“I might have known,” says Motu. “Who but Mark Tidd could have brought you? But how did he send the letter, Tallow?”
Now that was embarrassing. I didn’t want to do any bragging about myself, and I muttered under my breath, and got red and felt like I was standing close to a furnace. Out of the tail of my eye I saw Mark Tidd grin. He knew how I was feeling, all right.
“It was like this, Motu,” says he; and again I saw the count frown, but Motu shook his head at him. “Tallow s-s-sneaked off the other night and swam the l-lake with the letter, and got a man to mail it. He was just swimmin’ back again when the enemy made a l-landin’ on our island.”
Motu bowed to me as natural and graceful as could be, and I tried to bow back, but I was pretty clumsy about it. We don’t have much practice in that sort of politeness here, which, maybe, isn’t any credit to us.
“It was a fine deed, a brave deed, Tallow. The story of that swim, the story of your dive from the balcony, shall not die.”
He went on introducing us, and the minister shook hands with each of us.
“They are of the Samurai,” says Motu, and the count raised his eyebrows with surprise. I couldn’t see why then, but later I found out. “Each of them, Count, is entitled to wear the short sword and to see the face of majesty.”
“Maybe,” says the count, “it would be well to tell these young men for whom they have been fighting. In these days when your secret was not known they have grown familiar. It did no harm, but now—it is not seemly for them, or for you.”
Motu smiled again and patted Mark on the shoulder. “Always it shall be as it is now. To these four I shall be Motu, their true friend and companion in dangers. They shall speak to me by no title, nor shall they bow to me or treat me otherwise than as one of themselves—an American boy. So shall I be proud to be known and accepted. But you may tell them, Count, who I am.”
The count bowed low. “His highness is kind beyond the power of words to express. You have been honored as few have been honored, yet I, Count Takisuji, say it is deserved. Him whom you have served is his Highness, Prince Motu, nephew to his Ineffable Majesty, Emperor of Japan.”