ss him with the fact that I am
not, Mr. Moore--please do that!"

She hastened around the forward cabin, out of sight.

The Mongolian was regarding Peter with a cool, complacent smile. His
expression was smug, uninjured.

"Looka here, Chink-a-link," Peter advised him, "my no savvy you; you no
savvy my. My see you allatime. Allatime. You savvy, Chink-a-link?"

"I comprehend you, my friend," replied the Mongolian in polished
accents. "In my case, 'pidgin' is not, let me hasten to say,
necessary."

"Very good, Chink; the next time you so much as glance in Miss Vost's
direction, you're going to walk away with a pair of the dam'dest black
eyes in China! Get that--you yellow weasel?"

"Unfortunately," replied the Mongolian, lifting his fine, black
eyebrows only a trifle, "your suggestion--your admonitions--are again,
most inappropriate. Miss Vost--do I pronounce it correctly? Miss Vost
and yourself are the victims of a misunderstanding."

"Take off your coat, and prove I'm wrong!" shouted Peter. "I'm a
better man than you are! Swallow it or--fight!"

Peter's gray tweed coat flopped in a heap upon the ironwood deck.

The Mongolian retired a few feet, with indications of anxiety.

"I--I did not intend to offend her," he retracted. His ropy throat
muscles seemed to convulse. His long face flamed hotly red. He burst
out, as though unable to control himself: "My savvy allatime you no
savvy! _Ni buh yao t[=i] na go hwa! Djan go chue, rang o dzou!_"

"_Lao-shu_," laughed Peter. "_Dang hsin!_"

CHAPTER XV

They came to Ichang next noon. Peter was on deck watching the somewhat
hazardous procedure of transferring large grass-bound cases of tools
from a tidewater steamer to the stern of the flat when he saw the
Mongolian emerge from the companionway and walk to the rail, forward.
Peter gave him a full stare, but the man did not glance in his
direction. He was looking down at the muddy river, and beckoning.

Peter observed a sampan coolie give an answering wave, and the sampan
sidled alongside the flat.

The Mongolian returned a few minutes before the _Hankow_ hauled in her
anchor. He retired to his stateroom and stayed there until late
afternoon.

The river above Ichang was swifter, more dangerous, than in its lower
course. Except for the junks and an occasional sampan, the _Hankow_
had the stream to herself. The yellow waters were tinged with red,
dancing and sparkling to a fresh breeze und