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Pete Dice
Quick Boot
ISBN 978-1-5015-1538-5
e-ISBN (PDF) 978-1-5015-0681-9
e-ISBN (EPUB) 978-1-5015-0672-7

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

A CIP catalog record for this book has been applied for at the Library of
Congress.

Bibliographic information published by the Deutsche Nationalbibliothek

The Deutsche Nationalbibliothek lists this publication in the Deutsche
Nationalbibliografie; detailed bibliographic data are available on the Internet
at http://dnb.dnb.de.

© 2018 Pete Dice

Published by Walter de Gruyter Inc., Boston/Berlin

www.degruyter.com

Acknowledgments
The studies, data, results, and guidelines compiled in the book are the result
of many talented engineers at Intel who have a strong passion for BIOS and
firmware. The contributions they have made and the time they have spent,
much of it outside their normal duties, deserve to be acknowledged.
 For significant contributions to this book for analyses, cases studies, and
written content, I’d like to thank these talented engineers:

–Jim Pelner—who crafted the original white paper that echoes the main
themes of this book and for contributing to several chapters early
on.

–Jaben Carsey—who wrote the shell chapter in the book above and
beyond his many contributions to the UEFI shells in general.

–Sam Fleming—who created Appendix A and has been one of my

mentors in BIOS from the beginning.

–Mike Rothman, Anton Cheng, Linda Weyhing, Rob Gough, Siddharth

Shah, and Chee Keong Sim—for their exquisite multiyear
collaboration around the fast boot concept and multiple case studies
over the year.

–BIOS vendor Insyde Software for donating feedback and volunteering

for the foreword.

Thanks to my program manager, Stuart Douglas, for getting me through the

writing phase and then on to the finish line (are we there yet?).
Reviewer comments and suggestions were extremely valuable for both
editions of this work. I deeply appreciate those who took the time to provide
indispensable feedback, including Drew Jensen, Mark Doran, Jeff Griffen,
John Mitkowski, and Dong Wei and at my publisher, Jeff Pepper, Megan
Lester, Mark Watanabe and Angie MacAllister for her work on fixing the art
and tables.
I would also like to acknowledge my peers in the BIOS/FW engineering
and architecture teams within the computer industry for their drive to make
this technology an ever more valuable (and less obtrusive) part of people’s
everyday lives. Lastly, I want to thank my wife, Anita, for her patience and
everything she’s done to allow me time to complete this.

Contents
Chapter 1: System Firmware’s Missing Link

Start by Gathering Data

Initialization Roles and Responsibilities

System Firmware

OS Loader

Operating System

Legacy BIOS Interface, UEFI, and the Conversion

Tiano Benefits

Previous UEFI Challenges

Persistence of Change

The Next Generation

Commercial BIOS Business

Award

General Software

Phoenix Technologies Limited

American Megatrends Inc.

Insyde Software

ByoSoft

Value of BIOS

Proprietary Solutions

Making a Decision on Boot Firmware

Consider Using a BIOS Vendor

Consider Open-Source Alternatives

Consider Creating Something from Scratch

Consider a Native Boot Loader for Intel ® Architecture

Just Add Silicon Initialization

Summary

Chapter 2: Intel Architecture Basics

The Big Blocks of Intel Architecture

The CPU

The Front Side Bus

The North Bridge, PCIset, AGPset, MCH, Uncore, System Agent

The Transparent Link (Hublink, DMI, ESI)

The South Bridge, Also Known as the PIIX, I/O Controller Hub (ICH),
I/O Hub (IOH), Enterprise South Bridge (ESB), and Platform
Controller Hub (PCH)

Data Movement Is Fundamental

It’s a Multiprocessing System Architecture

The Memory Map

I/O Address Range

The Operating System

Summary

Chapter 3: System Firmware Terms and Concepts

Typical PC/Intel® Architecture Overview

Memory Types

Processor Cache
System Memory

Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS)

System BIOS Flash Memory (NVRAM, FWH, or SPI)

Real-Time Clock (RTC)

System Memory Map

Legacy Address Range

Main Memory Address Range

PCI Memory Address Range

Splash Screen

Status and Error Messages

Display Messages

Beep Codes

POST Codes

Master Boot Record

GUID Partition Table

Real Mode

Protected Mode
Logical Addressing

Flat Protected Mode

Reset Vector

Programmable Interrupt Controller

Advanced Programmable Interrupt Controller

The I/OxAPIC

The Local APIC

Summary

Chapter 4: Silicon-Specific Initialization

Listen to the Designer, Then Experiment, and Fix It

Chipsets

Processors

Basic Types of Initialization

Simple Bits

Standard Algorithms, Minding the Ps and Qs

Custom Algorithms: It’s All About Me

Option ROMs
Summary

Chapter 5: Industry Standard Initialization

PCI

PCI Device Enumeration

PCI BIOS

PCI IRQ Routing with ACPI Methods

PCI Recommendation

PCI Power Management

USB Enumeration and Initialization

PCI Enumeration and Initialization of USB Controllers

USB Wake from ACPI Sx (S3, S4, S5 to S0)

USB Enumeration

SATA

SATA Controller Initialization

Setting the SATA Controller Mode

Enabling SATA Ports

Setting the Programming Interface

Initializing Registers in AHCI Memory-Mapped Space

RAID Mode Initialization

Additional Programming Requirements During SATA Initialization

External SATA Programming

Compliance with Industry Specifications

Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI)

ACPI Tables

ACPI Namespace

Summary

Chapter 6: System Firmware Debug Techniques

Host/Target Debugging Techniques

Hardware Capabilities

POST Codes

Audio (Beep) Codes

Serial Port

In-Target Probe (ITP), a Form of JTAG Port

Software Debug Methods

Console Input/Output

Abstraction

Disable Optimization

Where Am I in the Firmware?

When Hardware Isn’t Stable, Where Do I Start?

