"Believe me, I will run no needless risks, but I must do what I can to find my friend or learn his fate. Remember what I owe to him."
"Yes, we ought not to forget that," said Ethel; "you owe him--what we owe to you."
She turned away. Mrs. Pottle put her arm about her niece's waist.
Before Bob could reply, Ah-Sam, who had left the room for a few minutes, returned hurriedly.
"One piecee Japanee come fetchee ladies Seoulee side. Hab got horses; wantchee lide wailo chop-chop: topside fightee pidgin."
A few questions asked of Ah-Sam, and Bob explained to Mrs. Pottle that an officer was about to start on military business for Seoul, and the occasion had been seized to provide the American ladies with an escort. He would arrive within a few minutes. Bob despatched Ah-Sam with an answer, then turned to Mrs. Pottle.
"But not for long," she replied with forced cheerfulness. "We shall stay, anyhow, two months at Yokohama, and you must come right along as soon as you can."
"Good-bye, Mr. Fawcett," said Ethel, giving him her hand. "We shall pray for your success. Good-bye!"
The Impossible--Stage Properties--Outwitted--The Battle Opens--Russians at Bay--Yamaguchi's Experiences
"It is clear, Mr. Fawcett, that you have the bump of locality."
"I am not sure of that, sir. What I remember of these hills is due to the Manchu Chang-Wo. We were continually looking back, expecting to see him on our track."
"At any rate you seem to have brought away a remarkably vivid impression of the country--fortunately for us. This path, bad as it is, has saved us an immensity of labour, and--what is more important--time."
General Inouye pulled up his horse as he spoke, and looked back upon the long line of troops zigzagging up the face of the mountain. The blue uniforms of the Japanese soldiers showed up clearly against the bare ochreous rocks of the hillside, offering a conspicuous mark to the enemy, had the enemy been there to see. But these rugged, precipitous hills had always been regarded as impracticable for troops; the Russians had no fear of attack from this quarter, and had made no attempt to occupy them.
There was an unusually large prospect from the spur overhanging the deep gully on which General Inouye and Bob stood side by side. Above them the road disappeared abruptly round the face of the mountain; below, it wound erratically down the boulder-strewn slope, here and there plunging out of sight in a hollow, to emerge again, it might be hundreds of yards lower down, as a narrow ledge on the face of a perpendicular crag, on which the Japanese troops seemed in the distance like an army of ants on the march.