bull-dog in fancee shop, and plenty cahtlidge. Walkee
fast."

We were walking backwards as fast as we could, and the danger increased.
In place of running right across now from shelter to shelter, the big
swordsmen stopped from time to time on their way to flourish their
weapons, yell, indulge in a kind of war-dance, and shout out words we
did not understand.

"What do they say, Ching?" asked Smith.

"Say chop all in lit' small piece dilectly."

"Look here," cried Barkins, as the demonstrations increased, and the
wretches now began to gather on each side of the street as if
threatening a rush, "let's stop and have a shot at 'em."

"No, no," cried Ching, "won't go off blang."

"Never mind, we'll pretend it will. Halt!"

We stopped, so did our enemies, and, in imitation of the big gun
practice on board ship, Barkins shouted out order after order, ending
with, Fire!

Smith held the flaming fusees now, and at the word struck one with a
loud crackle, just as we were beginning to doubt the efficacy of our
ruse, for the enemy were watching us keenly; and, though some of them
moved uneasily and threatened to run for shelter, the greater part stood
firm.

But at the loud crackle and flash of the fusee, and Smith's gesture to
lay it close to the eye-piece, they turned and fled yelling once more
into the houses on either side, from which now came an addition to the
noise, in the shrill howls and shrieks of women, who were evidently
resenting the invasion of all these men.

"Now, walkee far," cried Ching. "No good no mo'. Allee fun lun out.
No be big fool any longer."

We felt that he was right, and retreated as fast as we could, but still
backward, mine being the duty to keep the mouth of our sham cannon to
bear upon them as well as the blundering backward through the mudholes
of the dirty street would allow.

That street seemed to be endless to us in our excitement, and the
feeling that our guide must be taking us wrong began to grow upon me,
for I made no allowances for the long distance we had gone over in the
morning, while now it grew more and more plain, by the actions of our
pursuers, that they were to be cheated no more. The dummy had done its
duty, and I felt that I might just as well throw it away and leave
myself free, as expect the glass to scare the enemy away again.

"We shall have to make a rush for it," said Barkins at last; "but it is
hard now we have got so near to safety. Shall I try the