d that's what they want."

"But they're quiet enough," I said, growing nervous all the while.

"Yes, they're quiet enough now," whispered Barkins; "but you look at
that big fellow with the yellow belt, he keeps on making faces at us."

"Let him; that will not hurt us."

"I know that, little stupid," he cried, "but what follows may. Look at
him now."

I looked up quickly, and saw the man turn away from looking at us, and
say something to his fierce-looking companions, who glanced towards us
and laughed.

"There," said Barkins, "I'm not going to be laughed at by those jolly
old pigtailed heathens. Here, Ching, old chap, we want to go."

As he spoke he gave our guide a sharp nudge, which made him turn round
and stare.

"Ti--ope--I--ow!"

"Do you hear? We want to go!"

"Ti--ope--I--ow!" howled Ching, beginning again.

"Yes, we want to go," I said anxiously.

"Ti--ope--I--ow!" he howled again, but as he gave forth his peculiar
sounds he suddenly struck--purposely--a false, jarring note, lowered the
instrument, seized one of the pegs as if in a passion, and began talking
to me in a low, earnest voice, to the accompaniment of the string he
tuned.

"Ching see now,"--_peng_, _peng_, _peng_--"bad men with
swords,"--_pang_, _peng_--"look velly closs,"--_pang_, _pong_--"wantee
fightee,"--_pang_, _pang_--"you no wantee fightee,"--_pung_, _pung_.

"No," I whispered anxiously; "let's go at once."

"No takee notice,"--_pang_, _peng_, _peng_. "All flee, walkee walkee
round one sidee house,"--_pang_, _pong_--"Ching go long other
sidee,"--_peng_, _peng_. "No make, hully--walkee velly slow over lit'
blidge,"--_ping_, _ping_, _ping_, _ping_, _pang_, _pang_.

The little bridge was just behind us, and I grasped all he said--that we
were to go slowly over the bridge and walk round the back of the house,
while he would go round the front and meet us on the other side.

_Bang_, _jangle_, _pang_, _pang_, _ping_, _ping_, _peng_, _peng_, went
the instrument, as Ching strummed away with all his might.

"Wait, Ching come show way," he whispered. And as I saw that the
mandarin's men were coming nearer and evidently meant mischief, Ching
raised his instrument again, and, after a preliminary flourish, began
once more, to the delight of the crowd. My messmates and I slowly left
our places and walked round the summer-house towards the little bridge
over one of the gold-fish tanks, moving as deliberately as we could,
while Chi