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To avoid risks, in case the letter should be opened on the way, instead of writing in the usual characters of our language I'll use the Romanised, which I learnt in the mission school in Peking. 'You'll write your letter and send it, and before any one can come the children will be off with that man Ku Hung Li. We must get them here before he returns, said Chang Nai-nai.
An Ching and the children were in one cart, which was driven by a carter, while Ku Nai-nai occupied the other with her son as driver. The cart was most uncomfortable; it looked like a large arched travelling-trunk, covered with dark blue cotton. Open at one end, it was placed between two heavy wooden wheels, and had a square board in front, from which the shafts stuck out.
'No foreigners shall meddle with my food, she said; whereat Nelly was very glad, for she had only offered to go and help on An Ching's account. So Ku Nai-nai hustled off An Ching and Little Yi, at the same time telling Nelly to stay where she was. Nelly, left to herself, drew the bench upon which she had been sitting quite near the wall, so as to be in the shade.
And then Nelly told the man all about Little Yi and herself being brought to Yung Ching by Hung Li and Ku Nai-nai. When she had finished the man seemed to be considering for some time. At length he said: 'Perhaps I can help you to escape. You had better not say a word to any one. Would you come with me and leave the Chinese girl? 'Oh no, replied Nelly.
He gave the children the usual Chinese greeting of, 'Fine day. Are you well? Nelly replied: 'Quite well. It is rather hot. This is Little Yi. Chang hoped Little Yi was well, and when she had replied that she was, and hoped he was too, he asked for 'the young Ku Nai-nai, meaning An Ching. Chang repeated this to his wife, who was at the foot of the ladder.
When you stopped to rest at noon I got off my mule and came quite close. I saw the young Ku Nai-nai as she lay asleep. An Ching did not much like this, but she said nothing. Chang continued: 'It was easy to follow you and put up at the same inn at night, especially as Hung Li did not know us.
It was he who prevented his mother from taking the children home the evening they left the Legation, as she at first fully intended to do; but Ku Nai-nai was herself rather fond of money, and did not require much persuasion.
Chang, who was still at his post, took away all An Ching's embarrassment by greeting her with: 'Is the young Ku Nai-nai well? Then, after a few more formalities, he asked Little Yi to go and stand in the round gateway, so as to be able to warn them if any one came, and he began at once to discuss with An Ching ways and means for releasing the children. The arrangements were very simple.
There was plenty of time for reflection all the afternoon and evening, for Ku Nai-nai seemed determined to have a regular turnout while the old woman was out of the way, and kept An Ching and Little Yi quite busy. Nelly decided that if the Christian for that was how she thought of the Chinaman could help Little Yi and herself to get away before Hung Li returned, they had better go with him.
They both sat down on the bench near the wall, and Nelly told her tale to the astonished An Ching, or rather she half told it, for just as she was in the middle of it Ku Nai-nai came shouting for that lazy An Ching to come indoors. You may be sure that An Ching made haste to finish up her work after they had all eaten their mid-day meal.
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