icate that they had been seen, and they sprinted along
over the rough cobbles for all they were worth. There was a large and
very handsome building at the end of this road, and they determined to
make for it, since a structure of that size would surely afford greater
facilities for concealment than a smaller house.

From its extent, which became more apparent as they drew nearer,
Frobisher conjectured that it was probably the ruins of some ancient
mandarin's palace, or possibly the summer palace of one of the petty
kings of China who ruled in the far-off days when the place was built;
for he could see at a glance that the city had been abandoned for
centuries, and that the buildings themselves were doubtless fairly
ancient at the time of the abandonment.

So absorbed were both men on the goal they had set themselves that they
dashed past the ends of sundry streets without even glancing down them,
and so failed to realise that they were still in considerable danger
until they heard a series of yells proceeding from one of them. The
enemy had divided forces, and one of these had passed ahead and,
searching the side streets, had seen the Englishmen run past. The
clatter of horses' hoofs told Drake and Frobisher that their pursuers
were close behind, and it did not seem possible now to get clear away.
Without consultation, they at once determined to sell their lives as
dearly as possible, and looked round them for some favourable place
where they might make a last stand. Then, with a muttered exclamation,
Frobisher seized Drake's arm and dragged him into a narrow passage
between two houses, just as the pirates swept into the street. The
passage was in deep shadow, and with one accord both men threw
themselves down at full length, hoping that they would not be seen, and
that the pirates would pass on, imagining their quarry still in front of
them.

And, luckily, this was just what happened. The pirates never thought of
examining the narrow passage--perhaps they never even saw it. At any
rate they dashed past and turned down another street, which they
evidently considered to be the road the fugitives had taken. The
instant they were out of sight Drake and his companion rose to their
feet and continued their run toward the palace, only a few hundred yards
away now. But they were not yet at the end of their troubles.

The horsemen, as soon as they had turned down the side street alluded
to, had seen that the fugiti