have heard of you and your work in the north, Pastor Mackay,"
said his host, smiling, "and our people want to hear of this new
Jehovah-religion too."

The cook-missionary had evidently spread wonderful reports of Kai
Bok-su and his gospel and so prepared the way. He was preaching just
then in a place called Ka-le-oan, farther inland. When the officer
learned that Dr. Mackay wanted to visit him he turned to his servant
with a most surprising order. It was to saddle his pony and bring him
for Kai Bok-su to ride to Ka-le-oan.

The pony came, sleek and plump and with a string of jingling bells
adorning him. A pony was a wonderful sight in Formosa, and Dr. Mackay
had not used any sort of animal in his work since that disastrous day
when he had tried in vain to ride the stubborn Lu-a. But now he gladly
mounted the sedate little steed and trotted away along the narrow
pathway between the rice-fields toward Ka-le-oan.

Darkness had almost descended when he rode into the village and stopped
before a small grass-covered bamboo dwelling where the cook-preacher
lived. For years the people here had looked for Kai Bok-su's coming, for
years they had talked of this great event, and for years their preacher
had been writing and saying as he received his reply from the eager
missionary in Tamsui, "He may come soon."

And now he was really here! The sound of his horse's bells had scarcely
stopped before the preacher's house, when the news began to spread
like fire through the village. The preacher, who had worked so hard
and waited so long, wept for joy, and before he could make Dr. Mackay
welcome in a proper manner the room was filled with men, all wildly
eager for a sight of the great Kai Bok-su, while outside a crowd
gathered about the door striving to get even a glimpse of him. The
ex-cook of Oxford College had preached so faithfully that many were
already converted to Christianity, many more knew a good deal of the
gospel, and crowds were ready to throw away their idols. They were
weary of their heathen rites and superstitions. They were longing for
something better, they scarcely knew what. "But the mandarin will not
let them become Christians," said the preacher anxiously. "It is he who
is keeping them from decision. He has said that they must continue in
idolatry, as a token of loyalty to China."

"Are you sure that is true?" cried Dr. Mackay.

The converts nodded. They had "heard" it said at least.

But Kai Bok-su was no