All agreed that the answer was most favorable.  The greedy priest did not stop, but went on to tell that the God could not be relied upon to take them safely through all dangers, unless rich sacrificial offerings were made.  “Daily”, said he, “I will burn incense and strips of gold paper before his picture.  The clouds of smoke will appease the spirits of the storm and fall upon you as rain-drops which will quench your burning thirst, and the gold paper will reconcile the spirits that watch over the gold in the distant Goldland, so that they will willingly give to you their treasures.”

The Chinamen reached into their pockets and handed over their last sapeck to the priest, then in silence left, firmly resolved to attempt the journey to the Goldland.

CHAPTER V.

In the City.

Lohe attached himself to the party of fish carriers, because he did not wish them to get away before binding themselves to go to the gold fields.  A two hours’ walk diagonally across the island brought them to a high point of land above the city of Hongkong.  Below them the white houses shimmered in the moonlight, stretching row after row like steps down to the harbor, and out on the glistening sea many large vessels lay at anchor.  The carriers put down their burden to rest for a time before descending into the streets of the city.

“The barbarians of the West are a capable people after their fashion,” said Lohe.  “See what a great city they have built here where a few years ago there were only a half dozen or more bamboo huts.  And, too, each day their power increases.  Over there another great building with towers reaching to the very sky is going up.  What can it be?”

“One of their pagodas,” answered Lihoa, “and down there is the school in which one of my nephews is being instructed in the learning of the West.  The white-faced women with the long veils brought him up because my sister exposed him when a baby.  They found and cared for him in the great white house where a light burns in the window; there they bring up the children which our women are not able to care for.  Let us go down and see what is going on at this time of the night.”

Lohe and Lihoa went down to the long low orphanage in which the Sisters of Mercy care for a hundred or more foundlings.  The shutters were drawn, but they found a tiny hole through which they could peep.  In the dormitory they saw four rows of small white beds, all spread with beautiful white linen, and in each little bed lay a child.  The most of them were asleep, but a few were crying and fretting—­for Chinese babies have quite as many troubles as American children.  Some of the nuns were walking up and down between the rows of beds, lovingly tucking up the fretful little beings, giving the bottle to some, and rocking others with the utmost patience.  Hardly did they quiet one before another began to whimper, and so it went on.  Shaking their heads the two Chinamen slipped away.  They had seen for themselves the love and patience with which the Sisters care for these poor deserted infants.