CHAPTER XIX
A Fight to a Finish
'Monsieur, I see men coming across the plain, and they are hurrying,'said Alphonse, one early morning, bursting unceremoniously into the hugeapartment which the diggers had discovered in the ruins, and which fornearly a month now had served as quarters for the Professor's party.Indeed, thanks no doubt to the preservative nature of the material whichfor ages now had covered up the ancient Mongolian city, there had beenno difficulty in finding room for all engaged in the work of excavating.
'_Monsieur le Professeur_, it would be well to come above with me andsee who it is who comes,' cried Alphonse again, striding across to thelittle cot occupied by his employer. 'I declare to you, I was abovelighting the fire so as to boil the water for a cup of tea when, in thefar distance, I saw figures. There were many of them. They werehastening hither as if they were pursued.'
It took the Professor and his two young comrades less than two minutes,perhaps, to jump into their clothing, when all hastened out of theapartment, and passing along the ancient covered way, clambered up thesteep, log-paved steps which led to the surface. It was a gloriousmorning, with a cold, wintery sun flooding the dreary landscape, andshining upon the uneven surface of sand where it lay over the ruins, andon the tower, tottering near the centre, the same which had attractedDavid so often.
'See!' cried Alphonse, dancing to the top of the steps as if he werestanding on hot bricks. 'See, there are thirty of the figures at least,and now they are running.'
The Professor instantly threw up his field-glasses and fixed them uponthe advancing strangers. There was a look of anxiety on his face when helowered them again.
'Call Chu-Li and the other soldiers,' he commanded abruptly. 'Issue armsto Ho-Hung and our other servants, and tell the diggers we may needtheir help. David, those are the people who once helped you and yourcomrades when you were attacked by wolves in the open. They are runninghere as if they were pursued. I fear we are in for trouble, and hadbetter make our preparations now.'
At a sign from the Professor, David doubled out from the ruins, so as tomeet the men who were running towards them, and was soon in conversationwith the headman, who panted so hard that he could hardly explainhimself. But halting for a few moments he managed to tell his tale.
'It is as I have feared,' he said breathlessly. 'The country to the eastof us is in a turmoil. Scarcely a day passes that stray parties fleeingfrom the plague scourge do not demand food from us, often with threats,while one village has to my knowledge been burned, and every soulwithin it murdered. The night before last we received news that athousand men were marching south and west, and had turned in ourdirection from the more direct course, as soldiers had been sent tointercept them. They passed the night in a village ten miles from us,and ruthlessly robbed every one. Those who opposed them were killed. Itwas clear that they would serve us in the same manner, and for thatreason we left hastily, bringing what possessions we could, as well as asupply of provisions. This morning the invading army was within sight ofus, for they carry nothing but their clothes.'
'And are now near at hand?' demanded David eagerly, for common-sense andscraps of news which had reached him told him that the danger was real.The people of Manchuria, and portions of Mongolia, had in fact gonestark staring mad in the past few weeks. Black plague was upon them, andwas decimating whole villages, while those not attacked were fleeingtowards Pekin regardless of the consequences, and without having madeprovision for such a journey. And as a natural sequence they were soonon the borders of starvation.
'There's not a doubt that we have come to China at a most unfortunatetime,' the Professor had declared. 'If I had heard of the plague in thisdistrict before we sailed, I should have delayed my departure. But it isalways the same with severe epidemics. There is a case here, and anotherthere at first; then, suddenly, the disease blazes out in alldirections, spreads like wild-fire, and creates pandemonium and terroreverywhere. China is a country less prepared for such an event almostthan any other, for the people are so intensely ignorant. You see theythink to escape by rushing away from the infected areas, forgetting thatin every case they carry the infection with them.'
'There was news from a place forty miles to the east that a band hadtaken up its quarters in a town of small proportions, and wereterrorising the inhabitants,' David reminded himself. 'Tell me,' heasked of the headman, who had now almost recovered his breath, 'what isthere to fear from these fellows? A thousand strong you place them?'
'There is that number at least, Excellency. As to their intentions, Itell you they will eat up all before them. Already they have emptiedevery sack and bin in our village. That was two nights ago, or almostso. By now they are starving once more, and will seize the firstprovisions which come their way. They will know at once that men havebeen camping here. They will investigate, and will gather the fact thatit is a European expedition, and therefore rich. That will be enough forthis army of frightened people, for though the thought of plagueterrifies them, they fear nothing else. Hunger makes them terriblysavage. They will murder us all if we do nothing to prevent them.'