Debugging Other People’s Code

Debugging PCI Option ROMs or Binary Libraries

Debugging Library Code (No Source)

Debugging Beyond Firmware

Real Mode Interrupts

System Management Mode

Industry Specifications

Pitfalls

Summary

Chapter 7: Shells and Native Applications

Pre-OS Shells

UEFI Shell Application

EFI/UEFI Script File

Different Features between Script and App

Customizing the UEFI Shell

Where to Get Shells

GUIs and the UEFI Shell

Remote Control of the UEFI Shell

Debugging Drivers and Applications in the EFI and UEFI Shells

The End for the Shell

Summary

Chapter 8: Loading an Operating System

The Boot Path

The Bus

The Device

The Partition Table

The File System

Booting via the Legacy OS Interface

Master Boot Record

Loading the Legacy OS Loader

Legacy BIOS to OS Handoff Requirements

Booting via the EFI Interface

Default EFI Boot Behavior

Direct Execution of a Linux Kernel

UEFI Runtime Services

Neither Option

Summary

Chapter 9: The Intel ® Architecture Boot Flow

Hardware Power Sequences (The Pre-Pre-Boot)

Nonhost-Based Subsystem Startup

Starting at the Host Reset Vector

Mode Selection

Early Initialization

Single-Threaded Operation

Simple Device Initialization

Memory Configuration
Post-Memory

Shadowing

Exit from No-Eviction Mode and Transfer to DRAM

Transfer to DRAM

Memory Transaction Redirection

Application Processor (AP) Initialization

Advanced Initialization

General Purpose I/O (GPIO) Configuration

Interrupt Controllers

Interrupt Vector Table (IVT)

Interrupt Descriptor Table (IDT)

Timers

Memory Caching Control

Serial Ports

Clock and Overclock Programming

PCI Device Enumeration

Graphics Initialization
Input Devices

USB Initialization

SATA Initialization

SATA Controller Initialization

Memory Map

Region Types

Region Locations

Loading the OS

Summary

Chapter 10: Bootstrapping Embedded

Optimization Using BIOS and Bootloaders

Platform Policy (What Is It and Why Is It Here?)

Case Study Summaries

Example 1

Example 2

Example 1 Details

What Are the Design Goals?

What Are the Supported Target Operating Systems?

Do We Have to Support Legacy Operating Systems?

Do We Have to Support Legacy Option ROMs?

Are We Required to Display an OEM Splash Screen?

What Type of Boot Media Is Supported?

What Is the BIOS Recovery/Update Strategy?

When Processing Things Early

Is There a Need for Pre-OS User Interaction?

A Note of Caution

Additional Details

Example 2 Details

Turn Off Debugging

Decrease Flash Size

Caching of PEI Phase

Intel SpeedStep® Technology Enabled Early

BDS Phase Optimization

Platform Memory Speed

Remove PS/2 Keyboard/Mouse

Remove BIOS Setup

Remove Video Option ROM

Remove BIOS USB Support

Divide Long Lead Pieces into Functional Blocks and Distribute Across
the Boot Flow

Summary

Chapter 11: Intel’s Fast Boot Technology

The Human Factor

Responsiveness

The (Green) Machine Factor

Boot Time Analysis

First Boot versus Next Boot Concept

Boot Mode UEFI Configuration Setting

Fallback Mechanisms

Baseline Assumptions for Enabling Intel Fast Boot

Intel Fast Boot Timing Results

Summary
Chapter 12: Collaborative Roles in Quick Boot

Power Hardware Role

Power Sequencing

Power Supply Specification

Flash Subsystem

High Speed SPI Bus for Flash

Flash Component Accesses

SPI Prefetch and Buffer

SPI Flash Reads and Writes

Slow Interface and Device Access

DMI Optimizations

Processor Optimizations

CPU Turbo Enabling

Streamline CPU Reset and Initial CPU Microcode Update

Efficient APs Initialization

Caching Code and Data

Main Memory Subsystem

Memory Configuration Complexity

Fast and Safe Memory Initialization

Hardware-Based Memory Clearing

Efficient Memory Operations Instruction Usage

SMBus Optimizations (Which Applies to Memory Init)

Minimize BIOS Shadowing Size, Dual DXE Paths for Fast Path versus
Full Boot

PCIe Port Disable Algorithm

Manageability Engine

Eliminating MEBx

Reducing Manageability Engine and BIOS Interactions

Graphics Subsystem

Graphics Device Selection

Graphics Output Protocol (GOP) Support for CSM-Free Operating

Systems

Panel Specification

Start Panel Power Early

Storage Subsystems
Spinning Media

Utilizing Nonblocking Storage I/O

Early SATA COMRESETs: Drive Spin-Up

CSM-Free Intel® Raid Storage Technology (Intel RST) UEFI Driver

Minimizing USB Latency

Power Management

Minimizing Active State Power Management Impact

Security

Intel® Trusted Execution Technology (Intel TXT)

TPM Present Detect and Early Start

Operating System Interactions

Compatibility Segment Module and Legacy Option ROMs

OS Loader

Legacy OS Interface

Reducing Replication of Enumeration Between Firmware and OS

Other Factors Affecting Boot Speed

No Duplication in Hardware Enumeration within UEFI

Minimize Occurrences of Hardware Resets

Intel Architecture Coding Efficiency

Network Boot Feature

Value-Add, But Complex Features

Tools and the User Effect

Human Developer’s Resistance to Change

Summary

Chapter 13: Legal Decisions

Proprietary License

Berkeley Software Distribution (BSD) License

Key Four Clauses to the Original License

Three-Clause BSD

General Public License (GPL)

Lesser GPL (LGPL)

Separating and Segregating Code

Conclusion

Appendix A: Generating Serial Presence Detection Data for Down

Memory Configurations
Analyzing the Design’s Memory Architecture

Calculating DIMM Equivalents

ECC Calculation

SDRAM Width Determination

SDRAM Chip Datasheet

SDRAM Architecture Analysis Example

Calculating Specific SPD Data Based on SDRAM Datasheet

SPD Field 0x00: Number of Bytes

SPD Field 0×01: SPD Revision

Byte 1: SPD Revision

SPD Field 0×02: Device Type

SPD Field 0×03: Module Type

SPD Field 0×04: SDRAM Density and Banks

SPD Field 0×05: SDRAM Rows and Columns

SPD Field 0×06: Nominal Voltage, VDD

SPD Field 0×07: Ranks & Device DQ Count

SPD Field 0×08: Module Bus Width

SPD Field 0×09: Fine Timebase Dividend/Divisor

SPD Field 0×0A and 0×0B: Medium Timebase Dividend/Divisor

SPD Field 0x0C: Cycle Time (tCKmin)

SPD Field 0×0E and 0×0F: CAS Latencies Supported

SPD Field 0×10: CAS Latency Time (tAAmin or tCL)

SPD Field 0×11: Write Recovery Time (twrmin)

SPD Field 0×12 RAS# to CAS# Delay (tRCDmin)

SPD Field 0x13: Min. Row Active to Row Active Delay (tRRDmin)

SPD Field 0×14: Min. Row Precharge Delay (tRPmin)

SPD Field 0×15: Upper Nibble of tRAS & tRC

SPD Field 0×16: Min. Active to Precharge Delay (tRASmin) LSB

SPD Field 0×17: Min. Active to Active Refresh Delay (tRCmin) LSB

SPD Field 0×18 and 0×19: Min. Refresh Recovery Delay (tRFCmin)

SPD Field 0×1A: Min. Write to Read Command Delay (tWTRmin)

