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Rh kept them from rushing in by the thousands to obtain these rewards.

This state of affairs was guessed at by those marching so swiftly to the relief; yet nothing was definitely known, and it was feared that all those pent up in the British compound would be killed before their friends could get to them.

It was raining furiously when Tung-Chow, a suburb of Pekin, was gained by the battalion to which Gilbert belonged. The road beside the canal was knee-deep in water and mud; and everybody was low in spirits, and almost ready to drop with exhaustion.

"It's the worst campaign I've ever seen," said one English officer to the acting captain of Company A. "We hadn't anything in South Africa to compare with it, or anything in Egypt, either," he added.

"We are at a disadvantage here," answered Gilbert. "Only a few of our transports have arrived, and we lack both men and supplies."

"Never mind. What there are of the Americans are doing nobly," answered the Englishman. "I saw you fight at Tien-Tsin, and it was grand. And, when it came to punishment, you took it like men."