The officer glanced from one to another of the flying boat’s crew; Burroughs with inscrutable face, Errington with an easy smile, the fat Chinaman stolid, the two servants unmistakably grinning. He was puzzled, suspicious; was the Englishman fencing with him? Did he dare to play with a German? "Vell, gentlemen," said the officer, now thoroughly irate, "you vill accompany me to Sui-Fu. I shall report zat my gunboat interrupt to protect you from ze rebels. You will do me ze honour to step up board." "It’s really very kind of you," said Errington, with a charming smile, "but we’re in a hurry, thank you, and will go down under our own power!" He cast off, the vessel came into the current, and politely doffing their hats the Englishmen waved a smiling farewell. "We’re well out of that," said Burroughs. "Yes," said Errington, "it would hardly do for our little affair to be made the pretext for a German landing in force and all the rest of it. It’s the very thing they’ve been looking for. But I say, _would_ you mind taking off that moustache?" CHAPTER XXII MR. TING EXPLAINS The adventures and misadventures of the flying boat are, for the present, ended; but there are certain scenes in the history of the human characters of this little drama which may perhaps have an interest for those who have followed their fortunes hitherto. On the day after the arrival of Burroughs and Errington in Sui-Fu, very early in the morning, Chin Tai came to his master’s bedroom door and knocked with much more vigour than usual. "What is it?" Burroughs shouted from within. "Time fo’ gettee up, sah," called the man, grinning at the can of shaving water he carried. "What time is it?" "No savvy allo plopa; time fo’ gettee up all-same." "It’s hardly light, confound you! Didn’t I tell you I wanted a long sleep?" "Plenty muchee solly, sah; time fo’ gettee up. One piecee fella outside come look-see Massa Bullows; he say he no can wailo[#] befo’ he hab talkee cash pidgin[#] ’long-side Massa Bullows." [#] Go away. [#] Money matters. "Send him to Sing Wen. You know perfectly well I don’t do business in bed, you ass. Any more of this foolo pidgin and you’ll get the sack." "Massa no unastan’," cried Chin Tai excitedly. "This piecee man he say he come look-see Sing Wen evely day-lo; Sing Wen say he no can makee anyting fo’ he; he muss waitee fo’ massa come back." "Who is the blackguard?" "He velly ’spectable fella, sah; he belongey opium shop-lo Pa-tang side." "Oh! That’s quite enough. Tell him to get out; I’ve nothing to do with him or his opium." "My tellum all that, sah; he say he stop plenty longee time; massa no look-see he, ch’hoy! he cut float on door-step all-same."