the game from the start and trimmed their opponents handsomely.

"Those Japs are the goods all right," conceded McRae, when at last they
were ready to embark for Hongkong.

"You're right they are," agreed Robbie.

"We call ourselves the world's champions," grinned Jim. "But, after all,
we're only champions of the United States. The time may come when there
will be a real World's Series and then the pennant will mean something
more than it does now."

"It would be some big jump between the games," said Joe.

"Lots of queer things happen," said Larry sagely. "The time yet may come
when the umpire will take off his hat, bow to the crowd and say--

"'Ladies and gentlemen: the batteries for to-day's game are Matsuda and
Nagawiki for the All-Japans, Matson and Mylert for the All-Americans.'"

CHAPTER XXI

RUNNING AMUCK

If Japan had been a revelation to the tourists, China was a still greater
one. For Japan, however much she clung to the dreamy life of former times,
had at last awakened and was fast adapting herself to modern, civilized
conditions.

If Japan was still half dreaming, China was sound asleep. This, of course,
was not true of the foreign quarter, where the great English government
buildings and commercial houses might have been those of Paris or London.

But just behind this lay the real China, looking probably the same as
three hundred thousand years ago. The little streets, so narrow in places
that the houses almost touched and a carriage could not pass! That strange
medley of sounds and smells and noises! Here a tinker mending his pans on
the sidewalk! There a dentist, pulling a tooth in the open street,
jugglers performing their tricks, snake charmers exhibiting their slimy
pets.

There was a bewildering jumble of trades, occupations and amusements, so
utterly different from what the tourists had ever before seen that it held
their curiosity unabated and their interest stimulated to its highest
pitch during the period of their stay.

"Everything is so topsy turvy!" exclaimed Mabel, as she threaded the
noisome streets, clinging close to Joe's arm. "I feel like Alice in
Wonderland."

"It's not surprising that things should be upside down when we're in the
Antipodes," laughed Joe.

"If we saw men walking on their heads it would seem natural out here,"
said Jim. "All that a Chinaman wants to know is what other people do, then
he does something different."

"Sure thing," said Joe. "Se