r friend, but he
cut them short by telling them that if they wanted to accompany him to
Kwang-ngan they would have to turn in at once, and get as much sleep as
possible.

'If that's the case, good-night,' Charlie replied, and all the three
hurried away to their beds in the basement, and slept soundly.

When they awoke they found that the Japanese troops had arrived, and
that the British sailors were to start within half an hour for
Kwang-ngan. After a rapid but hearty breakfast they marched out, with
the rifles at the shoulder, to report themselves to Williams, whom they
found outside the enclosure inspecting the men. Some of the newly
arrived Japanese soldiers had already been posted around the mission
wall, and the Japanese flag flew, side by side with the Union Jack, over
the gateway.

'Well,' Williams exclaimed, cheerfully, as he shook hands with Charlie,
'do you still wish to come with us?'

'Certainly,' Charlie replied, speaking for all three of them.

'Then you had better say "good-bye" to your missionary friends, for they
must all start for Tien-tsin this morning. They will be safer there.'

Charlie, Fred, and Ping Wang hurried back to the mission buildings, but
Barton was the only one of their late comrades in danger who was not
sound asleep. They bade farewell to him, and extracted a promise from
him that when next he came to England he would visit them at Lincoln.

While they had been talking, Williams had marched his men off towards
the town gate which opened into the road leading to Kwang-ngan. Charlie,
Fred, and Ping Wang ran after them and overtook them just as they were
quitting the town. They fell in at the rear of the company. Nine of the
ten miles which lay between Su-ching and Kwang-ngan were covered in
about two hours and a half, and they proceeded more cautiously, but for
some time met with no opposition, although, when they drew near
Kwang-ngan they were surprised to find that it was a very
formidable-looking place, bristling with big guns.

'They are not guns,' Ping Wang declared, smiling. 'They are simply
circles which the Boxers have painted on the walls to represent guns, in
the hope of frightening us.'

'But I was told that they had two guns,' said Williams.

'That is correct. One is mounted on either side of the gate.'

Ping Wang had barely finished speaking when both guns boomed, and their
range was excellent, the shells bursting among the sailors. One man was
killed and six we