“I don’t know about the telephone; but they do say that in the interior the people believe the telegraph wires are bewitched, and they won’t walk under them excepting with their eyes closed and while holding their breath, or else while repeating some verse from Confucius. For many years they wouldn’t allow a railroad to go through, because such a road would disturb the graves that are scattered here, there, and everywhere instead of being in regular cemeteries, as in our own country.” “I reckon the people in the interior are even more ignorant than those on the seacoast.” “They are, if the books I have read are to be believed. One writer says that some Chinamen were surprised to learn that he, as a ‘foreign devil,’ did not have three legs and a horn, and that others thought he had a hole through his breast through which a pole could be thrust whenever he wanted to be carried from place to place. Another writer says he was also asked about the hole, and that the natives were surprised to learn that he could bend his knees, having heard that no ‘foreign devils’ could bend their knees to their gods. This writer had a camera with him, and came close to having his head cut off through trying to take some snap-shots in the village. He added that numerous Chinamen think that photographs must be made out of babies’ eyes; and, as very few of the poor natives of the interior have any use for a girl baby, they sometimes offer to sell such a baby to be sacrificed, so that the eyes can be made up into photographs!” CHAPTER IV CAPTAIN PONSBERRY HAS HIS SAY “Hurrah! Here come the boys who are bound for China!” “Good luck to you, boys! Wish I was going with you!” “Don’t let the Chinks get the best of you! Stick up for Uncle Sam and Old Glory every time!” Such were some of the cries as the command to which Gilbert was attached swung across the bridge which spanned the river Pasig, and marched through the streets of old Manila to the barracks assigned to them previous to their departure for China. It was a warm, pleasant evening, and the thoroughfares were alive with people,--Americans, natives, Spaniards, Englishmen, and likewise a good sprinkling of Chinamen. But the latter had already heard of the sending of troops to their native land, and they took good care to keep in the background for fear of a riot in which they might come off second-best. All was gayety, with scarcely a thought of the terrible struggles which had occurred in that vicinity but a few months before. The barracks were gained, and, while the band was playing one of the popular airs of the day, the companies were dismissed to seek their quarters and make themselves as comfortable as circumstances permitted. “Gilbert! I was hoping I should find you!” The exclamation came from a tall, handsome young fellow wearing the uniform of a captain of volunteers; and, as the young lieutenant turned, he found his hand tightly clasped by his old chum, Ben Russell.