man went softly to the door and listened, while we
glanced round at the collection of common Chinese curios, carvings,
lanterns, sunshades, stuffed birds, bits of silk, and cane baskets which
filled the place, till he came back to us with a cunning look, and his
eyes twinkling, as Smith said, "like two currants in a penny bun."

"Too muchee men all wait," he whispered. "No talkee talkee;" and,
making a gesture to us to be very silent, he led us through the back of
his shop into a smaller room, closed and fastened the door, and then led
us through another into a kind of yard full of boxes and old tea-chests,
surrounded by a bamboo paling.

There was a gate at the end of this, and he led us through, fastened it,
and, signing to us to follow, led us in and out behind houses, where we
sometimes saw a woman or two, sometimes children at play, all of whom
took refuge within till we had passed.

"Big clowd outside, wait long time," said Ching, with a laugh; and
directly after he led us along a narrow alley and out into a busy
street, which was crowded enough, but with people going to and fro,
evidently on business, and though all stopped to look, and some
followed, it was not a waterside crowd of loafers, but of respectable
people, moved by curiosity to watch the barbarian sailors passing along
their street, but paying most heed to me with the heavy glass.

I'm getting an old man now, my lads--the old boy who is writing this
log; but it all comes back as clear to my mind's eye as if it were only
yesterday: the narrow, busy street, with men shuffling along carrying
packages, baskets of fruit and vegetables or fish, cages too containing
birds, and all in the same way slung at the ends of a stout bamboo
placed across the bearer's shoulder, and swinging there as if the man
were carrying curious-looking pairs of scales.

The shops were as bright and gay as paint and gilding laid on their
quaint carvings could make them, while on their fronts hung curious
lanterns, banners, and signs covered with Chinese characters, all of
which I longed to decipher, and at which I was ready to stop and stare,
till Ching bade me imperatively, "Come 'long."

"Chinaman no fond love English sailor allee same Ching. Don't know
better. Come 'long."

This drew my attention to the fact that among the faces full of
curiosity there were plenty which greeted us with a heavy, dull scowl,
and, recalling the fact that we were only "foreign devils," acc