The Mystery of the Fire Dragon - Carolyn Keene [43]
Mr. Soong said it probably would be hours before there would be any police report on the suspicious farmer and the man who had taken away the heavy boxes.
When Nancy told this to Ned, he said, “In the meantime, how about our having some fun? We’ll do a little sight-seeing with Bess and George and your father.”
“I’d love it.” Nancy twinkled. “Is it some place special?”
Ned nodded. “I thought we’d take in the Chinese opera for a while, then go on to eat at a houseboat restaurant out near the little village of Aberdeen. You will be amazed at that place,” he added. “I shan’t tell you any more about it.”
Nancy smiled. “You know the only way you could get me to stop working on one mystery is to intrigue me with another. Now I can’t wait to see Aberdeen.”
Mr. Drew, Bess, and George had not returned, so Nancy and Ned left a note explaining their plan. Then the couple set off by ferry for Hong Kong to attend the Chinese opera.
“It goes on for hours and hours,” Ned told his companion. “Whole families attend, even with their small babies. It is like an indoor picnic, so far as the audience goes.”
Later, as they entered the very large ornate theater, Nancy knew what Ned meant. Small children and adults were moving up and down the aisles. Food vendors seemed to be everywhere and many people were eating picnic suppers. Infants lay asleep in a mother’s or grandmother’s arms, while the older people and the teen-age group tried to concentrate on the show.
In contrast to the plain dress and noisiness of the audience, the production was most dignified and elaborate. Nancy stared in fascination at the exquisitely embroidered silk and satin costumes and the lofty headdresses worn by the players.
Each actor moved about the stage slowly and a bit woodenly. But there was grace and charm to the performance.
“It seems to me,” Nancy whispered to Ned, “that the audience isn’t paying too much attention. Why?”
Ned explained that the Chinese like to see the same plays over and over. Many of them practically knew the scores by heart.
“Even though they don’t keep their eyes on the stage every minute, and can even converse or move about, they still know everything that is going on,” Ned told her.
Half an hour later, he said, “Let’s go now.”
It was growing dark as Ned hailed a taxi to take them to Aberdeen. “It’s the oldest village of the fishermen of Hong Kong Island,” he explained. “Families live on the junks and even in the small sampans.”
When they reached the water front of Aberdeen, Nancy stared in wonder. “Why, it’s almost a city of boats—of all sizes!” she cried.
“Yes,” Ned said, adding that the residents jumped from craft to craft when they wanted to go ashore.
“But they spend most of their time on the water,” he added. “The junks go out for deep-sea fishing, but the sampans stay around here. The women and children remain on them while the men are at work. The women are good oarsmen, and take their boats everywhere. Out there in the harbor are a floating church and a floating school.”
“How fascinating!” Nancy exclaimed.
“We’ll hire one of the sampans,” Ned said. “It’s the only way to reach the floating restaurant.” He pointed off in the distance where they could see a long boat brilliantly lighted.
“There are several others, but I think we’ll go to the Sea Palace,” Ned added.
Several women were already calling to the couple, offering to take them. Ned finally signaled a mother and daughter with whom he had ridden before. They smiled as Nancy and Ned stepped down into the sampan and walked into the arched open-front cabin at the rear.
As they left the dock, Nancy was amazed at the strength of the two women propelling their boat. Both were short and very slight, probably weighing not more than ninety pounds. Yet they seemed to have muscles of steel as they stood so straight and rotated their heavy oars through the water.
Upon reaching the Sea Palace, Nancy and Ned climbed a stairway to the deck. They walked around to the far side where a group of people were leaning over the rail and pointing below.
“See those