foolscap and made about a dozen drawings--got pretty tired.

"I have had a hard scramble for the service and only got in by the
skin of my teeth. I guess I will go to bed--I will sleep well
to-night--Thursday.

"I did not hear from the Naval Secretary, Tuesday, so yesterday
morning I went up to the Admiralty and sent in my card. He came
out and received me very well--said I had passed a 'very splendid
examination'; had been recommended very strongly to the Viceroy,
who was very much pleased; that the Director of the Naval College
over at the Arsenal had wanted me and would I go over at once? I
_would_. It was about five miles. We (a friend, who is a great rider
here) went on steeplechase ponies--we were ferried across the Pei
Ho in a small scow and then had a long ride. There _is_ a path--but
Pritchard insisted on taking all the ditches, and as my pony jumped
like a cat, it wasn't nice at first, but I didn't squeal and kept my seat
and got the swing of it at last and rather liked it. I think I will keep
a horse here--you can hire one and a servant together for $7 a
month; that is $5.60 of our money, and pony and man found in
everything.

"Well--at last we got to the Arsenal--a place about four miles
around, fortified, where all sorts of arms--cartridges, shot and
shell, engines, and _everything_--are made. The Naval College is
inside surrounded by a moat and wall. I thought to myself, if the
cadet here is like to the thing I used to be at the U. S. N. A. _that_
won't keep him in. I went through a lot of yards till I was ushered
into a room finished in black ebony and was greeted very warmly
by the Director. We took seats on a raised platform--Chinese style