“Oh, Taro!” cried Marion. “Why, we’re going to have a Christmas-tree! Who wants to wait till January second?”
“But thad is day the otakara (treasure-ships) are on streets,” explained Plum Blossom.
“Yes,” said Iris, “and in Tokio he has beau-tee-ful presents.”
“Mother says we’ll be home for Christmas. So how can you wait till January second?”
The little Japanese children’s faces fell.
“Tha’s true,” admitted Iris, dejectedly.
“Oh, well,” said Plum Blossom, consolingly, “the toshironschi is open in December, and I wan’ take home wiz me plenty mochitsuki” (nice pastry).
“Are you dressed, children?” asked Mrs. Kurukawa, coming into the room.
They were in their quaint blue linen Japanese night-dresses, a queer little group, all barefooted.
They dressed quickly, busily talking and planning as they did so. The day was to be spent in the stores of Tokio. Never were there more enticing stores to shop in, the children thought. They got out their little savings, rolled up in paper handkerchiefs in their sleeves, and counted them over and over.