But they got along capitally together, and Tom rode about Yokohama all day, and came home at night, and asked questions of his father. In this way he got some information about the things he had seen, but in many cases he had to make up theories of his own about things. And some very curious theories he made. There was a porter who had a lodge at the door of the house where they lived, and he used to strike on a gong every time any one entered. Sometimes he struck once, and sometimes two or three times, and Tom could not imagine what he did it for. He might have asked his father about this, but he made up his mind that he would find it out for himself. You must not suppose that Tom’s father was not a good-natured man, or that he objected to giving information to his son. But the truth was that Mr. Reynolds was not only very busy all day, and very often at night, with his merchant friends, but he did not know a great deal about Japanese life himself. As soon as he had got through with the most pressing part of his business, he intended to go about and see Japan. He had never been there before. At first Tom thought that when he heard one crack on the gong it meant that that was the first time he had come in. But when he heard only one stroke the second and the third time, while some other people got two taps the first time they came, he knew that this must be a mistake. Before he found out what these taps really meant Moriyama returned to town. Tom greeted him heartily enough, and as they went into the house together that morning the porter struck, first two taps, then one. “What is that banging for?” cried Tom. “I’ve been trying to find out ever so long, but it’s too much for me.” “Why two taps are for me and one is for you,” said Moriyama. “How’s that?” “He taps once for a citizen or a merchant,” said Moriyama, “and twice for an officer or an interpreter—I didn’t tell you I had been appointed an interpreter since I returned—and for a governor or a consul he’d strike three times, and four times for an admiral or higher officer.” “Once for me and twice for you,” said Tom. “What a fool the man must be!” “He does what he has to do, according to our laws,” said Moriyama. “But anybody ought to know better than that,” cried Tom. “Look here! I’m going to talk to him and then you can interpret what I say, Mr. Two-taps.” So Tom stepped up to the porter and remarked: “I say old shaven head——how many bangs would he give for the Prince of Wales, Moriyama?” “Four, I think.” “Well then, old fellow, princes belong to the set that they take kings from, and I belong to the set that they take presidents from, and so we’re even, and I want you to pound four times every time I come in the house. Do you hear that? Tell him it, upside down, Moriyama.” Moriyama, who was laughing at this speech, said something to the porter in Japanese, but I do not think that he translated Tom’s words.