opened, disclosed a small ivory ball of about the bigness of a
lime. Nodding to the negress to withdraw, the lady handed him the
ivory ball, and Jonathan took it with no small degree of
curiosity and examined it carefully. It appeared to be of an
exceeding antiquity, and of so deep a yellow as to be almost
brown in color. It was covered over with strange figures and
characters of an Oriental sort, which appeared to our hero to be
of Chinese workmanship.

"I must tell you, sir," said the lady, after she had permitted
her guest to examine this for a while in silence, "that though
this appears to you to be of little worth, it is yet of extreme
value. After all, however, it is nothing but a curiosity that any
one who is interested in such matters might possess. What I have
to ask you is this: Will you be willing to take this into your
charge, to guard it with the utmost care and fidelity--yes, even
as the apple of your eye--during your continuance in these parts,
and to return it to me in safety the day before your departure.
By so doing you will render me a service which you may neither
understand nor comprehend, but which shall make me your debtor
for my entire life."

By this time Jonathan had pretty well composed his mind for a
reply.

"Friend," said he, "such a matter as this is entirely out of my
knowledge of business, which is, indeed, that of a clerk in the
mercantile profession. Nevertheless, I have every inclination to
help thee, though I trust thou mayest have magnified the dangers
that beset thee. This appears to me to be a little trifle for