The Old Men of Omi by I. J. Parker Page A

suddenly, darting at children with shrill cries and fleeing only if bombarded with dried beans. And everywhere there was music. Musicians played flutes, zithers, and lutes, as women sang and men recited heroic tales.
    It was all wonderful, and Akitada forgot about his troubles when he saw the delight of Kosehira’s children. He thought of his own, feeling guilty that they weren’t with him, but they would soon see their own fair, and one that was much bigger than this one. At any rate, the outing was a complete success until Akitada missed the youngest boy. Arimitsu seemed to have disappeared into the crowds during the tengu performance. Both Akitada and his brother had seen him when the bird men first appeared. In fact, Akitada had bought both boys small bags of beans to throw at them.
    A frantic search ensued. The events of the Masuda affair surfaced again in Akitada’s memory. He had visions of the governor’s son being kidnapped. There were always evil and greedy people about who thought they could enrich themselves by taking the children of the wealthy. How would he explain to Kosehira that he had failed him in the worst way?
    It was Yukiko who kept her head. She said, “The little rascal got interested in something and forgot his promise.” They had all promised solemnly to stay close to Akitada and Yukiko or their visit would be cut short and they would be sent home in disgrace.
    Akitada was not reassured. “He was just here,” he said. “What if someone snatched him?”
    “He would have screamed and kicked. Why don’t I stay here with the children while you take a look around?”
    Sensible Yukiko!
    He found Arimitsu quickly. The boy had joined a small crowd of children and adults watching the performance of a puppeteer. In his relief, Akitada gave silent thanks to the gods of the shrine, whoever they were. He was about to seize the child and lecture him about keeping promises, when the puppeteer caught his attention. He was one of those men who walk about with a large box slung around their necks. Inside the box were puppets, and the top of the box was the stage where the puppets performed. This man was good at his craft, and the story the puppets enacted was an exciting tale of betrayal and revenge. The man had reached the point where the hero confronts the villain and they battle it out with their swords.
    Arimitsu was spellbound and had not noticed Akitada slipping through the crowd to stand beside him. The tale ended with the death of the villain, speared through the chest by the hero’s sword, and the puppeteer put away the dolls and instead brought out a wooden bowl he passed around for donations.
    Akitada added a few coppers and said to Arimitsu, “It was a fine performance, but should you not have told us where you were going?”
    The boy was startled. “Oh. I thought you knew? I thought you were looking my way when I came here. Wasn’t it grand? Wasn’t it the best thing you ever saw? And that sword fight was almost as good as watching you and Tora the other morning.”
    “You were watching?” Akitada was surprised. “We didn’t see you.”
    “Oh, we were peering through the fence.”
    An awful thought struck Akitada. “Who is we?”
    “Arihira and me.”
    Akitada breathed a little easier.
    “And Yukiko came and looked also.”
    So much for that young woman’s manners. Akitada was embarrassed and angry. How dare she spy on him? What next? Would she pop in when he was taking his bath?
    The day was spoiled for him. He returned Arimitsu to his siblings and ended the excursion in a bad mood. The children, aware of his irritation, were subdued, and Yukiko shot questioning glances his way that he ignored. When they climbed back into their carriage for the trip home, she confronted him.
    “It was very good of you to come with us,” she said. “I’m sorry that Arimitsu was disobedient.”
    He looked at her coldly. “It doesn’t matter. He’s only a child.”
    She hesitated for a moment,