'If that's the case I shall certainly object, and pretty strongly,' saidDavid, with a decision which seemed to put heart into the headman.'Bring your men along. We will see at once what can be done.'
They found on their return to the entrance of the stairway that theProfessor and his helpers had been wonderfully busy. Every article ofvalue had been carried down from the surface, while even the ponies hadbeen transported bodily and placed in a position of safety.
'We've done all that's possible, I imagine,' said the leader. 'Now wehave only to wait and see what happens. I trust these people will passwithout giving us a call. Perhaps they will miss us altogether.'
'I hardly think so,' ventured David. 'The headman tells me that they arewonderfully well informed, and that they have come round this way so asto avoid soldiers sent to arrest their progress, and who are situated atthis moment about forty miles to the east. Wouldn't it be as well tosend a message across to their commanding officer?'
The Professor jumped at the suggestion. He hastily scrawled a message inChinese, explaining the situation, and then, having caused two of theponies to be carried to the surface again, he despatched one of thesoldiers with the note.
'Ride fast,' he ordered. 'If these men attack us we shall have need ofall the help that can be sent.'
No one who caught a glimpse of the fleeing army from Manchuria coulddoubt that statement, for a more tattered and desperate set David hadnever set his eyes on. They reached the excavation works in a stragglingmass of hollow-eyed people, many of whom were almost too weak to dragone foot after the other. But there were strong men amongst them, inspite of their sunken cheeks, men whose blazing eyes and hungry looksshowed that nothing but superior force would prevent their carrying outwhatever they aimed at. Nor did they leave the Professor and his partylong in doubt as to their intentions. A couple of ragged but huge mencame down the stairway, their pigtails swaying from side to side, andcalled hoarsely to any one who might be in hearing. The Professor atonce showed himself at the door of the apartment which he and hisfriends were occupying.
'What do you wish?' he asked.
'Food; give us food,' cried one of the men, not as if he were asking fora favour, but as if for something that he would as soon take by force.
'I will give you three bags of rice; that is all we can spare,' answeredthe Professor steadily.
'Hear him! Three bags of rice, when we know he has a pile. Hear theforeign devil, brother,' shouted one of the men, the one who had notpreviously spoken. 'Listen, foreign devil,' he bellowed, as if he wishedto terrorise the Professor by the force of his voice, 'we will besatisfied with fifty.'
'Three is the allowance I will make; take it or leave it,' came the curtanswer.
'And you refuse more?'
The Professor nodded coolly. 'We refuse more; we have to provide for ourown needs.'
'Then we will take every sac
k you have, and strip you of all yourpossessions. You have had fair warning.'
Without the smallest indication of what he intended doing the rascallevelled a pistol, and fired point blank at the Professor, sending abullet crashing against the ancient doorpost. Then the two men turnedand swaggered up the stairs, calling loudly to their comrades. Nor wasit long before the latter put in an appearance.
'They will attack us without fail,' said the headman, when appealed toby the Professor. 'In fact, you may say that they are bound to do so,for the next place where they can possibly obtain food is more than aday's march from here. Also, no doubt, they have learned that you have agoodly store, and fancying you to be an easy prey they will fight totake everything from you, thereby supplying the needs of all in the bandtill they arrive in the neighbourhood of Pekin.'
'What arms do they carry?' asked David, suddenly.
'A few have pistols and guns, but the majority carry knives or swords,and a few pikes. But it is their numbers which make them formidable.'
There was little doubt that that was the true aspect of the affair, forthis army of people flying from Manchuria, and rendered desperate bytheir hunger were dangerous even if unarmed. Their huge numbers toldwonderfully in their favour, while the ease with which they had wipedout other parties had given them confidence. The situation was, in fact,one of extreme danger.
'Hadn't we better block up every sort of place through which they couldfire?' asked David. 'We can easily leave port-holes for ourselves, andif we place them properly we shall be able to command the stairway. Irather think, too, that it would be as well to set our diggers at workto discover a way out of this apartment. We may be so hard pressed thatflight will be necessary.'
