Rice Alice Hegan - Captain June

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The Project Gutenberg EBook of Captainune, by Alice Hegan Rice

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Title: Captain June

Author: Alice Hegan Rice

llustrator: C. D. Weldon

Release Date: December 6, 2011 [EBook

38228]

Language: English

** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK


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CAPTAIN JUNE ***

roduced by Juliet Sutherland, Ernestchaal, and the

Online Distributed Proofreading Team atttp://www.pgdp.net


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"All day long the boys played down bythe river."

Captain JuneBy

Alice Hegan RiceAuthor of "Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage

Patch,""Lovey Mary," Etc.

With Pictures by C. D.

Weldon


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New York The Century Co.

1907


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Copyright 1906, 1907, byThe Century Co.

Published October, 1907

THE DE VINNE PRESS

TO THE LITTLE BOY I LOVE BESTFRANCIS BARBOUR HEGAN


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LIST OFILLUSTRATIONS

PAGE

All day long the boys played down by theiver" Frontispiece

The Tea-party on the Train 17

'Do you want me to help you?'" 37

'It's a Matsuria festival,' Sekiexplained" 49

'Does it spell anything?' June asked" 75

They peeped through the cracks, graveldiscussing the situation" 85


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It was the old sword-hilt that Monsieur had given him" 97

Long after he was asleep she sat besidehim" 107

June waved good-by to the friendsbelow" 117


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CAPTAIN JUNE


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CAPTAIN JUNE


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Chapter I

June had never sat still so long during thewhole six years of his existence. Hislender body usually so restless and nois

was motionless; his hands too fond oeasing and mischief lay limp in his lap,

even his tongue was still and that was the

most wonderful of all. The only part ohim that stirred was a sparkling pair ogray eyes that were looking out upon thetrangest world they had ever seen.

The entire day had been one oenchantment, from the first waking hour when he discovered that the engines on thebig steamer where he had lived for


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eventeen days had stopped, and that theboat was actually lying at anchor just of he coast of Japan. Seki San, his Japanese

nurse who had cared for him ever since hewas a baby, had been so eager to look outof the port-hole that she could scarcelattend to her duties, and the consequencewas that he had to stand on the sofa andhook his mother's dress and help her withe little pins at the back of the neck while

Seki San finished the packing. June couldnot dress himself but he knew a great dealabout hooks and eyes and belt pins. Whemother got in a hurry she lost things, and

experience had taught him that it was muceasier to fasten the pin where it belongedhan to spend fifteen minutes on the floor ooking for it.


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At last when all the bags and trunks wereeady, and the pilot and the health officer

had come aboard, and everybody had

waited until they could not wait another moment, the passengers were broughashore in a wheezy, puffy launch, andwere whirled up to the hotel in queer littlebuggies drawn by small brown men witbare legs and mushroom hats, and greaprawling signs on their backs.

Since then June had sat at a front windowoo engrossed to speak. Just below hiay the Bund or sea-road, with the wall

beyond where the white waves broke in a

merry splash and then fell back to the bluewater below. Out in the harbor there werebig black merchant steamers, and whitemen-of-war, there were fishing schooners,


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and sampans with wobbly, crooked oars.But the street below was too fascinating toee much beyond it. Jinrikishas were

coming and going with passengers frohe steamers and the coolies laughed andhouted to each other in passing. Women

and girls clattered by on wooden shoeswith funny bald-headed, slant-eyed babiestrapped on their backs. On the hotelteps, a little girl in a huge red turban and

a gorgeous dress of purple and gold wasdoing handsprings, while two boys iancy dress sang through their noses and

held out fans to catch the pennies tha

were tossed from the piazza above.f Cinderella, and Jack the Giant Killer,

and Aladdin and Ali Baba had suddenlyappeared, June would not have been in the


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east surprised. It was where they allived, there could be no possible doubt aso that. Here was the biggest picture boo

he had ever seen, the coming true of all theairy-tales he had ever heard.

He was dimly conscious that in the roo

behind him Seki San was unpacking trunksand boxes, and that his mother was cominand going and leaving hurried instructions.Once he heard her say, "Don't say anything

o him about it, Seki, I'll tell him when hehas to be told." But just then a man wenby with a long pole across his shoulder and round baskets on each end, and in the

baskets were little shining silver fishes,and June forgot all about what his mother was saying.

June's father was a young army officer


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tationed in the Philippines. June wasborn there but when still a baby he hadbeen desperately ill and the doctor had

ent him back to the States and said hemust not return for many years. It was agreat grief to them all that they had to beeparated, but Capt. Royston had gottewo leaves of absence and come home tohem, and now this summer June and his

mother had come all the way froCalifornia to meet him in Japan.

June was not his real name. It was Rober Rogers Royston, Junior, but mother saidhere never could be but one Robert for

her, and father did not like the Rogers for a Christian name, so they called hiJunior, and Junior soon got bobbed of nto June. The name suited him too, for a


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unshinier little chap you never saw. Henever seemed to know that he was not astrong as other boys, and when his throa

was very bad and his voice would nocome, why he sat up in bed and whistled,ust the keenest, cheeriest, healthies

whistle you ever heard.

t was on the indoor days that Seki Saused to tell him about her wonderfulcountry across the sea, of the little brow

houses with the flower gardens on theoofs, of the constant clatter, clatter of thewooden shoes, and the beautiful blossomshat rained down on you like snow.

Where are the blossoms?" he demanded,uddenly turning in his chair. "You saidhey came down thick and white and that I

could let them fall over my face."


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Seki San did not answer, she was kneelingbeside a very disconsolate figure that laon the bed with face buried in the pillows.

When June spoke, his mother sat up andpushed back her tumbled hair. She was avery little mother with round eyes and lipsas red as June's, only now her eyes wereed and her lips trembling.

You may go in the other room, Seki San,"he said, "I want to talk to June b

himself."June sidled up cautiously and took a seanear her on the bed. The one unbearablecatastrophe to him was for his mother tocry. It was like an earthquake, it shook thevery foundations on which all his joyswere built. Sometimes when the postma

orgot to leave a letter, and occasionally


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when he was sick longer than usual,mother cried. But those were dark,dreadful times that he tried not to thin

about. Why the tears should come on thisday of all days he could not understand.

She put her arm around him and held hi

close for a long time before she spoke. Hecould feel the thump, thump of her heart ashe leaned against her.

June," she said at last, "you are going tobe a soldier like father, aren't you?"

June's eyes brightened. "Yes, and carry aword!" he said.

There is something more than a swordhat a soldier has to have."

A gun?"


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Mother shook her head. "It's courage,June! It's something I haven't got a scrapof. You'll have to be brave for us both!"

I'm not afraid," declared June. "I go tobed in the dark and go places by myself or anything."

I don't mean that way," said his mother. "Imean doing hard things just because theare right, staying behind for instance whewhen somebody you love very muchas to go away and leave you."

June sat up and looked at her. "Who'sgoing away?" he demanded.

Mother's voice faltered. "Father's terriblll with a fever, June. The letter was

waiting here, it is from our old doctor iManila, he says, 'Come on first steamer,


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but don't bring the boy.'" The earth seemeduddenly to be slipping from under June'seet, he clutched at his mother's hand. "I

am going too!" he cried in quick alarm, "Iwon't stay behind, I can't, mother!"

Her arm tightened about him. "But I don'

dare take you, June, think of the terribleheat and the fever, and you are the onlyittle boy I've got in the world, and I love

you so!"

I won't take the fever," protested June.I'll be good. I'll mind every word Sekiays."

But Seki isn't going. She wants to takeyou home with her down to a little towon the Inland Sea, where there are allorts of wonderful things to do. Would

you stay with her, June, while I go to


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ather?"

Her voice pleaded with eagerness andanxiety, but June did not heed it. Slippingrom her arms, he threw himself on theloor and burst into a passion of tears. Allhe joys of the enchanted country had

vanished, nothing seemed to count excephat mother was thinking of leaving him ihis strange land and sailing away fro

him across the sea.

Don't cry so, June, listen," pleaded hismother. "I have not decided, I am trying todo what is best."

But June refused to be consoled. Over andover he declared that he would not stay,hat he would rather have the fever, and

die than to be left behind.


