ds, to have a look at the three friends. Then he noticed that
Charlie had no pigtail, and immediately shouted jeering remarks at him.

Ping Wang told the Pages what the man had said, and they agreed that it
would be unwise for Charlie to enter Kwang-ngan as he was.

'I will leave you outside the city,' Ping Wang said, 'and come back to
you as soon as I have bought a new queue.'

'But suppose somebody speaks to us?'

They were wondering what would be best, when Fred seized Ping Wang by
the arm, and pointed to a spot some two hundred yards away from them.

'Are they human heads?' he gasped.

'They are,' Ping Wang answered gravely, and when they had gone a little
nearer, all three could see clearly the heads of six Chinamen hanging by
their pigtails from six tall canes.

'I have an idea,' Fred said. 'I do not like the notion, but we are in a
difficulty, and as we _must_ have another pigtail, I think we need not
have any scruples about cutting off one of these.'

'I don't like it,' said Charlie.

'But it will be a great pity, and it may be dangerous too, if we miss
this opportunity,' Ping Wang declared. 'By taking one of these pigtails
we shall lessen the risk of being found out.'

'Very well, then,' Charlie said, 'I will wear the pigtail. Let us get it
and be off as soon as possible.'

'We must not try to get it until after dark,' Ping Wang replied. 'We
must hide until then.'

(_Continued on page 342._)

[Illustration: "Ping Wang seized his own pigtail with his mouth."]

[Illustration: "'I will add this too, lady,' said the pedlar."]

THE HIDDEN ROOM.

(_Concluded from page 331._)

It was scarce seven o'clock, and Aunt Deborah was busy in the dairy,
when a clatter of hoofs was heard in the court-yard, and, looking out,
she saw half-a-dozen troopers sitting stern and straight on their
horses, while their leader handed a note to Joan, which was speedily
brought to her. It was from her brother, telling her to give the men
board and lodging and to aid them in every way in their search for Sir
Denzil. 'There is a rumour,' he wrote, 'that he is hidden about the
Court, which is absurd.' (How had he forgotten the secret chamber? This
question puzzled Millicent in after years, but it was never answered.)

Aunt Deborah went to give orders for the men's comfort, sending little
Marjorie to call Millicent down to help; but the child came back with a
grave face and the unlooked-for news that Millicent was so