132
ON TO PEKIN
From the soldiers who were coming and going Gilbert learned that fighting in and around Tien-Tsin was of daily occurrence. "The Chinks are not beaten yet," said one old marine. "We hold Taku, Tongku, a part of Tien-Tsin, and about fifteen miles of this Tongku-Pekin railway; and that is all we do hold."
"Is the railroad to Pekin in order still?"
"Bless you! no, lieutenant. The Boxers tore up the rails long ago, and threw them into the river. And, worse than that, I've been told that they have cut up the roads, too, so that, if we march on Pekin, we'll do lots of travelling through ditches filled with water and mud."
