ly one more test for me lad," remarked the novice's Ticerone as\ they walked through one of the "And you'll be one of us, talking the cant and making as fine snitcher as I've turned out in many a Jong yea Ah Fong had served years of apprenticeship learning how to pick 8 pocket, the best methods of passing snide coin and how to wangle a gat as stand-off man in a kidnap-Sing wang. At the early age of thirteen he had acquired the art of robbing blind men of cash so that they did not feel the passing of the money, fron! their tin cups, and on application for admission' to the joves' guild had been put to work ina regular Fagin's school where the fince arts of the risky profession had been slowly drilled For years he toiled un: subjected to\all manner of money belt fastened round a manner quin hung with bells and suspended from a rope, until there was not finer sneak la the whole of the city, Why even his old mother wot weep with joy at the way he could Snatch" an earpick, or "hair orna~ the way he would rfp diamond earring' out of the ear of some unsuspecting damsel. and get away with it was the pride his father's existence, until" the latter: was sent to jail for taking children, that were not his, out foe Junk rides on the Yangtze and for~ keting to bring them back.
As a matter of fact it was because the goldman Was no longer bringing in any money to the house that Ah Fong had to join the guild. Up to that time he had been mor of a student of theory than a prac= tical exgok, and to follow the profession it was necessary to become a member of the organization.
Hence that muddy morning some years ago when he was walking down, ihe street. in Kiukiang accompanied by the guild examiner whom he had satisfied up to that very moment, As they paused to look an exchange Shop over with a view to business, his companion saw old' Yui Tse: tsung waddling down the other side Of the street ata quick pace which Seemed to suggest that he never expected in this life to catch wp ith the ample paunch before him,
ni's "shoes from, him. But "There's your chance, "Steal old violence mind you"
Ab Fong blenched.
"Aw. Behave yoursel(," ho remonstrated "I never "ad no course Paint fair, that's int, I It's Twas your business. told to ive you a street test. IE you get away with it, you're, ember, "If you don't, you ain't! With which his companion turned on his heel and gently moved away to give the novice a clear field.
Most of my readers have never stolen anything—except, perhaps, a an glance—and will hardly realize the dificult job with wt was faced." But bra will tell, "and noticing a small urchin sitting in the gutter, he call-
out of the side of his mouth in the "Laok here, sonny." he murmured accepted manner of crooks, vouli snatch old Yui's hat and throw ito his own roof, I'll show you the three card trick one of thes lays." Well, If it wasn't th feard trick, it was something. nit takes, arched off and was Tying ves of house which he was about to antee as the outrage occurred.
'The victim was just about, to regain his breath after the. first stream of objurgation that flowed from' this "flabby lips, when. the
and besought the gentleman not urbane Ah, Fong stepped forward, disturb himself over a matter that could be ko easily rectified, Indeed, mariner. You wonder how best faving but lately Joined the Boy to reach it, It is amazing, Scouts, he felt that here way a however, when it is considered chance of doing his daily good deed Which could not be denied, and Br. Yui would condescend to. make use of his humble services in" the matter, he would be assisting hig Unworthy' self to perform a deed of errantry' upon which he would be able'to' pride himself for Weeks to set, mo my Bat "salt right" opticd. Yui hat" would' indeed be another motto of th hich 't Beton, ip people to hel you would be ood stand on my shoulders, 1 can lift You sufficiently high to' enable, you io'reach the missing headgear."
As he said this he squatted, and Yui_way about to put one foot, om his shoulder, when Ah Fong sudden-said:—
"One moment. Your shoes are a trifle muddy, and would soil coat. Would, you be so good as to remove them!
Yui did, was soon lifted on the shoulders of the young man, and, with one hand resting against, the eaves, of the roof was stretching for the hat with the other, when hig importer shouted: "Catch hold," and dodged from beneath him.
Grabbing up the shoes he made a swift dive down the street, while the corpulent yentier.an he had betrayed swang fro the roof, too heavy to drop and too weak to hold fon. He may be hanging there now, for all I know, but Ah Fong lone since entered the Thieves Guild, and after a little while was shortened by head on the execution ground for fan entirely different matter.
Which leads one to think that there must be at least two moral to this story, one being that we should always be careful where we fake our shoes off, and the other ig that there is such a thing as being too clever—a7-P.c.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.