CHAPTER XX
ROB MAKES A STARTLING DISCOVERY
Finding Rob determined to go to Pekin, Jo yielded, though with manymisgivings, and at once began preparations for their dangerous journey.Thanks to the general terror inspired by the fall of the rain-god'shead, the lads were secure from interruption so long as they remainedin the temple. Having thought over his plan the evening before, Jo hadbrought with him from the city a number of things necessary to carryingit out. Among them were shears and a razor, with which he removedevery trace of hair from Rob's head, after the fashion of the lamas orpriests of Buddha. Then his whole body, from the crown of his head tothe soles of his feet, was tinted yellow with a dye that would have towear off, since it never could be washed away. He was further disguisedin priestly robes of yellow, and, worst of all, was finally obliged togive up his cherished boots in favor of sandals, which of all forms offoot-wear he most despised. For head-covering he was given a priest'shuge straw hat, as large as a small umbrella.
As neither of the lads was sufficiently expert in "making up" featuresto change Rob's wide-open eyes into oblique slits, he submitted tothe wearing of big, round, shell-rimmed, smoked-glass spectacles,found among the temple properties. Another thing there obtained was aninscribed iron tablet that had hung upon the breast of the rain-god,and to carry this to Pekin was to be the ostensible reason for theirjourney in that direction. Also the silence with which Rob was toconceal his ignorance of the northern dialect was to be explained asbeing imposed by a vow not to speak a word, even in prayer, until hehad safely deposited that holy tablet in the great Pekin temple of therain-god. The only bit of property formerly belonging to him that he wasallowed to retain was his revolver, which, together with a belt full ofcartridges, was concealed beneath his robe.
As their changed plan was to carry them in the very direction Jo hadannounced his intention of taking before leaving the city, he decidedto maintain his character as an officer of imperial troops, escortingthe priest, rather than to assume that of a servant, as he at firsthad proposed. Thus he would be able to ride horseback, carry weaponsin plain sight, and disburse money for many comforts that a priest'sservant could not obtain.
With these preparations completed, our lads waited impatiently fordarkness, and no sooner had it descended than they set forth, exercisinggreat caution in leaving the temple grove, but after that travelling asbriskly as Jo could walk. The latter insisted that Rob, being unused tosandals, should ride his pony, while he proceeded on foot until theycould beg, borrow, steal, or buy another.
They had gone but a few li, or Chinese miles, each of which equalsabout one-third of an English mile, when they heard the steady beat ofa horse's hoofs, accompanied by a grinding noise as of machinery. Afterlistening until he located the sound as coming from a field at one sideof the road, Jo crept softly in that direction. He quickly discovereda horse, attached to a long, wooden beam, travelling in a monotonouscircle, and thus lifting an endless chain of earthen jars full of waterfrom a deep well. Each, as it came to the surface, emptied itself intoan irrigating ditch, and then went down to be refilled. All this wassimple enough, and did not particularly interest Jo, for he had seenhundreds of just such irrigating plants in operation all over the greatplain. Heretofore, however, a prominent feature of the outfit had beenthe man or boy who, armed with a bamboo whip, had kept the horse awakeand at work; but here no human figure was to be distinguished. At thesame time, there was a sound of blows, delivered at regular intervals,each of which inspired the horse to fresh exertion. Finally, becomingconvinced that, in spite of the blows, there was no person in thevicinity, Jo went closer to determine their origin. At the machine hefound working a scheme so practical, simple, and ingenious as to arousehis admiration--a section of stiff but springy bamboo, and a stoutcord fixed on the beam to which the horse was attached. That was all.Three revolutions of the beam wound up the cord and sprung back thebamboo. At the beginning of the fourth revolution the cord suddenly wasslackened, and the liberated bamboo struck the horse a blow across thehind quarters. Nor did these blows always descend at the same point ofthe circle or at regular intervals, since their frequency depended uponthe speed of the horse, who, being blindfolded, was thus made to believethat he was at the mercy of some constantly alert though invisibleperson.
So impressed was Jo with the ingenuity of this contrivance that he wentback to persuade Rob to come and see it. The latter did so, thoughsomewhat unwillingly, not caring to waste time over Chinese inventionsjust then; but when he had approached close enough to the horse todiscern its markings, he exclaimed: "Hello! That's my pony! The very oneI was riding yesterday when the rain-dancers got after me. And here heis, being made to work all night by an infernal machine. I never heardof anything so disgusting. Here! whoa, you beast! You have done thetread-mill act long enough, and now we'll put you to a better service."
Thus it happened that the very ingenuity of this inventor of perpetualmotion, by which he gained a few hours of sleep, also caused him a heavyloss; for, had he been on hand, Jo would have bought the horse from himat his own price, while Rob would not have appeared on the scene at all.
