sen, but as I would have uttered them
their inelegance became plain, and this person made eight conscientious
attempts to soften down their harsh modulation by various interchanges.
He was still persevering hopefully when he of chief authority approached
and requested that the one who was thus employed and that same other
would leave the hall tranquilly, as the all-water entertainment was
at an end, and an attending slave was in readiness to extinguish the
lanterns.

"Yet," I protested unassumingly, "that which has so far been expressed
is only in the semblance of an introductory ode. There follow--"

"You must not argue with the Chair," exclaimed another interposing his
voice. "Whatever the Chair rules must be accepted."

"The innuendo is flat-witted," I replied with imperturbable dignity, but
still retaining my hold upon the rail. "When this person so far loses
his sense of proportion as to contend with an irrational object, devoid
of faculties, let the barb be cast. After that introduction dealing with
the four seasons, the twelve gong-strokes of the day are reviewed in a
like fashion. These in turn give place to the days of the month, then
the moons of the year, and finally the years of the cycle."

"That's fair," exclaimed the perverse though well-meaning youth, whom I
was beginning to recognise as the cause of some misunderstanding among
us. "If you don't want any more of his poem--and I don't blame you--my
pal Ho, who is one of the popular Flip-Flap Troupe, offers to do some
trick cycle-riding on his ears. What more can you expect?"

"We expect a policeman very soon," replied another severely. "He has
already been sent for."

"In that case," said the one who had so persistently claimed me as
an ally, "perhaps I can do you a service by directing him here"; and
leaving this person to extricate himself by means of a reassuring
silence and some of the larger silver pieces of the Island, he vanished
hastily.

With some doubt whether or not this deviation into the society of the
professedly virtuous, ending as it admittedly does in an involvement,
may not be deemed ill-starred; yet hopeful.

KONG HO.

THE THREE GIFTS

Related by Kong Ho on the occasion of the all-water
disportment, under the circumstances previously set forth.

BEYOND the limits of the township of Yang-chow there dwelt a rich
astrologer named Wei. Reading by his skilful interpretation of the
planets that he would shortly Pass Above,