The suggestion was one which the Professor eagerly accepted, and aspromptly adopted. Calling Ho-Hung he set him to work to organise some ofthe diggers, and requested David to supervise the work they were to dountil the enemy appeared in sight. Then every available man was pressedinto the task of blocking up the wide doorway leading to this ancienthouse, and in filling the only window. But in spite of the many helpersthe task was only half completed when there was a commotion above. Thetwo ragamuffins who had descended and so haughtily demanded foodappeared in sight, leading a huge following to the stairway. Those wholed bore with them the trunk of a tree felled a week before to serve asfire-wood, but now intended to be used as a species of ram.
'Silence!' called the Professor. 'Let every man go on with his workquietly and take advantage of every second we have. Use anything you canlay your hands on to help the barricades so long as it be notprovisions. Ah, they are coming in their hundreds.'
The wide stairway which the men employed by the Professor had made asthey proceeded with their work, and which they had paved with stout treebranches, was now crammed with men who presented a terrible spectacle.For, whereas in former attacks David had noticed that the Chineseadvanced with loud shouts, these people crowded down the stairway in astony silence that was remarkable. Not one but wore a haggardappearance. Their faces were pinched without exception, while in everypair of eyes there was a desperate look, something altogether savagethat reminded him of the eyes of the wolves which had so recentlysurrounded himself and his three comrades.
'One can see that it is not a question of bearing us ill will,' hewhispered in the Professor's ear. 'It is a case of sheer necessity.Either they must secure what we have, or they will starve.'
'It is they or us, David,' answered the Professor solemnly. 'If I hadfood in abundance, willingly would I give it. But were I to dole out allwe have, there would hardly be enough to go the round of this multitude,and even so we ourselves would starve. Tell me, what are the diggersdoing?'
'Cutting a hole through the wall at the back, Sir. We thought it soundedhollow, and have an idea that there may be another covered way there.They will make only a hole large enough to let us get through with theponies, so that we can easily fill it again. What are you going to dowith these fellows?'
'Warn them that we shall defend our goods. Then leave it to them toclear off or to make the first attack. I hate firing at poor wretchessuch as these are, but, candidly, I look upon them as infinitely moredangerous than a well-fed mob.'
Rearing his head over the top of the barricade with which the doorwaywas now almost completely blocked, the Professor called loudly to themob, and at once they came to a halt. Perhaps three hundred pair ofhungry eyes were directed on his face.
'Good people,' he called, 'I beg of you to retire and be satisfied withwhat I have already said. If I feed you all, my stores will but allowfor one meal at most, while I and my men must starve. Go, therefore, forif you persist I warn you I will defend this place till I and all arekilled.'
A loud chorus of shouts greeted his words. Men shook their fists at himand brandished a hundred different weapons, while the very mention offood seemed to madden the desperate individuals. Then the rascal who hadfired at the Professor, and who was leading the band, once more liftedhis weapon and sent a second bullet thudding against the doorpost.
'Listen to him, comrades,' he bellowed. 'He admits that he has foodthere sufficient for all of us. Are then we who own the country tostarve while foreign devils live on the fat of the land? Forward! Wehave cleared more than one roost now with more bantams in it to stand inour way.'
At once there was a rush outside. The covered way, which no doubt hadsheltered many a thousand Mongolian in the old days, was soon crammed tooverflowing, while still more of the mob thronged the stairs. Then withshouts the leaders cleared a patch for the men carrying the tree trunk.
'Rush at the barricade with it,' called the rascally leader. 'Smash itand then fetch out the food which is ours by right. You will know how todeal with the foreign devil and his supporters, my comrades.'
There was a growl from the mob, and then a roar, as the men bearing thetree trunk rushed forward. As for the defenders, they sprang to theloopholes which had been left and awaited the Professor's signal. Itcame in a moment, for the battering-ram almost levelled the barrier atthe first effort.
'Fire on them!' shouted the Professor. 'Pick off every man who attemptsto lift the tree. That is where our real danger lies. Once this barrieris down they will be on us; nothing can resist such numbers.'
David and Dick, with Ho-Hung and his comrades, as well as Chu-Li and hisfour fellow-soldiers, had before now each chosen an aperture for hisweapon, and at once a hot fire was opened on the enemy. Meanwhile everyavailable article was thrown on the barricade to strengthen it, forthere were numbers of willing hands amongst the Professor's party. Asfor the mob outside, half a dozen fell at the first discharge, all ofwhom bore the ram, while every time a man leaned over to pick it upagain he was fired at instantly. In three minutes a round dozen werebiting the sand.
'Then let us tear it down with our hands, comrades,' shouted the burlyringleader. 'They can hit one man as he leans to pick this thing up, butthey cannot kill us all. Better to eat than to live on starving.'
