SIGHTSEEING IN TOKIYO. 125

to him ; why not take this jinrikisha and go down to that store where
Uncle Nat and the doctor said they were going?

“The shopkeeper’s name is Inu and I can write it, I guess,” con-
cluded Rick.

Uncle Nat, however, had not said that the man’s name was Inu.
Rick had asked for it, and Uncle Nat answered, “I knew, but” —
That moment he was called out of the room. Rick caught the “J
knew,” he did not hear the “but.”

“ Ah,” thought Rick, “it is Inu, which is a Japanese word.”

It happens that the word means “ dog.” :

Uncle Nat had told the boys to pick up all the knowledge they could,
and they had been practicing on a few Japanese words and Rick could
write “Inu.” He put “Inu” on a slip of paper, pointed in the supposed
direction of the shop, and as he handed the slip to the bearers, with
a lordly air mounted the jinrikisha. The men took the paper, read
it and threw it away. Then they turned to Rick, smiled affectionately,
and trotted off with their princely burden. One runner would have
been enough, but Rick meant to go im a style as ostentatious as
possible.

“How intelligent the Japanese are,” said Rick, “and, what a good
knowledge I have of the language. I shouldn’t wonder if I could
find my way all over J apan myself without Uncle Nat and the doctor.
Nice, knowing people, these Japanese.”

The men had said to, one another, “Inu! It means that he has
lost a dog and wants us to find it. We will do what we can.” Away
they went.

He soon noticed that they stopped and made inquiries, a fact which
he could not understand, for he supposed that every one knew where
“Mr. Inu” kept. The men wheeled into various streets, occasionally
halting and apparently asking questions.