On the way home a shrill voice shouting in the street was recognized by the sharp-eared Taro.
“The treasure-ship!” he cried, excitedly.
Around the corner came a most wonderful cart piled high with brightly colored toys and things dear to the heart of a child. Following the cart was a veritable procession of little children. Loudly the vendor shouted:
“Otakara! Otakara!”
Ambitious to imitate the commercial foreigner, the treasure-vendor had decided to play this little trick on his fellows. He would not wait till January 2d, but would appear on the street with his treasure-cart thus early in the season when people had not yet spent all their money.
The entreaty in the faces of the children Mrs. Kurukawa could not resist. Soon some of the bright things of the treasure-cart were transferred to the jinrikishas.
“But, mind you, children,” she said, as they turned gleefully homeward, “I’m going to put everything away until Christmas.”
