“Are you not afraid of its being stolen?” Darrin went on.
“Not likely,” declared the little lieutenant. “I am able to defend myself, and I shall have my friends with me on my trip back to the Okugawa Bank.”
“But pickpockets might brush against you in a crowd, and take it from you,” Dave hinted.
“They will not have that chance,” smiled Katura. “From here to the bank my friends and I will go in jinrikishas.”
As the tiffin (luncheon) hour drew near, the club rooms began to fill. There were, perhaps, a hundred newcomers.
“You’ll come to our table, Darrin?” asked Mr. Carter.
“I thank you, and under any other circumstances I would,” Dave answered. “My wife will be expecting me at the hotel. She and I have not had many opportunities to lunch together since I entered the service. So I shall have to be going along soon.”
“You’ll stay, Dalzell?” asked the diplomat.
Dan decided that he would. The Japanese officers were invited to remain, but replied that they had duties claiming their attention.
So Dave left with Lieutenants Katura, Toruma and Hata. In the main corridor these departing ones found themselves somewhat delayed, owing to the press of the crowd about one of the coat-rooms.