same one, restraining me with an uplifted pen.
"Did you say 'Quack'?"

"Quack?" repeated this person, beginning to become involved within
himself, and not grasping the detail in the right position. "In a manner
of setting the expression forth--"

"Put him down, 'Quack Duck,' sir," exclaimed one of dog-like dejection
who stood by. "Most of these Lascars haven't got any real names--they
just go by what any one happens to call them at the time, like 'Burmese
Ike' down at the Mint," and this person unfortunately chancing to smile
and bow acquiescently at that moment (not with any set intention, but
as a general principle of courteous urbanity), in place of his really
distinguished titles he will henceforth appear among the historical
records of this dynasty under what he cannot disguise from his inner
misgivings to be the low-caste appellation of Quack Duck.

"Now the address, please," continued the high one, again preparing to
inscribe the word, and being determined that by no mischance should this
particular be offensively reported, I unhesitatingly replied, "Beneath
the Sign of the Lead Tortoise, on the northern course from the Lotus
Pools outside the walls of Yuen-ping."

This answer the one with the book did not immediately record. "I
don't say it isn't all right when you know the parts," he remarked
broad-mindedly, "but it does sound a trifle irregular. Can't you give it
a number and a street?"

"I fancy it must be a pub, sir," observed another. "He said that it had
a sign--the Red Tortoise."

"Well, haven't you got a London address?" said the high one, and this
person being able to supply a street and a number as desired, this part
of the undertaking was disposed of, to his cordial satisfaction.

"Now let me see the articles which these men left with you," commanded
the chieftain of the band, and without any misleading discrepancies I at
once drew forth from an inner sleeve the two scrips, of which adequate
mention has already been made, another hitherto undescribed, two
instruments for measuring the passing hours of the day, together with a
chain of fine gold ingeniously wrought into the semblance of a cable,
an ornament for the breast, set about with a jewel, two neck-cloths of
a kind usually carried in the pocket, a book for recording happenings of
any moment, pieces of money to the value of about eleven taels, a silver
flagon, a sheathed weapon and a few lesser objects of insignificant
value. These variou