SPD Field 0×1B: Min. Read to Precharge Command Delay (tRTPmin)

SPD Field 0×1C: tFAW Upper Nibble

SPD Field 0×1D: Min. Four Activate Window Delay (tFAWmin) LSB
SPD Field 0x1E: SDRAM Optional Features

SPD Field 0×1F: SDRAM Thermal and Refresh Options

SPD Field 0×20: Module Thermal Sensor

SPD Field 0x21: SDRAM Device Type

SPD Field 0×22–0×3B: Reserved

Module-Specific Section: Bytes 60–116

SPD Field 0×3C: (Unbuffered): Module Nominal Height

SPD Field 0×3D: (Unbuffered): Module Max. Thickness

SPD Field 0x3E: (Unbuffered): Reference Raw Card Used

SPD Field 0×3F: Unbuff Addr. Mapping from Edge Connector to

DRAM

SPD Field 0×40-0×74: Reserved

SPD Field 0×75 and 0×76: Module Manufacturer ID Code, LSB

SPD Field 0×77: Module Manufacturer Location

SPD Field 0×78 and 0×79: Module Manufacturing Date

SPD Field 0x7A–0x7D: Module Serial Number

SPD Field 0×7E and 0×7F: CRC Bytes

Bytes 126–127: SPD Cyclical Redundancy Code (CRC)

 SPD Field 0×80–0×91

SPD Field 0×92 and 0×93: Module Revision Code

SPD Field 0×94 and 0×95: DRAM Manufacturer ID Code

SPD Field 0×96–0×AF: Manufacturer’s Specific Data

SPD Field 0×B0–0×FF: Open for Customer Use

References for Appendix A

Index

Foreword from the First Edition

How do you explain what BIOS is? I generally explain it as the code that runs
when you first turn on the computer. It creates a level playing field so that the
operating system has a known state to start from. If the other person has some
programming knowledge, he or she generally says something like, “Oh.
You’re one of those guys!” Let’s face it. BIOS isn’t sexy. The hardware
engineers will always blame the BIOS engineers if the system fails to POST.
It’s generally up to BIOS engineers to prove it isn’t their code that is the
problem.
When I first started as a lowly BIOS Engineer II, the BIOS codebase
was pure x86 assembly code—thousands of files across almost as many
directories with lots of cryptic comments like, “I don’t know why this is here,
but it breaks if I remove or modify it! Beware!” It took 45 minutes to do a
clean compile. Comments would commonly refer to specifications that no
longer existed. To say a BIOS is filled with some secret, arcane algorithms is
like saying driving a Formula 1 car is just like driving on the freeway, only
faster! There are no college courses that teach BIOS programming. There are
no trade schools to go to. A few software and electronic engineers will be
able to make it as BIOS engineers because it takes a bit of both to be
successful.

This book is the first one I’m aware of that attempts to shine light onto
the esoteric field of BIOS engineering. A field that makes everything
from the big-iron servers to the lowly smartphone turn on. This book has
combined two fundamental concepts. What you need to know to make a
BIOS that works and what you need to know to make a BIOS that works
fast! It wasn’t that long ago that a POST in under ten seconds was
considered pretty fast. Today’s standard is now under two seconds.
There are topics outlined in this book that will help get you to that sub-
2-second goal. I am currently working on a quasi-embedded system that
is in the sub-1-second range with full measured boot using these
concepts!

This book has something for the recent college graduate as well as
the seasoned BIOS engineer. There are nuggets of tribal knowledge
scattered throughout. Help yourself become better acquainted with the
BIOS industry and read it.