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By and by the room grew still, his mother no longer tried to pacify him, only theicking of the little traveling clock on the

able broke the stillness. He peepedhrough his fingers at the silent figure ihe chair above him. He had never see

her look so white and tired, all the prettmiles and dimples seemed gone forever,

her eyes were closed and her lips wereightly drawn together. June crept close

and slipped his hand into hers. In anstant her arms were about him.

I don't know what to do, nor where tourn," she sobbed. "I am afraid to take yo

and afraid to leave you. What must I do?"June was sure he did not know but whemothers are little and helpless and look a

you as if you were grown up, you have to


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hink of a way. He was standing besideher with his arm around her neck, and hecould feel her trembling all over. Father

often said in his letters, "Be sure to takecare of that little Mother of yours," but ihad always seemed a joke until now. Heighed, then he straightened his shoulders:

I'll stay, Mudderly," he said, then headded with a swallow, "Maybe it willhelp me to be a soldier when I get big!"


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Chapter II

Seki San, look at the old woman witblack teeth! What made them black? Whahave the little girls got flowers in their hair for? What are they ringing the bellor?"

Seki San sitting on her heels at the car window tried to answer all June'squestions at once. The sad parting wasover. Mrs. Royston had left in the night onhe steamer they had crossed in, and the

Captain and the Purser and all thepassengers were going to take care of her until she got to Hong Kong, and after that was only a short way to Manila, and


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once she was with Father, June felt thathis responsibility ceased.

When they first boarded the train, June hadat very quiet. If you wink fast andwallow all the time, you can keep theears back, but it does not make you feel

any better inside.If God has got to take somebody," Juneaid at length gloomily, "I think He mightake one of my grandmothers. I have goour but one of them is an old maid."

Oh no," said Seki, "she isn't."

She is," persisted June, "she keeps ever hing put away in little boxes and won't le

me play with them. Seki, do you guessGod would jes' as lieve for me to have ahorn as a harp when I go to Heaven? I


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want a presser horn like they have in theband."

But you will not go for many long times!"cried Seki, catching his hand as if he wereabout to slip away. "Look out of thewindow. See! They are giving the cow a

bath!"n a field nearby an old man and woma

were scrubbing a patient-looking cow,and when the creature pulled its headaway and cried because it did not want toget its face washed, June laughed witglee. After all, one could not be unhappyvery long when every minute somethinunny or interesting was happening. At

every station a crowd of curious facesgathered about the car window eager to

catch a glimpse of the little foreign boy,


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and June, always ready to make friends,miled at them and bobbed his head,

which made the boys and girls look a

each other and laugh.We bow with our whole self, so," Seki

explained, putting her hands on her knees

and bending her body very low, "and wenever shake with the hands nor kissogether!"

Don't the mothers ever kiss the childregood-night?" asked June incredulously.

Oh! no," said Seki, "we bow."

While June was thinking about this strangetate of affairs, a man came close under he window, carrying a tray and calling:Bento! Eo Bento! "

Seki San took some money from a little


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purse which she carried in her lonleeve, and handing it out to the man,eceived two square wooden boxes and a

at little tea-pot with a cup over its headike a cap.


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The Tea-Party on the train.

Are we going to have a tea-party?" askedJune, scrambling down from his perch.

So," said Seki San, reaching under theeat and pulling out a tiny chest, in whic

were other cups and saucers and a jar oea leaves, "we will have very nice tea-

parties and you shall make the tea."

June, following instructions, put some o

he tea in the small pot and poured the howater over it, then he helped Seki Sapread two paper napkins on the sea

between them.

Now," he said, "where's the party?"

Seki San handed him one of the boxes andbegan to untie the string of the other.


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I have some sticks tied on to mine!" criedJune, "two big ones and a tiny little onewrapped up in paper."

That is your knife and fork and pick-ooth," said Seki San. "You must hold theticks in one hand like this."

But June was too busy exploring thecontents of the two trays that formed hisbox to stop to take a lesson in the use ochop-sticks. The lower tray was full omooth white rice. In the top one, was a

bit of omelet and some fish, and a queer-ooking something that puzzled June.

What is it?" he asked.Guess it!" said Seki mysteriously, "guesst with your nose."

It's pickle!" cried June.


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Pickled sea-weed," said Seki, "and Ihave also brought you some Japanesecandy that you pour out of a bottle."

There was no bread, no butter, no knifenor fork nor spoon, but June thought it washe very nicest tea-party he had ever bee

o. Sitting with his stocking feet curled upunder him as Seki had hers, he clatteredhis chop-sticks and spilt the rice all over he seat, while they both grew weak wit

aughter over his efforts to feed himself.Don't you wish you were a little boy,

Seki San?" he asked when most of theunch had disappeared.

Why?" said Seki.

'Cause," said June, "you'd have such agood time playing with me all the time!"


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But no," said Seki seriously, "I must bebig womans to take care of you."

And tell me stories!" added June witpolicy: "tell me 'bout Tomi now."

Tomi?" said Seki San, smiling. "Yougoing see Tomi very soon, to-morrow,

perhaps to-night. Tomi very bad little dog,makes a cross bark at all big peoples, buoves little children. When Tomi veryittle his nose stick out, soJapanesehink it very ugly for little pug-dog's noseo stick out, so we push it in easy ever

day. Now Tomi has nice flat nose, but heneeze all the time sokerchoo, kerchoo,

kerchoo."

June laughed at the familiar story, butuddenly he sobered:


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Say, Seki, I don't think it was very nice topush his nose in; I wouldn't like to havemy nose pushed in so I would have to

neeze all the rest of my life."Ah! but he must be beautiful! Tomi would

not be happy if his nose stuck out whe

other pug-doggies had nice flat nose. Tomis very happy, he is grateful."

t was quite dark when they reached their destination; June had been asleep andwhen he slipped out on the platform hecould not remember at all where he was;Seki's mother and her sisters and brothersbesides all the relatives far and near hadcome to welcome her back from America,and quite a little crowd closed in abouher, bowing and bowing and chattering

away in Japanese.


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June stood, rather forlornly, to one side.This time last night Mother had been withim, he could speak to her and touch her,

and nowit was a big, strange world heound himself in, and even Seki seemed

his Seki no longer.

Suddenly he felt something rub against hiseg, and then he heard a queer sound thaomehow sounded familiar. Stooping

down he discovered a flat-nosed little pu

hat was kissing his hand just as if it hadbeen brought up in America.

It's Tomi," cried June in delight, and thepug, recognizing his name, capered moremadly still, only stopping long enough toneeze between the jumps.

Ten minutes later June was sitting besideSeki San in a broad jinrikisha, rushin


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hrough the soft night air, down long gaytreets full of light and color and laughter,ound sharp corners, up steep hills, over

bridges where he could look down andee another world of paper lanterns andorches, and always the twinkling legs andhe big round hat of the jinrikisha ma

bobbing steadily along before him.

Is it like a story-book all the time?" heasked.

Seki San laughed: "Oh, no, June, story-book land is back in America, where thegrown-up houses are, and the rich, fineurnitures, and the strange ways. This isust home, my very dear home, and I haveuch glad feelings to be here!"

June cuddled close and held her hand, andf he felt a wee bit wistful, and wiped his


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eyes once in a while on her sleeve, he didt very carefully, so that Seki would have

nothing to spoil the glad feeling in her

heart at being home again.


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Chapter III

The new life which opened up for Junewas brimming over with interest. Seki Saived in a regular toy house, which wasike a lot of little boxes fitted into one bi

one. One whole side was open to thegarden and a tiny railed balcony ra

around outside the rooms. The walls weremade of white paper, and when the sunhone all sorts of pretty shadows danced

on them, and when it rained everybody ra

about to put up the wooden screens, andasten the house up snug and tight until thehower was over. A flight of low steps cun the rock led down to a bamboo wicker,

and here green lizards sunned themselves


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all day and blinked in friendly fashion ahe passer-by.

The night June arrived he had lookedabout blankly and said:

But Seki, there isn't any furniture in your house; haven't you got any bed, or chairs

or table?"And Seki had laughed and told the othersand everybody laughed until June though

he had been impolite.I like it," he hastened to add, "it's the

nicest house I ever was in, 'cause, don'you see, there isn't anything to break."

t was quite wonderful to see how easilone can get along without furniture. After one has sat on his heels, and slept on the

loor and eaten off a tiny table no bigger


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han a footstool, it seems the most sensiblehing in the world. June did hang up one

picture and that was a photograph of his

mother. She had left him two, but one wasaken with her hat on.

