"Ah," exclaimed the mandarin, in a tone of great satisfaction, rubbing his hands together, "I'm very glad to hear it, and I'm sure they are better off where they are, wherever they are. And now let me have my fan back, please." And then the moment he got his fan back he stood up very straight and rapped the palm of his right hand once with it, and to Dong's amazement there appeared at his right side another man exactly like him. Then he rapped the palm of his left hand twice and there appeared at his left side another man exactly like him. Whereupon the three men bowed to each other affably and then shook hands. "Permit me," said the mandarin, "to introduce my two brothers, Sin Sum Tu and Sin Sum Wen. My name is Sin Sum. And while I am explaining things to you let me say that I am _not_ a mandarin; that I am _not_ on my way to a wedding; and that the goods I have are _not_ wedding presents." "What," exclaimed Dong, "not a mandarin and not going to a wedding? Then what are you?" "I--that is, we," replied the supposed mandarin, "are the Second Story Brothers, the cleverest porch climbers in China. In other words we are robbers, and famous ones, too. Why we've even written a song about ourselves. It goes like this." Throwing back his head he sang and his brothers joined in: The sailor sings of the ocean blue, For that is the proper thing to do. The soldier sings of the battles fought With a hip hurrah as a soldier ought. But, oh, our song it beats all others-- The song of the Second Story Brothers-- And this is the way the ditty closes As we sing it softly through our noses: Look out for your money bags and diamond studded pin, sir. Look out, for the outlook is that some night we'll look in, sir. Ask your fathers what to do, or better, ask your mothers. Be prepared to guard against the Second Story Brothers. "Well," said Dong, when they had finished, "I think it was a very mean trick you played on me. See what I did to the captain and the crew because I thought you were a mandarin and they were going to rob you. And here you are, a robber yourself." "Quite true," said Sin Sum, "I admit it was a mean trick, but no meaner than the captain was going to play on me. And as for yourself you can have a much better job with us than you had before." And with that he told Dong that when the junk got to Ki Yi they were going to stay on it in the day time and at night they would rob the houses of the wealthy people. "And all you will have to do," he continued, "is to remain in the cabin and sell the stolen property we bring you, to the various customers that call. Now how does that strike you, my boy?" "No, sir," replied Dong, "I shall not do it. I may be only a cabin boy, but I'm an honest one. I have no desire to become a robber."