“Which?” asked Pine-breeze.
Then the two Mousmés began to “guy” Cherry-blossom as to the number of the riksha man destined to die.
“Ichi-ban, Ni-ban, San-ban,”[3] murmured Lotus-bud.
[Footnote 3: Number one, number two, number three.]
“Shi-ban, Go-ban, Roku-ban,” rippled Pine-breeze.
“Hachi-ban!” suddenly cried Lotus-bud, with an air of inspiration.
“Ku-ban!” replied Pine-breeze, with the air of going one better.
“Leslie San!” said Cherry-blossom: and Pine-breeze got up and scuttered into the house, where Leslie San was calling for his bath to be heated.
An hour later he appeared on the veranda, fully dressed.