three guns, and
hoist the Chinese flag at both the fore and main peaks.

This signal was, so Kwang condescended to say, to inform His
Illustriousness the Ever-Merciful Viceroy that he, Kwang, his crawling
dependent, guided by Carpenter's high intelligence, and supreme and
honoured skill as a navigator, had achieved the object which His
Illustriousness desired.

The captain listened to all this "flam," bowed his acknowledgments, and
then suddenly asked the mandarin the prisoner's name.

Again the fat, complacent face darkened, and almost scowled. "No," he
replied sullenly, he himself "was not permitted" to know the prisoner's
name. His crime? He did not know. When was he to be tried? To-morrow.
Then he rose and abruptly requested the captain to ask no more
questions. But, he added, with a smile, he could promise him that he
should at least see the captive again.

In a few minutes a boat came off, and the prisoner, closely guarded, and
with his face covered with a piece of cloth, was hurried ashore.

* * * * *

Four days had passed--days of heat so intense that even the Chinese crew
of the steamer lay about the decks under the awning, stripped to their
waists, and fanning themselves languidly. During this time the captain
and his officers, by careful inquiries, ascertained that the unfortunate
prisoner was a brother of one of the Wangs, or seven "Heavenly Kings,"
who had led the Taeping forces, and that for a long time past the
Viceroy had made most strenuous efforts to effect his capture, being
particularly exasperated with him, not only for his courage in the
field, and the influence he had wielded over the unfortunate Taepings,
who were wiped out by Gordon and the Ever-Victorious Army, but also
because he refused to accept Li Hung Chang's sworn word to spare his
life if he surrendered; for well he knew that a death by torture awaited
him. Gordon himself, it was said, revolver in hand, and with tears of
rage streaming down his face, had sought to find and shoot the Viceroy
for the cruel murder of other leaders who had surrendered to him under
the solemn promise of their lives being spared.

Late in the afternoon, a messenger came on board with a note to the
captain. It was from the mandarin Kwang, and contained but a line.
"Follow the bearer, who will guide you to the prisoner."

An hour later Carpenter was conducted through a narrow door which was
set in a very high wall of grea