–Kelly Steele,
Former BIOS Architect, Insyde Software, Inc.,
Now at Intel Corporation
Discovering Diverse Content Through
Random Scribd Documents
figured that we spelt dollars, and have kept us with them ever
since."
"Then you are Mrs.—Mrs. Isidore—?"
Bob hesitated, endeavouring to recall a name that for the
moment eluded him.
"I guess you're on the right track," replied the lady with a look
of surprise. "Pottle—Mrs. Isidore G. Pottle; though it beats me how
you happened on my name."
Bob then explained that he had learnt of Mrs. Pottle's
disappearance from the columns of a San Francisco paper at Tokio.
But he cut explanations short, looking anxiously in the direction in
which the brigands had disappeared, and parried the questions
which he saw Mrs. Pottle was eager to put, by asking for information
as to the strength and position of the band. The three men he had
seen belonged to a gang of some sixty or seventy, whose last camp
was about a mile distant from that spot. Mrs. Pottle was uncertain of
the exact number, for it differed from day to day, and that morning
the whole band had ridden away with the exception of the three in
whose hands Bob had found the ladies, and a few left to guard the
camp. Such absences were common. They lasted sometimes only a
few hours, sometimes for several days. The brigands were all
mounted, and when the camp was changed the ladies were always
sent on foot in advance, since nothing on earth would induce Mrs.
Pottle to ride pillion on a wild horse behind a wild man. The brigands
had done them no harm; they were well fed with atrocious food.
Mrs. Pottle said she thought there could be nothing worse than a
Russian hotel till she met the Chunchuses. Their Chinese guide had
decamped with everything they possessed, including Mrs. Pottle's
purse, though she still had her cheque-book, note-book, and
umbrella.
"I am not alarmed for myself," said Mrs. Pottle in conclusion; "I
am an old traveller, tough, seasoned. But dear Ethel—this is her first
tour, and though the poor child bears up well, I am terribly afraid
these hardships will ruin her constitution, and then I shall not be
able to look her poppa in the face."
"Auntie, I am quite well," said the younger lady, who indeed
looked, as Bob thought, the picture of health, with her fresh cheeks
and bright eyes. "I am only afraid that your nerves will break down."
"Nerves! I never had any. But Mr.—Fawcett, I think?—what are
we to do?—Well, of all the—a Britisher, and in Korean dress!..."
Bob asked the ladies to walk down the hill while he took a look
round. He really wanted a few minutes to think over the situation
alone. He was beset by perplexities. Difficult as his own position
was, it was doubly difficult now that he had someone else to think
of. It was most embarrassing—to have to act as squire of dames in
such a clumsy, ridiculous costume. Mrs. Pottle's state of mind, he
could see, was unmixed amazement; but her niece evidently had a
sense of humour. "If she wasn't so confoundedly pretty!—", and then
Bob caught himself up, and bent his mind to the problem before
him. If the brigands returned in force, he could hardly hope to
escape them. If he did, it might be only to fall among another gang:
brigandage is an organized profession in Manchuria. Supposing he
escaped all danger on that side, he might encounter Russians, and
though he himself might pass unmolested as a dumb Korean in
company with a Chinese carter, the presence of two ladies in
European dress would awake suspicion and provoke the most
dangerous enquiries.
Yet he could not leave the ladies: that was out of the question.
He secretly suspected that the portly and strong-minded Mrs. Isidore
G. Pottle was capable of brow-beating and scaring any number of
Manchus or Russians, but her niece!—He looked again at the trim
figure.
"That white tam o' shanter makes her—h'm! ... What in the
world are we to do, Ah-Sam?" he asked of the Chinaman, who had
remained at his side.
"My no can tinkee. One piecee velly largo woman; he makee
plenty bobbely; one piecee littee girley, he too muchee fliten,
evelyting makee cly-cly, galaw! Supposey you hab larn fightee
pidgin, you no can cham-tow allo velly bad tief-man, all-same."
This speech fell on deaf ears, for in the middle of it Bob caught
sight of several horsemen in single file far up the hillside in front.
Noticing that his eyes were fixed on some distant object, Ah-Sam
turned in that direction also, looked hard for a moment, and then
exclaimed:
"Chunchuses! Bimeby allo come this-side. What can do?
Catchee killum one-tim'."
Now that danger was actually upon him, Bob prepared instantly
to meet it. In a flash he remembered the gully he had passed
recently with Ah-Sam, and recognized that it was the nearest,
indeed the only, defensible position within reach. It was so narrow
that, near its summit, it might be held, he thought, by a few against
a host. He at once ordered Ah-Sam to turn the cart and drive it as
quickly as possible back to the spot where the waterfall emptied
itself into the stream, and then up the steep, rocky gorge. In a few
minutes the team was plunging through the broken ice at a great
pace. Nothing but a Manchurian cart could have stood the strain. It
was flung about at all angles; it cannoned against rocks, now one
wheel, now the other disappearing in mud or snow; but it survived
every shock, and drawn by its four sturdy beasts with Ah-Sam at
their head, it groaned and creaked on its upward course until it
reached an abrupt twist in the gorge about three hundred yards
from its lower extremity.
Meanwhile Bob had led the two ladies diagonally across the
hillside by a shorter route than that taken by the cart. Mrs. Pottle
bravely panted along, making tremendous exertions under her thick
sealskin jacket to keep pace with Bob, who assisted her with his
arm. Her niece stepped along as lightly as a doe, her cheeks flushed
with excitement, and her wavy black hair escaping in disorder below
her white tam o' shanter.
Gaining a point above the bend at which the cart had just
arrived, Bob saw that the stream flowed around a huge granite
boulder which had slipped, apparently at no very distant date, from
the almost perpendicular cliffs above, blocking up the greater part of
the already narrow defile. Here Bob shouted to Ah-Sam to stop and
wedge the cart between the boulder and the opposite wall of the
ravine. Looking round, he saw, some fifty feet above, to the left of
