“I cannot help. The eunuchs will take them,” she said.
“Well, there’s only one thing to be done,” I announced, gravely. “They must come here.”
“Ah, oh!” exclaimed the girl. “If they do that, Mai Lo cut off their heads.”
“He won’t get a chance,” said Archie; “or if he does, he’ll have to cut off our heads too. Bring your friends here, Nor Ghai.”
She hesitated, looking from one to the other of us in bewilderment.
“Have no fear, little friend,” said I, gently. “Go and fetch Ko-Tua and Mai Mou to us. In that way alone can you possibly save them.”
She nodded brightly, smiling through her tears, and tripped away.
We watched the passage an hour; two hours. Then we began to fear that Nor Ghai had in some way been prevented from returning. But no; she appeared, finally, leading the governor’s girl wife and daughter by either hand, and then she explained that she had much trouble in inducing her friends to accept our protection.
To them the governor of Kwang-Kai-Nong was a mighty power, and they feared to defy his authority by seeking the protection of three boys who were foreigners and themselves fighting for their lives.
Indeed, when I came to consider the matter from this point of view, I was surprised that Nor Ghai had succeeded in winning them over.