"What do you mean?"
"Why, there are to be athletic sports galore," chuckled Nattie, in high glee. "A very novel programme is to be arranged. It will consist of ancient Japanese games and modern European matches. There is to be a grand wrestling contest among the foreign residents. That suits me clear down to the ground. And the funny thing about it is that no one is to know the name of his antagonist until he enters the ring."
"That will certainly add to the interest."
"I should say so. I am going to send my name in to the secretary to-morrow. Let me see; this is the second of July. That means four days for practice. I'll secure old Matsu Doi as a trainer. Whoop! there will be loads of fun, and—what under the sun is the matter?"
Grant had arisen in his 'rikisha and was staring back at a shabby-appearing native house they had just passed. For the purpose of taking a short cut to the road leading up the bluff the karumayas had turned into a squalid part of the native town. The streets were narrow and winding, the buildings lining them mere shells of unpainted wood.
"What is the matter?" repeated Nattie, stopping the carriage.
Instead of replying, Grant tumbled from his jinrikisha with surprising agility, and stepped behind a screen in front of a rice shop. Then he beckoned to his mystified brother, and with a peremptory gesture ordered the karumayas to continue on up the street.