rst tormentors were two
boys, who walked up and down in front of them, pulling their noses as
they passed; but, fortunately, an official, whose duty it was to pay
periodical visits to men in their position, came in sight, and the young
rascals fled in alarm.

This official, who was aged, smiled with delight at having caused the
boys to go without much exertion on his part. He wore a hat which
reminded Charlie and Fred of a candle-extinguisher. In other respects
his costume did not differ from that of any ordinary Chinaman.

'Venerable uncle,' Ping Wang exclaimed as soon as the old man reached
them, 'why are your dogs of servants placed in the wooden collars?'

The old man smiled, for in his time he had heard hundreds of prisoners
ask that question. Nevertheless he replied, for he always treated
prisoners courteously, having seen many respectable men in the position
of his questioner.

'Did not my honourable brothers steal a horse that belonged to the
foreigners?' he asked.

'Your dogs of servants have not stolen anything.'

The old man laughed incredulously. 'The foreigners say that you did,' he
declared.

'They have not seen us.'

'But they have declared to the mandarin that three men stole their horse
at daybreak. Therefore you were arrested.'

Having given this very unsatisfactory piece of information, the old man
calmly walked away.

When he was out of hearing, Ping Wang said to his friends in misfortune:
'We are arrested for horse-stealing. Some foreigners--missionaries, I
imagine, as there are not likely to be any other Europeans in this
place--have complained that they have had their horse stolen by three
men. Evidently the mandarin, or one of his subordinates, promised to
inquire into the matter, and, in order to give the missionaries the
impression that they had caught the thieves, ordered the arrest of any
three men. Apparently we happened to be passing just as the Yamen
runners started out, and therefore they took us. Now the mandarin will
inform the missionaries that he has had the thieves caught and
punished.'

Nothing more was said by either of the unfortunate prisoners for nearly
an hour, so continuously were people passing to and fro. Their necks
were aching terribly, and, in spite of their determination not to lose
heart, they became very dispirited.

(_Continued on page 324._)

A COAT OF PAINT.

'I want the boat smartened up a bit, Jack. You will lend a hand this
afternoon,