Ch10-Journey of a Thousand Miles

CHAPTER TEN Journey of a Thousand Miles Jack couldn't speak. "Our passports?" said Annie. "They —um— they got destroyed in a fire—on the other side of the Great Bridge." The samurai narrowed his eyes. "Your passports burned?." he said. "Why were

you on the other side of the Great Bridge?" "We were with Master Basho," said Jack. "Master Basho?" said the samurai. "Yes," said Annie. "We are students of his." "Ah!" The samurai's expression brightened. "So you study poetry with Master Basho?" "Yes," said Annie. "Would you like to hear some poems?" Oh, no! thought Jack. Not again! "Yes, please," said the samurai.

"No problem." Annie thought for a moment and then said: "Here's a simple little poem." She recited: Rain falls outside, But the tiny cricket on the hearth Is dry tonight. The samurai nodded. "Hmm," he said. "Yes. Very simple, but very lovely." "Thank you," said Annie. The man turned to Jack. Jack could hardly breathe. His mind was blank. He

looked to Annie for help. But Annie just smiled, waiting to hear his poem. Jack cleared his throat. He tried to stay calm. He closed his eyes and let his mind roam over their visit to Japan. He opened his eyes. He looked up at the cloudless sky and said: The sun is shining, The day is hot. But moonlight And cool breezes Still fill my heart, Left over from last night. "Whoa!" whispered Annie. "Good!"

"Yes, very good!" said the samurai. He looked at the sky. "The moonlight, the cool breeze," he mused, "left over from the night. Very good. Master Basho has taught you well!" The samurai strolled away, shaking his head and murmuring to himself. He let out a happy laugh, as if delighted with the day. Jack couldn't believe it. They were free! "Hurry, let's go," he said. "Before someone else sees us!" Jack and Annie ran to the rope ladder and started up. As soon as they climbed inside the tree house, Jack grabbed the

Pennsylvania book. He found a picture of the Frog Creek woods. "As the famous samurai once said, 'A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step,'" said Jack. "Or one sentence," said Annie. "Right," said Jack. He pointed at the picture. "I wish we could go home." Annie gasped. "Wait a minute!" she said. "We forgot our mission!" "What?" said Jack. But the wind started to blow. The tree house started to spin. It spun faster and faster.