promised us protection, and sent him back
to the inn under escort.

When Paul and Mr. ---- arrived that night, they tried in vain to wake
me, but nature had to have her way. I knew nothing till I wakened with a
start at about two A.M. Jumping up, I started to look for Paul, and
never can I forget the scene! The whole party was lying on the bare
earthen floor, practically without bedding or mattresses.

A word concerning the experiences of Mr. ----and Paul. The two had got
down from their cart and were walking behind. In some way they missed
the road in the dark, and became separated from us. During that day they
were repeatedly in the gravest danger.

On one occasion, when surrounded by a violent mob, and one man had
raised a club above Paul's head to strike him down, Mr. ----felt
impelled by some unseen power to shout out, "We are not Roman Catholics,
but Protestants." At this the man lowered his club, exclaiming, "Why,
these are not the bad foreign devils, but the good foreign devils, like
those missionaries at Chow Chia K'eo" (China Inland Mission). At this
same place the hearts of the people seemed turned toward them in a
wonderful way. One man gave Paul one hundred _cash_ (five cents) to buy
some food; another man carried the lad on his back for miles to give his
feet a rest, they were so sore. This same man, when he could carry Paul
no longer, ran ahead to try and find us. When they reached the inn where
we had been so helped by the two Chinese gentlemen, they found that
these friends had food prepared and a barrow waiting, also a guide ready
to lead them to us!

Less than an hour from the time I awakened we were on the road again.
The official was true to his promise, and a large mounted escort
accompanied us. That day we were on the road twenty hours, reaching Fan
Cheng at midnight. Here we found the engineers' party waiting for us
with boats hired, but we were obliged to remain twenty-four hours in the
most loathsome inn we ever had the misfortune to be in in China. It was
an unspeakable relief to get into the houseboats, even though we only
had bare boards to lie on, and the boat people's food to eat.

We were ten days going down stream to Hankow. One after the other became
ill. When still a day from Hankow, a steam tug met us with provisions.
Our children cried at the sight of bread and milk! We were not allowed
to stop long enough at Hankow, as we had hoped, to get clothes and other
necessaries, but we