Sadakichi, feeling nervous at the sight, said to his companion, “Bunkichi San, now you see the monster, you will be for giving up your grand job, I fancy.”
“What! You don’t suppose I’m frightened, do you,” was his scornful retort, “at the sight of such a little fish?”
“What do you say?” said the other.
“Well, if the chance came in my way, I might even kill a leviathan or a crocodile!”
As these two were thus talking, a gust of wind from the high Nachi Mountain swept down on the forest of Sumiyoshi and awakened the myriad tiny harps of the pines, while the waves rolled one after another against the rocks below. These sounds combined to drown the voices of the lads, one of whom seemed to be persuading the other that it was time to go back, while the other seemed to be insisting on staying a little longer to enjoy the wild scenery and to think over the issues of his scheme.
CHAPTER III
A BOAT CAPSIZED—A HAIRBREADTH ESCAPE
THE master of the Daikokuya, who had been much struck by the wisdom and courage of Bunkichi, lost no time in going to an apothecary to get plenty of the poisonous stuff for the wanizame, while he ordered some of his men to prepare the straw dummy.
In course of time the two lads, Bunkichi and Sadakichi, came back from Sumiyoshi bluff. The master welcomed them into his own room, and said: