Blue Jackets | Page 4

off into the water, when there was a burst of
angry shouting, a pair of arms began to swing about, and the owner of
the "fancee shop," whose acquaintance we had made on board, forced
his way to our side, turned his back upon us, and uttered, a few words
which had the effect of making the crowd shrink back a little.
Then turning to us, he began, in his highly-pitched inquiring
tone--"You wantee Ching? You wantee eat, dlink, smoke? Ching talkee
muchee Englis'. Come 'long! hip, hip, hoolay!"
CHAPTER TWO.
A PIECE OF CHINA.
Ching flourished his arms to right and left, forming a lane for us to pass
along, and we followed him for the few dozen yards between the
landing-place and his place of business; but it was like passing through
so much human sand, which flowed in again behind us, and as soon as
we were in the shelter of the lightly-built bamboo place, crowded round
the door to stare in.
But Ching had regularly taken us under his protection, and, stepping
into the doorway, he delivered himself of a furious harangue, which
grew louder and louder, and ended by his banging to the door and
fastening it; after which he turned to us with his little black eyes
twinkling, and crying--
"Allee light. Ching light man light place."
We all laughed, of course, and the Chinaman joined in. Then, growing
serious directly, he looked from one to the other.

"You likee dlink?"
"No, no, not yet," cried Barkins.
"No likee dlink?" said the Chinaman wonderingly; and then in a voice
full of reproof, "Sailor boy likee dlink."
"Oh yes, by and by," cried Smith.
"Ah, you wantee buy fan, shawl, ivoly? Fancee shop."
"No, no, we don't want to buy anything now," cried Barkins. "We'll pay
you--"
"Allee light," cried the man, brightening up, for he had looked
disappointed, and he held out both hands for the promised pay.
"Oh, come, wait a bit," I said. "We want you to take us and show us the
shops."
"No, no. Shop no good. Bess shop--fancee shop, Ching."
"Oh yes; but we want to see the others too, and the streets."
"Stleet allee full dust--allee full mud. No good."
"Never mind," said Barkins; "we want to see them, and the temples and
mandarins' houses."
"Pliest shut up temple. Want muchee money. Mandalin call soldier man
muchee, put all in plison. No good."
"They'd better," cried Smith; "why, the captain would blow all the
place down with his big guns."
"No blow Ching fancee shop down. Englis' spoken. Good fliend."
"Look here, Ching. Shut up shop, and come and take us all round the
town to see everything, and we'll each give you a dollar."

"Thlee dollar?" cried the man, holding his head on one side, and raising
three fingers.
"Yes," we cried, and once more his hand went out.
"What can't you trust us?" cried Smith.
"No tlust. All pay leady money. Go 'board. Fo'get."
"Oh no, we shan't," I cried. "And look here, Ching, after we've been
round the town we want to go to the theatre."
"'Top flee day to go to fleatre?" he said.
"Three days! no. We must be back on board at sundown."
"No go fleatre--no time."
"Never mind the theatre, then," cried Barkins. "Now then, off we go.
And I say, boys, let's have something to eat first."
"Wantee something eatee?" cried Ching, making for a canister upon a
shelf.
"No, no," cried Smith, "not that. We want a good dinner. Do you know
what a restaurant is?"
"Lestaulant?"
The Chinaman shook his head.
"Wantee good din': eat muchee soup, fis', cakee?"
"Yes, that's right; come along."
The yellow-faced man went softly to the door and listened, while we
glanced round at the collection of common Chinese curios, carvings,
lanterns, sunshades, stuffed birds, bits of silk, and cane baskets which
filled the place, till he came back to us with a cunning look, and his

eyes twinkling, as Smith said, "like two currants in a penny bun."
"Too muchee men all wait," he whispered. "No talkee talkee;" and,
making a gesture to us to be very silent, he led us through the back of
his shop into a smaller room, closed and fastened the door, and then led
us through another into a kind of yard full of boxes and old tea-chests,
surrounded by a bamboo paling.
There was a gate at the end of this, and he led us through, fastened it,
and, signing to us to follow, led us in and out behind houses, where we
sometimes saw a woman or two, sometimes children at play, all of
whom took refuge within till we had passed.
"Big clowd outside, wait long time," said Ching, with a laugh; and
directly after he led