Quickly, Jenqyih and Yihshyong put on the life jackets. After releasing the rope that tied the canoe to the pole on the edge of the lake, the two of them put the bags they were carrying into the canoe. Finally, they both climbed into the canoe. The canoe could carry five people. Jenqyih and Yihshyong immediately put their bottoms on the canoe. Each sat in the first and last seats. They put the big bag they were carrying in the middle of the canoe.
"Now help us push the canoe," said Yihshyong.
The driver pushed the canoe towards the middle of the lake. Yihshyong and Jenqyih then started rowing. They were not used to rowing, so it was very difficult for the canoe to move forward. But finally they could do it. Gradually, they reached the middle of the lake.
"Shyongge, the anchor, please." Jenqyih reminded Yihshyong.
Yihshyong nodded. With alacrity, he threw the anchor into the lake. The lake was not so deep, maybe just a few meters. But still there was concern in Jenqyih's mind. He was afraid that when the anchor was thrown into the lake, the canoe would lose its balance. As he said, Jenqyih couldn't swim. The lake water that morning was freezing. In such a tired and sleepy state, soaking in cold water was not a pleasant event.
Fortunately, Jenqyih's worries turned out to be unfounded. The canoe remained stable.
"Now what? What else do they want us to do?"
"I don't know." Yihshyong shook his head with a movement that in Jenqyih's eyes looked like the movement of someone who was not sure. "The instructions end here."
"Let's look here. There may be other things."
Jenqyih looked around at him. There weren't many hidden places there. He reached under the board on which he sat. His hand felt a box there. He took the box out and placed it on his lap.
"Trying to open the box is a good idea," said Yihshyong.
"This box is locked. Maybe the key was to open this box."
Yihshyong reached into his pocket. He took out the key that Jenqyih had found, along with the letter in the drunken man's bag. In a flash, he held out the key to Jenqyih.
The distance between them was more than one and a half meters. Jenqyih had to take pains to retrieve the key. He did not dare to move too freely for fear that the canoe would become unbalanced and the craft could capsize on the lake.
After the key was in his hand, Jenqyih immediately opened the box. It contained a letter. He took out a letter from the box and showed it to Yihshyong.
"You read the letter." Yihshyong's face looked tired as he said that.
Jenqyih read the letter right away.
"The kidnapper asked us to shoot the gun three times in the air!"
"What gun?" Yihshyong's face changed hearing Jenqyih's words.
"This gun!" Jenqyih took out a flare gun from the box.
"After firing the gun, what should we do then?" Yihshyong frowned.
"There will be a raft approaching us, and then we will transfer this bag onto the raft."
"Are there any other items inside the box?"
"Two handcuffs. But no key."
"What are the handcuffs for?"
Quickly, Jenqyih and Yihshyong put on the life jackets. After releasing the rope that tied the canoe to the pole on the edge of the lake, the two of them put the bags they were carrying into the canoe. Finally, they both climbed into the canoe. The canoe could carry five people. Jenqyih and Yihshyong immediately put their bottoms on the canoe. Each sat in the first and last seats. They put the big bag they were carrying in the middle of the canoe.
"Now help us push the canoe," said Yihshyong.
The driver pushed the canoe towards the middle of the lake. Yihshyong and Jenqyih then started rowing. They were not used to rowing, so it was very difficult for the canoe to move forward. But finally they could do it. Gradually, they reached the middle of the lake.
"Shyongge, the anchor, please." Jenqyih reminded Yihshyong.
Yihshyong nodded. With alacrity, he threw the anchor into the lake. The lake was not so deep, maybe just a few meters. But still there was concern in Jenqyih's mind. He was afraid that when the anchor was thrown into the lake, the canoe would lose its balance. As he said, Jenqyih couldn't swim. The lake water that morning was freezing. In such a tired and sleepy state, soaking in cold water was not a pleasant event.
Fortunately, Jenqyih's worries turned out to be unfounded. The canoe remained stable.
"Now what? What else do they want us to do?"
"I don't know." Yihshyong shook his head with a movement that in Jenqyih's eyes looked like the movement of someone who was not sure. "The instructions end here."
"Let's look here. There may be other things."
Jenqyih looked around at him. There weren't many hidden places there. He reached under the board on which he sat. His hand felt a box there. He took the box out and placed it on his lap.
"Trying to open the box is a good idea," said Yihshyong.
"This box is locked. Maybe the key was to open this box."
Yihshyong reached into his pocket. He took out the key that Jenqyih had found, along with the letter in the drunken man's bag. In a flash, he held out the key to Jenqyih.
The distance between them was more than one and a half meters. Jenqyih had to take pains to retrieve the key. He did not dare to move too freely for fear that the canoe would become unbalanced and the craft could capsize on the lake.
After the key was in his hand, Jenqyih immediately opened the box. It contained a letter. He took out a letter from the box and showed it to Yihshyong.
"You read the letter." Yihshyong's face looked tired as he said that.
Jenqyih read the letter right away.
"The kidnapper asked us to shoot the gun three times in the air!"
"What gun?" Yihshyong's face changed hearing Jenqyih's words.
"This gun!" Jenqyih took out a flare gun from the box.
"After firing the gun, what should we do then?" Yihshyong frowned.
"There will be a raft approaching us, and then we will transfer this bag onto the raft."
"Are there any other items inside the box?"
"Two handcuffs. But no key."
"What are the handcuffs for?"
