Herc Taylor lolled negligently1 back in the ’rickshaw in which he and Ned Strong were being spun2 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 shafts3 of the ’rickshaw, a half naked Jap toiled4 along at a dog-trot. His skin was as dry as a bone and showed not a sign of fatigue5, yet he had drawn6 the boys some distance in the vehicle which is peculiar7 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 brooks8, 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 fragrant9 petals10.
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 majestic11 grove12 of big trees bordering both sides of the road. The shade felt grateful after the heat of the sun. At the end of the colonnade13 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.”
“That’s all right, Herc. Your thatch15 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 dispense16 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 tinkling17 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 delightful18, 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 awfully19 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 idol20, for such it plainly was, Herc had beheld21 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 helping22 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 vaulted23 a low wall and made for the feast spread out under the cherry tree. Soon he was deeply engrossed24 in stuffing away whatever looked best among the various viands25 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 jabbering26 at once and some of them began to lay hands on Herc.
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 butt28 in on old But-what’s-his-name.”
The ’rickshaw man hastily translated this speech to the angry Japs. But instead of allaying29 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 desperately30, he was borne to the ground by sheer press of numbers.
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1
negligently
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2
spun
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| v.纺，杜撰，急转身 | |
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3
shafts
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| n.轴( shaft的名词复数 )；（箭、高尔夫球棒等的）杆；通风井；一阵（疼痛、害怕等） | |
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4
toiled
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| 长时间或辛苦地工作( toil的过去式和过去分词 )； 艰难缓慢地移动，跋涉 | |
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5
fatigue
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| n.疲劳，劳累 | |
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6
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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7
peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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8
brooks
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| n.小溪( brook的名词复数 ) | |
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9
fragrant
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| adj.芬香的，馥郁的，愉快的 | |
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10
petals
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| n.花瓣( petal的名词复数 ) | |
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11
majestic
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| adj.雄伟的，壮丽的，庄严的，威严的，崇高的 | |
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12
grove
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| n.林子，小树林，园林 | |
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13
colonnade
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| n.柱廊 | |
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14
sputtered
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| v.唾沫飞溅( sputter的过去式和过去分词 )；发劈啪声；喷出；飞溅出 | |
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15
thatch
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| vt.用茅草覆盖…的顶部；n.茅草(屋) | |
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16
dispense
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| vt.分配，分发；配(药)，发(药)；实施 | |
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17
tinkling
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| n.丁当作响声 | |
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18
delightful
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| adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的 | |
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19
awfully
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| adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地 | |
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20
idol
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| n.偶像，红人，宠儿 | |
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21
beheld
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| v.看，注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟 | |
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22
helping
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| n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的 | |
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23
vaulted
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| adj.拱状的 | |
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24
engrossed
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| adj.全神贯注的 | |
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25
viands
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| n.食品，食物 | |
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26
jabbering
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| v.急切而含混不清地说( jabber的现在分词 )；急促兴奋地说话；结结巴巴 | |
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27
mischief
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| n.损害，伤害，危害；恶作剧，捣蛋，胡闹 | |
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28
butt
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| n.笑柄；烟蒂；枪托；臀部；v.用头撞或顶 | |
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29
allaying
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| v.减轻，缓和( allay的现在分词 ) | |
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30
desperately
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| adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地 | |
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