Nicholas, however, knowing the influence of money, determined to get over the difficulty. So fetching the lantern from the cabin, he so shaded its light with his robe, that while it could not be seen by their pursuers, he could see moored some distance from them a little fleet of san-pans. This he had expected, so gently pushing the boat alongside one of them he tapped upon the egg-like roof, and in another minute a man put out his head, when putting a piece of silver in his hand, as an earnest of a greater reward, the boatman acquiesced, and in a few minutes more he had aroused some of his fellows, who very nimbly set about mooring their boats till they had drawn them across the canal, so as to form a barricade, in the event of the enemy making its appearance; after which the boatman fastened a stout rope around the stern of the boys' boat, got into his own, and cautioning them to hold on by the roof of the cabin, with the assistance of some dozen of his mates in their boats, forced the little craft to the summit of the stone slope, when all clinging to the rope, let her slide gently down the other side into the river, when silently the san-pans moved back to their moorings, so that upon their arrival at the dike the yah-yu must have been strangely puzzled at the boy's escape from their clutches. The dangers of the river, however, were far greater than Nicholas had calculated, for the great stream upon whose bosom they had embarked, was at times as tempestuous as the ocean, and they possessed neither oars nor sails; as for the poles, the great depth of the river rendered them useless. Again, the night was so dark, that except by the feeble light of their lantern they could not see each other's faces; their only consolation was, that the waters were then as smooth and tranquil as those of the canal, except that a rapid current seemed to be sweeping them along without an effort of their own. "May the great god Fo protect us against Ma-tsoo-po, to whom we can offer no incense," said Chow. "How! Can it be that one so brave on land should be so great a coward upon water?" said Nicholas. "Truly it is a maxim, my master that, 'all are cowards who can't help themselves.' Chow in the waters would be less than the least of little fishes, for he cannot swim," was the gloomy reply. "It is also a maxim, 'that the gods forsake those who forsake themselves,'" said Nicholas, adding, "But it is fatigue, my poor Chow, that destroys thy courage; get thee, therefore, into the cabin and rest for a time, while I keep watch." "Nay, Fo protect us, or we are food for the favorites of the god of the waters," replied Chow, as the boat at that moment made a tremulous movement, which so alarmed Nicholas, that clutching hold of Chow's arm, he said, "Now put forth all thy energies or we are lost, for the 'bore' is upon us." This was sufficient, for in the presence of real danger Chow soon drove away the troubled fancies of his brain.