AT SAN FRANCISCO. 47

they offer food of various kinds, and this explains the dishes you will
see in a joss-house. Then they have a certain course of life which
they feel they must lead, that they may secure peace hereafter, provided
the evil one does not inter-
fere. But that they may not
be expelled from the Chinese
heaven hereafter, they keep
in the joss-house the image of
the man that was cast out of
heaven, as a reminder.”

After the visit to the joss-
house, Uncle Nat stepped into
a store to make a purchase,
leaving Rick and Ralph on the
sidewalk. With their custom-
ary impulsiveness, they decided
it could do no harm to go
ahead a little way, and having
inspected the neighborhood they
could then return to Uncle
Nat.

“What's that?” asked
Ralph, as they turned a corner.
In the street was a young Chi-
naman in a blue tunic and
baggy blue trousers. He was
carrying a basket that must
have contained a heavy article,
for he often shifted the basket
from hand to hand as if it hurt

 

THE MINUTE MAN-