The news of Lao’s joining the robber band was soon brought to the Viceroy’s ears, and the latter in a short time fitted out an expedition, headed by himself, to destroy this recalcitrant tao-tai. In the first, second, and third engagement Lao’s rabble defeated the Viceroy’s troops at every turn. Then the authorities at Peking adopted different tactics. They offered Lao supreme command of Imperial troops, buttons, yellow jackets, two-eyed peacocks’ feathers—all were offered him if he would only come into the service of the Supreme Ruler of the Middle Kingdom. But Lao had his own special vendetta to occupy his mind. He mistrusted the Government after the way they had treated him, and preferred to be an outlaw. The cousins, aunts, and very distant relations, not to mention the soothsayers, who had so long lived at Lao’s expense, now began to get frightened. Mah Su’s body was interred forthwith, and a magnificent memorial archway was erected by the relations to her memory. But unfortunately Lao still remains an outcast. He has killed nearly all his relations and most of the soothsayers in the neighbourhood of Sung Ying, but in spite of frequent offers from the Son of Heaven at Peking making him General of the Imperial troops, Lao Ng Tau still remains a bandit, because certain of his cousins yet remain alive, and moreover there is more than one soothsayer still living in the vicinity of Sung Ying Fu. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ THE PUNISHMENT OF HONG ------------------------------------------------------------------------ THE PUNISHMENT OF HONG HONG, the massive, burly gate-keeper of the British Consulate, was a very familiar figure to all in the settlement. In his wide, baggy, white pantaloons, thick felt-soled shoes, white wide-sleeved jacket with a red crown on each arm, and white round hat with a red silk fringe spreading over its conical crown, he made a not unimposing figure. His large healthy-looking face was generally impassive, but he showed no cringing servility in his honest gaze, and one might occasionally catch a glimpse of humour in his always polite but generally inscrutable countenance. There were times when the humorous eyes took on a more pronounced twinkle, and when the big honest face assumed the kind, protecting mien of some faithful dog—this was when he had children to talk to and pester him. None knew him better than the white children of the settlement, and of these Jack, the eight-year-old son of the Consul, and Dorothy, the five-yeared daughter, were treated by the gigantic Hong with a reverence and love almost amounting to worship. Dorothy, with her yellow curls and wide blue eyes, was loved by everyone, and Jack, with his brave boy’s ways, could not fail to attract the notice of any passing stranger. Passengers alighting from the steamers always asked their friends, “Whose are those beautiful children?”