p. An Ching stroked the pretty little
cheek, and felt as if her heart would break at losing her friend. She
was resolutely keeping back her tears, when all three gave a great
start, and the children were wide awake in a moment. There was a loud
rumbling sound.

'The thunder!' exclaimed Nelly.

But An Ching knew better. She realised that the noise came from a cart
passing under the archway into the outer court next to the street, and
that Hung Li had come back. She said nothing, and all three stood
listening. Sure enough, it was a cart, and the large gate was being
opened. The children heard it too, and although no one spoke a word,
each one knew that it must be Hung Li. There was no mistaking now; it
was his voice in the inner court talking to Ku Nai-nai.

'I must go,' said An Ching. 'We will talk it over again this afternoon.
You two must pretend to be glad that Hung Li has come back.'

An Ching left them, and was greeted by her husband with a command to get
him something to drink. Ku Nai-nai began to scold her for being out of
the way when needed. She did not mind though, for now, perhaps, she
thought, the children would not go away the next night.

Hung Li set about unharnessing the mule, and tied it to a post in the
court. He then partook of some food, which they had hastily prepared
for him, and flung himself down on the kang, where he was soon fast
asleep. When An Ching could get away, she took the children's bowls and
chopsticks into the small court, and they fetched their food from the
cook-house. Little Yi was the first to ask if they should still get out
of the window and be hauled up the wall in a basket, as arranged.

'It would be of no use,' said An Ching. 'Hung Li has the mule ready, and
would easily overtake your cart next morning.'

'But,' exclaimed Nelly, 'Chang says he has as much right to us as Hung
Li, and I don't see why we can't go.'

'Hung Li would kill me if you escaped while I am here to look after
you,' replied An Ching. 'If I go away to-morrow you might try to get
off, but we can't decide anything until we hear what he intends to do.'

Hung Li slept peacefully for a couple of hours. Then he got up, called
for Ku Nai-nai and An Ching, refreshed himself by wiping his face with a
rag dipped in hot water, and took a deep draught from the spout of the
tea-pot, after which he began to talk.

'We shall start to-night' he said. 'There are bills out all over Peking
offering 500 taels (L100)