The Dream of Bo
“Bo is the God of The River Fish. His home is of glass and seaweed. Yearly came the River Men to make gifts to Bo, for Bo was of great greed. One year, with the other Men of The River, came Fong Soy, the silk merchant.
“‘Bountiful Bo,’ said he, ‘this year I have no gift. The rains have been few and I have sold no silks. I have no wealth or fruits to bring to you. So, that you will bear well with me, I have brought that which I treasure more than Life itself.’
“He opened the folds of his dress and out stepped Fong Sing, his oldest son. Fong Sing, garbed in red, stepped into the waters and disappeared. Then, though parted from his dearest possession, Fong Soy returned to his home and learned that his wife had given him two sons and they were visaged as Bo, the God of The River.”
“Slowly the forms in the crystal ball disappeared and Fong Charles stopped speaking. John and Mary shook themselves as though they had been sleeping. Down from the black table Fong Kee lifted them, and there, on a small stand, was very black tea in lovely transparent cups. Mary tasted it, but it was bitter, so she did not drink. Then Sanka, the slave girl, brought dishes with cakes and candied gingers and strange fruits and almonds. Fong Charles filled the children’s pockets, and then Fong Kee led them away. Slowly they climbed their Hill and to the door of the Mansion. There stood John’s sister and Mary’s Father to welcome them, and you may believe they were relieved when the children appeared. They shook hands with Fong Kee and made him promise that he would come again to the Hill to visit them and perhaps, some time, take them again to Fong Charles to look in the round glass again.”
“Gee, that was a queer story,” said Slats, when Flip had finished.
“Yes,” said Piffy. “It made me sleepy.”
Martha Mary was afraid that the children would hurt Flip’s feelings if they said more, so she raced them up the lawn to the house, and there on the veranda Mother Dear had placed pitchers of lemonade and enough cake for six times eighteen children. And so they ate till they could eat no more and then, with their wild violets in their arms, went back to the Charity, with Martha Mary’s promise that she would come to play with them whenever Mother Dear gave her permission.