"Captain he say hon'ble genelum come this time; he velly glad look-see."
"Good luck," said Errington as Burroughs got up. "If there's any hitch, don't mind about me."
Burroughs mumbled something and went out with his servant. The chair was awaiting him at the outer gate. Ordering two of the guards there to accompany him for appearance' sake, he had himself carried to the captain's quarters hard by. On the way he noticed, without any appearance of concern, a large number of wild-looking warriors assembling to form, as he guessed, a guard of honour for the chief on his return. Many of the men scowled at him as he passed. They did not distinguish one "foreign devil" from another. To many of the lower orders of Chinamen, all foreigners are poison.
Chung Pi had evidently been indulging freely in the pleasures of the table. He was breathing rather hard; melon seeds are very "filling"; and the number of thimblefuls of hot sam-shu, a fiery drink made of millet, which he had consumed had reddened his face and put him on very good terms with himself.
"Honourable stranger," he said, when Burroughs entered, "your honourable face is like the sun at noon-day. You have fed well?"
"Excellently, noble captain."
"You cracked many melon seeds?"
"Not a great number."
"Then you will never be fat. Will you take a little sam-shu?"
"Thank you, not now. Better reserve that until your august chief returns. There has been no further message from him?"