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                            The Blue Dragon

                  A TALE OF RECENT ADVENTURE IN CHINA

                            BY Kirk Munroe

    AUTHOR OF THE "MATES SERIES" THE "PACIFIC COAST SERIES" "FORWARD
    MARCH" ETC.


    ILLUSTRATED

    [Illustration]

    NEW YORK AND LONDON
    HARPER & BROTHERS PUBLISHERS
    1905

    Copyright, 1904, by Harper & Brothers.

    _All rights reserved._

    Published October, 1904.




[Illustration: "A HORSEMAN FLED BEFORE THEM"]




CONTENTS


CHAPTER PAGE

I. A STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND 1

II. AMERICA'S UNFRIENDLY WELCOME 10

III. ROB TO THE RESCUE 18

IV. A TRIUMPH FOR JO'S ENEMIES 26

V. THREATENED VIOLENCE 35

VI. THE SHERIFF TAKES PROMPT MEASURES 44

VII. THE SENTENCE OF THE COURT 52

VIII. JO'S ENEMIES PREPARE A TRAP 61

IX. JO FINDS THAT HE IS SOME ONE ELSE 70

X. WHAT HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO CHINA 79

XI. ACCEPT A KINDNESS AND PASS IT ALONG 88

XII. FROM THE GOLDEN GATE TO THE PEARL RIVER 97

XIII. IN THE WORLD'S MOST MARVELLOUS CITY 106

XIV. A TURN OF FORTUNE'S TIDE 116

XV. IN THE HEART OF UNKNOWN CHINA 125

XVI. "FISTS OF RIGHTEOUS HARMONY" 134

XVII. LEAPING INTO UNKNOWN BLACKNESS 143

XVIII. A SUPPER OF SACRED EELS 151

XIX. AN EXHIBITION OF THE RAIN-GOD'S ANGER 160

XX. ROB MAKES A STARTLING DISCOVERY 169

XXI. THE REFUGEES OF CHENG-TING-FU 178

XXII. A CHARGE AND A RACE FOR LIFE 187

XXIII. STEALING A LOCOMOTIVE 196

XXIV. THE TIMELY EXPLOSION OF A BOILER 204

XXV. IN CHINA'S CAPITAL CITY 213

XXVI. WAR CLOUDS 222

XXVII. CHINA DEFIES THE WORLD 231

XXVIII. FIGHTING SIXTY FEET ABOVE GROUND 241

XXIX. JO HEAPS COALS OF FIRE 250

XXX. THE CAPTURE OF PEKIN 260




ILLUSTRATIONS


"A HORSEMAN FLED BEFORE THEM" _Frontispiece_

MAP SHOWING ROUTE FOLLOWED BY AUTHOR _Facing p._ 1

"AS POOR JO LOST HIS FOOTING AND FELL, ROB DASHED INTO THE MELEE" 20

"HIS MADLY YELLING PURSUERS WERE NOW CLOSE UPON HIM" 140

"THE FUGITIVES MADE A CAUTIOUS ENTRY INTO THE SACRED PRECINCTS" 152

"HE WAS ABLE TO GAZE CALMLY AT HER WHEN THEY ONCE MORE WERE ESCORTED
PAST THE CATHEDRAL" 184

"SO THEY DROVE ON, MILE AFTER MILE" 204

"THE SAVAGES FLED IN DISMAY BEFORE THAT CHARGE OF YELLING AMERICANS" 248




TO MY READERS


The Blue Dragon, chosen as a title for this story, is the national
emblem of China, adopted as such by a desire to flatter and propitiate
that spirit of evil considered to be the most powerful. As the dragon
is believed to be big enough and strong enough to overcome and devour
all the other wicked genii who continually vex Chinese life, the wise
men of the "Black-haired People" thought it best to have him on their
side, and consequently accorded him the highest honor in their power
to bestow. As we of America chose the eagle, strongest of visible air
spirits, for our national emblem, so the Chinese chose the most powerful
of invisible spirits in whose existence they believe as firmly as we do
in the existence of things that we can see, hear, or feel.

In the story thus entitled, I have endeavored to give an idea of what
China has been, is, and may become through education and development,
how she is regarded, and how her people are being treated by other
nations, and what causes she has for resentment against those who are
taking advantage of her feebleness to despoil her.

While travelling in China, and trying to gain the Chinese point of
view, I met so many charming people, so many men of intelligence and
