ng's voice rang out, "Ti--ope--I--ow!" as if nothing were the
matter.

The little crowd was between us and the mandarin's retainers, but it was
hard work to appear cool and unconcerned. Above all, it took almost a
superhuman effort to keep from looking back.

Smith could not resist the desire, and gave a sharp glance round.

"They're coming after us," he whispered. "We shall have to cut and
run."

"No, no," said Barkins hoarsely. "They'd overtake us directly. They'd
come down like a pack of wolves. We must be cool, lads, and be ready to
turn and draw at the last. The beggars are awful cowards after all."

We went on over the bridge, and, in spite of my dread, I made believe to
look down at the gold-fish, pointing below at them, but seizing the
opportunity to look out for danger.

It was a quick glance, and it showed me that the crowd from the
eating-house were taking no notice of us, but listening to Ching, who
had left his seat, and, singing with all his might, was walking along
one of the paths towards the front of the low building, while we were
slowly making for the back, with the result of crowding the mandarin's
men back a little, for the whole of the company moved with our guide,
carefully making room for him to play, and thus unconsciously they
hampered the movements of our enemies.

The distance was not great, of course--fifty yards altogether, perhaps,
along winding and doubling walks, for the Chinese are ingenious over
making the most of a small garden, but it was long enough to keep us in
an intense state of excitement, as from time to time we caught sight of
the men following us.

Then we saw that they had stopped to watch which way we went, and
directly after we knew that they were only waiting for us to be behind
the house to go back and hurry round and meet us.

At last we had passed to the end of the maze-like walk, and were
sheltered by the house from the little crowd and our enemies, with the
result that all felt relieved.

"I say," said Smith, "isn't this only a scare?"

"Don't know," said Barkins. "P'raps so; but I shan't be sorry to get on
board again. They think nothing of cutting a fellow to pieces."

"Let's make haste, then," I said; and, nothing loth, the others hurried
on past the back of the house, where the kitchen seemed to be, and
plenty of servants were hurrying to and fro, too busy to take any heed
of us. Then we turned the corner, and found that we were opposite t