Year: 1878




lanterns fitting about in the garden had
heard voices and the sounds of digging
and watched myself for night or two,
but saw or heard nothing.


1put the native police on the scent,
but nothing came of it, and began to
think that, after all, it was merely piece
of japanese eccentricity.


In about week the athletic sports
came off, which meant two half holidays
for the whole settlement, during which
time Cinnamon devoted their attention
to opium smoking and sleeping, and
japanese to drinking and lounging in
wine shops. On the evening of the last
day, to celebrate the victories won, and
the cessation from the bondage of train
ing, we of the Junior Hong" gave big
dinner. 1t was cod, wet night in No
vember, and after a good bout at loo and
vingten-un, we were seated in the
drawing room. talking about the funny
phases of our Yokohama life of the fires,
of the stories of men cut down and rob
bod by Japanese in lonely places, of the
extremely clever way in which the
Curio street bankers had been relieved
OF their gold, of the game laws, of the
absurd opposition offered by the govern
ment to Europeans going up country,
and of hundred other things, when a
boy came in, and whispered in my ear
that the comprador wished to see me.
In the passage l found the old man
trembling from head to foot with ex-
element, and utterly unable to articu-
late syllable. He seized me by the
arm, hurried me down stairs through
Our strip of garden to the gate, and point
ed TO the bungalow opposite. The rain
had chung d to snow, and the keen wind
blew down the street in fitful gusts,
driving the snow into our face. Through
the mist and snowfakes, after some
peering, could make out the occasional
CLINT of a lantern on the other side, and
when the wind lulled for a moment,
fancied I heard grating sound, as of
something being dug and shoveled up,
Immediately under our feet. IfI hadn't
been told that such a noise had been
distinctly heard during the evening by
one of the coolies on watch, i do not sup
pose should have noticed it, but as
now listened. it was very palpable.


1t was all very mysterious; but had
long been suspicious, and, as 1 was now
certain that something unusual was
taking place, l came to the conclusion
that the treasury of the bank should be
looked at. So l sent upstairs for the
manager, placed the comprador at the
door, ordered all lights to be kept hid
den, despatched messenger TO the
European police-station for constable
in case of need, and when the manager
arrived, armed myself with a dark
lantern and gently unlocked the treas
ury. As we peered through the iron
bars into the blackness We distinctly
heard the shoveling and digging sound,
now much nearer. Enjoining strict
silence on the part ofthe Cinnamon and
collies outside, we entered. As yet
nothing had been touched, we we're, at
all events. first in the field.


We trod very gently, the lantern
half darkened, and ensconced ourselves
behind u row of dollar-bags. We
waited fully half an hour; we could
still hear the subterranean noises, but,
beyond this and the occasional howl of
the element outside. tber. was not a
sound. Suddenly we heard a very
gentle tap In the very middle of the
treasury, about three feet in front of our
rampant of bags; then another; then
a regular series; then sound as of
the application of some lever power.
We turned tie lantern ray round
about the floor, and beheld one of the
big plates gradually being tilted up;
the Inauag-r nudged me, and crept
gently up to the spot. In q couple
OF minutes three sides of the plate
were loose. bony hand appeared,
followed by a Japanese head. In an
instant the manager had seized the
head; l had jumped forward, turned
the lighs full on. between us we had
dragged up the remainder of our visi-
tors body, and in less than a minute
l was smiling with grim satisfaction
in the stupefied face of my slim and
inquisitive visitor of some weeks previ
ous. We gagged him, and tied him up
in the Office under guard; the manager
ran out at the gate into the garden op
posite, taking with him the English
constable, while l remained in the
treasury.


In few seconds / heard the sound
of sscufle, and subsequent ''Hurrah!
we've got the lott" and manager and
constable appeared with the burly
companion of the captive now under
guard, and the fsir-c Ieeked young wife
who turned out to be very ordinary
pleasant man.


Our captives secured, / descended
the hole in the treasury, found myself
in a very neatly constructed cavern,
which led under the road into the op-
posite garden, and terminating with a
shaft on the opposite side of the azalea
bush. Everything tended to show that
the whole affair was a carefuliy-laid
plan; and had it not been for the azal-
ea-bush, another twenty four hours
would have seen us the losers of a
good many thousands dollars.


In the bungalow we found boxes
ready for the reception of the dollars
and coin, probably the same / had no
ticed being uncarted, but there was no
trace of any accomplice.


1 However, we handed the three clever
rogues over to their countrymen for
judgement, and they probably found
rough accommodation, with an occa
sional taste of torturing thrown in, for
some years at the institution at Tobe
Hill. The old bungalow did not let
az in, but was pulled down and sub
stantial block of shops and offices
erected on its site; so that nothing re-
mains at present tore mind the modern