river? Say fifteen miles downstream from our military post at the bridge?'
'That should be about correct,' Chiao Tai agreed.
The two men drove their horses along the narrow path that led through the fields. It was very hot and sultry here, and they were glad when they saw a small farm. They drank deeply from the pail of well water the peasant gave them. It was arranged that for a handful of coppers he would look after their horses. As soon as the man was walking the horses to the stable the two friends rumpled their hair and bound it up with rags. Then they exchanged their riding boots for the straw sandals they had brought along in their saddlebags. As he rolled up his sleeves Chiao Tai called out:
'Ho, brother! This is like the old days when we were still in the green woods together!'
Ma Joong clapped him on his shoulder, then each pulled a thick bamboo pole out of the fence, and they walked down the path to the river.
An old fisherman was drying his nets there. He ferried them across for two coppers. While he was paying him Ma Joong asked:
TWO BRAVES TAUNT THE CONSTABLES OF CHIANG-PEI
'There aren't any soldiers around here, are there?'
The graybeard gave them a scared look. He shook his head and scurried back to his boat.
The two men walked through the tall reed till they came on a winding country road. Chiao Tai said:
'That checks. According to the map this road leads to the village.'
They shouldered their bamboo poles and walked on, lustily singing together a ribald song. After half an hour they saw the village.
Ma Joong went ahead and entered the inn on the small market place. He sat down heavily on a wooden bench and shouted for wine. Then Chiao Tai came in. As he sat down opposite his friend he said:
'I had a look around, brother. All is safe!'
Four old peasants seated at the other table gave the newcomers a frightened look. One put up his hand with index and little finger crooked-the sign for highwaymen. His companions nodded sagely.
The innkeeper came running in with two jugs of wine. Grabbing him by his sleeve, Chiao Tai rasped:
'What do you mean by that, you dog's-head? Take those miserable jugs away and bring the whole jar!'
The innkeeper shuffled out. He came back with his son, carrying between them a wine jar three feet high, and two bamboo ladles with long handles.
'That's better!' Ma Joong called out. 'No fussing with cups and jugs!' They dipped the ladles into the jar and drank the wine in greedy draughts, for the walk had made them thirsty. The innkeeper brought a platter with salted vegetables. Chiao Tai scooped up a handful. He found it was mixed with a generous amount of garlic and red pepper. Smacking his lips, he said happily:
'Brother, that's better than those kickshaws you get in the city!'
Ma Joong nodded with his mouth full. When the jar was half-empty they ate a large bowl of noodles and rinsed their mouths with the country tea, which had a pleasant bitter taste. They stood up and reached in their belts for money. The innkeeper hurriedly refused, assuring them that it had been a great honor that they visited his house. But Ma Joong insisted, and added a generous tip.
The two friends walked outside. They lay down under the large fir tree and soon were snoring loudly.
Ma Joong was roused by a kick against his leg. He sat up and looked, then poked Chiao Tai in his ribs. Five men armed with clubs were standing over them, surrounded by a group of gaping villagers. They scrambled up.
'We are constables of the tribunal of Chiang-pei!' a squat man barked. 'Who are you and where do you come from?'
'Are you blind!' Ma Joong asked haughtily. 'Can't you see that I am the Governor of this Province, traveling in disguise?'
The crowd guffawed. The headman raised his club threateningly. Ma Joong quickly grabbed him by the lapels of his jacket, lifted him two feet from the ground and shook him until his teeth rattled. The constables wanted to help their chief, but Chiao Tai pushed his bamboo pole between the legs of the tallest man and made him topple over. Whirling the bamboo round, he let it swish just over the heads of the others, narrowly missing them. The constables ran away, jeered at by the crowd. Chiao Tai ran after them in pursuit, cursing loudly.
The headman was no coward; he fought hard to loosen Ma Joong's grip and placed a few nasty kicks against his legs. Ma Joong put him down with a thud and quickly took up the bamboo pole. He therewith parried the club blow that the headman aimed at his head, and hit the headman a sharp blow on his arm. The man let the club go, wanting to come to grips with Ma Joong, but the latter kept him off with a few blows with the bamboo that narrowly missed his head. The headman saw that he couldn't keep up this unequal fight. He turned round quickly and ran away.
After a while Chiao Tai came back.
'The bastards escaped!' he panted.
'You gave them a good lesson!' an old peasant remarked contentedly.
The innkeeper had been following the proceedings from a safe distance. Now he came up to Chiao Tai and said in an urgent whisper: 'You two had better get away quick! The magistrate has soldiers here; they'll come soon to arrest you!'
Chiao Tai scratched his head.
'I didn't know that!' he said ruefully,
'Don't worry!' the innkeeper whispered. 'My son'll take you across the fields to the Great River. There's a boat there. In an hour or two you'll be at Three Oaks Island. The people there'll help you; just say that old Shao sent you!'
They thanked him hurriedly. Soon they were stealing through the paddy, following the youngster. After a long walk through the muddy fields the young fellow halted. Pointing at a row of trees ahead, he said:
'You'll find a boat hidden in the creek there. Don't worry, the current will take you there all right; only watch out for the whirlpools!'
Ma Joong and Chiao Tai easily located the boat among the shrubs. They stepped inside and Ma Joong poled it out from under the low-hanging branches. Suddenly they saw the river.
Ma Joong put the pole down and took the paddle. They drifted down the mud-brown stream; the bank soon seemed far away.
'Isn't this a very small boat for such a big river?' Chiao Tai inquired anxiously, gripping the gunwales.
'Don't worry, brother!' Ma Joong said with a laugh. 'Remember that I am a native of Kiangsu. I was reared on a boat!'
He paddled vigorously to avoid a whirlpool. They were in the middle of the river now; the reed banks appeared like a thin line in the distance. Then they disappeared entirely; there was nothing but the broad expanse of brown water around them.
'Seeing all that water makes me sleepy!' Chiao Tai said testily. He lay down on his back. For more than an hour nothing was said. Chiao Tai slept, and Ma Joong had to concentrate his attention on steering the boat. Suddenly he called out:
'Look, there's some green!'
Chiao Tai sat up. He saw a number of small green patches ahead, barely a foot above the water level and overgrown with weeds. After half an hour they found themselves among larger islands, covered with shrubbery. Dusk was falling and all around them they heard the eerie calls of water birds. Chiao Tai listened intently. Suddenly he said:
'Those are no ordinary birdcalls! They are secret signals as used by the army when reconnoitering!'
Ma Joong muttered something. He had difficulty in steering the boat through a winding creek. Suddenly the paddle was pulled from his hands. The boat rocked violently. A wet head appeared from the water near the poop, and two others emerged behind it.
'Sit still or we overturn the boat!' a voice growled. 'Who are you?'
The speaker laid his hands on the gunwale. Dripping with muddy water, he looked like a weird river
