it," said Taro; "but we can try. Let's go softly; then maybe
they won't hear us."

They tiptoed out into the garden. How I wish you could see their
garden! There are all sorts of wonderful places in it! It isn't
very large, but it has in it a little bit of a toy mountain, and
a tiny lake with little weeny goldfish in it, and a little
stream of water, like a baby river, that runs into the lake.
And, best of all, there is a curved bridge, painted red, just
big enough for the Twins to walk over, if they are very careful
and don't bounce! The Twins' Grandfather made this garden for
their Father to play in when he was a little boy, so they all
love it dearly.

There are iris plants and lilies beside the tiny lake, and a
funny little pine tree--a very little pine tree, just a few feet
high--grows out of some rocks on the side of the mountain.

The Twins crossed the tiny red bridge and crept up the stepping-
stones on the mountain-side until they reached the little pine
tree.

"Do you s'pose it could be the pine tree?" Take whispered.

"Maybe; it's so small--just the right size for Bot'Chan," Taro
whispered back.

The Twins looked carefully all around the pine tree, but its
trunk was gnarled and old. It is hard to believe that so little
a tree could be so old, but the Japanese know how to keep a tree