slowly. An Ching suggested, when they arrived at a
quiet, open part of the road, that the children should walk to lighten
the cart, and they were very glad to be out in the fresh morning air;
even An Ching got out when they came to a slight incline, but Hung Li
took care to make the children climb in again whenever he saw a human
being approach.

Now that Yung Ching was well behind them, Hung Li decided not to urge
the mule too much, in case it died before he was able to return it to
the man from whom he had hired it in Peking; so that morning passed
pleasantly enough. The children gathered flowers by the wayside, and the
sunshine made Nelly hopeful. It was a delight to be in the country, with
all so fresh and cool after the rain. At mid-day they passed through a
dirty village, where they bought some eggs and bread. When they were
well outside the village they cooked the eggs and took a meal, after
which the mule was unharnessed and fed, greatly to his surprise, and the
children had a sleep in the cart, while Hung Li and An Ching reposed on
some straw close by.

That afternoon they passed a funny little hut with a red dog painted on
the door, which Nelly remembered to have seen on the journey from
Peking. She wondered if they would go to any of the same inns they had
stayed at before, but Hung Li carefully avoided them, and took a
different road as often as possible.

When they put up at the inn that night the children were again carried,
with the same explanations, although the ground was not very wet this
time.

'To-morrow we shall be in Peking,' said Nelly delightedly.

'No,' replied An Ching. 'We have come very slowly; we shall be three
nights on the road this time.'

Nelly was disappointed, but made the best of it. She slept badly that
night, and had a headache the next morning.

An Ching was away a long time getting the breakfast, and when she
returned with her hands full she was very excited.

'One of the placards offering the reward for you two has just been stuck
on the wall of this inn,' she exclaimed. 'Hung Li is in a great rage. He
says he must be off at once. He intends to get another mule and hurry
off to Peking.'

'So he is not going to take us to some other place? I am so glad,' said
Nelly.

'No, he seems to have changed his mind. I am to get a small coat for
Little Yi, and she is to pretend to be a boy.'

'Why me?' exclaimed Little Yi. 'My ears are pierced. I could not be a
boy, and I wo