But the Celestial would not stop; and, raising his pistol, the young lieutenant blazed away. At the same instant Carl's gun spoke up; and both reports were followed by a scream of pain, for the shots had entered the fellow's shoulder.
"I think he would rather die than be captured," said Gilbert. "But we must take him if we can. He may prove to be an important capture. No ordinary Chinaman or Chinese soldier would be swimming around here this time of night."
"Of I vos a first-class schwimmer, I vos chump in for him," replied the German. "Put he might grab me und drown me, hey?"
By this time the corporal of the guard was hurrying to the spot, wanting to know what the two shots meant. He was a tall, powerful fellow from South Dakota, and was perfectly willing to leap into the stream and bring in the "pig-tail" by his hair, as he expressed it, although he 'allowed as how it would be dead easy to plug him fer keeps.'
"I don't wish him killed," answered Gilbert. "Bring him in if you can, but beware that he doesn't knife you."
"I'll have my eyes open, lieutenant," said the
