Hok shrugged. “I was only trying to help.”
“Don't be so modest,” PawPaw said. “You know you've done an excellent job. In fact, I'd venture to say that you've done all you can here.”
Hok stared at PawPaw. “What are you saying?”
PawPaw smiled. “As much as I enjoy your company, you and Seh should be getting on your way. It is time for you to spread your wings again.”
Hok nodded slowly. “I was thinking the same thing. I'm going to miss you.”
“I'll miss you, too,” PawPaw said. “But you can always come back and visit. I'll welcome you with open arms, as will the villagers.”
“That's right,” Hok said. “The villagers. I'll have to make a point to go say goodbye to them.”
PawPaw shook her head. “I wouldn't do that if I were you. The villagers will never forget what you've done, so a formal goodbye will serve no purpose other than to raise questions about where you are headed, and possibly where you've been. You were fortunate that they were too self-absorbed during their time of need to have questioned you. I don't think you should press your luck. Besides, it would add an air of mystery about you if you were to simply disappear after helping them.”
“I understand,” Hok said. “When do you think we should leave? In a couple of days?”
“Actually,” PawPaw said, glancing at the evening sun, “I was thinking more like a couple of hours.”
AnGangseh sat in the bow of the dragon boat, holding the stolen dragon scroll map up to the setting sun.
“Sssomething's not right,” she said. “I sssuspect a sssnake in the grass.”
Tonglong set his long push pole down and leaned toward his mother. “What do you mean?”
“Over the past month we've traveled the entire length of the Yellow River between Kaifeng and the Yellow Sssea,” AnGangseh said. “We've explored every inlet, every outlet, and everything in between, yet we don't ssseem to be any closer to the treasure.”
“Are you sure the map depicts the Yellow River?” Tonglong asked. “We're quite far north.”
“Yesss,” AnGangseh hissed. “I am sure. Your father told me the details himself, right before he died. That was fifteen years ago, but I doubt the shorelines have changed drastically sssince. This dragon ssscroll map originated in the sssouth in our beloved Canton, but it is sssupposed to show the way to a treasure by ssstarting here in the north. The map does indeed include the Yellow River because many of the lines depicted match the shores we've ssseen. However, vast sssections appear disjointed.” She rolled up the scroll and threw it to the floor of the boat. “I'm beginning to think sssomeone has tampered with it. If you look closely, in a few places it appears as though extra lines might have been sssketched in.”
“What should we do?” Tonglong asked.
“We'll keep at it a few more days,” AnGangseh said. “If we can't sssort it out, we'll hunt down those troublesome young monks and get to the bottom of this. I refuse to be made a fool of!”
Hok stood on the riverbank between PawPaw and Seh as the sun slowly dipped behind the western tree-tops upstream. Seh held on to Hok's right forearm, which she was thankful had completely healed. She had a feeling she would need both arms soon. On the shore beside her was a boat.
Hok glanced at it. It was a skiff similar to the one Cheen and Sum had left in, only smaller and in much better condition. This one was just big enough to carry two people, plus a few extra items. The skiff contained a large covered basket and a pile of what appeared to be clothes. Hok scratched her bald head and looked at PawPaw.
“Where did this boat come from?” Hok asked.
“It is my personal skiff,” PawPaw said. “It's nearly as old as I am, but you can see that it is in fine condition. I dragged it out of its hiding place while you were working with Seh earlier today. It will serve you well.”
Hok shook her head. “We can't take your boat, PawPaw. We'll walk.”
“No, no,” PawPaw said. “I haven't used this boat in years. I've been keeping it in working order for a time such as this. Besides, at this point you'd be doing me a favor. If you take it, I won't have to maintain it anymore. I'm getting too old for that kind of work.”
Seh cleared his throat. “Couldn't we just walk? I'd like to put some of my new training to good use.”
Hok half smiled and looked at PawPaw. “Seh doesn't like boats. Personally, I enjoy them, and I think a boat is the best method of transportation because I'd like to travel downstream. But I've never steered one before. Is it difficult?”
“Heavens, no,” PawPaw said. “It's only tricky if you encounter rough water. However, I don't anticipate you'll find any. There will be plenty of easy, steady current. All you'll have to do is pole the skiff out to the center of the river and let it take you as far as you'd like to travel—all the way to the Yellow Sea, if you wish.”