As they reached the city just before the closing of the gates, they found so many persons hastening to their homes, that they passed through without being noticed, and speedily procured a lodging at the nearest inn. CHAPTER XV. NICHOLAS DISCOVERS A CONSPIRACY, AND MAKES AN UNPLEASANT ENTRY INTO PEKIN. The next morning they laughed heartily when the innkeeper told them that the bonzes of the monastery in the suburbs had taken some rogues who had been found concealed in the pagoda before the police tribunal, and that the mandarin had ordered all of them a severe bambooing. Greatly as he enjoyed this news, Nicholas was too wise to wish to remain in the city any longer than possible, for he knew that the enraged junk captain would leave no effort untried to retake them; he, therefore, engaged a passage for himself and Chow in a barge that was proceeding to Tching-Kiang. Once on board the passage boat and floating down along the royal canal, they felt secure, for surely no mishap could now happen to interrupt their journey; and so, indeed, they arrived at Tching-Kiang, where, as this city was on the banks of the Yang-tse, which here interrupts the course of the canal, they were compelled to disembark and remain one night. The next morning Nicholas sent Chow to purchase a sword, a bow, and some arrows, in place of those taken from him in the prison. During his absence, he sat talking to the wife of the innkeeper, for amongst the lower classes, the women are permitted to have greater intercourse, as indeed is necessary, to enable them to assist in earning the family living. He had not been chatting for any length of time when there arose a great hubbub in the street, and, looking out of the window, what was his surprise to see Chow running, as if for his life, followed by an old gentleman, who stopped every now and then to take breath and shake his fists angrily at the mob, who, believing it to be a race, shouted for mere fun. A glance, however, made Nicholas aware of the true character of the pursuer, and he begged of the woman to aid him in saving the life of his friend, who was being hunted by a madman, who if he caught him, he would kill him. Before she could reply, Chow ran up to the door; the woman opened it, let him in, and shut it again in the face of the old gentleman, whose stomach, being of extreme protuberance and what his countrymen call full measure, received such a blow that, what with loss of breath and fullness of indignation, his big body toppled over his short legs, and he lay upon the ground with his little head turned upward, like a turtle gasping at falling heat drops. "Truly we are lost, for the old rat is the physician," said Chow. "Can the worthy woman aid us?" said Nicholas, fairly baffled. "Let the youths follow," said the good-natured Woman; adding, "Whither would they be taken?" "To the river," replied Nicholas, not knowing where else to say.