mpster, "they have given those things up, and dress just as
we do now."

"Dear me!" says I, a-looking into the carriage from under a slope of my
parasol. "How funny they look with stovepipe hats, and boots, too--oh
my!"

The Japanese were getting out of their carriage, but they seemed as if
afraid of straining too hard on their clothes, and stepped on the ground
as if it was paved with eggs.

Bang!

"Oh, goodness gracious!"

It was I that screamed out these words, and I hopped up at least half a
yard from the ground, for somewhere, close by, a great gun went
off--roaring over the water, like thunder.

"What does that mean? Does anybody want to murder us?" says I, shaking
like a poplar-leaf.

"No, no," says he, "they are only saluting us."

"Saluting _me_?" says I. "How dare they? Of course they knew I should
jump and scream. So loud, too! No young girl would stand it."

With that, I lifted my parasol, and walked across the plank on to the
deck of that steamboat, and sat down.

Them Japanese came after, and sat down close to me. Mr. Iwakura looked
at me, and I looked at him. He smiled, and I smiled. This Japanee knows
how to smile with his eyes, and that's more than a good many other men
can do.

Then I felt it my duty to talk a little, as these Japanese had been
invited on my account; so, thinking that he would expect something
original from me, I said:

"I think we shall have a pleasant day, Mr. Iwakura."

"Yes," says he, in real cunning English, looking as if he appreciated my
little speech.

"I really hope," says I, "that you and your friends will feel quite at
home."

He said "Yes," again, and smiled.

That smile was catching.

"I wonder if Mr. I. left a wife behind to languish for that peculiar
expression? If not--"

I checked these roving thoughts as incompatible with former ideas.

The steamboat was puffing and blowing, and giving a scream now and then.
It began to tremble--it veered and made a slow plunge down the river.
The decks were crowded with ladies and gentlemen--all smiling
happy--that seeming to be overjoyed to have the pleasure of coming with
me.

The Potomac River is just lovely. All the trees along its banks were
budding and feathering out with greenness. We passed by a town. Then a
great round heap of stone walls, that they called the Fort. The grass
was green around it, and some soldiers came out on the walls to look at
us as we swept by.

It was pleasant; I felt the