also that he was not going into the fight alone. For the Captain
was going with his young soldier.

There was a suspicion of moisture in the eyes of the older
missionaries as they turned back to prepare for their own journey
southward.

"God bless the boy!" said Dr. Dickson fervently. "We'll hear of
that young fellow yet, Ritchie. He's on fire."



CHAPTER IV. BEGINNING THE SIEGE

The news was soon noised about Tamsui that one of the three
barbarians who had so lately visited the town had returned to
make the place his home. This was most unwelcome tidings to the
heathen, and the air was filled with mutterings and threatenings,
and every one was determined to drive the foreign devil out if at
all possible.

So Mackay found himself meeting every kind of opposition. He was
too independent to ask assistance from the British consul in the
old Dutch fort on the bluff, or of any other European settlers in
Tamsui. He was bound to make his own way. But it was not easy to
do so in view of the forces which opposed him. He had now been in
Formosa about two months and had studied the Chinese language
every waking hour, but it was very difficult, and he found his
usually ready tongue wofully handicapped.