The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-09-16

the CRY Of a night bird waiting a little
while. he signalled again, but this time
the eSy was varied. there being three dis
tinct calls. Almost Immediately a sound
ike an echo came over the water, and
this was followed shortly after by the
soft swish OF steering SOUL. Then from
the gloom. which lay Like q cloak upon
tho river saw q darker shadow emerge.
and presently boat grated on the shin
gle at our feet
Aboard quickly" said Koon-si. THE
wind Is fair, and the current Is strong
IN Two or three hours we shall be
abreast OF Chfng-hi"
The boat was steadied for us, and we
instantly scrambled aboard. The carpen-
ter followed, one OF the men showed Off
and presently we were spinning down the
great river.
Jim and I sat in the little cabin aft. a
structure with which every Chinese
sampan Is rugged. Koon-6i sat on the af-
ter thwart, facing US. and seizing an oar
laid TO with will. A man on the bench
forward also tugged like a galley slave. A
second sat still forward of him and kept
a good lookout. All Yon, our worthy SER
want, stood aft. the long steering scull in
his hand.
II was strange journey. that rush
down the dark river. and II the pecul-
lar conditions were not without their ef-
feet on me II Is small cause FOR wonder.
Jim was significantly mute. and / felt
keenly that this was no occasion for tne
use OF idle words. knew that his thougrs
had travelled no farther than the island
or Ching hi and that they wandered there
at large. Chtng-hf and kung and the So
clety. what black world of thought those
three words conjured up! 1t seemed to me
az though the whole misery OF life was
concentrated In them. and as the boat
rushed on and on swinging blindiy as
It were. toward destiny, thought of
Cecil, or my sins and OF such things as
stir the imagination when a great event
Is foreshadowed. Truly we were In the
hands of fate, and I prayed and hoped.
For some time nothing but the swirl
Ing or the waters. the rising and falling
OF the oars, the dirgelke sougffne of
the wind as II swept down tho great
black waterway. beat an accompaniment
to our thoughts, but presently upon the
canvas tilt which rooted our little cabin
heard sound not unlike that which
the rubbing OF finger nail would pro-
duce.
For a time paid little heed to II. but
- IL continued without cessation I prtcked |
mp my ears and listened still more m |
tently. The sound came at regular inter
vals. and after a little hesitation con-
nected II In some manner with the swing
of the big steering scull aft Then the |
thought of the scuii conJured upga vision
IL, r..
All Yon Immediately stood before my
minds eye.
Ever on the alert and but sure of ono
hing. that the unexpected always hap
,ens, / instantly made up my mind that
Ah Yon was signaling me- and farther
o test the truth Of this surmis I got
ip. opened the fap at the back OF the lit
lie cabin and looked out
All Yon's face WAS but darkly seen,
ret his figure stood out distinctly, n darn
n shallow against the dark background
II the sky. As he saw me he stopped.
lis finger TO his lips. but at that moment
he voice of Koon-Si was heard, and Yon
stood upright and stiffened
nsaeelf to his work. But the carpenter,
Y 1tinuing TO speak and somewhat -x-
itedly, / thought, the man who had been
Ieeping the lookout forward came and
ooh Yon's place, tho latter scrambllng
Onward In turn. Then for a space there
vas peace on the boat, and we swung on.
Though at the moment thought the
ccurrenoe little strange, a fuller mental
failed to lay bare any Inn
ortant fact. That All Yon had meant TO
with mo was obvious. but
hat his communication was OF any mo-
nent II would be difficult to say. Tha, us
ad been relieved from his post aft was
My natural, considering the time he had
TODD there. Nevertheless mentioned the |
hei Incident TO Jim who could make no
rore out OF IL than 1. Among friends the
ttered word Is not always big with mean
az; the word unuttored Is easily forgiven.
No incident Of any Importance marked
he continuation Of our journey. II was
,ng and duh 10 o degree, and the only
Abstraction we reoeived from Koon-Si
HON we importuned with queries as to
istances. etc, was the fnvariable reply.
Everything was present /
=" and for want OF n fuller answer we
ERE forced to possess our souls I'm pa
ence.
But at length the apparently intermina-
e journey drew 10 a close. Koon-Si
no for some timo had been intently
eering through tho gloom, suddenly
ushed his face into our cabin and said:
We have arrived. exceilencies. Look,
onder is the island OF Ching -hL"
We looked. but for some little time