CHAPTER XXV
"ON TO PEKIN"
"I am very glad you came when you did," exclaimed Mrs. Bartlett, when Gilbert reappeared at the house. "If you had not come, I do not know what I should have done."
She spoke in a whisper, so that her husband might not be disturbed again. Jennie had gone to the sufferer, and administered a quieting draught; and he was now in a fitful doze.
"Had Polk been here long before I came?" asked the young lieutenant, in an equally low voice.
"At least half an hour. We tried by all means in our power to get rid of him; but he would not go, and at one time almost pushed his way into my husband's bed-chamber."
"I do not believe he will bother you again, at least not right away." And Gilbert told how he had threatened Nuggy Polk. "I imagine he is a coward at heart."
Mrs. Bartlett led the way to a side room; and, sitting down here, Gilbert listened to what she had to tell concerning the second fire at the warehouse.
"I believe some Russian soldiers started it, possibly the fellows you warned away. It is a great loss; but, fortunately, we have a little insurance, if it can be collected. The fire was a great set-back for Mr. Bartlett; and, although he was getting better after you left, he is now as bad as he was before."
"Do you still wish to go to Taku?"
"I think not. The bombardment is over, and all is now as quiet as one would wish. I understand you have driven the Chinese out entirely."
"We have driven all the soldiers and Boxers out, and the others are as meek as lambs. But the looting goes on, in spite of what has been done to stop it."
"I presume you will now press on to Pekin."
"I don't believe we'll do anything for a week or so. We are awaiting the arrival of more troops, both from Manila and from the United States. And we need boats for the river and horses for the cavalry."
"And what is the news from Pekin?"
"All our people are shut up, and suffering a terrible bombardment. A mine was discovered under the American legation, but it was cut off before the Chinese could explode it. They say most of the dwellings of the foreigners are wrecked. Many of the missionaries outside of Pekin have been slain, and their bodies mutilated."
Mrs. Bartlett shuddered. "War is horrible, lieutenant. I want no more of it. And I want no more of the Chinese. If my husband gets better, I am going to persuade him to sell out his interest here, and go back to the States."
Soon after this Jennie came back; and then Gilbert was invited to tiffin on the back piazza, which had been repaired since the fall of the tree. As Mrs. Bartlett was a motherly lady and Jennie a lovely and engaging young miss, it can readily be imagined that Gilbert enjoyed the repast thoroughly. He lingered as long as he dared, and then hurried off to the office of the provost marshal of the district, to caution the guard against allowing the Bartletts to be disturbed by either Nuggy Polk or Jerry Nickerson.
When the young lieutenant arrived at headquarters, he found that some mail had just come in from the States and from the Philippines. There was one letter for him from Manila, and written by Larry Russell, that interested him very much. This ran as follows:—
"Dear Gilbert,—I suppose by the time this reaches you, you will be in the hottest of the fighting, and will be covering yourself with glory. Well, go in and win, and don't come out of the struggle with less than a colonel's commission.
"All still remains somewhat quiet here, and we boys expect to move very soon; but whether to China or to the United States nobody can tell. The rebels are lying low in the mountains, and Ben says he may get another go at them; but I don't think so.
"By the way, there is an old friend of mine in China, a missionary named Martin Wells, who sailed with me on the Columbia. You'll remember my telling you about him. He was stationed at Hong Kong at first, but later on went to Pekin; and I've read in a newspaper that he was trying to escape from the Boxers. If you can do anything for him, I wish you would. Have you seen or heard anything of the old Columbia? She must be somewhere around the Gulf of Pechili, unless the Chinese pirates have captured her. I hear that those rascals are taking advantage of the war. I must hurry, as the mail is closing.
"Dear Larry!" murmured Gilbert. "I don't wonder Ben and Walter love him. Yes, I remember hearing about the Rev. Mr. Wells; and I'll do all I can for him if we chance to meet."
Gilbert had looked for a few days' rest, but in this he was mistaken. It was true there was no fighting; but preparations were continued for the advance on Pekin, and this gave him plenty of work to do.
