reached into their pockets and handed over their last
sapeck to the priest, then in silence left, firmly resolved to attempt
the journey to the Goldland.

CHAPTER V.

In the City.

Lohe attached himself to the party of fish carriers, because he did not
wish them to get away before binding themselves to go to the gold
fields. A two hours' walk diagonally across the island brought them to
a high point of land above the city of Hongkong. Below them the white
houses shimmered in the moonlight, stretching row after row like steps
down to the harbor, and out on the glistening sea many large vessels
lay at anchor. The carriers put down their burden to rest for a time
before descending into the streets of the city.

"The barbarians of the West are a capable people after their fashion,"
said Lohe. "See what a great city they have built here where a few
years ago there were only a half dozen or more bamboo huts. And, too,
each day their power increases. Over there another great building with
towers reaching to the very sky is going up. What can it be?"

"One of their pagodas," answered Lihoa, "and down there is the school
in which one of my nephews is being instructed in the learning of the
West. The white-faced women with the long veils brought him up because
my sister exposed him when a baby. They found and cared for him in the
great white house where a light burns in the window; there they bring
up the children which our women are not able to care for. Let us go
down and see what is going on at this time of the night."

Lohe and Lihoa went down to the long low orphanage in which the Sisters
of Mercy care for a hundred or more foundlings. The shutters were
drawn, but they found a tiny hole through which they could peep. In
the dormitory they saw four rows of small white beds, all spread with
beautiful white linen, and in each little bed lay a child. The most of
them were asleep, but a few were crying and fretting--for Chinese
babies have quite as many troubles as American children. Some of the
nuns were walking up and down between the rows of beds, lovingly
tucking up the fretful little beings, giving the bottle to some, and
rocking others with the utmost patience. Hardly did they quiet one
before another began to whimper, and so it went on. Shaking their
heads the two Chinamen slipped away. They had seen for themselves the
love and patience with which the Sisters care for these poor deserted
infan