I don't like for her always to look as i

he was going away!" he said to Seki Sawhen she wanted to put them both up.

The life, interesting as it was, might haveproven lonely, had it not been for Seki'syounger brother, Toro, who was two yearsolder than June. Although neither couldunderstand a word the other said, yet avery great friendship had sprung upbetween them. "We understand just likedogs," June explained to Seki San.

All day long the two boys played down bhe river bank, paddling about in the


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hallow shimmering water, building boatsand putting them out to sea, sailing their kites from the hill top, or best of all,

itting long hours on the parade groundswatching the drilling of the soldiers.

Sometimes when they were very good,

Seki San would get permission for them toplay in the daimyo's garden and those dayswere red-letter days for June. The gardewas very old and very sacred to the

Japanese, for in long years past it hadbelonged to an old feudal lord, and now iwas the property of the Emperor.

From the first June had cherished a secrebelief that somewhere in its leafy bowershe would come across the SleepinBeauty. It was all so old and so still that

even the breezes whispered as they softl


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tirred the tree-tops. In the very heart ohe garden a little blue lake smiled up ahe sky above, and all about its edges tall

lags of blue and gold threw their brigheflections in the water below. A high-

arched bridge all gray with moss, led froone tiny island to another, while along thehore old stone lanterns, very stiff andtern, stood sentinel over the quiet of the

place. Here and there a tempting little pated back into mysterious deeps of green,

and June followed each one with the halexpectancy of finding the cobwebby oldplace, and the vine-grown steps, and the

Sleeping Beauty within.One day when they were there, Torobecame absorbed in a little house he wasbuilding for the old stork who stood hour


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after hour under the cool shadow of thearching bridge. June, getting tired of thework, wandered off alone, and as he wen

deeper into the tangle of green, he thoughmore and more of the Sleeping Beauty.

t was cool and mysterious under the close

hanging boughs, and the sunshine fell iwhite patches on the head of an old stoneBuddha, whose nose was chipped off, andwhose forefinger was raised in a

perpetual admonition to all little boys tobe good. Just ahead a low flight of stairsed up to a dark recess where a shrine was

half concealed by a tangle of vines and

underbrush. June cautiously mounted theteps; he was making believe that he washe prince in the fairy-tale, and that whe

he should push through the barrier of brier


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oses he would find the Sleeping Beautwithin the shrine.

As he reached the top step, a sound madehim pause and catch his breath. It was nohe ripple of the falling water that danced

past him down the hillside, it was not the

murmur of the wind in the bamboosoverhead; it was the deep regular breathing very close to him of some oneasleep. For a moment June wanted to ru

away, but then he remembered the goldenhair and blue eyes of the princess and witheart beating very fast, he pushed throughe underbrush and stumbled over some

one lying in the grass.


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Chapter IV

But when June picked himself up andurned about, he found a very curiousooking man sitting up glaring at him. He

had a long pointed nose, and fierce littleeyes that glowed like red hot cinders, anda drooping white mustache so long that i

almost touched the lapels of his shabbFrench uniform.

What do you mean by falling over meike that?" he demanded indignantly.

IIthought you was somebody else,"June faltered lamely.

The man glared more fiercely than ever:


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You were looking for some one! Youwere sent here to watch someone! Whodid you think I was? Answer me this

moment."He had caught June by the arm and wasglaring at him so savagely that June

blurted out in terror.I thought you was the Sleeping Beauty."

For a moment, suspicion lingered in the

man's face, then his eyes went to and hismouth went open, and he laughed untilJune thought he would never get thewrinkles smoothed out of his face again.

The Sleeping Beauty, eh?" he said.Well, whom do you think I am now?"

June smiled in embarrassment. "I know

who you look like," he said, hal


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doubtfully.

Who?"

The White Knight," said June.Who is he?"

In 'Alice in Wonderland,'" explained

June. Then when he saw the man's look operplexity, he added incredulously,Didn't you never hear of 'Alice i

Wonderland'?"

The man shook his head.

June was astounded; he didn't know thauch ignorance existed in the world.

Didn't you never go to school?" he askedympathetically.

Oh yes, a little," said the man, with a


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unny smile, "but tell me about this WhiteKnight."

June sat down quite close to him andbegan confidentially:

He was the one that met Alice in thewood. Don't you remember just before she

was going to be queen? He kept falling of his horse first on one side and then on theother, and he would have to climb upagain by the mouse traps."

The mouse traps, on horse-back?"

Yes, the Knight was afraid the micemight come and he didn't want them to ruover him. Besides he invented the mouseraps and course, you know, somebody

had to use them."

Of course," said the man taking June's


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hand and looking at it as a person looks aomething that he has not seen for a ver ong time.

He invented lots of things," went on Juneearnestly, "bracelets for the horse's feet tokeep off shark-bites, and something else to

keep your hair from falling out."Eh! what's that?" said his companioubbing his hand over his own bald head.

June's eyes twinkled. "You ought to train iup on a stick," he said, "like a vine. Thawas what the White Knight said, that hair ell off because it hung down. It couldn'

all up, could it?"At this they both had a great laugh and theman said:

So I am the White Knight, am I?"


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Just your mustache," said June; "it waswhen you was mad that you looked likehim most. You're lots gooder looking than

he picture. What's your real name?"Monsieur Garnier,no, Carr," he

corrected himself quickly. "What is your

name?"June," then he added formally, "Robert

Rogers Royston, Junior's the rest of it."

How did you come here?" askedMonsieur.

June told him at length; it was delightful toind some one beside Seki San who

understood English, and it was good fun tobe telling all about himself just as if hewere some other little boy.

So your father is a soldier!" said


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Monsieur, and June noticed that a curiouswild look came into his eyes and that hisingers, which had knots on them, plucked

excitedly at his collar. "Ah! yes, I, too,was a soldier, a soldier of France, oneime attach of the French Legation, a

Tokyo, later civil engineer in the employof the Japanese Government, now!"he shrugged his shoulders and his nostrilsquivered with anger. "Now a cast-of garment, a thing useless, undesired." Heried to rise and June saw that he used

crutches and that it was very difficult for him to walk.

Do you want me to help you?" he asked.


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"'Do you want me to help you?'"

The man waved him aside. His eyes hadchanged into red hot cinders again, and heeemed to have forgotten that June washer e . "I ask help from nobody," he

muttered fiercely, "I live my own life. The

beggarly Japanese I would never acceprom, and my own country does not see fio help me." His chest heaved with wrath,

and he twisted his mustache indignantly.

Why don't you go home?" asked June.

Monsieur turned on him fiercely: "Gohome? Mon Dieu, do you suppose there is

a waking hour that I am not thinking,onging, praying to be back in France? Do

you suppose I have left any stoneunturned? Any plan unmade that might takeme away from this hateful place? It has


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been fourteen, fifteen years since I cameaway. It was a Japanese that had medismissed from the service; he bore tales

o the minister, he told what was not true.Oh, then I had honor, I was too proud toexplain, but now!" he lifted a pair ocrippled hands to Heaven, and shook theviolently at the trees above, "now I knowhat honor does not pay, it is not wort

while. I will give anything to get back toFrance!"

June sat still and watched him. He hadnever seen anyone behave so queerly, andhe was very much mixed up as to what i

was all about.I guess I have to go now," he said,Toro's waiting."

Monsieur's eyes flashed suspiciously.


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Who's waiting?" he asked.

Toro, he is Seki's brother, he knows howo build awful nice houses and blockadesoo."

Blockades?" repeated Monsieur, "whatkind of blockades?"

Like the soldiers make, we watch theall the time; come on, I will show you."

The two made their way down the stepslowly, for Monsieur could go only a little

way at a time. Toro looked mildlyurprised when June came back with a

companion, but he did not give a secondglance at Monsieur, who was evidently aamiliar figure about the town.

For a long time the two children played i

he sand, and Monsieur sat beside the


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and acted as interpreter, speaking first toone in Japanese, and then to the other iEnglish, giving directions and suggestions

and proving a first-rate play-fellow.Why, you know a lot about forts and

mines and blockades and things, don'

you?" asked June.Monsieur looked absently across the lake.Alas!" he said grimly, half to himself, "I

know too much for their good and for mine."

