aping noise as though drums were
being beaten far away or as though a handful of peas had been thrown
against a pane of glass.

Tom leaned further out of the window in time to see a bicycle rider stop
in front of the Post Office, take a big sheet of paper, moisten it with
a large brush, and stick it on the wall near the entrance; then he rode
off. Tom shut the window, for the fog seemed to be getting thicker and
thicker, and now, in the pale light of approaching dawn, it was almost
impossible to recognize the yellow spots of light on the lamp-posts. By
this time Johnny had awakened and they all had some tea together.

They were interrupted by a fourth messenger boy, who entered the room at
this moment and exclaimed:

"That's a great scheme of Admiral Perry's, and the fog seems to have
helped him a lot. What do you think? He has surprised San Francisco.
There's a notice posted downstairs stating that the Japanese have taken
possession of San Francisco and that the Japanese military governor of
San Francisco asks the citizens to remain quiet or the city will be
bombarded from the harbor by the Japanese fleet."

"Perry is a great fellow, there's no use trying to fool with him," said
Tom. "San Francisco surprised by the Japs--that's a mighty fine scheme."

Outside some one was tearing up the stairs two at a time, doors banged
noisily, and several bells rang. "Somebody's in a h--- of a hurry," said
Harry; "we'll have something to do in a minute."

A telegraph operator hurriedly opened the door and with great beads of
perspiration rolling down his face, shouted at the top of his lungs:
"Boys, the Japanese have surprised San Francisco."

A roar of laughter greeted this piece of information.

"Stung!" cried Harry. "Stung! Perry is the Jap."

"Perry?" inquired the newcomer, staring at the other four. "Who's
Perry?"

"Don't you know, Mr. Allen, that there are naval maneuvers going on
to-day and that Admiral Perry is to surprise San Francisco with the
fleet?"

"But there are notices at all the street-corners saying that the
Japanese governor of San Francisco begs the citizens----"

"Yes, that's where the joke comes in. Perry is going to attack the town
as a Jap--that's his scheme."

"You haven't had enough sleep," cried Tom. "If all the Japs looked like
Admiral Perry, then----"

Tom broke off short and dropped his tea-cup on the floor, staring
blankly at the door as if he saw a ghost. Just behind Mr. Allen stood a