The Chinese message puzzled the commander as much as it had Captain Banner. “I must find some Chinese scholar for this,” he said, and proceeded to hunt up a missionary without delay. When translated, the message ran as follows:-- “All is ready to blow up the Cross Mission. The powder train leads from Chow Fun’s house. Will fire at signal of three rockets. “CHING WO.” CHAPTER XIX SAVING THE MISSION HOUSE “The rascals!” burst from the colonel’s lips. “It is lucky you caught that spy.” Gilbert read the translation of the message with as much interest as any one. “It makes a close shave for those at the Mission House,” was his comment. “I think--” He stopped short. “What do you think, Lieutenant Pennington? Don’t be afraid to talk in a crisis like this.” “You’ll excuse me then, colonel; but of course you’ll inform those at the mission--” “At once,” finished the commander of the regiment. “But I was thinking of what it says about Chow Fun’s house. I wonder if that place is known to the consul?” “More than likely, for it cannot be very far from the consulate and the Mission House.” “The consulate is full of people. Captain McCalla is there, and several other officers, and one or two missionaries and their families.” “Shall I carry the message?” The colonel thought for a moment. “You may as well, for there is no staff officer at hand. Tell them they must catch this Chow Fun if they can, and any accomplices he may have.” “I will,” replied Gilbert. “You may ride the distance, in order to save time. There are plenty of horses, so your companions can ride, too.” Five minutes later the party of three were off in the midnight darkness. Dan Casey had been to the consulate twice on errands for his superiors, so he knew the road fairly well; and on they flew at the top of their horses’ speed. “They may not wait for the rocket signal,” said Gilbert. “If they suspect anything is wrong, they may fire that powder at any moment.” “An’ thin the Mission House would be blown sky-high,” returned Casey. “Say, but thim Chinks is vipers now, ain’t they?” “We just want to catch that Chow Fun,” put in Hunter. “I’ll wager he’s a bad one,--and a daring one, too,--or he wouldn’t hang so close around the enemy.” “It’s a bad plan to trust all of the so-styled Christian Chinese,” said Gilbert. “They are no more religious than their heathen brothers, and they will all stab us in the back if they can. I don’t believe one in ten is, at heart, a real out-and-out Christian.” There was little chance to say more, for the plunging of the horses rendered conversation difficult. The road was better than close to the river, but still full of holes; and once Casey was thrown, and Gilbert was afraid the Irishman had broken his neck. “Are you hurt, Dan?” he cried.