The words drew a howl from the mob. Those on the stairway were now sopressed and packed together that they could not turn, while the spacebelow was filled to overflowing. With an angry roar the latter leapedforward close on the heels of their leader, and struggled desperatelywith one another to come at the barricade. Those who could reach it toremadly at the sawn logs, striving to pull them out of the way.
STORMING THE BARRICADE]
'Steady, lads!' called out the Professor, by whose side stood Alphonse,his hat awry, his keen eyes shining. 'If they break through we must makea sortie. I shall lead the way.'
'With Alphonse beside you, monsieur,' cried the Frenchman. 'But I amthinking Ho-Hung can wield a stake, and Jong also. Those two perched onour barricade could deal hard blows to these ruffians, while we at theloopholes could shoot down those who have fire-arms. What saysmonsieur?'
'That the plan is excellent. Hung! Jong!' He shouted, and at once gavethem their instructions. The movement did indeed help the defenderswonderfully, for few
of the attackers had fire-arms, and those who hadcould use them with difficulty only owing to the press. With swingingblows the two Chinamen beat back the mob tearing at the barricade, whilethe more dangerous of the latter were shot down from the loopholes. Thenthe Professor again stood before them.
'Good people,' he shouted, so that all could hear, 'I beg of you toretire. You see for yourselves that we are able to oppose you, andalready numbers of your brothers have fallen. Let that suffice. Go nowbefore worse happens.'
For one whole minute, perhaps, there was silence outside, while not aman moved. No doubt the opposition had taken the mob by surprise, forelsewhere they had been able to rob and murder without danger ordifficulty. The sight of wounded and fallen men unnerved a few, andmade them wish that the stairway were not so crammed and that retreatwere possible. But deep embedded in the hearts of the majority was theknowledge that they were hungry, and that failure here meant starvation.It needed, therefore, but a tiny spark to kindle their courage oncemore. The rascally fellow who had so nearly hit the Professor on twooccasions was still at hand, and he it was who quickly had them oncemore racing for the barrier.
'It is a dodge,' he shouted. 'Believe not the foreign devil. Pull thebarricade aside and you have every bag of food that belongs to thesepeople. Hesitate now, and go on your way. What will happen? You willstarve. You will leave your bones by the road. The dogs and the wolveswill come and feed off your carcases. Forward, then. There is food, andplenty of it behind that barricade.'
He led a silent host at once against the defenders, a host frantic withits woes, rendered as fierce as any pack of wolves by its privations.And in a trice it seemed that it must succeed. Even the lusty blows ofthe two Chinamen and the shots of those at the loopholes failed to keepit back. Already a foot or more of the barricade had toppled over, whilea dozen of the men outside had again seized the battering-ram. And then,so fickle and so changing is fortune in such matters, a small affairturned the scale in favour of the defenders. The excitement of those whowere unable, because of their position on the stairway, to join in thecontest was so intense that they struggled and pushed their waydownward in spite of all difficulties till the covered way was crammed.But still they came till even those struck by the bullets from theloopholes could not fall on account of the press. Then someone abovebellowed a warning.
'I see men coming!' he shouted. 'I see soldiers--they are galloping thisway; they will cut us to pieces.'
Instantly there was a rush for the stairway. Two hundred and morefrantic people fought to be the first away. They tore at one anotherwith as much ferocity as they had displayed when attacking thebarricade, and those who were strongest, or who had taken up the mostcommanding positions, prevailed. Men were dragged down and troddenunderfoot, an eddy as it were on the stairway caused the mass throngingevery step to heave backward, and at once numbers lost their balance andfell, helped to their death by those who were nearest. Knives flashedhere and there. Men snarled at one another. Altogether it was a horribleand terrifying spectacle. And the movement itself proved to be asunnecessary as it was horrible in its results, for the same man appearedabove once more.
'It was a false alarm,' he shouted. 'Stop, comrades, there is nothing tofear. They were not soldiers; they were men like ourselves who hadstolen ponies doubtless from the last village. Stop or you will all becrushed and killed.'
Deep and bitter were the voices of those who had survived. They turnedagain, and slowly descended where a moment before they had struggled tomount And catching sight of David standing at the barricade they set upa howl which showed something more than mere desperation induced by thepangs of hunger. There was hate in their tones. The matter had nowbecome a personal one as between them and the defenders.