When the temple bell from the hillsideboomed the supper hour, the boys gathered

up their things and started home.Good-by," said June to Monsieur, "I hope

you'll come back and play with us another day."


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Monsieur bowed very politely, but he didnot answer, his half-closed eyes stillested on the little forts that the boys had

been making in the sand, and his thoughtseemed to be far away.

When June reached the street, he turned to

wave a good-by, but Monsieur washobbling down the hill, his figure, in spiteof the crutches, looking very straight andtiff against the evening sky.


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Chapter V

t was a long time before June sawMonsieur again, for there were picnics uphe river, with lunches cooked on the

bank, there were jolly little excursions iampans, and trips to the tea-houses, andlower shows, and an endless round o

good times. Seki San kept June out odoors all day, and watched with glee thecolor return to his cheeks, and the anglesof his slender body turn into soft curves.

At night, she and June and Toro, withTomi frisking and sneezing at their heels,would join the happy, chattering crowdhat thronged the streets, and would make


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heir way to the flower market where talllaming torches lit up the long stalls olowers, and where merchants squatting o

heir heels spread their wares on theground before them,curious toys, oldwords, and tea-pots with ridiculous lon

noses. And in front of every door was agreat shining paper lantern with queer igns painted on it, and other gay lanterns

of all shapes and sizes and colors wendancing and bobbing up and down thetreets like a host of giant fireflies.

t was no wonder that June hated to go tobed when so much was happening outside.

Only the promise of a story moved hiwhen Seki gave the final word. But for theake of a story he would have gone to the

moon, I believe, and stayed there too.


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When at last he was bathed and cuddleddown in his nest on the floor with a hugekimonofour times as big as the ones

Seki worespread over him, Seki wouldit on her heels beside him, sewing wit

an endless thread, which she only cut of rom the reel when the seam was finished.

And June would watch her pretty, plumpittle hands, and the shadows of her

moving fingers as he listened to queer ales of the sea-gods and their palace

under the waves. Sometimes she wouldell of the old samurai and their dar

deeds of revenge, of attacks on castles,

and fights in the moats, and the imaginar clashing of swords and shouts of mewould get so real to June that he woulday:


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I don't want any more scareful ones to-night. Please tell me about the littlemosquito boy."

Then Seki would begin: "Very long timesago, lived very good little boy, who never want to do anything but reverence his

mother and his father, and his grandfathersand grandmothers. All times he think itover to himself how he can serve hisparents. One night the wind blow up fro

he south and bring a thousand hundred kamosquito you call him, and they bite ver much. So good little boy takes off all hisclothes and lies at the door of his house so

mosquitoes bite him and get so full of bohat they have not room more for father

and mother." At which point June wouldnever fail to laugh with delight, and Seki


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would look hurt and puzzled and say, "Notunny, June, very fine, kind, and noble o

good little boy."

After Seki had put out the light and joinedhe rest of the family in the garden, June

would lie very still and the thoughts tha

had been crowded down in the bottom ohis heart all day would come creeping upand whisper to him. "Mother is a long waoff; suppose she has gotten lost and never

comes back again. Perhaps I haven't got aather any more, maybe the soldiers haveput him in the ground as they did Teddy'spapa. Suppose I have to live here always

and grow up to be a Japanese man, andnever see the ranch in California nor mpony any more?" And a big sob wouldise in his throat and he was glad of the


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dark, for the tears would come no matter how hard he tried to keep them back. Buhe never called Seki, nor let any one

know. Sometimes he got up and got hisittle gun and took it back to bed with him;t was so much easier to be a soldier i

you had a gun in your hand.

But one morning when he awoke, twodelightful things happened. First he sawup in the air, apparently swimming about

over the house-tops, an enormous red fisas large as he was, and when he ran to thedoor there were others as far as he couldee waving and floating about tall poles

hat were placed outside nearly ever house.

Without waiting to be dressed he rushed

nto the garden to ask Seki San what it all


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meant. When she saw him, she droppedhe letter she was reading and cameoward him as fast as her little pigeon toes

would carry her.It's from your mother," she cried, her face

beaming with joy. "She did never get

osted at all. She is with your father now,and he will have the strength again, andhey will come back so sooner as he caourney. Oh! I could die for the

happiness!"June jumped up and down, and Seki Sagiggled, and Tomi barked until the familycame out to see what was the matter.

And what did she say? Tell me!"demanded June.

All this, and this, and this," said Seki,


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preading out the closely written sheets.Then with many pauses and much knittinof brows and pointing of fingers, she read

he letter aloud. There was very littleabout the sad journey, or the dreadfulever, or the life at the hospital. It was

mostly about June, whether he was well,whether he was very unhappy, if hecoughed at night, if he missed her ver much.

And these at the end I sink I can noead," concluded Seki, pointing to a lonow of circles and dots.

June looked over her shoulder. "WhySeki!" he exclaimed, "that's the only part Ican read! They are kisses and hugs, Ihowed her how to make them. That lon

one is a pink kiss, and this starry one is


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ilver with golden spangles," he laughedwith delight; then his eye catching sight ohe fish overhead, he said:

Say Seki, why did they put out the fish? Ist because my father is getting well?"

Seki San smilingly shook her head.

It's a matsuri, a festival," she explained;this is the boys' day and wherever a boive, they put out a big paper fish wit

ound mouth open so, and when thewind flow in, the fish grow big and fat andmake like swim in the air."


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"'It's a Matsuria festival,' Sekiexplained."

But why do they put out fishes?"persisted June.

'Tis the carp fish," said Seki San,because the carp very strong and brave,

he swim against the current, fight his waup the waterfall, not afraid of the very baddiscouragings, like good boy should be."

June was much more interested in the fishan in the moral, and when Toro broughta big red one for him and a paper cap andbanner, he hastened away to be dressed so

hat he could be ready for the festivities.Taking it all in all, it was about thehappiest day he had ever spent in his life.

When he and Toro started forth the streets


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were already full of people, men andwomen in holiday attire, little girls ibright red petticoats and fancy pins i

heir hair, every boy with a fish on a stick,mall children with bald-headed babiesied on their backs, all trotting merril

along to the matsuri.

Everywhere June went a crowd wenbehind him, for a little foreign boy witgray eyes and fair hair, and strange foreig

clothes was one of the greatest sights ohe day. Sometimes a woman would stophim and look at his hat or his shoes, and acircle would close in and Toro would be

bombarded with questions. But the peoplewere always so polite, and their admiration was so evident, that June wasather pleased, and when he smiled and


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poke to them in English, they bowedagain and again, and he bowed back, thehey all laughed.

t was a terrible trial to June not to be ableo ask questions. He was brimful o

curiosity and everything he saw and heard

had a dozen questions hanging to it.Usually Seki San supplied the answers buo-day Toro was in command, and while

he was a very careful little guide, keepin

ight hold of June's hand, pointing out allhe interesting sights, and trying to explaiby sign and gesture, still he did not know aingle word of English.

After passing through many gay streetshey came to a tall red gate which June

had come to recognize as the entrance to

acred ground. But inside it was not in the


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east like any churchyard he had ever een. It was more like the outside of a

circus where everything delightful was

happening at once. On one side was aandman making wonderful pictures on the

ground with colored sand. First he made abackground of fine white sand, then out opapers folded like cornucopias he formedmall streams of black and red sand,kilfully tracing the line of a mountain,

using a feather to make the waves of theea, and a piece of silver money to for he great round moon, and before yo

knew it there was the very picture you had

een on fans and screens and tea-pots ever ince you could remember, even down tohe birds that were flying across the moon.

Then there were jugglers and tight rope


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walkers, and sacred pigeons that lit oyour head and shoulders and ate corn ouof your hand. June thought he had never

een such greedy pigeons before. Two or hree perched on his hand at once, andcolded and pushed each other, and evenried to eat the buttons off his blouse!

Up the mountain side, flanked by rows otone lanterns, ran a wide flight of steps

and at the top was the gate-way to the

emple itself. On either side were sort ohuge cages, and in them the most hideousigures June had ever seen! They wereierce looking giants with terrible glass

eyes and snarling mouths with all the teethowing, just as the Ogre's did in the fair ale. One was painted all over green, andhe other was red, and they held ou


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clutching fingers as if ready to pounceupon the passer-by. While June wasooking at them and feeling rather glad tha

hey were inside the cages, he saw twoold men dressed in white, climb slowly uphe steps and kneel before the statues.

Bowing their heads to the earth andmuttering prayers, they took from their belts some slips of paper, and after chewing them into wads began gravely tohrow them at the fierce green demo

behind the bars.

June giggled with joy, this was somethinghe could quite understand. Taking

advantage of Toro's attention beingdistracted, he promptly began to makewads too, and before Toro could stop himhe was vigorously pelting the scowlin


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mage. In an instant there was angr emonstrance and a group of indignan

worshipers gathered around. Fortunatel

Seki San appeared on the scene in time toprevent trouble.

But I was only doing what the others

did!" explained June indignantly.It is no harm done," said Seki,eassuringly after a few words to those

about her, "you not understand our strangeways. These are our Nio or templeguardians that frighten away the evil, badpirits."

What makes the pilgrims throw at them,hen?" asked June.

They throw prayers," answered Seki Savery seriously, "they buy paper prayers


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rom the old man at the gate, and throwhem through the grating. If the prayer ticks, it is answered, if it falls down it is

not answered. Come, I will show you!"They went very close, and looked throughe bars; there on the grating, on the floor

and even on the ceiling above them weremasses of tiny paper wads, theunanswered prayers of departedhousands.

Well, three of mine stuck!" said Junewith satisfaction. "Do you suppose it's tooate to make a prayer on them now?"

Seki thought after considering the matter hat it was not.

But I haven't got anything left to praor!" said June, regretting the los


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opportunity. "Father's getting well, and heand Mother are coming home, and I havegot pretty near everything I want. I believe

'd like another fish though, and oh! yes, Iwant a little pug dog, jes' 'zactly likeTomi."

It's tiffin time," said Seki San, "and after hat will be the fire-work."

In the day-time?" asked June.

Oh yes, very fine nice fire-work," saidSeki.

They left the temple grounds, and madeheir way up the river road, where

everybody was having a tea-party ouunder the trees. Seki San secured a tinable for them and they sat on their heels

and ate rice out of a great white woode


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bucket, and fluffy yellow omelet out of aound bowl, and the sunshine came

dancing down through the dainty, waving

bamboo leaves, and everybody wasaughing and chattering and from ever ide came the click-clack of the woodehoes, and the tinkle of samisens and the

music of falling water.

Suddenly Toro pulled June's sleeve andmotioned excitedly to the road-way.

Coming toward them in a jinrikisha,ooking very pale and thin and with botarms in bandages, sat Monsieur.

June broke away from Seki and racedafter the jinrikisha. "Oh! Mister," he cried,Mr. Frenchman."

Monsieur, hearing the English words,topped his man and turned around. Whe


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he saw a very flushed little boy in blouseuit and a wide brimmed hat, he smiled.

Ah!" he cried, "my friend of the garden!My prince who found the SleepinBeauty." Then he began to laugh so hardhat it started up all his rheumatic pains,

and he had to sink back and rest before hecould speak again. "I am very bad since Iaw you last," he said; "these dogs o

Japanese will let me die here. One day i

France will make me well. I may have iyetI must get back some waysomeway!" His eyes looked excitedly over June's head out into space as if trying to

pan the miles that lay between him andhis beloved country.

My papa will take you home when he

comes," said June; "he's a soldier."


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Monsieur shrugged his shoulders: "Your papa would not care that ," he said,napping his fingers; then seeing June's

disappointment he added kindly, "But youwill you not come to see me? I willmake you more forts, I will show you mgoldfish."

Yes, I'll come," said June. "When?"

But before Monsieur could answer, Sekihad called June and the jinrikisha hadtarted on its way.

Late in the afternoon, as the revelerstraggled home tired but happy, June

lipped his hand into Seki's. The merr noises of the day had given place to thequiet chirp of the crickets and the drowscroaking of the frogs, and the little breezeshat stirred overhead sounded sleepy and


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ar away.

Seki," said June, "I didn't make anprayer on that paper that stuck on the oldgiant's nose, do you think it too late?"

No," said Seki San, willing to humor him.

Well," said June sleepily, "I pray that theFrench gentleman will get back home."


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Chapter VI

One morning several weeks later, Junewas lying on his back in the gardewishing he had someone to play with.Toro was away at school and Seki Sanwas having her hair dressed. He hadwatched the latter performance so man

imes that it had ceased to interest him.Seki would sit for hours on a white mabefore the old hair-dresser who combed,and looped and twisted the long oil

trands into butterfly bows of shininblack.

The only person on the premises who wasat leisure was Tomi, but that was just the


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rouble, he was so much at leisure that heefused to stir from his warm spot on theunny steps no matter how much June

coaxed. To be sure there was a yellow catnext door, but she did not understandEnglish as Tomi did, and when Junecalled her, she humped her back andwould have ruffled her tail if she had hadone, but Japanese cats do not have tails,o when they get angry they always loo

disappointed.

Just as June was getting a bit lonesome thepostboy came trotting in with a letter for Seki San and June ran in to take it to her.

For me?" said Seki San, looking ver comical with one loop of black hair hanging over her eye, "from Meester

Carr? I sink it is a mistake, I do not know


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Meester Carr."

Read it," demanded June impatiently.

It say," went on Seki San slowly, "thatMeester Carr is not able to write hisselbut he desire the writer to ask me will Ipermit the little American boy to come to

ee him to-day. He is sick on the bed, andhave the low spirit. He will keep safecare of the little boy and send him homewhat time I desire."

Oh, let me go, Seki! Please let me go!"cried June.

But who is Meester Carr?"

He is the Frenchman," said June. "He is aoldier and has got the rheumatism. He has

goldfish too, and a sword. Oh Seki, please

et me go! Oh, do let me go!"


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Ah yes," said Seki, "one leg is shorter han the other leg and he walks witticks, and he has long white whiskers o

his lip, ah! yes, I know."Can I go?" begged June.

Seki San took a long while to think abou

t. She consulted her mother and the oldman next door, and the doctor who livedat the corner, but by and by she came back and said he could go.

I will send you in good Tanaka's 'rikisha,he will take good care of you and brinyou back at tiffin time."

June was greatly excited over the prospecand stood unusually still while Seki Sabuttoned him into a starchy white blouseand pinned a scarlet flower in his


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buttonhole.

Can't I pin my flag on too?" he begged,and Seki, who could not bear to refusehim anything, fastened the bit of red, whiteand blue silk on the other side.

Now keep your body still," cautioned

Seki San as she put him in the jinrikishaand gave final instructions to Tanaka whowas bowing and grinning and bowinagain, "Tanaka will wait for you, and youmust come when he calls you. Be goodittle boy! Sayonara! "

June had never felt so important in his life.

To be going out all by himself in ainrikisha was quite like being grown up.

The only thing lacking to make him quitehappy was a pair of reins that he mighmagine he was driving a horse instead o


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a little brown man with fat bare legs and abig mushroom hat who looked aroundevery few moments to see if he was

alling out.They trotted along the sunny streets,passing the temple grounds where the

green and red Nio made ugly faces all theday, and where the greedy pigeons werewaiting for more corn. They passed over he long bridge, skirted the parade ground,

hen went winding in and out of narrowtreets until they came to a stretch ocountry road that ran beside a moat.

Here there was less to see and Juneamused himself by repeating the fewJapanese words he had learned. "Ohayo"meant "good-morning," and it was grea

un to call it out to the children the


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passed and see them bow and call bacOhayo" in friendly greeting. He knew

another word too, it was "Arigato," and i

meant "thank you." He used it on Tanakaevery time he stopped by the wayside topluck a flower for him. Once when theested June saw a queer old tree, with a

very short body and very long arms thaeemed to be seeing how far they couldeach. June thought the tree must have theheumatism, for it was standing o

crutches, and had knots on its limbs jusike Monsieur had on his fingers. But thetrange part of it was that from nearl

every branch fluttered a small strip opaper with something written on it. Junehad seen this before on other trees, and heemembered that Seki San had told hi

hat these little papers were poems hun


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here when the tree was covered witcherry blossoms.

ow June always wanted to do everythinanybody else did, so when they started of again, he decided that he would make up apoem to hang on the tree as they came

back. He knew one that he had learnedrom a big boy coming over on theteamer, and he said it over softly to

himself:


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King Solomon was the wisest man;He had some ready cash,

The Queen of Sheeny came along

And Solly made a mash."

