"The United States of America!" exclaimed Passe-partout; "that suits me all round."
He followed the "sandwich-man," and was soon in the Japanese quarter once again. In about a quarter of an hour they stopped before a large hut, adorned with flags, upon which a troupe of jugglers were depicted, without any attempt at perspective.
This was the establishment of the Honourable Mr. Batulcar, a sort of
Barnum, a director of a troupe of acrobats and jugglers, who were
giving their last representations, prior to their departure to the
United States. Passe-partout entered and asked for the proprietor. Mr.
Batulcar appeared in person.
"What do you want?" he said to Passe-partout, whom he took for a native.
"Do you need a servant, sir?" asked Passe-partout.
"A servant!" echoed the Barnum, as he stroked his beard; "I have two, obedient and faithful, who have never left me, and serve me for nothing but nourishment; and here they are," he added, as he extended his brawny arms, on which the great veins stood out like whipcord.
"So I can be of no use to you, then?"
"Not the least."
"The devil! It would have been very convenient if I could have sailed with you."
"Ah, yes," said the Honourable Batulcar; "you are just about as much a Japanese as I am a baboon, I guess. What are you dressed up like that for?"