ason
we had not seen him before was that he had gone away trying to open
communications with our friends, and that he had made arrangements that
no harm should befall us in his absence.

"It didn't look much like it, though, half-an-hour ago!" said I, on
Ned's translating this to me, his knowledge of Chinese, originally
pretty good, having increased considerably during our long detention
amongst our criminal companions of the prison. "That ugly beggar next
me seemed just about to slice off your head like a carrot when he turned
up."

"Better late than never, old chap," said Ned, with a grin. "He mightn't
have turned up at all!"

The next moment, we passed a couple of men of the Royals who were doing
out-post duty; and, ere we could realise the fact almost, we were
amongst friends and comrades once more!

This was on the 10th October, on which day Sir Hope Grant sent a demand
to the Chinese authorities that unless the Anting gate was surrendered
by the 13th, or in three days' time, the city would be bombarded.

The morning of the 13th came, but the Chinese were still unyielding; so,
the guns in front of the fortifications were sponged out and run back
ready for loading, with the gunners standing by awaiting the order to
fire.

Every heart beat high with expectation, and it looked as if we were
going to have a last fight of it; when, just on the minute of the hour
fixed for the ultimatum to expire, the gates were thrown open and the
defences of the city surrendered to the English army.

Another minute, and the Union Jack was floating over the walls of Pekin.

The rest is a matter of history.

CHAPTER THIRTY THREE.

AT HONG KONG AGAIN!

"Hullo, Bamboo Jack!" cried Larkyns, as I came up the side of our old
ship again after a tedious voyage down the Peiho in one of the gunboats,
accompanied by Ned Anstruther, my comrade not merely in arms but in
captivity. "Chin, chin, my hearty, I'm delighted to see you and Ned
safe and sound, after all your wanderings and wonderful adventures,
which a little bird, not caged, though, has told us of! Come below,
now, to the gunroom, old chap, and have `one piecee chow chow,' and spin
us a yarn about it all yourself. It seems like old times seeing your
ugly old phiz once more, by Jove!"

All the other fellows, too, appeared quite as pleased to see us both
back, except that surly brute Andrews, who looked as if he wished the
Chinese had made puppy pies of Ned and mysel