'We warn you people down below that we will kill you all,' shouted thesame leader. 'We will kill you slowly, making you suffer for what youhave done. Stop, my comrades. I have a plan to propose. Let some resthere and watch for us; we will be back ere many minutes have passed.'
He raced up the stairway accompanied by a mob, leaving the Professor andhis party to wonder what movement would now be attempted.
'Perhaps another battering-ram,' suggested the Professor.
'Or these rascals will supply themselves with hooks with which they willthe easier be able to reach the logs on our barricade,' chimed inAlphonse.
'Or perhaps it's worse,' said David slowly. 'I wish we had shot thatrascal, for he is capable of the worst mischief. Ah! see them! I guessedwhat they were up to. They are going to smoke us out.'
There could be little doubt as to the intentions of the mob. They hadseized bundles of fodder kept on the level sand above for the use of theponies, and a couple of dozen of the men were bearing these down thestairway, while the same mass followed on their heels, shoutingexcitedly, and shaking their fists in the direction of the defenders.
'Put them down against the barricade in a heap,' called their leader.'Be not afraid of the foreign devils, for harm will not come to you.When the bundles are placed I will fire them.'
'_Parbleu_, I think not,' exclaimed Alphonse, smiling grimly, for he hadunderstood. 'Monsieur, with your permission I will shoot this man.'
Shoot him the Frenchman did. His bullet caused the rascally leader tosway from side to side and to grip at the air. Then with a shriek hecame bounding forward, and, clambering the outside of the barricade,attempted to enter. There was a flash as Dick Cartwell ended the matter.
'Look out! There's a fellow coming along with a torch,' called out theProfessor. 'Shoot every man who attempts to light those bales.'
But in spite of every effort a cunning fellow armed with flint and steelmanaged to set fire to a bunch of straw which he picked from the groundand held behind his fellows. Then with a quick jerk he threw it forward,causing it to fall at the edge of the piled-up bales of fodder. Nextsecond a sheet of flame was sweeping up to the ancient roof of thecovered way, while, owing to dampness in the bales, a dense smoke wasgiven off, and began to penetrate the apartment occupied by thedefenders. Indeed, in a few seconds they were coughing loudly, whileevery member of the party was forced to retire as far as possible fromthe flames. Death from suffocation, if not from burning, stared them inthe face. David and his friends were in a horrible dilemma.
CHAPTER XX
The Secret of the Ruins
Blank despair was written on the faces of the Professor and his party ascolumns of suffocating smoke were swept into their quarters; for allrealised that in a very short space of time they would be smothered.More than that, the flames had now got such a hold of the bales of strawand fodder that the heat was terrible, driving every member of the partyinto the farthest corner, and even causing the enemy outside hastily toretreat up the stairway. And there, at the summit, looking down into theexcavations which exposed this small portion of the ancient ruins theygloated over the foreign devils and their helpers, shrieking in theirmad delight, and bawling every insult that their degraded minds couldthink of.
'I fear it looks like a case with us,' gasped the Professor, tying ahandkerchief about his mouth and nose, an example which the others wereswift to follow. 'We're in a horrible trap, with no way out of it, Ifear.'
'Unless, monsieur, we could dash at the barrier and kick all the balesaside,' said Alphonse, coughing violently, for the exceeding pungency ofthe smoke made breathing difficult and speech next door to impossible.'I am ready to make the attempt. It is better than being scorched herein this corner.'
At once he started forward, and with him Dick Cartwell, both eager to dosomething. But who could face such dense smoke, or the hot flames whichpoured in over the top of the barrier? Not Alphonse, even with all hisdash and pluck. Nor Dick, with his reckless disregard of theconsequences.
'It is sad but inevitable then,' declared Alphonse, with a resignedshrug of his shoulders. 'Monsieur, I have the honour to bid youfarewell. I lose a good and generous master.'
'And I a brave and willing servant. But, Alphonse, where is MonsieurDavid
? I have not seen him since we retired from the barrier, and thesmoke is so thick now over there that one can see nothing. Where is thelad? I begin to feel anxious.'
It was like the Professor to think of his comrades at such a time. Butthe question brought a shout from Dick.
'He's over here, sir,' he called out 'As soon as they fired the bales Isaw him dart back into the room, and couldn't imagine why. Running awayfrom the thick of an attack isn't like him. David, where are you?'