the stream, the cleft near which the bear had been seated. It was
visible now as a fault in the rock, a few yards across. The fissure
narrowed towards its base, and from it a shelf of rock ran
horizontally outwards, meeting the stream at an acute angle about a
hundred yards from where Bob stood. Beyond this junction the
gorge rapidly narrowed, and became extremely steep. Leaving the
ladies to rest, Bob climbed up the rocky bed to explore, and found
that after a time further progress was blocked by a perpendicular
wall that rose sheer two hundred feet.
Returning, he reassured the ladies with a word, and then took
Ah-Sam with him down the gully. The mouth, some thirty yards
wide, was jagged and strewn with rocks, and formed so eminently
defensible a position that Bob hesitated whether to attempt to hold
it or to retire at once to the still more difficult post behind the cart. It
would be a hazardous matter to turn his position; before this could
be effected he could inflict severe loss on his assailants. But in a few
moments he gave up the idea of holding the lower ground. To begin
with, he had no desire to come to blows if a fight could be avoided,
for, apart from the risk of being overpowered by the Chunchuses,
there was the likelihood that the sound of shots would bring the
Russians on the scene. They must be in great force no more than
twenty or thirty miles away, engaged on the Yalu entrenchments,
and firing in the hills would almost certainly be heard by scouting
parties. If the Russians came up, the Chunchuses could disperse
with their accustomed celerity, but Bob would be unable to save
himself unless he were prepared to abandon the ladies who had so
strangely fallen under his care. They would no doubt be well treated
if entrusted to an officer of rank; but if the Russians happened to be
an ordinary troop of Cossacks, Bob doubted whether he might not as
well leave the ladies to the Chunchuses as to them. First of all, at
any rate, he had the Chunchuses to deal with. He hoped that when
they saw how strongly he was posted behind the cart and the
boulder they would draw off. In any case, Ah-Sam's forethought had
stocked the cart with enough provisions to last through a siege of
some days, and in view of that contingency it was wise to do what
he could to strengthen his position still further.
The distant specks on the mountain-side had disappeared.
Slowly scanning every portion of the horizon, neither Bob nor Ah-
Sam saw any sign of life. They retraced their steps towards the
boulder, halting now and then to roll down the steep slope such
loose rocks as might give cover to an attacking force. The ladies met
them as they reached the cart.
"Well, Mr. Fawcett," said Mrs. Pottle, "did you see anything way
down there?"
"Nothing. But if those were your friends the brigands, we shall
have them upon us in half an hour."
"Oh! what shall we do, then? You had some plan in bringing us
here?"
"Yes. Ah-Sam and I are going to fortify ourselves; it is our only
chance."
"Good gracious! They have guns, and I've only my umbrella!"
"We have our pistols and a couple of rifles."
"Against a hundred, perhaps. Still, two determined men, behind
rocks—could you spare a pistol for me?"
"If necessary, but I hope we sha'n't have to fight. They will
probably tire of besieging us here."
"A siege! But, my dear boy, we can't stand a siege without food,
and I confess, Mr. Fawcett, I am hungry. Really, I must eat, and I will
say this for the brigands: they did give us food, of a sort."
"Ah-Sam has plenty of food—of a sort," said Bob, smiling. "And
perhaps, Mrs. Pottle, while we are doing what we can to strengthen
the position, you won't mind preparing a meal."
"Of course not. If only I could get a cup of tea!"
"Ah-Sam has tea, and rice, and millet, and a few other things."
"The dear man! But a kettle?"
"He has a pot, and an oil-lamp, anu plenty of matches."
"A treasure! Let us have the things, and I will turn up my
sleeves and set to work. There is water in the stream. Ethel, my
love, we shall have a cup of tea for the first time in six weeks. Come
and help me."
Bob admired Mrs. Pottle's spirit. Leaving the ladies to
themselves, he assisted Ah-Sam to unyoke the team and drag them
higher up the ravine, where they tethered the animals to the trunks
of some overhanging trees, and supplied them with fodder from the
cart. Then, with some difficulty, they pushed and rolled some of the
smaller boulders in front of the vehicle, arranging them in such a
way that loopholes were left between them covering every part of
the approach. The position was now such that the little party was
effectually concealed from the road below; but Bob knew that their
presence could not remain undiscovered, for the cart and the
animals had left very distinct traces in the snow and mud.
Everything possible having now been done, Bob went once
more to the mouth of the gully to reconnoitre. There was as yet no
sign of the brigands. He was still looking out across the hills when
Ah-Sam came up, carrying a pot of rice.
"Chow-chow allo leady, massa," he said. "My fetchee chow-
chow this-side; ch'hoy! women boilum tings, spoilum tea; China boy
no can dlink it; too muchee stlong for China side; no allo plopa;
Yinkelis man hab got numpa one tummy; can dlink anyting."
 "I'm afraid we do make it too strong. But I'll explain to the
ladies; you shall have some made specially weak for you. Stay here
and keep watch while I get something to eat, and come back at
once if you see any sign of the Chunchuses."
"Allo lightee, massa. My hab catchee plenty chow-chow. No
fear!"
Bob returned to the ladies.
"Come, Mr. Fawcett," cried Mrs. Pottle. "I've just finished my
fourth cup. Capital tea, even without cream and sugar. But I don't
understand your man. I thought Chinamen liked tea, and I gave Ah-
Sam a particularly strong cup. He was positively rude—used most
sinful language, and actually threw it away. You must be thirsty; now
do drink this, and here is some rice—chow, your man called it; I
thought that was the Chinese for dog?"
"Yes," said Bob with a twinkle, "or any other form of food."
"Disgusting!" exclaimed Ethel. "Surely it is not true?"
"I'm afraid it is. Fido is quite a standing dish in China."
Mrs. Pottle looked horrified.
"I wonder," she said reflectively, "what that stew was they gave
us yesterday?..."
Her speculations were broken in upon by the sight of Ah-Sam
running up the gully.
"Massa," he cried, "my look-see plenty piecee Chunchu come
this-side chop-chop, galaw!"

