THE LOST RECOVERED
Exclamations of astonishment and of dismay followed Mr. Kit-ze. "What
can he mean?" asked Mr. Reid, his eyes fixed in wonder upon the
fast-retreating form of his boatman. "He surely hasn't deserted us!"
"It evidently looks that way," replied Mr. Wilburn.
"Now we are in a box!" exclaimed Clarence. "How are we to go on without
our sampan man?"
"Well, we have the sampan," remarked Mallard cheerfully. "The only other
thing now is to look out for some one to take charge of it."
"Easier said than accomplished," commented Mr. Reid. "Besides, though
Mr. Kit-ze has deserted us, yet the sampan is his. We can't take
possession without his consent."
"He has forfeited his right to protest against such a step," declared
Mr. Wilburn, "by his desertion and breach of contract. I am for taking
possession of the sampan, engaging some one to have charge of it,
assisted by Mr. Chefoo here, then allowing Mr. Kit-ze so much for its
use."
"But a competent sampan man is hard to find," said Mr. Reid. "That was
why I stuck to Mr. Kit-ze."
"Oh, but it is too bad to lose our trip!" exclaimed Mr. Wilburn,
"especially when so much relating to our work depends on it," and he
looked wistfully at Mr. Reid.
"Yes, too bad," assented Mallard.
"Oh, we must go," declared Clarence.
Even Helen and Dorothy were for going on, that is, if satisfactory
arrangements could be made.
"But maybe Mr. Kit-ze will return," suggested Helen.
"Yes," said Mr. Chefoo, who now spoke for the first time, "he will
return." All turned to look at him inquiringly. He had spoken very
positively.
"What makes you say that?"
"Because, honorable sirs, he went away as one who will come back. There
was no parting word. He will return."
"He didn't have sense for any parting word," commented Clarence. "It
seemed all taken from him."
"No," asserted Mr. Chefoo, "it was only the excitement that comes when
one knows there has been a loss."
"'A loss'!" echoed Clarence.
"Yes; Mr. Kit-ze has either lost something of very great value, for
which he has now gone to make search, or else he has forgotten something
that he has gone to bring. It is one or the other as you will in time
discover, son of the honorable teacher."
"But why act in that demented way? Couldn't he have explained to us, and
then gone after it in a respectable fashion?"
"It was something by which he set so great a store, youthful sir, that
he was overcome by what its loss signified to him. I should say,"
continued Mr. Chefoo, "that it is something without which he could not
proceed, or without which he----"
Here Mr. Chefoo paused.
"Well?" asked Clarence.
"Without which he would fear to go on."
"I see!" exclaimed Mr. Reid. "It was----"
"Let me finish, father," cried Clarence. "It was the red _miriok_. That
old crank has either left it or lost it. Now we must be tied up here
waiting his pleasure."
"Yes," said Mr. Reid in a disgusted manner, "it was the red _miriok_
that carried him off in that demented way; I am sure of it. But don't
call him a crank so boldly, Clarence. It would offend him should he hear
it."
"Well, what else is he? It is just too bad to be deserted in this way
and for such silliness. Oh, I wish that the red _miriok_ was in the
bottom of the river."
"Then, we'd never get Mr. Kit-ze to proceed," assured Mr. Wilburn, who
by this time had heard the story of the red _miriok_; "or at least not
until its counterpart was procured. But we can't stay here," he
continued. "We must, at least, try getting on to the next village. There
Mr. Kit-ze can join us. We'll leave word for him. This is a very
objectionable locality for more reasons than one, and the sooner we move
away from it the better."
In the meanwhile a large crowd had gathered, both on the river bank and
in the shallow water surrounding the sampan. All were agape with
curiosity. It is a well-known saying in Korea, and one the truth of
which travelers have often proved, that if you move on, very little
comment is excited; but if you stand still and appear to be engaged in
anything, or even to be looking at an object, curiosity of the most
intense kind is aroused. It takes but a minute or two then for the crowd
to gather around you, each individual member thereof following anxiously
the glance of your eye and hanging with almost breathless intent upon
every movement of hand or leg.
There were women and children in the crowd as well as men. The former
were so overcome by their curiosity that they had for the time forgotten
to keep their long, green coats close up about their eyes, which is the
custom when women are abroad in Korea. They now hung loosely about their
necks, the long, wide sleeves that are rarely used swinging over their
shoulders.
An old woman with much vigor of speech offered them barley sugar for
sale. She was very dirty, and her wares looked as uninviting as herself.
But feeling sorry for her, Helen invested quite liberally in the barley
sugar, immediately bestowing it upon a little group of open-mouthed
children who stood near. In some way the old woman had caught a part, at
least, of the situation. She seemed to comprehend that they were at a
loss whether to go on or to stay. In return for Helen's graciousness she
came to the rescue by suggesting that they send for a _mutang_
(sorceress) who lived near. She would come with her drum and cymbals,
her wand and divination box,[1] and in a little while she could tell
them what to do.
