The keys were quickly brought from where Ta-Ling had seen them thrown by the midshipmen, and soon he was free.
“Meet me at the yamen gate,” he ordered huskily, kicking a kneeling figure savagely to punctuate his words; and then he hastened to his quarters to replace the clothes of which his former captives had deprived him.
Upon the threshold of his room he encountered the frail figure of the aged mandarin, his features stamped with fear.
“You traitor,” he cried in a weak trembling voice, as he caught sight of the disheveled Ta-Ling; “so this is the end of your vain boasting. The foreign dogs are coming to destroy me.”
The secretary used all of his powers of persuasion to reassure his master. He told the viceroy hurriedly of the escape of the Americans and the loss of the chart, but protested that there was no immediate danger from the guns of the fleet.
Leading the trembling old man back to his own room, he called loudly for the treasurer, appreciating that in order to make true his words to his master not a second must be wasted.
Receiving no answer to his call, he retraced his steps to his room, and there he was not surprised to find the bound body of his friend in the dark corner where Phil had thrown him.
After setting the man free, he gave him hasty instructions and sent him to keep the viceroy company, while he feverishly threw on the garments of a mandarin before joining his awaiting soldiers. Hastily writing an order he took it to the viceroy for signature, then calling a waiting messenger he directed it be taken at once to the Tartar general at the forts.
Ten minutes later Ta-Ling, preceded by his guards, pressed through the frightened throngs of Chinese in the narrow street outside of the yamen. The gun fire had now ceased and the terrified natives were slowly slinking back to their hovels.
Passing unhindered through the city gate, the secretary led the way directly to the jetty. Here he was to have met his ally, Commander Ignacio, earlier in the evening, but much to his surprise and satisfaction, as he reached the landing, he saw a steam launch waiting.