'Here,' came the crisp and half-stifled answer, while the figure of ourhero loomed darkly before them, his face muffled in the half of agarment which he had secured from somewhere. 'Come along this wall ofthe room with me. I realised when they fired that heap of stuff that ourposition would be untenable, and went to the men who have been working.They have managed to break a hole through the wall, and one has justslipped to the other side. Of course, if the place is filled with sandwe can do nothing. I have hopes, though, that it will be clear, for howelse could he have been able to pass through.'
Choking and coughing the party crept along the wall, keeping close tothe base; for the smoke rose to the ceiling, and the latter being ofgreat height gave it space in which to distribute itself. But in spiteof that, the supply of air down below was small, to say the least of it.They had hardly proceeded more than ten feet when there came a cry oftriumph from a point just in front of them, while the click of a metalinstrument was heard.
'Come quickly. Come, Excellencies,' called the voice of the head man whocontrolled the excavators. 'Our comrade reports that the far side isquite clear. Some one has been at work there before us. Let us passthrough at once, else we shall be suffocated.'
The words brought them rushing forward, and a gust of wind happening atthat moment to sweep the smoke and flames away from the room, all sawthat a hole had been cut through the wall, which being massively built,had resisted the efforts of a number of men armed with crow-bars forsome time, but once the first stones were removed the rest was easy. TheProfessor took in the situation at a glance.
'I believe this will save the situation,' he cried, snapping hisfingers, and then coughing so violently that his remarks came to asudden ending. However, in a few moments he had regained his breath.'See for yourselves,' he shouted, showing greater excitement than Davidhad ever seen him display before. 'The draught enters by this hole, andis already sweeping the smoke from our quarters. It is driving theflames out into the covered way. Now, let the men pass through asquickly as possible. I shall stay here and attempt to save our goods andchattels.'
'And I too,' declared David, overjoyed that his men had been sosuccessful. 'There are also the ponies; the poor beasts are up there inthe far corner and must be almost stifled. Still, as we have livedthrough it, so also may they.'
'Monsieur, I also shall remain,' announced Alphonse. 'You will needhelpers. I will go to the ponies.'
And go he did, with Dick creeping through the smoke after him. As forDavid, he seized a crow-bar, and with the help of others attacked thewall furiously. Meanwhile every one of the men who had joined them insuch great haste that morning, and who to do them but justice, had showna brave front, and had done their utmost to help in the defence, creptthrough the gap in the wall, each man carrying something with him. Jongand his friends too, made the most of the time at their disposal. Nowthat the smoke was clearing, and the heat decidedly less, they bustledabout, gathering the belongings of the party, and were soon passing themthrough to their comrades on the far side.
'You can take it more easily now, David, lad,' sang out the Professor.'This gap has checkmated the attempts of those fellows. There's aperfect gale coming through, and one can see nicely now, and feel quitecomfortable in this atmosphere. It'll be an eye-opener to the enemy todiscover us gone when the flames die down. Ah, here's Alphonse andDick.'
One by one the latter led the ponies towards the gap, many of the poorbeasts being almost exhausted. But they were able to use their legs, andwere soon forced through to the far side. Then Dick and Alphonsefollowed David, and lastly, the Professor crept through the gap.
'Now pile all the stones into the hole again,' said our hero,superintending the job. 'As soon as the place is cool enough thosegentlemen will return, and we shall want another barrier. Quick with it.Those bales are nearly burned out now, and a starving mob don't wait formuch. A little heat under foot will be nothing if they can only appeasetheir hunger. Poor beggars! I'm sorry for them. But then, what would youhave? This is a case of saving one's self.'
Less than ten minutes later a man descended the stairway, and peepedover the barrier. His shout of amazement brought a crew of cut-throatsracing after him; then such yells of anger and disappointment arose asthey discovered the chamber empty that the men who had joined theProfessor that morning were terrified. There was a determined rush forthe gap, now more than half-filled, a rush which Chu-Li and two of hiscomrades checked instantly. Indeed, the enemy bolted at once from thechamber.
'Pick off every man you can see,' said David, staring over the barrierof stones. 'Don't let any one enter the room. This is a much easierplace to defend than the other. Ah! They're moving. What new game arethey up to?'
The whole party listened to the shouts of the enemy, and were amazed tosee them bolting from the covered way. Chu-Li slid through the gap likean eel, and ran to the door. Then he waved his arms frantically, andrushed back to his comrades.