CHAPTER XV
Fortifying the Gully
Stopping a Rush—The Trappers Trapped—Allies—A Manchu Marksman—A Sighting
Shot—Building a Barrier—Velly Good Fighty Man—Ah-Sam at the Front

Mrs. Pottle grasped her umbrella as Bob sprang up, leapt over the
boulders, and hurried to the mouth of the ravine. In the distance, to
the right, he saw a band of mounted men, about sixty in number,
easily recognizable by their nondescript dress and long lances as the
redoubtable bandits of Manchuria. They disappeared in the bend of
the valley. Again they emerged into view, now only a quarter of a
mile away, heading straight for the gully over the trail of the cart.
Bob hurried back to his place behind the boulders, and took the rifle
handed him by Ah-Sam, who retained the other.
"You won't kill them if you can help it, will you?" said Ethel,
whose cheeks had become a little pale.
"Nonsense, Ethel," interrupted Mrs. Pottle; "don't be
sentimental. I don't wish them any harm, but—"
She did not finish the sentence, for at this moment the
horsemen arrived at the mouth of the gully, and halted, evidently in
some hesitation, as though fearing a trap. Their leaders spoke
together for a few moments; then the whole band dismounted, and,
leaving their horses in charge of some of their number, began to
climb up the gorge. Bob felt that it was high time to check them.
"Call, Ah-Sam," he said, "and tell them that if they move
another step forward I fire."
"Hai yah!" shouted the Chinaman. The little man had a shrill
piercing voice, and his exclamation brought the bandits to a sudden
halt two hundred yards beneath. He then gave them in Chinese
Bob's message, and as he spoke, they strained their eyes upward as
if to pierce the barricade. There was a short consultation among
them, and then one of them advanced a step and shouted a reply.
"What does he say?" asked Bob.
"One piecee Chunchu say-lo, 'Come this-side, ha-loy! he no
killum China-boy, two piecee girley; massa fightee man, he catchee
ling-ch'ih'."
"What's that?" asked Bob.
Ah-Sam looked puzzled; his vocabulary was evidently for the
moment at a loss. Then he said:
"Ling-ch'ih he killum velly velly slow; he cuttee slicee allo littee
piecee: velly long-tim' die-lo galaw!—velly annoying!"
Mrs. Pottle gathered the gist of what Ah-Sam said, and burst
forth in great indignation.
"The fiends! I will not allow it. They are arrant cowards. Drive
them off. They were frightened of my umbrella. You shall not fall
into their power through us. Drive them off!"
Bob considered for a moment. If by delivering himself up he
could have ensured a safe-conduct for the two ladies he might have
taken the risk; but he was not at all sure that his surrender would
satisfy the bandits, incensed at the loss of the prisoners, for whom
they expected a good ransom, and at the rough treatment dealt out
to the three men. On the other hand, by putting a bold face on it he
might scare them off, especially in view of the presence of Russians
in the neighbourhood.
"Tell them," he said, "that we refuse to surrender. If they move
forward, I fire."
 Ah-Sam translated the message. There was another short
consultation; then with a shout the bandits rushed up the steep gully
straight at the barricade. Mrs. Pottle still grasped her umbrella and
walked to and fro in high indignation; Ethel sat with clasped hands,
her lips firmly pressed together, her eyes fixed upon Bob.
"Don't fire!" said Bob to Ah-Sam. Resting his own rifle between
two boulders, he took careful aim at the foremost of the attacking
party, who presented an easy mark as he came directly towards the
barricade. He did not wish to kill the man, being anxious not to drive
the brigands to extremities; yet it was necessary to teach them a
lesson. Seizing a moment when the man's pace was checked by an
awkward rock, Bob fired. It was a well-aimed shot, at about a
hundred yards' range, and took effect where he intended, in the
lower part of the man's leg. A howl of pain announced that the shot
had told. Mrs. Pottle exclaimed "There!" with a note of satisfaction;
her niece gave a little gasp; neither could see that the man had
fallen like a log.
"One piecee hab catchee hot!" muttered Ah-Sam.
The wounded man howled and howled again, and as the others
halted in hesitation, Bob thrust the barrel of his rifle conspicuously
through the loophole. Next moment the whole band turned tail, and
bolted down the slope, leaving their injured comrade behind them,
and not pausing until they were out of sight round the corner of the
gully.
"Allo lun wailo chop-chop," said Ah-Sam.
"But the poor wounded man!" exclaimed Ethel, starting up. "He
must be in terrible pain."
 "Nonsense!" said Mrs. Pottle. "He is not killed if he can howl like
that."
Ethel got up and looked through an interstice between the
boulders, while Mrs. Pottle proceeded to give Bob her views on the
situation. Minute after minute passed; there was no sign of a
renewed attack by the Chunchuses. Mrs. Pottle brewed more tea and
talked on; Ethel moved restlessly about, starting up whenever a
groan was heard from the wounded man, and looking more and
more concerned as she saw him more than once make a futile
attempt to reach his friends. They did not come to his assistance. He
tried to crawl down the rocky slope, but each time fell back with a
groan, and at last lay perfectly still. Bob had watched Ethel's
movements, and saw, though she said nothing, that she was
becoming uneasy about the wounded Manchu. He would
undoubtedly bleed to death if something were not done for him; his
friends were unwilling to face the marksman up the slope. Bob
wondered whether he ought to run the risk of going down. Between
his boulder and the man there were many rocks which would afford
cover for the greater part of the way. If he reached the man, the
Chunchuses would probably hesitate to fire lest they hit their
comrade; and it had become apparent to Bob that one reason,
probably the strongest, why they had not developed their attack was
that they feared to bring their enemies, the Russians, upon the
scene. At last, unable any longer to resist Ethel's mute plea, he rose,
bade Ah-Sam cover him with his rifle, and, crossing the barricade,
made his way as quickly as possible down the gully, dodging from
rock to rock.
 The last dozen yards were open ground, fully exposed to the
attack of the Chunchuses. He ran across them, and stooped to the
wounded man. At the foot of the gully several of the Chunchuses
now showed themselves and watched his proceedings. He first tied
his handkerchief round the injured limb, then lifted the man and
turned to make his way back. He took two steps, then staggered;
the man was heavy, and the necessity of carrying him in a horizontal
position, in order to check the flow of blood to his wounded leg,
made him a cumbrous burden on so steep an ascent. Bob was
doubting whether he would be able unaided to bring the man into
safety, when Ah-Sam appeared. He had marked the difficulty, and,
seeing that an attack from below was for the time improbable, had
run to his master's assistance. Together then they carried the
Chunchuse up the gully, and carefully lifted him over the barricade,
and Bob was rewarded by a grateful glance and a murmured word of
thanks from Ethel, who at once bent down to assist the man. Mrs.
Pottle, for all her outward truculence, had a kind heart. Protesting all
the time that it was ridiculous to waste sympathy on a brigand, she
lent her niece willing aid, and soon the limb was well bandaged, and
the man was supplied with food and tea.
By this time the Chunchuses had congregated about the mouth
of the gully, where they stood discussing the situation with some
excitement. Bob guessed that the appearance of a Korean capable of
fighting, in company with a Chinaman of courage and assurance,
had somewhat astonished them; and though it was impossible for
Ah-Sam to hear what they were saying, it was not difficult to guess
that they were divided in opinion, some being inclined to renew the
attack, others to seek a compromise. It was Bob's policy to wait.
Suddenly the colloquy below was interrupted; there was a sound of
galloping horses, and immediately the Chunchuses were scattering,
seeking cover behind boulders at the mouth of the ravine. Behind
them came one or two of the men they had left in the road in
charge of the horses. For a few moments there was wild confusion,
a clamour of mingled shouts, the clash of arms, the stampeding of
horses. A shot rang out, the babel ceased, and a man was seen
hurrying up the gully, holding a piece of torn and dirty rag upon his
musket.
"Tell him to stop," said Bob to Ah-Sam when the Chunchuse had
come within fifty yards of the barricade.
"What is happening now?" asked Mrs. Pottle, endeavouring to
peep over a boulder.
"Please go back, Mrs. Pottle," said Bob earnestly. "I don't know
what may happen yet. It appears to be a flag of truce."
"I decline to have any parley with the brigands," said Mrs. Pottle
decisively; "I firmly decline. They are outlaws, and—"
"Auntie, Mr. Fawcett wishes to speak to the man," interposed
Ethel mildly.
The emissary had stopped at Ah-Sam's bidding, and was now
speaking rapidly in answer to the Chinaman's questions. His features
wore an anxious look. From Ah-Sam's translation of his speech, Bob
learnt that the commotion he had recently witnessed was due to the
sudden appearance of a mixed force of Russians and Manchus, who
had ridden up in two parties, one from each side of the valley, and
closed in upon the Chunchuses at the gully's mouth. Sheltered by
