d
finding out yourself whether it is true or not," said Hojo.

Watanabe, the second knight, could not bear the thought that his
companion should believe he was afraid, so he answered quickly:

"Of course, I will go at once and find out for myself!"

So Watanabe at once got ready to go--he buckled on his long sword and
put on a coat of armor, and tied on his large helmet. When he was ready
to start he said to the others:

"Give me something so that I can prove I have been there!"

Then one of the men got a roll of writing paper and his box of Indian
ink and brushes, and the four comrades wrote their names on a piece of
paper.

"I will take this," said Watanabe, "and put it on the Gate of Rashomon,
so to-morrow morning will you all go and look at it? I may be able to
catch an ogre or two by then!" and he mounted his horse and rode off
gallantly.

It was a very dark night, and there was neither moon nor star to light
Watanabe on his way. To make the darkness worse a storm came on, the
rain fell heavily and the wind howled like wolves in the mountains. Any
ordinary man would have trembled at the thought of going out of doors,
but Watanabe was a brave warrior and dauntless, and his honor and word
were at stake, so he sped on into the night, while his companions
listened to the sound of his horse's hoofs dying away in the distance,
then shut the sliding shutters close and gathered round the charcoal
fire and wondered what would happen--and whether their comrade would
encounter one of those horrible Oni.

At last Watanabe reached the Gate of Rashomon, but peer as he might
through the darkness he could see no sign of an ogre.

"It is just as I thought," said Watanabe to himself; "there are
certainly no ogres here; it is only an old woman's story. I will stick
this paper on the gate so that the others can see I have been here when
they come to-morrow, and then I will take my way home and laugh at them
all."

He fastened the piece of paper, signed by all his four companions, on
the gate, and then turned his horse's head towards home.

As he did so he became aware that some one was behind him, and at the
same time a voice called out to him to wait. Then his helmet was seized
from the back. "Who are you?" said Watanabe fearlessly. He then put out
his hand and groped around to find out who or what it was that held him
by the helmet. As he did so he touched something that felt like an
arm--it was covered with hair and a