'They are bolting, Excellencies!' he shouted. 'They are completely gone.I heard firing above, and caught sight of several soldiers. I believe arelief party has arrived.'
Five minutes later there was no doubt of the fact, for when theProfessor and his staff clambered up the stairway there was a troop ofChinese cavalry drawn up. Not a troop of men armed with ancient bows andarrows, but soldiers that China is training now-a-days, armed withmodern weapons, equipped to the last button, able to manoeuvre withthe best. A dapper little officer spurred forward, saluted in Germanstyle, and at once addressed the Professor in the purest English.
'I have the honour to speak with the Professor who undertakesexcavations, is it not so?' he demanded. 'Then let me explain. Fivethousand troops were sent into these parts by His Excellency, TwangChun, to arrest the movement of people from the plague-stricken country,and to break up the gangs of half-starved and dangerous men prowlingabout. I heard yesterday that a mob had passed west with the intentionof evading me. I rode this way before sunrise, and met your messenger. Ihave the pleasure to find that I am in time.'
Near at hand the remainder of the gang which had attacked the party atthe ruins were huddled together in a forlorn group, surrounded bysoldiers, while the plain was dotted with the bodies of those who hadshown fight, and had fallen. It was clear, in fact, that the danger hadpassed altogether.
'I give you the thanks of every one here,' said the Professor, grippingthe little officer's hand. 'You came in time and have done us a greatservice. Step down below and see what happened.'
'Truly, you put up a fine defence,' declared the commander of the troopof horsemen, as he inspected the chamber below. 'That gap undoubtedlysaved the situation, and not my arrival. Still, those desperate menwould have fought on till you or they were conquered. I am vastlyinterested in this work which you have undertaken. How strange that youshould have hit upon another part from which all debris had beencleared?'
It was more than strange; it was almost beyond belief. For when thematter came to be thoroughly investigated the Professor declared thatthey had stumbled upon the path by which Edward Harbor had gainedentrance to the interior parts of the ruins.
'The whole thing is perfectly clear,' he said. 'He excavated a few yardsto our right, and gained a spot at the back of the chamber in which wetook refuge. Some of his diggers also worked on our side, but ceased,perhaps because the prospect was more promising elsewhere. To-morrow wewill pursue the search more thoroughly.'
Let the reader imagine what a condition of excitement David was throwninto when it became established without shadow of doub
t that he wasactually treading in the steps his father had followed. For three daysafter the attack made by the band of Chinese he worked with theexcavators, removing debris from parts which had evidently been clearednot so long ago, but to which the wind had again swept masses of sand.It was remarked, also, that on this side no objects of art or of anyvalue were come upon.
'Been removed by those before us, proving we are in their works,' saidthe Professor. 'This is indeed most interesting. It must have been herethat your father made that will, David, and here also, alas, that helost his life. Chang fell upon him in the ruins, I am told, and evensecreted his gains in these parts. Be patient, lad. Something may yetcome of this quest of yours, though one can hardly hope that it ispossible.'
On the morning of the fourth day the excavators came to a wall which hadbeen broken through, and on passing to the far side discovered anothercovered way, as dark as pitch, but altogether free of sand and debris.David led them eagerly till they came to a part where the ruins hadfallen in entirely, and where sand blocked their path. But three hours'work cleared it, and allowed them to proceed, there being still evidenceof the fact that others had been before them. It was with a suddenfluttering of the heart that he realised that they were passingsomewhere near to that tower which had so often attracted his notice.And then he gave vent to a shout of amazement; for undoubtedlyexcavators had been before them. The covered way led beneath the wallssurrounding the tower into a wide, open space, from which the height ofthe surrounding walls had kept more than a little sand blowing. Therewas a wide doorway at the foot of the tower, the posts of which weretottering, while, now that he was so close, he observed that theoriginal crown of the tower had gone, and one wall, the far one,crumbled away entirely. But the fallen stones helped to form a chamber,and that was piled with objects of every description.
'Here, undoubtedly, were stored all the bronzes which your fatherunearthed,' said the Professor, surveying the scene and inspecting theobjects. 'This is a find, though it makes one feel sad, remembering whatmisfortune befell him. Ah! As I live, that is baggage.'
There was not a doubt about it. The sandy surroundings had preservedthings wonderfully, and in one corner, covered with dust, wasundoubtedly a pile of baggage, while there were cases galore, a box ofcash for the payment of the workers, arms, and a hundred other things.
