The Last Ditch

he solitary forward watch. This was a white man who leaned over the railing, and reflected in the dull fashion of a bruised mind, that he would have to scrub down that deck at dawn. A live

ne of his reckless eyes a fist had rimmed with black. In some respects this

learning what the deeper hell is like. He had been refused the privilege of going ashore at Woosung, had been abused by the captain and the c

ged reinforced him somewhat against the big chances necessary in dealing with lawless, ship-jumping wanderers. Yet his losses were smaller than me

had money banked in all the Oriental seaport towns from Aden to Yokohama. He was a money-lender by nature. The sea was a means, not a labour of love. In a word it was wisdom to keep awa

own various and recent miseries had often recurred. On this night that the John Dividend dropped anchor off the Shanghai port, they brought the white man a kind of madness. There was nothing in particular to watch

earest dragged in the prize, and the forward deck of the John Dividend was left without a watch. This was not exactly a loss, since the missing man as a sailor was equall

while the last drunken party of the John Dividend pulled past, headed for the ship. When the voices could be heard no more, the fugitive raised his head, shuddering. It was then that he noticed the other occupant of his own junk-a

nry of the city's front, he tossed a silver dollar into the leper's dress. She screamed for more as she would have done had

st thought was to get clean clothes, but there is always formality and inco

ft; resumed his classic jaunt over Asia and the Islands. It h

ce. Certain foreigners, however, were stopped upon the streets of Shanghai by a dilapidated American who see

uly be lost, and where countless animals, roughly shaped like men, move

osung. On the hurricane deck, well away from the enthusiastic party of American tourists, a small slant-eyed man stood alone by t

ight have been twenty or forty, as you preferred. One couldn't tell anything definite from the

was not marshland, but the garment's hem of the Mother Empire, not seen these many years. There were no tears in his eyes; it is doubtful if his pulse had quickened. It is dangerous to suggest the nature of a yellow man's emotion. None but a yellow man could understand exactly. Yet this was certain, Dr. Ti Kung had not stoo

owns, in Toronto, Vancouver, also in California and New England. It had not been the mere matter of an education,

inferiors, who held the belief that the Celestial Empire was a kind of giant laundry, and the frank, emotional friendliness of those of his classmates and business affiliates who had found that he was equally prodigious as athlete and student. His

present journey home. He had not worked for money. A certain class of American acquaintances had found him not only approachable for temporary benefit but admirable in forgetfulness as he was unswerving i

ands. He moved into the foreign quarter swiftly, passing through the streets with as little interest as if it were a daily custom. A mile deep in the Nankin Road, well past the row of German tobacconists, he hailed a particular 'rickshaw coolie from

d stone steps to the right. Half way up these, in the midst of a group of beggars, sat a white man, very drunk. He appeared to be expounding some great matter in a lingual mixture straight from nowhere. His head rocked leisurely from side to side. But one eyelid cou

eyelids meanwhile falling in abandon. Just a word was spoken from the 'rickshaw and the next instant the figure on the steps was alone. Dr. Ti Kung now took one shoulder, ordering his coolie to the other, and the American was lifted to his feet. Walking rigidly on either side, they steadied the li

s. Keeping to a direction was impossible in trending the intricate alley-w

ck of the vehicle which strained and creaked outrageously. A moment later, it stopped. Stepping forward and around, the Chinese gentleman found his 'rickshaw coolie standing like a faithful horse, waiting to be extricated from the embrace o

rbers were at his side in an instant. The idea was not broached to the white man. He was seized and benched, lather applied at once. He had evidently met Chinese at home. His jaw hardened and

officiate in the present activity, turned to Dr. Ti

lightened a personage, is without bounds and earth-defying." He produced a water-pipe of silver mount

ung, "only as regards the companion of this foreign p

pipe. "This day will ever linger in the memory of one degraded chief

iated himself, and they turned to th

relapsed in revery, having given no directions.

"Let the hair be short-cropped merely, as t

irect the operators. In a moment he was back

contests at the Imperial Pavilion. His prowess has doubtless come under court attention before. Today the trained cormorant of the Mandarin Pih has proved to be the best diver

erican tourists, exploring the Walled City, had reached this point. Dr. Ti Kung recognised the party as belonging to the ship he had left this morning. Just at this moment the white ma

o the rear of the shop, Dr. Ti Kung following leisurely. A moment later, he watched without concern while two brawny bare-shouldered native