just such an opportunity, and rushed
into the shop and killed him.

Every effort was made to find the murderers. Several men were arrested,
but it was not possible to show that they were connected with the crime,
so nothing could be done.

The news of the murder was sent on to China, and there the matter should
have rested but that the two rival societies declared a boycott on each
other.

The Consul got tired of this, and insisted that it be stopped. The See
Yups obeyed, but grumbled, and gave the Consul a great deal of trouble.

The quarrelling still kept on, and finally the Consul sent the fatal
letter, accusing the ten See Yups of treason.

The See Yups declare that they can prove that the Consul is in league with
the Sam Yups, and that he has made this false accusation against them to
oblige the Sam Yup society.

Their only hope is that the Minister, who returns to China very shortly,
may straighten matters out for them. If he will not help them they will
have to choose between going back to China and having their heads cut off,
and allowing their innocent relatives to be punished for them.

* * * * *

It will interest you to know that this is Maple Sugar time, and that all
through New England the manufacture of the delicious Maple Sugar is in
full swing.

The way Maple Sugar is made is very interesting.

In the spring-time, before the trees begin to bud and blossom, the sap
rises and works its way up into every bough and branch and twig of the
tree. Sap is a liquid which flows through the tree much in the same way
that blood flows through our veins, and the sap is the life-giving element
of the tree, just as the blood is of the body.

In the maple tree this sap is sweet, and it is from the sap that the Maple
Sugar is made.

To obtain it, the tree is tapped by being bored with an augur. The sap
flows through the hole thus made and is caught in vessels placed for the
purpose.

When the tree has yielded a certain amount of sap the holes are plugged,
and then covered with wax, to stop the sap from flowing. If this were not
done it would continue to flow until every drop was exhausted, and the
tree would practically bleed to death.

Maple trees are only tapped once in two years, so that they may have time
to recover from the loss of sap, and thrive and grow into fine healthy
trees, for the tapping of the trees by no means kills them. There are some
maples in New York St