Emerging into the sunlight Phil at first could see nothing, but the jailer, taking each by a hand, led them staggeringly across the sandy courtyard. Then suddenly, pushing on their shoulders, the jailer forced the midshipmen on their knees before two mandarins.
Phil raised his eyes and saw the kindly face of the Tartar general, while from the lips of the other, a stranger, came in perfect English as he raised the almost fainting lads to their feet:
“Come with us; we are your friends.”
Jubilantly they followed the Tartar general’s military figure, and soon found themselves within a large room where a small table was set, and the tempting odor of food struck pleasantly upon their hungry senses.
“WE ARE YOUR FRIENDS”
The lads were told to be seated, the mandarins taking chairs opposite each.
Phil was fairly bursting with suppressed excitement. Were they to be liberated?
CHAPTER XI
FRIENDS IN NEED
The midshipmen saw that something had occurred to bring about this change in the behavior of the mandarins, but for their lives they could not guess its import or the effect it would have upon their condition. Both lads had come to understand something of Chinese perfidy, and determined to school themselves to bear any disappointment.