Lucy and Charles were full of joy when it was fully decided that they
were to be taken on a voyage around the world. They spent whole evenings
with Sky-High, tracing the route on the maps and globes. They would go
by the way of San Francisco or Vancouver, and thence to Canton. They
were to visit Sky-High's land first of all.
"They're all gone mad sure!" said Nora; "and that boy'll never send 'em
back!"
Mr. Van Buren wished to learn something of the Chinese language as
spoken, and was willing to study an hour every evening with the
house-boy, and Lucy and Charles picked up the funny choking phrases as
fast as their father.
Mr. Van Buren said that Manchuria, the land of the conquering Tartars,
was likely to play a notable part in the history of the future in
connection with the great Siberian railway; and the whole family began
to take an interest in the history and condition of that vast province
on the Ameer, where little Sky-High had lived.
Mrs. Van Buren read aloud to them all the story of Kubla Khan and of
Tamerlane, and of Marco Polo, the great traveler, and about the Mongols,
the Buddhist missionaries, the Great Wall, the long periods of peace and
temple building. They studied the maxims of Confucius and the accounts
of modern missionaries.
For Charles and Lucy to hear these stories of the country that had given
the world fire-crackers and silk, and was, moreover, the land of their
dear little Sky-High, was like listening to the "Arabian Nights." The
winter passed away quickly, delightful with their preparations for the
great journey.
"You said that you had lived with the mandarin of Manchuria, I think,"
remarked Mr. Van Buren to Sky-High one evening.
"With _a_ mandarin in Manchuria, master," corrected Sky-High.
"There are many mandarins in Manchuria. Manchuria is a large country."
"Are there more people than in Boston?" asked Charlie.
"I do not know how many there are in Boston--there are fifteen million
in the province of Manchuria."
"Did the mandarin live in great, wonderful, gorgeous splendor?" asked
Lucy.
Sky-High's eyes opened with a gleam. "His gifts are gold," he said.
"His dragons have teeth of gold. The monoliths in his garden are one
thousand, it may be two thousand years old. At the Feast of Lanterns he
covers the sky over his palace with fire. You should see his gardens and
the gables of his houses! It takes some minutes to speak his whole name."
"I wish I could look upon a man like that!" said Charlie. "I hope we
shall see that mandarin when we go to China."
"That will be easy," said Sky-High.
* * * * *
The family sailed away from the Pacific coast in the spring. Mr. and
Mrs. Van Buren really felt very glad to have such an intelligent servant
as Sky-High for their visit to the Chinese provinces, even though they
were to leave him behind at his home.
When they arrived at Hong Kong there was a surprise. Some officials at
the port appeared to recognize Sky-High, and brought to him an
important-looking mail which he received with a sudden dignity. He also
was paid attentions from notable Chinese people, such as servants would
not seem likely to meet.
Mr. Van Buren finally explained it to himself. He carried letters to
many consuls and commercial houses. Sky-High was noticed because he was
in his service. "In such countries," said Mr. Van Buren, "customs are
different from ours."
Certain high Chinamen in the hongs--the trade-houses--bowed low in a
most respectful way to Sky-High, their manner very noticeable. Whenever
Lucy and Charles accompanied him they were offered Chinese sweetmeats
or novel toys of ivory and jade.
"The people are very kind and polite to you," said Mr. Van Buren to
Sky-High, one day. "You are fortunate to come back in our service.
Our family has traded with China for three generations; I suppose we
are known nearly everywhere."
"I am fortunate, master," said the little Chinaman.
They prepared to go on to Canton. Sky-High arranged the journey, and
explained the details to Mr. Van Buren. He had an air of taking the
family under his protection, and seemed to be wholly familiar with the
way along the boat-lined waters.
"We are to stop just before we reach the city," he said to Mr. Van
Buren, "to meet a mandarin of Manchuria of the Crystal Sea. He is
visiting at the summer palace of a grand mandarin of Canton. A barge
will come out to meet us. There will be fireworks. I have arranged it
all. Besides these two there will be also a mandarin from the Yellow
River."
"'Meet us! I have arranged it all!' What does our little house-boy
mean?" thought Mr. Van Buren. He called Sky-High, and asked him to
explain his strange words.
"I have arranged it all," said Sky-High simply. "A barge will meet you,
and take you to this summer palace. There will be fireworks for the sake
of Charles and Lucy; the heavens will blaze. The mandarins have heard
of your family. They wish to receive you and to please the children of
the mandarin of Boston."
Lucy danced at these hospitable words. She had treated little Sky-High
like a wang. She had dreamed that he was a wang. Perhaps--well, little
Lucy found it thrilling to feel that almost anything splendid might
happen!
But Mr. Van Buren had no idea that his family had become of importance
to the grandees of China, although it was true that his father and
grandfather had traded in the country and had extensive correspondence
with the hongs. "Sky-High," said he, "you must be simply amusing
yourself! A grand mandarin would not order fireworks for Charles and
Lucy. What mandarin is he?"
"Of the Crystal province. He has heard of you; he wishes to honor you
as a noble American and the friend of his people."
Mr. Van Buren wondered if his wife's little house-boy had gone insane.
He spoke with impatience. "Let us not be fooling ourselves with this
business any longer!"
"I have never deceived you, master," said the little serving-man.
"I am as the great George Washington in his youth. The mandarin of the
province of the Crystal Sea holds you in high esteem, and he wishes to
entertain the children."
Mr. Van Buren inquired at the American consular office concerning this
"Mandarin of the province of the Crystal Sea." The consul informed him,
with a smile, that the mandarin in question was especially rich and
powerful, that he took an interest in American manners and customs, and
often entertained Americans who had been kind to his people in America
as well as merchants who had dealt honorably with the Chinese.
Still, Mr. Van Buren could not understand how a great and high-born
mandarin should be in communication with his servant.
Here little Lucy spoke up. "Papa, I _know_ it is all _so_! Our
Sky-High has never told a lie. Even General George Washington would have
liked him."