To be sure he didn't understand at all whatt meant, but it sounded nice and funny and

always made him laugh.I'd like to make up one out of my ow

head though," he thought, and he sat so

till that Tanaka glanced back uneasily.t was a very hard matter indeed, for whe

you write a poem you have to get twowords that sound alike, and then findomething to write about them. It took hio long that by the time he finished, thehaft of the jinrikisha came down with aerk and he looked up to find that they had


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topped in front of a house all smotheredn vines, with two inquisitive little

windows peering out like eyes behind a

angle of hair. Everything about the placeooked poor and neglected.

As June and Tanaka made their way up the

path, June gave an exclamation of delight.There about the door were bowls and jarsand basins of goldfish. Every availableeceptacle had been pressed into service,

and big fish and tiny ones in every shadeof radiant gold swam gaily about in theunshine.

t was such an engrossing sight that Junealmost forgot to go in and speak toMonsieur who lay in a bed, near the door.

Ah, at last," cried the sick man. "My littleriend is welcome. There, sit in the chair.


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Though I am poor, I live like a gentleman.See, I have a bed and chairs and a table!"

June looked about the shabby crowdedoom, at the dusty flag of France that was

draped over the window, at the map oFrance that was pinned on the wall beside

he bed, at the cheap pictures andornaments and the soiled curtains, then heemembered Seki San's room, clean andweet and airy with nothing in it but a

vase of flowers.I'd rather sit on the floor," he said as heook his seat beside the bed, addinmmediately, "I can stay until twelve

o'clock!"

Tanaka had gone to take a bath after hiswarm run and to drink tea at the little tea-house across the road.


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Monsieur lay propped up in bed with hisbandaged hands lying helpless on thecover-lid. But his eyes were soft and kind,

and he had so many interesting things toalk about that June found him a mos

entertaining host. After he had shown Junehis sword and told a wonderful stor about it, he returned to the goldfish.

Alas, there are but twenty-one now," heighed. "Napoleon Bonaparte died o

Sunday. Have you seen the GrandMonarch? He is the great shining fellow ihe crystal bowl. Those smaller ones are

his gentlemen-in-waiting. Here is Marie

Antoinette, is she not most beautiful?"June was introduced to every one in tur and had endless questions to ask in regard

o the story of each. Monsieur was the


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only person he had ever met who alwayshad another story on hand. Everythinuggested a story, a story was hidden in

every nook and corner of Monsieur'sbrain, they fairly bubbled over in their eagerness to be told, and June was asgreedy for more as the pigeons weregreedy for corn, and he thought up newquestions while the old ones were gettinanswered.

Once Monsieur recited something in verseo him, and that reminded June of his owpoem.

I made up one coming," he announced,do you want to hear it?"

Monsieur did. Monsieur was very fond overse, so June recited it with evidenpride:


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Oh Gee!" said the tree, "It seems to meThat under my branches I see a

bee!"

Bravo!" said Monsieur, "you will be apoet and a soldier too!"

I'd like to write it down," said June, "so Ican hang it on the tree."

To be sure, to be sure," said Monsieur,you will find pen and ink in the table

drawer. Not that!" he cried sharply asJune took out a long sealed envelope.Give that to me!"

June handed the packet to Monsieur iome wonder and then continued hisearch.

Here's a corkscrew," he said, "and some


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neckties, and a pipe. Here's the pen! Andmay I use this fat tablet?"

When the materials were collected, Junetretched himself at full length on the floor

and began the difficult task.

I never did write with a pen and in

afore," he confided to Monsieur, "you willhave to tell me how to spell the biwords."

The room grew very silent and nothinwas heard but the scratch, scratch oJune's clumsy pen, and the occasionalquestion which he asked. A strange change

had come over Monsieur; his face, whichad been so kind and friendly, grew hardand scheming. He had drawn himselpainfully up on his elbow and was intentlwatching June's small fingers as the


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ormed the letters. Presently he drew theong envelope from under his pillow and

held it in his hand. It was a very fa

envelope with a long row of stamps in onecorner, but there was no address on it.Twice he put it back and shook his head,and twice he looked longingly at the mapof France, and at the flag over thewindow, then he took it out again.

Will you write something for me now, at

once?" he demanded in such a hard, quicvoice that June looked up in surprise.

Another poem?" asked June.

No, a name and address on this envelope.Begin here and make the letters that I tellyou. Capital M."

Do you like wiggles on your M's? " asked


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June, flattered by the request and anxiouso please.

No matter," said Monsieur impatiently,we must finish before twelve o'clock.owsmall o"

June put his tongue out, and hunching up

his shoulders and breathing hardproceeded with his laborious work. It washard enough to keep the lines from runninuphill and the letters from growing bigger and bigger, but those difficulties weremall compared to the task of guiding aputtering, leaking pen. Once or twice heorgot and tried to rub out with the other

end of it and the result was discouraging.When a period very large and black wasplaced after the final word, he handed the

etter dubiously to Monsieur.


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Does it spell anything?" he asked.Monsieur eagerly read the scrawlinaddress. "Yes, yes," he answered, "now

put it inside your blouse, so. When you gehome wait until nobody is looking, theput it in the mail-box. Do you understand?When nobody is looking! Nobody musknow, nobody must suspect, do youunderstand?"


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"'Does it spell anything?' June asked."

Oh, I know, it's a secret!" cried June indelight. "I had a secret with mother for awhole week once. I wouldn't tell anythinf I said I wouldn't, would you?"

June was looking very straight aMonsieur, his round eyes shining withhonesty, but Monsieur's eyes shifteduneasily.

I would never betray a trust," he saidlowly, "if I were trusted. But theybelieved lies, they listened to tales that thebeggarly Japanese carried. They have

made me what I am."June was puzzled. "Who did?" he asked.

But Monsieur did not heed him; he was

breathing quickly and the perspiratio


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tood out on his forehead.

And you will be very careful and let noone see you mail it," he asked eagerly,and never, never speak of it to anybody?"

Course not," said June stoutly, "thatwouldn't be like a soldier, would it? I a

going to be a soldier, like you and Father,when I grow up."

Monsieur shuddered: "No, not like me. I

am no longer a soldier. I am a miserablewretch. II am not fit to live." His voicebroke and he threw his arm across hiseyes.

June looked off into the farthest corner ohe room and pretended not to see. He fel

very sorry for Monsieur, but he couldhink of nothing to say. When he did speak


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he asked if goldfish had ears.

When the noon gun sounded on the paradegrounds, Tanaka came trotting to the door with his jinrikisha, smiling and bowinand calling softly: "Juna San! Juna San!"

June gathered his treasures together, a new

ead pencil, an old sword hilt, some brassbuttons and, best of all, a tiny goldfish in aglass jar.

Good-bye," he said as he stood by thebed with his hands full, "I am coming baco-morrow if Seki will let me;" then aecond thought struck him and he added, "I

hink you look like a soldier anyhow."And Monsieur smiled, and stiffening hisback lifted a bandaged hand in feeblealute.


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Chapter VII

Seki San, have you got a big enderlope?"June asked the question from the door-stepwhere he was sitting with his chin in hishand and a very worried look in his face.

t was two days after his visit to Monsieur and the big letter was still buttoned in hisblouse. He had started to mail it as sooas he reached home, but just as he waseady to drop it in the box, he discoveredhat every "s" turned the wrong way! I

was a dreadful blow to his pride, for theest of the address was quite imposin

with big flourishing capitals that stoodike generals over the small letters, and


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dots that would have surely put out all thei's" had they fallen on them. He never

could send Monsieur's letter with the "s's"

ooking backward, he must try to set thetraight again.

So, very carelessly, in order not to excite

uspicion, he asked Seki for pen and ink.He had written many letters to his mother and father, but always in pencil, and Sekihesitated about giving him ink.

She said: "Our ink not like your Americannk, live and quick as water, it hard like

paint. We not use pen, but brush likewhich you write pictures. I sink it morebetter you use pencil."

