Carlin was nearest the door, and in a bantering tone opened a conversation with the Mongolian. "What is your name, John?" "Yap Sing." "Are you a good cook, sure, Yap?" "Oh, yes, me belly good cook; me cookie bleef-steak, chickie, turkie, goosie; me makie bled, pie, ebbything; me belly good cook." "Have you any cousins, Yap?" "No cuzzie; no likie cuzzie." "Do you get drunk, Yap?" "No gettie glunk; no likie blandy." "Do you smoke opium?" "No likie smokie opium. You sabe, one man smokie opium, letee while he all same one fool; all same one d----d monkey." "Suppose we were to hire you, Yap, how long would it take you to steal everything in the ranch?" "Me no stealie; me no likie stealie." "Now, Yap, suppose we hire you and we all go off to the mines and leave you here, and some one comes and wants to buy bacon and beans and flour and sugar, what would you do?" "Me no sellie." "Suppose some one comes and wants to steal things, what then?" "Me cuttie his ears off; me cuttie his d----d throat." At this Brewster interposed and said: "I believe it would be a good idea to engage this Chinaman. We are away and the place is unprotected all day; besides, after a man has worked all day down in the hot levels of the Comstock, he does not feel like cooking his own dinner. Let us give John a trial." It was agreed to. Yap Sing was duly installed. He was instructed to have supper promptly at six o'clock; orders were given him on the markets for fresh meat, vegetables, etc. From the remnants of the breakfast the dinner buckets were filled and the men went away to their work. Yap Sing proved to be an artist in his way. When the members of the Club met again at their home, a splendid, hot supper was waiting for them. They ate, as hungry miners do, congratulating themselves that, as it were from the sky, an angel of a heathen had dropped down upon them. After supper, when the pipes were lighted, the conversation of the previous evening was resumed. The second night brought out something of the history of each. They had nearly all lived in California; some had wandered the Golden Coast all over; all had roughed it, and all had an experience to relate. These evening visits soon became very enjoyable to the members of the Club, and the friendship of the members for each other increased as they the more thoroughly, knew the inner lives of each other. On this night, Wright was the last to speak of himself. When he had concluded, Ashley said to him: "Wright, you have had some lively experiences. What is the most impressive scene that you ever witnessed?" "I hardly know." Wright replied. "I think maybe a mirage that was painted for me, one day, out on the desert, this side of the sink of the Humbolt, when I was crossing the plains, shook me up about as much as anything that ever overtook me, except the chills and fever, which I used to have when a boy, back in Missouri. For only a picture it was right worrisome."