ir captives had no longer strength
to attempt to break through its fastenings or to drag themselves many
yards away if they could do so. They therefore left it standing in the
open, and, wrapping themselves in their thickly wadded coats, for the
nights were cold, lay down by the side of the cage.

The coolness of the nights had, indeed, assisted to keep the two
prisoners alive. During the day the sun was excessively hot, and the
crowd of visitors round the cage impeded the circulation of the air and
added to their sufferings. It was true that the cold at night frequently
prevented them from sleeping, but it acted as a tonic and braced them
up.

"What did he mean about the villages attacking each other?" Percy asked.

"I have heard," Jack replied, "that in some parts of China things are
very much the same as they used to be in the highlands of Scotland.
There is no law or order. The different villages are like clans, and
wage war on each other. Sometimes the government sends a number of
troops, who put the thing down for a time, chop off a good many heads,
and then march away, and the whole work begins again as soon as their
backs are turned."

That night the uneasy slumber of the lads was disturbed by a sudden
firing; shouts and yells were heard, and the firing redoubled. "The
village is attacked," Jack said. "I noticed that, like some other places
we have come into lately, there is a strong earthen wall round it, with
gates. Well, there is one comfort--it does not make much difference to
us which side wins."

The guards at the first alarm leaped to their feet, caught up their
matchlocks, and ran to aid in the defense of the wall. Two minutes later
a man ran up to the cage.

"All lightee," he said; "just what me hopee."

With his knife he cut the tough withes that held the bamboos in their
places, and pulled out three of the bars.

"Come along," he said; "no time to lose."

Jack scrambled out, but in trying to stand upright gave a sharp
exclamation of pain. Percy crawled out more slowly; he tried to stand
up, but could not. The Chinaman caught him up and threw him on his
shoulder.

"Come along quickee," he said to Jack; "if takee village, kill evely
one." He set off at a run. Jack followed as fast as he could, groaning
at every step from the pain the movement caused to his bruised body.

They went to the side of the village opposite to that at which the
attack was going on. They met no one on the way, the