tle homeless creatures were always found.

Gordon writes: "I saved one small creature who had fallen into the
ditch in trying to escape, for which he rewarded me by destroying my
coat with his muddy paws in clinging to me."

In December 1862 Gordon, for his good service in China, was raised to
the rank of major.

Very soon afterwards the Chinese Government asked the English
Government to give them an English officer to lead the Chinese army
that was to fight with, and to conquer, the Tae-Ping rebels.

Already the Chinese soldiers had been commanded by men who spoke
English. One of these, an American adventurer, named Burgevine, was
ready to dare anything for power and money.

To his leadership flocked scoundrels of every nation, hoping to enrich
themselves by plundering the rebels.

Before long, Governor Li Hung Chang found that Burgevine was not to be
trusted, and the command was taken from him.

It was then that the Chinese Government asked England to give them a
leader for their untrained army of Chinese and of adventurers gathered
from all lands. This collection of rag, tag, and bobtail had been
named, to encourage it, and before it had done anything to deserve the
name, the "Chun Chen Chuen," or the Ever-Victorious Army.

But "The Almost Always Beaten Army" would have been a much truer name
for it, and the victorious Tae-Pings scornfully laughed at it.

The English general in China had no doubt who was the best man for the
post.

He named Major Charles Gordon, and on 25th March 1863 Gordon took
command, and was given the title of Mandarin by the Chinese.

He knew that the idea of serving under any other monarch than his own
Queen would be a sorrow to his father. He wrote home begging his
father and mother not to be vexed, and telling them how deeply he had
thought before he accepted the command.

By taking the command, he said, he believed he could help to put an end
to the sufferings of the poor people of China. Were he not to have
taken it, he feared that the rebels might go on for years spreading
misery over the land. "I keep your likeness before me," wrote this
young Major who had been trusted with so great a thing to do, to the
mother whom he loved so much. "I can assure you and my father I will
not be rash. . . . I really do think I am doing a good service in
putting down this rebellion."

"I hope you do not think that I have got a magnificent army," he wrote
to a soldier friend. "You