Part 26 (1/2)
”I ought to,” was the reply. ”I have just come back from New York. I owned a laundry there for a good many years.”
”And have returned to China to live in peace and comfort?”
”I don't know about the peace,” replied the Chinaman, with a sigh.
”You think there will be a war?”
The Chinaman nodded.
”The coming revolt,” he declared, ”was conceived more than two hundred years ago. For fifty years organization has been going on. For six years the revolutionists have been working as a whole.”
”And they are strong?” asked Ned.
”Wherever in the world Chinamen live, in New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Boston, London, Berlin, St. Petersburg, anywhere, everywhere, there are funds being collected for the coming civil war.”
Ned wanted to ask the loquacious old fellow what his private ideas about the justice of the struggle were, but he decided not to do so. He thought he might find out in another way.
”And the revolutionists will win?” he asked.
”G.o.d forbid!” was the reply, and the boy had the answer he thought he would receive.
Still, he was not satisfied that the old fellow was telling the exact truth regarding his sentiments. It was the revolutionists he had to battle with, and not the federalists. This retired laundryman might know that!
”Anyway,” the boy thought, ”the fellow seems desirous of keeping me here as long as possible. This, of course, may be because of a desire for the companions.h.i.+p of one of the race he has lived with so long, but I do not think so.”
Pretending to be deeply interested in what the Chinaman was saying, he excused himself for a moment and beckoned to Jimmie.
”Lead your motorcycle noiselessly up that rise of ground,” he directed, ”and when you get there keep your eyes wide open.”
”What for?” demanded the boy.
”For whatever comes in sight,” replied Ned. ”Keep the line of vision from this house to whatever may be beyond unimpaired if it is possible to do so. If you observe anything unusual, report to me.”
”All righto!” cried the boy.
Ned saw Jimmie making a noiseless progress up the little hill and turned back to the man at the gate. Instantly the latter offered refreshments, for the entire party, and seemed disappointed when the offer was declined.
”You're going to Peking on business?” the Chinaman finally asked.
”Yes,” was the short answer.
”Why do you ride in the night?”
”Because we must get there in the morning.”
”But there is another day.”
”Always there is another day in the Far East,” Ned smiled, ”but we of the West count only on what we can do before that other day arrives.”
The two talked on for half an hour, while the marines muttered complaints and Frank and Jack rolled themselves in blankets and tried to pay a visit to Dreamland. The previous night had been a hard one, and they felt the need of more rest than they had been able to get during the afternoon.
After a time Ned became anxious. He had sent Jimmie on ahead with the notion that something was going to happen there within a short time.