the large scattered rocks, the brigands were able for the moment to
keep the Russians at bay; but at any moment their position might be
rushed. They knew that they could expect no mercy from the
Russians, and they were now in a terrible dilemma: on the one side
the Cossacks, on the other the armed men, they did not know how
many in number, behind the barricade. Between two fires they would
be utterly annihilated. As a counsel of desperation the flag-bearer
had come to beg the leader of the party more favourably posted to
admit the Chunchuses behind his entrenchments, where they might
make common cause against the Russians.
This was a critical moment which Bob had not foreseen.
Obviously there was little time for deliberation. Though no more
shots had been fired, he had no doubt that the Russians were only
awaiting a favourable opportunity for swooping on the band of
Chunchuses, and after they had been disposed of it would not be
long before he too, with his companions, must fall into their hands.
The ladies might be safe with them, of course; but he himself durst
not appear; they were hunting him for his life. It was thus
impossible for him to remain neutral. Recent events had in fact
made him a natural ally of the Chunchuses. They might be brigands,
but they were at the same time patriots, fighting on their own soil
against an alien invader. Their methods were not perhaps
commendable from a western stand-point, but the Russians
themselves, as he himself had seen during his wanderings in Korea,
were not always too scrupulous. There was only one consideration
that made him hesitate, and that was, would the sudden friendliness
of the Chunchuses last after the pressing danger was past?
Bob was not long in making up his mind.
"Tell them," he said to Ah-Sam, "that I will help them if they will
help us in return. If they succeed in beating off the Russians, they
must afterwards help us to cross the Yalu and come safely within the
Japanese lines. Will they do that?"
"My talkee, massa."
Ah-Sam put the case to the man, who stood impatiently
awaiting Bob's decision. The answer was voluble, and accompanied
by gestures which to Bob were very mysterious. Ah-Sam explained
that the Chunchuse had at once accepted the offered terms, and
had emphasized his promise by swearing by the graves of his
ancestors that he would make his words good.
"Is he to be trusted?" asked Bob.
"Oh yes. He one piecee head man; he talkee velly good; he
velly muchee aflaid joss angly, spoilum allo piecee Chunchuses this-
tim', supposey no do what he hab say do. He allo lightee, massa."
"Very well. Tell him I will see what can be done."
"What are you going to do, Mr. Fawcett?" asked Mrs. Pottle. "I
strongly object to have any dealings with the brigands, and I declare
—"
"Auntie," interposed Ethel gently, "don't you think we had better
trust to Mr. Fawcett to do what he thinks best?"
"Well, I wash my hands of the whole business. China boy,
fetchee more water from the streamee; we wantee makee more
tea."
Thanking the girl with a glance, Bob sprang over the barricade,
and, with a parting order to Ah-Sam to remain with the ladies, set
off to join his late enemy. At the mouth of the gully he found that
the Chunchuses had taken up positions behind every available rock.
They were somewhat tightly packed, and as some of them moved
from their places to meet their returning leader, and for a moment
left cover, the Russians began to take snap shots at them from the
crest of a hillock about six or seven hundred yards away. One man
was hit just as Bob reached the band. There was a reply from
several of the Chunchuses; but it was clear that they were
hopelessly outranged. Their muskets did indeed carry the distance of
the Russian position, but with no accuracy, and as the Russians were
careful to present no considerable target, they were unlikely to
suffer any loss.
Peering cautiously round the edge of a boulder, Bob looked
across the valley in the direction pointed out to him. At first he could
see nothing; then, on the crest of the hillock, he saw one or two
moving objects which by and by resolved themselves into the caps
of men on the other side. He wondered why the Russians, armed as
they were with good weapons, did not advance boldly to the attack;
but the explanation soon suggested itself. The horses of the
Chunchuses having been stampeded, escape for the latter was
impossible. The Cossacks recognized that they had them in a trap,
but were disinclined to throw away lives by coming to close quarters
in broad daylight with a strongly entrenched enemy. At nightfall,
however, the odds would be all in their favour. They outnumbered
the Chunchuses by at least two to one; under cover of night they
could easily rush the position through the wide gaps between the
boulders; and in a hand-to-hand fight their superior numbers were
bound to tell. Bob had no doubt that they would defer their attack
until night, and that was a serious danger to be provided against.
He was still watching the hillock, wondering how many men
were encamped on the farther slope, when he noticed a dark shape
rise upon the crest. Its outlines were clearly visible in contrast with
the snow-covered ground, and in a moment Bob recognized the
form as the head and shoulders of a Manchu. The man had
apparently just spread his cloak before him, for he bent down face
forwards, until only his head was visible, a dark motionless patch at
the summit of the hill. A minute or two passed, then Bob saw a faint
puff of smoke just below the crouching Manchu, and immediately
afterwards a metallic "splat" was heard on the rock close to Bob's
elbow. The man had evidently posted himself with the object of
taking pot-shots at any of the Chunchuses who incautiously afforded
him a target. His rifle was a good one, and that he was a good
marksman was soon proved, for a second puff of smoke was
followed, not by the sound of a bullet striking the rock, but by a
howl of pain from one of the defenders, whose arm, overlapping the
edge of the rock behind which he stood, had been pierced by the
Manchu's shot. Only half a minute later, a third shot was even more
accurate; a man's head showed above a rock, and with a
suddenness that startled everyone he fell back, dead.
The movements which had exposed the defenders to the aim of
the Manchu marksman were partly due to the impatient rage of the
Chunchuses at their inability to retaliate. Bob saw that a succession
of such incidents would destroy their nerve and demoralize them. He
was himself a good marksman; at eight hundred yards he had more
than once scored a possible on the butts at Darnley; and the sight of
the dead man by his side banished his last feeling of compunction at
taking an active part. Removing his cloak and cap to reduce his
height and bulk as much as possible, he cautiously made his way to
the boulder at which the Chunchuses were least huddled. As he ran
across a few yards of exposed space, bullets pattered all around
him; a man at the edge of the boulder for which he was making
raised his hand to his cheek, and withdrew it covered with blood; a
splinter of lead or rock had inflicted a slight jagged wound. The man
looked at his hand with stolid indifference, and wiped it on his coat.
It was evident that there were other marksmen on the crest of the
hill, though only the Manchu was in sight. This incident had the
curious effect of steadying Bob's nerve, and when he reached the
boulder he was able to take a quiet look round.
A few feet to the right there lay an isolated rock much lower
than the one whose shelter he had gained. Throwing himself flat on
the ground, he crawled slowly forward, and noticed when he came
to the smaller boulder that, still farther to the right, and a little in
advance, there was a yet smaller rock, the lateral interval between
the two being so narrow that he thought it unlikely he could be seen
by the Russians if he used it as a peep-hole. It turned out as he
surmised. He found that, while himself invisible, he commanded a
view of about one-sixth of the space occupied by the Russians. As
he looked, he saw that the Manchu who had been so troublesome
had disappeared; the line of the hill-crest was unbroken. Bob feared
that the man had escaped him, but in a moment he caught sight of
his head and shoulders again, at a point somewhat to the left of his
former position. He lowered himself as before, and bent forward on
his elbow, waiting a favourable opportunity to test his
marksmanship. The moment came; some incautious Chunchuse had
no doubt exposed himself, for Bob saw the Manchu lift his rifle in the
attitude of taking aim. He was destined never to pull the trigger.
From his first movement Bob had covered him; while he was still
aiming, the crack of a rifle was heard in the gully, and the Manchu's
head fell forward, his rifle forming a dark streak on the snow. So
instantaneous had been the effect of his shot that Bob was for the
moment doubtful; but it was impossible to mistake the attitude of
the inert form on the hillside. The man was dead.
The fact came home to Bob with a sort of shock. A soldier in the
heat of battle has no time to reflect; his duty is to shoot straight and
keep his nerve. But this single shot had not been fired in the rush of
fight; it had scarcely caused his nerves to tingle more than in a
keenly-contested musketry competition at home. For the moment he
felt guilty as though he had committed a crime, and, rifle in hand,
stared spell-bound at the prostrate figure. Then he was startled from