But June insisted and when he gained hispoint, he carried the small box into thegarden and took out his letter. The jar


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containing his goldfish was close by, sohe dipped his stick of paint into the water and rubbed it vigorously on the paint box.

At the last moment just as his brush waspoised in the air, he had a moment omisgiving, "maybe 's's' do turn that way!"he said, but the brush full of paint was aemptation not to be resisted, so he too

each little "s" by its tail and turned inside out. The paper was soft and thi

and took the ink like blotting paper. Junewatched with dismay as the lines spreadnto ugly blots, and when he tried to makehe letters plainer he only made the blots

bigger until they all seemed to join handsand go dancing over the envelope iiendish glee at his discomfort.

For two days he had tried to think of a


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way out of the difficulty but before hecould find one he would get interested iomething else and forget about the letter.

t was only when it felt stiff inside of hisblouse that he remembered, and then hewould stop playing and try again to solvehe problem. At last in desperation he

appealed to Seki San for an envelope.

It is not so much big," she said, bringinout a long narrow envelope and a roll o

paper. "Why you want to write such bigetter to your mother? She coming homeoon!"

It isn't big enough," said June fretfully,hen an idea struck him. "Seki, I want to goee Monsieur to-day."

Seki San sat down on the step beside hiand shook her head positively:


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No, no," she said, "not to-day, nor to-morrow, nor any day. He is not a goodman, I made mistakes in letting you go."

H e is a good man!" cried Junendignantly, "he told me stories, and gave

me lots of things."

I tell you 'bout him, June," said Seki San.One time Monsieur very skilful smar

man in Tokyo. He write pictures of theorts and show the Japanese how to find

coast in time of war. He know more plenthan anybody about the coast and the

mines. Then he is not behave right, and geent out of the service, and he get sick ihe hands so he can make no more maps,

and he come down here and live all aloneby himself. That was long time ago, bu

yesterday a high up messenger come fro


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Tokyo, and asked for Monsieur Carr. TheEmperor have desire to buy his old mapsand reports, and get his help in makin

new plans. When the messenger come,hey say Monsieur fall back on the bed

very white and afraid, and say he will nogive up the papers. Then messenger samaybe he has sold his papers to a foreigcountry and he get very much angry, anday if Monsieur Carr do not give the

papers in twenty-four hours, he will havehim arrested and take him to Tokyo. StillMonsieur keep the tight lips, and a guards waiting outside his house."

With troubled eyes, June listened to everyword. " Did he sell the papers, Seki?" heasked anxiously.

He will not say," said Seki, "they say he


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will not say, but it was a bad, wicked actf he sold our secrets, and he may die for t!"

June stirred restlessly, and the packet inhis blouse caught in his belt. He put up hishand to straighten it, and as he did so, a

tartled look of inquiry passed over hisace. Could those papers in the lonenvelope have anything to do witMonsieur's present trouble? Why had

Monsieur not wanted him to tell? Had hismistake about the "s's" anything to do witt all? The secret, which at first hadeemed such a mysterious and delightful

possession, suddenly grew into a greaand terrible burden that he longed to casat Seki's feet and ask her to share.

But the thought of telling what he knew


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never crossed his mind. He had given hisword, and he felt that to break it would beo forfeit forever his chance of becoming a

oldier. But something must be done, hemust go to Monsieur and tell him the trutat once.

Seki," he said persuasively, "Monsieur isick in bed, don't you think it would benice for me to take him a little cake?"

You can not ever go there any more,"epeated Seki San positively. "I did a

mistakes in letting you go."

n vain June pleaded, every argument tha

he could think of he brought to bear, butSeki was firm. By and by he began to cry,at first softly, begging between the sobs,hen when he got angry he cried very loud

and declared over and over that he would


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go.

Seki San was amazed at his naughtiness. Iwas the first time since his mother left thahe had known him to be disobedient.

When persuasion and coaxing proved ivain, she carried him into the house and

carefully closing the paper screens lef him alone. Here he lay on the floor andcried louder than ever. Seki San and her mother and the old man next door stood o

he outside and peeped through the cracks,gravely discussing the situation. EveTomi sniffed uneasily, and gave sharp,unhappy barks.


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"They peeped through the cracks,gravely discussing the situation."

After ever and ever so long the cries grewainter and gradually ceased, and Seki

peeping around the screen whispered tohe others to be very still as he was goin

o sleep.June lay quiet on his face, but he was noasleep. Once in a while he opened hiseyes a very little and peeped out, then heclosed them quickly and listened. By andby he heard Seki go back to her work, andhe old man next door hobble across the

garden. Inch by inch June crawled over he mats until he reached the screen, whic

he carefully slid back. After waiting for aew breathless minutes, he reached ou

and got his shoes from the door-step and


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put them on. Back of the house he couldhear Seki singing at her work, and not sieet away Tomi lay snoozing in the sun.

Softly and cautiously he slipped out of thehouse, across the strip of a garden whereall the leaves seemed to be shaking their heads at him, through a narrowpassageway, then out of the gate thatdivided the little world he knew from thevast unknown world that lay beyond.


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Chapter VIII

Even more than usually quiet and desertedwas the narrow street. The noon suglaring down on the town had seneverybody into the shade, and at first Juneattracted little attention as he trudged of n the direction of the parade grounds. He

knew the way that far, for Toro often took him there to watch the men drill. Soldierspassed him now in twos and threes,ooking very smart in their buff uniforms

with swords clanking at their sides, and ashey passed they laughed and turned toook curiously at the small foreign boy. Inact curious eyes were peering out o

many of the open front shops, and mothers


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were even holding up their babies andpointing to the strange little person whowas passing.

Here and there children were dippinwater with their hands from pails andprinkling the dusty street, and when the

aw June they paused and gazed open-mouthed, or shouted derisively: "Eijin!Eijin!" The whole world seemed strangeand unfriendly, and even the sun tried to

ee how hot it could glare down on June'sbare head.

When he reached the parade ground, hetopped to rest, but no sooner had he sa

down than a circle gathered around him,wo jinrikisha men, four boys, a girl wit

a baby on her back and an old fish woman.

There was no chatter, they were all too


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nterested to talk, they just stood andooked and looked until June felt that their

eyes were pins and that he was the

cushion. After a while he turned to one ohe men and said: "Do you know where

Monsieur Carr lives?"

They looked at each other and smiled. Iwas much as if a new bird had twittered atrange note, and one boy tried to imitatehe sound and repeated "Carr lives?" to

he great amusement of the rest.Monsieur Carr!" went on June, gettin

angry, "he's a Frenchman. Don't you knowwhere he lives?"

Where he lives?" mimicked the boy andhey laughed more than ever. June was so

angry by this time that he could not tellwhich he wanted most to do, to cry or to


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ight.

Beyond him was a wilderness of criss-cross streets with strange eyes peering ahim from every quarter. What if he shouldget lost and swallowed up for ever in thistrange place where nobody knew him nor

oved him nor spoke his language?nstinctively he looked back toward the

way he had come. He had only to retracehis steps past the parade ground, hurr back in a straight line until he came to thebig red gate that marked the entrance to theemple, and then turning to the right ru

breathlessly down the street to the littlegate in the wall, and after that to throwhimself into Seki's arms and tell her all hisroubles!

But what would become of Monsieur? I


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must be very dreadful to be sick in bedwith a guard waiting to arrest you if yodo not get some papers for him, papers

which you do not possess. And iMonsieur was arrested he never would geback to France!

All this flashed through June's mind as heat under the pine tree, trying with all hismight to keep the black eyes all aroundrom seeing that he was about to cry. Just

hen a soldier went by holding himselvery erect and looking neither to the lef nor the right. Suddenly June rememberedhat soldiers did not cry, and with

esolution he got up and turning his baco the temple gate and the parade grounds,

he continued courageously on his way.

Far in the distance he could see, high on a


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hill, the old castle which he knew he muspass before he should come to Monsieur's.There were many streets to be passed, and

many obstacles to be overcome, for asJune got further from home the curiositconcerning him increased. It was ver warm and he was tired but he dared not sidown for he dreaded the gaping crowdand the curious eyes. By and by he cameo the old moat which circled the castle,

and as the road led out into the country,he boys who had followed him graduallell back until he realized with joy thahere were no more wooden shoes

clattering after him.n the moat big lotus leaves floated on the

water and working among them werecoolies, naked, except for a loin cloth.


