these things, his mouth began to water, and he managed to swallow without making any sound.
A few days later, just before sunset, Senkichi was sent on a message to the shop kept by Mr. S. As he was leaving, the senior clerk gave him enough money for his return fare on the street car. Taking a car that followed round the outer moat, he got down at Kajibashi, and made his way to the front of the well-known sushi-restaurant. As he gazed longingly at the curtain hanging in front of the shop, he pictured to himself the clerks entering the plac later on, full of high spirits. He was very hungry, and as he thought of the inviting sushi, with strips of delicious tunny-fish upon it, he longed that he might taste it, even though it might be the smallest piece.
He had made it a rule for some time to save half of the fare that had been handed to him for the tram-rides. Whenever he was given money enough for a return fare, he usually walked one way, and so was able to save a few sen each time for himself. On this occasion the four sen which he had saved was jingling in his pocket.
“I could buy one piece of sushi for four sen,” he thought, “but how embarrassing it would be to ask only for one piece!” So he gave up the idea, and walked past the restaurant.
He completed his errand at Mr. S’s shop, and came away from there, carrying a small card-board box containing a number of little brass weights, and which weighed rather heavily.
