The voice was the voice of Jacob! He must indeed have been a clever Chinaman to speak English with that intonation: and yet the sentry hesitated; here were two Chinese stealing out of the camp, and to all appearance hailing from the Colonel’s quarters. The sentry’s challenge, clear, and incisive, rang out on the night air; but they knew the password, that was enough for him; he had no business to detain them.
The two figures stole silently on until they reached the wall—now if their progress was not arrested here, all might still be well, but, if the British saw them, and an alarm was given, they might be shot as they dropped over the wall.
"I had not reckoned on this," said the younger man of the two, "We run more risk here than outside the Legation."
"That is true, sir," replied the other, deferentially, "but everything seems pretty quiet now, this is our best time." They looked cautiously round—not a soul was in view. In the distance they heard the tramp of the guard—every now and then a shrill cry from the besiegers rent the air, and flames shot up into the sky from the burning houses, but no immediate danger appeared to threaten them.
"Now, sir," said the elder of the two, who seemed to possess the agility of a cat. In a moment he had scaled the wall and prepared to lower himself on the other side.
"Leave the talking to me, sir; it will be best for you to be silent."
"Yes, yes," agreed the other, hastily, "you may be quite sure I shall risk nothing; too much depends upon it," he added under his breath.
They had reached the top of the wall in safety and were about to lower themselves on the other side, when all of a sudden the silence of the night was broken; they were discovered and the alarm was given—the sharp whiz of a bullet passed within an inch of their faces.
In less time than it takes to write it, the two men had dropped silently over the wall, and were now running as fast as they could from the Legation.
"Keep as much under cover as possible, sir, or they will mark us down."
"I never thought of this," said Mr. Crawford, laughing. "My friends are more to be feared than yours."
"Oh, we shall come upon mine soon enough, sir," Wang replied, "and then it will be best for you to be silent."