his reverie by the sound of a hail of bullets whistling through the air
and pattering on the rocks, and around him the discharge of a dozen
antiquated pieces within the space of a few yards filled the air with
the pungent smell of war.
After some minutes the din ceased. For an hour afterwards the
firing was merely spasmodic. Bob was confirmed in his conclusion
that the Russians were only putting in time until nightfall. Knowing
that it would be impossible to hold the wide gaps at the mouth of
the gully against a rush of superior forces, he saw that sooner or
later the Chunchuses would have to take refuge higher up; but he
was anxious to defer this movement, and cast about for some
means of at least inflicting a temporary check upon the enemy. The
Chunchuses themselves were making no preparations for the
changed conditions that must arise, and being ignorant of their
language, Bob was unable to consult with them. He therefore called
Ah-Sam to his side, and through him asked the leader of the
brigands what he proposed to do. The man replied that when night
came he meant to retreat up the gorge behind the barricade; his
men were too few to hold their present position; they would be
overwhelmed at the first assault. Bob pointed out that it was bad
policy to retire within their inmost defences except as a last
resource. Cooped up in the narrow space, above, they would be in
desperate straits if the enemy found a means of climbing the hills
and taking them in the rear. The man at once answered that the hills
were unscaleable. Nobody had ever been known to ascend them
from this side. He was ready to make a stand at the mouth of the
gully if it were possible, but the honourable stranger himself saw
that it was out of the question.
Bob considered for a few moments. Dusk was creeping on, and
if anything was to be done it must be done quickly.
"Tell him," he said at length to Ah-Sam, "that if he and his men
will do what I ask them, we can make this position very strong. It
will not take longer than about half an hour."
The Chunchuse at once agreed, and Bob proceeded to explain
his plan. As soon as it was dark enough he proposed to send out ten
of the best-armed and most skilful marksmen in skirmishing order to
a distance of a hundred yards beyond the mouth of the gully, with
orders to give instant warning of the enemy's approach. Twenty of
the rest were to act as a reserve behind the boulders. There were
some thirty men left; these he proposed to divide into squads of
five, and they were to roll or drag towards the entrance of the ravine
the loose boulders that lay scattered along the banks of the stream
above. The reserve meanwhile would load the muskets of the whole
body, and hold these in readiness for instant use at various points,
to which the workers would hasten, each to his appointed spot, at
the first alarm.
The suggestion was immediately approved by the leader, and
received with eagerness by his men when it was explained to them.
Since Bob had appeared on the scene, and especially since he had
shot the Manchu on the hill, the brigands had regarded him with a
good deal of respect. When the country had become sufficiently dark
for their movements to escape the notice of the Russians, the plan
was immediately put into operation. Bob himself superintended the
work of the thirty. Under his directions they rolled and dragged the
rocks downward, blocking up the gaps at the foot of the ravine. The
task was arduous and unequal. Bob added a man to a squad at one
point where the stone to be moved was unusually heavy, taking one
from a neighbouring squad that happened to be less taxed. During
the first quarter of an hour the work went on at a great rate. There
was a good supply of manageable boulders near at hand, and the
men were encouraged when they saw a continuous breastwork
beginning to fill the gaps which had appeared to them indefensible.
But as the nearest stones became used up, the task grew in
difficulty, for higher up the ravine the boulders were larger and
required much greater exertions to move them. It was becoming
colder as the darkness increased, but the ground was as yet not
sufficiently hardened to be slippery, and the huge masses of rock
often sank into holes and were obstructed by irregularities in the
ground, so that the half-hour had long been exceeded before the
breastwork was finished. The task, however, was completed at last.
The new barrier was rough and uneven, but promised to be quite
adequate to its purpose.
 There was still no sign of the enemy. No doubt they were
waiting until they might suppose the defenders lulled to security;
perhaps they were having a meal in preparation for their attack. As
the idea struck Bob, he asked whether the Chunchuses had any
provisions with them, and was alarmed to find that they were almost
foodless, their supplies having been on their horses' backs. They
carried in their wallets no more than one day's food. This was
unfortunate; it might prove a calamity. The coming struggle was
likely to be severe, and the brigands, however much inured to
hardship they might be, could not fight well if they were hungry. Bob
advised the men to husband their little stock as much as possible;
he feared that nothing could be spared from what Ah-Sam had
brought in the cart, and already foresaw the ultimate destiny of the
little Chinaman's team.
Recalling seven of the scouts outside, leaving three still to keep
a vigilant look-out for signs of the advancing enemy, he leant on the
breastwork, and peered out into the darkness, wondering whether
anything had been left undone. As he looked at the few yards of
snow-covered ground still visible before him, an idea suddenly
flashed across his mind. Calling up Ah-Sam, he sent him to bring his
four spades from the cart. Removing a small boulder at one
extremity of the barricade, he borrowed a spear, went outside to a
distance of ten paces, and with the spear drew a line across the
mouth of the gully parallel with the barrier. Four feet beyond this line
he drew another parallel with it, then returned within the defences.
In a few minutes Ah-Sam came back with the spades, and Bob was
astonished to see that he was accompanied by Ethel.
 "I have brought you some tea," she said; "it will refresh you.
Auntie is very anxious to know what you are doing. I could hardly
persuade her not to come and see."
"It is very good of you. Please go back, Miss—" He paused. Mrs.
Pottle had omitted to mention her niece's surname. He saw a faint
smile in Ethel's face.
"Auntie never stands much on ceremony," she said, "and she
has taken you quite for granted. My father's name is Charteris."
"Do, please, go back. The Russians may be upon us at any
moment, and you will be in danger. Tell Mrs. Pottle that we are doing
our best. Ah-Sam, go back with Miss Charteris, and remain with the
ladies."
"My no likee go that-side," protested Ah-Sam. "My velly good
fighty man; my no tinkee—"
"Come, Ah-Sam!" said Ethel.
Ah-Sam looked from one to the other, then without another
word, but with a very downcast countenance, he walked behind the
girl up the hill.
Bob had no difficulty in making the Chunchuse leader
understand by signs that he required the services of four spademen.
These were at once forthcoming—four strapping fellows, who soon
showed by the way they handled their implements that before they
became brigands they were husbandmen. He set them to dig a
trench between the parallel lines he had drawn, placing one man at
each end, and the other two back to back in the centre, with orders
to work towards their comrades at the fastest rate of which they
were capable. After five minutes he relieved them by another squad,
and while these were working it struck him that if the Russians
attacked suddenly, and the diggers tried to scramble over the barrier,
they would come directly in the line of fire and either lose their lives
or cause the loss of precious time to the firing party. He therefore
removed a small rock at each end, and when he sent out the next
relieving squad he gave them express orders to make for the barrier,
each man for the gap nearest him, if the alarm were given. The men
worked so energetically that in a short time a trench four feet broad
and two deep stretched across the entrance to the gully. The men
were then withdrawn. They joined their comrades in disposing of the
scanty rations at command. All being now in readiness to meet an
attack, the scouts also were recalled, and Bob, feeling that he had
done all that he could, sat down to rest and await the event.
The time dragged slowly on. The whole band maintained almost
absolute silence; no sound was to be heard save the rush of the
stream. Waiting in the dark, all his senses on the alert, Bob
wondered whether the enemy had drawn off. It was unlike them so
to do; the Russians were implacable where Manchurian brigands not
on their side were concerned. The existence of these armed bands
within their lines was at all times a serious menace. The whole
population, save for parties of hired desperadoes, was hostile to the
Russian cause. If in the coming conflict with the hosts of Japan the
Russians were beaten, the news would rapidly spread through the
country, and each isolated band of Chunchuses would become the
nucleus to which thousands would flock, harassing the retreating
army, and threatening a catastrophe like that which befell
Napoleon's grand army in its retreat from Moscow. It was therefore
most unlikely that the little force of which Bob now found himself the
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