith.