BOTCHAN
side. Then voices were heard below. We could not poke our heads out of the window, so were unable to see the owners of the voices, but they were evidently coming nearer. The dragging of komageta (a kind of wooden footwear) was heard. They approached so near we could see their shadows.
“Everything is all right now. We’ve got rid of the stumbling block.” It was undoubtedly the voice of Clown.
“He only glories in bullying but has no tact.” This from Red Shirt.
“He is like that young tough, isn’t he? Why, as to that young tough, he is a winsome, sporty Master Darling.”
“I don’t want my salary raised, he says, or I want to tender resignation,–I’m sure something is wrong with his nerves.”
I was greatly inclined to open the window, jump out of the second story and make them see more stars than they cared to, but I restrained
–262–