'Here you see the items for which that scoundrel Chang committed thefoul murder,' declared the Professor. 'David, Dick, we will see intothat baggage.'
More than one of the trio trembled as the locks were broken. For thefirst time for many a day David wore a pasty complexion. There was asubdued air of excitement about the lad which his comrades felt ratherthan saw. Then there came a sharp exclamation from the Professor as thelast of the cases was opened, the others having been found to containclothing only. There was a tin despatch-box nestling in one corner. Hedragged it out and presented it to our hero.
'It belonged to your father; it is yours,' he said kindly. 'Open, lad.We will leave you if you wish it.'
'Stay, please,' came the answer. 'If I am to enjoy success I shall wantyour congratulations. If not, perhaps you will condole with me. In anycase I have done what I decided was the right thing under thecircumstances. I have come to this spot to set at rest a dispute whichhas been a good deal more than bitter.'
Cool and calm now that he was faced with the despatch-box, David brokethe lock by inserting the edge of a spade beneath the lid. Then heslowly withdrew the contents.
'Five pounds in English coin, two notes of the value of fifty pounds,and a draft on a bank at Hong-Kong,' he said, his tones not in the leastruffled. 'A packet of letters tied with string. One to my stepmother. Ishall hope to deliver it. One to myself. I am glad. Perhaps you willexcuse my opening it at the moment. And one to Mr. Jones, his solicitor.Nothing else, Professor.'
'Open the last of the letters then, lad. Open! Open!' cried the leaderof the party eagerly. 'If that does not contain the will, then look intoyour own. Quick, boy! The suspense makes me nervous.'
He wiped his face with his handkerchief and then fixed his eyes on theletters. David opened the one addressed to Mr. Jones, the friend who hadhelped him so much in England, and smoothing out the sheet read thecontents slowly. 'It is a business letter purely,' he explained. 'Thisis what my father says: "Dear Mr. Jones, I have to-day sent away underseparate cover the last will and testament I shall ever make, and youwill find that it is duly signed and attested. I need merely mention thecontents briefly, so that you may draft out something similar for myinspection and signature on my return to England, for posts in thiscountry are precarious. I leave an annuity of five hundred pounds to mywife. The rest in trust for my son, David, till he is twenty-five yearsof age, when he will have it absolutely. Trusting this may find youwell, as it leaves me. Yours truly, Edward Harbor."'
Dick looked positively glum as he listened. 'Bad luck!' he exclaimed. Sothe will's gone. Lost somewhere between this and Pekin.'
But the Professor chuckled loudly. 'That document is as good as anyother,' he cried. 'Put alongside with the letter which was before thecourts in England, it clearly shows Edward Harbor's wishes. See, it isclearly dated. David, you are to be heartily congratulated.'
No need to say that our hero was delighted. It pleased him wonderfullyto know that in spite of many difficulties he had carried out hisintentions. He smiled even when he considered what his stepmother wouldhave to say, not a satirical smile, nor one of triumph, merely oneexpressive of pleasure.
'She'll put it down to my obstinacy and to good luck,' he thought. 'Shewon't know anything about the dangers and difficulties the Professor andall of us have gone through. Heigho! I'm glad it has turned out likethis.'
Three months later he received a note from Mr. Jones in reply to the onehe had sent. There were hearty congratulations and an assurance of thewriter's good feeling. Then came an announcement of the utmost moment.
'You have done well, David,' ran the letter, 'but when you ask me ofwhat value is the document you sent me, I say none, for circumstanceshave arisen which alter everything. Mr. Ebenezer Clayhill died soonafter you quitted the country, while I regret to say that yourstepmother followed him swiftly.'
'Then, after all, the journey wasn't necessary,' cried our hero. 'I'mawfully sorry to hear about the step-mater and Mr. Ebenezer. But--no,I'm not a bit sorry I came to China. I've enjoyed nearly every moment ofthis trip, and excavating is a job which suits me admirably.'
A year later he returned to England with his comrades, and by then hadimbibed such a fondness for investigating ruins and ancient places thathe decided to follow in the footsteps of his father and the Professor.David made a handsome allowance from his income to a home for the sickand needy; for those scenes he had witnessed had made a lastingimpression on him. Then he went again to China. He is there at thismoment, prying into the secrets left by the ancients.
* * * * *
PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN
_At the Villafield Press, Glasgow, Scotland_
* * * * *
BY CAPTAIN F. S. BRERETON
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