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They were too busy to take any notice of atrange little boy, so he sat on a rock

under a tree for a long time and wondered

how it would feel to be down there under he lily pads and the lotus leaves, and ihe same hob-goblins and sprites that live

under the sea did not sometimes come toplay in the moats, and take moonlight rideson the big broad leaves?

The sun which had beaten so fiercely o

his head was slowly dropping toward thedistant mountain when he started oncemore on his way, and a long shadow wentbeside him. The shadow was a great relie

or it kept him company without staring ahim. By and by even the shadow desertedhim and he trudged along the country roadollowing a vague impression tha


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omewhere around the foot of themountain Monsieur lived.

t was very quiet and lonesome with onlhe crickets and the frogs talking to eac

other out there in the grasses, and June'seet were tired and his head ached and he

was hungry. A big lump kept lodging inhis throat no matter how often hewallowed. Now that the gray twiligh

was creeping on, all sorts of fears

assailed him. Ever since he couldemember Seki San had told him of thehob-goblins and gnomes that haunt thewoodlands and mountains in Japan. There

were the Tengu, half bird and half man,hat play all sorts of mischievous pranks

on the farmers, there was the "Three-eyedFriar," and the "White Woman" who


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and it belonged to an image that wasitting cross-legged on a mossy stone, bu

June felt as if he had met a friend. Of all

he gods and goddesses that Seki San hadold him about, the one he knew best was

Jizo, the friend of little children. Thedrooping figure, the gentle face, and thehaven head had become as familiar to

him as the pictures of Santa Claus ahome. He had met him in the temples, ihe woods, on the river road, in big stonetatues and little wooden ones, and now

when he found him here in this lonesomenight world, he felt a vague sense of relie

and protection.Climbing up on the stone he fingered thepebbles that filled Jizo's lap, and touchedhe red cotton bib that was tied about his


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neck. He knew what it all meant for SekiSan had told him many times. Jizo was theguardian of dead children, and the red bib

and the pebbles had been placed there bmothers who wanted the kind god to looafter their little babies who had passedaway into another world. There werehundreds of pebbles about the statue, in itsap, about its hands and feet, and even ots bald head, and June was very careful

not to disturb any of them. He wished hehad something to give the good god, but hewas too tired to go down and look for apebble. He searched through his pockets

but nothing seemed to suit. Finally heeparated one object from the rest, andplaced it gently in Jizo's upturned hand. Iwas the old sword hilt that Monsieur had

given him.


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It was the old sword-hilt that Monsieuhad given him."

Then, because he was very sleepy andired, and because he was afraid of the

dark, he nestled down in the niche under Jizo's upraised arm, and all the hob-

goblins and evil spirits slipped away, andhe stars came out and the big white moon,and the monotonous droning of the cricketsand frogs seemed to be Seki San hummin

him to sleep, and the stone figure againswhich he leaned seemed to sway towardhim in the moonlight and the face changedo the gentlest, sweetest one he knew, andnstead of the little pebbles on the headhere was a crown of thorns.


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Chapter IX

How long June slept there he did noknow, but he was awakened by someonehaking his arm and holding a paper antern close to his face. When he got his

eyes open he found that it was a jinrikishaman and that he was talking to him i

Japanese.Where's Seki?" June asked, looking abou

him in bewilderment.

The man shook his head and continued toalk excitedly in Japanese.

I want to go to Monsieur Carr's," saidJune very loud as if that would help the


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man to understand.

Wakarimasen," said the man.

Monsieur Carr!" shouted June, andagain the man shook his head and said,Wakarimasen."

Over and over June repeated "Monsieur Carr," and pointed down the moonlioad. Finally in desperation he scrambledrom his perch and seizing a stick thrust i

under his arm like a crutch, then hehumped his shoulders, drew down hisbrows, and limped along saying with agroan, "Mon Dieu! Mon Dieu!" as he had

heard Monsieur say it.n an instant the man clapped his hands

and laughed. "Hai, Hai," he said and whehe jinrikisha was wheeled about and June


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was invited to get in, you may be sure heost no time in doing so. He even forgot to

give a good-by look to Jizo, who sa

miling out into the moonlight with theittle pebbles on his head.

t was a wonderful ride, through the sof

hiny darkness, with only the pitter patter of the kurumaya's sandals to break theilence. June, curled up on the seat, was

not thinking of poor Seki San and her

anxiety concerning him, neither was hehinking of the mother and father whowould soon be coming to him over theea, nor of Monsieur with the guard at his

door. He was wondering if the stars werehe moon's children, and who woke theun up in the morning.

And all the time a light at the foot of the


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hill was getting closer and closer, andbefore he knew it, they had stopped at theittle brown house where the windows

peeped through the vines.A voice spoke sharply in the darkness andbefore June could get down a man i

uniform with a star on his breast, stoppedhim. The jinrikisha man seemed to beexplaining and the soldier to be askinquestions, and while they talked June sa

very still with his heart beating furiouslagainst the long envelope in his blouse.

He was just as frightened as he had beeback in the woods when the hob-goblinswere after him, only it was different. Thehe cried and ran away, now he was nothinking of himself at all, but of Monsieur

who might have to go to prison and die i


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he should fail to get the papers to him.

After what seemed to him hours of time,he guard evidently came to the conclusiohat a sleepy little boy who had lost his

way could do no harm, so he lifted hidown and took him up the path.

June was too full of anxiety even to glanceat the goldfish as he passed them. Hewalked straight up the path and into theoom where Monsieur lay. On the bed was

an old man who looked as if he might havebeen Monsieur's father; his body seemedo have shrunk to half its size and his face

was old and white and drawn. Only theeyes made June know that it was Monsieur himself, and the fierce startled look ihem recalled the day he had stumbled

over him in the Daimyo's garden.


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I was coming to see you and I got lost,"began June, but Monsieur held up awarning hand.

The guard will inform me in Japanese,"he said so coldly that June wondered if hewere angry with him.

After a great deal of talk, the guard wenaway leaving June sitting half asleep ohe floor with his head against the bed. I

an instant Monsieur was leaning over hihaking his shoulder.

Tell me!" he demanded, "tell me quicklywhy did you come?"

June rubbed his eyes and yawned; at firshe could not remember, then it began tocome back:

I made the 's's' the wrong way," he


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murmured, "and when I tried to fix them Ipoiled your letter."

Yes, yes," cried Monsieur, now out of bed and on his knees before the child,and you tore it up, you destroyed it?"

June shook his head wearily, "It is inside

here, but I can't undo the buttons."Monsieur's hands, bandaged though thewere, found the packet and drew it eagerl

orth. "Thank God! thank God!" hewhispered, pressing the unbroken sealagain and again to his lips.

Did I save your life?" asked June makina mighty effort to rouse himself, and enjohis reward.

Not my life, boy; that did not matter; it is

my honor you have saved, my honor." And


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Monsieur lay back upon the bed andobbed like a little child.

He's coming!" warned June, andMonsieur had only sufficient time to wipeaway the tears from his withered oldcheeks before the guard returned with the

inrikisha man.After a consultation in Japanese, Monsieur aid to June, "I have told the man how toake you home. They will be very anxious

about you. You must start at once."

I'm hungry," said June, "I'd like some ohose little crackers that you gave me

before."The guard, obligingly followindirections, produced a paper bag from theable drawer.


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I wish they were animal crackers," saidJune, "I like to eat the elephant first, thehe gets hungry and I have to eat the bear,

hen the bear gets hungry and I have to eahe pig, and the pig gets hungry and I haveo eat the rabbit until there aren't any lef n the bag."

You have not spoken to any one about theetter?" whispered Monsieur as he

pretended to kiss June good-by.

'Course not!" declared June indignantly.It's a secret!" Then as if remembering aost opportunity he added: "Oh! yo

couldn't tell me a story, could you? Just aeeny weeny one?"

Not to-night," said Monsieur laughing,why, it is eleven o'clock now. But to-

morrow, next day, always when you come,


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he stories are waiting, all that my braiand heart can hold."

And with this promise June was bound tobe content.

t was hard to believe that the way bacwas as long as the way he had come, for

Documents

Rice Alice Hegan - Captain June