Consequently they were splendid wrestlers.
Other gymnastic performers were equally proficient in different lines. Some of them had great long noses fitted to their faces, and on these noses they balanced themselves and each other, and did many other astonishing feats.
One man laid on his back supporting on one foot a fellow who stood on his nose, while, on the prostrate man’s nose, another man stood, balancing on his nose an umbrella, while he kept five or six balls flying in the air, catching each one as it fell and tossing it up again, never allowing one of them to drop.
Each of these performers, no matter what else he was doing, held a fan in one hand, which was kept constantly in motion.
And in all the performances there was never a mishap or a mistake. Every man was absolutely perfect in his part.
When Tom went back to Yokohama he told his father that he had made up his mind that he was going to be absolutely perfect in some one thing. If the Japanese could succeed in this, he was sure he could.
He had not made up his mind what he would do, but it was to be something.
His father commended this resolution, and suggested arithmetic.
Tom did not feel altogether certain about arithmetic, but as soon as he could think of a good thing, he intended to commence the study of perfection.
When his father laughed a little at his enthusiasm Tom said that one great difficulty would be that he was afraid he could not find out what his father and grandfather had been perfect in. If he could do that, it would help him very much.