ed one of the
queer-looking flat-bottomed river-boats and were pulled up the rapids
to Go ko-khi. Every village in Formosa had its headman, who is virtually
the ruler of the place. When the boat landed, many of the villagers were
at the shore to meet their visitors and took them at once to their
mayor's house, the best building in the village. Tan Paugh, a fine, big,
powerfully-built man, received them cordially. He frankly declared
that he was tired and sick of idols and wanted to hear more of this new
religion. An empty granary was obtained for both church and home, and
the missionary and his assistant took up their quarters there, and for
several months they remained, preaching and teaching the Bible either in
Go-ho-khi, or in the lovely surrounding valleys.

CHAPTER VI. THE GREAT KAI BOK-SU

The missionary was now becoming a familiar figure both in Tamsui and in
the surrounding country. By many he was loved, by all he was respected,
but by a large number he was bitterly hated. The scholars continued
his worst enemies. They could never forgive him for beating them so
completely in argument, in the days when A Hoa was striving for the
light, and their hatred increased as they saw other scholars becoming
Christians under his teaching. There was something about him, however,
that compelled their respect and even their admiration. Wherever they
met him--on the street, by their temples, or on the country roads--he
bore himself in such a way as to make them confess that he was their
superior both in ability and knowledge.

These Chinese literati had a custom which Mackay found very interesting.
One proud scholar marching down the street and scarcely noticing the
obsequious bows of his inferiors, would meet another equally proud
scholar. Each would salute the other in an exceedingly grand manner, and
then one would spin off a quotation from the writings of Confucius or
some other Chinese sage and say, "Now tell me where that is found."
And scholar number two had to ransack his brains to remember where the
saying was found, or else confess himself beaten. Mackay thought it
might be a good habit for the graduates of his own alma mater across the
wide sea to adopt. He wondered what some of his old college chums would
think, if, when he got back to Canada, he should buttonhole one on the
street some day, recite a quotation from Shakespeare or Macaulay, and
demand from his friend where it could be found. He had a suspici