General Chaffee was now in command of all the American forces in Tien-Tsin and on the way; and these numbered in round figures five thousand men. The British troops numbered about the same, and the French and German about half as many. Of Russians there were at least ten thousand, and twice that many Japanese. Of course, all of these could not participate in the forward movement; and the actual army which struck out for the Chinese capital numbered only sixteen thousand men.
Before the Allies left Tien-Tsin there were numerous heavy rains; and these caused the Pei-Ho to overflow its banks, and rush through the broken dikes the Chiaese had left behind them. As a consequence, the marshlands were covered with water and inud for miles around, rendering the advance of the soldiers exceedingly slow and difficult. The rains continued; and, when it was not raining, the sun shone down so fiercely that many a man was prostrate by the heat. The water was so impure as to be unfit to drink, and the whole territory abounded in fever and malaria for the foreigners.
By the last day of July all was in readiness for the advance; and the first movement was made by the Russian contingent, which advanced up the river a distance of several miles, and, after a slight resistance, captured some additional mud forts. This movement up the muddy stream was followed by the starting of the transports, which had to be poled along, for fear of running into the junks the Chinese had sunk in the channel. A few of the craft were towed by Chinese coolies, but their progress was not satisfactory.
Following the advance of the Russians came that of the French, and these two commands went up the Pei-Ho between the river and the railroad. The Americans, English, Japanese, and other commands advanced along the west bank of the Pei-Ho, the Americans being two thousand strong, including a battery.
The Chinese were strongly intrenched at Peitsang, in a position ten to twelve miles north of Tien-Tsin. They had over twenty thousand troops on the firing line, and half as many more in reserve; and several of their batteries held excellent positions for defence.
The main portion of Peitsang is on the left side of the Pei-Ho. It is a town of considerable importance, containing many thousands of inhabitants and a long wharfage. Back of the town is a long lake, connecting with the river by canals. These canals had all been cut, and the roads beside them ploughed up.
The going out of the Allies from Tien-Tsin proper was like the moving of some immense caravan, or what many a boy in America knows as a "Wild West" show. The troops were arrayed in a dozen different uniforms, and marched as pleased them; and behind them came the quartermasters' turnouts, horses and wagons, cows and carts, little donkeys with loads which almost placed them out of sight, and huge, awkward camels with their burdens towering skyward. There were also Chinese coolies with packs, and with rickshaws—that is, carriages meant to be pulled by human hands. Everything that could "go" was pressed into service.
"It's on to Pekin now, sure!" exclaimed Captain Banner, as he trudged once more beside Gilbert. "And, in my opinion, we are going to have our hands full."
"I am ready to take what comes," answered Gilbert. "I was getting tired of hanging around Tien-Tsin."
"Sure, an' this marchin' is worse nor the bogs av ould Ireland," broke out Dan Casey, as he splashed through water up to his ankles. "Iviry shtep I take I think I'll go into a hole up to me waist."
"Dot's all right, so long as you ton't vos go in ofer your head, Tan," replied Stummer. "How dis mud does stick to mine poots! Feels like it vos goin' to bull 'em off, hey?"
"You ought to be used to such travelling by this time," laughed Gilbert. "You have had lots of experience in the Phillppines."
On and on went the soldiers through the water and mud. Each was heavily loaded, and the suffering was great. Yet but few complaints were heard, for each nation was vying with the others to get ahead.
As soon as the first detachment of the Allies appeared, the Chinese batteries began to thunder forth their shot and shell with deadly effect. The guns were well managed, and to silence them seemed at first impossible.
"Major Morris, you will take your battalion around to the road on the left," said the lieutenant-colonel, as he dashed up on horseback. "Yonder gun must be silenced. Do you think your boys can do the work?"
"We can try," answered the major, as he saluted. Then he turned to the four companies behind him.
"Boys, we are ordered to storm yonder position and take that gun. We must do it."
"We will! We will!" was the reply. "Hurrah for Old Glory!"
"I know I can depend upon you. Forward, double quick! Left oblique!"
Away went Company A, with the others close behind. As soon as the road mentioned was gained, the major brought the second half of the battalion up on the side of the first. Then came the order to advance in a skirmish line; and away went the tliree hundred and fifty odd regulars on the double-quick, firing at will as they advanced.