Page:On to Pekin.djvu/317

Rh "Somewhere on the road, too, so I heard General Chaffee say. This appears to be a sort of go-as-youplease campaign. Yet it is wonderful to think that none of the Allies have had a falllng out. Even the French and Germans get along well together, and they are usually pretty bitter."

"Where are we to attack?"

"Somewhere along the south-east wall, so I understand. If we can get through, we are to proceed straight for the legations. To my way of thinking, we are going to have our worst fighting after we get into Pekin," concluded the major.

The companies were swinging along doggedly, keeping a sharp lookout for the possible appearance of the enemy. Once a body of fifty Chinese did appear, but they speedily proved themselves Christians and friends. They had been sent back by the Germans for supplies.

"I don't see how they can fight their own countrymen," observed Gilbert to the officer who was acting as his first lieutenant. "It seems unnatural."

"Well, the Chinese are not all of one race, you know," was the answer. "Some of them are as different as our people are from the Canadians or