As no saddle could be found near the tread-mill, Jo was forced to ridebareback until they reached a town where one could be purchased. Atthis same town they slept a few hours, during which their horses alsorested and were liberally fed on beans and chopped bamboo grass. Ouryoung travellers were again on the road by sunrise, and after this theypushed ahead with all speed for the greater part of a week, riding earlyand late, but taking long rests in the middle of each day.
Although as a priest and an officer of imperial troops they weresuffered to pass, without delay, many points at which any other classof travellers would have been detained for rigorous examination,they met with ever-increasing evidences of trouble as they advancednorthward. Everywhere they came across dead bodies, ruined buildings,and occasionally whole villages swept by fire. Everywhere people gazedon them with suspicion or fled at their coming. They heard of the greatBoxer army gathering near Pekin, and encountered numerous small bodiesof armed men hastening to swell its ranks. Also they came into constantcontact with prowling bands of starving peasantry. Several times, inorder to escape from the latter, our lads joined themselves to one oranother of the Boxer companies, and remained with it until the immediatedanger was passed. Then, on the plea of urgent haste, they would pushahead.
Finally, when thus travelling with a company who would have hacked themto bits had they discovered their identity, they crossed the Hu-Tho-ho(the river that goes where it pleases) and approached the walled cityof Cheng-Ting-Fu. In this city stands a Roman Catholic cathedral, builtof stone, and having a massive square tower that looms like a greatfortress above the low roofs of the surrounding temples and nativedwellings.
In this stronghold were many foreign refugees, priests, nuns, andBelgian engineers who had been engaged on the railway running south fromPekin; also several American missionaries who, wounded and plundered ofeverything, had gained this asylum barely in time to save their lives.
For more than a month the great gate of Cheng-Ting-Fu had been keptclosed to all companies of friends and foes alike, only a littlewicket being occasionally opened for the passage in or out of one ortwo persons at a time. In addition to this precaution, which was takenby the Chinese authorities of the city, the foreign refugees insidethe cathedral were compelled to remain hidden behind its stout doorsfor fear lest their appearance on the streets should excite the localpopulation to acts of violence. On the sandy plain beyond the citywall was a large and ever-changing encampment of Boxers thirsting forforeign blood, undisciplined soldiers, highwaymen, and outlaws of everydescription.
Upon reaching Cheng-Ting-Fu our lads, wearied by a day of continuousriding, felt that they could go no farther that night. In fact, therewas no place for them to go to nearer than the city of Pao-Ting-Fu,a long day's journey away, so bare had this section of country beenswept of inhabitants. At the same time, they regarded with dismay t
heprospect of spending a night amid the horrors and dangers of the lawlessoutside camp, where robbery and murder were committed unchecked andunpunished at all hours of day and night.
"We must try to get inside the wall," said Jo, in a low tone, "for if westay out here it is pretty certain that neither of us will live to seeanother sunrise."
With this they turned their jaded ponies towards the city gate and rodeto it, followed at a short distance by a small crowd of pig-tailedcut-throats, who only awaited a favorable opportunity for making a rushupon them. So desperately hungry were these wretches that they joyfullywould have killed even a priest and an imperial officer for sake of themeagre food-supply represented by the animals they rode.
At the gate Jo's demand for admittance was at first received with stoutrefusal by a guard who gazed carelessly at the travellers from behinda small, heavily barred opening. Fortunately, Jo still had money withhim, and a handful of silver, temptingly displayed, finally unclosedthe coveted entrance. As the wicket opened, the starving rabble, seeingtheir prey about to escape them, made their threatened rush; but Jo,leaping to the ground and calling on Rob to get the horses through thegate, held them at bay with his revolver. Only one minute was necessary,for the ponies, as though aware of their danger, scrambled through thenarrow wicket like cats. Rob followed close at their heels; Jo, firingone shot over the heads of the crowd for effect, sprang after him, andthe gate was slammed shut, not again to be opened that night.
Even now the officer of the guard, who had yielded to a silverinfluence, dared not give the strangers the freedom of the city; but,under threat of again being thrust outside, compelled their promise tospend the night in a temple to which he would conduct them, withoutattempting to leave it before morning. Also, they must not holdcommunication with a soul outside the temple walls, and they must departfrom the city at sunrise.
When Jo had given this promise in words, and Rob had assented to it bynodding his priestly head, they were conducted to the temple selected astheir lodging under an escort of soldiers detailed to act as their guardduring the night. On their way the travellers, thus cautiously welcomed,gazed curiously about them at the sights of the beleaguered city, andespecially at the grim walls of the great cathedral uplifted above itshouses. Especially was Rob affected by this ecclesiastical fortress,which at that very moment was giving safe shelter to persons of his ownrace.
As they passed it he stared hard at a row of narrow windows, with thehope of seeing an American face, but none presented itself until thelast window was reached. In it was dimly outlined the form of a womanwho turned upon the passers-by a face expressive of hopeless weariness.She gave them one listless glance and then stepped from sight, but thatfleeting view caused Rob Hinckley to utter a choking exclamation and toreel in his saddle until only a supreme effort saved him from falling.He had seen his mother.