The sun was now climbing nearer and nearer the meridian, and its rays
were growing unpleasantly warm. More than an hour had been wasted since
the loading of the sampan. They had burned the bridge behind them, as
the saying is, by sending the man back to the city with the ponies.
There was nothing now but to go on, even if they had to turn back in the
midst of the journey.
Mr. Chefoo was the good fairy that came to the rescue. He seemed to
regret Mr. Kit-ze's behavior keenly, and to be deeply sympathetic with
the sampan party in its desire so plainly expressed to be off on the
journey. He was a big, good-natured fellow, strong and hearty looking,
with a clear eye and with much intelligence expressed upon his face. He
had too, a pretty fair scope of English, which made his attendance all
the more satisfactory and agreeable.
Mr. Kit-ze, he continued to assure them, would return. He felt certain
of it. They would leave word for him and proceed to the next town, since
this one was so objectionable with its foul smells and its rather
rough-looking population. The first step then, was to hire a man to help
him pole, as he felt certain he, Mr. Chefoo, could direct the movements
of the sampan up to the next village. There were no rapids of any
considerable danger in the way.
"All right, Mr. Chefoo," said Mr. Reid. "Go ahead and hire your man, but
be sure he is one on whom we can rely."
"I'll have a care to that, honorable teacher," assured Mr. Chefoo.
The first man approached declared that he couldn't go, as his wife
needed him to sit and watch her while she washed the clothes. The second
one said he must first ask his mother and, as she lived two villages
away, they must wait until the following morning ere he could give them
his answer. The third wished to know if he would be permitted to take as
many as seven suits of clothes with him, as he could do with no less;
also if provision would be made for their washing and ironing along the
way. On being assured that no such concession could be granted he went
away much aggrieved.
Another said he would gladly attend them as their poleman if they would
promise not to tie up anywhere along the bank where there were tigers,
or even where tigers were known to have been on the surrounding hills.
As they could give no such promise with the prospect of fulfilling it,
he too had to be dismissed without an engagement. He then tried to drive
a sale with them of two tiger bones at three hundred "cash" each,
warranted to give strength and courage. As they hadn't the faith he had
in the efficacy of the commodity, the purchase was declined. Another
hour and more slipped by in this way.
Things were growing lively, if they were somewhat monotonous, for a
great crowd was now surging about Mr. Chefoo, Mr. Reid, and Mr. Wilburn.
The boatman had them with him for the purpose of consultation. To add to
the hubbub a string of oxen and their drivers on their way to the city,
the backs of the oxen piled with mountains of brushwood, had drawn near
the men, the drivers overcome by curiosity at the sight of the crowd.
Between their yells and shouts to the oxen and their noisy salutations
passed to those they knew, there was a babel indeed.
In the very midst of these sounds came a sudden cry, sufficiently loud
and prolonged to attract the attention of many. While the bargaining
with the would-be polemen went on, the young people had gathered within
the sitting room of the sampan, that is, all with the exception of
Clarence. He had stretched himself along the stern of the boat. His head
was lying on his hand upheld by the elbow. Thus it was considerably
elevated, and thus he had a fair view of the water all around the
sampan.
The Han is often called the River of Golden Sands. It is a clear, bright
stream, its bed covered with thick layers of white sand. Along this sand
particles of golden-hued gravel sparkle in the sunlight as though they
were the pure metal itself. In many places, even of considerable depth,
the bottom of the river is plainly seen. Where the sampan lay there was
only the depth of about two feet of water. This had for a time been
stirred into some degree of murkiness by the feet of those who pressed
curiously about the sampan. But as the crowd had now withdrawn to the
bank, where Mr. Chefoo bargained with the polemen, the river had
cleared.
As Clarence lay along the stern of the boat glancing down into the
water, his attention was suddenly attracted by something that rested at
the top of a little hillock of sand. First its shape, then its color
arrested his gaze. The next moment there came that wild shout from him,
a compromise between a station-master's train call and an Indian
warwhoop. Then those whose attention was now riveted upon him saw him
hastily throw off his coat, his shoes and stockings and, quickly rolling
up sleeves and trousers, spring into the water. An instant later he held
up something in his hand, his shirt sleeve dripping with the water.
"The red _miriok_!" he cried. "See! Mr. Kit-ze must have dropped it as
he leaned over packing the things."
Yes, it was the red _miriok_.
"Oh, its eyes are shinier than ever!" cried Joyce. "Guess that's cause
the water washed 'em. It's the same horrid, ugly thing I've seen Mr.
Kit-ze pressing in his hands."
[Illustration: "YES, IT WAS THE RED MIRIOK!"]
"Oh," said Helen, "if Mr. Kit-ze could only know!" Even as she spoke,
Mr. Kit-ze was seen coming rapidly toward the river.
FOOTNOTES:
[1] A box in which are carried three or more coins with
characters stamped upon them. The coins are cast upward three times,
falling again into the box. The combination of characters each time
gives the _mutang_ her clue to the divination or prediction.