“talk about the poetry of motion! this is what i call a first-class ride.”
herc taylor lolled negligently back in the ’rickshaw in which he and ned strong were being spun along on a smooth road outside yokahama.
“it’s comfortable, all right, but somehow i hate the idea of seeing a human being playing the part of a horse,” rejoined ned.
in front of the two dreadnought boys, between the shafts of the ’rickshaw, a half naked jap toiled along at a dog-trot. his skin was as dry as a bone and showed not a sign of fatigue, yet he had drawn the boys some distance in the vehicle which is peculiar to japan.
the road along which they were riding was[233] an attractive one in every respect. odd temples, bridges that looked like toy spans crossing miniature brooks, little pine trees, tiny people were to be seen everywhere. as it was the month of the cherry blossom, the trees of that variety were decked with delicate, fragile flowers and the neat little houses were decorated with the fragrant petals.
the jap between the shafts jogged along as unconcernedly as if he had been not a human being but a beast of burden.
“hey, stop!” cried ned suddenly, as they passed under a majestic grove of big trees bordering both sides of the road. the shade felt grateful after the heat of the sun. at the end of the colonnade of trees was a temple, a fairy-like structure about which people were clustered. it had struck ned that something interesting might be seen there.
“you no tired?” he asked of the coolie as they alighted.
[234]
the man grinned and shook his head.
“no, honorable sailor. me no tired. me go all same one, two, ten, twenty mile.”
“wow!” exclaimed herc, “you can have your job! i wouldn’t pull one of these rickety shaws, or whatever you call them, half a mile on a bet.”
“honorable red-o-head sailor no used pullee ’rickshaw.”
“hey, ned, did you hear what he called me?” sputtered herc, full of indignation.
“that’s all right, herc. your thatch was a birthday present. don’t be ashamed of it. come on, let’s go and have a look at that temple. i’ve a notion something interesting is going forward yonder.”
“all right; but i don’t want these japs calling me ‘red-head.’ i get enough of that in the fleet. i can dispense with it on shore.”
arm in arm, the two young blue-jackets set off under the trees. in many of the branches hung little articles formed of bits of glass decorated[235] with bright colors. as the breeze blew, the bits of glass jangled together with a pretty tinkling sound that made ned exclaim admiringly.
“the japs are the only people on earth who could have thought of such a pretty device. isn’t it delightful, herc?”
“humph, sounds to me like they were washing dishes or using their knives and forks. it’s just the noise our mess makes at dinner. that reminds me, i’m awfully hungry.”
“we’ll have something to eat when we go back. come on now and let’s see what’s going on.”
they advanced toward the temple, but suddenly herc stopped.
“look, ned! look there!”
under a cherry tree in the full glory of its blossoms was an odd-looking figure carved out of some sort of dark wood. under the feet of this idol, for such it plainly was, herc had beheld an elaborate feast spread out. there was[236] fish, meat, and cakes of all kinds and a big jar of water.
“gracious, ned, a regular table de hotey! i’m so hungry i could eat the whole thing, idol and all. what do you suppose it is there for?”
“as a peace offering to that idol, i suppose. come on.”
but herc lingered.
“hist, ned,” he exclaimed with shining eyes. “i’ve a notion that here is where i get a snack.”
“don’t be foolish.”
“it’s all right; there is no one in sight.”
“it’s robbery.”
“how can you rob an idol? come on.”
“no, thank you.”
“then you keep watch while i put myself outside some of that grub. it’s a shame to see it going to waste. they ought to be thankful to me for helping the idol dispose of it. it is plain that he has no appetite.”
it was useless to argue with herc in this[237] mood. he vaulted a low wall and made for the feast spread out under the cherry tree. soon he was deeply engrossed in stuffing away whatever looked best among the various viands across which he had stumbled.
a shout from the road suddenly interrupted him. the cry came from ned.
“come here, herc, quick! there are a lot of men coming down the road. i guess they’ve seen you making a pig out of yourself and are coming after you.”
“great guns!”
herc dropped a cake that he was eating and made for the road. but he was too late. before he reached there, a crowd of japs, buzzing like angry hornets, had closed in about him. they were all jabbering at once and some of them began to lay hands on herc.
“belay there!” shouted the red-headed youth. “what in the mischief is biting you fellows?”
an angry shout went up.
[238]
“they say you insult dai butsu,” said the ’rickshaw man who had come running up.
“but who?” demanded herc. “i only joined the old gentleman at his lunch. he didn’t seem to have a good appetite and i thought i’d butt in on old but-what’s-his-name.”
the ’rickshaw man hastily translated this speech to the angry japs. but instead of allaying their anger, the dreadnought boy’s explanation appeared only to anger them the more.
“i’m afraid we’ve let ourselves in for trouble,” exclaimed ned in a worried tone; “this is a serious matter with these fellows.”
“dai butsu, the guard of the tomb of tyemitsu the third shogun of japan,” volunteered the guide; “him very holy.”
“i wish i had an eight-inch gun here,” cried herc as the crowd drew closer about the boys. “i guess that’s as good as any old show-gun or blow-gun or whatever it is.”
suddenly the crowd closed in with an angry[239] roar. taken by surprise, the boys were forced backward. herc felt his feet tripped from under him, and fighting desperately, he was borne to the ground by sheer press of numbers.
