Untitled

A VISIT TO A LACQUER-MAKER. 8l
cine, they are by no means uneducated in other matters, and
are very smart officers."
" Yes," said Johnnie, with a nod, " the way they will club
a poor coolie and take him into custody is a caution to law-
breakers,
the thieves are afraid of them."
'"That is more than they are of our policemen," said Sallie.
" I do not see much to laugh at in what the man said. He
was evidently willing to sacrifice himself for his mother."
They went into a spacious counting-room filled with clerks,
busily engaged in making entries in large books of thin Japanese
paper.
Oto handed a check to the paying-teller, and received a
pile of kinsatsu (currency), then, as he counted it,
said to his
companions:
"Do you want to go over the building? I know one of
the chief officials."
His friends said that they would like to see where the
money was kept, so Oto led the way upstairs, and introduced
them to his acquaintance; who, after saluting them respect-
fully, said:
'
This edifice was erected specially for banking purposes,
is fire and burglar-proof, and will stand any ordinary earth-
quake. It is three stories high, and the lower floor is of solid
stone laid in cement."
"Can we see the place where you keep the money?" in-
quired Johnnie.
The official showed them into several apartments filled
with clerks who were working very hard, or pretending to do
so, then led the way into the vaults on the first floor. Holding
a light above his head, he revealed stacks of kinsatsu piled
in the recesses.
:? Where do you keep your gold and silver?" asked Fitz.