apparently turned in. The fog became thicker and thicker,
and covered the pavement with moisture.

Suddenly the door of Hung Wapu's cellar squeaked; it was opened
cautiously and a low clatter came up from below. Thirty dark forms crept
slowly up the steps, one after the other, and without a word they began
their march. Ten houses farther on a similar detachment poured out of
the other Chinese cellar and joined their ranks.

The gas-lamps shed a dull, yellowish-red light on the gun-barrels of the
Japanese company, which was marching down to the docks.

Two thousand steps farther on it had become a battalion, which marched
rapidly in the direction of the barracks of the Fifth Regiment of
regulars in the old Presidio. At the next corner the leader of the
battalion unobtrusively saluted a man in uniform who stepped suddenly
out of a doorway. A few Japanese words were exchanged in a low tone.

"This is an unexpected ally," said the Japanese colonel, holding out his
hand in the dense fog.

Four o'clock struck from the tower of the Union Ferry Depot, and out
from the sea, from the Golden Gate, came the bellowing voice of a
steamer's whistle. The two officers looked at each other and smiled, and
the troops continued their march.

"Halloo!" shouted a roundsman to a policeman who had been leaning
against a lamp-post half asleep. "Halloo, Tom, wake up! Who are those
fellows over there; where the deuce are they going?"

Tom opened his eyes, and up on the hill, a few blocks away, he could
faintly distinguish through the thick fog the outline of a group of
rapidly moving soldiers. "I guess they are some of our boys taking part
in the naval maneuver. You know, Perry's going to attack us to-day."

"Well, I didn't know that," replied the roundsman. "They're great boys,
all right; up and about at four in the morning." Just then the angry
bellow from a steamer's whistle came across the water and abruptly ended
this early morning conversation.

"I suppose that's Perry now," said Tom. "Well, he can't do much in this
beastly fog, anyway."

"So long, Tom," answered the roundsman curtly as he slowly proceeded to
resume his interrupted rounds.

An advance guard of a few men had been sent ahead. They found the sentry
at the barrack-gates fast asleep. When he awoke it was to discover
himself surrounded by a dozen men. He stared at them, still heavy with
sleep, and then reached mechanically for his gun; it was gone. He tried
to pull