er in command, on seeing this, sent a considerable
body of men out of the west gate, and pursued them for some distance,
giving them a lesson it was not likely they would wish to have repeated.
The Chinese soldiers cut off the heads of those they took. The English
sailors contented themselves with depriving the fugitives of their
pig-tails, generally giving them a probe in the back before they applied
the final stroke. The whole ground for some distance was strewn with
the dead, while under the walls they lay still more thickly, proving the
desperation with which they fought, and the hot fire poured down upon
them. Captain Rogers with his men remained on shore until it was
ascertained that the rebels had retreated to Pow-shun, twenty miles off,
and there appeared no probability of their returning. Information was
received, however, that they were plundering the provinces in every
direction, murdering the inhabitants, and committing every possible
species of cruelty. An English regiment also arrived from Hong-kong to
reinforce the garrison, when there was no longer the slightest fear that
the rebels would succeed in taking the place.

Captain Rogers and his men had just returned on board the _Empress_,
when a man-of-war was seen standing in for the anchorage. She made the
signal _Orion_.

"Why, that's the ship to which your uncle Adair is said to be
appointed," observed Archie to Gerald.

"I hope he has got her. I shall be very glad to see him, for a better
fellow does not exist, and I shall then know all about the mysterious
matter for which I was to go home," said Gerald.

The _Orion_ brought up a short distance from the _Empress_. In less
than half an hour a boat put off from her.

"There's no doubt about it; that's my uncle Adair," said Gerald, who was
watching through his glass. "He's coming on board, so I feel like a
young lady who is going to have a proposal made to her. I only hope now
he has come out he won't insist on sending me home."

In a short time Captain Adair stepped up the side. Having been received
with due honour, he was heartily welcomed by Captain Rogers, whom he
accompanied, after he had shaken hands with his nephew, into the cabin.

"I'm not much wiser than I was before," observed Gerald; "but I suppose
he will send for me soon."

Gerald, however, had to endure his suspense some time longer. Tom had
faithfully kept the secret with which he was entrusted, so that Gerald
had onl