'Now don't scold, old woman,' replied Chang. 'I can take some of your chickens to sell in Peking at the same time. Fatten them up well, and the foreigners will give me good prices.' Chang Nai-nai only grunted. She was not really mean and greedy, but she loved to make a fuss. Meanwhile Chi Fu had been reflecting, his knees crossed one over the other and his head resting, in what he thought was a graceful attitude, on the palm of his left hand, supported by his elbow on the table. 'Respected father,' he said, when he could get a word in, 'it seems to me that the first thing to be done is to write to the young lady's parents. All we need do is to inform the honourable gentleman where his daughter is to be found.' 'That is so, my son, and you can write the letter.' 'I will write to-morrow, after you have inquired the correct name and address of the young lady's father. To avoid risks, in case the letter should be opened on the way, instead of writing in the usual characters of our language I'll use the Romanised, which I learnt in the mission school in Peking.' 'You'll write your letter and send it, and before any one can come the children will be off with that man Ku Hung Li. We must get them here before he returns,' said Chang Nai-nai. 'You are right too, my mother. The letter shall be written, and we will also try to think of some other plan to benefit the foreign and native young ladies.' With which Chi Fu rose slowly and majestically, and glided into the next room. CHAPTER IX CHI FU'S SCHEME Chang and his wife saw no more of their son that day until it was time to eat rice in the evening. Chi Fu had been at the mission compound. Naturally the Changs were both full of excitement over the morning's adventure; so little happens to disturb the tranquillity of home life in China. They had talked of nothing else, and were quite ready to begin again when Chi Fu arrived. 'Well, have you thought of a plan to get hold of those children?' his mother asked, as soon as he had swallowed one bowl of rice. The family oracle replied slowly that he had thought a good deal about it, and that he had inquired at the mission when the courier was going to Peking. 'You surely did not tell about those children?' screamed Chang Nai-nai. 'No, I only asked about the courier,' quietly replied Chi Fu, 'and as he has only just left, my letter could not go until next month. It would not be prudent to send a letter written in foreign characters otherwise than by the mission courier, and were I to use Chinese writing it might be read on the way.' Chi Fu partook of another half bowl of rice, and then continued: 'Therefore it would be advisable to make some plan for the escape of the two young ladies, and receive them here.' 'But what plan?' cried his mother. 'Your father and I have been thinking it over all the afternoon, and there seems no way.'